It seems clear from this statement that Paul was making an affirmation to the fact that, the life He would live would be not His own, but Christ's life, living within His mortal being, that is to say He had yielded Himself to be wholly used of God for His good pleasure. Paul had a tremendous gratitude for Christ's payment of His sins: hatred, murder and nasty ungodly pride. He understood that Jesus had washed away His sins with His life-blood payment, suffered, bled and died so that Paul might live, forgiven of unspeakable wickedness, even though done while His mind was blinded and in darkness, the terrible consequences were still there, but once He understood what the Messiah had done for Him, He loved very much His savior.
The words from the Savior in the gospel of Luke regarding the sinful woman who washed the feet of Jesus with her tears was made manifest in Paul's life also,"Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.” He had decided to follow Jesus and live His life for Him.
The life of following Christ is a humble life, one that is not self seeking or self-promoting, but rather, looks for ways to please the Lord, witnessing His great forgiveness and freedom to others. It is not in works that we are saved, yet it is not in total freedom that we live either, we are Christ's bond-servant. This is a place of true freedom in the constraints of His holy boundaries, where we are truly happy and free of guilt. There used to be a song on the radio, "Do it Till Your Satisfied", and boy I tried to do it, too. The problem was, I never got to be satisfied, living a rebellious sinful life is never a way to find satisfaction, only drinking the cool water from the well of life in Christ Jesus is satisfying, and how great is that blessed assurance. I thank God for His provision for me to be set free from my wicked life and I profess in the same mindset as Paul, "If I live, let it be for Christ, If I die, let it be for His glory".
A Sinful Woman Forgiven
36 Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat. 37 And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, 38 and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw with the fragrant oil. this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”40 And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
41 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
43 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.” 44 Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head. 45 You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.47 Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
48 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
49 And those who sat at the table with Him began to say to themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”
50 Then He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
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