Yes—Paul's writings are essential because they carry the post-resurrection revelation of the ascended Lord for this age of grace.
Les Feldick teaches that while the Gospels record Christ's earthly ministry before the cross, Paul writes from the ascended Lord after the work of the cross was finished. His letters contain the full flower of salvation truth and the doctrines for the Christian walk and the local church. That is why Les says believers must adhere to the writings of Paul.
Galatians 1:12 — Paul's gospel came directly by revelation from Jesus Christ, not from men—this is why Les insists his letters carry post-resurrection doctrine.
Romans 3:21 — Paul announces a righteousness of God manifested apart from the law, exactly the salvation truth revealed for this side of the cross.
Ephesians 2:13 — Paul explains that Gentiles who were far off are brought near by the blood of Christ, a truth he uniquely unfolds for the Church Age.
2 Timothy 3:16 — Paul affirms that all Scripture is inspired and profitable, showing that emphasizing his letters does not discard the rest of the Bible.
Galatians 1:12 records Paul's testimony that his gospel was not received from any man but "by the revelation of Jesus Christ." Galatians 1:16-17 then shows him going to Arabia without first consulting the apostles. Romans 3:21 announces a righteousness of God "without the law," and Ephesians 2:13 tells Gentiles who were once far off that they are "made nigh by the blood of Christ." Romans 1:16 declares the gospel to be "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Scripture also says "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Hebrews 9:22) and "without faith it is impossible to please him" (Hebrews 11:6). Paul himself affirms that "all scripture is given by inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:16), so the rest of the Bible is never diminished.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul's epistles are the place where the full flower of God's salvation program blooms. He stresses that everything Jesus said during His earthly ministry—except the post-resurrection chapters at the end of each Gospel—was before the cross. At that point He had not died, His blood had not been shed, and He had not risen. Paul, however, writes from the ascended Lord, after the work of the cross was finished. Paul received his gospel through his own private seminary training with the risen Christ out in the desert, not by going to Jerusalem and checking in with the Twelve. That is why Les says we must adhere to the writings of Paul: they contain the meat of our doctrine. Paul is the designated apostle of the Gentiles, and in this Church Age the fundamental truths for salvation, the Christian walk, and the operation of the local church come from his letters. Les is equally clear that this never implies the rest of Scripture is unimportant—Paul himself writes that all Scripture is profitable. But Paul's letters reveal doctrines found nowhere else in Scripture, so believers should spend the best part of their study time there and then funnel back and forth through the rest of the Word. Les also uses Paul's teaching to warn that church attendance, outward respectability, and good works earn nothing. Many souls are in hell tonight who never missed church. Salvation rests on faith and the shed blood of Christ.
Les says everything Jesus said in His earthly ministry, except the last chapters of each Gospel after His resurrection, was spoken before the cross. Jesus had not yet died, gone to the cross, or shed His blood. He was living under the law and ministering to people under the law, so His earthly teaching had that flavor. Paul, by contrast, writes from the ascended Lord after the work of the cross was finished. Paul's words are still the words of Jesus, but in the time most appropriate—post-resurrection. Paul's letters reveal things not found in the Gospels and contain the meat of our doctrine.
Les emphasizes that Paul did not receive his gospel from the earthly ministry of Christ and did not go down to Jerusalem to check in with the Twelve. Instead, he had his own private seminary training with the ascended Lord from heaven out on the desert. After that experience he began to teach the doctrines of grace, revealing things the Lord gave him after His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension from His seat at the Father's right hand. Scripture confirms in Galatians 1:12 that Paul received the gospel by revelation of Jesus Christ, and Galatians 1:16-17 shows him going to Arabia without conferring with flesh and blood.
Les observes that many theologians and preachers spend their time in the Gospels and say "we don't need Paul." He compares the Bible to a plant: the Gospels are the root, stem, and leaves, and Paul's revelations are the bloom. Preachers who clip off Paul's letters have clipped off the very part that shows the beauty of God's overall program for salvation. Les adds that the average churchgoer never gets the slightest notion of much of what Paul is trying to teach, and that he could easily spend five years just on Paul's epistles because they are so intrinsic to daily and salvation needs.
