Just As If I’d never sinned? Not Really.
by Dr. C. Matthew McMahon

              Have you heard this catchy phrase?  “Just as if I’d never sinned.”  Some like to think that phrase is a fit for the word “Just-i-fi-ca-tion.”  In other words, they believe the phrase is a sufficient definition (simply stated) of the doctrine of justification.  But is it right?  Is the doctrine of Justification the same as saying that God treats me as if I’d never sinned?  No, not really.  As a matter of fact – no, absolutely not!  The phrase is pithy, but not very accurate.  Why?  Justification is affect of the forensic judgment of God in lieu of the imputed righteousness of Christ upon a sinner.   Men are wicked, and this is not difficult to prove.  Simply look in them mirror and see this fact for yourself.  The mirror (or conscience) is not the only place to see that sin abounds.  The Bible also poses this as an important aspect of redemptive history.  In the days of Noah the wickedness of men “was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” (Genesis 6:5)  Genesis 13:13 says of the modern culture in the days of Abraham, “But the men of Sodom were wicked and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.”  In Jeremiah’s time the consensus of the heart of men was “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9)  And it is certainly without a doubt true in our day and age that men are as wicked as the day is long.  They are no different than those of Old Testament times or even New Testament times.  All men are sinners.  How many are sinners?  Everyone.  Romans 3:23a says, “For all have sinned.” 

            If men are really sinners, how then could someone infer that God treats men as if they were not sinners?  (Just as if I’d never sinned?)  This would be inaccurate for a few important reasons.  It would be inaccurate in light of the wickedness and depravity of men’s hearts, in light of its theological essence, and in light of the cross of Christ, for, it would do great damage to the cross of Christ. 

            First, since men are sinners, God must deal with men as sinners.  God never deals with men at any time as if they never sinned.  Even after the forensic judgment on a soul takes place, God still treats them as sinners, but redeemed sinners.  Both before and after one’s conversion men are still sinners and God deals with them as such.  Even after God saves men from the wrath that is due them, they do not cease to be sinners.  The Bible says that we are made new, but the sinful remnant of our flesh still remains in us to do battle against the Sprit which now also dwells in us.  That is why we are repeatedly told to mortify the deeds of the flesh.  For instance, “For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.” (Romans 8:13)  And what about Colossians 3:5? “Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth.”  These verses are written and relevant to redeemed sinners.  And what of 1 John 5:8, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  Redeemed sinners are still that, redeemed sinners.  We are exhorted, commanded, instructed, motioned, prodded and empowered by the Spirit of God after our conversion for that very reason.  Otherwise, we would not need to be justified at all. 

            Another reason this phrase is objectionable, is that it is Arminian at the core – its theological essence exalts man to a measure that he should not be.  Every attempt at making man “good” in some respect does a great injustice to the sovereignty of God in salvation and the eternal election of the redeemed.  God does not treat those after conversion who are justified by faith in an elevated status as if they never sinned.  God very well knows they have sinned.  The ones justified know they have sinned.  And the very reason they are justified is intrinsically linked to the truth of their sinfulness.  Romans 4:2 says, “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.”  Where does man have a right to glory before God after justification to think that he is now treated on some higher level in which God views him as if he had never sinned?  In reality, he knows, much deeper, that he is a sinner, and his whole life is a continual reflection of that fact to a deeper degree.  What would God owe such a person at that point?  Well, in truth, if such a person existed, God would owe Him as much as He owed His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  Jesus was wholly perfect, and never sinned.  God owed Him the exaltation of righteousness that He received when He went to glory.  He now sits at God’s right hand in infinite power.  Why?  Jesus Christ sits at the right hand because He is God’s righteous servant.  (Isaiah 53:11)  If we were now considered as if we have never sinned, God would owe us much.  No - we are sinners still.  God does not treat us as if we had never sinned.  Rather, the very fact of the Sprit’s empowering for service to the church shows we need help even after we are converted.  1 Corinthians 12:7 says, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”  We need help even in our basic giftedness in the church.  The Spirit must give us this power, without which, we would not be able to serve because we are still fallen.  Before we were justified we were lost, and sinners who were on their way to hell.  After we were justified we were saved, but sinners on their way to heaven.  We are sinners in either case.  As Romans 7:15 states, “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.”  Sinners are still sinners.  Even in heaven, we will be redeemed sinners.  Though the remnants of sin will be vanquished, we will still remember our sinfulness and what Jesus did, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)  The very song we will sing is a reflection of our remembrance that we are redeemed sinners, though we will never sin again.  Thus, to say that we are able to glory in our newfound “goodness” is simply an extension of Arminianism, and at its essence, it has God exalting man instead of the Savior.

