No — valuable works are not reserved for prominent religious figures; God examines every believer's day-to-day works and weighs their motivation.
Les Feldick teaches that at the judgment seat of Christ 'every person's work as a believer' will be made manifest, and he deliberately uses the word 'person' so that women and children are included (Clip 7). The works that count as gold, silver, and precious stones are defined not by a public platform but by right motivation — doing what we do for God's glory rather than to enhance the ego (Clips 1, 3). Works done carelessly or for self will burn as wood, hay, and stubble, but the believer still keeps salvation (Clip 4).
1 Corinthians 3:12-15 — The core passage for the question — it contrasts durable and perishable works and shows every man's work will be tested by fire, regardless of role.
Revelation 19:12 — Describes the Lord's eyes 'as a flame of fire,' which Les uses to picture the penetrating examination of every believer's works.
Scripture teaches that every believer builds on the foundation of Jesus Christ, and that the materials used in that building will be tested. First Corinthians 3:12-13 says, '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.' The passage speaks of 'every man's work' — it makes no distinction based on religious office or prominence. The outcome of the test is reward or loss of reward, not loss of salvation. Verse 14 says, 'If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.' Verse 15 adds, 'If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.' The works themselves are what is on trial. Revelation 19:12 also describes the Lord Jesus with 'his eyes as a flame of fire,' presenting Him as the one whose penetrating gaze will examine what each believer has built.
Les Feldick answers this question by showing that the judgment seat of Christ is not reserved for prominent religious figures. He says, 'I'm going to use the word person so that we include the women and children as well. If they're a believer... every person's work as a believer, his day-to-day practices shall be made manifest' (Clip 7). The spotlight of the Lord's penetrating, fiery eyes will examine every believer 'not for sin, but for what? His works' (Clip 7). What determines value is motivation, not visibility. Les teaches that 'the gold, the silver, and the precious stones are the things that are rightly motivated, in other words we're doing it in our subconscious as well as our conscious, our whole motivation is for God to receive the glory. Not for me, or not for you' (Clip 1). He applies this to 'every corner of our life' — asking whether we are doing what we do 'to bring glory to Him' (Clip 3). The opposite — 'things that enhance the ego' — will end up as wood, hay, and stubble (Clip 1). Les also makes clear that this is about reward, not salvation. Works belong in 'the area of Christian service, of working for reward,' and a believer whose works burn 'shall suffer loss, not of salvation, but of reward' (Clip 4). He warns that many Christians build with wood, hay, and stubble because 'they're too lazy to get up and go out and work for those hard to get materials' (Clip 6), but even the careless believer will still be present — 'we'll be there' (Clip 2). Religious activities like joining a church, walking an aisle, or tithing cannot merit salvation (Clip 5).
According to Les Feldick, the valuable materials are defined by motive, not by the size or visibility of the work. He says gold, silver, and precious stones are the things that are 'rightly motivated' — works done with the whole motivation being for God's glory, 'not for me, or not for you' (Clip 1). God looks at the 'why' behind what we do in every corner of our life, and work done to be pleasing in God's eyes and to bring Him glory is 'reckoned as gold, silver, and precious stones' (Clip 3).
Les teaches that wood, hay, and stubble represent careless or ego-driven works that will be burned up when the Lord's fiery eyes examine them — 'Puff of smoke. Nothing' (Clip 4). The believer 'shall suffer loss, not of salvation, but of reward' (Clip 4). Even so, that believer is still saved and will be present at the judgment seat; 'we'll be there. Those believers will be there' (Clip 2).
Les emphatically broadens the scope beyond religious professionals: 'I'm going to use the word person so that we include the women and children as well. If they're a believer—we're talking about believers now—every person's work as a believer, his day-to-day practices shall be made manifest' (Clip 7). The judgment seat of Christ will examine every believer's works, not just the works of those in public ministry — and the examination is not for sin, but for works (Clip 7). Les pictures the Lord's eyes as 'as a flame of fire,' able to penetrate and manifest everything (Clip 0).
No. Les draws a sharp line between salvation and works. Works 'stay over here in the area of Christian service, of working for reward' — they cannot be added to salvation (Clip 4). He gives examples of things people mistakenly think will merit heaven: joining a church, walking an aisle, and tithing. As he says, 'Joining the church never saved anybody' (Clip 5). The building of gold, silver, and precious stones is for 'the one who has salvation and is now working for reward' (Clip 6).
The Spotlight That Manifests Our Works
Les teaches that just as light manifests everything on a microscope slide, God's spotlight will manifest every believer's works, and he connects this to Christ's eyes being 'as a flame of fire' that penetrate.
Right Motivation Makes Gold, Silver, and Precious Stones
Les defines the valuable building materials as works that are rightly motivated — done with the whole motivation being for God's glory rather than for self; ego-enhancing activities end up as wood, hay, and stubble.
Carrying Out the Lord's Bidding vs. Careless Works
Les contrasts the believer who is carrying out the Lord's bidding (gold, silver, precious stones) with the careless believer (wood, hay, stubble), and notes that even the careless believer will still be present.
God Looks at Motivation in Every Corner of Life
Les teaches that God examines the 'why' behind everything we do — works done to be pleasing to God and to bring Him glory are reckoned as gold, silver, and precious stones, even though the Christian life is a constant battle.
Loss of Reward, Not Loss of Salvation
Les shows that when a believer's works burn as wood, hay, and stubble, the loss is loss of reward — not salvation — because works belong to the area of Christian service and reward.
Works Cannot Merit Salvation
Les gives examples of works people trust in — joining a church, walking an aisle, tithing — and emphasizes that no work can merit heaven; this supports the distinction between salvation and works for reward.
Building on Christ's Foundation for Reward
Les teaches that Christ must be the foundation and that the believer who has salvation then works for reward — building with gold, silver, and precious stones or with wood, hay, and stubble, which many choose out of laziness.
Every Person — Including Women and Children — Is Examined
Les deliberately includes women and children in the examination of works, saying every believer's day-to-day practices will be made manifest and that believers are examined not for sin but for their works.
1 Corinthians 3:12: Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
This verse sets up the two categories of building materials — durable and perishable — that determine a work's value.
1 Corinthians 3:13: 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.
This is the key verse for the question: every believer's work — not just the work of prominent religious figures — will be brought to light and tested.
1 Corinthians 3:14: If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
Works that survive the fire bring a reward, showing that valuable works are possible for any believer regardless of position.
1 Corinthians 3:15: If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
This verse clarifies that the loss for perishable works is loss of reward, not loss of salvation.
Revelation 19:12: His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
Les uses this imagery of the Lord's penetrating eyes to describe the examination of every believer's works at the judgment seat of Christ.
No. Les Feldick teaches that 'every person's work as a believer' will be made manifest, and he deliberately uses the word 'person' so that women and children are included. What matters is the motivation behind day-to-day practices, not a religious title or public platform (Clip 7, Clip 1).
Les teaches that gold, silver, and precious stones are works that are rightly motivated — done with the whole motivation being for God to receive the glory, not for self. God looks at the 'why' behind what we do in every corner of our life (Clip 1, Clip 3).
Yes. Les teaches that a believer whose works are wood, hay, and stubble suffers loss of reward, not loss of salvation. The passage says 'he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire' (1 Corinthians 3:15; Clip 4).
No. Les emphasizes that works belong in the area of Christian service and reward, not salvation. Joining a church, walking an aisle, or tithing are works that cannot merit heaven (Clip 5, Clip 4).
Watch the Teaching: What Happens to Believers at the Bema Seat?