Introduction:

“Being a Man of Integrity”

LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?   He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; (Psalms 15:1-2 NKJV)

1.       God commands His people to live apart from the world.

Do not compromise

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. (Romans 12:2 NKJV)

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; (1 Peter 2:9 NKJV)

I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (Psalms 138:2 NKJV)

1.      Always view God’s Word as the ultimate authority

2.      Integrity means being true to one’s ethical standards, in our case, God’s standard

In the Church

1.      The Lord has no patience for those who are in leadership, but lack integrity by definition they are hypocrites.

"Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. (Matthew 23:3 NKJV)

"Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? (Matthew 23:33 NKJV)

To the man of integrity, God promises blessings.

And the LORD said to him: "I have heard your prayer and your supplication that you have made before Me; I have consecrated this house which you have built to put My name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually.   "Now if you walk before Me as your father David walked, in integrity of heart and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments,   "then I will establish the throne of your kingdom over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, `You shall not fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' (1 Kings 9:3-5)

2.      I must maintain a life of integrity & God will bless, if I don’t God will curse especially because I am in leadership!

2.       Remember that I have a new life in Christ.

I have been totally transformed

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV)

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. (Galatians 2:20 NKJV)

Demonstrate a changed life

This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind,   having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (Ephesians 4:17-19 NKJV)

Be centered on Christ

But you have not so learned Christ, (Ephesians 4:20 NKJV)

Strip off the old self & put on the new self

That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24 NKJV)

1.      Colossians 3 and Romans 6 characterize this exchange as a union with Jesus Christ in His death and resurrection.

2.      This can also be described as the death of the “old self” and the resurrection of the “new self”, who now walks in “newness of life.”

3.      To compromise this new self—is the greatest injustice I can do to God.  He saved me, transformed me, and gave me a new nature, & renewed my mind.

4.      The capacity to live a life of integrity is inherent in my new nature.

3.       Leadership.