Church History Matters – Episode 147

D&C 93: We Can Become Like Jesus Through Grace
Released: August 19, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Scott and Casey dive deep into Doctrine & Covenants Section 93—a doctrinally rich revelation addressing the nature of God, Christ's development, mankind's divine potential, and the sacred duty of parenting. They explore not only the theological implications but also how these truths impact daily life, especially for parents. Along the way, they illuminate the radical differences between Latter-day Saint beliefs and traditional Christianity, using memorable analogies and historical context.

Key Topics & Insights

1. Profound Doctrinal Restoration in Section 93

• D&C 93 is unique among revelations—not lengthy, but perhaps the most profound in its implications.
• It clarifies:
  • The development of Jesus Christ (“grace for grace”)
  • Our premortal existence and eternal nature
  • The nature and potential of humanity

“Section 93 is just anchoring that point further and saying this is literal, not just for Jesus, but for all mankind.” (B, 00:51)

[03:06]

Scott: “Section 93 of the Doctrine and Covenants...is like a clear and stunning example of doctrinal restoration in action...it just crisply clarifies and expounds really, key doctrinal themes...”

2. The Revelation’s Mysterious Context

• Little historical backstory: Unlike other sections, there’s no elaborate context—just a note that Joseph Smith received it on May 6, 1833.
• Early manuscript notes suggest it addressed church leaders with both profound doctrine and chastening counsel.

[06:35]

Casey: “For such a profound revelation, the context we have is surprisingly sparse...we don’t have precise information other than that. So it’s unknown what event or events or if there was anything that actually provoked the Lord’s chastisement to these four church leaders…”

3. Nature of God, Christ, and Mankind

• Jesus as Exemplar: Christ advanced “from grace to grace” until he received a fullness; we can follow the same pattern.
• Oneness with God: Jesus’ unity with the Father was achieved through freely given, reciprocal obedience and favor—setting a pattern for us.

“Jesus would obey the light and truth God gave him, and then God would favor him or give the grace of additional light and truth...This divine cycle continues...until Jesus received of the Father's fullness.” (B, 13:54)

• Lost Record of John: Verses 7–17 may quote a record from John the Baptist, showing his witness of Jesus’ progression from mortality to receiving the fullness of God.

[16:40]

B: “I think John the Baptist had front row seats to his baptism, didn’t [he]?...If this is John the Baptist...he might know a little bit more about Jesus pre age 30 than the average person does…”

4. Our Eternal Nature and Divine Potential

• Human spirits/intelligences are uncreated and eternal; we have always existed as independent agents.
• God did not create our intelligence but organized us and gave us spirit and physical bodies.
• Agency is fundamental: “All truth is independent in that sphere in which God has placed it, to act for itself as all intelligence also, otherwise there is no existence.” (paraphrased from [30:09])
• Parent-child analogy vs. creation out of nothing:
  • Latter-day Saints see God as a parent, not merely a creator; the gap between divine and human is difference in degree, not in kind.

“...Section 93 is closing that gap in pretty startling ways.” (B, 22:21)

5. Theological Consequences for Parenting

• Practical turn: After deep theology, the revelation pivots to parental responsibility.
  • All members of the First Presidency and Bishop Whitney are chastened for neglecting their families, illustrating the supreme importance of teaching children “light and truth.”
• Faithful parenting is foundational to the gospel’s progress—no ecclesiastical position supersedes it.

“The most important work you'll ever do of the Lord's is the work you do within the walls of your own home.” (B, 47:35)

[43:41–47:35]

Passages detailing the rebukes and specific family situations of Frederick G. Williams, Sidney Rigdon, Joseph Smith Jr., and Newell K. Whitney.

6. Distinctives from Traditional Christianity

• Contrasts with ex nihilo creation:
  • Latter-day Saints deny that God created all things from nothing; elements and intelligences are uncreated and eternal.

“Section 93 is blowing up all those categories. It just blasts them so hard.” (B, 52:19)

“...Traditional Christianity sees God as wholly other than his human creations, section 93 declares in, like, 4K clarity, that we are actually of the same ontological essence.” (B, 55:19)

• Problem of Evil:
  • In LDS thought, evil exists not because God created us flawed, but because agency is inseparable from uncreated intelligence. This preserves true moral freedom.
• Embodiment:
  • Emphasis on the necessity of a physical body for fullness of joy—contrary to much of historical Christian thought.
  • Quoting N.T. Wright, they note some non-LDS Christian thinkers are reclaiming the centrality of the resurrection and physical body.

