What does it mean to be saved merely as a fire escape?
Being saved merely as a fire escape means a person only wants to avoid hell and go to heaven. But believers are not saved merely to escape hell or just to go to heaven; they are saved to be to the praise of His glory in this life right now, having trusted Christ after hearing the word of truth.
Les teaches that many people, especially children who are saved, are merely saved as a fire escape. They just want to not go to hell and want to go to heaven. He says there is nothing wrong with that, but salvation is not just to escape hell or just to go to heaven. Rather, God has paid the price of redemption so that believers can be to the praise of His glory in this life, right now, as those who first trusted in Christ. It does not say to those who were baptized, joined the church, or did good works; it says to those who praised Him and brought Him glory. The sequence is that they trusted after hearing the word of truth, so no one is a Christian before hearing that word.
That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.