God's mercy is the very basis of salvation, already poured out at the cross and received by faith.
Les Feldick teaches that no one deserves anything from God, yet He provided a way back to Himself because of His mercy. When Christ died, God poured out both His wrath and His mercy, so believers no longer need to beg for mercy—they simply appropriate it by faith. This mercy is rooted in God's purpose and grace given in Christ before the world began.
2 Timothy 1:9 — It directly states that salvation is not according to our works but according to God's own purpose and grace given in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Ephesians 2:8-9 — It plainly says we are saved by grace through faith, that it is not of ourselves, and that it is the gift of God, not of works.
The Bible teaches that salvation is entirely God's doing. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, 'For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.' This makes clear that no human effort can earn salvation. 2 Timothy 1:9 adds, '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.' Even before creation, God planned to save believers through Christ. The Bible also records the publican's prayer, 'God be merciful to me a sinner' (Luke 18:13), showing that mercy has always been the sinner's plea. Furthermore, Romans 8:38-39 declares that nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. All of this points to mercy and grace as the only grounds for salvation.
Les Feldick emphasizes that we deserve absolutely nothing from God, yet He provided a way back to Himself because of His mercy (Clip 1). At the cross, God poured out both His wrath and His mercy; consequently, believers no longer need to cry for mercy—it has already been poured out, and we simply appropriate it by faith (Clips 1, 2, 5). Paul's conversion is the supreme example: Saul did not turn to God first, but God stopped him and saved him by grace (Clips 3, 6). Les stresses that this same grace not only saves us but also keeps us secure, since nothing can separate us from the love of God (Clips 4, 5). Salvation is by grace through faith—it is a gift God gives, not something we can earn (Clip 7).
Les Feldick says mankind often thinks we somehow deserved God's favor because He made us, but that is false—we deserve absolutely nothing. God chose to provide a way back to Himself because of His mercy. When Christ died on the cross, God not only poured out His wrath for the sins of the world, but He also poured out His mercy. We no longer have to beg for mercy; it is all there, and we receive it by faith.
Saul was traveling to Damascus to arrest and harm followers of Christ. In the very epitome of that mindset, God saved him. He did not deserve it, work for it, or do anything for it. He simply said, 'Lord, what would you have me to do?' Les calls this grace, and says every believer must find themselves the same way—a total undone creature with nothing to do except call out for the mercy and grace of God, believing everything needed was accomplished at the cross. Saul is called the epitome of grace, yet Les reminds us we were all rebels before salvation.
Les stresses that the grace of God saves us, but that same grace keeps us. No one deserves to be saved even six hours of the day, yet God continues to keep believers because of His grace. Since God has already poured out His mercy, Paul could say that nothing—death, life, principalities, powers—can separate us from the love of God we have in Christ Jesus.
God's Purpose and Grace Before Time Began
Salvation is not based on our works but on God's own purpose and grace given to us in Christ Jesus before the world began.
Mercy Poured Out at the Cross
We deserve absolutely nothing; God showed mercy by pouring out His wrath and His mercy at the cross, so we don't have to beg for mercy—we receive it by faith.
No More Begging for Mercy
The prayer 'God be merciful to me a sinner' is no longer appropriate because God has already poured out all His mercy; we simply believe and appropriate it.
Saul Saved by Grace
Saul's conversion shows salvation is entirely by grace—he didn't deserve, work for, or do anything; God saved him while he was heading to Damascus to persecute believers.
Grace Keeps Us
Grace doesn't just save us once; it continues to keep us every moment because none of us can live perfectly enough to deserve it.
Mercy Poured Out, Grace Given
Because God poured out His mercy on Christ at the cross, believers no longer need to cry for mercy; God now gives grace—unmerited favor—and nothing can separate us from His love.
Paul: Epitome of Grace
Human logic would punish a rebel like Saul, but God saved him; that is grace, and we were exactly the same before salvation.
Saved by Grace Through Faith
Ephesians 2:8-9 sums it up: salvation is by grace through faith, it is not of yourselves, and it is a gift—you do not and cannot work for it.
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 shows that God's mercy and grace are the basis of our calling and salvation, not our works.
Ephesians 2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
This verse plainly states that salvation is a gift received through faith, not earned.
Ephesians 2:9: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
This verse excludes human effort from salvation, reinforcing that mercy is the only reason we are saved.
Luke 18:13: And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
This verse records the traditional cry for mercy, which Les says is no longer necessary after the cross because mercy has already been poured out.
Romans 8:38-39: For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This verse shows the secure position of believers because of God's mercy and love in Christ.
Les Feldick explains that when Christ died on the cross, God poured out His mercy once and for all. So believers are not to cry 'God be merciful to me a sinner' as though He must do it again. Instead, we appropriate that already-poured-out mercy by faith (Clips 1, 2, 5).
Yes. Les says we deserve absolutely nothing, yet God provided a way back to Himself because of His mercy. Salvation is by grace through faith, a gift of God, not of works (Clips 1, 7).
Saul of Tarsus was persecuting believers, but God stopped him and saved him by grace. He did not deserve it or work for it. Les uses Paul as the epitome of grace to show that God saves rebels like us by His mercy (Clips 3, 6).
Watch the Teaching: Does God Harden Hearts? Romans 9:18-24 and the Potter's Clay