Faith v. Works

One of the supposed disparities between Protestants and Catholics (and, by extension, Orthodox) is the doctrine of Sola Fide. Protestants have focused on the issue of Faith vs. Works. They recognize the book of James by saying that "works flow from faith", but still make faith, ala Romans, pre-dominant.

I had supposed that both faith and works are two parts of the same coin, which I called "Love." But I wonder if they might not be more correctly subsumed under "Obedience." In order to obey, you have to have faith in the Giver of Orders as well as action, or works. If God tells me to get out of the boat and walk on the water, and I say, "I have faith that I can walk on the water" and don't get out of the boat, I have no works and I'm not obeying. But if I obey, that means I have both faith in the Commander and works in that I'm actually doing what He said. Each is integral and unseperable from the other.