The gospel of grace began to be preached when God raised up the Apostle Paul after Israel rejected the Gospel of the Kingdom.
Les Feldick teaches that neither Christ's earthly ministry nor the early chapters of Acts contained the gospel of grace — the message of Christ and the Twelve was the Gospel of the Kingdom to Israel (Clip 5). After Israel rejected the King and continued rejecting in early Acts, God raised up Saul of Tarsus, saved him by grace on the Damascus road, and revealed that Paul would be sent to the Gentiles (Clips 1, 2, 7). At that point Paul began to proclaim the Gospel of Grace (Clip 2).
Galatians 1:15-16 — Paul's own testimony places his call by grace and his commission to preach among the Gentiles — the point where Les says grace preaching begins.
Ephesians 3:1-2 — Paul explicitly identifies 'the dispensation of the grace of God' as the message given to him for the Gentiles.
Acts 9:15 — At Paul's conversion the Lord told Ananias that Saul was a chosen vessel to bear Christ's name before the Gentiles — the moment God revealed Paul's Gentile mission.
The Bible records Paul's own account of his commissioning: 'But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood' (Galatians 1:15-16). Paul likewise described the unique message committed to him: 'For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward' (Ephesians 3:1-2). At the moment of Paul's conversion, the Lord told Ananias, 'Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel' (Acts 9:15). Scripture also contrasts the believer's position under grace rather than law: 'For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace' (Romans 6:14).
Les Feldick teaches that the gospel of grace was not preached during Christ's earthly ministry. The gospel proclaimed by Christ and the Twelve was the Gospel of the Kingdom — 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. That message was for the Jew only; there was nothing in it for the Gentile (Clips 2, 5). Nor did the gospel of grace begin at the cross or in the early chapters of Acts. After Israel rejected the Gospel of the Kingdom and crucified the King, Peter and the eleven preached their hearts out, but Israel continued to reject. Even in early Acts the message was still the Gospel of the Kingdom, not the Gospel of Grace (Clips 5, 7). The gospel of grace began when God raised up Saul of Tarsus. When Israel finally proved it would not believe, God saved this raging rebel by grace on the road to Damascus — the epitome of grace — and revealed right up front that he would be sent to the Gentiles (Clips 3, 7). From that point Paul began to proclaim the Gospel of Grace, a message with which nothing of law or legalism can be associated and which was primarily, though not exclusively, to the Gentiles (Clip 2). Les compares this to the giving of the law: God gave the law to Moses for Israel, and in the same way He gave the doctrines of grace to Paul to take to the Gentiles, opening the Age of Grace (Clips 1, 6).
Les teaches that the gospel of grace did not begin simply at the cross. After Israel crucified Christ, Peter and the eleven continued to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom throughout the early chapters of Acts, and Israel continued to reject it. The Gospel of the Grace of God came from the Apostle Paul, not from Christ's earthly ministry or the Twelve. Only when Israel proved they were not going to believe did God raise up Paul to proclaim the Gospel of Grace (Clips 5, 7).
Les points to the pattern God used with the law: God gave the law to Moses, and Moses gave it to the nation of Israel. In the same way, God has given the doctrines of grace to the Apostle Paul, and Paul has taken them to the Gentiles (Clip 6). God told Saul right up front, before he even got out of Damascus, that He would send him far hence to the Gentiles (Clip 7). Paul's consistent practice was to go first to the Jew, but then to the Gentile, which opened up the Age of Grace and the Church Age (Clip 1).
Les describes the Gospel of the Kingdom as the good news that Christ was the King in Israel's midst, ready to fulfill the Old Testament promises concerning Israel and His Messiahship; it was for the Jew only, with nothing in it for the Gentile. The Gospel of Grace means that nothing of law or legalism can be associated with it, and it is primarily — though not exclusively — to the Gentiles. Paul's gospel is that Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again from the dead. Les says there is as much difference between these two gospels as night and day (Clips 2, 5).
