Yes — a true believer is a genuinely saved person placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit through heartfelt faith, not by outward religion or church membership.
Les Feldick teaches that a true believer is someone who has come under the power of the Holy Spirit and genuinely believed the gospel. The Holy Spirit then places that believer into the body of Christ, making him or her a child of God with no condemnation. This inward reality shows up in a lifestyle that is different from the world — not odd or eccentric, but joyful, responsible, and good.
Romans 8:1 — Les points to the biblical promise that a genuinely believing child of God is under no condemnation.
1 Corinthians 12:13 — This verse describes the Spirit's work of placing true believers into the one body of Christ.
Scripture ties true belief to being in Christ and to the Holy Spirit's work, not to outward religious acts. Romans 8:1 says, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." A true believer is in Christ, not merely associated with a church. First Corinthians 12:13 says, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." This shows that every genuine believer is placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Scripture also describes God's people as a holy, separated nation: "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9). True belief therefore produces a life that shows God's praise and is distinct from the world.
Les Feldick defines a true believer by contrasting him with false professors. He says many church members have never experienced salvation — they are "hangers-on," like Israel's mixed multitude that followed along to see what would happen. Genuine salvation, he insists, is not walking an aisle, being baptized, or following church procedure by rote. A true believer is someone who has genuinely come under the power of the Holy Spirit and believed the gospel with all his heart. At that moment the Holy Spirit places the believer into the body of Christ. This is the only baptism that counts for eternity — having your name on church rolls is not the same as being in the body. Les then describes what a true believer looks like practically: not a complete oddball, not walking with a long face, but joyful, different from the world, and the kind of person who is a good citizen, a good parent, a good grandparent, a good child, and a good teenager. Believers are not perfect, but they are the kind of people who enhance society.
No. Les Feldick says being a Christian does not mean being a complete oddball or walking with a long face. If anyone has reason to be joyful in this perplexing world, it is the believer. Christians are to be different, but that difference should show up in ordinary life — in a separated lifestyle and in joy, not in eccentric behavior.
Les makes a clear distinction between true born-again believers and false professors. Many church members, he says, have never experienced salvation. He compares them to the mixed multitude that followed Israel out of Egypt — people who were just hanging on to see what would happen. These hangers-on enjoy the social environment of the church, but they have not truly believed the gospel with their hearts.
Becoming a true believer is not about walking an aisle or repeating a procedure by rote. Les teaches that a person must genuinely come under the power of the Holy Spirit and genuinely believe the gospel with all his heart. That person becomes a child of God and is immediately placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit. Such a person has no condemnation and is secure as God's child.
Only true, genuine believers are in the body of Christ — there will be no unbelievers in it. The Holy Spirit places each child of God into the body, and every believer has a function, whether like a little pinky or a little toe that no one sees. Being on church rolls is not the same as being placed into the body; the only baptism that counts for eternity is the Spirit's placement into the body of Christ.
Les acknowledges that a believer can have a great education and a brilliant mind, and that this can be Christ-honoring. The problem is when an unbeliever places all his faith in the world's so-called wisdom, because it amounts to nothing. Paul's preaching at Mars Hill was mocked by Athenian philosophers, showing the difference between what the world trusts and what a believer trusts.
Why Unbelievers Can't Understand the Bible — 1 Corinthians 2 Explained
They�re spots in your feasts, your love feasts, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. Now look at the description of them. They are like clouds without water. Well I don�t like to date myself, but as a young little lad I lived during the 30�s. Those dirty 30�s, when it was hot and dry over the largest part of the Middle West.
False Professors and the Mixed Multitude
Les explains that many churchgoers have never experienced salvation and compares them to the mixed multitude that followed Israel out of Egypt — true believers are different from these hangers-on.
Holy Spirit Places Believers into the Body
Les teaches that when a person becomes a child of God, the Holy Spirit immediately places him into the body of Christ, where every believer has a function regardless of how visible it is.
Only True Believers Enter the Body
Les says only the saved, genuine believer is in the body of Christ; church membership rolls do not make a true believer — the Spirit's placement into the body is the only baptism that counts for eternity.
Genuine Faith and No Condemnation
Les contrasts genuine salvation with walking an aisle or following church procedure by rote, and says a person who has truly believed under the Holy Spirit's power is a child of God with no condemnation.
Separation Without Oddball Extremes
Les teaches that Christians are to be different from the world, but not as oddballs with long faces; believers have every reason to be joyful.
Believers as Good Citizens
Les shows what true belief looks like in daily life: a practicing believer is a good citizen, good parent, good child, and a person who enhances society, though not perfect.
The Believer and Worldly Wisdom
Les notes that a believer's education and brilliance can honor Christ, but the unbeliever's trust in the world's wisdom is nothing — as shown when the Athenians called Paul a babbler.
Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
This is the biblical promise Les points to when he says a true believer is a child of God and always will be.
1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
This is the Spirit baptism Les says places every true, genuine believer into the body of Christ.
1 Peter 2:9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.
This verse supports Les's teaching that God's people are called to be separated and different from the world around them.
No. Les Feldick says Christians are not supposed to be complete oddballs or walk with a long face. Instead, believers have reason to be joyful and are to be different from the world by living as good citizens and good family members, even though no believer is perfect.
No. Les says many church members have never experienced salvation. He compares them to the mixed multitude in the Exodus — people hanging on to the group without genuine faith. The Holy Spirit places only true, genuine believers into the body of Christ.
It is not by walking an aisle or repeating a ritual. A person becomes a true believer by genuinely coming under the power of the Holy Spirit and believing the gospel with all his heart. That person is placed into the body of Christ and has no condemnation.
Watch the Teaching: Why Unbelievers Can't Understand the Bible — 1 Corinthians 2 Explained