No — no one can go to heaven by doing good deeds.
Scripture shows that God justifies the ungodly who believe, not those who work for it. Les Feldick stresses that every attempt to merit heaven through good works — church membership, baptism, giving, tithing — is still work, and God will not recognize it. Salvation is by faith plus nothing, resting on the finished work of the cross.
Romans 4:5 — Directly answers the question: the person who 'worketh not' but believes is counted righteous.
Ephesians 2:8-9 — Explicitly states salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
John 5:28-29 — Shows two resurrections — the resurrection of life and the resurrection of damnation — and provides the framework for Les's teaching on the final destiny of believers and the lost.
Hebrews 11:6 — Without faith it is impossible to please God, so good works cannot be the basis for heaven.
The Bible is clear that salvation is not a reward for good deeds. In Romans 4:5, God 'justifieth the ungodly' — the person who 'worketh not, but believeth' — and it is that person's faith that is counted for righteousness. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.' Hebrews 11:6 says, 'But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.' Rather than listing good deeds as the way to heaven, Scripture consistently separates salvation from human effort. Even John 5:28-29, which mentions 'they that have done good' and 'they that have done evil,' pictures two resurrections — but the Bible elsewhere makes clear that the dividing line is faith, not the quantity of good works.
Les Feldick teaches that no amount of good deeds can get anyone into heaven. He continually boils the gospel down to 'faith plus nothing.' In Clip 2 he says, 'Today, God's whole requirement for salvation is believe the gospel,' and that without faith it is impossible to please God. In Clip 1 he lists things people often trust for salvation — baptism, joining a church, visiting the sick, giving to the poor — and calls them all works that God will not recognize for salvation. Les also warns against adding anything to faith. In Clip 3 he says that adding something to the gospel 'cancels the work of the cross,' and that millions of church-going people will miss heaven's glory because of it. In Clip 5 he says every believer will be in heaven only because of the finished work of the cross, not because of what they did. In Clip 0 he explains the two resurrections: one for the just (believers) and one for the lost, who will be raised and brought to the great white throne and then the lake of fire. The determining issue is faith, not deeds.
Les Feldick gives concrete examples of activities that people try to use to merit heaven: joining a church, being baptized, walking an aisle, tithing, giving to the poor, and visiting the sick or those in nursing homes (Clips 1 and 4). He says that in their proper place, after salvation, these are fine — they are what God expects — but when people try to do them for salvation, 'it won't work' and 'God won't recognize it.'
Les warns that adding anything to 'faith plus nothing' with regard to the gospel 'cancels the work of the cross.' He says he fears that 'millions upon millions upon millions of church-going people over the centuries are going to miss heaven's glory' because they have added something to that simple gospel (Clip 3). He also uses the picture of heaven being boring if every believer bragged about what they did to get there — but that will not happen, because every believer is there for one reason: the finished work of the cross (Clip 5).
In John 5:28-29, Jesus describes the hour when 'all that are in the graves shall hear his voice' and come forth — some to the resurrection of life and some to the resurrection of damnation. Les explains this as two resurrections: the resurrection of the just (believers) and the resurrection of the lost, who will be brought before the great white throne and then go to the lake of fire (Clip 0). He does not make 'doing good' the cause of the resurrection of life; rather, he connects life with being a believer and shows that faith, not works, is what pleases God.
Two Resurrections — Life and Damnation
Les explains that John 5:28-29 shows two resurrections: believers to the resurrection of life, and the lost to the great white throne and then the lake of fire.
Works Cannot Save
Les calls baptism, church membership, visiting the sick, and giving to the poor works that people try to do for salvation, but God will not recognize them.
Faith Brings Peace with God
God's whole requirement for salvation today is to believe the gospel; without faith it is impossible to please Him.
Adding to Faith Cancels the Cross
Adding human works to faith plus nothing cancels the work of the cross, and many church-goers will miss heaven's glory by doing so.
Religious Activities Are Still Works
Joining a church, walking an aisle, or tithing to buy your way into heaven are all works and cannot bring salvation.
No Room to Boast
Salvation is not of works lest anyone should boast; every believer in heaven will be there only because of the finished work of the cross.
Righteousness of God by Faith
Man's good works are not even mentioned in the righteousness of God; it is by faith in Jesus Christ unto all who believe, plus nothing.
First Step of Faith
Nothing we do gets us to heaven; we must first agree with God that we are sinners, and then we can be justified freely by His grace.
Romans 4:5: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
This verse directly contrasts working for salvation with simply believing, showing that faith is what God counts as righteousness.
Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
This explicitly says salvation is not of works, ruling out good deeds as a means to heaven.
Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
This shows that pleasing God starts with faith, not with good behavior.
John 5:28-29: Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
Jesus speaks of two resurrections; the phrase 'done good' is used by Les to show the two categories of people rather than a works-based salvation.
Romans 3:22: Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference.
Les uses this verse to show that the righteousness of God comes by faith to all who believe, with nothing added.
No. Scripture says 'to him that worketh not, but believeth... his faith is counted for righteousness' (Romans 4:5). Les Feldick stresses that God's requirement for salvation today is to believe the gospel, not to accumulate good deeds.
Les calls these works. They are things a person decides to do, and works cannot earn salvation. They are fine after a person is saved, but trying to use them to merit heaven will fail because God will not recognize them for salvation.
Les explains that Jesus is describing two resurrections — one for the just or believers, and one for the lost. The Bible as a whole makes clear that the resurrection of life belongs to those who believe, not to those who merely do good deeds.
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