An Action-packed Saving Grace: From Harlot to Heroine

By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient (Hebrews 11:31).



I love Hagar's story. She was the Harlot redeemed from shame to take her place as a woman of honor.(She became the great-grandmother of King David in the lineage of our Lord Jesus Christ- Matthew 1:5). Beauty from ashes is her anthem. Wearing rags of guilt to being wrapped in a shawl of grace was her faith walk. Simple belief and obedience led to her salvation. Isn't it that way with each of us?

Before the spies lay down for the night, she went up on the roof and said to them, “I know that the Lord has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you. We have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you completely destroyed.When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone’s courage failed because of you, for the Lord your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below (Josuah 2:8-11).

In her pre-Savior world, she believed the God in heaven above and on the earth below(v 11). She believed. She acted.

Rahab the prostitute is another example. She was shown to be right with God by her actions when she hid those messengers and sent them safely away by a different road (James 2:25).

She was made righteous by her actions.

In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do (James 2:17-18)

Rahab experienced a heart change, and it was revealed in her willingness to hide the spies (Joshua 2).

As Christians, are we showing our faith by what {we} do?

I love the words of Paul in 1 Cor 15:10, But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Paul worked hard, suffered severely, but rejoiced in all things. You never see in Paul's writings a faith in himself. His life points to Christ, even in the verse above.

Faith.

Grace.

Works.

Both Rahab and Paul had backgrounds that make most of us shudder. A prostitute and a murderer make for great examples of broken lives made whole? But so does your story.

So, what about you? Do your actions point to the saving grace of a loving Savior?

In His Name,
Jennifer