Just As If I’d Never Sinned

When we come to Christ, He not only forgives us of our sin, He also justifies us. The Apostle Paul explains justification in his letter to the Romans: “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . .” (Romans 5:1).

Salvation has to do with what takes place in believers’ hearts, but justification has to do with our standing before God. In salvation God gives us new life, but justification goes beyond that. When God justifies us, He declares us righteous in His sight. “Just-as-if-I’d never sinned” is one way the word justified has been explained. God not only forgives us, but He sees us as if we had never sinned. He removes our sin, and in its position He places the perfect righteousness of Christ.

It’s as if your checking account were overdrawn and you owed the bank thousands of dollars, but one day you go to the ATM machine and, just for old time’s sake, enter your ATM code. Suddenly you realize you have a balance of five million dollars!

God has accomplished much more than that for those who believe in Him. He has given us righteousness. We have been justified.