Why the Blog Name "Acts 20 Grace Believer"

     Dispensationalists argue among themselves over many things.  One such argument concerns when did the church, which is his body (Eph. 1:22-23) and the "grace message" begin to be preached and the offer of the kingdom end. Acts 2 Dispensationalists say of course it began in Acts 2 at Pentescost.  Traditional Mid Acts Dispensationalists say either Acts 9 or Acts 13.  The Acts 28ers say it began at Acts 28 or shortly thereafter.  The only dogmatic statement we have from the Bible is that the "gospel of the grace of God" was known (by Paul) at least by Acts 20:24.  According to Eph. 3:6 it is this grace gospel that puts both Jew and Gentile in one body which is called the mystery in Eph. 3:3.  From my study of Acts, it appears that after Paul's salvation and revelation of the grace message, that both the kingdom program and mystery program operate parallel until the end of Acts.  At Acts 28 Israel had one last opportunity to repent and receive the kingdom offer.  If Israel had accepted the message the mystery program would have been cut short (1 Cor 7:29) by the rapture of the Body of Christ and the 70th week of Daniel would have commenced and ended with God fulfilling Acts 3:19-20 by sending Christ and setting up the kingdom. Israel does not repent at Acts 28, so God lays the sin of blasphemy to them which they actually committed in Acts 7 but was not charged to them because a spirit filled man, Stephen, prayed that God not lay the sin to their charge.  Stephen's prayer was certainly answered because he had the kingdom prayer promise of ask and receive.  This prayer bought Israel more time to repent i.e. until Acts 28 or shortly thereafter.  However, it does appear Acts 7 starts a process of God casting away Israel and the fall of Israel (Rom. 11:15).  Israel had the power to stop the process of falling and being cast away during the entire Acts period by simply repenting and thus not remaining in unbelief (Rom. 11:23).  Unfortunately Israel does not repent and remains in unbelief at Acts 28, so God withdraws the kingdom offer and the only program of salvation now is believing the grace gospel and becoming a member of the one body of Christ.