Dr. Aaron Perdue

Every day, we should live a life of integrity by aligning our actions with our beliefs. How else will people see Jesus in us? My wife and I work with the youth at our church, and we always tell them to live a life of integrity like Jesus did. I want them to know that they will stand out among their peers when they show integrity. People are looking to see hope for the youth, and when their lives match their Christian beliefs—it shows!

The American Heritage Dictionary defines integrity as “a steadfast adherence to a strict moral or ethical code.” Maybe you’ve noticed that integrity isn’t talked about much these days and isn’t seen in the lives of many in top leadership roles across the different sectors of life. Each year, a few ministry leaders have disastrous consequences when they act contrary to the truths of God. We’ve all known people who lacked integrity and lived by the standard of “Do as I say, not as I do.” So, do we assume that living a life of integrity in today’s world is impossible? To answer that, let’s do what we should do whenever we face a tough question—look in the Bible!

What is integrity in the Bible?

If we look at the New Testament in the life Jesus lived here on the earth, we see that Jesus exemplified living a life with integrity. He was united with the Father and did nothing against God’s words. Sometimes, people dismiss Jesus as a robot programmed to be perfect. Jesus was God, but also human, so He could accomplish the task of being the sacrifice for our sins. The devil tempted Jesus and could have taken the easy route of compromise. He combatted temptation by quoting Scripture. Knowing God’s Word will prepare you to align your actions with what the Word of God says. God’s Word doesn’t change based on polls or cultural norms. You can always live with integrity when you follow what the Bible says.

Several “integrity” Bible verses show the benefits of living in alignment with biblical truths. In 1 Peter 2:12, Peter warns, “Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles…they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God …” We must align our actions with our beliefs so that people will be drawn toward God. We don’t want our lack of integrity to be why someone doesn’t want to follow Jesus. Our integrity can help people see Jesus and want to make Him their Savior.

How to Live with Integrity

I believe the Bible is the best guidebook for life, and when I follow it, I find it shows me how to align my actions with what it says. When I ignore the truths in the Bible and take the easy route of compromise, I find things wind up in disaster very quickly. It is like when my family travels to a new place; we want to see and do all we can, so I look for the best travel guide I can find. If I follow the guidebook, then my family vacation is fantastic. When I ignored the guidebook, we had some disastrous situations.

The Bible shows some traits to help us live a life of integrity. Galatians 5:22–23 is helpful because it lists the fruit of the Spirit that I want to have evident in my life: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When I align my actions with these traits, I walk with integrity.

To me, one of the most important reasons to live a life of integrity is found in Proverbs 20:7, “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.” I want my children blessed. I don’t want my children to see me live a life different from what I preach on Sunday and teach them daily at home. I know that every time I choose integrity, not only will I walk in blessings and favor from God, but my family will reap the benefits, too!

Pastor Lawson Perdue has several series that will help you align your actions with the Bible as you seek to live a life of integrity. Each of these series is available for free download at charischristiancenter.com. Search in the shop for Abundant Living, Complete in Christ, Destined to Win, The Testimony of Jesus, and Spirit of Excellence Parts I & II—Lessons from Joseph.

Visit https://www.charischristiancenter.com/ if you wish to know more!