Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 

Today, we look at Rahab’s faith.  Rahab believed how great God is and took action based on that faith in welcoming the spies in peace. 

 

Rahab recognized and confessed her faith to the spies:  “…for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”  Joshua 2:11;  “and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you.  For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.”  Joshua 2:9-10.

 

But, Rahab also took action by faith.  “By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.”  Verse 31.

 

The lesson of Rahab for us is that there is hope of salvation despite our past for us too when we recognize how great God is, how great a sinner we are, and take action by faith.  “Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?  For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”  James 2:25-26.

 

There were many in Jericho who had faith (but not true, living, and saving faith).  Rahab admitted that they all in Jericho heard and believed what God had done:  “When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you;  for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.”  Joshua 2:11.  However, only Rahab took action by her faith to prove it was a true, living, and saving faith. 

 

Hebrews Chapter 11 is filled with examples of men and women of faith who took action by faith.  We already read of the actions taken in faith by Abraham and Moses.  “And what more shall I say?  For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”  Hebrews 11:32-34. 

 

Let us too show our faith to be a true, living, and saving faith by taking action by faith:  generally, by denying ungodliness and worldly desires, and by also living sensibly and righteously, and specifically, by doing those specific good deeds that arise out of our faith. 

 

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”  Titus 2:11-14.