This verse is what the sermon called “the pride killer.” Paul knows that when Christians engage with unbelievers, especially those in positions of power or influence, pride will want to creep in. We can easily forget where we came from. We can look at lost people and feel superior, forgetting that we were once just like them.
Notice that Paul includes himself in this description. He uses “we” and “our,” not “you” and “your.” Paul, the man who wrote most of the New Testament, the great apostle and church planter, reminds himself and us that he too was once foolish, disobedient, and enslaved to sin. This is profoundly humbling.
When we go out into the world and encounter people who oppose the Gospel, we must remember two crucial truths. First, the lost are going to act lost. This should not surprise us. We cannot expect unbelievers to behave like believers. They are living according to their nature, enslaved to passions and pleasures, just as we once were.
Second, we were all lost at one point. We are no different from any other person on this planet, except for the saving grace of Christ. This reality should transform how we view and interact with unbelievers. Instead of approaching them with judgment and superiority, we should approach them with compassion and humility, remembering that we were rescued from the same condition.
The grace we’ve received should create gratitude, not arrogance. The mercy shown to us should produce mercy toward others. When we remember where we came from, pride dies and compassion rises.