“And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.”
— John 1:16 (KJV)

> “…he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace.”
— Doctrine & Covenants 93:12

These two verses use the same phrase grace for grace” (or “grace upon grace”), but they tell very different theological stories.

One verse celebrates the overflowing grace we receive from Christ. The other describes Christ himself receiving grace through progression. These two verses highlight the chasm between Latter-day Saint and Historic Christian views of grace, the nature of Christ, and salvation.

John 1:16 – Grace from Christ’s Fullness

Christianity has historically understood this verse as declaring that Christ is eternally full of divine glory (John 1:14) and grace and that
Fom his fullness, we receive “grace upon grace” (or “grace in place of grace”).

There are three main complementary Christian schools of interpretation. The first is that this verse refers to an overabundance of grace flowing from Jesus. This is not grace we earn or grow into, but unearned abundance, lavished on those united to Christ by faith.

The second complimentary view is that this verse refers to how Christ’s grace is renewed every day like so that we are never lacking : one grace replaces another, as waves replace each other on a shore.

The third view, and in my opinion the most contextually plausible one, sees the verse as referring to how Christ came and added his gracious new covenant to supplement the grace that God had already bestowed through the Mosaic covenant. This interpretation sees the verse as pointing to how much more abundant the provision of grace is in Christ.

John Chrysostom explained it this way in an ancient homily on the Gospel of John:

After having said,Of His fullness have all we received, he adds, and grace for grace. For by grace the Jews were saved: I chose you, says God, not because you were many in number, but because of your fathers. (Deuteronomy 7:7, Septuagint) If now they were chosen by God not for their own good deeds, it is manifest that by grace they obtained this honor. And we too all are saved by grace, but not in like manner; not for the same objects, but for objects much greater and higher. The grace then that is with us is not like theirs. For not only was pardon of sins given to us, (since this we have in common with them, for all have sinned,) but righteousness also, and sanctification, and sonship, and the gift of the Spirit far more glorious and more abundant. By this grace we have become the beloved of God, no longer as servants, but as sons and friends. Wherefore he says, grace for grace.

With all three of these interpretations, the focus is on how Christ gives us abundantly more than we can ever deserve or merit. He gives generously out of the outpouring of his great love and goodness.

Vitally, we receive this grace from Christ’s fullness. It is becuase of Christ’s superabundance that we are able to receive grace upon grace in free flowing measure.

2. D&C 93:12-13 – Grace as a Process for Jesus

The Latter-day Saint scripture gives a very different picture:

“And I, John, saw that he received not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for grace;

 And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness”

Jesus did not receive a fullness of divine glory at first.

He received grace for grace—progressively, implying advancement.

This frames grace not as an overflow from Christ to us, but as a power he himself attained by his obedience.

Later verses (v. 20) extend this to us: “you shall receive grace for grace”, mirroring the idea that we, like Jesus, must progress to godhood.

Receiving grace is transformed into a system of progression where we must increasingly do in order to receive. Christ is the exemplar or trailblazer, but he is not the source of abundant grace

LDS uses of “grace for grace” have therefore tended to focus on this step by step progression of obedience:

“Walking the path of discipleship takes practice—each day, little by little, ‘grace for grace, line upon line.’” Dieter F. Uchtdorf

“Such a comprehensive change in our nature typically does not occur quickly or all at once. Like the Savior, we also receive ‘not of the fulness at the first, but [receive] grace for grace.’” David A. Bednar

“Brothers and sisters, the scriptures are like a developmental display window through which we can see gradual growth—along with this vital lesson: it is direction first, then velocity! Enoch’s unique people were improved “in process of time.”  Moses 7:21 Jesus “received not of the fulness at first, but received grace for grace”  D&C 93:12 and even He grew and “increased in wisdom and stature” Neal A. Maxwell

“We are taught that Christ received not of the fullness at the first but went from grace to grace until he received a fullness, and that he finally received all power both in heaven and on earth. After having this truth recorded in the revelation, the Lord says that he is doing it so we may know what we worship and know how to worship, and that if we keep his commandments, we can go from grace to grace until, one in him as he is in the Father  John 17:21 we may inherit a fullness of all things” Bruce R. McConkie

“These are examples of the goal of perfection that we should strive for, even though we know that we must perfect our lives grace upon grace and line upon line.” Joseph Wirthlin

3. Two Different Gospels

As these quotes from LDS leaders show, this is more than just a semantic difference. These verses reflect two fundamentally different systems.

John 1:16 tells us the good news: Christ lacks nothing. He doesn’t need to progress—he gives out of his fullness. And he gives us far more generously and abundantly than we can ever deserve or merit. This is why we can trust him fully for salvation.

D&C 93:12, on the other hand, paints a picture of a Christ who once lacked, who progressed and had to prove himself worthy of divine fullness. If that’s the model, then grace becomes a ladder, not a gift.

Thats not good news.

The good news of the Gospel is that Christ came full of grace and truth—not to show us how to earn grace, but to pour it out on sinners in superabundance. And we can rest fully in his abundant grace.