Can I keep the old Adam under subjection when I am not under the law?
Yes. The gospel of the grace of God makes it possible to keep old Adam under subjection even when not under the law. That freedom is not law-based; it is the beauty of God's grace, whereas Israel spent 1,500 years under the severe, demanding law of Moses.
Les teaches that under those circumstances, one can still keep old Adam under subjection, and the answer given is yes. He explains this is the beauty of the gospel of the grace of God. He then contrasts it with the timeline: mankind has not always had this freedom, because Israel was under the law for about 1,500 years. The law was severe and demanding, with no hanky-panky. Under the true law of Moses, picking up sticks on the Sabbath brought death, with no ifs, ands, or buts; murder likewise brought immediate death, not years of appeals. So grace, not law, is the basis for keeping old Adam under subjection.