Yes—Christians should focus on the cross because the believer's life and salvation are built on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, not on the events of His earthly ministry.
Scripture says Christ died for all so that those who live would live for Him who died and rose again. Les Feldick consistently points out that Jesus' miracles and signs are good to know, but salvation comes only through His finished work on the cross and His victorious resurrection (2 Cor 5:14-15; 1 Cor 1:23).
2 Corinthians 5:14-16 — This passage directly distinguishes knowing Christ after the flesh from knowing Him after the work of the cross, showing why believers focus on His death and resurrection.
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5:14-16 that the love of Christ constrains believers because one died for all, making all dead. He then says that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the One who died for them and rose again. The passage goes on to say that from now on we know no man after the flesh; even though Christ was once known after the flesh, He is no longer known that way. In 1 Corinthians 1:23, Paul declares that the message he preaches is Christ crucified. This places the apostolic emphasis on the cross and resurrection rather than on the events of Jesus' earthly life. The Scripture itself, therefore, points believers to the completed work of Christ—His death, burial, and resurrection—as the foundation of the gospel.
Les Feldick teaches that Paul's gospel is based entirely on Christ's death, shed blood, burial, resurrection, and power—not on keeping the Law or practicing the commandments. He says the love of Christ constrains believers because Christ died for all, and those who receive eternal life should no longer live for themselves but for the One who died and rose again. Les emphasizes that Jesus' earthly ministry—Bethlehem, His miracles, His suffering—is good to know but is not what is required for salvation. What is required is understanding that this same Christ, the Son of God, went to the cross and died for our sin and rose from the dead. He points out that much modern preaching focuses on Jesus' miracles and signs in His earthly ministry, but Paul said we now know Christ after the work of the cross, after His death, burial, and resurrection, as the ascended glorified Lord. Les also warns that grace is not license. Because God has declared us forgiven, justified, redeemed, and reconciled, that should bring a love-requirement and a debt of love that makes us want to please Him. Our gospel is not based on the earthly ministry, miracles, signs, or healings; 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—and His life can now be our life.
No, Les says there is nothing wrong with studying His earthly ministry and it is good to know about Bethlehem, His miracles, and His suffering. But that is not the basis of our salvation. His earthly ministry was His ministry to the nation of Israel; the name Jesus was His name of humiliation, and after His resurrection He is more appropriately known as the Lord Jesus Christ.
Les explains that Paul is referring to Christ's earthly ministry. Because Christ died and rose from the dead, we no longer know Him after the flesh. We now know the resurrected Christ, the One who died for our sin, ascended in glory. Even though the Corinthians may have known Christ after the flesh, Paul says from now on we know Him no more that way.
Because Christ died for all, those who believe and receive eternal life should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him who died for them and rose again. Les stresses that grace is not license—being forgiven, justified, redeemed, and reconciled does not mean we live as we please. Instead, it creates such a debt of love that we should want to do everything we can to please Him.
Les says our gospel is not based on the earthly ministry, miracles, signs, and healings of Jesus. 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. As Paul puts it, 'we preach Christ crucified.' This is why salvation is by virtue of His death, burial, and resurrection, not by simply believing that Jesus did good.
The Constraint of Christ's Love
Les shows from 2 Corinthians 5 that Paul's gospel is based on Christ's death, shed blood, burial, resurrection, and power, and that believers are to live for the One who died and rose for them.
Earthly Ministry Not Required for Salvation
Les explains that Jesus' earthly ministry is good to know but not what is required for salvation; what is required is understanding that Christ died for sin and rose from the dead.
Knowing Christ After the Cross
Les says we are not following any man in the flesh; we now take Christ after the work of the cross, His death, burial, and resurrection, as the ascended glorified Lord.
Not the Gospel According to Jesus
Les warns that a gospel based on Jesus' earthly ministry is out of line because salvation comes only by virtue of His death, burial, and resurrection.
Resurrection Power Needed
Les points out that even the Jesus people movement knew nothing of His resurrection power or saving power; no one is saved by simply believing that Jesus did good.
Grace Is Not License
Les teaches that grace does not give permission to live as we please; it brings a love-requirement that makes believers want to live for Him who died and rose again.
Earthly Ministry Was to Israel
Les explains that the earthly ministry was Jesus' ministry to Israel, and after His resurrection He is more appropriately called the Lord Jesus Christ, not merely Jesus.
The Gospel of the Cross
Les summarizes that we are saved by Christ's death and resurrection—He paid the sin debt, defeated death, hell, and Satan, rose victoriously, and His life can now be our life.
2 Corinthians 5:14: For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
This verse shows that Christ's death for all is the foundation that constrains and drives believers.
2 Corinthians 5:15: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
This verse directly answers the question by showing that the believer's life is now centered on the One who died and rose again.
2 Corinthians 5:16: Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.
This verse explains the shift from knowing Christ in His earthly ministry to knowing Him after the cross and resurrection.
1 Corinthians 1:23: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
This verse summarizes Paul's preaching focus, which is Christ crucified rather than Jesus' earthly works.
No. Les says it is good to know and there is nothing wrong with studying it, but it was Jesus' ministry to Israel and it is not the basis of our salvation. Salvation is based on Christ's death, burial, and resurrection.
He explains that because Christ died and rose from the dead, we now know Him after the work of the cross—as the ascended, glorified Lord—not merely as Jesus in His earthly ministry. This is what Paul means in 2 Corinthians 5:16.
No. Les emphasizes that grace is not license. Being forgiven, justified, redeemed, and reconciled creates a debt of love so that believers want to live for the One who died for them and rose again.
Watch the Teaching: Why the Gospels Aren't for the Church — 2 Corinthians 5