No — our own efforts cannot deal with the sinful nature.
Les Feldick teaches that the old Adamic nature is the source of all our problems and that no amount of human energy or religious discipline can bring it under control. Only the power of God can break its dominance, and that happens when the old man is crucified with Christ. Even afterward, the believer must keep old Adam in subjection, since it remains present and active in this life.
Romans 6:6 — This verse shows that the old man (the sinful nature) is crucified with Christ so its power might be destroyed — a work of God, not self-effort.
Romans 5:12 — It traces the sinful nature back to one man's disobedience, showing why no human can undo it by his own strength.
Romans 6:6 states: "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Romans 6:7 continues: "For he that is dead is freed from sin." The old man is not changed by human discipline; it is put to death in Christ's crucifixion. Romans 5:12 traces the problem to its source: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:" Because the sinful nature was inherited from Adam, it cannot be removed by our own accomplishments. Romans 7:9 shows that even the apostle Paul was unaware of his true condition until the law exposed it: "For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." Romans 7:17 adds: "Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me."
Les Feldick consistently teaches that the old Adamic nature — the "old man" — is the sin nature every child of Adam is born with, and it is bent to rebellion. He points to Romans 6:6 to show God's answer: our old man is crucified with Christ. He explains that no amount of human endeavor, self-discipline, or religious activity can break the control of old Adam; only the power of God can do it. He illustrates with the picture of a well-trained horse that appears under control until it is provoked — just as the old nature remains capable of erupting in the lives of even the most disciplined people. Les also emphasizes that after salvation the new nature cannot sin, but old Adam is still present and working constantly, which is why believers still struggle. Therefore, living a victorious Christian life is not a matter of our effort but of reckoning the old man dead and keeping him in subjection by God's grace.
Les answers directly: "No human endeavor can do that. Only the power of God can break the control of our old Adamic nature. We can't do it." He also explains that Christianity is not a religion we work for; it is something that is all accomplished by the grace of God and by His power, and that alone. Good parents and godly homes can teach children a certain amount of inhibition, but there comes a point in the best person's life when they still give in to the control of old Adam.
Les equates the "old man" with old Adam, the Adamic nature every child of Adam is born with, bent to rebellion. Scripture says this old man is crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). Les adds that God reckons him as dead, so the controlling factor of old Adam is put out of commission.
Les teaches that the new nature is divine and cannot sin, but old Adam remains in the same believer and constantly works to make him sin. He succeeds too often. Paul's words in Romans 7:17, "sin that dwelleth in me," explain the believer's experience. Therefore, it is not a matter of being sinless but of not giving in to old Adam and keeping him under control.
Les says plainly, "Is it possible to live sinless? No, it's not possible." The new nature cannot sin, but old Adam is still there and works on us constantly. However, grace is not a license; believers are not supposed to sin, and the way to victory is to keep old Adam in subjection and feed the new nature.
Paul's Outward Control vs. Inner Eruption
Les describes Paul as a religious zealot who thought his life was under complete control, but the old sin nature erupted under the law and changed his life — showing that outward discipline is not enough.
Old Adam in the Believer
Les teaches that old Adam is the source of all our problems; when a believer sins, it is not the true 'I' in Christ but old Adam dwelling in him, and he must be kept under control.
Inborn Sinfulness in Children
Les points out that children show anger, lying, and bad language without being taught, proving that the Adamic nature is inborn and cannot be eliminated by good training.
The Old Man Defined
Les explains that the 'old man' is the old Adamic nature every child of Adam is born with, and it is bent to rebellion — the very thing that must be crucified with Christ.
Grace and Power Alone
Les says overcoming the old sin nature is not something we work for; it is all accomplished by God's grace and power alone.
Human Endeavor Cannot Break Old Adam
Les directly answers the question: no human endeavor can break the control of our old Adamic nature; only the power of God can do it.
The Trained Horse Illustration
Using the illustration of a well-trained horse that erupts when provoked, Les shows that human training can only mask the old nature, not change it.
No Sinless Perfection
Les teaches that it is impossible to live sinless because old Adam constantly works on the believer, even though the new nature itself cannot sin.
Romans 6:6: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
Shows God's provision for the old nature rather than self-improvement.
Romans 6:7: For he that is dead is freed from sin.
The only way to be free from the old nature is to be dead with Christ, not through our own effort.
Romans 5:12: Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Explains how the sinful nature entered the human race, making it a universal problem beyond human control.
Romans 7:9: For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
Shows that even a religious person can be unaware of his true condition until the law exposes the sin nature.
Romans 7:17: Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Shows that the old nature remains in the believer and is behind the sins he commits.
No. Les Feldick says no human endeavor can break the control of old Adam; only the power of God can do it. Even the best person will still give in to the old nature at some point, because human discipline can only suppress it, not remove it.
Because every child of Adam is born with the Adamic nature that is bent to rebellion. Les points out that children lie and use bad language without being taught; it comes from the old nature, which is present from birth.
No, Les says it is not possible, because old Adam is constantly working on the believer. The new nature cannot sin, but old Adam succeeds too often. Believers are still not supposed to use grace as a license to sin.
Les teaches that the 'old man' is the old Adam, the Adamic nature we are born with. It has to die or be crucified with Christ so the body of sin might be destroyed and we should no longer serve sin.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Law Can't Save You — Romans 3:19-20 Explained