            This little catchy phrase also attacks the work of Christ, which culminates in the cross.  How would this reflect on the work of Jesus Christ and the cross?  Jesus lived a perfect life, but a life without sin.  Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”   Jesus’ sinless work in keeping the law allows His perfect sacrifice to be acceptable before God.  Then the double cure takes place – our sin is imputed to His account and He takes on our punishment for that sin, and His righteousness is imputed to our account and we are reckoned righteous because of His work.  Thus, to say that we are now those who are reckoned as if we never sinned nullifies the very reason why we are justified in the first place.  Jesus died to redeem sinners.  If I am reckoned as one who has never sinned after my justification, then the entire idea of the cross and Christ’s work is nonsense.

The redemption of sinners does not stop at justification.  It goes much further than that.  Most of the New Testament is taken up with exhortations, commandments and instructions to a holy life.  Why would this be so if justification rendered us as if we never sinned?  2 Corinthians 7:1 states, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”  Why would there be any perfecting needed if we were considered as though we never sinned?  Is it just a consideration?  Is God simply considering us one-way when the fact is simply another?  Is He simply looking the other way at the reality of the facts before Him?  No.  God considers the work of Christ as that which justifies, not our own work.  We are the justified, not the justifiers.  Jesus Christ is the justifier.  In reality, this catchy phrase would give us a license to sin because if God looked upon us as those who “never sinned” that would have to mean that He continues to do so if it is a forensic judgment based on Christ’s work for all time.  Thus, we would always be considered in this manner no matter how we acted or how we transgressed the law of God.  We would always be viewed as non-sinners even though we would be sinning. 

If God treated us “just as if we never sinned,” then we have no need of the continual Mediatorship of Jesus Christ.  Why would we need Him if God treated us as the righteous elect who are seen as if they never sinned?  Hebrews 4:12 would be nonsense to us, “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”  Grace?  Why would we need grace?  We would be considered as those who never sinned.  What need therefore is grace for those who are virtually considered as unfallen?  No, we are not reckoned as if we never sinned, but we are reckoned accepted and justified in Christ through His redemptive work as those who are in need of a Savior for the very fact that we are sinners.  Then, since we are desperately aware of the fact that we are sinners, we come boldly to the throne of grace – why? – To receive the help we do need in light of the fact that we are frames made of dust!

The phrase is more Roman Catholic than anything else.  Now for the Roman Catholic, you can actually lose the justification that you acquired.  This means you need to continually regain it by certain works that you accomplish.  Certainly, most Protestants who adhere to this little phrase are not intending that we can lose our justification (though Arminianism, and like theological systems who believe much the same thing, does believe you can lose it).  But to adhere to such a phrase is the essence of Romans Catholicism’s doctrine of infusion and not true justification.  When a Roman Catholic is baptized, they are infused by the righteousness of Christ and deemed as one who “had never sinned.”  They are pure until they lose that righteousness through an act of sin, whether venial or mortal.  Now the Protestant who thinks justification is “just as if he never sinned” simply is a prolonging Roman Catholic.  He thinks he is considered as one who has never sinned at almost the same level as the Roman Catholic who has been infused by an alien righteousness.  One who attempts a mix between the doctrine of the Perseverance of the Saints and of the Roman Catholic idea of infusion (and I assure you that they are not mixable) simply does not understand grace at all.  And I would bet that imputation is not a word high on his theological list.   You simply cannot have it both ways. 

As you can see, this little phrase opens up a number of theologically inaccurate ideas and misconceptions.  It does damage to the cross of Christ, the work of Christ and the continued Mediatorship of Christ, exalting man to a status that he has never attained.  It neglects the reality of the exhortation to live a holy life and denies all of those Scriptures that exhort us to conform to the Law of God in righteous living.  It is akin to the Roman Catholic doctrine of infusion, though it is something, most of the time that you cannot lose.  The phrase is a typical, non-precise aberration of the 21^st century church.  It not helpful, and simply adds to the simpleton confusion that the church already possesses.  Calvinists should abhor the idea.  Christians should reject it and take on a complete, meaningful definition of the doctrine of Justification. 

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