No — God has already poured out His mercy at the cross, so instead of asking for mercy, we believe and appropriate it by faith.
When Christ died, God poured out His wrath on sin and simultaneously poured out His mercy toward mankind. Les Feldick therefore says the prayer 'God be merciful to me a sinner' is no longer appropriate, as though mercy had not already been given. The only fitting response is to say, 'Lord, I believe it. I appropriate it. It is mine.'
2 Corinthians 5:19 — God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, so forgiveness and reconciliation are already accomplished facts.
Romans 5:9 — We are justified by Christ's blood and saved from wrath through Him, not through begging for mercy.
Hebrews 9:22 — Remission requires the shedding of blood, which Christ accomplished once for all on the cross.
The Bible declares that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them (2 Corinthians 5:19). It teaches that "much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him" (Romans 5:9). It also states that "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22). Luke 18:13 records the publican's prayer, "God be merciful to me a sinner."
Les Feldick is emphatic that God's mercy is no longer something to be begged for. He teaches that when Christ died on the cross, God poured out His wrath on sin and at the same time poured out His mercy toward the world. Because that mercy has already been poured out, praying 'God be merciful to me, a sinner' is a 'double take' — as if asking God to do it again. Instead, the biblical response is to appropriate the mercy that is already there by faith: 'Yes, Lord, I know that Your mercy was poured out. Now I believe it. I appropriate it. It's mine.' Les also reminds us that God has already forgiven every human being all sin, 'paid for in full,' and that the world has already been reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5). So we do not beg for forgiveness; we believe that we are forgiven.
Les Feldick directly addresses this familiar prayer. He says it is not appropriate today because God has already poured out His mercy at the cross. Asking God to be merciful when mercy has already been given is what Les calls 'a double take' — it implies God needs to do it again. Instead, believers are to say, 'Lord, I believe it; I appropriate it; it's mine.'
No. Les was asked directly whether it is still necessary to beg the Lord for forgiveness, and he answered, 'No.' He said if we still had to beg, 'then this book is a lie,' because Scripture declares that God has already forgiven every human being all sin through the cross. God doesn't expect people to beg; He says, 'You are forgiven. Believe it.' The world has already been reconciled to God in 2 Corinthians 5.
Les teaches that we receive mercy by appropriating it by faith. Instead of crying out for mercy, we realize that all of God's mercy has already been poured out and we merely believe it. He describes this as saying, 'Lord, I believe it. I can't understand it.' The mercy is already there; our part is to accept it as our own.
Les explains that we deserve absolutely nothing from God, yet He provided a way back to Himself purely because of His mercy. When Christ died, God did not spare His Son; He poured out His wrath on sin and at the same time poured out His mercy. Because God never goes against His own principles, the finished work of the cross became the only way to reconcile fallen man back to Himself.
Manna from Heaven & The Sabbath: Law vs. Grace Explained
he says, there'll be no offerings when I come. In other words, Paul, I guess, felt like I do. There's nothing I hate worse than to have to ask for money, and that's why we won't do it in this program. I just detest it. And I think Paul did, too. And so he says, have all that done before I get there, because I don't want to have to ask for money.
The Publican's Prayer Is Not Appropriate Today
Les teaches that God has already poured out His mercy at the cross, so pleading 'God be merciful to me a sinner' is a double take; we are to appropriate the mercy that is already ours by faith.
We Don't Cry Out for Mercy — We Appropriate It
Les corrects the idea that we cry out for mercy; instead, we realize all of God's mercy has already been poured out and we simply believe it and make it our own.
Mercy Was Poured Out Alongside Wrath at the Cross
When Christ took God's wrath for the sins of the world, God also poured out His mercy; because that mercy is already there, we no longer beg for it but receive it by faith.
No Need to Beg the Lord for Forgiveness
Les directly answers that begging for forgiveness is unnecessary: God has already forgiven every human being all sin, paid in full, and the world has already been reconciled to God.
Mercy Already Poured Out Makes Grace Available
Les reiterates that we no longer cry for mercy because it was poured out on Christ; with mercy accomplished, God can now freely give grace.
Justified by His Blood — the Finished Work
Les grounds the whole matter in the finished work of the cross: without the shedding of blood there is no remission, but Christ's blood has been shed, so we are saved from wrath through Him.
Everything Rests on the Finished Work
Les explains that God did not spare His Son in order to purchase mankind back to Himself; everything God does for us is based on that finished work, which is why no further begging is needed.
2 Corinthians 5:19: To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
This verse shows that reconciliation and forgiveness are already accomplished facts in Christ.
Romans 5:9: Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Salvation from wrath is grounded in Christ's blood, not in our prayers for mercy.
Hebrews 9:22: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Remission requires blood, and Christ's blood was shed once for all, so forgiveness is already available.
Luke 18:13: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
This is the prayer Les says is no longer appropriate because God's mercy has already been poured out.
Romans 8:32: He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
God did not spare His Son, guaranteeing every other gift, including mercy.
No, according to Les Feldick, that prayer is not appropriate today because God has already poured out His mercy at the cross. Praying it now implies God needs to be merciful again. Instead, we are to appropriate the mercy that is already there by faith.
No. Les says God has already forgiven every human being all sin — it was paid for in full at the cross. God doesn't expect us to beg; He says 'You are forgiven. Believe it.'
We receive mercy by appropriating it by faith — agreeing with God that His mercy was poured out on Christ and making it personally ours. Les describes this as saying, 'Lord, I believe it. I appropriate it.'
Yes. Les teaches that when Christ took the wrath of God for the sins of the world, God also poured out His mercy. Because that mercy has already been poured out, we no longer have to beg for it.
Watch the Teaching: Manna from Heaven & The Sabbath: Law vs. Grace Explained