Treasures New and Old

Christian Behavior: Integrity: A Walk through Proverbs

– Romans 6:4

So far we have looked at the new creatures that we, who are believers in Christ, are, and we looked at the fact that we are now children of God and children of the King – Jesus Christ. Let’s now say a few words about maturity as it relates to our identity in Christ but focused on Christian integrity. I would also remind you of the Seven Disciples’ Principles that we should remember and observe (as in guard, hold important). To review, look back at the first article of the Discipleship series.

Seven Principles Recap:

1. We must always strive to be like Him and understand that we can never be better than Him
2. Always remember that Christ is our Master – others may be teachers or counselors, or brethren, but He is our Master
3. The Master is coming back and will ask for an accounting
4. Hold fast to the truth, don’t stray, avoid the gray areas
5. Disciples serve one another – as our Master gave example
6. Stay in the Master’s Book
7. Be a vessel of honor

Where Do We Walk in Life?

How would a person define integrity? Synonyms such as honest, truthful, honorable, reliable, trustworthy, and upright aptly describe it. The American Dictionary of the English Language says the following:

[ . . . L. Integritas, from integer.]

 

1. Wholeness ; entireness ; purity, unbroken state . . .

2.The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind ; moral soundness or purity ; incorruptness ; uprightness ; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfer of property, and agencies for others. . . .

3. Purity ; genuine, unadulterated, unimpaired state . . .

In the Old Testament, the word integrity is translated from two Hebrew words: tom (Strong’s H8537) and tummah (Strong’s H8538). The words together mean perfect, upright, innocence, and purity. A person who has integrity walks in righteousness, without guile, honestly, and truthfully, He is a man that can be trusted, keeps his promises, and does not spin, twist, or corrupt the truth.

What I like about Proverbs, when seeking an understanding about some principle in the Scriptures, is the juxtaposition that occurs in each verse as the writer gives you the opposite idea, in this case, of integrity. Here are some examples that we will elaborate on after listing them all:

• Proverbs 10:9: “He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: [safely, with assurance, confidently, and hope (Wordsearch’s Strong’s H932)]: but he that perverteth [distort, pervert, crooked (Wordsearch’s Strong’s H6140)] his ways shall be known [declared, infamous, be made known, found out].”
  

• Proverbs 28:6: “Better [good, well, beautiful, gracious, cheerful, merry, pleasant, well favored (Strong’s H2896)] is the poor that walketh in his uprightness [in his integrity], than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich.”
  

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

• Proverbs 19:1: “Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips [liar, truce-breaker, vile speech, slanderer, gossiper, hateful, has no control over his tongue], and is a fool [stupid, silly, foolish (Strong’s H3684)].”
  

• Proverbs 20:7: “The just [righteous] man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed [happy] after him.”
  

• Proverbs 1:1-6: “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtlety to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.”

• Proverbs 12:22: “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight.”
  

• Proverbs 21:3: “To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”
  

• Proverbs 22:11: “He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of lips the king shall be his friend.”
  

So basically, Proverbs tells us that a person of integrity is a person who walks uprightly, and for the Christian, that means that he/she walks in the Spirit and follows after the principles of Christ.

Let me sum up the Proverb pluses:

A person of integrity:

• Walks uprightly, is just and righteous
• Walks safely with assurance
• Walks with hope
• Has a built-in moral compass to guide him/her
• Is pleasant, merry, happy, and has good will
• Is not a liar; but instead is truthful
• Has control over his/her tongue – does not gossip, slander, or use vile and hateful speech
• Has (or will have) happy and blessed children
• Has God’s delight over them
• Is friend to authorities (i.e. the king)
• Is accepted by the LORD more than any sacrifice

The King James Bible version does not have the word integrity in the New Testament, but the concept is all over the New Testament. Here are just as few verses that provide insight into a person of integrity – especially a Christian person of integrity:

• Luke 6:31: “And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.”
  

• Luke 16:10: “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.”
  

• Acts 24:16: “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.”
  

• Romans 9:1: “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,”
  

• 2 Corinthians 4:1-2: “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 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 Corinthians 8:21: “Providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the sight of men.”
  

• Ephesians 6:4-8: “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.”

• Philippians 2:12-16:
  

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.

• Philippians 4:8-9: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.”
  

• Colossians 3:23: “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;”
  

• 1 Timothy 1:5: “Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.”
  

• Titus 1:6-9: “If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not self-willed, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.”
  

• Titus 2:6-8: “Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded. In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine showing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.”
  

• Hebrews 13:18: “Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.”
  

• James 4:17: “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”

• 1 Peter 2:12: “Having your conversation [behavior, speech, actions] honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation [may not acknowledge it here on earth, but one day, at the judgment, they will have no choice but to admit that you walked with integrity].”
  

• 1 Peter 3:16: “Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.”
  

The above verses are a small fraction of the verses that I could have quoted. Read and reread them and purpose in your heart to be a Christian person of integrity!

Remember – You Are a New Creature!

Don’t feel like it yet?

• Colossians 3:10: “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:”
  

Maranatha!

May God bless you all!

Bro. Joe

Strong, J. Strong’s Talking Greek_Hebrew Dictionary. Wordsearch. (2020). Wordsearch Bible. [computer software] . Nashville, TN: LifeWay Christian Resources. (Original work published 1890).

Strong, J. Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries. Meyers, R. (2005). e-Sword. [computer software] . Franklin, TN: Equipping Ministries Foundation. (Original work published 1539)

Webster, Noah. Noah Webster’s First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language Facsimile Fifth Edition. San Francisco, CA now at Chesapeake Bay, VA: The Foundation for American Christian Education. 1987. (Original work published 1828)

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