It bothers me that there is such a difference between Christ and Paul. Christ is God, and we are to check Paul out, he must agree with God.
When I read the gospels it fills me with love and enthusiasm, I feel God in me directing my every step. Paul has so many "careful" "put on the breaks" sort of things I feel a frown coming on.
I don’t know what you are specifically referring to of course. But where Paul’s main message is concerned, I think he elaborates on what Christ taught.
Jesus lived under the old covenant, and was faithful to it, however, he did look forward to the new covenant also:
When he(the Holy Spirit) comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:
9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. John 16:8-10
The above would seem to me to be what Paul stressed. Christ did not say in regard to sin, transgression of the law, but rather because people did not believe in him. And Paul relentlessly stressed a believers righteousness was faith in Christ, not observing the law.
Jesus himself also told his disciples he was limited as to what he could teach them, but when the Spirit came he would lead them into all truth. The Apostles had the indwelling Spirit and could teach other believers(elaborating on the message) who also had the indwelling Spirit, something that could not happen during the time of the Gospels.
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear.
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. 12&13
I think Paul’s message defies human logic, so we need the Spirit to understand and accept it:
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law, rather through the law we become conscious of sin Rom3:20
Bearing in mind sin is the transgression of the law, the above could just as well be written as:
Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by not committing sin…
Is that really so far from the new covenant?
This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds.”[
b]
17 Then he adds:
“
Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more.”
To Paul, believing you had no righteousness of obeying the law/not committing sin resulted in victory over sin, or, being enabled to live the life God wants you to live. That is a hard thing to accept. But then, we need to see where Paul was coming from. As a Pharisee he could not obey the law that mattered most, the Ten Commandments. He was condemned by it, and through his knowledge of those commands much sin was aroused in him. But Saul had been a stickler for the letter of the law. It must be obeyed or he was condemned, for he was an ardent Pharisee. I think many today who grew up with a similar view, earnestly stress grace when they are shown it. I wonder if Christ chose Paul to preach the message because he had been such an ardent Pharisee. Just a few thoughts.