Rahab’s story shows us that the weakest faith in Jesus still saves—all we have to do is believe in God’s grace.
You see, Rahab was a Gentile. But not just any Gentile. She was from the enemy city that was blocking Israel’s path to the Promised Land. That’s strike one.
Rahab was also a prostitute. Granted, in those days, women didn’t up and choose prostitution. They were forced into it, whether through slavery or through poverty. Still, as a prostitute, she would not have been high on the social ladder. That’s strike two for her.
But do Rahab’s strikes keep her from God? Not in the least. All she had to do was believe in God’s grace. She didn’t have to do anything else when the siege came—just believe and stay in her house. She didn’t have to reinforce the walls with extra support beams. She didn’t have to prepare a defense. All she had to do was trust herself to, and rest in, God’s grace.
Rahab’s story reminds me of another of my favorite stories of faith: Mark 7, the story of a Syro-Phoenician woman. Like Rahab, this woman was a Gentile. And she had another strike against her: Her daughter was suffering from a demon. But she didn’t care, because she had heard Jesus could help.
Jesus’ response to her, however, has to be the most politically incorrect statement in all the New Testament: “Ma’am, it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to dogs.” The disciples were like, “Oh, snap! Did he just call her a dog?”
I know that some scholars try to soften what Jesus said here by saying things like, “Well, ‘dog’ here means something more like ‘little puppy.’ He’s not really insulting her.” I’m not buying it. The word kunariois in Greek means one thing: dog. And calling someone a “dog” in that day was even worse than it would be in ours because dogs were considered unclean animals! For the Jews, dogs were not cuddly household pets; they were unclean animals representing defilement and judgment. So this seems, in every way, an insult.
The woman remained undaunted, though, because she knew that Jesus’ statement was not a racial slur against her. It was an accurate description of her unworthiness before God to receive this miracle. So she said, “Yes, Lord, but even the little dogs get to eat what falls from the master’s table.” In other words, “You say I’m a dog? You’re right: I have no more worthiness than a dog. But I also know that there is enough grace and power flowing off your table that there’s enough even for me.” She put all her hope in the compassion and power of Jesus.
The result? Jesus not only healed her, but he said, “I haven’t seen faith like this anywhere in Israel.”
What impresses Jesus about a person’s faith? It’s not how loud you are about it, or how smart you are about it, or even how strong it is. After all, Rahab’s faith didn’t even have to be that strong! I’m sure she had all kinds of unanswered questions. I’m sure she didn’t know that much about theology. She didn’t have Bible verses memorized. She couldn’t recount the genealogy of Abraham or explain the nuances of the hypostatic union. All she knew was, “God is real. I’m in trouble, and he can help.”
I’m sure she was filled with fears and doubts. “But what about …?” and “What happens after …?” Or, “Why this, God?,” or “Why not that?” And yet, even with all those doubts and unanswered questions, she was still saved. Fully and completely.
Faith is less about having undaunted, unshakable confidence and more about where you choose to put your hope. It’s not about the steadiness of your knees (standing with absolute, unwavering confidence); it’s about the placement of your posterior (where you choose to seat yourself).
Rahab is proof that what matters is not the strength of your faith; it’s the strength of the one your faith is in. The weakest faith in Jesus still saves; the strongest faith in anyone else does not.
J.D. Greear is the pastor of The Summit Church, in Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina. He leads the Summit in a bold vision to plant one thousand new churches by the year 2050. Pastor J.D. completed his Ph.D. in Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Chick-fil-A since January 2022 and recently served as the 62nd president of the Southern Baptist Convention. Pastor J.D. and his wife Veronica are raising four awesome kids: Kharis, Alethia, Ryah, and Adon.
This article has been republished from the J.D. Greear website and is under copyright law. It may not be republished without express written consent by J.D. Greear Ministries Team. J.D. Greear is the author of 27 Books including 12 Truths & a Lie
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Well stated, even weak , “small” or “minuscule” faith, like a grain of mustard seed, possesses infinite power because it represents trust in God, and can therefore overcome any obstacle or challenge, such as a mountain of fear and doubt, bringing about “immense” and powerful results. Power lies in placing faith on the side of God, not in the amount of faith itself.
Your Friend -His servant,
Isaac Otieno