This is an interesting statement in the midst of a discussion that seems to lay such great emphasis on conduct. Many claim that faith was not required in the religion of the OT. It is true that this grace was almost wholly lacking in the experience of the majority, but this was not because God designed it to be so. Faith was as essential to a true religious experience in pre-Christian times as now. Many fail to understand the true relationship between faith and works. It is impossible to divorce faith from works.

The objective of God’s plan is to restore fully men’s characters to the original perfection of Adam in Eden. This can be accomplished only through a combination of faith and works. Any religion that lays stress on faith to the exclusion of works thereby denies the objective of faith and offers to men a substitute experience. Works cannot save, but the saved man will perform good works.

 It takes time to develop mature faith. If Israel had been willing, God would have led them on to the heights of faith found in NT times. The people failed because they “did not believe.” “The word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it” (Heb. 4:2).

 This was a common Hebrew expression denoting unbending obstinacy and stubborn self-will (Deut. 10:16; 2 Chron. 30:8; 36:13; Neh. 9:16, 17, 29; Prov. 29:1; Jer. 7:26; 17:23; 19:15). The Israelites were often termed a “stiffnecked people” (Ex. 32:9; 33:3, 5; 34:9; Deut. 9:6, 13). This perverseness and obstinacy proved to be their ruin.