A Brand-new Situation

Because, as Paul put it, "Life means Christ to me" ( Phil. 1: 21, Moffatt's translation). How did Christ change Paul's situation? Remember that before all this he had been frantically trying to do enough to earn God's love, by following the law to the letter. And now Christ has come as the revolutionary word that this is not necessary. It is not even possible. Christ has laid down his life, not for the worthy but for the unworthy, not for the deserving but for the undeserving. He has bridged the great gulf between God and man. Paul can't contain his wonder at the fact:

Why, one will hardly die for a righteous man -- though perhaps for a good man one will dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us ( Rom. 5: 7, 8, italics added).

Talk about unexpected news!

So Christ is God's way of acting out his freely given love. The law has been set aside. The situation is not, Be good enough to earn God's love, but rather, God loves you even though you can't be good enough to earn his love. For Paul, everything else flows from that amazing fact.

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