That fear is meant to lead us to God and love. Rahab fled to God. Peter 'girt his fisher's coat to him,' and lost his fear in the sunshine of Christ's face, as a rainbow trembles out of a thunder-cloud when touched by sunbeams.
We have all grounds enough to fear.
Urge these as a reason for trust.
III. Faith in its relation to the previous life.
It is a strange instance of blindness that attempts have been made to soften down the Bible's plain speaking about Rahab's character.
In her story we have an anticipation of New Testament teaching.
The 'woman that was a sinner.'
Mary Magdalene.
'Then drew near all the publicans and sinners for to hear Him.'
She shows us that there is no hopeless guilt. None is so in regard to the effects of sin on a soul. There is no heart so indurated as that its capacity for being stirred by the divine message is killed.