Did people during Jesus' earthly ministry understand the gospel of grace based on his death and resurrection?
No, the people during Jesus' earthly ministry had no concept of a gospel of grace based on His death, burial, and resurrection. That understanding came later through the writings of the apostle Paul, as the earthly ministry was part of the past Old Testament economy.
Les explains that during Jesus' earthly ministry, the disciples and people had no concept of a gospel of grace based on His death, burial, and resurrection. He notes that this is where much preaching time is spent today, but there is no power in it because it has faded. Instead, Les teaches that Christ's earthly ministry is part of the past, like the Old Testament economy, and we must now go to the letters of Paul, the apostle of the Gentiles. He connects this to Galatians 4:5, where Christ came to redeem those under the law, and Romans 3:23, that all have sinned.