No! One of the most frequent charges against my ministry, my doctrinal positions, and against other Torah observant believers is that we think Torah somehow earns our salvation. We are accused of trying to earn our way to Heaven and to justify ourselves by the law. These false accusations partly stem from the wrong understanding of what the Torah actually is and how it interacts with believers. If you believe that the Torah is imperfect, base and was something that used to justify people in the "Old Testament" then of course you would see our Torah observance as a gross leap into the past.
We understand that Torah in no way earns our salvation. Torah obedience has never earned anyone their salvation. The Torah was not designed to do this. James said it best when he stated that faith without works is dead. We know that works do not earn salvation for us. Faith does! Works then come naturally as a result of our conversion through faith in the blood of YahShua and the indwelling of the Ruach Ha'Kadosh. Works spring forth from a truly redeemed heart.
But what are these works? What is James referring to? These works are obedience to the Torah. The Torah shows us exactly how YahShua wants us to act. The Torah is filled with do's and don'ts . . . with verbs. Things you do. These are the works. Remember, when James wrote his epistle, the "New Testament" had not been formed yet. James was standing upon the "Old Testament" writings (the Tanach). So James could not have been referring to what Paul instructed or even the comandments of YahShua. He was referring to the Torah.
Obedience to the Torah is merely a natural result of a redeemed heart. A heart in love with YahShua delights in His commandments. Torah obedience is one of the surest signs that a heart has been redeemed. YHVH likes to start in our innermost being and work outward. He transforms our heart, cleanses us from all sin and makes us inwardly pure. As a result, our outside transforms as it conforms to the Torah.
We will be judged by our works and ultimately judged by our conformity or hostility to the Torah. However, we are not saved by obedience to Torah. We are judged simply because it is a clear sign as to whether or not we love YahShua to begin with.