No. Les says you don't kick the rest out—all of it is necessary. Paul himself, Les notes, writes that all Scripture is inspired of God and profitable for reproof and instruction in righteousness. Paul never lifts himself up as the only one to pay attention to. But Paul brings out many doctrines that are found nowhere else in Scripture, so it behooves believers to spend the best part of their time in Paul's epistles, then funnel back and forth throughout all the rest of the Scriptures.
Les is not against church—he is an active church member—but he says going to church doesn't gain you points for salvation. Many souls are in hell tonight who never missed church. Salvation rests on faith and the shed blood, the two premises by which God deals with old Adam. Paul's teaching matters because it directs people away from trusting in their own morality, church attendance, or respectability and points them to what Christ accomplished on the cross.
Salvation Is Not Church Attendance or Works
Les uses Paul's teaching to show that church attendance and outward respectability earn nothing; salvation rests on faith and the shed blood.
Paul's Letters Contain the Full Flower
Les says you have to go to Paul's epistles for the full picture of salvation; the Gospels are the root, stem, and leaves, while Paul's revelations are the bloom.
Post-Resurrection Doctrine Is in Paul
Les explains that everything Jesus said before the cross was pre-cross; Paul writes from the ascended Lord after the work of the cross, so the meat of doctrine is in Paul's letters.
Paul Is Neglected by the Average Churchgoer
Les says Paul's epistles are intrinsic to daily and salvation needs, yet most churchgoers never grasp what Paul teaches.
Paul Is the Apostle of the Gentiles
Les teaches that Paul is the designated apostle of the Gentiles and his letters provide the fundamental truths for salvation, the Christian walk, and the local church in the Church Age.
Paul Brings Out Doctrines Nowhere Else
Les says Paul never sets himself up as the only authority, but because his letters contain doctrines found nowhere else, believers should spend the best part of their study time there.
Paul Trained Privately by the Ascended Lord
Les stresses that Paul did not receive his gospel from the earthly ministry or the Twelve; his private seminary with the ascended Lord is why the gospel must come primarily from Paul.
The Gospels Reflect Pre-Cross Ministry
Les explains that Paul's revelations come from the ascended Lord, while the Gospels record Christ under the law before His death, so the gospel itself is not found in the Gospels.
Galatians 1:12: For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
This verse is the foundation for Les's insistence that Paul's gospel came directly from the risen Christ, not from men.
Galatians 1:16: To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood:
Paul says he did not confer with flesh and blood after receiving the revelation, supporting his unique apostleship.
Galatians 1:17: Neither went I up to Jerusalem to them which were apostles before me; but I went into Arabia, and returned again unto Damascus.
Paul went to Arabia rather than Jerusalem, matching Les's account of Paul's private seminary in the desert.
Romans 3:21: But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;
Paul announces the righteousness of God manifested apart from the law—the new revelation for this side of the cross.
Ephesians 2:13: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
Paul explains that Gentiles, once far off, are brought near by Christ's blood—a key truth of his 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.
Paul identifies the gospel as the power of God unto salvation, the very message he was called to preach.
Romans 8:9: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
Paul's teaching on the indwelling Holy Spirit is part of the fundamental Christian walk truth Les says comes from Paul's letters.
Hebrews 9:22: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
The remission of sin requires shed blood, the basis of Paul's emphasis on the cross.
Hebrews 11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Faith is the non-negotiable requirement for pleasing God, another reality Les ties to salvation.
2 Timothy 3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Paul affirms all Scripture is profitable, showing that emphasizing Paul's letters does not discard the rest of the Bible.
No. Les says you don't kick the rest out; it's all necessary. The Gospels are the root, stem, and leaves, and you can get moral application from Christ's earthly ministry. But for the full flower of salvation doctrine, you must go to Paul's letters.
No. Les says Paul did not go back to Jerusalem to check in with the Twelve; he had his own private seminary training with the ascended Lord out in the desert. Paul himself says he received the gospel by revelation of Jesus Christ.
Because this is the Church Age or age of grace, and Paul is the designated apostle of the Gentiles. Les teaches that the fundamental truths for salvation, the Christian walk, and the operation of the local church all have to come from Paul's letters.
No. Les says church attendance doesn't gain points for salvation and many souls in hell never missed church. Salvation is based on faith and the shed blood of Christ.
Watch the Teaching: The Righteousness of God Without the Law Explained