Yes, many people find the Gospel hard to believe because it is too simple, completely free, and must be received through heart belief rather than works or self-effort.
According to Les Feldick, the Gospel is hard to accept because people cannot comprehend that salvation is free and requires no energy—only an accepting of what God has said. They also try to earn it, think they must live it before they are saved, or mistake mental assent for genuine heart belief. Paul himself wrote that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish.
Romans 1:16 — The Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, showing that believing is the only required response and explaining why people struggle to accept it.
1 Corinthians 1:18 — The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish, directly stating why some find the Gospel hard to believe.
The Bible declares that the Gospel is "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Romans 1:16). This shows that salvation is offered to all who believe, not to those who work or earn it. Scripture also says, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" (1 Corinthians 1:18). The cross, which is the heart of the Gospel, is regarded as foolishness by those who are perishing, while the saved recognize it as God's power. Thus the Bible indicates that the difficulty lies in the heart and perspective of the hearer, not in the message itself.
Les Feldick points out repeatedly that the Gospel is so simple that many people refuse it. He relays a woman in San Antonio who said, "Unless you make it too simple." He teaches that believing is the only thing a person can do without working—there is no energy involved, just an accepting of what God has said. But people do not want to do that. Some think they must live the Christian life before getting saved, but Les insists you cannot live it until you are saved. Believing is from the heart, not the head, and the Gospel becomes the power of God when a person truly believes.
Les Feldick says the Gospel is so simple that people can hardly comprehend it. He shares that a woman in San Antonio told him, "Unless you make it too simple." He explains that people want to do something to earn salvation, but there is nothing to do but believe. Believing involves no energy; it is simply accepting what God has said. Yet people do not want to do that.
Les Feldick frequently hears people say, "Well, I'll get saved when I can live it." He responds that you cannot live it until you are saved. Salvation comes first by believing, and then God gives the power to live it. People often think they must clean up their life before coming to Christ, but that is backwards.
Many people believe the historical facts about Christ—that He lived, died, and rose again—but that is not saving belief. Les teaches that believing does not come from the head; it comes from the heart. It is a genuine, Holy Spirit-driven belief that your eternal destiny is based on what Christ did for you on the cross.
Les Feldick notes that the human race will not consider eternity. Even a hundred years is nothing compared to eternity, yet people look only at what they can enjoy in the here and now. This present-mindedness makes it hard for them to grasp the Gospel's eternal significance and the blessed assurance of nothing separating us from God's love.
Present-mindedness vs. Eternity
Les says the human race looks only at here and now, not eternity, making it hard for people to value the Gospel's eternal promise and assurance.
The Gospel's Simplicity
Les explains that people cannot comprehend that all they have to do is believe that Christ died for them; genuine belief is Holy Spirit-driven, not mere mental assent.
God's Power and 'Make It Too Simple'
Les says God's power, the same that created the universe, saves us through believing the Gospel—and a woman told him, 'Unless you make it too simple.'
Believing Releases God's Power
Les teaches that when we believe the Gospel, it becomes the very power of God and God accounts it as righteousness—showing that belief itself is the means by which the Gospel is received.
Believing Without Working
Les says believing is the only thing a person can do without working; there's no energy involved, just an accepting of what God has said, and people don't want to do that.
Saved First, Then Live It
Les answers those who say 'I'll get saved when I can live it' by explaining that you cannot live it until you are saved—believe first, then God gives power to live.
Head vs. Heart Belief
Les distinguishes head knowledge assent to the historical facts from real belief, which comes from the heart, not the head.
No Works Required
Les responds to those who insist we must earn our way into Heaven—there is nothing we can do but take what God has offered through the Gospel.
Romans 1:16: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Shows that the Gospel is God's power received through believing, not through works.
1 Corinthians 1:18: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Explains why the cross is rejected as foolishness by those who are perishing.
Les Feldick shares that a woman once said to him, "Unless you make it too simple." The Gospel is simply that Christ died, was buried, and rose again, and when we believe that with all our heart, it becomes the power of God to salvation. People struggle because they expect to have to do something.
Les says people often tell him, "I'll get saved when I can live it." His answer is that you cannot live it until you are saved. Believing the Gospel comes first, and then God gives the power to live it.
No. Les Feldick explains that many people give head knowledge assent to the historical facts, but that is not believing. Believing comes from the heart, and it is a genuine, Holy Spirit-driven belief that your eternal destiny is based on what Christ did for you.
Watch the Teaching: Can Anything Separate You from God's Love? Romans 8:33-39