Yes — for those in Christ Jesus, God declares there is now no condemnation; it is a settled, present assurance of security from judgment.
Romans 8:1 says there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Les Feldick stresses that this promise is not for every person, because every son of Adam begins under condemnation. The Gospel makes the difference, and God Himself declares it — the blood of Christ is sufficient through testing and the final judgment.
Romans 8:1 — This is the key verse that directly states there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:33-34 — These verses supply the basis: God justifies, and Christ died and rose, so no one can condemn the believer.
John 3:18 — This verse shows the contrast — those who do not believe are condemned already, while those who believe in Christ are not condemned.
The pivotal verse is Romans 8:1: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus..." The passage then explains why this is true. Romans 8:33-34 asks, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died..." Scripture also contrasts those in Christ with the rest of the world: "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already" (John 3:18). So the Bible presents 'no condemnation' as the present status of those who are in Christ, resting on Christ's death and resurrection rather than on any human qualification. It is not a blanket promise for all of humanity, but a specific declaration to those who are in Christ Jesus.
Les Feldick teaches that 'no condemnation' is a present, settled assurance for those in Christ Jesus — not a promise applied to the whole world. He reminds listeners that every son of Adam is born a sinner and is already under condemnation, which makes Romans 8:1 a dramatic contrast. 'What made the difference? The Gospel.' Les emphasizes that God Himself is the one who makes the declaration. He says, 'I don't. No denomination can say it. But God says there is now therefore no condemnation — but to whom? To those who are where?' The answer is to those who are in Christ Jesus. This is not something a believer accomplishes; it is an act of God that places us into Christ, and, as Les puts it, 'you can't take yourself off that cross.' To illustrate the believer's security, Les returns to Noah's ark. Noah found grace and entered the ark, and the judgment waters outside could not come in. In the same way, Christ's blood is sufficient to take believers through times of testing and through the final judgment. Paul's argument in Romans 8 builds from that opening verse to the question 'Who can condemn?' — and the answer is that no one can, because Christ died and rose again. Les also states his view that the final clause of Romans 8:1, 'who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit,' does not belong in the verse.
No. Les is emphatic that the promise is qualified: it is 'to them who are in Christ Jesus.' He explains that all of us are born sinners in the Adamic race and are therefore under condemnation, so the change to no condemnation is not automatic for everyone. The Gospel is what makes the difference. Once God has placed a person in Christ by His own act, God's declaration stands.
Les compares the believer's security to Noah's ark. In the flood account, Noah found grace, and God's love provided the ark as a place of safety. Once Noah's family was inside, the judgment waters outside could not reach them. Les asks whether the blood of Christ is sufficient to take us through times of testing and in the final judgment, and teaches that it is. Just as the ark kept Noah from the waters of judgment, being in Christ keeps believers from condemnation.
Paul asks, 'Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect?' and 'Who is he that condemneth?' Les points out that God is the justifier, and Christ died and rose again — so there is no one who can condemn those in Christ. He says Paul is 'constantly hammering away' that everything revolves around the finished work of the cross. Romans 8 begins with no condemnation, and by verse 31 the believer can say, 'If God be for us, who can be against us?'
Les plainly states, 'I'll probably raise the ire of a few listeners with my next comment, and that is, the rest of this verse does not belong there.' He does not develop the textual evidence in the clip; he simply asserts that Romans 8:1's no-condemnation promise stands apart from the phrase 'who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.' For Les, the promise rests entirely on being in Christ Jesus.
Eternal Security and the Ark
Les introduces the question of whether believers are secure once they enter the ark of safety; he teaches that the blood of Christ is sufficient through times of testing and the final judgment.
Condemnation Before and After Christ
Les contrasts the condemnation resting on every son of Adam with the no condemnation that comes after the Gospel is believed.
Noah Found Grace
Les uses Noah's ark to show that God's love provided a place of safety, just as God's love draws believers into Christ.
No Condemnation Is What the Book Says
Les teaches that mankind is under condemnation until in Christ, and that the Bible itself declares no condemnation to those in Christ. He also states that the final phrase of Romans 8:1 does not belong in the verse.
God Justifies; Christ Died and Rose
Les teaches that no one can condemn those in Christ because God is the justifier, and Christ died and rose again.
God's Act Places Us in Christ
Les says no condemnation is declared by God to those in Christ; salvation is an act of God and cannot be undone by human effort.
Assurance From the First Verse
Les notes that Romans 8 begins with no condemnation and builds to the confidence that God is for us.
Who Can Condemn? Christ Died
Les points to Romans 8:31-34, where God gave His Son and Christ died and rose, and therefore no one can condemn us.
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 core verse that answers the question directly, declaring no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Paul applies the no-condemnation promise personally, showing the believer's confidence in God's favor.
Romans 8:33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
This verse confirms that no one can bring a charge against God's elect because God Himself justifies them.
Romans 8:34: Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
This verse answers the condemnation question with Christ's death, resurrection, and intercession.
John 3:18: He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This verse provides the contrast: those who believe are not condemned, while those who do not believe are already under condemnation.
Genesis 6:8: But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Les uses this verse to show that Noah found grace, just as believers find a place of safety in Christ.
It means God no longer holds the condemnation of the Adamic fall against a person who is in Christ Jesus. Les teaches that this is God's own declaration, not a denomination's doctrine, and it applies specifically to those who are in Christ.
Les teaches that every person born into the Adamic race is a sinner and under condemnation. The Gospel — believing in Christ — is what changes a person's standing from condemned to no condemnation.
Noah found grace and entered the ark; the judgment waters could not touch him there. In the same way, Christ's blood is sufficient to keep those in Christ through testing and the final judgment.
No. He says the rest of the verse — 'who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit' — does not belong there. He bases the promise of no condemnation entirely on being in Christ Jesus.
Watch the Teaching: Noah’s Ark & Your Salvation: A Deep Bible Study on Eternal Security