Under the Law?

It seems that even good and well meaning christians can't comprehend, that we are not under the law. Some even claim that as christians we should evangelise by the help of the law, and live by the law. Obviously I am referring to the law of Moses.

The Bible is crystal clear. In Romans 2:12 it says "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law"

The jews were under the law. The heathens were not. They were "apart from the law". Are heathens jugded by the law? Do they perish, because they do not obey the law? No. The Bible states clearly that they will "perish apart from the law". We were "heathens" before we became christians. That means we were never under the law.

Now we are christians we are still not under the law. I Romans 6:14 it says "you are not under law, but under grace". It cannot be put any clearer. Furthermore the Bible states in Romans 3:19 that "whatsoever the law says, it says to those who are under the law". Cannot be said any clearer either. We as christians are not under the law, it doesn't speak to us, and it makes no sense using the law towards christians.

Basically the Bible speaks of three positions in relation to the law:

1. Under the law - the jews in the old covenant
2. Apart from the law - the heathens (e.g. non-jewish unbelivers)
3. Under grace - christians/believers

Obviously we can learn from the Old Testament. But we cannot learn it rigthly, is we fail to remember these three positions, and our own place within them.