The pattern is significant because Scripture consistently places the natural first and the spiritual second, from Genesis to Revelation.
Les Feldick identifies this as a rule of thumb and one of the laws of Scripture (Clips 1, 3). The pattern appears in Cain/Abel, Ishmael/Isaac, Esau/Jacob, Saul/David, and ultimately Adam/Christ, and it also describes every believer's journey from natural birth to spiritual new birth (Clips 5, 6).
1 Corinthians 15:46 — Paul explicitly declares that the natural comes first, then the spiritual.
1 Corinthians 15:47 — Paul contrasts Adam, the natural and earthy man, with Christ, the spiritual Lord from heaven.
Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:46, 'Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.' The next verse reinforces the distinction: 'The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven' (1 Corinthians 15:47). This direct statement shows that the natural-first pattern is explicit in Scripture.
Les Feldick calls this 'one of the laws of Scripture' and a 'rule of thumb' that runs all the way through the Bible (Clips 1, 2). He says it had to be that way because it is 'one of the rules of God in His manifestation with the human race' (Clip 3). He traces the pattern from the genealogies: Cain then Abel, Ishmael then Isaac, Esau then Jacob, Saul then David, and finally the Antichrist then the true Christ (Clips 1, 2, 6, 7). Les also applies it personally: believers are born natural, but after salvation we become spiritual (Clips 5, 6).
Les Feldick shows that the pattern runs through the Bible. He points to Cain (natural) followed by Abel (spiritual), Ishmael (natural) followed by Isaac (spiritual), Esau (natural) followed by Jacob (spiritual), and King Saul (natural) followed by King David (spiritual). He also notes that at the end of the Book, the Antichrist is the natural, and the coming Christ is the spiritual (Clips 1, 2, 6).
Les applies the pattern to personal experience. 'What were we originally? We were natural... But after we're born into the family of God and we've experienced salvation, now what are we? We're spiritual.' He uses Jacob's transformation as a picture: first Jacob, natural; then Israel, spiritual (Clip 5).
Paul writes that the first man Adam was earthy, but the second man is the Lord from heaven (1 Corinthians 15:47). Les says Adam was the first federal head of the human race and Christ is the culmination of all this, because 'we're not just dealing with the physical, we're dealing with the spiritual' (Clip 4).
Jesus' Three Temptations — Why Satan's Attacks Still Matter Today
the center of really the whole planet. But at the time of Christ, it was the center of the then known world. The Roman Empire went west out as far as Great Britain, it went east as far as India, involved North Africa and Egypt and all those areas.
A Law of Scripture
Les identifies the pattern as one of the laws of Scripture and lists examples from Cain/Abel through the Antichrist/Christ.
A Rule of Thumb
Les introduces the pattern as a rule of thumb, showing Cain as natural and Abel as spiritual.
A Rule of God
Les emphasizes that this order is one of God's rules in His dealing with the human race.
Adam and Christ
Les connects the pattern to Adam as the natural federal head and Christ as the spiritual culmination.
Jacob Becomes Israel
Les uses Jacob's change to Israel and applies the same natural-to-spiritual shift to every believer.
The Law Repeated
Les repeats the pattern from Cain/Abel through Adam/Christ and applies it to the believer's natural and spiritual birth.
From Genesis to Revelation
Les shows the pattern carries all the way through Scripture, with Adam/Christ and Saul/David as examples.
1 Corinthians 15:46: Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
Paul states the exact order: the natural comes first, then the spiritual.
1 Corinthians 15:47: The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
Paul contrasts Adam, the natural and earthy man, with Christ, the spiritual Lord from heaven.
It means God consistently places the natural or earthy person first in Scripture, and the spiritual person second. Les Feldick shows this in pairs like Cain/Abel, Ishmael/Isaac, Esau/Jacob, Saul/David, and Adam/Christ (Clips 1, 2).
Paul states it plainly in 1 Corinthians 15:46: 'Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.' This verse is the clearest direct biblical statement of the pattern.
Yes. Les teaches that believers are born natural, but after salvation they are spiritual. He uses Jacob becoming Israel as a picture: first the natural man Jacob, then the spiritual man Israel (Clip 5).
Watch the Teaching: Jesus' Three Temptations — Why Satan's Attacks Still Matter Today