Yes, believers with no works to show are still saved, but they lose rewards at the judgment seat of Christ.
I Corinthians 3:15 says that if a believer's work is burned, he suffers loss but he himself shall be saved, yet so as by fire. Les Feldick teaches that such a believer 'has made it, but he's got nothing to show for it. He's saved, and he's going to be in glory, but no reward.' Salvation remains the gift of God; works determine reward, not salvation.
1 Corinthians 3:15 — This verse directly answers the question: the believer whose work is burned suffers loss of reward but is himself saved.
1 Corinthians 3:14 — It contrasts the one without enduring works with the one whose work abides and receives a reward.
In I Corinthians 3, Paul speaks of believers building on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or stubble. Verse 13 says every man's work will be made manifest, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will try every man's work of what sort it is. Verse 14 promises that if any man's work abides, he shall receive a reward. Verse 15 says if any man's work is burned, he shall suffer loss, but he himself shall be saved — yet so as by fire.
Les Feldick repeatedly emphasizes that salvation is totally a gift of God and is not earned by works. He says believers are not to sit down and become lazy because their salvation is secure; instead, they are to work to further God's work among the human race as well as to gain reward.
Yes. Les Feldick points to I Corinthians 3:15, where Paul says, 'If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.' Les says such a believer 'has made it, but he's got nothing to show for it. He's saved, and he's going to be in glory, but no reward.'
Les teaches that the loss is not salvation but reward. 'He won't get a reward. He hasn't earned it.' He says a multitude of Christians will go out to meet the Lord with nothing in their section of the wall but 'a bunch of old sticks' — 'Oh, they're saved. They're going to be there, but they'll have no reward.'
Les says believers are not to get lazy because their salvation is secure. 'Now we are to work to further God's work amongst the human race, as well as to gain reward.' Rewards are waiting for believers and will be enjoyed for all eternity, so the promise of reward is what drives believers to live fruitful lives.
Les says a believer whose work burns 'never went out and grubbed for gold... never went out and dug for the silver or the precious stones. He just fiddled around with wood, hay, and stubble.' He also says such a person had nothing of the right motive, so it was of no consequence.
Salvation is a gift; believers are called to work for reward
Les emphasizes that salvation is not earned by works, yet believers are not to become lazy; they should work to further God's work among humanity and gain reward at the judgment seat.
Loss of reward, not loss of salvation
Les explains from I Corinthians 3:15 that burned works mean the believer suffers loss of reward, not loss of salvation, because works belong to the area of Christian service, not salvation.
Many believers will meet the Lord with nothing to show
Les says a multitude of Christians will face the Lord with only 'old sticks' on their wall — saved, but with no reward.
Rewards should motivate fruitful living
Les teaches that the promise of reward is what should drive believers to live fruitful lives of service, comparing it to athletes training to win.
Everything done for God's glory is sent ahead as reward
Les describes how every work done for God's glory is accumulating as reward, waiting for the believer when he or she arrives in glory.
Right motive determines whether works remain
Les says wood, hay, and stubble indicate nothing of the right motive; the believer is saved but gets no reward — 'he's made it, but he's got nothing to show for it.'
Labor in the Lord is never in vain
Les encourages believers to be steadfast and abounding in the work of the Lord because God keeps a record of their earthly activity and their labor is not in vain.
Every work is tested by fire
Les explains that no believer escapes the fiery eyes of the Lord; works are tested as to what sort they are, and one who never dug for gold, silver, or precious stones has only wood, hay, and stubble to show.
1 Corinthians 3:12: Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
This verse introduces the two categories of building materials that determine whether a believer's work remains or burns.
1 Corinthians 3:13: Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
This verse shows that every believer's work will be tested by fire, a point Les emphasizes from this passage.
1 Corinthians 3:14: If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
This verse promises a reward for work that endures the testing fire.
1 Corinthians 3:15: If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
This is the key verse for the question: the believer whose works burn suffers loss of reward but is still saved.
1 Corinthians 15:58: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Paul's encouragement shows that labor for the Lord is never in vain, and Les quotes it to urge believers to keep working even without visible rewards.
No. Les Feldick teaches from I Corinthians 3:15 that the believer suffers loss of reward, not loss of salvation. The verse says 'he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.'
Les says these represent works that did not really count because they were not done with the right motive. They will be burned up and count for nothing at the judgment seat of Christ.
Yes. Les says believers are not to get lazy because salvation is secure; they are to work to further God's work and gain reward. God is keeping a record of their activity, and their labor in the Lord is not in vain.
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