Rahab's Faith

How could God save such an immoral woman as Rahab and even have her included in Christ's lineage? We tend to think that only the most saintly people get saved. But studying the Bible shows me that the Lord chose some disreputable folks to serve him.

The Bible tells us how Abraham told a half-truth about his half wife. Genesis 20:1 and 2 (BBE) informs us, "And Abraham went on his way from there to the land of the South, and was living between Kadesh and Shur, in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah, his wife, 'She is my sister:' and Abimelech, king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah."

Additionally, look at the catastrophe God averted in order to save that cowardly liar. God spoke to Abimelech, warning him of Sarah's real relationship and that he withheld her from him. Genesis 20:9 and 10 (BBE) relates, "Then Abimelech sent for Abraham, and said, 'What have you done to us? what wrong have I done you that you have put on me and on my kingdom so great a sin? You have done to me things which are not to be done.' And Abimelech said to Abraham, 'Why did you do this thing?'"

And in a case of "like father, like son," Isaac pulled the same stunt on Abimelech. Genesis 26:7 (BBE) tells us, "And when he was questioned by the men of the place about his wife, he said, 'She is my sister;' fearing to say, 'She is my wife;' for, he said, 'the men of the place may put me to death on account of Rebecca; because she is very beautiful.'"

The Bible is filled with flawed individuals who God deployed to do his will. Jacob swindled Esaw out of his birthright. Samson hired prostitutes and married pagan wives. Moses murdered an Egyptian. David had sex with a man's wife and arranged to have him killed in battle. Joseph's brothers wanted to kill him but they sold him into slavery. And if I had the space and inclination, I could list many more flawed individuals whom the Lord saved.

God chose who would be saved before the universe was created. As Paul obliquely mentioned in Ephesians 1:4 (BBE), "Even as he made selection of us in him from the first, so that we might be holy and free from all evil before him in love:"

When Christ returns, all those who his father gave him will be gathered to him. As 1 Corinthians 15:24 (BBE) explains in part, "Then comes the end, when he will give up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he will have put an end to all rule and to all authority and power."

God left nothing to chance. I'll explain that and many other things in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Predestination is a hard doctrine for us to accept but it's scriptural. Therefore, we must believe it.

Saturday's post will be about a Great Lakes shipping disaster that touched Gordon Lightfoot.