In Paul's letters, the pronoun 'us' refers to Paul himself together with his fellow believers — the saints to whom he writes — not to unbelievers.
Paul's letters are all directed to believers (Clips 1 and 2). When he uses 'us' or 'we,' he places himself in the company of those believers, as in 2 Corinthians 4:14 and 1 Corinthians 15:51. Les Feldick emphasizes this repeatedly, showing that Paul never writes to the unsaved world.
2 Corinthians 4:14 — Paul explicitly links 'us' with the believing Corinthians by saying God 'shall raise up us also... and shall present us with you.'
1 Corinthians 2:7 — Paul uses 'we' and 'our' when speaking of the hidden wisdom and glory that belong to the believers he addresses.
1 Corinthians 15:51 — Paul includes himself with the Gentile believers when he says 'We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.'
In 1 Corinthians 2:7, Paul writes, 'But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory.' The pronouns are plural and personal: the apostle and the people he addresses share the same storehouse of wisdom and glory. In 2 Corinthians 4:14, he writes, 'Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.' Here Paul includes himself in the resurrection hope of the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 15:51, he says, 'Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed.' The 'you' and the 'we' are the same people — the believers reading the letter. Romans 8:18 similarly speaks of 'the glory which shall be revealed in us.'
Les Feldick is emphatic that every one of Paul's letters is written to believers. In Clip 2, he asks, 'They're all written to what class of people? Believers... Paul always writes only to the believer. He doesn't write to the unsaved world.' In Clip 1, he shows that Paul addresses his letters 'to the saints,' and that every believer is a saint, so 'Paul writes only to the believer.' Les applies this to passages where 'us' appears. In Clip 7, he says Paul is talking about something 'that you and I as believers are looking forward to' — the rapture — and that the glory is 'revealed to us.' In Clip 6, Les explains that Paul is writing to Gentile believers in 1 Corinthians 15, and when Paul says 'we shall all be changed,' he has included them in the same Body of Christ. In 2 Corinthians 4:14, Les observes that Christ will present 'us' with 'you' before Him (Clip 3). The pronoun never includes the unsaved world; it always identifies the community of believers with Paul.
No. Les states that Paul never writes to the unsaved world; his letters are all addressed to believers. The gospel message may reach unbelievers, but the letters themselves are written to the church, the saints, the Body of Christ. Therefore, the 'us' in Paul's letters refers to Paul and believers, not to humanity in general.
In 1 Corinthians 2:7, Les draws attention to Paul's plural pronoun 'our' — 'which God ordained before the world unto our glory.' He suggests Paul used the plural rather than the singular 'my' because God knew this apostle would become a writer of Scripture. The broader point is that Paul is writing to the believers at Corinth, and the glory belongs to the whole believing community, not just to Paul.
No. Les explains that even though God is 'for us,' the powers that be may afflict the flesh, imprison believers, or persecute them. But those things can only touch the physical body; they cannot touch the invisible, eternal part of the believer, which is in the realm of the Spirit. So the 'us' of Romans 8 has the assurance that the eternal part is safe even when the body suffers.
God's 'Us' and Physical Suffering
Les shows that the 'us' in Romans 8 is the believer who can rest in God's favor even when persecution touches the flesh.
Paul Writes to the Saints
Les emphasizes that Paul's letters are addressed to saints — every believer — and that Paul writes only to believers.
Paul's Letters Are for Believers
Les explicitly says Paul always writes only to the believer, not to the unsaved world.
Raised Up 'Us' With 'You'
Les points to 2 Corinthians 4:14 where Paul says Christ will present 'us' with 'you,' including the believing readers in the same resurrection hope.
Plural Pronoun for Believing Readers
Les sees the plural 'our' in 1 Corinthians 2:7 as Paul including his believing readers, and he notes Paul always writes to believers.
Letters to Gentile Believers
Les reminds his listeners that Paul writes to believers, primarily Gentile believers, with no difference between Jew and Greek in salvation.
The 'We' of the Rapture
Les teaches that in 1 Corinthians 15:51, 'we' refers to Paul and the Gentile believers who are members of the Body of Christ and will be changed at the rapture.
Believers Awaiting Glory
Les says Romans 8:18 speaks of the glory that 'you and I as believers' are looking forward to at the rapture.
Romans 8:31: What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
The question asks about the 'us' in Paul's promise that God is for us.
Romans 8:18: For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Paul uses 'us' when describing believers' future glory.
1 Corinthians 2:7: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
Paul uses 'we' and 'our' in a letter to the believers at Corinth.
1 Corinthians 15:51: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
Paul includes himself and his Gentile believing readers in the 'we' of the resurrection change.
2 Corinthians 4:14: Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
Paul explicitly pairs 'us' with 'you' in the same resurrection hope.
No. Les Feldick teaches that Paul writes only to believers. His letters are addressed to the saints, the church, and the Body of Christ, even though the message may also reach unbelievers.
Yes. Les understands passages like 1 Corinthians 15:51 and Romans 8:18 as Paul speaking of himself together with believers when he says 'we shall be changed' and 'glory... revealed in us.'
Yes. Les explains that the flesh can be touched by persecution and imprisonment, but the eternal spirit of the believer is safe in God's hands. That is the confidence of the 'us' in Romans 8.
Watch the Teaching: What Does "If God Be for Us" Really Mean? Romans 8:31