Because most people are focused on the present life and either do not think about eternity or assume they must add their own efforts to what Christ has already finished.
Les Feldick describes the world as "living it up" for only a handful of years and never thinking past this life. When they do consider salvation, they say things like "I've got to do this" or "if I can clean up my act." Christ, however, offered Himself once and secured eternal redemption, so the only response is to believe the gospel and rest on the finished work. People do not realize it because they refuse to believe that everything is already done.
John 19:30 — Jesus' declaration "It is finished" is the direct answer: the work required for salvation was completed at the cross.
Hebrews 9:12 — Shows that Christ entered the holy place once and obtained eternal redemption, so nothing remains for a person to add.
The Bible presents salvation as a completed work. At the cross, Jesus declared, "It is finished" (John 19:30). Hebrews 7:27 explains that Christ, unlike the Jewish high priests, needed to offer only one sacrifice: "for this he did once, when he offered up himself." Hebrews 9:12 goes on to say that He entered the holy place once by His own blood, "having obtained eternal redemption for us." The answer to what is required is not human effort but faith. Romans 4:5 says God justifies the ungodly who believes: "But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness." Romans 5:1 declares, "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Hebrews 3:18 shows that the only ones kept out of God's rest were those who believed not: "And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?"
Les Feldick teaches that people miss the finished work of salvation for two main reasons. First, they are busy "living it up" in the present life and do not think about the eternity that follows (clip 2). Second, when they do think about salvation, they assume they have to do something to earn it—"I've got to do this, or I've got to do that" (clip 3), "if I can clean up my act" (clip 6), or rely on works like baptism, church membership, or charity (clips 1, 7). He highlights Hebrews 7:27 and the word "once"—Christ did not need to die repeatedly; He offered Himself once (clip 0). Adding any human work to salvation cancels the work of the cross, because Christ said "It's finished" and meant what He said (clip 1). The gospel is simply to believe that everything is already done and draw on that finished work by faith (clips 4, 5). The tragedy he points to is that lost people will spend eternity in doom not because of their sins but because they refuse to believe this (clips 4, 6).
Christ did not have to die over and over. Les points to Hebrews 7:27, where Christ "did once, when he offered up himself," compared to priests who offered repeatedly (clip 0). He says the word "once" is one people should never forget. The finished work means everything needed was accomplished on the cross—Christ said, "It's finished" (clip 1). Romans 5 describes the free gift canceling a "whole trainload of sin" through the work of the cross (clip 5).
People constantly say "I've got to do this, or I've got to do that" instead of simply believing (clip 3). Others think they need to clean up their act first, saying "if I can just change my ways, then I'll become a Christian" (clip 6). Les warns that anything done in the energy of the flesh—baptism, joining a church, giving to the poor—is a work, and God will not recognize it for salvation (clip 7). When a work is added as part of salvation, it cancels the work of the cross (clip 1).
Les answers bluntly: lost people go to the lake of fire not because of their sins—drunkenness, adultery, gambling—but because of unbelief. They refuse to believe that everything is already done (clip 4). Hebrews 3:18 asks who could not enter God's rest: "to them that believed not" (clip 6). For jillions of years they will regret that they rejected their pardon, but the pardon is already finished (clip 6).
Christ's Once-for-All Sacrifice
Les shows from Hebrews 7:27 that Christ offered one final sacrifice, and the word 'once' means the work of putting away sin is complete.
Adding Works Cancels the Cross
Les warns that any fleshly work added to salvation cancels the work of the cross; when Christ said 'It's finished,' He meant everything needed was accomplished.
Worldly Distraction from Eternity
Les contrasts the difficulty of earning salvation with the actual simplicity of the offer, noting that the world is busy living it up for only a few years.
Refusing to Simply Believe
Les says many in Christendom keep saying they must do something themselves, but God's answer is that He saves only the ungodly.
Unbelief Is the Only Cause of Doom
Les states plainly that lost people go to eternal doom for only one reason: they refuse to believe that everything is already done.
The Free Gift Cancels Sin
Les explains that the free gift means every sinner's trainload of sin has been canceled and paid for by the work of the cross.
The Hang-Up of Cleaning Up
Les describes the common hang-up of people who think they must first change their ways, and points to Hebrews 3:18: unbelief kept people out of God's rest.
Justified by Faith Plus Nothing
Les lists human works such as baptism, church membership, and charity and says they cannot save; justification is by faith, plus nothing.
John 19:30: When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
Christ's own words declare that the work of salvation was finished at the cross.
Hebrews 7:27: Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
Shows the once-for-all nature of Christ's sacrifice in contrast to repeated Old Covenant offerings.
Hebrews 9:12: Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Confirms that Christ obtained eternal redemption by entering the holy place once with His own blood.
Romans 4:5: But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Shows that salvation is for the ungodly who believe, not for those who work for it.
Romans 5:1: Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Declares the result of faith: peace with God, with nothing added.
Hebrews 3:18: And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?
Identifies unbelief, not sin or inadequate self-improvement, as what keeps people from entering God's rest.
Yes. Scripture says "It is finished" (John 19:30), and Hebrews tells us Christ entered the holy place once and obtained eternal redemption (Hebrews 9:12). Les Feldick says the work of the cross is complete; everything we need was accomplished there.
No. Les says people stumble by thinking "if I can clean up my act, then I'll become a Christian," but God justifies the ungodly (Romans 4:5). Justification is by faith plus nothing (Romans 5:1).
Because of unbelief. Les states that lost humanity goes to eternal doom for only one reason: they refuse to believe that everything is already done. Their pardon is already accomplished; they must believe it.
Watch the Teaching: Romans 6:7-12 — Can a Believer Still Sin After Being Set Free?