I've seen this debate of whether the law is done away with or not. It is in my view, mostly arguing semantics. For what it's worth, I think your last line says it all, "You must be born again, Really!" Either Christ on the cross is the Power of God, or a placebo.
Gods Law(s) do have power. They are HOLY, JUST, RIGHT, SPIRITUAL.
But what do they really do? Paul shows us "how" the Law operates, in Romans 7:7-13. Yes, this really DID happen within Paul. He saw what the law did to him internally and saw in that, A PROBLEM of very deep proportions.
THIS is exactly the POWER OF THE LAW:
Romans 7:
7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.
8 But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.
9 For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
10 And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.
11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.
12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.
13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid.
But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.
Anyone who thinks they are "legal" inside
have actually been deceived by indwelling sin. The Law does work quite entirely predictably by
the RESISTANCE of indwelling SIN, to the LAW.
Paul saw in the above, his own, personal wretched state. There is no "truthful" avoidance of this conclusion because the LAW works adversely with indwelling sin. It can do no other. This is in fact the 'basis' of Paul's entire understanding of salvation by GRACE, through faith, alone.
Paul reiterates this identical matter, again, here:
1 Corinthians 15:56
The sting of death is sin; and
the strength of sin is the law.
There is no avoiding Paul's conclusions regardless of any claims to the contrary.
There is no "legal" person. It is scripturally impossible, because scripture has made THIS conclusion, and it CAN NOT be changed.
Galatians 3:22
But
the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.
An no, we are not "saved" in order to be "legally obedient" under the law.
There is however another aspect to the LAW, and this is what makes it so difficult to come to grips with. AFTER we are led to personally confront what indwelling sin does, there is the Spirit of the Law that comes into action. This, the Spiritual Actions,
indwelling sin can NOT do. This is GOD IN CHRIST dwelling in us, LOVING.
8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for
he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
9 For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and
if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in
this saying, namely,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
So, now, we have all these various voices, claiming they are legally obedient by their works, or any other measures they use to justify themselves, yet, they openly potentially condemn other believers to hell? Who are they kidding, but themselves?
Love does no such things.
