The Holy Spirit helps Christians live a righteous life by indwelling them, becoming their inward law and power, and leading them as sons of God.
Scripture says that the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus sets believers free from the law of sin and death. Les Feldick explains that the indwelling Holy Spirit replaces the written Law as the believer's guideline, giving the desire and power to live pleasing to God. Being under grace does not mean license; the Spirit leads believers to do what the Law required.
Romans 8:2 — Paul says the law of the Spirit of life makes believers free from the law of sin and death, providing the foundation for righteous living.
Romans 8:9 — This verse sets the condition that a believer is in the Spirit if the Spirit of God dwells in them.
Romans 8:13-14 — Paul says it is through the Spirit that believers mortify the deeds of the body, and those led by the Spirit are the sons of God.
In Romans 8:2 (KJV), Paul writes, 'For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.' Romans 8:9 (KJV) states, 'But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.' Then Romans 8:12-14 (KJV) says, 'Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.' Scripture also grounds this in God's grace: Romans 5:8 (KJV), 'But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.'
Les Feldick teaches that the Holy Spirit is the believer's inward law. Rather than living under a set of rules and regulations written in cold stone, Christians are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who is warm, loving, and who gives them the desire to live pleasing in God's sight. This indwelling Spirit replaces the role of the Law, so believers are not under the Ten Commandments yet they are not lawless—they have something far better. Les makes clear that grace is never license. The Holy Spirit never tells a believer to steal, gossip, commit adultery, or break God's basic laws. Instead, at the moment of believing the gospel, the Holy Spirit comes in, becomes God's brand upon the believer, and is the very power of God within. The secret of righteous living, according to Les, is being led by the Spirit. In Romans 8:13-14, Paul says that those who by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body will live, and as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God. The Spirit's indwelling is also the proof of salvation; without the Spirit, a person is none of His.
Les Feldick answers no. He says that because believers are not under the Ten Commandments, they are not lawless; something far better takes the Law's place: the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit never instructs a believer to steal, destroy a character by gossip, commit adultery, or break up a family. As Les puts it, 'grace is never licensed.' Instead, under grace, believers are led and guided by the indwelling Holy Spirit.
In Romans 8:13-14, Paul says that if believers through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body, they will live, and 'as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.' Les emphasizes the verb: those who are led by the Spirit are not hoping to be, they are already sons of God. The Spirit does the leading; the believer follows.
Les teaches that the indwelling Holy Spirit is the proof of eternal life. In Romans 8:9, Paul says, 'But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.' Les adds: if the Spirit of God dwells in you, you're solid; if the Spirit of Christ is not in you, you are none of His. The Holy Spirit is God's brand upon the believer.
Les says no: 'You can't clean up your own act. We have to let God do it, and then we respond.' He points out that the root problem is not what we are doing but who we are—sons of Adam with a sin-bent personality. The Holy Spirit convicts by the Law of the need of something because people cannot do it on their own. Righteous living begins with God's work in the believer, not human effort.
God Changes the Sinner
Les says we cannot clean up our own act; God justifies the ungodly who believe, and we respond to His work. This lays the foundation that righteous living is response to God, not self-effort.
The Spirit as Our Law
Les explains that the indwelling Holy Spirit becomes our law—not rules but His influence and power. Unlike the cold Law, He gives the desire to live pleasing to God and takes away the desire to rebel.
Spirit Never Leads to Sin
Les says being not under the Ten Commandments doesn't make us lawless; the indwelling Spirit becomes something better, and He never instructs believers to steal, gossip, commit adultery, or break God's basic laws.
Led by the Spirit
Les explains Romans 8:13-14—it is through the Spirit that believers put to death the old flesh, and the proof of sonship is being led by the Spirit of God now.
The Root Problem
Les teaches that the root problem is not what we do but who we are—sons of Adam with a sin-bent personality—so the Spirit convicts us of our need because we can't do it on our own.
Spirit-Born Sons
Les emphasizes that if the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are in the Spirit and a child of God; if the Spirit of Christ is not in you, you are none of His.
Grace Is Never License
Les says at the moment of believing the gospel, the Holy Spirit indwells as God's brand and power; being under grace doesn't mean lawless, and we are led and guided by the dwelling Spirit.
Proof of Eternal Life
Les teaches that the proof of eternal life is the indwelling Holy Spirit; your position has changed from being in the flesh to being in Christ.
Romans 5:8: But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Shows the love of God was demonstrated while we were sinners, grounding righteous living in God's grace.
Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
States that the Spirit of life frees believers from the old law of sin and death.
Romans 8:9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Defines the believer as one in whom the Spirit dwells.
Romans 8:12: Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.
Tells believers they are not debtors to the flesh.
Romans 8:13: For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Explains that the Spirit enables believers to put to death the body's deeds.
Romans 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Identifies the children of God as those who are led by the Spirit.
Yes, according to Les Feldick. The Holy Spirit becomes our guideline for Christian living—not as a set of rules, but as His influence and power. He gives the believer the desire to live in a way that is pleasing to God.
No. Les says grace is never licensed. The Holy Spirit never instructs a believer to steal, gossip, commit adultery, or break the basic laws of God. Believers are led and guided by the indwelling Spirit.
Les Feldick says the proof is the indwelling Holy Spirit. Romans 8:9 says if the Spirit of God dwells in you, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit. If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.
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