In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute justified by her actions when she welcomed the spies and sent them off on another route?In the same way, wasn’t Rahab the prostitute also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?And in like manner was not also Rahab the harlot justified by works, in that she received the messengers, and sent them out another way?
3 sermons cite this verse
… You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way, was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. How then are we to understand what Paul so clearly says that we are justified apart from works of the law when James seems to say the opposite? it. Four quick points. Number one, James and Paul are addressing different concerns. Paul is asking the question, how can we be right with God? James is asking, what does genuine faith look like? Different controversies. For Paul, the issue is, by what principle can sinners stand before God and be declared righteous? For James, Sometimes the issue is, why are people not caring for their brothers and sisters in the church? So they are addressing two different issues. Two, they use the word justify in slightly different ways. …
… And that faith is testified to in several places. Look at James 2, verse 25. Just after James talks about Abraham as the father of our faith, he points out of everybody else in scripture to Rahab, verse 25. In the same way, wasn't Rahab the prostitute also justified by works in receiving the messengers and sending them out by a different route? James is showing that when you have the invisible quality of faith, it will express itself visibly. Then moving on, look at the book of Hebrews chapter 11, verse 31. The author is moving in chronological order through the story of God. And he gets to Moses and he talks about how Moses lived by faith. And then he moves to the Jericho walls falling and you're expecting him to say Joshua, but he doesn't name Joshua. Who's he named? Rahab. Look, verse 31, by faith, Rahab the prostitute welcomed the spies in peace and didn't perish with those who disobeyed. Rahab risked it all. She went all in. She surrendered and she was spared as a result. Faith is costly. But second, I want you to see this. Knowing God's character is what gives our faith confidence. Did you notice that in verse eight, her speech is one of the longest speeches recorded by a woman in the Old Testament. And what we have here, looking in verse eight and verse nine, she starts by saying, I know. …
… CALLED THE FRIEND OF GOD. YE SEE THEN HOW THAT BY WORKS A MAN IS JUSTIFIED, AND NOT BY FAITH ONLY. LIKEWISE ALSO WAS NOT RAHAB THE HARLOT JUSTIFIED BY WORKS WHEN SHE HAD RECEIVED THE MESSENGERS AND SENT THEM OUT ANOTHER WAY? FOR AS THE BODY WITHOUT THE SPIRIT IS DEAD, SO FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD ALSO. I WANTED TO READ THE WHOLE PASSAGE. I DIDN'T WANT TO LEAVE ANYTHING OUT. NOW WHAT IS ALL OF THIS TALKING ABOUT? I WANT TO MAKE THIS ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, AND I WANT EVERY HUMAN BEING, EVERY MOTHER'S CHILD IN THIS CONGREGATION OR THOSE WHO MAY BE LISTENING BY TELEVISION OR RADIO OR TAPE, I WANT TO MAKE THIS ABSOLUTELY, TOTALLY CLEAR. YOU ARE SAVED BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE AND NOT OF WORKS OF ANY KIND. NOW I WANT THAT TO BE VERY, VERY CLEAR. IT IS NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT WE'VE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY HE SAVED US. THE BIBLE SAYS IN EPHESIANS TWO, VERSES EIGHT AND NINE, FOR BY GRACE ARE YOU SAVED THROUGH FAITH, AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES. IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST. …