Pursuit of Holiness: Integrity
TURN TO PROVERBS 10
Last week when Tim and i met to discuss a game plan for when we were done with the Hunting series, one of the issues that came up was doing a series on Holiness. So, in preparation for this, i decided to search the internet for what it really means to be “Holy”, and much to my surprise, this is what i found...SHOW SLIDE OF UK DEFENSE ON FOOTBALL FIELD.
This of course made me think, sure the UK Defense has plenty of holes in it, and many an offense found those holes through out the season, but that’s not really what i needed.
And actually, this takes me to the point i made to Tim. For various reasons, you don’t hear much talk about being holy in our Christian vocabulary. Lot’s of people want to be “spiritual”... “how’s your spiritual life doing?” or your “spiritual walk”. But, how often do you hear “How’s your pursuit of holiness going?”.
One reason for this goes right along with my opening slide; the term “Holy” seems to have been watered down over time. How many times have you heard “You have holes in the knees of your jeans, will you be wearing them to church, their ‘holy’ now?”. And everyone knows about the Batman and Robin TV series from the sixties, where “Holy” was the normal beginning of most of Robin’s remarks. This was even spoofed a couple of years ago in one of the recent Batman movies. When Batman and Robin arrive at the hideout of Two Face and Joker, Robin exclaims “Holy rusted metal Batman”, which perplexes Batman greatly until Robin explains, “The island, it’s made out of metal, and it’s rusted with holes.”
Let’s not forget he negative connotation that has also fallen upon our view of “Holy”. Comments such as “Holier than thou” or “Holy roller” doesn’t help.
But, the fact is, we are called to be Holy, God has given us that command. Beginning with Moses, God said in Leviticus 11:44 “I am the Lord your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy”. And again in 20:7 it reads “Consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am the Lord your God.” And you may be saying, “But that’s the Old Testament, and the Law, i thought we were no longer under the law.” OK, lets look at the New Testament.
Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Tim 1:9, saying God “...saved us and called us to a holy life.” The Apostle Peter also reiterates the command given to Moses when he writes in 1 Peter 1:15-16 “But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written; “Be holy, because I am holy.”
God has given a very real call to live holy lives, and because of this, over the next three weeks we are going to look at 3 aspects of holiness. This week, our focus is on integrity, next week Tim will look into purity and follow that up with taming the tongue. Let’s begin with integrity now and turn with me to our text:
Proverbs 10:9
PRAYER
Begin: So what is integrity?
Webster’s defines it as: 1. an unimpaired condition: soundness, 2. firm adherence to a code of moral or artistic values: incorruptibility, 3. the quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness.
Notice some of the words used there, “firm”, “adherence”, “incorruptibility”, and “completeness”
Scripture often defines integrity in terms of a “walk”, how you maintain and handle yourself day to day. Our text says that the “Man of integrity walks securely.”
Let’s look at scriptural examples of integrity:
In 1 Kings 10:4, God makes a promise to Solomon, the writer of Proverbs that “If you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness...” that He (being God) would uphold the throne of Israel. But if he or any of his son’s would not observe the “commands and decrees” given to them they would be cut off.
If you look at the life of Solomon, you can see how this promise unfolds. Solomon, the son of David was the builder of the Temple, the “House of the Lord”. Solomon was the one blessed beyond measure in that offered Solomon anything his heart desired. Solomon asked for wisdom, God in turn provided for him all types of blessings, physically also, in light of this; 1 Kings 10:23 says... “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom...”. But, Solomon did not uphold his part of the deal. He was given wisdom, but somehow along the way, he felt that 700 wives were needed (insert comment about one being enough). Along with this he also took 300 concubines. This caused Solomon to stray (missionary dating), in 1 Kings 11:4 we find that “As Solomon grew old, his wives turned his heart after other gods, and his heart was not fully devoted to the Lord his God...” it goes on to say in verses 9-10 “The Lord became angry with Solomon because his heart had turned away from the Lord, the God if Israel, who had appeared to him twice. Although he had forbidden Solomon to follow other gods, Solomon did not keep the Lord’s command.”
Integrity begins with God, begins with following His word, living a life of holiness as God is holy.
The Christian organization for men called “Promise Keepers” which many of us are familiar with is based on the principle of being a man of integrity. It is being the same person, to all people, at all times; like the definition said: completeness.
Being a person of integrity means, literally, that who you are before other people, you are when you are alone, and most of all, before God. When it’s all said and done, we are performing for an audience of One.
We are to be accountable in our actions to those around us. Nothing can kill the witness of a Christian quicker than losing integrity. On the same note, having what could be a “holier than thou” attitude will also be the same.
Jesus tells us in Matthew 22:37-40 that the key to this is to first of all love God, and live in His love. And then to love others, as God loves you, and as God loves them.
