RAHAB’S FAITH

Joshua 2:1-21 & Hebrews 11:31

  1. Intro.
    1. men often build monuments to remember a hero or famous individual or some great event
    2. it seems only right that faith should have a monument raised in its honor
      1. many valiant deeds have been done by faith
        1. faith has triumphed over death – Enoch
        2. faith has overcome infirmity – Abraham was old
        3. faith was victorious over natural affection – Abraham offered his son
        4. faith has divided waters and brought down walls
      2. faith is the greatest power this world has ever seen
      3. one of the greatest victories of faith is overcoming sin (Rahab’s faith)
  2. Rahab’s faith was saving faith
    1. all the other people mentioned here were saved by faith, but only of Rahab is it mentioned that she "perished not" because of faith
      1. her faith delivered her from the general destruction of Jericho
      2. her deliverance was not just the deliverance of the body, but also the redemption of her soul from hell
      3. what a mighty thing faith is when it saves a soul from going down into the pit
        1. only the strong arm of God can snatch a sinner from the mighty current that leads to hell
        2. only an atonement by God can save a sinner
        3. faith is the instrument which accomplishes the whole work
    2. the faith that saved Rahab can save any sinner
      1. Jesus came to save sinners
      2. if you are a sinner, you qualify for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ
  3. Rahab’s faith was singular
    1. there was a multitude of people living in the city, but only Rahab ask for mercy
      1. they all knew that they would die if they were attacked, but none of them repented or ask for mercy
      2. only this woman, who had been a harlot, ask for mercy and was delivered
    2. it is a very hard thing to have singular faith
      1. the easiest thing in the world is to believe as everyone else believes
      2. the difficulty is in believing something alone, when no one thinks as you think
      3. it is a noble thing to be the lonely follower of a despised truth
    3. Christians must be willing to swim against the current
      1. dead fish always float down stream, but only living fish can swim upstream
      2. most Christians are afraid to be out of fashion
      3. on the job, most Christians will not show their true belief
    4. the worst of men in the devil’s army, when they are converted, make the truest soldiers for Christ
  4. Rahab’s faith was a stable faith
    1. her faith stood firm in the midst of trouble
      1. true faith says, "the thing is unlikely, but I believe it"
      2. we are to walk by faith, and not by sight
      3. faith does not discount the promises of God because we don’t see how or think it unlikely
    2. there were many circumstances that made Rahab’s faith look silly
      1. the Jordan River
      2. the walls of Jericho
      3. the Jews were not a large or mighty people
      4. they did not attack the city , but marched around it
    3. who would have thought that such a strong faith could grow in such a sinful heart
  5. Rahab had a self-denying faith
    1. she dared to risk her life for the sake of the spies
    2. a religion that cost nothing is worth nothing
      1. there is nothing in the faith of that man who does not exercise self-denial
      2. if we never work or give for the cause of Christ, the root of the matter is hypocrisy
    3. do not trust your faith, unless it has self-denial with it
  6. Rahab’s faith was a sympathizing faith
    1. she desired mercy for her family as well
      1. she was not content with the idea that she alone would be saved
      2. because of her faith, her family was saved from destruction
    2. if we realize the true value of salvation, we will want other to be brought in
      1. it is a kind of spiritual instinct
      2. we want other people to feel want we feel
  7. Rahab’s faith was a sanctifying faith
    1. Rahab did not continue to be a harlot after she had faith
      1. she married Salmon a prince of Judah
      2. she is listed among the ancestors of the Lord Jesus Christ - Matt. 1:5
    2. the faith that saves is a faith that will sanctify
      1. we cannot have faith and live in sin
      2. faith that lives in sin so that grace may abound is a dead and corrupt faith
    3. the world has been trying all manner of processes to reform man
    4. there is only one thing that will reform man: faith in the preached gospel
    5. we will never see any great or lasting reform where faith in Jesus Christ is not the solution