Yes—after salvation, God expects believers to work for reward, not to earn salvation, as His fellow laborers building on the foundation of Christ.
Les Feldick teaches that salvation itself is all of grace by faith plus nothing, but once a person is saved, God expects that believer to labor for reward. Believers are described as God's husbandry, God's building, and His workmanship, with the foundation being Jesus Christ. This work is not for salvation but to enhance God's work and further the gospel.
1 Corinthians 3:9-11 — Shows that after salvation believers are called 'labourers together with God' and must build carefully on the one foundation, Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:10 — Shows that salvation results in believers being God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.
Scripture makes clear that salvation is a gift and that believers' security rests in God. Jude writes to those "sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ" (Jude 1:1), and Ephesians says believers are "sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance" (Ephesians 1:13-14). Scripture also describes what believers are to do after salvation: "For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building" (1 Corinthians 3:9). It goes on to say that Paul, as a "wise masterbuilder," laid the foundation, and "another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon," for "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:10-11). Ephesians 2:10 says believers are "his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Paul also connects this labor with reward and acceptance: "Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him" (2 Corinthians 5:9), and "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24).
Les Feldick is emphatic that salvation is "all of grace by faith plus nothing" and that a person works absolutely not at all for salvation. But once someone enters that "glorious salvation experience," God expects that believer to work—not for salvation, but for reward. Les uses the analogy of believers being God's "little worker bees" whose labor brings honor and glory to God and furthers the gospel. Les teaches that believers are "laborers together with God," pictured as God's husbandry and God's building. Just as a farmer cultivates his crop, God cultivates believers in their day-to-day existence. Paul is the "wise masterbuilder" who laid the foundation, and that foundation is Jesus Christ; each believer must take heed how they build on it. This building work is what believers will give an account for at the bema seat of Christ—not their sins, which are already paid for, but what they have done as believers. Les also emphasizes that God does not leave believers as a wreck after salvation. Instead, God makes them new persons—His workmanship—created for the good works He expects. The same God who seals and preserves believers until the redemption of the body is the God who expects active, faithful labor for reward after salvation.
No. Les states plainly, "You work absolutely not at all for salvation. It's all of grace by faith plus nothing." He also says you can't earn salvation anyway. Salvation is complete the moment a person believes; believers are placed in the Body of Christ and under the blood of Christ. The works that follow are for reward, not for keeping or earning salvation.
Les teaches that God expects believers to work for reward, to further the gospel, and to bring honor and glory to His name. Believers are "laborers together with God," God's husbandry, and God's building. God cultivates believers like a farmer cultivates his crop. Each believer has a place and a responsibility to build carefully on the foundation, which is Jesus Christ.
Les explains that believers will appear before the bema seat of Christ to receive rewards for what they have done as believers. This is not giving an account for sin because sins are already paid for. Rather, it is a time when believers give an account of their works after salvation. Paul's labor was aimed at being accepted of Him—that is, receiving the reward.
Yes. Jude addresses believers as "sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ." Ephesians says believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit, who is "the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption." Les points out that believers are already redeemed, but not totally, because the body is still subject to sickness and the flesh. God is the one who preserves and seals; the believer's labor does not maintain salvation.
Sealed and Preserved Until Redemption
Les shows that God preserves and seals believers with the Holy Spirit as the earnest of the inheritance, so God's work of preservation follows salvation.
Work for Reward, Not for Salvation
Les explicitly states God expects believers to work—not to attain salvation, which is already by grace—but for reward, as 'worker bees' for His glory.
Left Here to Further the Gospel
Les says God leaves believers on earth to further the gospel and labor for reward and acceptance, not for salvation.
Bema Seat Rewards for Works After Salvation
Les explains that believers will appear before the bema seat to receive rewards for what they have done as believers, not to answer for paid-for sins.
God's Cultivating Work in Believers
Les pictures believers as God's husbandry, cultivated by God like a farmer cares for his crop, showing post-salvation labor is a receiving of God's ongoing work.
Active Labor for Reward
Les exhorts believers to labor, work, and serve for reward—not salvation—rather than sit on the sidelines.
Building on the Foundation of Christ
Using 1 Corinthians 3, Les teaches that the foundation is Jesus Christ and each believer must take heed how he builds on it.
God's Workmanship Created for Good Works
Les says God makes believers new persons—His workmanship—so that the expected works grow out of God's new creation, not out of earning salvation.
Jude 1:1: Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:
Les quotes this to show believers are sanctified and preserved by God the Father from the moment of salvation.
Ephesians 1:13-14: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Shows God seals believers by the Spirit until the redemption, marking them as His own.
1 Corinthians 3:9: For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
Les repeats Paul's phrase to define believers as God's fellow laborers, field, and building.
1 Corinthians 3:10-11: According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Shows Christ is the only foundation and believers must build carefully on that foundation.
2 Corinthians 5:9: Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Shows the goal of believer's labor is to be accepted of Him—what Les calls reward.
Ephesians 2:10: For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Shows the works God expects are the good works He prepared for His workmanship.
1 Corinthians 9:24: Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Paul's race illustration of running to obtain the prize, which Les ties to reward for believers.
No. Les Feldick is clear that you work absolutely not at all for salvation. It is all of grace by faith plus nothing. Salvation cannot be earned, so the works God expects come after salvation, not before it.
God expects believers to work for reward. They are His laborers, His husbandry, and His building. They are to build carefully on the foundation, which is Jesus Christ, and to labor for His glory and the furtherance of the gospel.
No. Les teaches that sins are already paid for at salvation. At the bema seat, believers give an account for what they have done as believers—not for their sins—and receive rewards for their labor.
Believers are sealed by the Holy Spirit as God's mark of ownership and preservation. The Holy Spirit is the earnest, or down payment, of the inheritance, and God preserves believers until the redemption of the body.
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