Works

 And the city and all that is within it shall be devoted to the Lord for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers whom we sent.
Joshua 6:17 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jos.6.17.ESV

Why was Rahab the pagan prostitute saved? Was it simply because she believed in the God of Israel? According to this verse it's because she put her faith into practice.

It's not enough to profess faith. If we claim to be Christians, but fail to nail our colours to the mast, we betray the fact that our professions aren't worth much. We're saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone, it is always accompanied by works.

Rahab had to hide the Israelite spies as evidence of her faith. She had to hang the scarlet cord from her window as an expression of her faith. She had to abandon everything she'd ever known to commit herself to the God of Israel.

Amazingly, Rahab married an Israelite eventually and became the mother of Boaz, who married Ruth the Moabite and were ancestors of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus isn't ashamed or afraid to associate with the likes of us. We mustn't be ashamed or afraid to associate with our Lord and Saviour.

'Father God, we're grateful for the example of faith that Rahab is. Please help us to similarly evidence any profession of faith we may have with our works. In Jesus' name, amen'

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