The Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of Grace are two distinct messages: the first proclaims Jesus as the Christ to Israel, while the second, revealed through Paul, proclaims His death, burial, and resurrection for salvation.
Les Feldick teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom was the good news Jesus and the Twelve preached to Israel — that the promised King was present. The Gospel of Grace came from the Apostle Paul and is the message that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. These are not the same good news; they are as different as night and day.
Matthew 4:23 — Jesus is recorded preaching the gospel of the kingdom during His earthly ministry.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — Paul defines the gospel of grace — Christ died, was buried, and rose again according to the scriptures.
Acts 20:24 — Paul calls his message the gospel of the grace of God.
In Matthew 4:23, we read that Jesus 'went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.' At Caesarea Philippi, Peter answered Jesus with the confession, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matthew 16:16). The Gospel of the Kingdom focuses on who Jesus is as the Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Paul describes the gospel he delivered: 'For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.' Paul also speaks of 'the gospel of the grace of God' in Acts 20:24. Scripture thus presents the kingdom gospel and the grace gospel as two different proclamations.
Les Feldick teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom and the Gospel of Grace are two distinct 'good news' messages. The Gospel of the Kingdom was 'proclaimed during Christ's earthly ministry and by the Twelve' (clip 1). That gospel announced to the nation of Israel that Jesus was the Christ, and it contained no mention of the finished work of the cross — no death, burial, and resurrection for salvation (clips 3, 5). Then, through the Apostle Paul, God revealed the Gospel of the Grace of God. Paul, after three years alone with the ascended Lord, went to the Gentiles 'not with Judaism, not with Law, but with Grace' (clip 2). Paul's gospel is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, who died for our sins, shed His blood, was buried, and rose from the dead (clips 1, 2). Les stresses that this grace gospel was not revealed in the early chapters of Acts; even after the cross, the gospel of the kingdom was still being proclaimed (clips 3, 6). It was only after Paul's conversion that the gospel of grace took the stage, and the term 'gospel of the kingdom' fades out of Paul's letters (clip 7). In the future tribulation, the gospel of the kingdom will again be preached by the 144,000 (clip 4).
Les Feldick explains that the Gospel of the Kingdom was the message Jesus and the Twelve preached to the nation of Israel (clips 1, 3). It announced that Jesus was indeed the Christ — the King — and it was the message Peter was confessing when he said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God' (clip 5). In the early chapters of Acts, Philip and the apostles continued to preach this same message after Pentecost, and there is no mention in it of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for salvation (clip 3). Jesus Himself called it 'the gospel of the kingdom' (clip 4). In the future tribulation, the 144,000 will preach this same kingdom gospel, telling the world that the King is coming (clip 4).
Les Feldick teaches that the Gospel of Grace came from the Apostle Paul (clip 1). It is the good news that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, who died for our sins, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again from the dead (clips 1, 2). Paul received this message after three years alone with the ascended Lord, and he was sent to the Gentiles with grace — not with Judaism or the Law (clip 2). Paul calls it the Gospel of the Grace of God, the Gospel which he preached among the heathen (clip 1).
Les Feldick says, 'there is as much difference between those two Gospels as night and day' (clip 1). The Kingdom Gospel was limited to Israel and declared Jesus as the Christ; it did not include the cross work. The Grace Gospel is centered on the finished work of Christ — His death, shed blood, burial, and resurrection — and it goes out to the Gentiles (clips 1, 2, 3). Les also explains that God never changes, but He can change His message; the Gospel of Grace came out of the revelation of the mysteries (clip 1).
Les stresses that even after the cross, the early chapters of Acts do not contain the gospel of grace. When Philip preached in Samaria about seven years after Pentecost, he was continuing the Gospel of the Kingdom, with no mention of salvation by the finished work of the cross (clip 3). It was only when Saul of Tarsus was converted on the road to Damascus and God told Ananias that Paul would be sent to the Gentiles that the Gospel of Grace came into play (clip 6). From Paul's letters onward, the term 'Gospel of the Kingdom' fades off the scene and the Gospel of Grace takes its place (clip 7).
No — for the present day, the message is the Gospel of Grace. The age of grace is on the scene, the church is present, and the Gospel of Grace is the message of salvation (clips 4, 7). The Gospel of the Kingdom belongs to Israel's prophetic program and will resume in the tribulation after the church is gone, when the 144,000 will tell the world that the King is coming (clip 4).
The gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace differ in their setting and message. The gospel of grace belongs to the church age as it is presently known. When that age ends and the church is gone, there will no longer be an invitation to join a local congregation. At that point, during the final seven-year period, 144,000 young Jewish men will be sealed and commissioned to go throughout the globe. Their message will not be the gospel of grace. Instead, they will proclaim the gospel of the kingdom, returning to the message preached during the time of Christ, Peter, and the eleven. The central announcement of the gospel of the kingdom is that the King is coming. In Christ’s earthly ministry, the King and His kingdom were about to appear. Israel rejected that offer, and the King was crucified. God raised Him from the dead and called Him back to glory, where He is at the Father’s right hand until the time He returns to deal again with Israel, His covenant people. Understanding that these are distinct messages removes much confusion from the Bible. The kingdom message belongs to the coming period when the King’s return and kingdom are again the focus.
The Gospel of the Kingdom belonged to the Jewish program. It was preached during Christ’s earthly ministry and continued in the early part of Acts as the twelve ministered to the nation of Israel. It was based on the covenants and on Christ’s earthly ministry. Jewish people were still believing this message, and the activity described—including multitudes being added and the sick being brought out for healing—continues the pattern seen when Jesus was on earth. The Gospel of Grace is presented as the message that came in when Paul appeared on the scene. It is called the Gospel of the Grace of God and is connected with God turning to the Gentiles through another apostle. This change came as Israel continued to reject the Gospel of the Kingdom. The distinction is also shown by the terminology used. The Gospel of the Kingdom is repeatedly identified with the Gospel accounts and early Acts, but that term is not found in Paul’s letters. In this understanding, the Gospel of the Kingdom gradually faded from the scene, and the Gospel of Grace took its place.
Why Only Paul Uses the Term 'Body of Christ' — Bible Study
And while you're doing that here in the studio, we'll just let our television folks understand that we've got all the past programs since Genesis 1-1 on up through where we've come to in Corinthians are available in videotapes, audiotapes, and books. And we've put 12 programs in one tape, and that tape has been transcribed into a corresponding little book as you see them on the screen.
Paul's Gospel Defined
Les contrasts the two gospels and explains that the Gospel of Grace is Paul's message: Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again.
Gentile Grace vs. Israel's Kingdom Gospel
Paul spent three years alone with the ascended Lord, then went to the Gentiles with grace — not law or Judaism. The grace gospel adds Christ's death and resurrection to the confession that Jesus is the Christ.
No Finished Work in the Kingdom Gospel
In Acts 8, Philip still preached the Gospel of the Kingdom, not the Gospel of Grace — there was no mention of death, burial, and resurrection for salvation.
The Kingdom Gospel Returns in the Tribulation
Les points out the vast difference between the two gospels and shows that the 144,000 in the tribulation will preach the kingdom gospel — that the King is coming.
Peter's Confession vs. Our Gospel
Peter's answer, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,' was the kingdom gospel; it did not include the death and resurrection of Christ, which is our gospel of grace.
Grace in Early Acts?
Even after the cross, the early chapters of Acts contain no gospel of grace; it began with Paul's conversion when God sent him to the Gentiles.
The Fading of the Kingdom Gospel
The term 'gospel of the kingdom' is never used in Paul's letters because the kingdom gospel faded off the scene and the gospel of grace took its place.
Matthew 4:23: And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.
Jesus is recorded preaching the gospel of the kingdom during His earthly ministry.
Matthew 16:16: And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Peter's confession identifies Jesus as the Christ — the heart of the kingdom gospel.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Paul defines the gospel that is the Gospel of Grace — Christ died, was buried, and rose again.
Acts 20:24: But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
Paul himself calls his message the gospel of the grace of God.
Matthew 24:14: And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Jesus speaks of the gospel of the kingdom being preached in the last days, matching Les's teaching about the tribulation.
No, according to Les, even after the cross there is still no gospel of grace in the early chapters of Acts. The gospel of grace was revealed later, through the Apostle Paul (clips 6, 7).
Paul's gospel is that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, who died for our sins, shed His blood, was buried, and rose from the dead (clips 1, 2).
Yes, Les says the 144,000 Jewish evangelists in the tribulation will carry the gospel of the kingdom around the globe, telling the world that the King is coming (clip 4).
Les says many people don't comprehend that these are two distinct good news, but once you understand the difference, the Bible loses a lot of its confusion (clips 4, 7).
Watch the Teaching: What Happens to the 144,000 Jews in the Tribulation?