“Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy — The Glorious Sweep of God’s Abundant Grace — In the Gospels, the Kingdom Was Preached as “At Hand”

We have seen how Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 13 that the miraculous gifts found among believers in Corinth would be passing away.  As a result, no one should assume that those gifts would be permanent.  God would be giving something far better, namely, the fullness or completion of the Word of God.  We saw how that was accomplished through the writings of the apostle Paul. But beginning with today’s study in the Word of God Rightly Divided we start a four part series of studies on what I am calling “The Transition: The Glorious Sweep of God’s Abundant Grace”.  What we will see is how God’s plan regarding the manifestation of his abundant grace was implemented.  That plan required the setting aside of the nation of Israel as the centerpiece in God’s working, a working that began with the preaching we consider today, that Israel’s promised Kingdom was “At Hand”.  John the baptizer preached that message as did Christ himself and the Twelve.  It was that message that led directly to Pentecost once the death and resurrection of our Lord had occurred.  Israel’s promised Kingdom WOULD be established, but it would be a work of the Lord in his timing and not the timing of mankind, even the Twelve.