How does God justify an idolater, drunkard, or adulterer?
God justifies an idolater, drunkard, or adulterer by grace through His judicial act: He declares the sinner just as if they had never sinned. The idolater is cleansed as though he never fell before an idol, the drunkard as though he never drank, and the adulterer as though he never committed adultery. They are washed and sanctified.
Les teaches that the passage lists fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, drunkards, and others who will not inherit the kingdom of God and are in Satan’s hands. But he stresses they do not have to remain there. Scripture says, “such were some of you,” and now they are washed, sanctified, and justified. Les explains justification as that judicial act of God whereby He declares the sinner just as if they had never sinned. Thus God cleanses the idolater as though he had never fallen before an idol, justifies the drunkard as though he had never taken a drink, and justifies the adulterer as though he had never committed adultery. This is the beauty of salvation by grace. Les also notes this is not merely a Pauline concept, pointing to John’s Gospel where the Lord Jesus Himself uses the term.
And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.