Integrity

Integrity

Righteousness guards the man of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner.

Proverbs 13:6, NIV

People who are full of integrity are full of honesty, sincerity, and singleness of purpose. What prompts a person to have integrity, and what prohibits a person from living with integrity? Let’s take a look at two of the words in the verse above: righteousness and wickedness.

Our natural bent is toward wickedness. Romans 3:10 reminds us, “As the Scriptures say, ‘No one is good—not even one.’ ” Further down in Romans 3, we learn that the path to righteousness is not found by observing a law or moral code. Jesus had strong words for the Pharisees, people who were compulsive about following laws and codes: “You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are still filthy—full of greed and wickedness” (Luke 11:39).

How do we get rid of the wickedness inside us so we can live in righteousness and integrity? The remedy is found in a relationship: “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” (Romans 3:22, NIV). The blood of Jesus poured out on the cross for us is what makes righteousness possible—we trade our unrighteousness for his righteousness. And the whole process is done by faith, from start to finish. Just as we are declared righteous when we first put our faith in Christ, we live righteously by doing the same thing. The path to integrity is found through faith in Christ.

Pray this verse for yourself and those you love:

“And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11, NIV, emphasis added).