7. Philosophical Implications (Truman G. Madsen’s “Lightning Round”)

• Creation: Elements and intelligence not created ex nihilo
• Christ’s Nature: He grew “grace for grace”—not both human and divine at once, but progressed just as we can
• Agency and Morality: Agency is real because intelligence is uncreated and independent; God is a parent-teacher, not a programmer
• Embodiment: Spirit and element “inseparably connected” are essential for full joy
• Traditions and Evil: Evil comes from agency and harmful traditions, not inherited depravity—each soul starts innocent
• No Total Depravity: All begin innocent; depravity arises from agency and surroundings
• Parental Responsibility: The overarching practical implication is the direct correlation between profound theology and how we raise our children

Memorable Quotes

“He was like us in a lot of ways, and that’s really encouraging...God is there as a loving parent who cares about us, who’s guiding us, who’s teaching us the truth, and desperately wants us to make the right decision, but won’t force us to.” (A, 00:57)

“Just as Jesus received God's ongoing grace...so too, as you freely offer the grace of your obedience to Christ's commandments, we will receive his reciprocal grace in return until we are glorified in Christ and then receive of the Father's fullness.” (B, 19:16)

8. Consequences: How These Truths Shape Life & Faith

• For Latter-day Saints:
  • We are co-eternal with God, destined to progress as Christ did, and responsible for teaching this potential to our children.
  • These doctrines solve classic philosophical and theological dilemmas, as Madsen notes, regarding creation, evil, freedom, embodiment, and the relationship of the many to the One.
• For Parents:
  • Even those in highest church office are accountable first as parents.
  • Nurturing light and truth in children is the greatest work—done through patience, grace, and consistent teaching.
  • Parenting reflects the very process by which God parents us: “grace for grace.”

“Be patient with your kids, Scott. Be patient with them. Let them grow. Grace for grace...Don’t expect your kids to have received a fullness yet.” (B, 84:42)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On spiritual agency and the problem of evil

  “There’s a part of you that God didn’t create and that always had some form of agency. And whether you make good choices or whether you make bad choices, you do get to those choices.”
  (A, 60:56)

• On parenting vs. church service

  “Sometimes people get so wrapped up in their church callings that they neglect their own family...our primary stewardship is in family...”
  (A, 48:56)

• On God’s parental role

  “He’s as perfect a parent as we could possibly have. And yet some of his children have chosen to abuse their agency. And that is the cause of mourning to God.”
  (A, 71:36)

• On the relationship of matter and spirit

  “The elements are the tabernacle of God. Matter isn’t evil, matter isn’t bad. Matter is what God uses to build lasting things.”
  (A, 37:53)

• On the LDS-Christian difference:

  “We reject the ontological divide between the nature of God and the nature of mankind...Section 93 is the go-to place to really get that doctrine.”
  (B, 59:54)

Important Timestamps

• [00:00–03:06] – Introduction to Section 93’s significance
• [08:19–13:54] – Christ’s development from “grace to grace” and the record of John
• [19:16–22:21] – How we become like Christ; the practical pattern
• [30:09–34:58] – Eternal nature of intelligence and agency
• [43:41–47:35] – Parenting, rebuke to church leaders, practical consequences
• [52:19–57:45] – Clash with traditional Christianity; ontological divide explained
• [60:56–66:26] – The problem of evil, agency, and human responsibility
• [68:38–83:10] – Philosophical implications (Madsen’s “lightning round”)
• [84:42–85:37] – Application: Parenting with patience and grace for grace

Final Reflections

Section 93 radically re-centers the Latter-day Saint worldview:

• We are eternal beings, children of God, capable of progressing as Christ did.
• Parenting is a godly labor, forming traditions of “light and truth” in our homes.
• The most profound doctrine is meant to shape the most everyday practices.

“When you’re sitting there making breakfast for your seven year old, you’re taking care of an uncreated, eternal being, something that has the potential to become like God one day.” (A, 83:10)

For Further Study

• David L. Paulsen, “Joseph Smith and the Problem of Evil” (BYU Devotional)
• N.T. Wright’s works on resurrection and embodiment
• Truman G. Madsen’s writings on Section 93
• Check out “Hello Saints” (Pastor Jeff) for respectful interfaith dialogue

Summary by Podcast Summarizer – Capturing both the doctrinal depth and human warmth of Scott and Casey’s discussion on D&C 93 and its remarkable relevance today.