I do not think I am missing the point. I am saying that Rahab sinned, and I believe that the Bible agrees with me, "Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD..."
The question is "Why does God bless Rahab"?
My point is that God is not blessing her because she sinned - but that she feared God more than the people of Jericho. She thought she was doing right, and because she was not trained in the Law, God forgave her ignorance because of her sincerity. Matthew Henry says it like this:
"Yet divines generally conceive that it was a sin, which however admitted of this extenuation, of lying; but God accepted her faith and pardoned her infirmity. However it was in this case, we are sure it is our duty to speak every man the truth to his neighbour, to dread and detest lying, and never to do evil,that Good may come of it, Rom. 3:8. But God accepts what is sincerely and honestly intended, though there be a mixture of frailty and folly in it, and is not extreme to mark what we do amiss."
In that private conversation we had do you remember talking about True Believers who are Charismatics? Are these believers doing something wrong according to what the Bible teaches? Yes they are! Yet God is gracious to save them even though what they are doing is contrary to God's will! The same is with Rahab - she doesn't know any better so she lies, but God saves her because of her sincerity not because he is saying "it is ok to lie on certain circumstances"! Salvation is by Grace and not by works. Rahab was saved not because she lied, but because she feared God - and that fear is a product of Grace.
Does this answer your question? I patiently await your rebuke.
Your bro in Jesus,
Rob