Yes—the Bible's stated basis for inclusion is believing that Jesus died and rose again.
Paul writes in 1 Thessalonians 4:14, “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” Les Feldick repeatedly calls this “the qualifications for the rapture” and stresses that the only requirement is faith in the Gospel—not repentance, baptism, or church membership.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 — This is the passage Paul wrote so believers would not be ignorant about departed loved ones; verse 14 gives the faith condition for God bringing them with Jesus.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — This is the gospel Paul says we must believe—that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day.
Paul addresses this question directly in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (KJV): “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” In the following verse he also states that living believers will not go before those who have died: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” The “belief” Paul names is not vague. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 he defines the gospel he delivered: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.” This is the message a person must believe to be in that number. Paul's language also describes the comfort that comes from this belief. Believers are told not to sorrow “even as others which have no hope,” because those who sleep in Jesus will be brought with Him.
Les Feldick is emphatic that Paul's words in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 are “the qualifications for the rapture.” He says, “This is all you need to be in that great company that one day soon is going to be called out of here — for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.” He contrasts this with human additions: “It doesn't say if we are repenting and baptizing. It doesn't say if we've joined the church. It says if we believe.” Les ties this belief to Paul's Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. He cautions, “We've got to be careful what we believe. You don't just believe in God. We believe what? That Jesus died and rose again.” He also teaches that believers who have died are at that moment in the presence of Christ in soul/spirit, waiting for the resurrection day to be reunited with a resurrected body. Les's answer to the question of assurance is to point to God's promise and rest on it. When a person believes the Gospel, that person can say, “But God this is what You told me, and I believe it.” The believer does not grieve like those who have no hope, because the expectation is certain: they will see believing loved ones again.
Les Feldick is emphatic that the qualification is faith alone. He says, “This is all you need to be in that great company that one day soon is going to be called out of here — for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.” He contrasts this with human additions: “It doesn't say if we are repenting and baptizing. It doesn't say if we've joined the church. It says if we believe.” In Clip 3 he calls the Gospel “the only qualification for being in this number.” He acknowledges that God expects believers to withdraw from the world and its appetites, but those are things that follow salvation — they are not the qualification for it.
Paul says “them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). Les explains that the believer's spirit/soul goes immediately into the presence of Christ at death, and there it waits for the resurrection day to be reunited with the resurrected body. These departed believers are not left behind; God brings them with Jesus. Paul's following verse also shows they are not disadvantaged: living believers “shall not go ahead of them which are asleep.”
Paul does not forbid sorrow. He says, “that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” Les explains that Paul recognizes pagans have no concept of what is out there, so they lose loved ones without hope. For believers, the loss is real, but the hope is certain: they will see their believing loved ones again. As Les says, “We don't have to weep and wail and carry on like the heathen do, because we're going to see our loved ones again some day.”
Les is careful to define what must be believed. He says, “We've got to be careful what we believe. You don't just believe in God. We believe what? That Jesus died and rose again.” He ties this to Paul's Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — “He died for my sins, He was buried, and He rose again.” And in Clip 7 he points to the promise that if you believe that with all your heart, “thou shalt be saved” — not “if, maybe, or hope so,” but a promise on which you can rest and can hold God to what He said.
Sorrow Not as Those Without Hope
Les shows why Paul wrote “I would not have you to be ignorant” — to bring believers out of ignorance about departed loved ones and to show they don't sorrow like those who have no hope.
The Qualifications for the Rapture
Les explicitly calls 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 “the qualifications for the rapture,” saying that believing Jesus died and rose again is all you need to be in that great company.
It Says “If We Believe” — Not “If We Repent/Baptize”
Les contrasts the Bible's condition — “if we believe” — with conditions Paul never names, such as repenting, baptizing, or joining the church, and reminds believers they will see loved ones again.
The Only Qualification Is Believing the Gospel
Les says the only qualification for being in this number is having believed the Gospel — that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again — and nothing else is added.
Departed Believers Are Already With Christ, Waiting for Resurrection
Les describes the believer's soul/spirit going to be with Christ at death, waiting for resurrection day when it is reunited with the resurrected body, and “God will bring with him” those who sleep in Jesus.
Our Blessed Hope in Resurrection
Les connects being planted in the likeness of Christ's death to being in the likeness of His resurrection, calling it our blessed hope that the best is yet to come.
Separation From the World Follows — It Is Not the Qualification
Les acknowledges God expects believers to withdraw from the world and its appetites, but insists that is not the qualification for salvation; the qualification is believing the Gospel.
Resting on God's Promise of Salvation
Les tells the reader that when God promises that believing in Christ's death, burial, and resurrection saves, that promise can be rested on and held onto with confidence — “thou shalt be saved” is a fact, not a hope so.
1 Thessalonians 4:13: But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
This is the verse where Paul introduces the hope believers have for loved ones who have died.
1 Thessalonians 4:14: For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
This verse states the explicit condition—belief in Jesus' death and resurrection—for being included with those God brings.
1 Thessalonians 4:15: For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
This verse assures readers that living believers will not precede those who have already died in Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Paul defines the gospel he preached—the death of Christ for sins—as the message that must be believed.
1 Corinthians 15:4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Paul completes the gospel definition with the burial and bodily resurrection of Christ, which are essential to the belief that saves.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Paul connects belief in Jesus' resurrection with the promise of salvation—the basis for assurance.
No. Les points out that Paul does not say “if we are repenting and baptizing” or “if we've joined the church.” The condition Paul gives is “if we believe that Jesus died and rose again.” God does expect believers to withdraw from the world afterward, but that is not the qualification.
Yes. Paul says those who sleep in Jesus God will bring with Him. Les explains their soul/spirit is already with Christ and they are waiting for the resurrection day, so believers do not sorrow as those who have no hope.
The Gospel Paul delivered is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Les emphasizes that this is the specific belief — not just believing in God in general — that qualifies a person for this number.
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