The purpose of being saved is to fulfill God’s eternal purpose—He saves and calls believers by grace, not by works, according to His plan set before the world began.
Scripture repeatedly grounds salvation in God’s purpose rather than human merit. Paul writes that God “hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace” (2 Timothy 1:9). Les Feldick teaches that this purpose was settled by the triune God before anything was created, that every believer was chosen before Adam, and that salvation is never an accident in time.
2 Timothy 1:9 — Directly states that salvation and calling are according to God’s own purpose and grace, not our works, and were given in Christ before the world began.
Ephesians 1:11 — Shows that believers are predestinated according to the purpose of God, who works all things after the counsel of His will.
Acts 2:23 — Reveals that even the crucifixion of Christ was under God’s determinate counsel and foreknowledge, part of His eternal purpose.
Scripture is clear that salvation originates in God’s purpose, not in human works or merit. 2 Timothy 1:9 says, “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” The same truth appears in Ephesians 1:11, where Paul says that in Christ “we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”
Les Feldick teaches that salvation is entirely part of God’s eternal purpose. Before anything was created, the triune God agreed on creation, knowing that man would sin, and set up the plan of salvation out of which the Son would come and die and be raised. No one is saved because of works—God calls us with a holy calling according to His own purpose and grace, which was given in Christ before the world began. Les emphasizes that every child of God was chosen before God ever created Adam. Believers are not accidents in time; they were positioned in the body of Christ before creation. God works all things after the counsel of His own will, and His foreknowledge takes into account what each individual will do with the offer of salvation. For Paul personally, God’s purpose in saving him was to reveal His Son in him—by grace, not because Paul deserved it.
Les teaches that before anything was ever created, the triune God had a meeting in eternity past. They agreed on creation, knowing that man would sin, and set up the plan of salvation. Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 1:9 show that this grace “was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” Les says a believer can look back and see, “I was chosen before God ever created Adam.”
Les explains that God’s foreknowledge sees what each individual will do with His particular offer of salvation. He uses Rebekah as an example: she came to water the livestock and met Abraham’s servant at the right time because of God’s sovereign working, but she was also willing. Les says some are saved and others are not “because God in His foreknowledge could see what we would do with the offer of salvation”—not because we were special or better.
Les points to Paul’s salvation as a picture of God’s purpose. Paul had been a persecutor who hated Jesus of Nazareth, yet God saved him by grace, not because he deserved it. Paul’s own words show God’s purpose was “to reveal His Son in me.” Les also says we are here today as recipients of His grace because God knew us before anything was created—we are not an accident in time but are according to His divine and eternal purpose.
Salvation included in God’s eternal purpose
Les connects the events of Acts 2 to God’s eternal purpose, showing that nothing happened by surprise—everything was foreordained according to God’s purpose, as affirmed in Ephesians 1:11.
The Trinity planned salvation before creation
Les teaches that before anything was created, the triune God agreed on creation, the fall, and the plan of salvation—making salvation part of God’s eternal purpose.
All things work by God’s counsel
Les explains Ephesians 1:11 to show that everything comes together according to God’s design and divine purpose under His sovereign will.
Believers chosen before Adam
Les teaches that every child of God was chosen before God ever created Adam, and that believers were already positioned in the body of Christ.
Saved and called according to God’s purpose
Les highlights 2 Timothy 1:9, showing that salvation and the holy calling are not according to our works but according to God’s own purpose and grace given in Christ before the ages began.
God’s foreknowledge and human response
Les teaches that God’s foreknowledge knows how each person will respond to the offer of salvation; salvation is not because we are better or more special.
Paul’s purpose: reveal God’s Son
Using Paul as an example, Les shows that God saves by grace and that His purpose in saving Paul was to reveal His Son in him.
Saved before the world began
Les teaches that believers are not an accident in time—God knew us before anything was created, and we exist according to His divine and eternal purpose.
2 Timothy 1:9: Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
This verse directly answers why God saves: it is according to His purpose and grace, not human works.
Ephesians 1:11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
This verse shows that believers are predestinated according to God’s purpose, and that God works all things after His own will.
Acts 2:23: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
This verse shows that even the death of Christ was part of God’s determinate counsel and foreknowledge, not an accident.
Galatians 1:15-16: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me by his grace, To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood,
Paul states that God called him by grace in order to reveal His Son in him—showing God’s purpose in saving him.
No. 2 Timothy 1:9 explicitly says God saved us and called us “not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.” Les Feldick repeatedly emphasizes that works are never the basis for salvation.
The Bible says grace was given in Christ Jesus before the world began (2 Timothy 1:9). Les teaches that before anything was created, the triune God agreed on creation and set up the plan of salvation.
Les teaches that God’s foreknowledge sees what each person will do with the offer of salvation, but salvation is never because we are special or better. The basis is God’s own purpose and grace.
No. Les explains that Paul had been a persecutor and hated Jesus, yet God saved him by grace. God’s purpose in saving Paul was to reveal His Son in him.
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