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It's sad that in this day and time not more is made about a man's integrity. In fact it's the lack of it that has eroded the very foundation of Christianity. We are called out to be honest and moral people. Even more than that, we are called to be imitators of Christ. No one, and I mean no one, walked the face of the earth who lived with more integrity.

The benefits of Integrity are numerous.

It preserves us:

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee. Psalm 25:21

It guides us:

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. Proverbs 11:3

It gives us confidence that our actions are righteous:

He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. Proverbs 10:9

We will be judged by it:

The LORD shall judge the people: judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. Psalm 7:8

So then, what is Integrity? A simple definition would be honesty and steadfastness despite the circumstances.

Consider this:

An old man walks up to a pretty young lady and says, “I find you attractive and I was wondering would you sleep with me?”

Stunned by the man's boldness, she angrily replies, “Sir, you insult me.”

“I'm sorry for my frowardness but I'm old and I am going to die soon. My wife is already dead and I wish for the pleasure of a woman before I pass away. You see I was not asking you for free, I am very rich and my money will do me no good in the grave. How about a million dollars.”

The lady looks at him, thinks it over, and replies, “I see. In that case sir, when do you want to meet me?”

“That's great!” exclaims the man. “Well, how about sleeping with me for 50 thousand instead?”

Again in shock, she says, “Sir, what do you take me for, a prostitute?”

Confused, he replies, “We've already established that you're a prostitute. We're just haggling over the price.”

The moral is clear, - we should clearly have morals. Integrity is honesty and steadfastness no matter what the circumstances. The price of the offer should have nothing to do with being unwilling to sleep with someone who is not her husband.

As I write this, I know that there are many readers who would also consider the offer. There are some who will try to skirt the issue with “what if she's not married?”

To that, I ask, “Are you a Christian?”

If the answer is “no,” then you are not expected to have integrity anyway. You don't have to live by the laws of a King you have not accepted.

If the answer is “yes,” then I would say that you are under commandment:

Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. ³ Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto her husband. (1 Corinthians 7:2-3)

It is clear that the bodies of a husband and a wife are meant for each other alone. If I wish to share my body, then I must get a spouse. So then, the question now becomes, where is your integrity. If the person is not your spouse, sleeping with them is fornication.

Integrity is part of our everyday lives. It tells us exactly who we are. God sees fit to test our integrity in ways we can't imagine. God wants us to see ourselves for who we are. He wants us to improve in holiness and become a person worthy of a spiritual promotion.

Examples are plenteous.

Example 1

You see someone drop their wallet, but since they are too far ahead of you to catch, you decide to mail it to them. (This is integrity).

You look inside the wallet and not only is the name and address present, there are two crispy one hundred dollar bills. Do you take the money or do you mail the wallet back complete? (A test of integrity).

Example 2

You go to the grocery store. It is packed and the new cashier is clearly rattled. She rushes you through so you take your groceries and go. Halfway home you look at the receipt and your change. She accidentally gave you twenty dollars to much! Do you turn around and go back?

Example 3

You and your girlfriend break up over the phone and you promise to give her back the laptop you borrowed. Before she gets to your house, you find a letter confirming that she's been dating your best friend behind your back! She accidentally left the laptop receipt in your car when you took her to the store. Do you give the laptop back or claim that it's yours?

In case you don't know, the answer is yes to all three examples. I've even heard people say that the first two, (finding a wallet full of money or too much change at the store), are simply God's way of blessing us. I thank them for their insight, they prove my point exactly. That kind of thought process says volumes about your integrity.

I do agree that it's from God, but it's not a blessing, it's a test, a test of integrity.

As for the example of the laptop computer. Two wrongs don't make a right. We are not responsible for what others do to us, only for what we do to others.

Let me say clearly that the America we live in today is lacking so much integrity it's a wonder that the Lord has not come back for His church.

We see teachers sleeping with students, bosses with secretaries; CEO's of companies stealing pensions, people breaking leases, landlords failing to provide utilities, students cheating on tests, athletes taking illegal performance enhancing drugs, people bootlegging movies and burning CD's that rob others of profits, we see frivolous law suits and slander, and fornication and homosexuality are at all time highs.

But worst of all, we see the ministers and leaders of God's flock selling out the uncompromising word of God for money and prestige.

I'm not talking about ministers who do it ignorantly, which is simply to say that they just don't know any better. I'm talking about the ones who rebelliously say in their hearts, “I know what the Bible says, but I'm gonna do it my way anyhow.” This kind of attitude suggests that they are right and God is wrong. This is nothing new. Many today see the Bible as an outdated book. Many men think that they know what they are doing despite it being in contrast with God's word.

Remember this: There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

(Proverbs 16:25)

Consider this:

A daycare has a playroom with a two way mirror.

Children are placed in the room with a bowl of candy and told, “don't touch the candy until I come back.”

As long as you are standing there, things will likely be fine.

But as soon as you leave the room and stand behind the two way mirror, things change. The children start to do exactly what you told them not to.

They can even know that there is a two way mirror but something about not being able to see you makes them rationalize that you won't see them.

There is something in man's sinful nature, (and the fact that God is invisible), that makes him commit atrocities. Don't be fooled, just like the people behind the glass, God sees all.

But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (Matthew 12:36)

Our sinful nature is precisely why after we give our lives to Christ, we not only make Him our Savior (to save us from the penalty of death in hell), we make Him our Lord (the King who we follow). Not only do we accept His grace and love, we reciprocate them.

