But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7:14 NIV

As C. S. Lewis said, there is a ditch on either side of the road.  But, as it must also be pointed out, between the two ditches on either side of the road is, namely, the road!

Between the ditch of trying to please God through dead works (Hebrews 6:1-2) and the other of “faith without works”, which is dead as well (James 2:20), is a narrow road called The Highway, and its keeper is the Great I AM, the Holy Ghost.

But, There is a road that leads to life, and His Name is Jesus Christ.

For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.

1 Corinthians 1:26-29

That the church would arise in her discerning of the good thing, the only thing, the principle thing.  Faith!  That she would arise and recognize her place as sons, and that as lovers of Christ, we automatically obey Him from that place.

He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

John 14:21

Jesus said that the one who loved Him was those that had His words and kept them.  For, it was not those that did them to get into love, for they spring from the love.  Nor, was it those who did not do them, for they do not love Him if they know Him.

But, simply, and only, from a new and regenerate heart that knows and loves Him,  we obey, performing those acts of service that God has ordained for us from the beginning.

What is worse, dead works or dead faith?  Neither, for they are both dead, and it is only in Christ, and following His Spirit on the Highway of Holiness, that we have life.