The Point of Purity Podcast

Episode 119 - Integrating Integrity

March 23, 2023 Steve Etner Season 3 Episode 119
The Point of Purity Podcast
Episode 119 - Integrating Integrity
Show Notes Transcript

God described Job as “the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless–a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity.” (Job 2:3) Can God say that about you? Are you a godly man (a godly woman) of complete integrity? Is it even possible?

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Scripture has much to say about integrity. God described Job as “the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless–a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity.” (Job 2:3) Can God say that about you? Are you a godly man (a godly woman) of complete integrity? Is it even possible? 

Welcome to The Point of Purity Podcast. A weekly study filled to the brim with the all the tools from Scripture you will ever need to build a lasting life of Biblical purity. Each episode is designed to help you discover how to skillfully handle the word of God as you choose to live in freedom! 

I’m your host, Steve Etner author, National speaker, and Purity Coach for the Pure Man Ministry ...  and this is episode #119 entitled “Integral Integrity!”

 

As we launch this episode on integrity, I want to challenge you to take a moment right now to ask God to “teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path.” (Psalm 27:11) As we dive into this topic of spiritual integrity, I ask you to be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit. To “stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your soul.” (Jeremiah 6:16)

OK, so as we begin, let’s focus our attention for a moment upon what God says about integrity.

“The godly walk with integrity.” (Proverbs 20:7 NLT)

“Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” (Proverbs 28:6)

“Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than a person who is perverse in speech and is a fool.” (Proverbs 19:1 NASB)

“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.” (Proverbs 11:3)

“Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but he who makes his ways crooked will be found out.” (Proverb 10:9)

“Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.” (Proverbs 28:18)

“May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.” (Psalm 25:21)“I have acted with integrity; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.” (Psalm 26:1)

“I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart.” (Psalm 101:2 NASB)

That’s a lot of verses. Why did we just take the time to quote them to you? Scripture has much to say about integrity. God described Job as “the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless–a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil. And he has maintained his integrity.” (Job 2:3 NLT) Can God say that about you? Are you a godly man (a godly woman) of complete integrity? Is it even possible? Before you answer that too quickly, let’s make sure you understand the question. Consider this, a person of integrity ...

§  ... “always takes pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.” (Acts 24:16)

§  a person of integrity ... understands that “the Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.” (Proverbs 28:29 NLT; compare Proverbs 21:3)

§  a person of integrity ... does not lie or cheat, but walks with God, living a good and righteous life that points others to Christ. (Malachi 2:6 compare Proverbs 12:22, Psalm 17:3) In other words, a person of integrity has “put away falsehood” and instead “speaks the truth with his neighbor.” (Ephesians 4:25) They do “not lie to one another, seeing that (they have) put off the old self with its practices.” (Colossians 3:9 addition mine) You see, “lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully (with integrity) are his delight.” (Proverbs 12:22 addition mine)

§  a person of integrity ... understands what is good according to God, and what God always requires them: “to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.” (Micah 6:8 NLT)

§  a person of integrity ... “walks in (God’s) statutes and keeps (God’s) rules by acting faithfully – he is righteous; he shall surely live, declares the Lord God.” (Ezekiel 18:9 additions mine)

§  a person of integrity ... is one who is “honest and fair, who refuse to profit by fraud, who stay far away from bribes, who refuse to listen to those who plot murder, who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong.” (Isaiah 33:15 NLT)

§  a person of integrity ... is one who treats others the same way they want to be treated (Luke 6:31).

§  a person of integrity ... is “one who loves purity of heart and whose speech is gracious.” (Proverbs 22:11 NASB) In other words, they have “clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.” (Psalm 24:3-4 compare Matthew 5:8)

§  a person of integrity ... is one who does not lust after another person (Matthew 5:28); does not look at porn, does not masturbate, does not do these things, and then try to keep them hidden.

§  a person of integrity ... is one who renounces secret and shameful ways; and does not use deception, nor distorts the Word of God (2 Corinthians 4:2).

§  a person of integrity ... is one who does “(their) best to present (themselves) to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) One who chooses to “speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

§  a person of integrity ... is one whose “aim (is) at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the sight of man.” (2 Corinthians 8:21 addition mine)

§  a person of integrity ... is one who is fully trusting in the Lord without wavering (Psalm 26:1).

§  And a person of integrity ... is one who is able to worship in God’s sanctuary and enter His holy presence because they “lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners and honor the faithful followers of the Lord, and keep their promises even when it hurts.” (Psalm 15:1-4 NLT)

That’s quite a list. So again, I ask: do you want to be known as a person of complete integrity? Proverbs 11:3 says, “The integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.” (KJV) Proverb 10:9 says, “People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will be exposed.” (NLT) And in Proverbs 28:18 we read, “Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.”

Living as a person of complete integrity is not a pipe dream; it’s not an impossibility. It begins with a pure heart. This is why Solomon exhorts, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) How are you doing with that?

A person of integrity is someone who is single-minded for God. Focused. Someone who can honestly echo the words of Psalm 119:10 “With all my heart I have sought you” and this “one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind I am reaching forward to what lies ahead.” (Philippians 3:13) God describes that single-mindedness this way: “You will seek me and find me when you search for me with all your heart.” A person of integrity is one who is single-minded for God. Someone who can cry out along with David, “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

A person of integrity is not only one who is what they say they are (a follower of Christ) but is also one who does what they say they’ll do (living unreservedly and wholeheartedly sold-out for God). 

