𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙡, 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨

𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙂𝙤𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙡, 𝙊𝙣𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝘾𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙛𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙙𝙤𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨

In recent theological discussions—especially within dispensational circles—a popular idea has resurfaced: that there are two different gospels in Scripture. One is called “The Gospel of the Kingdom” supposedly preached only to Israel before the cross, and the other is “The Gospel of Grace” for the Church, beginning after Pentecost and continuing until the Rapture.

The claim goes further: that when Jesus, John the Baptist, and the disciples went out preaching the Kingdom, they did not preach the cross, burial, or resurrection. The assumption is that these core truths belong only to Paul’s gospel, revealed later.

But is this division biblically accurate? Or does it fracture what Scripture presents as a single, unified gospel?

Let us explore this question with clarity, biblical evidence, and theological coherence.

1. Did Jesus and the Disciples Preach the Cross Before It Happened?

It is true that in Matthew 10 and Luke 9, when Jesus sent out the Twelve, and later the Seventy, their preaching was centered on the announcement that “the Kingdom of God is at hand.” At that stage, the disciples did not understand Jesus’ coming death and resurrection:

“They understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.” (Luke 18:34)

So, no—they did not explicitly preach the cross during their early missions, simply because the events had not happened yet, and even when Jesus predicted them, the disciples couldn’t comprehend it.

But does that mean their message was separate from the gospel we preach today?

Absolutely not.

2. Progressive Revelation: From Anticipation to Fulfillment

While the disciples did not preach the cross before it happened, Jesus did foretell it repeatedly:

“From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things… and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” (Matthew 16:21)

The gospel message was not altered after the cross—it was fulfilled. What was proclaimed in seed form (the Kingdom has come near) was revealed in full after Jesus’ death and resurrection. The message did not change, but it progressed.

This is what Jesus explained to His disciples after His resurrection:

“Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations…” (Luke 24:46–47)

The same “Kingdom” they had preached before was now seen through the lens of the cross. The King had won the victory—through His death and resurrection.

3. The Gospel of the Kingdom Is Not a Different Gospel

Some claim that the “Gospel of the Kingdom” was only for Israel under the Law and will be preached again during a future tribulation. This view makes it seem as if the cross-centered gospel we now preach is a parenthesis, a side project for the Church age.

But Scripture never speaks of two gospels. In fact, Paul is adamant:

“Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” (Galatians 1:8)

When Paul describes his own ministry, he says:

“I went about preaching the Kingdom... testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Acts 20:25, 21)

Even Paul’s gospel—the so-called “Gospel of Grace”—includes the Kingdom, because grace and the Kingdom are not separate themes. They are united in the person and work of Jesus Christ, the crucified and risen King.

4. What About the Letters of Peter, James, and Hebrews?

Some argue that books like Hebrews, James, and the letters of Peter are focused on the "Gospel of the Kingdom" and not the Gospel of Grace.

But this division ignores the rich theology in these books:

• Peter speaks of being born again through the resurrection of Jesus (1 Peter 1:3).
• Hebrews proclaims the once-for-all atoning death of Christ and His high priestly work (Hebrews 9–10).
• James calls for faith that works—not law-keeping to earn salvation, but genuine, living faith.

These are not “Jewish gospels.” They are the New Covenant gospel applied to Jewish-background believers and beyond.

5. A United Message from the Beginning to the End

From Genesis to Revelation, God has been unfolding one redemptive story with one gospel centered on one Savior. The call to repent, believe, and follow the Messiah is not divided into different phases with different requirements.

Even in Acts, the apostles preach to Jews and Gentiles alike the same message: Jesus is the promised Christ, crucified, risen, and reigning.

There is no return to a “different gospel” during the tribulation. The message that saves today is the message that will be preached until Christ returns:

“This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

Conclusion: The Kingdom and the Cross Are Not Opposites

The Cross did not interrupt the Kingdom—it inaugurated it. Jesus reigns because He conquered sin and death through the cross. The Gospel of Grace and the Gospel of the Kingdom are not two competing messages. They are one message:
The crucified and risen King has come, and by grace through faith, you can enter His Kingdom.

Let us not divide what Scripture has united. There is one Lord, one faith, one gospel—and His name is Jesus.