A GODLY MAN’S INTEGRITY

INTEGRITY NEEDED

The judge in summing up said, “You have had this coming for some time. I sentence you to five years in prison for fraud.” One of the lawyers asked if the four men so sentenced could say farewell to their families. The judge replied, “No, they should have thought of that before they defrauded others.”

During the pre sentencing appeals the lawyers pleaded for the judge to be lenient. These were decent men with loving families. Men who were active in their church and had formed a Bible study group together. They said, “These men are good decent men who got lost in the grey area and made some bad mistakes.” The Judge replied, “There are no grey areas, there is a black and white line and they crossed it knowingly!”

However there was one member of that Bible study group who was set free, John Michaels. When the others approached him to join this dubious financial scheme, he stepped right back and didn’t want to touch it with a ten-foot pole.

Why is it that so many “get lost in the grey area” and devastate their lives while others can take a clear stand and are found to be blameless? We all know of Sports people like Hansi Cronje who seem to be upright Christian citizens and yet are caught with their hands in the till. We know of Church Leaders, office bearers who got involved in sexually compromising situations and devastated their families, ministries and lives. Why is it that so many prominent or not so prominent people fall and fail the integrity test?

INTEGRITY PRESSURES

One of the reasons for this integrity failure is the popular approach to ethics called “situation ethics”. For many years people have been taught that there are no absolute laws and that the situation we live in determines what is right or wrong. That we make the best decision in a bad situation. This has resulted in more and more lawlessness and even a growing inability to judge what is best in a situation.

Today we find it easier to rationalise our bad behaviour blaming it on our background, personality type and we excuse ourselves from any personal responsibility.

Self-justification is often an immediate defense when we are caught out. We excuse our bad behaviour by saying that everybody is doing it. This kind of behaviour often ends up in ruining ones own life, devastating those close to us and damaging many others around us. What we need are men of integrity who will maintain their standards, clearly draw the line, not even go into the grey areas of life, no matter what the personal cost may be.

INTEGRITY DEFINED

The question then arises, What is a man of integrity and how is integrity maintained? The word “integrity” comes from the mathematics word “integer” which means to “be whole and unified”, “to be complete and open”. It means to be “undivided without duplicity or pretence”. It means to be “consistent”. What is on the inside is shown on the outside.

A person of integrity when he speaks, his yes is yes and his no is no. He keeps his word even if it hurts him. A person of integrity is careful about making commitments because he keeps them all. A person of integrity has private and public standards that are the same everywhere. Job is a clear example of such integrity. Job 2:3.

INTEGRITY BENEFITS

If being a person of integrity costs so much then why keep ones integrity. Well, there are many benefits of being a person of integrity. Here are just a few.

Integrity pleases God and He honours those with an upright heart. 1 Chron 29:17 – I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with Integrity. Integrity provides security and preserves the upright man from stress. Prov 10:9 – The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. Integrity guides the upright man through the grey pitfalls of life Prov 11:3 – The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. Integrity gives a man credibility and influence. Psa 78:72 – And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands He led them. INTEGRITY DEVELOPMENT

If integrity is so desirable and there are so many benefits how can a man develop his integrity?

Value the integrity of the heart as something precious to guard. “As for you, if you walk before me in integrity of heart and uprightness, as David your father did, 1 Kings 9:4. Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Prov 4:23 2. Decide beforehand never to compromise or be defiled – Psa 15:1-2 “LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart

3.Draw a clear line on your limits of behaviour and step well back from it. If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it.” Gen 4:5

Be on your guard at all times. Guard your mind, eyes and the little things. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable– if anything is excellent or praiseworthy– think about such things. Phil 4:8

“I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. Job 31:1

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” Luke 16:10

Be accountable to others. Because our heart is deceitful above all else we need to be involved in a small prayer triplet for objective accountability. As it says in James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other.” INTEGRITY BASIS

Who has ever kept such standards of integrity? Who then qualifies to be a man of integrity? How could David after all that he did be called a man of integrity. The clue is in Psa 51:6-10 – “Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me and I will be whiter than snow. …Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

David depended on God’s forgiving and cleansing grace to make him a man of integrity. He depended on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to walk in integrity and to maintain it.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

WHAT ARE SOME OF THINGS THAT HINDER MEN FROM BEING A MAN OF INTEGRITY? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DEVELOP THE MOST THIS MONTH TO STRENGHTEN YOUR INTEGRITY?

by Bill Van Shie

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Shalom! Rowland Croucher or

Director, John Mark Ministries: counseling and consulting services for pastors, ex-pastors, church leaders and managers. (Library, Bookroom and F.W. Boreham Trading Post)

Website (3,400+ articles): http://jmm.aaa.net.au Homepage: http://skyfamily.com/rcroucher/index.html F.W.Boreham page: http://skyfamily.com/rcroucher/index2.html