Is There Hope for People Who Struggle with Sexual Sin?
The inspiration for this post came from my amazing friend Bobby Tucker. I’ve known Bobby for going on 30 years, and in all that time he’s always been a wonderful encourager and a loving Jesus follower. He didn’t ask about sexual sin, but it fit right in with his questions.
Here is what Bobby asked me to address:
Who was Rahab and what was her significance?
Bobby’s timing seemed to me to be to me to be very much of God. You see, when Bobby sent that question the Lord had already been putting in my mind a blog post related to freedom. Here's the link to that blog post so that you can check it out if you'd like to. But it ties in almost perfectly with the topic we're going to cover in this post. You see, Rahab was an individual who dealt with sexual sin…and God beautifully freed and redeemed her.
Enter Rahab
I have to say, every time I hear the name Rahab in my mind it echoes “the harlot”. That's how she's identified in the King James version of the Bible. Rahab the harlot. Such a terrible title, so accusatory, but also accurate. In modern terms, Rahab was a prostitute.
Here's a quick summary of the beginning of the story of Rahab. You can find the more in the book of Joshua chapter 2. The people of Israel were just preparing to cross the Jordan River and enter the promised land, and God was already working to give to them. As the Israelites came to the city of Jericho, Joshua, who was the leader of Israel, sent two spies in to get the lay of the land. Our friend Rahab lived in the city. For some reason, she let the spies stay her house. But the men of Jericho found out that these spies had gone to her home. Now, Rahab, along with everyone else in Jericho, feared that God was giving the entire land of Canaan to the people of Israel. So, Rahab made the decision to side with the Israelites, and when the king of Jericho sent word to her home looking for the Israelite spies, she hid them. She put them under some flax on her roof. Then she told the king’s representatives that yes, the men had come but then they had left. However, if the king’s men hurried, they could still catch the spies. She told a lie, but what's interesting is, as we followed the story, we discover that God honored the lie. Let’s pick up the biblical account as the men are preparing to hide on the roof.
“Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, “I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath.”
-Joshua 2:8-11 ESV
Then Rahab did something very wise. She made the men swear by the Lord that if she got them safely out of the city, that they would spare her father, mother, brothers, sisters, and “all who belong to them.” So, the spies made the oath before her to God. Before leaving, they told her to make sure all her family gathered at her home and stayed there. Then they instructed her to tie a scarlet cloth to the window as a sign for which house to spare when the army showed up. After that, she got them safely outside the city wall, and even gave them advice on how to avoid capture along the way.
To summarize the rest of this part story, she did what they said, and all her family was spared, even as the rest of the city was destroyed in the dramatic and miraculous fall of the walls of Jericho and subsequent destruction by fire.
“But Rahab the prostitute and her father's household and all who belonged to her, Joshua saved alive. And she has lived in Israel to this day, because she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.”
-Joshua 6:25 ESV
But Wait, There’s More
If that was all the Bible said about Rahab, then it would be an interesting anecdote in the history of Israel. But look at these verses:
“Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.”
-Matthew 1:5-6 NIV
This is part of the record of the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah. Let’s not miss this. Rahab married an Israelite, Salmon, and they had Boaz (famous for marrying Ruth). This made Rahab the great-great grandmother of King David. And therefore, in God’s amazing plan, this prostitute was in the list of ancestors of Jesus.
If even THAT was the end of the story, it would be incredible. But look at what the author of Hebrews wrote in his faith Hall of Fame:
“It was by faith that Rahab the prostitute was not destroyed with the people in her city who refused to obey God. For she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.”
-Hebrews 11:31 NLT
Just so you know, Rahab was one of only two women mentioned in that list by name. What she did was a BIG DEAL!
What About the Sex Thing?
Oh yeah, so we’ve answered my friend Bobby’s questions. Rahab was a prostitute who hid spies from the authorities and then lied about it. Her reward? Her entire family escaped destruction, she became an ancestor of the Messiah, and was honored as a hero of the faith. Don’t miss this:
SHE WAS A PROSTITUTE…AND GOD REDEEMED HER AS A HERO!!!
Read this very carefully beloved. Either you or someone you love has sexual sin in their past. But if that sin is forgiven, then there is NO place for shame to remain. Sin is sin, and forgiven sin is forgiven by God and forgotten by Him. You are in no way less useful to God because you have had issues with sexual sin.
If He can use a prostitute to not only accomplish His will but hold her up as a shining example of faith, then He can use you or anyone else who has sexual sin in their past. Be encouraged! Be not ashamed if your sin is forgiven!
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
-Romans 8:1 ESV
Go forth and serve the Lord in humility, but also in the bold confidence of His loving forgiveness!
Help for the Still Struggling
I would be remiss if I didn’t address those who are still struggling with habitual sin. Whether sexual sin or any other habitual sin, let me provide you with a resource. Some time ago, my friend Timothy Andrew asked me to write an article for his site, the Lord’s Library.
God led me to compose an article explaining a strategy He showed me on how to overcome habitual sin. So, here is the link on How to Overcome Habitual Sin Using the Lord’s Prayer.
Feel free to use it for yourself or share it for others who may be struggling.
If you have follow-up thoughts, feel free to reach out to me directly via our contact form. Also, if you’d like to learn more about me and why I create all this content about following Jesus, check out my About page.
Love you Jesus follower!