Why did Paul consider all his law-keeping worthless after his conversion?
Paul saw that his former law-keeping counted for nothing once he understood the work of the cross had become preeminent. Salvation comes only through faith in the finished work of the cross, not through law, temple, or Old Testament adherence. Therefore, rebuilding the law he had destroyed would make him a transgressor.
Les explains that Paul had been a religious Jew par excellence, a law-keeping zealot who even killed people because they accepted something contrary to the law. But when he suddenly realized that all of that counted for nothing, because the work of the cross had now become preeminent and salvation is only through faith in the finished work of the cross, his former law-keeping lost its value. If he went back and put his converts under the law, commanding circumcision, he would be rebuilding what he had torn down and would make himself a transgressor. He had once thought the law, the temple, and the Old Testament were the epitome of everything.
For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.
More Questions
What did Paul do as a law-keeping Jew before he became a Christian?
Before his conversion, Paul as a law-keeping Jew killed people because they accepted something contrary to the law.
What did Paul do to people who accepted teaching contrary to the law?
As a law-keeping Jew, Paul killed people because they were accepting something contrary to the law, making him a religious zealot.