A Man of God, A Man of Integrity

“Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips, and is a fool”. Proverbs 19:1

With out doubt of all the traits needed in the ministry of highest priority is integrity. It was King David in the Old Testament that spoke of the benefits of integrity. (Psalms 26:1-12)

It is notable the impact that a man of integrity has.

First God takes note of a person of integrity. On at least two different occasions it is recorded that God took note of a man’s integrity. The first is found in the book of Job. Job 2:3 “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is non like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.”

When a heathen king took Sara to wife God spared him from death because of his integrity. “Said he not unto me, She is my sister? And she, even she herself said, He is my brother: in the integrity of my heart and innocency of my hands have I done this. And God said unto him in dream, Yea, I know that thou didst this in the integrity of thy heart; for I also withheld thee from sinning against me: therefore suffered I thee not to touch her” (Genesis 20:5-6).

Secondly we read of Job’s wife recognizing his integrity was keeping him from doing something foolish. Job 2:9 “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? Curse God, and die”.

Thidly a man of integrity protects his children by his actions. “The just man walketh in his integrity: his children and blessed after him.” Proverbs 20:7

Because of limited space it is not possible to cover all of the benefits of being a man of integrity, however, just a look at the dictionary will give us a good reason to pursue the matter in both our studies and in our life style.

Integrity: 1. Steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code. See Synonyms at honesty. 2. The state of being unimpaired; soundless. 3. The quality or condition of being whole or undivided; completeness. [Middle English integrite, from Old French, from Latin integritas, soundness, from integer, whole, complete.¹

Integrity Probity of principles and practices: integrity, honesty, honor, honorableness, incorruptibility, uprightness, moral soundness, virtue, purity, morality. Antonyms: duplicity, deceit, immorality, dishonor. Correspondence with fact or truth: veracity, accuracy, correctness, faithfulness, fidelity, truthfulness, honesty, integrity, frankness, openness, sincerity, exactness, verity, exactitude, precision. Antonyms: untruthfulness, deception, deceit, falsehood, fabrication.

The moral quality of a course of action: morality, moralness, ethicalness, integrity, propriety, righteousness, rightness. Antonyms: immorality, unethicalness, impropriety. The state of being whole: completeness, entirety, integrity, oneness, totality, wholeness.

Probity: Complete and confirmed integrity; uprightness:  Probity Moral excellence: uprightness, goodness, decency, morality, probity, rectitude, righteousness, rightness, virtue, virtuousness. Antonyms: dishonesty, crookedness, fraudulence, unscrupulousness.

Antonyms: partiality, incompleteness.

by David O. Walters