The same problems persist when believers are relying on self-effort instead of genuinely believing what Christ has accomplished.
Les Feldick explains that people often try to put their own veneer of righteousness over their lives, and that veneer must be maintained for a whole lifetime. The old Adamic nature remains and can take control, exposing the same failures. When a person truly believes, God gives him a robe of righteousness and supplies the power to live differently.
Isaiah 61:10 — God provides garments of salvation and a robe of righteousness, in contrast to a self-made veneer that must be maintained.
Romans 8:1 — There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, even when they still wrestle with the old nature.
Galatians 2:20 — The believer lives by the faith of Christ, not by his own self-produced righteousness.
The Bible describes fallen human nature in graphic terms: 'Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit... Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness' (Romans 3:13-14). No amount of outward self-improvement changes this condition. Yet the same Bible speaks of a covering provided by God: 'he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness' (Isaiah 61:10). For those who are in Christ Jesus, the word is clear: 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit' (Romans 8:1). Paul also testifies, 'I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me' (Galatians 2:20).
Les Feldick says that believing is simply accepting what God has said, and there is no energy involved in it. Rather than simply believe, however, many people try to put on their own veneer of righteousness, and that veneer has to be worked out for a whole lifetime. When the old Adamic nature takes control, the same sinful tendencies reappear and bring failure. The problem is that people are looking at their own self-effort instead of resting in what Christ has done. When a person realizes he is in the cesspool of sin with no hope of getting out, the power of God pulls him out and gives him new life. Les says that this is what believing does. The believer becomes a totally different person in outlook and desires, though he does not become a mature Christian overnight. He comes into the Christian life as a baby in Christ and needs time, nourishment, and protection to grow in grace and knowledge. Les rejects the idea that salvation comes through walking an aisle, joining a church, or repeating things by rote. Those things are not substitutes for genuinely believing the gospel with all one's heart. When that genuine believing happens, the Scripture says there is no condemnation. At the same time, the believer still has to wrestle with the old Adamic nature, even though God has declared it crucified and defeated. The believer copes because of Christ's faithfulness, not his own. As Les puts it, you cannot live the Christian life until you are saved, but when you believe, God gives you the power to live it.
Les Feldick explains that people who try to put on their own veneer of righteousness will have to work at it for a whole lifetime. The old Adamic nature is still present even though God has declared it crucified, and it can take control and expose the same sinful tendencies. Trying to live the Christian life before being saved is backwards; when a person believes, God gives the power to live it.
Human veneer is a self-made outward appearance of righteousness that has to be maintained. God's covering, by contrast, is the robe of righteousness He puts on the believer when he truly believes. Les quotes Isaiah: 'He hath clothed me with the garments of salvation... He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness.' This is the full opposite of the open sepulcher described in Romans 3.
Yes. Les acknowledges that even true believers still have to wrestle against the influence of the old Adamic nature, even though God has reckoned it as crucified and declared it dead. In experience, he says, it remains with us, but it is defeated and placed under the subjection of a new nature. Paul's testimony is that he lives by the faithfulness of the Son of God, not by his own strength.
Les says he does not buy the idea that people become Christians by walking an aisle, joining a church, or repeating things by rote. That is not salvation. The person who has genuinely come under the power of the Holy Spirit and believed the gospel with all his heart is a child of God and will always be one. The evidence of that salvation is a lifestyle that becomes visible to friends, relatives, and the community.
Because believers are justified by faith, and because Christ has died, been buried, and risen, all of salvation is the work of God. There was nothing in it that could be done in the flesh. Therefore the Scripture's promise is that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. A genuine believer is a child of God and always will be, even while the old Adamic nature remains.
Self-Veneer vs. God's Covering
Les explains that people who try to improve themselves are only applying an outward veneer that must be maintained for a lifetime, rather than receiving God's robe of righteousness through belief.
Believing Brings God's Power
Les teaches that when a person realizes he is hopeless in sin and believes, the power of God pulls him out and makes him a totally different person in outlook and desires, though he still grows as a baby in Christ.
Salvation Is a Visible Lifestyle
Les says a true born-again believer will become a good citizen, and the difference will be visible to friends, relatives, and the community.
Justification by Faith Alone
Les stresses that salvation is all the work of God; we are justified by faith, not by anything we do in the flesh, so there is no basis for insecurity.
Genuine Faith Versus Church Ritual
Les says walking an aisle, joining a church, or repeating things by rote is not salvation; genuine faith under the Holy Spirit makes a person a child of God forever.
The Old Adamic Nature Remains
Les explains that even true believers still wrestle with the old Adamic nature, though God has declared it crucified; it is defeated and under the subjection of the new nature.
Living by Christ's Faithfulness
Les teaches that believers are able to cope day by day because of what Christ accomplished and through His faithfulness, not our own, as seen in the substitutionary death on the cross.
Power to Live Comes After Belief
Les says that when we believe, God gives us the power to live; you cannot live it until you are saved, so 'I'll get saved when I can live it' is backwards.
Isaiah 61:10: I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
God's provision of salvation and righteousness is the covering that replaces human self-effort.
Romans 3:13: Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
This describes the natural condition from which no self-veneer can deliver a person.
Romans 3:14: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness:
The unrighteous condition of the old nature is what God's righteousness overrides.
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.
The believer in Christ Jesus is not condemned even while still wrestling with the old nature.
Galatians 2:20: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The believer's ongoing life is lived by the faith of Christ, not self-produced righteousness.
Les Feldick says the problem is often that people are trying to put a veneer of self-improvement on the outside. The old Adamic nature will still take control and bring failure. When you actually believe what Christ accomplished, God gives you the power to live differently.
No. Les Feldick says that going through a system, walking an aisle, joining a church, or repeating things by rote is not salvation. Salvation comes when a person has genuinely come under the power of the Holy Spirit and believed the gospel with all his heart.
As long as you are in this life, the old Adamic nature is still present even though God has declared it crucified and defeated. But it has been placed under the subjection of a new nature that comes in by the power of God. You live by Christ's faithfulness, not your own.
No, that is backwards. Les Feldick says you cannot live it until you are saved. When you believe, God gives you the power again to live it.
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About God's Righteousness — Romans 3