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Daily Devotions

James

James 
Day 
Day 35

"Rahab the harlot..."

Text: James 2:25

AN INTERESTING ILLUSTRATION

There are many people who could have been chosen to illustrate “genuine faith”. James interestingly featured Rahab the harlot as his choice of one who demonstrated her faith by her works.

“Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works
when she received the messengers
and sent them out another way?”
James 2:25

1. “Rahab the harlot”

a) This is a reference to the time when Joshua led Israel to conquer Canaan.
b) The story of Rahab may be found in Joshua 2.

2. “Likewise”

a) Abraham certainly had faith and this was demonstrated when he obeyed God (when he willingly offered Isaac as a sacrifice to God).
b) Rahab also possessed faith and demonstrated that when she helped the two spies from Israel to escape from Canaan.

3. “Justified by works”

a) Implied is the fact that Rahab found faith in God first.
b) This faith was not:
i) In a creed.
ii) In religious practices.
c) Her faith was evidenced by her works.
i) She has risked her life by hiding the spies from Israel.
ii) She could have been executed for helping the spies to return safely to Israel.

4. How did Rahab come to faith in God?

a) She had heard of what God had done for His people Israel (Joshua 2:9-13).
b) She knew that Canaan would be conquered by Israel (Joshua 2:9).
c) She expressed knowledge of the LORD God (Joshua 2:9-11).
d) She asked that she and her family may be spared from death (Joshua 2:12-13).

FAITH AND WORKS

James argued that if Rahab merely had knowledge and faith in God, but did not express that faith in works, she would not have been justified. She and her family would have been killed in the war against Jericho!

The emphasis on “works” does not mean that “faith” is of less importance! Faith brings about justification from God! But only if that is true faith! And genuine faith will naturally express itself in works! This was the truth that James sought to establish!