Audio Sermons

Renewing Our Strength in the Lord:

Belief versus Unbelief

Life B-P Church Worship Service, 26^th October 2025

Text: Hebrews 11:31

 “By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.” Hebrews 11:31.

1. The Bible is a book of divide.

a. Two categories

i. Two ways

ii. Two destinations: heaven/hell; unto the resurrection of life/damnation

iii. Two kinds of people

a. godly/ungodly

b. light/darkness

c. truth/error

d. love/hatred

iv. Belief (Rahab) vs Unbelief (Canaanites in Jericho): Hebrews 11:31

b. Faith, as the great divide (Hebrews 4:2)

2. Background

Key details about the event: Joshua 2

a. Spies sent out 

i. "To reconnoitre the land"

ii. Preparation to conquer Jericho

b. Rahab (a loose woman from Jericho) acted:

i. Faith in God

• Believed the God of Israel
• Chose to trust God and the spies instead of the king of Jericho.

ii. Faith in Action:

• Took the spies into her house
• Hid them from the pursuers
• Plan their escape by letting down through the window by a chord (Hebrew ‘chevel’)

iii. Faith Rewarded

• Spies saved

- escape by descending the down the city wall with a red cord, provided by Rahab

• Spies returned favour
• When the city was conquered, they promised to spare

- Rahab

- Her family

c. Promise fulfilled (see Joshua 6:21-25)

i. Jericho fell

ii. Rahab and family

• spared
• became part of the Israelites

iii. Canaanites

• the unbelieving people of Jericho who were destroyed when the walls fell
• Joshua 6:21-25

3. Hebrews 11:31 unpacked

“By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that believed not, when she had received the spies with peace.”

Two groups of people (categorised by)

The Contrast between Rahab and ‘them’ (Canaanites in Jericho)

What was the difference?

What that difference made?

Rahab versus “Them”

a. Belief versus Unbelief

b. Profile

i. Rahab: ‘the offscouring of things’

ii. The decent Canaanites of Jericho

c. Perished or Perished not

i. Believed

ii. Believed not

d. Response to message

i. Same message (in Joshua 2 :9-11)

ii. Different responses leading different outcome

a. Rahab: Fear → Faith (she believed) → Salvation

b. Canaanites: Fear → Resistance → Destruction

4. Faith: The Response that made the difference.

The verse Hebrews 11:31 and its parallel reading demonstrates a core principle

a. Without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6)

b. Rahab’s saving faith marks the great turning point Joshua 2:9-11

i. Rahab and her household were spared because of her faith.

ii. Canaanites (“them”) = the unbelieving people of Jericho who were destroyed when the walls fell. As a result, they perished when the city was destroyed (Joshua 6:21–25)

c. Likewise, the Gospel that is preached to you this morning, must also be received mixed with faith (belief).

i. Ephesians 2:8-9

ii. Romans 10:9-10

iii. All unbelief is the belief of a lie (Horatious Bonar)

5. Faith in Action

a. True saving faith is demonstrated by Faith in Action

b. True faith is never alone — it expresses itself in obedience and action (good works)

c. James 2:18

Coram Deo

1. Believe in God’s promises, act on His Word, and find refuge under the scarlet thread of Christ’s blood.

2. “By faith Rahab perished not…” — May our faith likewise save us from perishing.