If there’s one word that comes to mind when we think of Rahab and her story it is GRACE. She is a wonderful example of God’s grace. That’s probably why her story is told in Scripture, and why two New Testament writers refer to her (Hebrews 11:31 ;James 2:5). Rahab’s whole life story speaks of Grace- and she knew it. Born an Amorite and therefore under God’s judgment (Deut 7:1-2), because of her faith she and her family were spared from death and became part of God’s special people, the nation of Israel. Not only that, but she became the great grandmother of King David and asn ancestor of Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 1:5). Now that’s grace!
Grace is God’s unmerited favor, God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. God’s grace means that our standing with Him does not depend on who we are and what we’ve done, but on who He is and what He’s done. The word is found over 200 times in the Bible. The first time is when “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8) and the last in Revelation 22:21 when John concludes this great book with “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all!” Grace is a key part of Who and What God is. Yet He is a loving God, a God of grace, because He chooses to be so. He would still be God if He weren’t a God of grace. He would still be holy, just and righteous. You see, He doesn’t have to show grace – He chooses to show grace!
Think of what the Scripture has to say about God’s grace: “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions- it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph. 2:4-9) “There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 3:23-24 ) “And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.” (Rom. 11:6)
We usually think of grace with word “amazing”, for it truly is! He has given us His amazing grace (2 Corinthians 8:9), amazing love (Romans 5:8), amazing life (John 10:10); an amazing position (John 1:12), amazing peace (John 14:27), amazing gifts (Romans 8:32), amazing salvation (1 Corinthians 2:9), amazing liberty (Romans 8:21), amazing future (Romans 8:18-19) and shown us an amazing concern (Matthew 11:28). That’s because He’s an amazing God!
Grace: where would you be without it? What would life be like on this earth? Where would you be for all eternity? Where do you need His grace in a special way right now? Ask Him for it. Then thank Him for it. Amazing grace, how sweet indeed is the sound!
(If I can answer questions or offer personal counsel, or if you would like a free copy of my Spiritual Warfare Handbook, email me at Jerry@ChristianTrainingOrganization.org or download it from http://sw.christiantrainingonline.org/. My next book, Spiritual Warfare in the Bible, which is a more advanced treatment of spiritual warfare, is also available there for free.)