I heard a recording of a young fellow who was trying to preach about faith get hopelessly confused by saying that the opposite of faith is the law. According to his view, the opposite is not doubt, not unbelief, but the law! Perhaps he doesn’t realise, but the word “obedience” is only in the New Testament!

Here’s the truth:

1. We keep the law by faith, “So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God” (Rom. 7:25b). “That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8:4).

2. As Christians, we are supposed to do works, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20).

3. Faith believing is a work, “Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29).

It is true that you cannot earn salvation by works. And it would be correct to point out that faith does not mean doing things merely in human strength. Confessing the victory needs to come out of a believing heart, otherwise making a thousand confessions is meaningless. But faith demands effort, there is no such thing as having faith but being passive. Resting in God is an active decision, not an excuse for laziness or apathy.