Integrity, Holiness, What are they?

Proverbs 16:7 – When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

1Kings 9:4-5 – 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.’

Integrity is otherwise known as sincerity, honesty and transparency. It is an attribute of being consistent in your word regarding the state of things. To find things the way a person described, it is an indication of integrity. Holiness is a lifestyle of holy living. It is living by God’s standard. It is taking the high road in a world of compromise.

Today, we will explore these two important components of Christian living and draw out their benefit to enhance our walk in Christ. It is integrity that makes a person honourable not titles as some people make us believe. Please be aware that honour before man is not the same as honour before God. Integrity starts within by a quality decision to see to it that your word is consistent with what you are talking about and not otherwise. Integrity makes you consistent and not like a chameleon that changes with every circumstance. It gives people a perception of you as a man or woman of your word. Integrity starts with the individual not a group. Whenever you find people, complaining about an organisation, a place or a Country, ask them if they are sowing worthy seeds to achieve the harvest of the level of integrity they desire.

People expect honesty from their politicians and their leaders but they steal products from the office where they work and come late to work but claim they came early. Where is integrity in that? As they say charity begins at home. Be honest with yourself first then you will be able to be honest with others. This attribute is essential because if you are not faithful in what is another man’s, who shall commit to you your own.

It is true that when we came into Christ we received the gift of righteousness and we became the righteousness of God in Christ. But it is our spirit that became born again not our minds. That is why we need to renew our mind with God’s word to enable us to live in accordance with God’s standard. Righteousness is a gift but Holiness is a choice of godly lifestyle. You develop a holy lifestyle by living by God’s standard. For example, you may be a Christian but still lie, cheat or mess around like you used to do before you came to know Christ. But it is over to you to decide to embrace your new standard of living by refusing to do things the way you used to do them. Through the help of the Holy Spirit you live a holy life daily. Righteousness is your new nature but Holiness is the walking in accordance with that new nature daily. That is why people are surprised whenever they see a Christian live an ungodly life because the person is not living up to the standard of their professed new life.

The difference between integrity and Holiness is this, with integrity you only need to be sincere and transparent but you can be sincerely wrong in description and perception of a thing based on your limited information or depth and not all sincere people are holy. But with Holiness you live by God’s standard, which is the highest standard of living. It includes integrity or honesty as it is otherwise called. Integrity is both a moral and spiritual standard. So, for your integrity to move God and move mountains you must be Godly. That is why all human righteousness without Christ is like filthy rags. The gift of righteousness in Christ sets the pace for Holy living but daily holy living is the building blocks of Holiness.

Finally, it is important to know that to have a holier than thou attitude is an indication that you have forgotten that you yourself was once a sinner that is now redeemed. So you should handle the truth with mercy. I see you walk in integrity and Holiness from this day forward in Jesus mighty name.

For Further Study

Proverbs 25:21 , Psalm 26:1, 1 Kings 9:4-5

Personal declaration for the day

I chose to be a person of integrity and holiness. I recognise that I have no righteousness of my own; therefore I walk in the righteousness which Christ has given me and flourish in it

Questions for you to reflect on

How have you demonstrated integrity lately?

Do you parade yourself with the holier than thou attitude or a model or true purity?