Put Faith in Action

"You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?" (James 2:24-25)

Again, James tries to make the same point: dead faith (faith that's devoid of action; faith that doesn't change your life) cannot save your soul. True saving faith will demonstrate itself in works. We are not saved by works; we are saved by grace through faith for works. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:8-10)

I appreciate James' two very different examples for the same lesson: Abraham and Rahab. Both were declared righteous by faith evidenced through their actions. But Rahab was a woman, a Gentile, and a prostitute. God doesn't care what kind of pasts you had; He cares about your heart. Rahab heard about God and put her faith in Him. She said in Joshua 2:11b, "For the Lord your God is God in Heaven above and on the earth below." Her action (risking her own life to save the two spies) proved that she believed in and trusted the One True God. "By faith the prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, was not killed with those who were disobedient (or unbelieving)." (Hebrews 11:31)