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Walking in Integrity


Biblical integrity is to act righteously, to make righteous choices in all areas of a person’s life.  Christians are to act righteously, even when no one is watching.  Of course we know that God is always watching, so that statement is never true.

Many of the Psalms, including Psalm 26 speaks of walking in integrity.  David claims, twice, in Psalm 26 that he is walking in integrity.  He is so sure that he is, he tells God that he can be proven and tested.  In other words, David wants God to test his claims.  This is a bold request to make, because God knows David’s struggles and weaknesses and God can bring any and all forces to bear to test David.  Yet integrity is a theme in the Bible.  God wants his people, Jews in the Old Testament and Christians in the New Testament, to have integrity.  


Image result for integrityToday, people shun terms like integrity, character and righteousness.  Instead they champion self-expression and they celebrate the most heinous sins.  Yet, the most important thing to a person today is to “not get caught.”  When criminals are arrested, they are remorseful and very sorry.  Talking with them, people will usually find that they are sorry they got caught.  People who get caught will talk about unfairness and how wrong the system is.

Christians are not concerned about getting caught because Christians are people who walk in righteousness, people who do nothing against man’s law or God’s Law and if they do, they confess it and are forgiven.

One last point about integrity is that righteous living will not earn God’s love or respect or honor.  Nothing people do ever earns anything from God.  We are saved by grace, not by works, through faith.  The most righteous person on earth today is still saved by grace and lives with the imputed righteousness of Christ.  Our righteousness is filthy rags.  So why have integrity and character?  Because it is through righteous living that fulfillment, delight and joy in the Christian life comes.  If anyone wants to live a life for Christ that flows and makes sense, live a life of righteous integrity.  Integrity

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