day no. 15,386: believe and obey; belief and obedience

"Only the believers obey, and only the obedient believe." -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Discipleship

There is no tension between belief and obedience because there is no tension between good friends. Belief and obedience go hand in hand. They are part and parcel. 

Paul's great treatise on salvation by grace through faith in Christ's completed work alone in the book of Romans is book-ended by this idea.

Romans 1:5
To bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His Name among all the nations

Romans 16:25-27
Now to Him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

His purpose in life was to bring about the obedience of faith in Christ alone for as many as possible. This is merely an extension of the marching orders Jesus left His church in the Great Commission...

Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We are obligated to believe in and obey Jesus. Faith is believing Him and obeying Him. Faith does not seek to separate the two. Faith understands the distinction between belief and behavior, but doesn't begin with it. Faith is belief demonstrated in obedience. Its obedience is evidence of its belief. Paul is opposed to dead works. James is opposed to dead faith. They both agree that dead things should be opposed. A living faith works both in the sense that it accomplishes its intended end (salvation) and in that it lives out what it says it believes (sanctification).