Keeping Faith

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KEEPING FAITH

by O H Griffith

Text.: Hebrews 11: 1.

Introduction:

A. Faith in Jesus Christ the Savior is the only way of salvatio for guilty sinners.

1. It ke ps the believers from fear of the enemies.

2. It m tivates to good works as evidence of faith.

3. It de ivers from the judgments of God upon the world of wi ked sinners.

B. The he ine of faith for this message is Rahab: a Canaani e and a harlot.

I. RAHABTH HARLOT,Joshua 2:1.

A. She is mentioned three times in the New Testame t.

1. Hebr ws 11:31, she perished not with the unbelievers.

2. Jame 2:25, she was justified by her works.

3. Matt ew 1:5, she was the mother of Boaz.

a. he was great, great grandmother to King David.

b. he was an ancestress of our Lord.

B. Rahab's ife was sinful and repulsive.

1. She as a harlot.

2. But s e was saved, which proves that the most sinful perso can be saved by trusting Jesus. Other exam les:

a. he woman taken in adultery, John 8:1-1l. b. ary Magdalene, "Out of whom [Jestisl had cast s ven devils,"Mark 16:9.

3. The w of Moses required ston-ing for men and worn n guilty of adultery.

C. But b, as have many equally great sinners, believed unto salvation.

II. RAHAB'SC NFESSION OF FAITH, Joshua 2:9-11.

A. Had so e preacher or missionary witnessed to Rahab? vidently none had.

B. It appe she was convicted by the Holy Spirit through he news media. .

1. She ard how the Lord had dried up the Red Sea, vs 10.

2. She h ard of Israel's victories on the east of Jordan, vs 10.

C. Her convictions resulted from demonstrations of God's wer.

1. The people's hearts "melted,"vs 11.

2. Their courage was drained away, vs II.

3. Thelterror of the Lord fell upon all the inhabitants of the~d, vs 9.

4. Th, Canaanites fainted and became weak, vs 9.

D. But forr Rahab, if for no others, the results were much different. She confessed:

1. "I khow the Lord hath given you the land," vs 9.

2. "Tht Lord your God, he is God in heaven above, and in tpe earth beneath," vs 11.

3. This is a very impressive confessionof her faith.

E. But fai~h without works is dead, James 2:17.

m. RAHAB Wts JUSTIFIED.

A. One m~st be justified by faith before he can be justifietl by works.

B. Rahab jwasjustified by faith.

1. It is possible no other person knew this.

2. Faith is the consent of the heart and mind, committing all to Jesus.

3. Petlfr told Simon the Sorcerer, "Thyheart is not right in ti1ihesight of God,"Acts 8:21.

C. Rahab was justified by works.

1. Sh, hid the Israelite spies, vs 6.

2. Shd helped them elude the pursuers, verses 15 and 16.

D. James declares that in this she was justified by works, James 2:25.

IV. RAHAB'S FAITH KEPT AND PRESERVED HER, Joshua 2: 3-21.

A. Further evidence of her faith: the scarlet line, verses/I5 and 21.

1. Thf scarlet line speaks of safety through sacrifice, He~rews 9: 19,22.

2. ThF scarlet line was a token of faith and evidence of ho e for deliverance. ft. A token to the spies who were let down by it.

b. A token to Rahab who kept it in the window.

c. A token to the armies of Israel at the destruction of Jericho.

3. So the blood of Christ reminds us of

a. Past deliverance by divine decree,

b. Present safety by faith in God's promises, and

c. Future deliverance from destruction by the judgment of God upon sin.

B. kept and delivered. the unbelievers perished, but Rahah perished not, Jo hua 6:22,23,25.

2. ab became an example of faith to all Israel, and to all generations following her.

C. Faith' concern.

1. b was concerned for her family, vs 13.

2. E idently she won each of them to faith ill God, Jo hua 6:25.

D. Faith'. rewards.

1. ab's physical life was spared.

2. H r family was saved. Contrast with Lot who could no win his family.

3. H r name, once the epitome of sin and shame, became a hining example of God's wonderful grace.

4. S e married a good man in Israel.

a. Became ancestress to the kings of Israel and Judah.

b. Listed in the genealogy of Christ, Matthew 1:5

5. Li ted in Faith's Hall of Fame, Hebrews 11:31.

6. M st importantly, she became a child of the heavenly . g, a member of the royal family of God, and lives fo ever.

Conclusion:

A. "My aith Looks Up To Thee," by Lowell Mason, para rased, and adapted.

B faith Rahab looked up to God, d cried,

-Take all my guilt away, o et me from this day

Be wholly thine:"

R r fellow citizens had fainting hearts,

B t her love for God

ated in her heart

That was pure warm and changeless,

A living fire. en ends life's transient dream, en death's cold sullen stream

Shall o'er me roll; Bl st Savior, then, in love, Fear and distrust remove; o bear me safe above,

A ransomed soul.

B. Do yo possess a faith that

1. D livers you from fear of life and death?

2. T t gives you peace when those around you faint?

Index