Where are you today, are you living a life of integrity? Is the person that others see the same person that others do not see? Is your family life consistent with what the scriptures call for? Does your spouse get the real you? See Eph 5 and the Bill Mackey example. Do your kid’s see an open Bible that will lead them to God? Youth, do you relate to your parents in a way that God would approve? Are you working in your job in a way that is above reproach? How about school? Your church life?
Now, how about when you are alone? That is when integrity REALLY matters.
True integrity’s source is in the person of Jesus Christ. When we have surrendered to His Lordship, and our every moral decision is based upon our faith in Him and our dependence upon God, then we will see true integrity take place. Gal 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ...”
This was so for Job, who God said “He maintains his integrity.” Did you get that? God said that Job maintained his integrity. The audience of One, who was the witness to every second of Job’s life, said Job had integrity. Can the same be said of you? In those moments when it’s you against the world, how do you react? In those moments when it’s just you, how are you?
The reason we ask these questions can be found in the remaining part of our text: “He who takes crooked paths will be found out.”
I’ve never claimed to be a scientist, but i have noticed something, every evening when the sun goes down, it gets dark. Pretty cool huh? But not just that, 8-12 hours later, depending on the time of the year and your location, the sun comes right back up. And you’re saying, “OK genius, what’s the point?” When that sun comes up, the darkness is gone, the ability to hide that one once had, is no longer there. All is in the open to see, like it or not. So it is with our integrity, as the passage states, crooked paths are soon found out. You can only hide for so long is the point here.
Take as an example the animal kingdom, and how God created them. You have a lion; the coloration of a lion is such that is blends win perfectly with the plant life found on the African plains. A slight change in its color, darker or lighter, and its ability to hide is taken away, and it therefore loses its ability to hunt. The end result, the lion goes hungry. On the other hand, let’s look at what is being hunted, for example a herd of zebra. Their stripes are such that to a stalking lion that is color-blind to begin with, only sees lines. A zebra with no stripes becomes easy prey.
When our integrity falls short of what it should be, when it is questioned, it is like being one of these animals that may have a coloration problem. Our lack of integrity leads to a change in us that over time, all will notice. You practice questionable habits on the job, over time it will be found out. You cheat on one test that too can be found out later on. Sure, you may get away with it at first, but how long do you think it can last. You are unfaithful to your spouse, once again, in time. Even one occurrence can drastically change your relationship with your spouse. A “one night stand” becomes a lifetime of guilt.
Matthew 7:13-14 says: “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
We have two roads we can take. The narrow road, where integrity lies. It’s tight, maybe a little rigid, but in the end, you find life. Or, you can live the life that takes you to the wide and crooked path. Find a hole here, take this path there, fly by the seat of your pants when necessary, but never “let them see you sweat”. Deception will only lead to destruction.
So, now what, how do you live a life of integrity?
Here are a few tips:
1. Deal with the past (confession, repentance, and revival: Pat Robertson book and example of Charles Finney and the 2nd Great Awakening).
2. Search the Bible, see what it has to say about integrity and those who had/and did not have it.
3. Examine your daily walk with God.
4. Listen to your conscience.
5. Seek Godly counsel when needed.
6. Obey what you know laws, lessons from the past, etc. ...but always start with the Word of God.
James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what is says”
Living a life of integrity, it’s going to cost you. On your job, you may have to work a little extra, go that extra mile, and maybe even lose a little pride. At school, you may have to fail a time or two. At home, you may have to admit you’re wrong. People of integrity keep their word, even when it hurts; they are honest in their personal and business dealings, and they practice morality both in mind and body.
But, no matter what the cost is, the price is greater not to have integrity. Integrity and morality are not private matters, our society has fallen victim to that. It’s time for the church; most of all, to make a stand that “It’s ok...because it’s only (fill in the blank)” is not acceptable. But in order to see a reversal in society’s declining morals and ethics, it’s got to start with us, the Church. While the world screams out that there is no absolute truth and there is no “sin” we must determine to remain true and stand on God’s standards for ourselves, our families, and our church.
Invitation: Have you been living a life of integrity? A life that is beyond reproach that cannot be questioned? This has to be something both public and private. If not, are you ready to make that commitment today?
My message today was focused more on the believer, one who has already made a commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. But if you are here today and have not made that commitment, i want to remind you of a statement i made earlier: True integrity begins and end’s with the person of Jesus Christ. True integrity can only come under the lordship of Jesus Christ and in surrendering your life to him. Yes, you can make some right decisions if you are not a Christian, but in the end, they too lead to death. No matter how “good” your decisions and your actions are, they are not enough. The Bible clearly states in Romans 3:10 that there is no one righteous, not even one, and in Romans 3:23 that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So at best, our “good” is still not enough. Romans 6:23 says that our sins have earned us death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ his Son. Today, you can experience that life; you can begin a journey of true integrity and a pursuit of holiness that is life changing.
