Yes — the resurrection of Jesus is essential to salvation; without it there is no salvation.
Les Feldick teaches that salvation rests on the fact that God raised Jesus from the dead, not merely on His death (Clip 1). The gospel is Christ's death, burial, and resurrection (Clip 6). Because He rose victorious, His life can be our life, and His victory is imputed to our account (Clips 4, 6).
Romans 10:9 — This verse directly ties salvation to believing that God raised Jesus from the dead.
Romans 5:10 — It shows both sides of the gospel: we are reconciled by Christ's death, but we are saved by His life.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 — It defines the gospel as Christ dying for our sins, being buried, and rising again the third day.
Romans 6:8 — It joins our death with Christ to living with Him, making the resurrection fundamental to faith.
The Bible never separates the resurrection from salvation. Paul defines the gospel as the good news "how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). The same apostle ties saving faith to the risen Lord: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved" (Romans 10:9). Paul also places the death and resurrection in their proper relationship in Romans 5:10: "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." The death of Christ reconciles; the life of the resurrected Christ saves. Romans 6:8 makes the same point from the believer's position: "Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him." Our identification with Christ in His death is incomplete without our identification with Him in His resurrection.
Les Feldick is emphatic that the resurrection is "the very basis of His power" and therefore the very basis of salvation (Clip 7). He says, "It all rests on that, that God raised Him from the dead" (Clip 1). He has repeatedly met people who can believe Christ died but who struggle with the resurrection, and he tells them plainly, "unless you can believe the resurrection, you have no salvation tonight" (Clip 3). He puts it even more strongly: "if we can't accept the fact that He was raised from the dead, we have nothing. We are totally lost" (Clip 7). Why is the resurrection so necessary? Because the gospel is not merely Christ crucified; it is Christ crucified, buried, and resurrected. Les says, "We're saved by his death, burial, and resurrection" (Clip 6). He stresses that our gospel is not based on Jesus' earthly ministry, miracles, or signs; it is based on the fact that He died, paid the sin debt, defeated death and hell and Satan, and rose victoriously from the dead (Clip 6). Les also connects the resurrection to the believer's new life. Because Christ arose victorious, "His life can be our life" (Clip 6). The resurrection is also what reveals Christ as the glorified Lord and the Son of God in power (Clips 1, 7). Since He arose, His victory is imputed to our account, believers are already risen spiritually, and we will one day be resurrected to a new life (Clips 4, 6).
No. Les says, "We're saved by his death, burial, and resurrection" (Clip 6). He pictures the death side of the gospel through the Day of Atonement scapegoat, which carried Israel's sins far away into the wilderness — a picture of Christ carrying our sins when He died (Clip 0). But salvation is not complete with His death; the gospel also includes His burial and resurrection (Clip 6). Scripture likewise defines the gospel as Christ dying for our sins, being buried, and rising again the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4).
Les is direct: those who can believe Christ died but cannot accept His resurrection "have a problem getting into glory" (Clip 3). They have no salvation because "it all rests on" the fact that God raised Him from the dead (Clip 1). Les calls the resurrection "the very basis of His power," and without it we are "totally lost" (Clip 7). Belief in the risen Lord is not an optional add-on to faith in the cross; it is essential to saving faith.
Because Christ did not stay in the grave, He arose victorious over sin, death, and hell, and that victory is imputed to our account (Clip 4). Paul's argument in Romans 5:10 is that we are reconciled by His death but saved by His life (Clip 4). Les explains that because He arose from the dead, "His life can be our life" (Clip 6). Believers are already risen spiritually and, if they die before the Lord returns, will be resurrected to a new life (Clip 6).
Christ as the Scapegoat
Les explains Christ is pictured by the Day of Atonement scapegoat, who carried Israel's sins far away into the wilderness — a picture of what Christ did when He died.
Resurrection as the Basis of Salvation
Les teaches that the resurrection stands at the heart of the gospel and that without the power of the resurrection as the basis of salvation, we have none.
The Resurrected Lord of Glory
Les says believers know the resurrected Christ, not merely His good earthly life; no one is saved by simply believing that Jesus did good.
Resurrection Necessary to Enter Glory
Les states plainly that unless you can believe the resurrection, you have no salvation tonight.
Saved by His Life
Les shows from Romans 5:10 that we are reconciled by Christ's death but saved by His resurrected life.
Resurrection Is Fundamental to Faith
Les uses Romans 6:8 to show that our identification with Christ's death also means we live with Him — making the resurrection fundamental.
The Gospel of Death, Burial, and Resurrection
Les teaches that our gospel is based on the fact that Christ died, paid the sin debt, defeated death, and rose victoriously so His life can be our life.
The Very Basis of His Power
Les says if we cannot accept Christ's resurrection, we have nothing; it is the very basis of His power and our salvation.
Romans 10:9: That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
This verse explicitly makes belief in Jesus' resurrection part of saving faith.
Romans 5:10: For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
It combines the cross and the resurrection: reconciliation through His death, salvation through His life.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4: For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
This is the classic definition of the gospel as Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
Romans 6:8: Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
It connects our identification with Christ's death to our identification with His resurrection life.
Romans 1:4: And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
The resurrection declared Jesus to be the Son of God with power, which Les ties to the basis of salvation.
Les says no. He tells people who doubt the resurrection that they will have a problem getting into glory (Clip 3). If the power of the resurrection is not the basis of your salvation, you have none (Clip 1).
After being reconciled by His death, believers are saved by His resurrected life (Romans 5:10; Clip 4). Because He is alive and victorious over sin, death, and hell, His life can be our life (Clip 6).
It took the power of the resurrection to transform the disciples; the resurrection itself is the foundation of our present gospel (Clip 3).
Watch the Teaching: What the Day of Atonement Really Pictured — Finally Explained