Absolutely, we are saved by faith and grace, and it is a magnificent gift!!
But ‘being saved’ is the starting line, not the finish line.
That’s where James comes into play.
James 2:14, 17

My brothers, what use is it for anyone to say he has belief but does not have works? This belief is unable to save him. So also belief, if it does not have works, is in itself dead.

What are these works that he is speaking of?
Our Savior and Messiah answers that question.
These are direct quotes of Jesus [Yahusha in transliterated Hebrew]

Matthew 5
Do not think that I came to destroy the Torah or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to complete. For truly, I say to you, till the heaven and the earth pass away, one yod or one tittle shall by no means pass from the Torah till all be done. “Whoever, then, breaks one of the least of these commands, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the reign of the heavens; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the reign of the heavens.

When Yahusha says “complete or fulfill” in verse 17, He does not mean abolish or do away with.
He specifically tells us so. If heaven and earth have not yet passed away, then not a single penstroke of the Torah/Old Testament Law has changed, otherwise our Messiah is a liar [not possible].
What that means is it is His purpose to live a life of honoring and obeying His Father’s instructions/commands. Being successful in this, He overcame death and has the authority to forgive us of our own sin.

More direct quotes of Yahusha/Messiah/Jesus:

Matthew 7
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Master, Master,’ shall enter into the reign of the heavens, but he who is doing the desire of My Father in the heavens. “Many shall say to Me in that day, ‘Master, Master, have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and done many mighty works in Your Name?’ “And then I shall declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me, you who work lawlessness!’

John 14:15
“If you love Me, you shall guard My commands.”
John 14:21
“He who possesses My commands and guards them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I shall love him and manifest Myself to him.”
John 15:10
“If you guard My commands, you shall stay in My love even as I have guarded My Father’s commands and stay in His love.”

Matthew 19:16-17
Now behold, one came and said to Him, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So He said to him, “…But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

It is QUITE CLEAR that Messiah valued and kept the commands of the Father…
AND
…He expects us to value and keep the commands of the Father, to the best of our ability.
I was taught my whole life that the law is a burden and a curse, and that we cannot keep it:
Scripture says otherwise—
1John 5:2-3
By this we know that we love the children of Elohim, when we love Yahuah and keep His commandments. For this is the love of Him, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

Psalms 19
The Torah of יהוה is perfect, bringing back the being; The witness of יהוה is trustworthy, making wise the simple; The orders of יהוה are straight, rejoicing the heart; The command of יהוה is clear, enlightening the eyes;

Next up, we are given these warnings in scripture — AFTER the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Messiah:

Hebrews 10:26-31
For if we sin purposely after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a slaughter offering for sins, but some fearsome anticipation of judgment, and a fierce fire which is about to consume the opponents. Anyone who has disregarded the Torah of Mosheh dies without compassion on the witness of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment do you think shall he deserve who has trampled the Son of Elohim underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was set apart as common, and insulted the Spirit of favour? For we know Him who has said, “Vengeance is Mine, I shall repay, says יהוה.” And again, “יהוה shall judge His people.” It is fearsome to fall into the hands of the living Elohim.

This tells us that if we continue to walk in sin after coming to a knowledge of the truth, the sacrifice of Jesus no longer covers us.
These are scary words.
In order to heed them, we must know what sin is.
We are told in 1John 3:4

Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
1 John 3:4 KJV

The Word defines sin as a transgression of God’s Old Testament law, the Torah.
Mainstream Christianity has been teaching for centuries that the law is nailed to the cross and no longer applicable.
Careful study of Paul’s writings tells us not that the law is nailed to the cross, but that the consequences [death] of transgression of the law is nailed to the cross.
He is describing forgiveness.
He is describing that our Messiah and Savior is able to forgive us the death that we deserve.

Here is another warning:
1John 2:3-6
And by this we know that we know Him, if we guard His commands. The one who says, “I know Him,” and does not guard His commands, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever guards His Word, truly the love of Elohim has been perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. The one who says he stays in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked.

We are told that anyone who does not try to keep the law does not know truth and does not know Jesus our Savior.
Not my words, but the words of the Apostle John.
He tells us that we are to walk as Jesus walked.
What does that entail?
Keeping the instructions of the Father.
That is how Yahusha walked and lived His life.
Obeying the Word of His Father, and we are told by John the Apostle to do the same — walk just as He walked.

Perfection is not the standard. I’m not talking about legalism. A desire to keep the law to the best of our ability is the standard.

If you find these ideas interesting, new, or even offensive – please pray about it according to James 1:5-8.

Do you know Messiah’s Voice?
If the direct quotes of Jesus above are different than what you think, believe, and live [doctrine] – then please spend some time reading the red letters — the very words of our Savior.
Know His Voice.
Know His Character.
Know how He lived and why.