What does it mean to be “under the law?” In 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, we have a popular discourse from Paul concerning his desire to be all things to all men that he might by all means save some. This alone has been used erroneously to justify immoral behavior by some, but that is not really our purpose here. We need to go back to verses 19-21 for our study. Here is how the narration goes: [b]Verse 19 “For although I was free from all things I subjected myself to everyone, so that I would gain more.” Verse 20 “Thus I became to the Jewish people as Jewish, so that I would win Jewish people: to those under legalism as one under legalism, although I was not under legalism myself, so that I would win those under legalism.” Verse 21 “To those without Torah I became as without Torah, although I was not without the Torah of G-d, but a subject of Messiah, (So, to be subject to Messiah is to be with Torah) so that I would win those without Torah.”[/b] Paul starts by says that he is neither controlled nor lead by man, but rather is subject to all men that he might gain them. He plans on winning their trust. He will do this by empathizing with them. He will approach them from their perspective and from their point of view and needs. This in no way teaches that he will take on their behavior. In His first statement he says “to the Jews he became as a Jew". Paul states emphatically many times that he is a Jew, or that he has remained a Jew. So he certainly did not become a Jew to win the Jews. He also does not equate the Jew as being the one under the law. If you notice this statement is separate. Not all Jews are legalistic and not all legalist are Jews. All of these statements cover various situations that Paul, will confront in his ministry. He is saying he will run from no one and will try to understand the circumstance in which hey live. He is not teaching that he becomes drunk in order to save a drunk, but rather he will not turn a person away because he is drunk. He will confront the drunk from the drunk’s world, and the Jew in his. He will confront those under the law from their mindset, considering their thoughts and problems. Remember, a Jew or Gentile can be under law because they have chosen to reject G-d’s grace, and choose to remain under the dominion of sin because they can not keep the law. Paul, like I, are not under the law because we have confronted the Messiah and have seen his condition and have received His grace. Working within the parameters of Torah, Paul is saying he will do whatever it takes to win a man for the G-d of Israel. Unlike the modern day christian who is more than happy to flaunt their lawlessness in the face of those who struggle with the recognition of the Son yet know that G-d has said to be lawful, to keep His Torah. Paul then says “"being not without law to G-d, but under the law to Messiah." This can be hard to understand because Paul uses a double negative here. Paul is simply saying that he is not outside the true Torah of G-d, which is under the law of the Messiah These passages do not teach that Jews are the ones under the law, or that being under the law means obeying Torah.