Samson’s Salvation - A True Proof of God’s Reckless Love & Justification By Grace

Is the writer of Hebrews "high on something?" Is this guy mad? He didn't see other names to include in his list of righteous men. Of all the people, why Samson? Has he forgotten that you cannot sleep on the laps of Delilah and wake up in heaven?

These were my thoughts the first time I read Hebrews 11 and saw Samson mentioned as a righteous man.  Interestingly no record of his past (Delilah) was mentioned. A couple of years later as I carefully studied the same scriptures, the veil was lifted off my eyes as I saw God's unconditional love wiping away every handwriting of ordinances the enemy had against him, deleting Delilah and co. from his from his records and giving him a new identity - a righteous man.

This love melted me. Remoulded me. And gave me a message to the world - for people like Samson who are currently battling with their spiritual walk and morality. If that sounds like you, let this right here refresh, recreate and restore your Faith in God's Salvation and His Righteousness.

(Hebrews 11:32)  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

(Hebrews 11:33)  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,

(Hebrews 11:34)  Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.

You know I could have easily agreed that David was a righteous man even though he occasionally sinned. At least he was remorseful, confessed his sins and even asked for forgiveness. But Samson? He was in no way half of the man that David was.

Except for a few moments before his death, there is never a place in the scriptures where he ever became sorry for his sins nor even promised to live by the Law like his fellow Israelites. He took pleasure in always mixing with the ungodly and allowed lust to continuously overwhelm him.

By reading Judges chapter 13 to chapter 16, you’ll see a whole lot of things that were wrong about this man. Even the ones your Sunday School teacher never told you about. Like the fact that he even killed himself (a kind of suicide) alongside his enemies.

Is it this same Samson the writer of Hebrews being inspired by God, who told us was righteous and therefore saved? I mean, Samson of all people? Righteous before God? Take a look at it one more time in the Word.

(Heb 11:32)  And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:

(Heb 11:33)  Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions.

If Samson, Rahab the harlot (Heb.11:31) and the man David with all their faults and weaknesses could be said to have “wrought righteousness,” then we need to take a closer look at this thing called “righteousness” and how it comes about.

According to Thayer’s New Testament Greek Lexicon, Righteousness in a broad sense is the “state of him who is as he ought to be,” and “the condition acceptable to God.” Simply put, Righteousness is the state of being completely right and acceptable to God. Being able to stand before Him sinless or guiltless.

Although there are two kinds of righteousness - one by works and the other by faith through grace. The one that guarantees us Salvation is later which is the righteousness of God by faith. It is freely given to all who totally depend on God’s grace and not their efforts for salvation.

(Rom 3:21)  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;

(Rom 3:22)  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:

(Rom 3:23)  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

(Rom 3:24)  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

(Rom 3:25)  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

(Rom 3:26)  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

This is the kind of righteousness Samson received from God by faith in His grace. Not only him, even Abraham and all the heroes of faith received the same.

(Rom 4:2)  For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.

(Rom 4:3)  For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

(Rom 4:4)  Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.

(Rom 4:5)  But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

Left to his works, Samson wouldn’t have had a place in the kingdom of God. He would have been sentenced to the “hottest” part of hell. To pay for his sins and lust. But God who is rich in mercy demonstrated His great love for the man paralyzed by sin. By extending His grace towards him, justifying him from all the things his efforts as a man couldn’t have done for him.

(Eph 2:4) But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

(Eph 2:5)  Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

(Eph 2:6)  And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

(Eph 2:7)  That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

It is not as if God has gone soft on sin. It doesn’t mean we should no longer take heed to how we live our lives on the earth. He did all He did for Samson so that when we are at our worst and feel unqualified to stand before Him, we can look at someone like Samson and say “if God can forgive and justify such a man, then He can do the same for me.”

Should we emulate Samson’s lifestyle and live anyhow? God forbid! How can we that have been freed from sin and enabled to live righteously go back to such a lifestyle? If there is anything for us to emulate from Samson today, it would be His faith and total dependence on God’s great love and grace towards the sin-ridden man.

No matter how messed up your life is right now, look up to God and believe in His love for you. If He can save someone like Samson, He can and will certainly save, justify and clothe you with His righteousness.

I hope this blesses you.

Glory to God!