How can we live a life of integrity?  Before we can even look at the answer it is necessary to look at what integrity actually means.

Some words you could use to explain “integrity” are things like

• Trustworthy
• sincerity,
• uprightness,
• honesty
• adherence to a pattern of good works

Having integrity is not about actively avoiding Sin it’s about focusing upon positive virtues that’s simply give Sin no where to dwell within you.

When pressed, I suspect many Christians want to live a life that matters. for many  a life that matters seems to mean important meetings with important people making important decisions. However, this is not the life to which God calls us.

There are some who are called by God to do important things with integrity, but many have mistakenly equated goodness with greatness and this can often result in a life or indeed a ministry where someone knows all the right things to say, do, or write to gain a following, but everyday life isn’t really impacted.

If we look in to the Bible we can see that Jesus is the perfect example of a man of integrity. After He was baptized, He went into the wilderness too fast for forty days and nights, during which time Satan came to Him at His weakest to try to break His integrity and corrupt Him.

At this time Jesus was was tempted in every way we are, yet He never sinned and  that is the strongest definition of integrity you will probably every find.

Jesus is the only person who was ever without blemish, perfect, completely truthful, and always showing a pattern of good works.

When we are doing well and not just displaying a life of integrity outwardly but also in our hearts having pure thoughts we are exercising a level of integrity the by-product of which is  the indwelling Holy Ghost at work in us, sanctifying us and making us more like Jesus .

It is by God’s power that we become a person of integrity.  We are called to obey God and, in so doing, to be people of uncompromised morality and integrity. As a follower of Christ, a person should do all they can to adhere to the truth and do good works.

“Integrity” in our world today implies moral incorruptibility. thus we should be those who cannot be bribed or compromised because we serve God rather than man.

A person of integrity should keep their word,we are to love those around us in both word and deed and Our lives should line up with our belief in God and by our actions show him this we have Faith that  His ways are best

Living with integrity in a world where the corrupt seem favoured, not to mention our battle with our own sin nature, is challenging. But consider this from 1 Peter …

[1 peter 3:12]

For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

We can also get some wise council on the subject from James where it states.

[James 1: 19-22]

1:19 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

1:21 Wherefore lay aside all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness, the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls.

1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

 

So back to the original question …

“How can we live a life of integrity?”

We must accept God’s call to live in his will and walk in the footsteps of Christ. We must live the kind of life that Jesus lived, even if no one is watching you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what is asked of you … follow Gods Commandments.” It’s simple, and it’s difficult. And it’s all that God asks.