Yes - Paul's mission to the Gentiles is a major turning point that opened the Church Age and began the calling out of the Body of Christ.
After Israel rejected her Messiah, God raised up Paul as the apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). Through Paul, God began calling out a people for His name from among the Gentiles, which Les Feldick identifies as the Body of Christ. This was not a continuation of the Old Testament prophetic program but a new revelation given to Paul after Israel was set aside.
Romans 11:13 — Paul's explicit statement that he is the apostle of the Gentiles makes this the central verse for the question.
Acts 28:28 — This records the final announcement that salvation is sent to the Gentiles after Israel's rejection.
In Romans 11:13, Paul writes, "For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office." This is Paul's own claim to his appointed role. Acts 28:28 records Paul's announcement at Rome: "Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it." The same chapter follows the Jewish leaders' rejection of Paul's presentation of the Old Testament covenant promises. At the Jerusalem council, James said, "Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name" (Acts 15:14). Earlier, Acts 11:19 shows that the scattered believers preached the word "to none but unto the Jews only." Together these verses show the biblical turning point to the Gentiles.
Les Feldick explains that from Abraham onward God operated with Israel as a special people, saying it was "Jew only, with the exceptions." Israel was intended to funnel the nations back into a knowledge of their God, but she rejected that role. When Israel rejected her Messiah and King, God raised up another Jew, the Apostle Paul, and His first clear announcement was that Paul would go to the Gentiles. That opened the Age of Grace and the Church Age. Les further teaches that the Body of Christ is not found in the Gospels. It is a new revelation given to Paul from the ascended, glorified Lord. The Body of Christ is predominantly Gentile and is not associated with prophecy. It is God calling out a people for His name from the masses of Gentiles. Paul alone, in Scripture, is called the apostle of the Gentiles, and his letters are the ones written to the Church.
Les teaches that Israel's original calling was to bring the nations to a knowledge of God, but Israel rejected that role. After Israel rejected her King and Kingdom, God set Israel aside and raised up the Apostle Paul to go to the Gentiles. This was a dramatic shift from the early days after Pentecost, when believers preached to none but Jews only (Acts 11:19).
Les says the Body of Christ is the company of people God is calling out from among the Gentiles - a sampling, a people for His name. This body did not appear in the Gospels or in prophecy; it was revealed through Paul after Israel rejected the Messiah. It is predominantly Gentile in nature.
Paul wrote, "I am the apostle of the Gentiles" (Romans 11:13). Les emphasizes that although others such as Barnabas and Silas may have functioned as apostles, Paul is the one apostle of the Gentiles in Scripture, and his letters are written to the Church.
Israel's Unique Calling
Les explains the Old Testament background that Israel was pulled out of humanity as a special race to bring the nations back to God - setting up the significance of God later turning to the Gentiles through Paul.
A People for His Name
Les identifies the 'people for his name' in Acts 15:14 as the Body of Christ being called out from among the Gentiles - the same work Paul's mission advanced.
The Apostle of the Gentiles
Les emphasizes Romans 11:13: Paul is the apostle of the Gentiles, and his letters are written to the Church.
The Turning Point to the Gentiles
Les says that after Israel rejected her King, God raised up Paul and sent him to the Gentiles, which opened the Age of Grace and Church Age.
Israel Down, Gentile Assembly Up
Les contrasts Peter's Jewish-limited ministry with Paul's Gentile mission, showing the transition as Israel declined and the Gentile assembly rose.
The Jew-Only Period
Les notes that for years after Pentecost the message was Jew only, making Paul's conversion in Acts 9 the turning point toward the Gentiles.
Salvation Sent to the Gentiles
Les teaches from Acts 28:28 that God sent salvation to the Gentiles after the Jewish leaders in Rome rejected Paul's message.
Body of Christ - New Revelation
Les explains that the Body of Christ is not in the Gospels or prophecy; it is a predominantly Gentile body revealed through Paul after Israel was set aside.
Romans 11:13: For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:
This is Paul's own statement identifying himself as the apostle to the Gentiles.
Acts 28:28: Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.
Paul announces to the Jewish leaders in Rome that the gospel is now going to the Gentiles.
Acts 15:14: Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
James describes God's purpose of taking a people from the Gentiles, which Les identifies as the Body of Christ.
Acts 11:19: Now they which were scattered abroad upon the persecution that arose about Stephen travelled as far as Phenice, and Cyprus, and Antioch, preaching the word to none but unto the Jews only.
This verse shows the Jewish-only phase before Paul's Gentile mission began.
Yes. Les teaches that after Israel refused to believe and receive her King, God raised up Paul and sent him to the Gentiles. This opened the Age of Grace and led to the Gentile-dominated Body of Christ.
In the early chapters of Acts, the word was preached to none but Jews only (Acts 11:19). After Paul's conversion, Peter at the first visited Gentiles, and God took out of them a people for his name (Acts 15:14). Paul then became the apostle of the Gentiles.
In Acts 28, Paul tells the Jewish leaders in Rome that the salvation of God is sent to the Gentiles. Les notes this does not mean every Gentile will be saved, but that the message will go to them - and Scripture confirms they have heard it.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Old Testament Never Mentions the Church Age