The Pulpit Commentary — Joshua — Section 173

I. WonKs "DO RPRING NECESSARILY OUT OF A LIVELY FAITH." Had Rahab no, believed as she did, she would not have acted as she did. Her works were the direct result of her belief. On the other hand, had she not acted as she did, she would have proved that, whatever her profession to the spies might have been, she did not really believe what she pretended to believe about the power of Jehovah, and the ultimate success of Israel. Here we may discern a clue to the labyrinth of the controversy about the efficacy of faith and works respectively in the scheme of salvation. For ( a) a man who believes is naturally inclined to act upon what he believes. If he believes that he is saved through Christ, he will act as if he were saved through Christ. And (b) it becomes important to ask, From what is he saved through Christ? And the Scripture tells us that he is not saved merely from the punishment of sin, but from sin itself. The scheme of salvation through Christ involves a belief in a "full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfac- tion, for the sins of the whole world." But it also leads us on from that recon- ciliation with God to the idea of an indwelling in Christ through His Spirit, which shall enable us to "put off," to "slay," to "crucify" the "flesh" or " old man," and to rise up to a renewed life of sanctity and holiness. A man who believes this must begin to do it. He must, as a matter of course, gird himself up to a conflict with all within him which is not subdued to God's will, as revealed in Christ. If he does not undertake this conflict, it is because he does not believe that he is redeemed through Christ, and that that redemption leads on to sanctification by a necessary law, that of union with Christ. Thus we learn (c) that all whose life is avowedly and systematically inconsistent with their Christian profession, who do not try to root out all evil and to practise all kinds of good, or who set up another standard before them in their actions than that set up in God's Word, are not real believers in Christ, let their profession be what it may. II. THERE IS NO SALVATION FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT MANIFEST THEIR FAITH BY THEIR WORKS. Had Rahab not shown her faith in God by delivering the spies, there could not have been any escape for her. Whatever her private belief might have been, she would have been involved in the general destruction that overtook the whole city. And thus St. Paul and St. James a.like insist upon the necessity of our Christian conduct being the manifestation of our inward belief. If it be asked how our faith should be manifested, it may be replied that there must be (a) an abiding sense of God's goodness as displayed in the forgiveness of sins, and (b) an earnest striving after likeness to Christ in every action of life. And this last will stir us up to deeds of active loving-kindness like that of Hal.Jab, who, as we have seen forgot herself and the dangers that beset her in the anxious desire to befriend first the messengers of God, and next those who were near and dear to herself. If we do not these things we are none of Christ's, and, despite our loud profession that we have always belonged to Him, He will have no other greeting for us at the last than, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity." III. SALVATION IS BY CHRIST'S BLOOD ALONE, Had Rahab not hnng the scarlet cord in the window, she would have perished as surely, tliough she hau saved the spies, as if she had done nothing. So om· good deeds avail nothing witliout faith .in God's mercy through Christ. They are but the deeds of the Pharisees, unless coupled with the deepest sense of om· own unworthiness. We must own that when we have done all, we are unprofitable servants. " Not of works, lest any man should boast." Thus no trace of self-satisfaction must mingle with our obedience, or all will be worthless. This was the fatal mistake of the Phai·isees, and this was the reason of the anger of the Lord against them. The deepest humility, combined with the most absolute reliance upon the atoning merits of the Saviour, are among the first requisites of the regenerate life. This thought alone will preserve to the greatest saint that indispensable grace of humility which is the salt that prevents his religious profession from co~ruptio~. This alone will maintain ~ho~e relations with the Author of om· salvation which are necessary to keep His life present within us. If we are. numbered among God's saints, if we are raised to high places in Israel, if we are the means of salvation to others, it is all due to the scarlet cord in the window,  110 THE BOOI{ 01<' JOSHUA. [en. VI. 22-27.