Podcast Summary: Standard of Truth

Episode: S5B11 Kristy’s KorneЯ - D&C 93 Part 2
Date: August 27, 2025
Host: Dr. Gerrit Dirkmaat (with Dr. Richard Leduc)

Episode Overview

This episode delves into Joseph Smith's revelations about the nature of Jesus Christ and humanity as presented in Doctrine and Covenants Section 93, contrasting it sharply with mainstream Christian theology. Dr. Dirkmaat unpacks deep doctrinal issues—such as the problem of evil, the Fall, Calvinism, and the development of Christ’s divinity—ultimately highlighting how Latter-day Saint revelations provide a radically different, more hopeful view of God's work and our potential. The hosts emphasize how understanding the nature of Christ is directly connected to understanding our own divine potential.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Recap of Part 1: The Nature of God and Christ in Christian Tradition

• Discussion: The hosts open with a lighthearted reminder to listen to Part 1 for foundation (00:34).
• Summary:
  • Christian debates over Jesus’s dual nature at the Council of Chalcedon: "He is 100% mortal and 100% God... that's the great mystery of the Trinity." (Dr. Dirkmaat, 01:50)
  • Difficulty reconciling the idea that Jesus can be fully God and fully mortal—metaphor of mixing milk and orange juice to illustrate a conundrum (02:10).
  • "The only way for part two to make any sense is if you go back to part one and listen..." (00:36)
  • Notable Humor: "If I took a glass of orange juice... and then poured the other half with milk, not only would I have a fairly disgusting concoction..." (Dr. Dirkmaat, 02:10)

2. Calvinism and the Problem of Evil

• Calvinist Background:
  • John Calvin: God as utterly sovereign and all-powerful, creating everything ex nihilo (out of nothing) (04:44).
  • Jonathan Edwards: God creates "to demonstrate His glory" and "created Satan to demonstrate His goodness" (05:44, 06:17).
• Theological Dilemma:
  • If God is all-powerful, He could have created beings incapable of evil. Why create people destined to fail or not be saved?
  • Traditional Christian view: "Anything that happens, happens because God chooses to not intervene, or... because God wishes it to be so." (Dr. Dirkmaat, 08:56)
  • Calvinist logic: God specifically creates some people (knowing they won't be saved) to demonstrate His justice (15:38).

Impact on Salvation and the Fall

• Traditional View:
  • Adam and Eve as tragic figures whose disobedience dooms humankind (11:49).
  • Most people will be damned due to lack of exposure to Jesus or failure to convert—eternal destiny tied to God’s inscrutable will (16:54, 22:33).
  • Personal anecdote: Striking encounters with Calvinist preachers who believe "God had created almost everyone for his own will and pleasure, knowing that they would all go to hell" (Dr. Dirkmaat, 23:42).
• Latter-Day Saint Contrast:
  • Latter-day Saints see the Fall as a necessary step for human progression—Adam and Eve’s choice is positive, allowing humanity to exist and progress (11:49).

3. Joseph Smith’s Revelations: A Radically Different Cosmology

• Moses 1 and the Nature of God’s Work:
  • Moses 1: God’s creations are countless ("worlds without number"), not limited to our earth (26:44).
  • The divine work is to "bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (28:19, Moses 1:39)
  • Quote: “He didn’t create man to demonstrate his glory because of how sinful they were going to be. He created man so they could have eternal life, so that he could have glory.” (Dr. Dirkmaat, 29:09)

4. Doctrine & Covenants 93: Christ’s Development and Its Implications

John 1 and Section 93: Reading the Texts

• John 1: The basis for early Christian insistence on Christ’s divine nature (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” 39:42).
• D&C 93: Offers an “expansion” of this doctrine, providing answers to questions the Gospel of John leaves open.

