No — human beings are born in sin as sons of Adam, and we become children of God only when we believe.
Les Feldick teaches that a lost individual of the Gentile world has never originally belonged to God; we are sons of Adam and rebels from birth (Clip 0). People are lost because of what they are, not what they have done, and they must receive the remedy of the cross (Clip 5). The moment a person believes, they are born from above by the Holy Spirit and are called the children of the living God (Clip 2).
Romans 8:14 — This verse defines the sons of God as those who are led by the Spirit, showing that divine sonship is not the starting condition of every human being.
Scripture is clear that all of humanity is in a state of sin: "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). Those outside Israel are described as "aliens from the commonwealth of Israel" and "strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:12). In contrast, sonship is a present-tense promise for believers: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14). Paul also quotes the Old Testament, "In the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God" (Romans 9:26). Scripture therefore does not teach that every human being starts out as a child of God.
Les Feldick is emphatic: "A lost individual of the Gentile world, we have never originally belonged to God. Have we? No, we've been lost. We're sons of Adam. We've been a rebel since the day we were born" (Clip 0). He explains that people are lost not because of what they have done, but because of what they are — born in sin as children of Adam with a rebellious Adamic nature, and they have refused the remedy of the cross (Clip 5). Les also distinguishes Israel from the Church: we are not a covenant people like Israel, and we become children of the living God only by being born from above through the work of the Holy Spirit the moment we believe (Clip 2). From the call of Abraham to the Book of Acts, God primarily dealt with Israel; Gentiles were without hope, aliens to the commonwealth of Israel, and lost, yet still held responsible because they could have known there is a Creator (Clip 4). This is why the prodigal son parable cannot be a direct picture of every individual's personal salvation: the son in the story was already a son, whereas a lost Gentile has never originally belonged to God (Clip 0).
Les teaches that we become children of God by being born from above through the work of the Holy Spirit the moment we believe (Clip 2). Paul writes, "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Romans 8:14) — a present-tense statement of what believers already are (Clip 7). Before salvation we are in our lost estate — sinners, nothing, rebels, enemies — but salvation brings a 180-degree turn and a changed lifestyle (Clip 3).
Les says no. The younger son in the parable was already a son of his father and had received an inheritance; his story is not the same as a lost Gentile's. "A lost individual of the Gentile world, we have never originally belonged to God" (Clip 0). The parables must be left in their proper setting, especially in relation to Israel (Clip 0).
The lost coin, Les explains, fits only within the customs of the Jew — ten pieces of dowry precious to the woman who lost one and searched until she found it (Clip 0). It pictures something that was already hers, like the nation of Israel under covenant, which was lost and needed to be recovered. Even Israel had to be bought back through the blood of the Passover lamb after being lost in rebellion (Clip 1).
Les says people are lost because of what they are, not because of what they have done. The Adamic nature knows only one thing — rebellion against God — and so we become sinners (Clip 5). Scripture confirms all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), and Les's point is that the only remedy is the work of the cross (Clip 5).
Sons of Adam, Never God's Children
Lost Gentiles never originally belonged to God; we are sons of Adam and rebels from birth, so no one can claim to have always been a child of God.
All Sinned, but Bought Back
All have sinned, and even Israel — God's covenant people — was lost in rebellion and had to be redeemed, showing that belonging to God is not the natural human condition.
Born From Above to Become Children
We are not under covenants; we become children of the living God by being born from above through the Holy Spirit the moment we believe.
Lost Estate vs. Salvation
In our lost estate we are sinners, nothing, rebels, and enemies; salvation should produce a 180-degree turn and a changed lifestyle.
Without Hope, Without God
Gentiles were without hope, aliens to Israel's commonwealth, and lost, yet God still held them responsible.
Born in Sin as Children of Adam
People are lost because of what they are — born in sin as children of Adam — not because of what they do; the remedy is the cross.
Forefathers Without Christ
Our Gentile forefathers were in no way associated with Israel's covenants and were without Christ and without God.
Children of God by the Spirit
As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God — present-tense sonship, not an automatic status for all humanity.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Confirms that every human being is in a state of sin — no one starts out as righteous or as God's child.
Romans 8:14: For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Defines the sons of God as those who are led by the Spirit, not all of humanity.
Ephesians 2:12: That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Describes the lost Gentile state as separate from God and His covenants.
Romans 9:26: And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
Children of the living God are those who receive a new status — the very place where they were once 'not my people.'
Romans 9:27: Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
Even among Israel, only a remnant will be saved — showing that being born into the covenant nation did not make every individual a saved child of God.
No. Les Feldick teaches that a lost individual of the Gentile world has never originally belonged to God; we are sons of Adam and have been rebels since the day we were born (Clip 0).
The moment they believe, they are born from above by the work of the Holy Spirit and are called the children of the living God (Clip 2). Believers who are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God — that is their present-tense status (Clip 7).
No. Both parables must be left in their Jewish setting. The lost coin pictures the nation of Israel as something belonging to God by covenant that had been lost and was recovered (Clip 0). A lost Gentile, by contrast, never originally belonged to God (Clip 0).
No. People are born in sin as children of Adam, and the human natural tendency is to rebel against what God has laid down (Clip 5). They become children of God only when they believe and are born from above (Clip 2).
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About the Prodigal Son