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Can We Be Saved by Law?

Can we be saved by law? Paul says many times that we are saved by grace, not law. He even says Christ is the end of the law:

Since they [Israel] did not know the righteousness of God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. Christ is the culmination of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Romans 10:3‭-‬4 NIVUK
https://bible.com/bible/113/rom.10.3-4.NIVUK.

There are two things we need to think about first, before we jump to conclusions on this issue:

1. The word nomos 'law' could refer to several different things (Gal 2:19 illustrates this point)
2. The word telos 'end/culmination/goal' also needs interpreting

On the first question, Paul, in Romans 10, is likely to be referring to the Mosaic law, with its regulations to offer sacrifices and so on. We cannot be saved by keeping all of the teaching of the Torah. Neither are Jews saved simply by having this teaching. Having a Bible doesn't save you.

On the second, the word telos is likely to mean 'goal/fulfilment' here. Christ is the goal and fulfilment of the teaching found in the Torah. He is the fulfilment of the sacrificial system. Actually the Jews haven't been able to offer sacrifices since the Roman desecration of the Jerusalem temple in AD 70. But both Messianic Jews and Christians  believe Christ's sacrifice was sufficient once for all. Also, if we are to talk about nationalism (i.e. pride in being a Jew), then Abraham is the father of all Jews (and Arabs), and the grandfather of Jacob, who was given the name Israel, and Abraham was promised he would be a blessing to all nations, albeit through his descendent. If you are a Jew, there is no point in being nationalistic and anti-gentile. In fact the Hebrew word for nations is the same as the word for gentiles - goyyim. Abraham's name is a blessing to all, both Jew and gentile.

So can we be saved by law? Yes! By obedience to the law (i.e.teaching) of Christ (Gal 6:2; Jhn 15:1-17). The similarity between Moses and Jesus is that they were both teachers, but Jesus brought (and taught) grace and truth (Jhn 1:16-18). Also, we have been saved, and therefore want to obey, not the other way around. If it were the other way around, it would be us not him. It would be our righteousness not his.

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