To believe the gospel is to trust Christ's death, burial, and resurrection as God's power for salvation — not to add any human works.
Paul's gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. Scripture says this gospel is God's power unto salvation for everyone who believes. Les teaches that believing means totally entrusting one's eternal destiny to God, which leaves works entirely out of it.
Romans 1:16 — Directly answers the question by saying the gospel is God's power for salvation to everyone who believes.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — Defines the exact content of the gospel that must be believed: Christ died, was buried, and rose again.
1 Corinthians 1:18 — Shows that the preaching of the cross is God's power to those who are saved.
The Bible plainly identifies the gospel as the message that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He arose again the third day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Paul calls this gospel 'the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth' (Romans 1:16). He likewise writes that 'the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God' (1 Corinthians 1:18). Scripture also connects salvation to believing the gospel: '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' (Ephesians 1:13). The pattern Paul presents is belief, not works, as the response that receives salvation.
Les Feldick teaches that the gospel is not a message of human effort. It is the good news that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. When a person believes that message with all his heart, that gospel becomes the very power of God to him — the same power that created the universe — and God accounts him righteous by believing. Les emphasizes what is not in the gospel: it doesn't say join the church, be baptized, take communion, tithe, or do good works. Those things have their rightful place, but they have nothing to do with salvation. Salvation comes by believing plus nothing because Christ has done it all. Real believing, as Les explains, is not head knowledge. It is totally entrusting one's eternal destiny to the Word of God and resting on what God has said. There is a big difference between believing in God and believing God; when you believe God, you are doing what God has said.
Paul defines the gospel as the message that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, and that He arose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Les stresses that this is the gospel, and it is the basis for how we get right with God.
No. Les points out that Romans 1:16 does not say the gospel saves those who join the Church, get baptized, take communion, tithe, or do good works. Paul's requirement is simply to believe that Jesus died and rose again. Scripture says that after you believed, you were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise; nothing is added to faith.
Les distinguishes believing in God from believing God. Believing God means doing what He said and resting on it. It is not head knowledge that Jesus lived; it is knowing that Christ died for us and was buried for us. This kind of faith releases God's power and makes us children of God.
The Gospel Defined
Les defines the gospel as Christ's death, burial, and resurrection and shows from Romans 1:16 that it is God's power to everyone who believes.
The Power Released by Believing
Believing the gospel releases the same power of God that created the universe, and by that power we become children of God.
Believing God vs. Believing in God
Les says salvation doesn't require repentance, baptism, and church membership, but simply believing that Jesus died and rose again.
Faith Is Total Entrustment
Les stresses that works like baptism, communion, tithing, and good works are not in the gospel; believing means totally entrusting our eternal destiny to God.
The Power of the Cross
Les says the preaching of the cross is God's power and that it took greater power to save a sinner than to create the universe; we release that power by believing.
Nothing We Can Do
Les counters the idea that we earn our way into heaven; the gospel is God's power, and there is nothing we can do but take what God offers.
More Than Head Knowledge
Les teaches that true belief is not mental agreement but the certainty that Christ died for us; the promise is that when we believe the gospel we will be saved.
Believing Plus Nothing
Les uses Ephesians 1:13 to show that after hearing the gospel and believing, we are saved — salvation is by believing plus nothing because Christ has done it all.
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
This is the key verse Les uses to show that salvation comes through believing the gospel, not through works.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Paul identifies the preaching of the cross as God's power to those who are saved.
1 Corinthians 15:3: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
This is the first element of the gospel that must be believed.
1 Corinthians 15:4: And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This completes the gospel definition: Christ was buried and rose again.
Ephesians 1:13: 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,
This verse shows that believing the gospel is followed by the sealing of the Holy Spirit.
No. Les says salvation comes by believing plus nothing. Baptism, church membership, communion, tithing, and good works have their place but are not part of the gospel.
A person must believe the gospel: that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. When they believe, the gospel becomes God's power for salvation.
Les says real belief is not just knowing the facts of history. It is totally entrusting your eternal destiny to the Word of God, knowing that Christ died for you and was buried for you.
Watch the Teaching: Paul's Gospel vs. Peter's: What You Must Believe to Be Saved