Counterfeit money creates problems for today’s business world. When a person pays with a counterfeit bill the debt isn’t paid, but is passed on to another person. Today our world faces the danger of false religion which tries to pass off counterfeit faith. However, the problem of sin still remains. In the business world, it is the difference of paid or unpaid bills; in the spiritual world, it is the difference of Heaven or Hell. God’s plan of salvation still boggles the mind. Religion has tried to tinker with it, but can’t improve on God’s plan. The best they have to offer is phony grace.
In the book of Joshua, we see how God worked in an unusual way. If you and I had planned the invasion of Canaan, we wouldn’t have wanted Rahab. She was from a pagan culture, and didn’t have a very good job. We would have written her off, if anybody had a counterfeit faith, it would be her. We would call her Rahab from rehab.
God didn’t see it that way. Neither did Rahab. She was able to see that her lifestyle was going no where. When she heard of the exploits of Israel, she knew their God was the true God. The other people of Jericho had heard the same stories. They had the same choice. The sinner usually has two reactions. One, they don’t think their sin is too serious, so good works can cover any of their sins. Or they realize how bad their sins are, and don’t think God will forgive them. One sees God as forgiving, but not holy. The other sees God as only holy, but not forgiving. Rahab saw God as holy and forgiving. She accepted God’s way of salvation.
By accepting God’s plan, she was able to save herself and her family. Rahab is listed in the genealogy of Christ. The Bible also mentions her in the book of Hebrews and the book of James. She is not remembered for realizing that God was God, but she is remembered for acting on that knowledge. The Bible says that even the demons tremble and believe. It is acting on the faith that saves people. It is not the same as salvation by works, which is popular in today’s world. But it is walking in faith, and living in grace.
The darkness of sin is what makes the light of grace shine so bright. We have to only see how far we have fallen short of God’s glory to appreciate grace. In Roman 3:23 the Bible says, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (KJV) In the Greek, the word all means all. We may marvel at the story of Rahab, but we need to only look in the mirror to see another sinner saved by grace.
Sometimes we get the attitude that now I’m saved by grace, I’ll take my Heavenly place. We run the risk of being Stepford Christians. Amazing Grace is reduced to elevator music, and Christ becomes a part of the scenery in our self-made comfortable world. We love to quote Ephesians 2: 8 & 9, but leave off the 10th verse.
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.(KJV)
Once again, the Bible isn’t talking about salvation by works. The verses eight and nine make that clear. The tenth verse talks about the kind of life that produces good works. When we stop sitting on the shelf, and let God use us, His grace is extended to those around us. It’s a river of life, not a stagnant pool. It’s how to tell true faith from counterfeit faith.
