No — an unbeliever may say the words, but he cannot genuinely claim Jesus as Lord.
Les Feldick states plainly that no unbeliever can ever, ever claim Christ as his Lord; it is impossible. He explains 1 Corinthians 12:3 to mean that no one can say 'Jesus is the Lord' and really mean it except by the Holy Spirit. A genuine confession is tied to faith in the heart, and for the believer Christ becomes Lord of life after the new birth.
1 Corinthians 12:3 — Paul directly links the ability to sincerely say Jesus is the Lord with the Holy Spirit's work.
Romans 10:9 — Paul ties confession of the Lord Jesus with heart belief in His resurrection and the promise of salvation.
First Corinthians 12:3 says, 'Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.' Romans 10:9 says, 'That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.' These two verses tie a genuine confession of Jesus as Lord to the Holy Spirit's work and to heart faith. Scripture never describes an unbeliever making a sincere confession of Jesus as Lord apart from the Spirit.
Les Feldick teaches that an unbeliever can never genuinely claim Christ as his Lord. In 1 Corinthians 12:3 he sees the principle that no one can sincerely say 'Jesus is the Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. Because the Holy Spirit is not working in an unsaved person, any verbal claim to Jesus as Lord is empty and impossible to truly mean from the heart. Les uses Romans 10:9 to show the genuine confession: a person confesses with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believes in the heart that God raised Him from the dead. He notes that believing is an attitude of the heart, not a physical action. After a person enters by faith and experiences the new birth, Christ becomes Lord of that person's life. He also makes clear that he does not agree with Lordship salvation because it smacks of works. Les contrasts genuine faith with empty ritual, saying that salvation is not church membership, aisle-walking, or rote repetition. The Holy Spirit places true believers into the body of Christ, and it is this spiritual work that makes a confession of Jesus as Lord genuine.
Yes, an unbeliever is able to repeat the phrase, but the words alone do not make the claim true. In 1 Corinthians 12:3, Paul says no one can say “Jesus is the Lord” except by the Holy Ghost. Les teaches that an unbeliever can never genuinely claim Christ as his Lord; the words without the Spirit are empty.
Romans 10:9 connects confession of the Lord Jesus with heart belief in His resurrection and gives the promise of salvation. Les emphasizes that confession here is verbal — “with thy mouth” — but it is joined to believing in the heart. He also notes that after the cross and resurrection, Jesus becomes “the Lord Jesus Christ” and Lord of the believer's life. So the confession is genuine only when it springs from faith in the Christ who died and rose, not merely from reciting words.
No. Les explicitly says, “I do not agree with Lordship Salvation. I feel that smacks of works.” But he still teaches that Christ becomes Lord of a believer's life after the new birth. He rejects the formula “take Jesus as your Lord and personal Savior” as unscriptural language, while accepting the underlying truth if it means faith in the Jesus who died, was buried, and rose again. For Les, Lordship is the result of salvation, not a condition added to faith.
The Holy Spirit enables a genuine confession of Jesus as Lord. Les says no one can say that Jesus is the Lord and really mean it except by the Holy Spirit. He also teaches that the Holy Spirit places true believers into the body of Christ at salvation, while the unsaved are not in the body. Thus the Spirit's work in a person is what makes the confession more than empty words.
How the Holy Spirit Gives Spiritual Gifts — 1 Corinthians 12 Explained
Hello and welcome to Through the Bible with Les Feldick. An Oklahoma rancher and farmer, Les Feldick has been teaching homestyle Bible classes for 20 years in Iowa, Oklahoma, and Texas. Les Feldick's unique style of Bible teaching has made the books of the Bible come to life. When Les is teaching, it's so interesting that people say time just seems to fly by. And now, here is Les Feldick.
No Unbeliever Can Claim Christ as Lord
Les teaches that it is impossible for an unsaved person to ever claim Christ as his Lord; only the Holy Spirit enables someone to say that Jesus is the Lord and really mean it.
Confessing the Lord Jesus from the Heart
Les explains that Romans 10:9 links confession of the Lord Jesus with heart belief; believing is an attitude of the heart, and Jesus becomes the Lord Jesus Christ to the one who believes.
Christ Becomes Lord After the New Birth
Les rejects Lordship salvation as works, but says that when a person enters by faith and is born again, Christ becomes Lord of his life — confirming that genuine Lordship belongs to believers.
Confession Goes Beyond the Earthly Jesus
Les says the confession in Romans 10:9 recognizes the risen, exalted Lord Jesus, not just the Jesus of the earthly ministry; this is the confession of a believer.
Only True Believers Are in the Body of Christ
Les teaches that the Holy Spirit places genuine believers into the body of Christ; unsaved people, even with names on church rolls, are not in that body.
Salvation Is Not Ritual or Rote
Les explains that salvation is not church membership, aisle-walking, or rote repetition; it is genuine belief in the gospel under the Holy Spirit's power.
The Unscriptural Phrase “Take Jesus as Lord”
Les challenges the common cliché “take Jesus as your Lord and personal Savior” because it is not in Scripture; true saving faith rests in the Jesus who died and rose.
1 Corinthians 12:3: Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
This verse is the foundation for understanding that a sincere confession of Jesus as Lord requires the Holy Spirit's work.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
This verse shows that the genuine confession of Jesus as Lord is paired with heart belief in the resurrection and is connected to salvation.
No. An unbeliever may repeat the words, but he cannot mean them from the heart. Les teaches that only by the Holy Spirit can anyone sincerely say that Jesus is the Lord.
Saying the phrase by itself is not salvation. Les says he does not believe in salvation by rote repetition, church membership, or walking an aisle. He teaches that salvation is genuine belief in the gospel, and Jesus becomes Lord after the new birth.
No. He says Lordship salvation smacks of works. He teaches that after a person enters by faith and is born again, Christ becomes Lord of that person's life.
It teaches that no one can sincerely say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. Les says this means an unbeliever can never actually claim Christ as his Lord in a genuine way.
Watch the Teaching: How the Holy Spirit Gives Spiritual Gifts — 1 Corinthians 12 Explained