Section 93’s Radical Teachings

• Jesus Did Not Have the Fullness at Birth:

  • “He received not of the fullness at first, but received grace for grace... continued from grace to grace until he received a fullness.” (D&C 93:12-13; Dr. Dirkmaat, 50:20)
  • The fullness came after his baptism: “He received all power, both in heaven and on earth.” (D&C 93:16-17)
  • Implication: Jesus voluntarily "condescended" from Godhood, passing through a veil to develop as any human would—revolutionary compared to the static divine Christ of historic Christianity (57:00).
  • On the condescension of God: Nephi’s vision and the “condescension of God” from 1 Nephi 11 (1:03:00)

• Personal Application:

  • "You shall receive grace for grace" just as Jesus did; understanding Christ's progression is key to understanding our own potential (1:12:12).
  • Quote: “Somehow, even though I’m nothing like Jesus... you could receive the fullness of the Father and you shall receive grace for grace. That is a stunning idea.” (Dr. Dirkmaat, 1:12:55)

5. Why This Doctrine Matters for Latter-day Saints

• Our Potential:
  • The knowledge of Christ’s developmental process highlights humankind’s divine potential—a fundamental difference from other Christian views that emphasize human depravity and predestination.
• Preparation for Part 3:
  • The episode ends with a teaser: The next episode will dive deeper into the nature of humankind as illuminated in D&C 93’s latter half.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Christian Theology and Mystery:
  • “He is 100% mortal and 100% God...that’s the great mystery of the Trinity.” (Dr. Dirkmaat, 01:50)
• On God’s Will in Calvinism:
  • “For Calvin, God is ultimately sovereign. He does exactly what he intends to do. It’s the best part about being all powerful.” (Dr. Dirkmaat, 14:38)
• Personal Encounter with Evangelical Preacher:
  • “90%? Don’t you think it’s going to be a lot higher than that?” (Unidentified preacher, 24:48)
• On Joseph Smith's Revelatory Leap:
  • “The book of Moses...is so far ahead of any of Joseph Smith’s other revelations that it’s actually hard to figure out how Joseph received it when he did.” (Dr. Dirkmaat, 25:59)
• On Jesus Receiving the Fullness:
  • “He received not of the fullness at first, but received grace for grace...until he received a fullness.” (Doctrine and Covenants 93, quoted at 50:20)
• On the LDS Distinction:
  • “If your Christian friend didn’t think you were a blasphemer...all they need to do is read verse 18.” (Dr. Dirkmaat, 1:11:49)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:34: Recap of Part 1 and intro to doctrinal questions
• 04:44: Introduction to Calvinist theology and its impact on Christian views of evil and predestination
• 11:49: Contrast of Christian and LDS views on the Fall of Adam and Eve
• 23:42: Anecdote about a preacher’s harsh doctrine of salvation and damnation
• 26:44: Moses 1 revelation and God’s purpose
• 39:42: Reading and discussion of John 1 and its significance in Christian theology
• 50:20: D&C 93’s revelation on Christ’s development and grace-for-grace process
• 1:03:00: Nephi’s vision and "the condescension of God" explained
• 1:12:12: Implications for humanity: “You shall receive grace for grace”
• 1:13:58: Teaser for next episode — further exploration of human potential in D&C 93

Tone and Style

• Tone: Thoughtfully irreverent, scholarly yet accessible, with frequent humor and analogies to clarify doctrinal ideas.
• The hosts use vivid metaphors, personal anecdotes, and gentle teasing to illustrate their points, making complex theology engaging and relatable.

Conclusion

This episode challenges listeners to see pivotal differences between Latter-day Saint and traditional Christian beliefs about the nature of God, Jesus, and salvation. D&C 93’s teachings reveal a loving God whose work and glory are bound up in humanity’s eternal progression—offering a hopeful, empowering vision distinct from orthodox views. The episode sets up anticipation for a third installment, promising even deeper exploration into humanity’s divine potential as found in revelations to Joseph Smith.

For Further Study:

• Read John 1 and Doctrine & Covenants 93
• Listen to Part 1 for foundational background
• Anticipate Part 3 for the continuation on the nature of humanity