# Discovering True Faith’s Footprints - James 2

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction: Following the Evidence of a Living Faith

Today we’re going to be talking about Discovering True Faith’s Footprints. Imagine walking along a quiet beach early in the morning, where the only sounds are the whispers of the waves and the chirping of distant birds. The sand is pristine, untouched except for the occasional imprints of birds, setting the scene for understanding how visible marks tell a story.

As you walk, you leave behind a trial of footprints, clear and distinct. Those footprints leave behind a record of your journey, your presence and your direction. Suddenly you stumble upon another set of footprints, different than yours, and they are deeper, more consistent and have a pattern.

You decide to follow them and they lead you to beautiful spots on the beach. A spot with a beautiful view of the sunrise, a hidden cove with clear blue waters and a spot where turtles were coming ashore. Whoever made those footprints knew where they were going and had a clear purpose in their journey.

In the same way, the footprints of true faith are not random or aimless. They lead to places of purpose, transformation and beauty. They guide others who discover and decide to follow them.

The footprints of our lives are the evidence of true faith as we follow Jesus.

Psalm 17:5 (ESV) My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped.

When we follow God’s paths, He directs us and keeps us from stumbling. His paths lead to beautiful and meaningful destinations. When our steps are aligned with His ways, our lives reflect stability and direction.

Proverbs 4:26-27 (ESV) Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.

We must be careful the of direction of the footprints of our lives. Our footprints must follow the footprints of Jesus who has gone before us. We may be tempted to swerve off the path, to the right or the left, which leads to evil.

But as our true faith is focused on Jesus, we can keep our footprints on His path. Footprints are an illustration of the actions of our lives. Today, we’re going to discover true faith’s footprints for our own lives.

Don’t Be Deceived by Faith Without Actions

James 2:14 (ESV) What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?

James begins by talking about a person who says or claims that they have faith. They say that they are a believer, a Christian, and they may say at some point in the past they prayed a prayer to believe in Jesus. The first question James asks if what good is it if someone claims to have faith but does not have works.

What are these works? James is going to give us examples as we go on. The works that James is talking about are actions of obedience to God and His Word.

We might rephrase his question like this. What good is it if some claims to be a believer, but doesn’t obey God and His Word? The answer that James expects from us is that it’s not any good.

James asks a second question “can that faith save him?” The answer is no. If someone claims to have faith but doesn’t obey God, they are not saved.

James 2:15-16 (ESV) If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?

James then gives us an example of words without works or actions. If we see someone lacking adequate cloths and not having enough food, and we say to them, be clothed and filled with food without helping them, that’s not good, is it? The point is that words without actions that back up the words are worthless.

James 2:17 (ESV) So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

God’s word here makes it plain that faith without works is dead, not alive. In other words, faith without works is not real faith at all. Someone who claims to have faith in their lives, but does not live it out be obedience does not have genuine faith.

Examining Our Own Faith Through Obedient Footprints

The first application of these truths is to ourselves. How can I tell if I have true faith in my life or have I been deceived? Some people think they have faith because they consider themselves good people.

Others think they have faith because they go to church or a certain church. Yet others think they have faith because they prayed a prayer at some point in their lives. James is telling us that true faith will demonstrate itself in actions, in footprints that others can see, footprints that are following Jesus.

What are these actions or footprints? They are actions of obedience to God’s Word, actions of turning away from evil. First of all, God would have us examine ourselves to make sure we have a true faith.

Secondly, Jesus taught us to examine the faith or those around us. Jesus called the actions of faith, good fruit. Why would we want to discern whether the faith of others around us was genuine?

First of all, so that we could lead any who were not genuine believers to be saved. Secondly, so that we would not be joined in a close relationship to someone who was not saved. Don’t be deceived by faith without actions.

What Is the Evidence of Authentic Faith?

James 2:18 (ESV) But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.

James then says that someone may say that one person can have faith and another have works, surely both would be acceptable. James then replies with the challenge for them to show their faith without works. What we have already seen is that is impossible.

Faith without works is dead. James makes it clear that he will show his genuine faith by his works, his actions of obedience to God.

James 2:19-20 (ESV) You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?

The Old Testament teaches that there is only one true God. It is right to believe that God exists, that there is only one God. But even the demons, who serve Satan believe there is one true God.

Demons are doomed to an eternity without God, they are not and can never be saved. So, believing in God does not save anyone. To think that simply believing in the existence of God saves is foolish.

