A Commitment To Integrity Series

We are diferent, not because we are morally superior (we are just sinners saved by grace), but because the God we represent is holy and pure and righteous.

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." - Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

A commitment to integrity reflects God’s character

Our God is a God of complete and perfect integrity.

"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" -- Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

"Jesus answered, ’I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’" -- John 14:6 (NIV)

God keeps His promises. This is essential, because the whole Christian religion is based on faith. The rewards of following Christ are mostly future. The assurances of resurrection, eternal life, forgiveness of sins, eternal blessedness, are all promises of things to come.

If you want good things in this life, then follow other "gods": money, power, pleasure, self. But if you want good things in the life to come, then you have to rely on God’s promises. This is not to say that there are no benefits in this life to following Christ, but the greatest riches and rewards are yet to come.

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Cor. 4:17-18 (NIV)

God will also keep His promise to execute judgment on those who do not repent and turn to Christ for salvation.

"But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed." - Romans 2:5 (NIV)

A lifestyle of integrity brings peace of mind

"The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out." -- Proverbs 10:9-10 (NIV)

If you don’t walk in integrity, you are never secure. You are always worrying about covering your tracks, making sure your story is consistent, making sure you didn’t leave any clues that would give you away. It’s nerve-wracking and exhausting. And eventually you will be found out. But if you walk in integrity, you’re secure. You don’t worry about being found out; in fact, you welcome it.

Application

· How have you failed to maintain your own integrity? Have you made promises and failed to keep them? Have you lied or shaved the truth in order to hide your sin or get something you wanted?

· How have you failed to maintain your integrity at home, in your relationship with your husband, your wife, your children? At work? In your relationships with those in your church family?

· Then repent. Today, this morning. Confess your sin. Ask God’s forgiveness. Ask forgiveness of those you have hurt or let down. And resolve, by God’s grace and power, to change.

(For an .rtf file of this and other sermons, see www.journeychurchonline.org/messages.htm)