God chose believers in eternity past, before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 1:4 says God 'hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.' Les Feldick repeatedly teaches that this choice was already made before Adam was created, and that it rests on God's own purpose and grace rather than on human works.
Ephesians 1:4 — This verse directly states that God chose believers in Christ before the world was created.
II Timothy 1:9 — This verse shows that our calling was not based on works but on God's purpose and grace given before the world began.
Ephesians 1:11 — This verse describes believers as predestinated according to God's purpose and will.
Ephesians 1:4 says: "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." This plainly places God's choice of believers before creation. The same truth appears in II 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." God's calling is an act of grace, not a reward for works. Ephesians 1:11 adds that believers "have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." Thus Scripture consistently traces the source of our salvation to God's sovereign choice made before time began.
Les Feldick teaches that when God says He chose us, the Bible means before the world was ever created. In the opening of Ephesians, Paul tells us God 'chose us in Him' before the foundation of the world (Clip 5). Les drives this home by noting that we were already in the mind of God before He ever created Adam (Clip 2). He also emphasizes that none of this was based on merit: 'our merit doesn't mean a thing' — God called us 'not according to our works, but according to His own purpose' (Clip 2, Clip 7). Les acknowledges that this is hard to comprehend, and that is why believers take it by faith (Clip 5). He then answers the common objection: if God chose us, what about 'whosoever will'? Les says the 'whosoever will' invitation is the front side; the moment we step through that door by faith, we discover He chose us before we were ever born (Clip 3). He tells believers that in our exalted position, we came into it 'because in eternity past, God chose us' (Clip 6).
Les Feldick says both things are true. From the front side, the invitation is 'whosoever will may come' and nobody is left out. But when a person decides to go through that door, they see that God chose them before they were ever born (Clip 3). Paul also connects God's foreknowledge and human free will: because God knew beforehand what every individual would do, He could say He 'chose us in Him before the foundation of the world' (Clip 1).
God did not choose us because we earned it or because of our works. In II Timothy 1:9, believers are saved and called 'not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.' Les Feldick explains that we were saved for a purpose and for a reason — 'we were already in the mind of God before He ever created Adam' (Clip 2). The Trinity planned the entire scheme of redemption before anything was created (Clip 7).
Les Feldick is careful to say that the doctrine of election is for believers, who can receive it by faith. For the unbeliever, the message is 'whosoever will may come' — God is not willing that any should perish. Believers can trust that God chose them in eternity past, while everyone who comes to Christ is welcomed (Clip 6).
God's Sovereign Control
Les points to Ephesians 1:11 to show that everything is predestinated according to God's purpose and will, setting the stage for the doctrine of election.
Foreknowledge and Free Will
Les explains that God knew in foreknowledge what every individual would do, allowing Him to choose us in Christ before the world began.
Chosen Before Adam
Les says we were already in God's mind before He ever created Adam, and our calling was not based on our works but on God's purpose.
Whosoever Will and Election
Les reconciles election and evangelism by presenting 'whosoever will' as the front side, with God's prior choice becoming evident the moment we believe.
Predetermined by the Triune God
Les describes how the triune God, before anything was created, put a place waiting for every believer, placing us in that predetermined position.
Before the World Was Created
This clip directly answers the question: Les tells believers they were chosen before the world was ever created and encourages them to take the Word by faith.
Election Is for Believers
Les teaches that believers came into their exalted position because in eternity past God chose them, while the unbeliever is still invited through 'whosoever will.'
God's Purpose in Eternity Past
Les links our calling not to works but to God's own purpose, explaining that the Trinity planned salvation before anything was created.
Ephesians 1:4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
This is the foundational verse that directly answers when believers were chosen — before the world's foundation.
II 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 clarifies that the calling was not based on works and was given in Christ Jesus before the world began.
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 our inheritance is tied to being predestinated according to God's own purpose and will.
Yes. Ephesians 1:4 says God chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, and Les Feldick emphasizes that we were in God's mind before Adam was ever created (Clip 2, Clip 5).
Les says the invitation is 'whosoever will may come.' From the front side, everyone is invited; when a person responds in faith, they discover God had already chosen them before they were born (Clip 3).
No. II Timothy 1:9 says it is 'not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace.' Les confirms that human merit means nothing in our calling (Clip 2, Clip 7).
Watch the Teaching: Does God Harden Hearts? Romans 9:18-24 and the Potter's Clay