How should a believer think of himself after being justified?
A believer should reckon himself just as if he had never sinned, because God has declared him just and sees him as Adam was before the fall. The old body remains corrupt, but the believer should think according to God's declaration rather than the flesh. This justification is God's work when the gospel is believed.
Les explains that God sees the justified believer as Adam was before he ever fell. The theme of Scripture, from cover to cover, is that God wants to reconcile the human being back to what he was in Adam before sin entered. When we believe the gospel, God can declare us just as if we had never sinned. Les stresses that so few professing believers realize we are to reckon ourselves just as if we had never sinned, because that is what God has declared us to be. At the same time, the old body is still corrupt; salvation does not instantly renovate the physical body. Les also uses a psychological illustration: telling a young man he will never amount to anything can program him toward failure, while encouraging him that he can be a glory of God can shape him toward that end. Likewise, the believer should think according to God's declaration, not according to the corrupt body's condition.