The problem with the children in the playroom is their lack of integrity. Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one can see us. Notice also, that man lacks integrity from childhood. Thankfully, this is not a permanent condition, it can be changed with a true relationship with Christ.

Jesus not only came to save us, but to make us “new creatures.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Honesty

Part of having integrity is being honest. Honesty is being able to see the truth about something and confessing that truth. Being honest is often painful because it sometimes means facing a truth that we don't like. Amazingly, there are many that claim to be the children of God and go woefully lacking in both. Honesty and Integrity are absolute must haves in the Christian life and should not be treated as negotiable. The scriptures are clear.

God commands it in our actions.
For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty 1 Tim 2:2

For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:

Rom 13:3

Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates

2 Cor 13:7

God commands it in our speech.
Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity. 1 Tim 2:7

Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another Eph 4:25

It is one of the ways others can see we know God.
The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him.Prov 20:7

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth 3 John 4

We should meditate on doing what is right and do it from the heart.
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever thingsare lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things Phil 4:8

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:15

We should avoid everything that is dishonest.
Behold, therefore I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. Eze 22:13

But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God

2 Cor 4:2

Only honesty is what frees us. It is what saves us. It is what makes us recognize the truth of the Gospel.
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

Honesty may often not be appreciated by others. Many want to hide in their lies and be covered in darkness. The truth is a light that exposes wickedness and often creates resentment.
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? Gal 4:16

We are not to worry about the anger of the wicked. We are supposed to fear God and not man!
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known Matt 10:26-28

The most difficult type of honesty is honesty about the failures in ourselves. It's difficult enough to accept the shortcomings of those we hold dear. It's even more difficult to accept our own shortcomings. For example, many people will deny that they have a cheating spouse no matter what signs they see. There could be late night phone calls, lipstick on shirt collars, a change in work habits, a disinterest in sex, and sudden silence when you walk into a room that was previously brimming with conversation. Still, our fear of pain can completely mask us to the obvious. It's just easier lie to ourselves.

What about you? If you fail the first test of integrity and cheat on your spouse, do you also fail the second and lie to them about it? More often than not, people do. You will probably begin to lie to yourself and blame your spouse for your cheating. You will most likely say that you deserve this immoral relationship for such and such reason. The bottom line is, if we can lie to ourselves, what makes lying to others hard?

The reality of bending our morals is that it becomes an addictive and destructive habit. It becomes a black hole of deception that sucks us ever so deeper into a prison of sin. As you can see, there will always be second chances to get things right and there will always be tests of our integrity.

Before we can be honest with God, we must first be honest with ourselves, this means in both the good and the bad. Being honest not only means in what we do but in what we feel. Although some people wrongly teach that a Christian is never to get sad, angry, or depressed, some of the most respected biblical people have had their bouts of doubt and depression.

Moses prayed for death after Israel continued to complain after leaving Egypt.

¹¹ And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me? ¹² Have I conceived all this people? have I begotten them, that thou shouldest say unto me, Carry them in thy bosom, as a nursing father beareth the sucking child, unto the land which thou swarest unto their fathers? ¹³ Whence should I have flesh to give unto all this people? for they weep unto me, saying, Give us flesh, that we may eat. ¹⁴ I am not able to bear all this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. ¹⁵ And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness.

(Numbers 11:11-15)

It was clear that John the baptist believed that Jesus was Christ, the Son of God after John baptized Him,

³² And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. ³³ And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. ³⁴ And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

(John 1:32-34)

But his faith in Jesus was clearly shaken after he was left in prison for rebuking a rulers adulterous affair. Maybe he thought that if Jesus was indeed the Messiah that Jesus would get him out. At any rate John sent his disciples to ask Jesus a question which John himself had earlier confirmed.

Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples, ³ And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? (Matthew 11:2)

Job, after enduring intense physical and mental anguish, wished he had never been born.

¹ After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day. ² And Job spake, and said, ³ Let the day perish wherein I was born, and the night in which it was said, There is a man child conceived. ⁴ Let that day be darkness; let not God regard it from above, neither let the light shine it.

¹¹ Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?

(Job 3:1-4,11)

All these mighty servants of God made statements of despair which were all were answered by God. This proves that when we pray, God not only wants our faith, He wants our honesty.

It is amazing how people come face to face with their moment of Job and fail to meet one of Christianity's most basic requirements; honesty.

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)

People pray to God and refuse to mention that they are depressed, scared, or angry. Some are even angry with God Himself! The amazing part of all this is that God knows exactly what you're feeling anyway. If someone's love one has died and they are angry with God, God knows it even if they do not say so. God wants to heal, help and comfort us but we first must be honest. That being said, there is a respectful way to be honest. God is still God and we must always treat Him with reverence. There is nothing wrong with the honest out pouring of our hearts, but there is never a time when we should treat God less than the King of Kings.

In the case of Job, his friends came and blamed his misfortune on sin. Job continued to defend himself against his attackers because integrity demanded it. He didn't do it because he wanted to appear righteous. His attackers were wrong.

God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me. Job 27:5

Job was in pain and he wanted answers for his condition but he would not admit to false charges. Imagine a man with such a moral standard that even when others searched for reasons to accuse him they could find none. I really believe that if one of their accusations were legitimate Job would of readily admitted to it, repented and prayed for God's forgiveness. Not knowing what he had done, was in fact more reason for his anguish. Job couldn't honestly think of a reason why God would be punishing him.

We are not only expected to humbly tell God how we feel, we are expected to confess to God what we do. Unfortunately, there are very few of us who honestly can't think of ways we have sinned against God. The reason for this is simple, Job had something that most of us lack, an extra helping of integrity.