God can save anyone who recognizes that he is ungodly and believes on Him who justifies the ungodly.
Scripture says God justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5), and Les Feldick emphasizes that a person does not have to clean up his life first. The person must let God save him right where he is, acknowledging his sin, and then God takes care of what needs to be taken care of. This includes down-and-outers, up-and-outers, and everyone in between.
Romans 4:5 — Les directly builds his answer on this verse: God justifies the ungodly who believe rather than work.
Romans 5:6 — Shows that Christ died for the ungodly, making salvation available to those who are without God.
Genesis 15:6 — Provides Abraham's pattern of being counted righteous by faith alone, which Les applies to this age of grace.
Paul writes about the person who "worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly" — his faith is counted for righteousness (Romans 4:5). Scripture also says, "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6). This is the ground of salvation: while "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God," sinners are "justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24). Those who are in Christ Jesus are under no condemnation (Romans 8:1), and no one can lay any charge against God's elect because "It is God that justifieth" (Romans 8:33). The Old Testament pattern of faith is Abraham, who "believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).
Les Feldick teaches that the only person God can deal with is one who recognizes that he is ungodly. God cannot work with a person who says, "Hey, I'm pretty good" — His hands are tied (Clip 2). Salvation is for those who "worketh not," but believe on Him who justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5). People often try to clean up their habits first, but Les insists that nobody can do that; God has to save us right where we are, and He takes care of the things that need to be taken care of (Clip 1). Les emphasizes that "ungodly" does not mean only the down-and-out. Because the prefix "un-" means "without," an ungodly person is simply one who is without God — someone who may be a good citizen or even a church member but has never experienced saving grace. God saves the down-and-outer, the up-and-outer, and everything in between (Clip 5). God's love already includes the most vile sinner; his pardon has already been purchased, but he must believe it in order to appropriate it (Clip 3). The first step of faith is to agree with God that we are sinners and that He justifies us freely, no strings attached (Clip 4). Real salvation is not church membership, walking an aisle, or repeating a procedure; it is genuine belief in the gospel worked by the Holy Spirit (Clip 7). As with Abraham, the pattern in this age of grace is "faith plus nothing" (Clip 0). Those who have truly believed can trust God's word that they are His and no one can lay a charge against God's elect (Clip 6).
In Scripture, God justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5), and Christ died for the ungodly while we were without strength (Romans 5:6). Les Feldick explains that "ungodly" does not necessarily mean skid row or coming to the end of yourself. The prefix "un-" simply means "without," so these are people without God. They may be good people, the epitome of society, or the best of church members, but if they have never experienced God's saving grace, they are ungodly because they are without God in their lives.
Les says he often hears people say, "When I can get rid of this awful habit, when I can get rid of the booze, then I'll be able to let God save me." He responds that there isn't a man on earth who can do that; it's impossible. Instead, we have to let God save us right where we are. The verse says "him that worketh not" but believes on the One who justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5). God then takes care of the things that have to be taken care of.
Les points out that no one is so far down "the tube" that God can't love him. God has already purchased salvation for the most vile sinner if he will "cash in on it." A person is already pardoned, but he has to believe it in order to appropriate it. So the same Gospel that saves respectable people also saves the most vile sinner.
Les does not accept a set system in which someone becomes a church member and by rote repetition is called a Christian. He also doesn't accept simply walking the aisle and following a procedure. That, he says, is not salvation. For the person who has genuinely come under the power of the Holy Spirit and genuinely believed the gospel with all his heart, Scripture says there is no condemnation; that person is a child of God and always will be.
Les contrasts the Old Testament economy, where faith had to be followed by works such as bringing a sacrifice, with Abraham, who did no such thing. All the references to Abraham's saving faith show that he simply believed, plus nothing. In this age of grace, we are brought into a relationship with God as Abraham was — by faith alone.
Faith Plus Nothing — Abraham's Pattern
Les shows that Old Testament worshipers had to add works to faith, but Abraham simply believed, and in this age of grace believers enter a relationship with God by faith plus nothing.
Let God Save You Where You Are
Les explains that no one can clean up his own life first; salvation comes when a person who does not work in his own effort believes on the One who justifies the ungodly.
Only the Self-Confessed Ungodly
Les teaches that God can only deal with a person who recognizes his ungodliness; God's hands are tied with anyone who thinks he is good enough.
The Vile Sinner's Pardon
Les says God loves even those farthest down and has already purchased their pardon; all they must do is believe it and appropriate it.
Agreeing With God About Yourself
Les says the first step of faith is to believe what God says about us — that we are sinners — and then to trust that He declares us justified freely, with no strings attached.
Down-and-Outer and Up-and-Outer
Les clarifies that ungodly means "without God," which can describe respectable people and church members too; God saves every category of person, not only skid-row sinners.
Faith Enough to Trust God's Promise
Les says if your faith was sufficient to bring you into salvation, you should have enough faith to take God at His word that you are His and no one can lay a charge against God's elect.
Real Salvation vs. Rote Religion
Les rejects church membership, aisle-walking, and rote procedure as saving; only a genuine Holy Spirit-worked faith in the gospel removes condemnation and makes someone God's child forever.
Romans 4:5: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
This is the central verse Les cites to show salvation is for the ungodly who do not work but believe.
Romans 5:6: For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Shows that God acted on behalf of the ungodly while they were powerless to save themselves.
Romans 3:23: For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Establishes the universal condition that makes all people candidates for God's saving grace.
Romans 3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Declares that God gives justification freely and graciously, without strings attached.
Romans 8:1: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Les applies this to genuine believers, saying Scripture places them under no condemnation.
Romans 8:33: Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
Supports the security of those whom God justifies through faith.
Genesis 15:6: And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
Abraham's faith alone was counted as righteousness, the pattern Les applies to this age of grace.
Yes, God saves the ungodly. Les says people often want to get rid of habits first, but there isn't a man on earth who can do that; we have to let God save us right where we are. God then takes care of the things that need to be taken care of.
No. The word "ungodly" simply means "without God." That includes good, respectable people and church members who have never experienced God's saving grace, as well as down-and-outers. God saves the down-and-outer and the up-and-outer and everything in between.
Les says the most vile sinner already has his pardon done because Christ purchased salvation, but he has to believe it in order to appropriate it. They are already pardoned, but faith is what makes it theirs.
Les maintains that if you have genuinely come under the power of the Holy Spirit and believed the gospel with all your heart, Scripture says there is no condemnation. You are a child of God and always will be.
Watch the Teaching: God’s Promise to Abraham: Understanding Genesis 12 & 15