“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.  If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey  God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him.” (1 John 2:3-5)

Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 warns, “When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for he takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow!” In other words, be a person of integrity and keep your word. 

The text goes on to say, “It is better that you not vow, than vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin, and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake.” In other words, don’t say “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t actually mean what I said.” The text in Ecclesiastes then asks, “Why should God be angry on account of your voice, and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words there is futility. Rather, fear God.” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-7 NASB) Simply put, A person of integrity keeps his word.

“If a man vows a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word. He shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” (Numbers 30:2)

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin. However, it is not a sin to refrain from making a vow. But once you have voluntarily made a vow, be careful to fulfill your promise to the Lord your God.” (Deuteronomy 23:21-33 NLT)

A person of integrity is always alert and aware of their surroundings–ensuring that they have “made a covenant with (their) eyes” (Job 31:1 addition mine) to always “Turn (their) eyes from looking at worthless things” (Psalm 119:37 addition mine).

As a person of integrity, you “let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze straight before you. (You) ponder the path of your feet; all your ways will be sure. (You) do not swerve to the right or to the left; (you) turn your foot away from evil.” (Proverbs 4:25-27 additions mine). Do you do that? Do you “ponder the path of your feet?” 

In other words, are you always aware and intentional about what you do and where you go? You see, “The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way” (Psalm 37:23) This is why you are to “make straight paths for your feet” (Hebrews 12:13). As the Old Testament book of Haggai 1:7 says, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways.” Ephesians 5:15 admonishes us to “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise.” Why? Because “a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.” (Proverbs 5:21) So, a man of integrity is always aware of his choices, attitudes, and behavior. A man of integrity says, “When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to (God’s) testimonies.” (Psalm 119:59 addition mine)

Challenges to your integrity and challenges to your purity come almost daily. Living as a person of integrity requires diligence. Laziness, especially in the area of purity, for the Christian is not a good thing.

“You shall diligently keep the commandments of the Lord your God, and his testimonies and his statutes, which he has commanded you.” (Deuteronomy 6:17)

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9)

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14)

“Therefore, beloved, ... be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace.” (2 Peter 3:14)

Let’s face it, we all struggle at some level with laziness. This is why God’s word is so strong on the necessity of diligence. You see, “the soul of the lazy one craves and gets nothing, but the soul of the diligent is made prosperous.” (Proverbs 13:4 NASB) This is why Proverbs 10:4 tells us that “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.” (NIV’84) “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.” (Proverbs 12:24 NLT)

So, what does all this have to do with integrity? For that matter, how does this fit with our podcasts on purity? Scripture is clear that God has “commanded (His) precepts to be kept diligently.” (Psalm 119:4) The “wealth” we receive through diligence includes integrity and purity as we seek to diligently apply God’s truth to our hearts and live out God’s principles in our daily lives. So, again I ask: are you a person of integrity?

 

OK, we’re going to hit the pause button here until next week’s episode as we look forward to continuing this study on the importance of being a man / woman of integrity. 

If you would like to learn more about today’s study, or if you’re interested in learning more about The Pure Man Ministry, and more specifically how we can help you live in freedom from sexual sin, be sure to visit our website to see the multitude of resources we’ve made available to you – you can find our website at ThePurityCoach.com

Now before I close out this episode, I WANT TO REMIND YOU OF SOME VERY, VERY EXCITING NEWS I shared with you in last week’s episode!

 

After 11 years of testing, I am excited to announce the release of “The Point of Purity” Workbook! Available now on Amazon. This workbook is the accumulation and culmination of 11 years of coaching, mentoring, and counseling men in the area of sexual addiction and purity.

 

The Point of Purity” Workbook is a 12-week accountability study of God’s Word focused on equipping and training men and women on how to overcome an addiction to lust, porn and masturbation. Throughout this workbook you and your accountability partner or small group walk through Scripture together, sharing from God’s Word how you can be free. Each week you are equipped with powerful tools from Scripture that will help you not only BE free, but LIVE free. You will learn how to effectively change your thought process when faced with temptation (not just sexual temptation, but actually any and all temptation). You will discover how to submit yourself to God, standing firmly against the temptation and successfully resist it every time. 

The Point of Purity” Workbook is a twelve-week journey through Scripture to help you discover the point of purity. Why should I be pure? What's wrong with a little "forbidden pleasure" from time to time? You will also learn how to get to the point of purity - living daily in freedom and victory over temptation. 

You see, the real problem we struggle with is not sexual temptation. The real problem is a worship disorder. Who is sitting on the throne of your heart? Whom are you worshiping and why? “The Point of Purity” Workbook is a deep dive into Scripture to help answer this all-important question and discover how to dethrone King Me, allowing God to be Lord and leader of every part of your life.

So be sure to visit Amazon.com today and get your copy of “The Point of Purity!”

And if you have not yet subscribed to this podcast, let me encourage you to do so today so you won’t miss any of our upcoming episodes!

So, until next time this is Author, National Speaker, and Purity Coach Steve Etner reminding you that if you are going to glorify God in your everyday living, He must first be glorified in your every moment thinking.