No — Christian morals and principles cannot be legislated on the unsaved world.
Les Feldick teaches that it is impossible to pass laws that force the unsaved world to live a Christian life. Because the carnal mind is not subject to God's law, God does not expect unbelievers to keep His law; only God's transforming work can change a person.
Romans 8:7 — Shows the carnal mind cannot be subject to God's law, which is why outward legislation cannot force righteousness.
1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 — Shows true change comes from sinners turning to the living God, not from external law.
Romans 8:7 states that "the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." This places the unsaved mind in direct opposition to God's law and outside the reach of legal compulsion. Romans 6:20 describes the same condition: "For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness." Taken together, Scripture teaches that sinful human nature is not merely breaking laws but is incapable of submitting to God's law. First Thessalonians 1:9-10 shows the only solution: pagan converts turned from idols to the living God and waited for His Son.
Les Feldick directly answers this in the negative. He says Christians have hoped to legislate decent morality — to stop murder, teenage pregnancies, and drug addiction — but "you can't." He illustrates with the drug war: laws cannot stop drugs because people will not stop wanting to use them. Les also stresses that God doesn't expect the unsaved person to keep His law or be good, because the Adamic mind is not subject to the law of God. The only thing that will change an unsaved person is the act of God that transforms a person into a new creation. Paul's Gentile converts were pagan idolaters steeped in idolatrous practices, and they had to turn from idols to the living God — a change that no law could ever produce.
Les Feldick says we might like to think we can legislate decent morality, passing laws to stop murder, teenage pregnancies, and drug addiction, but you can't. He uses the drug war as proof: laws can't stop the drug business until people stop wanting to use drugs. The same is true for any outward morality — legislation cannot force the unsaved world to live a Christian life.
No. Les teaches that God doesn't expect the unbeliever to keep His law or be a good person, because the Adamic nature is not subject to the law of God. The unsaved person is still under the domination of old Adam and is free from righteousness, so outward law cannot change that nature.
Les explains that Paul uses "carnal" in two ways. Sometimes it refers to saved believers who are not Spirit-filled, still more in the flesh than in the Spirit, with mixed-up priorities. In Romans 8, however, Paul uses "carnal" of the unsaved individual who is still of the flesh and sold under old Adam. In 1 Corinthians, he speaks of recently converted pagans who are carnal but still in grace.
Les emphasizes that every Gentile convert Paul writes to was a pagan idolater steeped in idolatrous and pagan practices. Their change is described in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 — they turned from idols to the living God. That is a change of allegiance and a work of God, not something produced by legislation.
Gentile Pagan Converts Turned From Idols
Les shows Paul's Gentile converts were steeped in idolatry and had to turn from idols to the living God — a change no law could force.
Laws Cannot Legislate Morality
Les says Christians hope to legislate morality to stop murder, teen pregnancy, and drug addiction, but you can't — laws are powerless against human desire.
Carnal Corinthians and Grace
Les describes carnal Corinthians as saved but newly converted from paganism, still in grace despite their hang-ups — showing law is not the issue.
Carnal Believers in Paul's Letters
Les explains Paul can call believers 'carnal' when they are saved but not Spirit-directed, with mixed priorities.
Unsaved Paul: Carnal and Sold Under Old Adam
Les applies 'I am carnal' to Paul's pre-saved condition under old Adam, showing the unsaved are fleshly and under the curse.
Only God's Transforming Work Changes the Unsaved
Les states flatly that it's impossible to pass laws to force the unsaved world to live a Christian life — only God's act of transformation works.
Two Uses of the Word 'Carnal'
Les contrasts 'carnal' in Romans 8 (unsaved) with 1 Corinthians (saved babes in Christ).
God Doesn't Expect Unbelievers to Keep the Law
Les says God doesn't expect the unbeliever to keep His law or be good because the Adamic mind is not subject to it.
Romans 8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
This verse is central to Les's teaching that the unsaved mind cannot be forced to obey God's laws.
Romans 6:20: For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.
Describes the unsaved condition as being free from righteousness, so outward law cannot produce righteousness.
1 Thessalonians 1:9: For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
Shows that Gentile converts's change came from turning to God, not from legislation.
1 Thessalonians 1:10: And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.
Completes the picture of what it means to turn to the living God and await His Son.
No. Les Feldick says it is impossible to pass laws that force the unsaved world to live a Christian life. The carnal mind is not subject to God's law, and only God's transforming work changes a person.
No. Les teaches that God doesn't expect the unbeliever to keep His law or be good, because the Adamic nature is not subject to the law of God (Romans 8:7).
Les uses the drug war as an example: laws cannot stop the drug business until people stop wanting to use drugs. The same principle applies to all outward morality — legislation can't change the heart.
Les says it has to be the act of God that transforms us and makes us a new creation. Gentile believers in 1 Thessalonians turned from idols to the living God.
Watch the Teaching: The Wages of Sin vs. the Gift of God — Romans 6:23 Explained