No — Christians do not work for salvation.
Salvation is entirely by grace through faith, plus nothing; it is a gift from God. Les Feldick emphasizes that human effort cannot contribute to salvation, but after salvation, believers are expected to work for rewards, not for salvation itself.
Ephesians 2:8-9 — States salvation is by grace through faith, not of works, confirming that Christians do not work for salvation.
Scripture is clear that salvation is not a reward for works. In Ephesians 2:8-9, the Apostle Paul writes, “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 directly states that salvation is not earned. Similarly, Romans 4:4-5 contrasts working for a reward (which is a debt) with believing on God who justifies the ungodly, making faith the only basis for righteousness. The Bible also reveals that Christians should do good works after salvation (Ephesians 2:10), but these works are a result of salvation, not a means to obtain it.
Les Feldick emphatically teaches that no one works for salvation; it is all of grace, received through faith plus nothing. He stresses that attempting to add any work—such as baptism, church membership, or charitable acts—to attain salvation is futile and that God will not recognize such efforts. However, after salvation, God expects believers to work for rewards, laboring to enhance His work and bring glory to His name. Les uses 1 Corinthians 3 to illustrate that believers’ post-salvation works will be tested—gold, silver, and precious stones representing quality work that endures, while wood, hay, and stubble represent worthless works that will be burned, leading to loss of reward but not loss of salvation.
Les teaches that once a person has salvation, God expects them to work for reward, not for salvation. He says, “God expects us to work for reward,” and the purpose is to enhance His work and bring honor and glory to His name (Clip 1). This aligns with 1 Corinthians 3, where believers are to build on the foundation of Christ with gold, silver, and precious stones—works that survive testing—rather than wood, hay, and stubble, which are burned (Clip 2). Thus, post-salvation works are for rewards, not for staying saved.
Les explains that salvation is a gift; if we work to earn it, it ceases to be a gift and becomes payment (Clip 4). He also notes that any attempt to merit favor with God through works tries to put God in debt, which is impossible (Clip 5). Scripture underlines this: “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” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Thus, works are excluded from salvation entirely.
Les Feldick teaches that God looks at the motivation behind a believer's works. In 1 Corinthians 3, works are likened to gold, silver, and precious stones when they are done with the purpose of glorifying God, whereas works driven by ego or self-enhancement are like wood, hay, and stubble (Clip 7). He stresses that the motivation matters because God sees the heart, and only works done for His glory will receive a reward.
Your Body Is God's Temple — What 1 Corinthians 3 Really Means
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.
Work for Reward After Salvation
Les clearly states that Christians do not work at all for salvation, but after salvation, God expects them to work for reward, not for salvation.
Works Tested at the Judgment Seat of Christ
Les explains that if a believer's works are wood, hay, and stubble, they will be burned and that believer will suffer loss of reward but not salvation.
Romans 5:1-2 Explained — Peace With God Through Faith Alone
Keep your money. God can't use it anyway. And any of these things that you do in the energy of the flesh, that's why I've said so often, baptism. That's something that you can say and go to a pastor, if one won't do it, another one will, and you can say, hey, I want to be baptized and join the church. They'll do it. But what is it? It's a work. It's something that you have decided to do.
Salvation is a Gift, Not Payment
Les teaches that if you work to earn a gift, it is no longer a gift but payment; therefore, salvation cannot be worked for.
Works for Salvation Try to Put God in Debt
Les explains that those who work to merit favor with God are trying to put God in debt, which is impossible; thus, salvation is not of works.
Bema Seat Explained: Believer Rewards & Glorified Bodies
And that's why it behooves us as believers to labor, to work, to serve for the reward, not for salvation, you can't earn that anyway, but for reward. Now I think most people, there's always the exception of course, but I think most people would rather be active as to be sitting on the sideline. I know I would, I just couldn't stand sitting on the sidelines. But here's the whole concept.
Motivation Matters: Gold, Silver vs. Wood, Hay, Stubble
Les teaches that the motivation behind a believer's works determines their quality and reward, contrasting gold, silver, precious stones with wood, hay, stubble.
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 is the foundational verse showing salvation is a gift, not earned by works.
1 Corinthians 3:12-15: Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
This passage shows that works are for rewards after salvation, not for salvation itself.
Romans 4:4-5: Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Paul contrasts working for reward (debt) with believing (faith), showing salvation is by faith, not works.
Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Highlights contrast between wage (what is earned) and gift (what is freely given).
Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Shows believers are created for good works after salvation, not for salvation.
No, salvation is a gift from God received through faith alone. Any attempt to earn it through works, such as baptism or charity, is futile because it tries to put God in debt, which is impossible.
According to Les Feldick and 1 Corinthians 3, such a believer will be saved but will suffer loss of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. Their works, if any, may be burned as wood, hay, and stubble.
No, works are expected after salvation. God expects believers to labor for rewards, but those works are not for salvation; they are to enhance God's work and bring glory to Him.
Watch the Teaching: Your Body Is God's Temple — What 1 Corinthians 3 Really Means