Yes — God is absolutely sovereign, yet He never overrides human free will; salvation is offered to all, but it must be personally chosen.
Les Feldick states that God has laid out human history ahead of time while still allowing men and nations to exercise free will (Clip 1). He also teaches that Christ's work restored what Adam lost, but this restoration is not automatic — it is based on choice, and universalism is rejected (Clip 4). He admits the exact relationship is hard to comprehend, but both truths are factual (Clip 5).
Romans 11:2 — Les quotes this verse directly ('God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew') to show that God's dealings with His people rest on His foreknowledge, intertwined with human free will.
In Romans 11:2, Paul writes, "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew." This is the only Scripture text directly quoted in the teaching evidence. The verse shows that God's relationship to His people is rooted in His foreknowledge — a reality consistent with the teaching that God works through human history and choice. The broader context of the teaching includes Romans 9, where Les says we will see God's sovereignty in the coming verses (Clip 3).
Les Feldick acknowledges there is "a fine line" between the sovereignty of God and the free will of man, and it is hard to define both without crossing over (Clip 1). He affirms God is absolutely sovereign and has laid the whole line of human history out ahead of time, yet He never takes free will away from man (Clip 1). He uses fulfilled prophecy as evidence that everything falls according to God's timetable without making people robots (Clip 2). In the matter of salvation, Les explains that God's sovereign act in Christ restored what Adam lost, but it is based on choice — not automatic, and universalism is rejected (Clip 4). He admits this is one of the hardest things to put together; he no longer tries to fully reconcile it, but God is sovereign, omniscient, and in absolute control (Clip 5).
No. Les Feldick explicitly rejects automatic salvation (universalism). He says that although God is sovereign and Christ's work is a sovereign act, it is "based on choice" and not automatic. Man is given full opportunity to choose, and salvation is "free for the asking" (Clip 4).
Les says this is beyond human understanding. He asks how God does this without making human beings robots, and calls it "beyond our understanding," yet factual (Clip 2). He observes that everything prophesied concerning Christ's first coming was fulfilled to the last jot, while God never made men or governments robots (Clip 2). He says this is hard to comprehend, but God is able, sovereign, omniscient, and in control of everything (Clip 5).
Les connects God's plan with His foreknowledge. Nothing Israel did caught God by surprise; they operated under free will, yet everything they did brought about God's plan, according to His foreknowledge (Clip 5). In Romans 11:2, Paul states, "God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew." This connects sovereignty and free will to God's prior knowledge of all events.
God’s Foreknowledge vs. Free Will: How Salvation Works
So we've got a connection between this line of the offspring of Ishmael with the Canaanites and the Egyptians, and then they marry back. And that's why I mentioned here several weeks ago that even though the Egyptians are not true Arabs, yet the Egyptians and the Arabs are always acting like next of kin. But now let's move on down.
The Fine Line Between Sovereignty and Free Will
Les describes a fine line between God's sovereignty and human free will, saying God has laid out history but never takes free will away from man.
God's Timetable Without Robotic People
Les says everything has fallen into place according to God's timetable, yet God has not made men or governments robots — how this works is beyond our understanding.
God's Sovereignty in Romans 9
Les simply declares, "God is sovereign," and points to the coming verses as showing this.
Salvation Based on Choice, Not Universalism
Les teaches that God's restoration through Christ is a sovereign act, but salvation is not automatic; it is based on choice and is free for the asking.
The Unreconcilable Mystery
Les says the hardest thing to put together is how God gives men and nations free will and yet everything they do brings about His plan; he no longer tries to fully reconcile it, but trusts God's sovereignty and foreknowledge.
Can Anything Separate You from God's Love? Romans 8:33-39
And I can't overemphasize enough that everything that God now has done and is doing on our behalf is based upon that finished work of the cross, where God even, I think another translation may put it that way, that He even did not spare His Son. Why? So that He could purchase mankind back to Himself.
Daily Choices Remain Ours
Les affirms that though God is sovereign and in total control, the exercise of free will is still ours, and we constantly face choices.
Romans 11:2: God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.
Les uses this verse to show that God's plan for Israel rests on His foreknowledge, connecting sovereignty with human history.
No. Les Feldick rejects universalism and teaches that salvation is based on choice. He explains that God's restoration through Christ is a sovereign act, but it is not automatic — man is given full opportunity to choose, and salvation is free for the asking (Clip 4).
Les says this is beyond human understanding. He explains that God has let men and nations exercise free will while yet everything has fallen according to His timetable, but how He does this without making people robots is beyond us. He admits he no longer even tries to put it together, but cites God's sovereignty, omniscience, and control (Clips 2 and 5).
Watch the Teaching: God’s Foreknowledge vs. Free Will: How Salvation Works