The Secret of the Lord and the Gospel of Grace

Based on Bible Lesson The Secret of the Lord – Part 3: The Transition to the Gospel of Grace

Understanding the Mystery of God’s Transition

The Secret of the Lord and the Mysteries of God

From the Kingdom Message to the Gospel of Grace

Deception and false teaching are spreading across the world today faster than

ever before. The Apostle Paul warned of this time when many would depart from the faith, carried away by every wind of doctrine. The antidote has not changed—it is the understanding of the mysteries of God. Psalm 25:14 declares, “The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.” Those who reverence the Lord are given insight into His hidden wisdom. That wisdom reveals a divine transition in Scripture: the movement from the gospel of the kingdom preached to Israel to the gospel of the grace of God revealed through Paul to all mankind.

The Gospel of the Kingdom: A Promise to Israel

Christ’s Command to the Twelve Apostles

Israel’s Rejection and the Shift in God’s Plan

When Christ sent forth the twelve, He commanded them, “Go not into the way of the Gentiles… but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:5-7). Their mission was clear—declare that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. This was a message of promise and repentance to a chosen nation awaiting their Messiah.Yet Israel rejected her King. Even after the resurrection, the apostles still asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6).

The kingdom message remained tied to that covenant nation, but the timing was no longer at hand. The rejection of Stephen in Acts 7 marked the nation’s final refusal, as he was stoned for declaring Christ’s glory. The persecution that followed scattered the believers, yet God’s purpose did not fail—it shifted.

From Persecution to Revelation: Saul’s Encounter

Saul’s Zeal Against the Church

The Revelation of the Gospel of Grace to Paul

Saul of Tarsus stood consenting to Stephen’s death, zealously persecuting those who followed Christ. But on the road to Damascus, the persecutor met the risen Lord. In that blinding moment, Saul was transformed. The Lord said, “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles” (Acts 9:15).This was not merely a conversion—it was a commissioning. God was beginning a new dispensation, revealing a gospel no prophet or apostle had known before: the gospel of the grace of God.

Peter’s Vision and the Door to the Gentiles

The Vision of Clean and Unclean Revealed God’s Plan

The Holy Spirit Confirms the Gospel of Grace

Before Paul’s ministry began in full, God used Peter—the apostle of the circumcision—to open a door. In Acts 10, Peter’s vision of unclean animals symbolized the Lord’s plan to extend His salvation beyond Israel. He was sent to the house of Cornelius, a devout Gentile, and witnessed the Holy Ghost fall upon them just as it had upon the Jews at Pentecost.Peter then declared, “Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” (Acts 10:34). Through Peter’s obedience, God opened the way for Gentiles to enter by faith. The same Spirit that baptized believing Jews into one body now sealed Gentile believers as heirs together of grace.

The Gospel of Grace: Salvation to All Who Believe

The Mystery of Grace Revealed to the Church

One Body, One Redeemer for All Nations

What began as a covenant promise to Israel was now revealed as a universal invitation. Paul would later proclaim, “The gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24), declaring salvation to all who trust in the finished work of Christ. This gospel is not of works, nor tied to national covenants, but founded upon faith alone in the shed blood of the Savior.The mystery once hidden in God was unveiled: that the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel (Ephesians 3:6).This transition is central to understanding the secret of the Lord. The church today stands in the dispensation of grace, distinct from Israel’s promised kingdom, yet forever rooted in the same Redeemer.

Remaining Steadfast Amid Deception

Guarding the Faith Through the Revelation of Grace

Standing Firm in the Truth of the Mystery

The rise of anti-Pauline rhetoric and distorted doctrines is evidence of the same spiritual rebellion Paul foresaw. Many are turning from sound teaching, substituting human philosophy and false exegesis for divine truth. To remain grounded, we must hold fast to the Word rightly divided and cling to the revelation given through Paul concerning Christ’s body—the church.The gospel of grace reminds us that salvation is not about man’s effort but about Christ’s finished work. Those who understand this mystery stand firm when others are “tossed to and fro.”

The Door Has Been Opened

From Peter’s Obedience to Paul’s Mission of Grace

The Secret of the Lord Strengthens Believers Today

God used Peter to unlock the door of faith to the Gentiles, and through that door, Paul would enter with the message of grace for all. This same grace continues to reach souls today, offering eternal life to every believer, Jew or Gentile.The secret of the Lord is not hidden from those who fear Him. It is revealed in the Scriptures to strengthen faith and to guard against deception. May we stand established in this truth, proclaiming with Paul, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).