simul justus et peccator
How can someone be perfect (Phil 3:12) and imperfect (Phil 3:15) at the same time - only two verses apart? The answer that Martin Luther offered is the same thing that we affirm in our Anglican formularies. Luther taught that a Christian is righteous by virtue of a righteousness that is extrinsic (alien) to the believer: by God’s own righteousness imputed to sinners. But intrinsically, the fully justified person remains a sinner. They are righteous and sinners at the same time - simul justus et peccator. Melanchthon would develop this concept of “forensic justification,” but the idea is clearly Luther’s. According to Alister McGrath, Luther “refused to allow that man could be said to become righteous in justification: if anything, he merely became increasingly aware of his unrighteousness, and was thus driven back to the cross to seek forgiveness.” In other words, when someone is justified, he or she has the Holy Spirit who empowers them to good works as a natural consequence. Luther says:
“So, we conclude with Paul that we are justified by faith alone in Christ, without the law and works. However, after a man has been justified by faith and now possesses Christ by faith and knows that he [Christ] is his righteousness and his life, he will certainly not be idle but, like a good tree, he will produce good fruits. You see, the believer has the Holy Spirit and where he is, he does not allow a man to be idle but drives him to all the exercises of devotion, to the love of God, to patience in times of trial, to prayer, to thanksgiving, and to showing love to all men.”
Anglicans are profoundly influenced by the conviction of simul justus et peccator. Article 9 (Thirty-nine Articles of Religion) states that the consequences of our fallen nature remain with us even after we are born again: “And this infection of nature doth remain, yea in them that are regenerated…” In Article 12 of our confession we see how good works cannot answer or resolve our sinful condition, but they “are the fruits of Faith, and follow after Justification.” Theologian Richard Hooker summed up the view of the English reformers and the classical Anglican position in three short sentences:
“The righteousness, wherewith we shall be clothed in the world to come, is both perfect and inherent. That whereby here we are justified is perfect, but not inherent. That whereby we are sanctified, inherent, but not perfect.”
The pastoral implications for those who understand simul are revolutionary and eternal! For example, if you struggle with wondering if you are good enough or have done enough to be saved, the gospel brings reassurance that it is God’s work that saves us, not our own doing - “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:6). If you struggle with whether or not you are saved, the simul message leads us to know that it is God’s righteousness that saves, not our faithfulness (Rom 1:17). And if you wrestle with assurance of salvation because you continue to sin, it is a great comfort to know that St. Paul himself battled with his wretched, sinful self and finally concluded that nothing will separate him or us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 7:24; 8:37-39). And if someone is crushed from the abuse of legalistic Christianity and they feel ashamed or unworthy, the invitation of the gospel is to come to Jesus who fulfilled the law that we failed to live as our substitute so that we may have rest for our weary souls (Mt 11: 28).
Simul justus et peccator is incredibly good news that explains how a holy God can relate to sinners like us. We are clothed with God’s righteousness which saves us, while at the same time with the help of the Holy Spirit, we continue towards a life of increasing holiness that will never be perfect until the day we meet our Lord face-to-face.