simul justus et peccator. This insightful principle by the reformer Martin Luther means simultaneously righteous and a sinner. That is, a genuine believer in Jesus is simultaneously first, righteous in the sight of God through faith in Christ, having received his imputed righteousness. This is our identity in Christ.

for we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. However, to the man who does not work but trusts God who justifies the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Secondly, a sinner in his own sinful flesh, which remains unchanged even after conversion. I know that nothing good lives in me that is in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do. No, the evil I do not want to do. This I keep on doing. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the spirit, and the spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.

Hence, every believer daily experiences the constant battle between the flesh and the spirit, the new spiritual nature in Christ. Though we are genuinely converted, our sinful flesh remains with us until we receive our resurrection bodies. He will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body.

Simultaneously righteous and a sinner. What I am in Christ, righteous. What I am in my flesh, sinner. In justification, God credits Christ's perfect righteousness to our account, while our sinful flesh remains with us. We live in constant tension, legally righteous before God, yet we have an ongoing struggle with our sinful flesh. Therefore, we are to be continually confessing our sins and failures, while at the same time continually clinging to God's grace and forgiveness.

Our every sin has been imputed to Jesus, and His perfect righteousness has been imputed to us. As we are fully aware of our continual battle with sin, so we must ever face our sinfulness. In ourselves, we remain greatly marred by our sinful flesh, our indwelling corruption. Yet at that same moment, we are clothed in Christ's perfect righteousness.

When our spotless substitute hung on Calvary, He bore our sin and fully satisfied divine justice. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. This dual reality delivers us from both despair and self-reliance. We no longer strive to earn acceptance with God, for it is already ours in Christ. and we no longer revel in sin, for we love Him who first loved us. Thus we confess sin and flee to the cross.

As we reflect on Luther's profound insight, we must understand that our flesh is far more sinful than we can ever know. We are likewise far more righteous in Christ than we could ever imagine. These twin truths will humble us, comfort us, and give us great hope for what we soon will be when we will inhabit glorious, Christ-like bodies.

Luther's profound principle will save us from a thousand theological and practical pitfalls as it concisely explains the true Christian's continual paradox. Why do I have this constant battle with sin? and so often fall into sin. Simultaneously righteous and a sinner. Think about it and commit it to memory.