The True Events Leading up to “the body of Christ” and the gospel that saves mankind today

Most problems in interpreting Bible passages arise from neglecting the context of a bible verse. The guiding principle of sound interpretation is to take a passage literally. Not maintaining this discipline, makes interpreting Scripture man’s idea, fantasy, and the passage can mean almost anything. The result is erroneous and ridiculous interpretations. To be a good bible student one must maintain a literal, grammatical and historical (in-time) hermeneutic. There has been much too much of man’s theology governing Scripture when it is God’s Word alone that reigns over theology.

This post is part 3 of 3. Please read Parts 1 & 2 “The Narrative” & “Multiple Errors” if you haven’t read them already in order to get the flow and to better understand this final post.

The arrival of John the Baptist on the scene marked the beginning of a new era for the people of Israel. He announced that their promised King was coming to usher in the kingdom. The Lord, Jesus Christ, began His earthly ministry by preaching in synagogues the gospel of the kingdom, saying “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Jesus Christ performed many miracles and chose 12 disciples, commanding them to go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. The apostles, led by Peter, preached the gospel of the kingdom to Jews only, baptizing and adding to the Jerusalem Church. Jesus made Peter the leader of the disciples and spokesman for the Jewish Church.

However, the Jewish leadership rejected Jesus’ claims that He was their Messiah and, along with the Romans, crucified Him. Jesus was raised from the dead and spent 40 days talking to the 11 about things concerning the kingdom they were to rule over, as promised by the Lord Himself before His crucifixion (Matthew 19:28). The Lord also commanded His disciples to preach the gospel of the kingdom throughout the world, beginning first in Jerusalem.

After Jesus’ ascension, the disciples continued to preach the gospel of the kingdom (that Jesus was the Christ) to Jews only, continuing to practice the Mosaic Law. Peter preached to his kinsmen that even though they (the Jewish Leadership and the nation as a whole) along with the Gentiles killed the Prince of Life, if they (the nation) would just repent, God would still send their Messiah and usher in the kingdom.

Around the same time, Saul, a much-feared persecutor of those Jews who claimed that Jesus was the Christ, had a conversion experience on the road to Damascus. The ascended and glorified Lord confronted Saul, who would become the apostle Paul, choosing him to be the apostle to the Gentile world.

Paul did not join up with Peter and the other apostles (he only met with Peter for 15 days, and no record of their conversation exists) and did not preach the gospel of the kingdom. Instead, God sent Paul to

Arabia for three years where the ascended Lord Jesus revealed to Paul and Paul alone the gospel of grace; that now salvation is available to all mankind, Jew or Gentile, apart from the Mosaic law and temple worship, by simply believing by faith alone the gospel. That Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead three days later.

In 51 AD, after Paul had been preaching grace for 11 years, God instructed him to go up to the Jerusalem Church to tell Peter, James, and John about the new revelations given to him by the risen and glorified Lord. Peter stood up and declared that from this point forward, the Jews shall be saved in the same way as Paul’s converts (the Gentiles).

Up until this point in Biblical history (22 years after Christ’s earthly ministry, 14 years after the cross), Peter and all Jews of the Jerusalem Church were still practicing the Mosaic Law and the temple was in full operation.

It was Paul who told Peter the new revelations that now salvation is by faith alone in the finished work of the cross for both Jew and Gentile apart from the Mosaic Law. This was absolutely unheard of for the previous 1,500 or so years. The apostle Paul continued to preach the gospel of the grace of God for 24 years, spreading the message of Christ crucified, buried, and resurrected three days later all over the world.

In conclusion, it is clear from the events in the Bible that the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of grace were two distinct messages. The Jerusalem Church, led by Peter, preached the gospel of the kingdom that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, and kept the Mosaic Law and temple worship in order to be saved. On the other hand, the apostle Paul preached the gospel of grace, which emphasized salvation by faith alone in the finished work of the cross, apart from the law and temple worship. The revelation of the gospel of grace was a new message that was revealed to Paul by the ascended Lord Jesus and was not known or understood by the Jerusalem Church.

It is important to note that the gospel of the kingdom was a message that was directed to the Jews only (Matthew 10:5,6; Romans 15:8), while the gospel of grace was a message that was intended for both Jews and Gentiles and was salvation apart from the law. The events in Acts 15:1-11 and Galatians 2:1-16, clearly demonstrate the differences between the two messages and the role that the apostle Paul played in revealing the gospel of grace to the world.

The truth is that the gospel of grace is the message of salvation for all mankind today and has been the one and only gospel that can save a person for the last 2000 years. That by grace through alone in the finished work of the cross we are saved. As it is written in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

The apostle Paul continued to preach the gospel of the grace of God for 24 years spreading the message of Christ crucified, buried, and resurrected three days later all over the world.

This is the truth and is 100% accurate and fully supported by Scripture.

Scripture references:
Matthew 9:35, Matthew 16:16, Acts 15:1,5, Acts 20:24, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, Romans 3:21, Romans 16:25, Colossians 1:26, 1 Corinthians 2:7, Ephesians 3:1-11, Galatians 2:2, Galatians 2:6, Galatians 1:11,12, Galatians 2:3-9, Matthew 19:28, Ephesians 2:8-9.