As we have seen, the elect sinner, until he believes, is not actually
justified.1 He is, of course, justified in God’s eternal decree and in
Christ’s redemptive work, but he is, as yet, unjustified in his own
person. Since every unjustified sinner is under condemnation, every
unbeliever is in that state. It is only as he believes that a sinner
passes from condemnation and is justified. This, in turn, means that
the elect sinner, before he comes to faith, is as much under the
wrath of God as any sinner.
It is not just a question of deduction. Scripture states it
explicitly. Take Ephesians 2:1-3: |
