29th October 2019
INTEGRITY
David Abankwah
READ: Job 2:9
Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show INTEGRITY, dignity,
-Titus 2:7 | ESV
In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word “tom” or “tummah” translated integrity means the condition of being without blemish, completeness, perfection, sincerity, soundness, uprightness and wholeness. Integrity in the New Testament means honesty and adherence to a pattern of good works. Job was a perfect example of someone in the Old Testament who withheld his integrity in the midst of losing so many things in life and his ministry. When all odds were against him, his wife even fueled the crisis up by providing various cheeky means in forcing him to lose all the integrity he had in God.
In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is the perfect example of a man of integrity. After He was baptised, He went into the wilderness as He was led by the Spirit of God to fast forty days and nights. During that time, Satan came to Him at his weakest physical condition to corrupt Him with temptations in order for him to lose His integrity as he did in the case of Job. Yet, Jesus Christ held up His integrity and overcame Satan. After this incident, Satan tried so many ways to let Him lose the integrity He has in the Lord. As He was wholly man and God at the same time, He was tempted so many ways, yet He never sinned (Hebrews 4:15).
Jesus Christ is the only one who was without blemish, perfect, completely truthful and always showing a pattern of good works for us to follow. We are called to be like Jesus Christ. In Him, we are new creations and can be considered without blemish before God when we follow in His footsteps (2 Corinthians 5:17). To live a life of integrity means aligning your life with the Word of God. Your life must be modelled as a key to fit into the lock of the Word of God, so that it can unlock the door of eternal life. There is a reward for those who walk in integrity. He who walks in integrity walks securely.
Integrity is best exhibited and proven in the midst of crisis. We can see that, Job and Jesus both proved their integrities when they went through losing, suffering, sacrificing and dying. One of the greatest inheritance we can leave for others to follow is a life of integrity. This is a legacy of faith that comes from living a life of truth. Integrity will protect us; give us confidence; help is make better decisions; reflect well on the Lord; set us apart from the crowd; create trust in others who look up to us; increase our impart and impact; extend our influence to those who fail to hold their integrity in the Lord.
Prayer Diary: In the midst of all losses, sacrifices, sufferings and deaths, Lord please strengthen me to hold up my integrity in you in the name of Jesus Christ I pray, Amen.
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David Abankwah 