The age of grace is significant because it is a previously hidden, unprophesied period in which God saves people solely by His grace through believing the Gospel, apart from the law.
Les Feldick teaches that this church age was never mentioned in prophecy and was kept secret in the mind of God until revealed through Paul. In this age, believers are not under law but under grace; all of God's grace is poured out at the moment of belief. The grace that brings salvation teaches believers to live godly lives while waiting for Christ's appearing.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 — Paul defines the gospel by which believers are saved in this age of grace.
Romans 6:14 — Shows that the age of grace is defined by being under grace rather than under law.
Titus 2:11-13 — Explains what the grace of God teaches believers in this present age.
The Bible presents a clear distinction between law and grace. Romans 6:14 says, "For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace." In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Paul reminds believers of the gospel "by which also ye are saved" — namely, that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This is the message that defines how a person is saved in the present age. Paul also describes what the grace of God does in the believer's life. Titus 2:11-13 says that the grace of God "bringeth salvation" has appeared to all men and "teaches us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope." Earlier Scripture also shows that grace was not a new attribute of God; Genesis 6:8 says "Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD."
Les Feldick teaches that the age of grace is the present church age, a period that was never prophetically revealed and is not on any distinct timetable. As he explains, everything in God's dealing with Israel was on a prophetically revealed timetable, but this age of grace was "hidden from view by sovereign decree" (Clip 0). Paul's reference to the mystery in 1 Corinthians 15 shows that God has now revealed what had been kept secret in His mind (Clip 1). Les is careful to distinguish the age of grace from the attribute of grace. God's grace was evident from the Garden of Eden, in sparing Israel after the golden calf, and in Noah's day; but the age of grace is the particular time when God opens heaven and salvation is simply by believing the Gospel, plus nothing (Clips 2, 5, 6, 7). Those who are in Christ are not under law, but under grace; all of God's grace is poured out at the moment of belief, and believers grow in grace from that position (Clips 4, 7). Les also shows how the grace of God teaches believers to deny ungodliness, live soberly and godly, and wait for the blessed hope of Christ's appearing (Clip 3). The age of grace will end, after which God will pour out His wrath in the final seven years before Christ's millennial kingdom (Clip 6).
Les says the age of grace is unmentioned in all prophecy and has no time element. Unlike Israel's history, which is marked by prophetically revealed periods such as the forty years in the wilderness, this period is an undetermined span of time hidden by God's sovereign decree. According to Les, Paul refers to a 'mystery' — a secret kept in the mind of God — that is now revealed in the Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
Les teaches that in this age of grace, all we have to do is believe the Gospel; God does everything else. The grace of God reaches down and saves a person 'on the basis of his believing the gospel plus nothing' (Clip 7). Because believers are under grace and not law, nothing is forced on them; all of God's grace is poured out at the moment of belief, and from that position believers are to grow in grace (Clip 4).
In Titus 2:11-13, the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men and instructs believers to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. Les emphasizes that believers are to be looking for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ — rather than the Second Coming in this context (Clip 3).
Les teaches that after the age of grace ends, God will pour out His wrath during the final seven years of Israel's prophecy, and then Christ will reign for a thousand years on earth. This shows that the current age has a definite end in God's program even though its length is not prophetically revealed.
The Hidden Age of Grace
Les teaches that the age of grace is the church age, a period never mentioned in prophecy and kept hidden by God's sovereign decree with no time element.
The Revealed Mystery
Les explains that the age of grace is something totally different from what came before, and that Paul's words reveal the mystery that had been hidden in the mind of God.
Grace as an Attribute of God
Les points out that God's grace has always existed as an attribute, even before the age of grace, and was seen when Israel sinned and throughout history.
Grace Teaches Godly Living
Les shows that the grace of God in this age instructs believers to deny ungodliness, live godly, and await the blessed hope of Christ's appearing.
Not Law But Grace
Les teaches that believers are not under law but under grace; all grace is received at the moment of faith and believers then grow in grace.
Grace Did Not Begin With the Church
Les clarifies that God has been a God of grace from day one, even though the church age is called the age of grace.
Grace and the Coming Wrath
Les describes how in this age of grace salvation is simply by believing the Gospel, but after the age ends God will pour out His wrath.
Salvation by Grace Plus Nothing
Les explains that a believer is not under law but under grace, and God saves a person on the basis of believing the Gospel plus nothing.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4: 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the gospel by which people are saved in the age of grace and the mystery now revealed.
Romans 6:14: For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Defines the believer's position in the age of grace as under grace rather than under law.
Titus 2:11-13: 11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Shows what the grace of God teaches believers to do in the present age.
Genesis 6:8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Demonstrates that grace was an attribute of God long before the age of grace.
Yes. Les refers to 'the church age, the age of grace' as one and the same period, which is unmentioned in prophecy and has no time element.
No. Les teaches that God has been a God of grace from day one. The attribute of grace was evident in the Garden, with Noah, and when Israel sinned; but the age of grace is the particular time when salvation is by believing the Gospel apart from law.
Les teaches that in this age all a person has to do is believe the Gospel. God saves on the basis of believing the Gospel plus nothing.
No. Romans 6:14 says believers are not under the law but under grace, and Les emphasizes that grace does not force us to do anything.
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