Les notes that before Paul's ministry, grace was more or less mentioned as one of God's attributes. But beginning with Paul, the number of times the word grace appears jumps dramatically — Les says a couple hundred times from Paul on — because from Paul onward the grace of God takes the preeminence (Clip 4).
Israel Under the Law for 1,500 Years Before the Cross
Les traces the biblical timeline from Adam through Abraham and the giving of the law at Sinai, showing Israel lived under the law for about 1,500 years before the cross — the law-era background against which the later gospel of grace stands out.
Age of Grace Opens With Paul's Commission
Les teaches that when Israel refused to receive her King, God raised up the Apostle Paul, sent him to the Gentiles, opened the Age of Grace, and Paul went first to the Jew and then to the Gentile.
Paul Proclaims the Gospel of Grace After Israel Rejects the King
Les teaches that after Israel rejected the Gospel of the Kingdom and crucified the King, Paul began to proclaim the Gospel of Grace — a gospel with which nothing of law or legalism can be associated, aimed primarily at the Gentiles.
Paul Saved by Grace on the Damascus Road
Les teaches that Saul, a total enemy of Christ on the Damascus road, was saved by grace — God called him by His grace and revealed His Son in him so that he might preach among the Gentiles.
Grace Takes Preeminence From Paul Onward
Les teaches that from Paul onward, the word 'grace' appears hundreds of times and the grace of God takes the preeminence, whereas before Paul it was mentioned mainly as one of God's attributes.
The Gospel of Grace Came From Paul, Not the Twelve
Les teaches that the Gospel of the Kingdom was proclaimed by Christ and the Twelve, but the Gospel of the Grace of God came from the Apostle Paul — Paul's gospel that Christ died, shed His blood, was buried, and rose again.
Doctrines of Grace Given to Paul for the Gentiles
Les teaches that the dispensation of the grace of God was given to Paul for the Gentiles — just as the law was given to Moses — and Paul then took that grace message to the Gentile world.
Salvation of Saul of Tarsus as the Epitome of Grace
Les teaches that the salvation of Saul of Tarsus is the epitome of grace: after Israel's continued rejection in early Acts, God saved the rebel and told him even before he left Damascus that he would be sent to the Gentiles.
Galatians 1:15-16: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Paul's own testimony that God called him by grace and commissioned him to preach Christ among the Gentiles.
Ephesians 3:1-2: For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ, for you Gentiles, If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
Paul identifies the 'dispensation of the grace of God' as the message given to him specifically for the Gentiles.
Acts 9:15: But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
At Paul's conversion, the Lord declared to Ananias that Saul was chosen to bear Christ's name before the Gentiles.
Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Scripture's contrast between the believer's position under grace rather than law — the basis of Paul's grace message.
No. Les teaches that the gospel proclaimed during Christ's earthly ministry and by the Twelve was the Gospel of the Kingdom — good news that Christ was the King in Israel's midst, for the Jew only. The Gospel of the Grace of God came later from the Apostle Paul (Clips 2, 5).
Les teaches that it did not. After the crucifixion, Peter and the eleven continued to preach the Gospel of the Kingdom to Israel, and Israel continued to reject it. Only after that continued rejection did God raise up Paul to proclaim the Gospel of Grace (Clips 2, 7).
The gospel of grace began when God saved Saul of Tarsus on the Damascus road and revealed he would be sent to the Gentiles. From that point Paul began to proclaim the Gospel of Grace, going first to the Jew, then to the Gentile (Clips 1, 2, 3, 7).
Les teaches that Israel had rejected the King and the Kingdom, and continued rejecting in early Acts even as Peter and the eleven preached. So God turned to a new vessel, Paul — a saved enemy — and gave him the doctrines of grace for the Gentiles, just as He had given the law to Moses for Israel (Clips 6, 7).
Watch the Teaching: Not Under Law but Under Grace — What Romans 6:14 Really Means