Photo by Christian Buehner on Unsplash
It amazes me that over two decades into the 21st century, integrity is being relegated to phobic belief.
For example, according to the Oxford Dictionary, integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles [guidelines to ensure you are doing the right thing]; moral uprightness. (Emphasis added)
However, today, in 2024, if your moral principles are to address people by saying yes ma’am and yes sir, you are being gender-phobic and risk offending someone.
How do you reconcile that with your life as a Christ-follower?
You reconcile it by understanding that your actions speak louder than your words. There is an old saying: People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Your actions, over your words, show that you care.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.”
Matthew 5:9 The Message
You reconcile it by choosing to believe the Word of God over the current culture. This does not mean you need to be offensive by insulting someone; it may mean holding your tongue in an uncomfortable situation.
“You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom.”
Matthew 5:10 The Message
You reconcile it by realizing your life is a living light in the earth’s growing darkness. The smallest candle gives off enough light to illuminate its surroundings.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill.”
Matthew 5:14 The Message
Consider this:
As opinionated as the Apostle Paul was, do you think he did not have an opinion about the Roman government?
Do you think following his conversion, he did not have an opinion about the religious council he had devoted his life to following?
Do you think the Apostle Peter did not have an opinion about the Roman government or religious leaders?
The answer is yes, of course they did.
The question is, why can’t you find anything about it in the Bible?
If you think about it, throughout the New Testament, only Jesus said negative things about the religious leaders and nothing negative about the Roman government.
These things are not found in the New Testament writings (apart from Jesus’ comments) because they have no place in Christ-followers’ lives.
As the active agent of the Godhead, God the Holy Spirit did not direct them to write about their opinions.
Jesus spoke in a negative tone about the religious leaders to convey the Godhead’s anguish regarding religion.
How does this help me live a righteous life in an unrighteous world?
It helps you understand that your opinions about life are not the driving force for living your life.
It helps you understand that the Word of God is about growing a close personal relationship with the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).
It helps you by understanding the things you see and hear are not to determine how you live your life.
The Apostle Peter touches on this in his second letter when he speaks about end-of-time scoffers who argue that life goes on, and nothing changes.
Peter’s response is,
“First off, you need to know that in the last days, mockers are going to have a heyday. Reducing everything to the level of their puny feelings, they’ll mock, “So what’s happened to the promise of his Coming? Our ancestors are dead and buried, and everything’s going on just as it has from the first day of creation. Nothing’s changed.” They conveniently forget that long ago all the galaxies and this very planet were brought into existence out of watery chaos by God’s word.”
II Peter 3:3-5 The Message
It is essential to understand that in addressing the mockers, Peter refers to the Bible, in this case, the Old Testament book of Genesis.
The point is that I may have an opinion that is tainted by a post-Christian worldview; however, to remain a righteous Christ-follower, I must put my opinion aside and embrace what the Word of God says.
Consider this:
“The religion scholars and Pharisees led in a woman who had been caught in an act of adultery. They stood her in plain sight of everyone and said, “Teacher, this woman was caught red-handed in the act of adultery. Moses, in the Law, gives orders to stone such persons. What do you say?”
John 8:3-5 The Message
Jesus did not condemn her.
The religion scholars and Pharisees saw him keeping this kind of company and lit into his disciples: “What kind of example is this, acting cozy with the riff-raff?”
Mark 2:16 The Message
Jesus did not beat them up with his words.
Jesus said, “The one to whom I give this crust of bread after I’ve dipped it.” Then he dipped the crust and gave it to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot.
As soon as the bread was in his hand, Satan entered him. “What you must do,” said Jesus, “do. Do it and get it over with.”
John 13:6-7 The Message
Jesus understood the greater purpose even though it grieved him.
How do I maintain integrity in an unrighteous world?
I maintain integrity with my choices.
I choose to follow Jesus more than express my opinion.
I choose to live by Biblical principles over submitting to current cultural beliefs.
I choose to be a witness for Christ by loving as Jesus did.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead provides you a living hope. It is a living anticipation full of expectation of something good happening.
A close personal relationship with the Godhead is a journey. I invite you to follow along. As I learn, I will pass it along so you, too, can learn. I hope that as you learn, you can pass it along so that I (and others) might learn.
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