When does God justify a sinner?

Les teaches that justification is that judicial act of God where the sovereign God in all His holiness and righteousness, the moment He sees the sinner believe the gospel, declares him justified, just as if he had never sinned. Les defines faith as simply taking God at His Word—believing what He said—and that is what God is pleased with. He stresses that this doctrine is repeated for emphasis and should not be taken lightly or glossed over. Les also points out that justification is not something we feel; the Bible never uses the word "feel" in this context. We are not supposed to feel justified or try to figure it out in the human; instead, we rest on what God has said.