James reiterates that faith without works is useless. Then he gives us an example.

James 2:21-22 (ESV) Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;

James then refers to the story from Genesis 22 where God commanded Abraham to offer his only son, the son of promise, Isaac as a sacrifice to God. Abraham was prepared to kill his son in obedience to God when an angel stopped him. Abraham’s faith in God was shown by his obedience to an extremely difficult command of the Lord.

James says that this is an example of faith being active along with works, that faith was completed by Abraham’s works, his obedience. It says in Hebrews that Abraham’s faith was so strong that he believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead as he prepared for the sacrifice.

The evidence of an authentic faith is unquestioning obedience to God’s commands.

Living Out Faith Through Sacrificial Obedience

Let’s talk some more about how works or actions are evidence of a genuine faith. Does doing good things, even following God’s commands in the Bible save you? The answer is no, no one can be saved by their good works.

Yet, many people believe that they are saved and going to heaven because they are good people, they do good things. God’s Word teaches that putting your faith in Jesus to forgive your sins brings salvation. True faith and salvation will then result in the person obeying God.

Obedience to God results in good fruit on our lives, the footprints of faith. The example of Abraham is God asking him for a sacrifice. God asks every believer to give him sacrifices.

We are to give the sacrifice of praise even when we don’t feel like it. We are to give the sacrifice of our time, our talents and our money. We are to give Him the sacrifice of our will, choosing His way, not ours.

Jesus asked a question of His followers. He said to them, why do you call me Lord, Lord but don’t do what I say? What Jesus is saying that if you don’t obey, I’m not your Lord.

The evidence of true faith is active obedience.

Embrace Faith That Touches and Transforms

James 2:23-24 (ESV) and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.

This is a very important verse, which says Abraham believed God. This belief was not simply a mental assent, it was a faith that obeyed God in the most extreme command imaginable. Abraham’s faith was active, touching and transforming his world.

The result was that Abraham’s active faith was counted to him as righteousness. He was saved in the way of the Old Testament, looking forward to the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah. Because of Abraham’s active faith, he was a friend of God, he had a relationship with God.

Active faith touches God and transforms a person’s life.

James 2:25 (ESV) And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way?

Rahab, the prostitute, hid the spies from Israel at the risk of her own life. She believed in the God of Israel and demonstrated that faith by breaking the law of her country. She also was justified or saved by her faith that took bold, risky action to obey God.

And when the city of Jericho was conquered by Joshua, Rahab and her family were saved. We will see both Abraham and Rahab in heaven someday and hear their stories of faith that change the course of the world.

James 2:26 (ESV) For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

One final illustration from James is that a body that does not have a spirit is dead. The spirit of a person gives life. When the spirit of a person departs, the person is dead.

A living person consists of both body and spirit. Faith without works is dead, but faith with works, faith that touches and transforms if living faith. Faith that is alive is the only genuine faith, it is the only faith that saves and gives eternal life.

We must embrace faith that touches and transforms.

Choosing Obedient Faith Regardless of the Past

Let’s think about the example of Rahab that James gives us. Rahab was a prostitute, she had a sinful livelihood. Yet, God gave her an opportunity to believe in the one true God and to put that faith into action that was very risky.

Praying a prayer and simply saying certain words does not save anyone. What saves a person is praying those words of repentance, faith and submission and sincerely meaning them. Then God will give you opportunities to take action with your faith.

When you choose to obey your new Lord, even though it might be risky, you are now living out a genuine faith that will save you. No matter what you’ve done in the past, no matter how far from God you may feel, you can follow in the footsteps of Rahab.

Choose to put your faith in Jesus and choose to put your faith into action by obeying Him. As you do that, your faith will touch and transform your life and the lives of many others around you.

Conclusion: Leaving Lasting Footprints of Living Faith

In our journey through life’s vast beach, we recognize that the sand is filled with a myriad of footprints. Some are fleeting and are quickly washed away by the tides of life. But the footprints of true faith are distinctive.

They don’t just mark the presence of someone who passed by. They show the story of someone who walked closely with God. Those footprints of those with a living faith were deeply impressed by obedience.

They are the evidence of an authentic faith that takes action. What kind of footprints are you leaving on the sands of time? Are they transient, soon to be forgotten?

Or are they the kind that others may see as the path of true faith? Let our faith not just be in our words and in our hearts. But may our faith leave deep and purposeful imprints as we follow Jesus.

📘 Continue the Journey

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