Ironically, from an eternal perspective one of our purposes here is to take on as much injustice as possible. The more merciful we are, the more mercy we have. This is a gift given to us by our enemies. Our friends can't help us in this way. When we learn why, we will all love those who hurt us more than those who bless us.
The Law of Justice
Justice is a law even above God. In order for God to have power, He must be obeyed. Everything in the Universe obeys Him, doing His will, and honoring Him, which gives Him all power. The Lord told the Prophet Joseph Smith that "...honor... is my power..." (D&C 29:36) An essential part of this honor is that God is a just God; His word is honored because He is perfectly just. Alma the Younger explains this to his son, "Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease to be God." (Alma 42:13)
Because of this, we are left with a conundrum, how can the suffering of one pay for the sins of another? It isn't just that the perpetrator get off scot-free while some one else suffers for wrongdoing. Alma explains this to His son, "Now there is not any man that can sacrifice his own blood which will atone for the sins of another. Now, if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is just, take the life of his brother? I say unto you, Nay. But the law requireth the life of him who hath murdered;" (Alma 34:11-12) In other words, we cannot pay for the sins of another, it isn't fair.
The Law of Mercy
The law of mercy is the "loophole" in the law of justice. Everything in the Universe must balance, every debt must be paid, every wrong righted, and and all suffering recompensed. It works both ways. We are told about the lower law of justice, where a judge sentences one to suffer for his errors and illegal activities, but don't consider that justice also includes that we must receive recompense for all innocent suffering. It is the flip-side of the same coin. We can ask for favors to be paid to us when we suffer for the misdeeds of others innocently. It is only fair. It is just, and therefore required of God.
When we do not require payment for the mistakes of another that caused us damage, we are giving mercy. Like everything else, mercy is on a scale. At the lower end, we don't exact payment for the innocent mistakes of others who hurt us, and on the top end we do not require payment for those who spitefully use us and persecute us. The more we innocently suffer, the more we may live in the law of mercy. If we innocently suffer, and do not seek revenge or payment for the wrongdoings of others who are intending to hurt us, we are living the highest law of justice. The effect of this is nothing short of miraculous!
Building our account
The scales must be balanced. God is perfectly just. He will not let any dirty deed go unpunished. Nor will He let any good deed go by without a reward. The best way to obtain mercy is by being in the law of mercy, and that is not accusing or seeking payment for suffering. If we truly suffer innocently, and allow it without exacting repayment for our suffering, then there is a deficit of justice in our favor. We can actually, or theoretically, create a debt of justice that is owed to us because we never took payment for suffering. The greater the deficit, the greater the blessing. Because of the evil nature of the world, we could, by the end of our lives, build a huge bank account of innocent suffering!
But it isn't true. Since we are not innocent, we can never have a positive account with God. If we feel we have suffered more than we have given suffering to others, the final judgment will show us that we have not. First of all, we are lost and fallen through transgression. We have no right to return to God, no matter how much we have suffered. Second, though we may suffer, our suffering ends, it is finite, but when we cause others to suffer, it may be infinite. A word to another that causes him to suffer may be passed-on for generations. The ripples we cause in the water cannot be stopped. Third, most of our suffering is self-inflicted so there can be no debt. And fourth, we get immediate payment for our all our obedience and good deeds. "he doth require that ye should do as he hath commanded you; for which if ye do, he doth immediately bless you; and therefore he hath paid you. And ye are still indebted unto him, and are, and will be, forever and ever; therefore, of what have ye to boast?" (Mosiah 2:24) We can never be positive.
The true purpose for having mercy on others is that it puts us in the law of mercy. "Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7) Being in the law of mercy allows us to be with Christ, His sons and His daughters, and partake of His mercy. Those who insist on justice will receive justice, and will find that their accounts are very negative, no matter how much they suffered in the world. Our only way out is to be merciful to others, "relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save." (2 Nephi 31:19)
Jesus Christ
God uses the law of mercy for all of us to receive salvation no matter what egregious errors we have committed, wrongs we have done, or hurt we have caused. It all starts with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He marked the path, and led the way by actually doing what He said, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44) He innocently suffered humiliation and pain in the flesh, and forgave those who caused it in every way, even offering them salvation from their own suffering.
The next level is even more amazing! He suffered the pains of a damned soul, though He had never committed any sin. "Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit — and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink..." (D&C 19:18) He didn't want to, but did it to be obedient to God. It was the will of God. His Father, God, your God and my God, caused His suffering. He suffered Eternal torment, God's suffering. Yet He was innocent of any sin, transgression, or wrongdoing. This creates a huge hole in the law of justice. It isn't fair that He suffer innocently. This wrong must be righted. Jesus Christ created a huge debt with the Father, who must repay every bit to balance the scales. God cannot allow the punishment to go unrewarded, or He would cease to be God.
Jesus Christ has perfect love. At the final judgment, He stands at the bar, our advocate before God, the just Judge, and says: "Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified; Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life." (D&C 45:4-5) His payment includes bringing us with Him into the Kingdom of God to have everlasting life. This is His love for us.
Only those who are "[His] brethren that believe on [His] name" will take part. He asks for His reward to be given to those He loves, His friends. It's not random or arbitrary, all is done according to the law, and must be done perfectly. Not everyone benefits, only those who repent and take upon themselves His name can take part in His reward. "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matthew 26:28) When sinners repent of their sins and become lawful, they are enabled to live with God, so they qualify to receive this gift from Christ. Each must be living the law of mercy by forgiving all offenses.
True followers
The true followers of Christ are seeking for ways to forgive everyone. The Lord explained, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12) There can be no bitterness or rancor towards one who hurts us, nor can we wish them ill or hope that God repays them for their unkind deeds. Instead, we gratefully acknowledge them, that they are willing to suffer, taking upon themselves our sins, suffering Eternal torment so that we can be saved from the same fate by teaching us to be merciful. We hope that they repent of their sins through the mercy of the Lord, Jesus Christ so they also may be saved from suffering. And, we thank the Lord for our enemies, that they allow us to learn how to be merciful. Our friends could never help us in this manner. It is our enemies that put us in the law of mercy and allow us to receive mercy from the Lord. This is why, and how, we love our enemies.
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