They are two distinct messages: the Gospel of the Kingdom was Israel's good news of the King at hand, while the Gospel of the Grace of God is Paul's good news of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection for salvation.
Les Feldick teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom was the good news that Christ was the King in Israel's midst, ready to fulfill Old Testament promises, and it was for Jew only. When Israel rejected and crucified the King, God turned to Saul of Tarsus, and Paul began to proclaim the Gospel of Grace, which excludes law and legalism and centers on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Matthew 4:23 — Jesus is recorded preaching 'the gospel of the kingdom' as He went about Galilee, showing the scriptural name of the kingdom message.
Acts 20:24 — This is where Paul calls his ministry 'the gospel of the grace of God,' the exact Pauline title for his message.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — Paul defines the gospel he preached among the Gentiles as Christ dying for our sins, being buried, and rising again.
The Bible uses two distinct expressions. In Matthew 4:23, Jesus is described as 'preaching the gospel of the kingdom' throughout Galilee. Matthew 9:35 repeats the same wording. In the book of Acts, Paul tells the elders from Ephesus that he received his ministry 'to testify the gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24). Paul also describes his message in several ways. Romans 1:9 calls it 'the gospel of his Son.' Galatians 1:3-4 says Christ 'gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world.' And 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 states plainly 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.' These verses show that Scripture itself distinguishes between the kingdom message preached by Jesus in the Gospels and the grace message that Paul associates with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
Les Feldick teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom was the good news proclaimed by Christ during His earthly ministry: the King was in Israel's midst, ready to fulfill all the Old Testament promises concerning Israel and His Messiahship. It was for Jew only, with nothing for the Gentile. When Israel rejected that Gospel and the King and crucified Him, God turned to Saul of Tarsus, and Paul began to proclaim the Gospel of Grace. Paul's Gospel of Grace means that nothing of law or legalism can be associated with it, and it is primarily, not exclusively, to the Gentiles. Les describes its content as Jesus being the Christ, the Son of the living God, who died for our sins, shed His blood, was buried, and rose from the dead. Paul never calls it the Gospel of the Kingdom; instead he calls it the Gospel of God, my Gospel, the Gospel of the grace of God, and the Gospel of Christ. Les emphasizes that these are all titles for the same three-pronged fact: Christ died, was buried, and rose again, and there is no other plan of salvation. Understanding this difference, Les says, removes much of the Bible's confusion. The two messages cannot be mixed; Paul's writings must be kept separate from the kingdom message. From Paul on, the grace of God takes the preeminence.
Les explains that the Gospel of the Kingdom announced that the King was in Israel's midst and ready to fulfill the Old Testament promises concerning Israel and His Messiahship. It was for Jew only, with nothing for the Gentile. When Israel rejected and crucified the King, God turned to Saul of Tarsus, and Paul began proclaiming the Gospel of Grace, which means nothing of law or legalism can be associated with it, and it is primarily, though not exclusively, to the Gentiles.
Les says Paul's gospel is not just the kingdom message that Jesus was the Christ, but 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. Paul also uses titles such as the Gospel of God, my Gospel, the Gospel of the grace of God, the Gospel of Christ, and the Gospel of his Son. These are all titles for the three-pronged fact that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and arose again the third day.
Les points out that Paul will never call his gospel the Gospel of the Kingdom. Never. Instead, Paul uses the Gospel of God, my Gospel, the Gospel of the grace of God, the Gospel of Christ, and a couple of others, and it is always uniquely Paul's gospel. Beginning with Paul, the grace of God takes the preeminence, whereas before Paul it was more or less mentioned as one of God's attributes.
Les says to set Paul's writings up on one side and look at the vast difference; you can't mix them, it won't work. But when you keep them separate, your Bible just opens up beautifully.
Les teaches that after the age of grace ends and the church is gone, the 144,000 young Jews will go around the globe with the gospel of the kingdom, telling the world that the King is coming. That, he says, was the message in Christ's earthly ministry.
The Gifts & Calling of God Without Repentance — Romans 11:29 Explained
We don't claim to be formal. That's why you see the coffee cups on the tables. After every half-hour production, we stop and have a coffee break. And as I think I mentioned a few programs ago, we've got various denominations represented here. We do not trumpet any one over another.
Kingdom vs. Grace
Les teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom was the good news of the King in Israel's midst, for Jews only, and that after Israel rejected and crucified the King, Paul began proclaiming the Gospel of Grace without law or legalism, primarily to Gentiles.
Grace Takes Preeminence from Paul On
Les shows that from Paul onward the grace of God takes the preeminence, whereas before Paul it was mainly one of God's attributes.
The Content of Paul's Grace Gospel
Les defines Paul's Gospel of Grace as the message 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.
Paul's Exclusive Titles
Les says Paul never calls his message the Gospel of the Kingdom; instead he uses Gospel of God, my Gospel, Gospel of the grace of God, and Gospel of Christ.
Don't Mix the Two Messages
Les warns that Paul's writings and the earlier kingdom message cannot be mixed; keeping them separate makes the Bible open up beautifully.
A Vast Difference
Les explains that understanding the vast difference between the two gospels removes Bible confusion, and he shows the kingdom gospel will be preached again by the 144,000 during the tribulation.
Paul's Gospel for Today
Les says Paul's gospel—Christ died, buried, and risen—is the gospel we must adhere to today, and there is no other plan of salvation.
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.
Shows the exact scriptural title 'gospel of the kingdom' used during Jesus' earthly ministry.
Matthew 9:35: And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
Repeats the same kingdom gospel phrase as Jesus traveled through cities and villages.
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 uses this exact phrase to describe his ministry of the grace of God.
Romans 1:9: For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
Paul describes his message as 'the gospel of his Son'.
Galatians 1:3-4: Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:
Paul defines Christ's work as giving Himself for our sins to deliver us from this present evil world.
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's definition of the gospel he preached: Christ died for sins, was buried, and rose again.
Les Feldick says the Gospel of the Kingdom was the good news that Christ was the King in Israel's midst, ready to fulfill all the Old Testament promises concerning Israel and His Messiahship. It was a message for Jew only, with nothing in it for the Gentile.
It is Paul's message 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. Les says the Gospel of Grace means nothing of law or legalism can be associated with it, and it is primarily, though not exclusively, for Gentiles.
No. Les says you can't mix them; it won't work. He teaches that keeping them separate, with Paul's writings on one side and the kingdom message on the other, makes the Bible open up beautifully.
Les teaches that when Israel rejected the Gospel of the Kingdom and the King, and they crucified Him, God turned to Saul of Tarsus, the Apostle Paul, who began to proclaim the Gospel of Grace.
Watch the Teaching: The Gifts & Calling of God Without Repentance — Romans 11:29 Explained