How can we NOT be under Law? 1

      The fact that a believer is no longer under the Law, is one of the most challenging revelations I've had in my study of grace.  My whole life I've known the 10 commandments and heard countless sermons on them.  They're in every church and obviously they are good(the world would be a much better place if everyone held God in his rightful place, and no one lied, stole, etc).  So when I read scripture after scripture like "...you are not under Law, but under grace"(Rom6:14), "...you were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ"(Rom 7:4), "...the law is not made for a righteous man..."(1Tim 1:9), and the book of Hebrews which is a discertation on how the Old Covenant is weak, obsolete, and replaced by the New, it almost seems heretical.
     However, like anything else, a deeper study reveals truths that put everything in context and bring clarity to the scriptures.  First of all, how can Paul make these statements which would seem to be contrary to other scripture, especially the Old Testament?  Briefly put, Jesus was born under the Law to redeem us who were under it(Gal4:4-5), lived a perfect life(Heb4:15), became a offering for sin, fulfilled the requirement of the Law(Rom8:3-4), canceled our sin debt taking it out of the way (Col2:14), made us the righteousness of God(2 Cor 5:21) and we now have peace with him(Rom5:1).
     So does being free of the Law and not having to perform under it for God to accept me (Gal 5:1)give licence to sin like so many who oppose the grace message claim?  Won't sin run rampant if we're no longer under the rules and regulations of the Law, with no wrath of God to scare us into obedience(Rom 4:15), just a heavenly father with unconditional love?  Can a believer live life with such freedom and maintain a godly lifestyle?  Paul addressed the same questions(which makes me think I'm on the right track) in Romans 6:1-2) he wrote "Are we to continue in sin that grace may increase? May it never be. How shall we who died to sin still live in it?"  and in Galatians he wrote "Don't turn your freedom into an opportunity the flesh, but through love serve one another"(5:13).  In fact Paul credits grace not Law with instructing us in the ways of godliness(Titus 2:11-12) and enabling us to labor abundantly for the Lord (1 Cor 15:10).
more to follow