Integrity Sermon Scriptures
INTEGRITY

(Gen 20:5 NRSV) Did he not himself say to me, 'She is my sister'? And she herself said, 'He is my brother.' I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands."
(Gen 20:6 NRSV) Then God said to him in the dream, "Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; furthermore it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her.
(Gen 20:7 NRSV) Now then, return the man's wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all that are yours."

(Job 1:8 NRSV) The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil." (Job 1:9 NRSV) Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing? (Job 1:10 NRSV) Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. (Job 1:11 NRSV) But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face." (Job 1:12 NRSV) The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!" So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. (Job 1:20 NRSV) Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshiped. (Job 1:21 NRSV) He said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD." (Job 1:22 NRSV) In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

(Job 2:1 NRSV) One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the LORD. (Job 2:2 NRSV) The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it." (Job 2:3 NRSV) The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason." (Job 2:4 NRSV) Then Satan answered the LORD, "Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives. (Job 2:5 NRSV) But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face." (Job 2:6 NRSV) The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life." (Job 2:7 NRSV) So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. (Job 2:8 NRSV) Job took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes. (Job 2:9 NRSV) Then his wife said to him, "Do you still persist in your integrity? Curse God, and die." (Job 2:10 NRSV) But he said to her, "You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?" In all this Job did not sin with his lips.
(Job 4:6 NRSV) Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope? (Job 27:1 NRSV) Job again took up his discourse and said: (Job 27:2 NRSV) "As God lives, who has taken away my right, and the Almighty, who has made my soul bitter, (Job 27:3 NRSV) as long as my breath is in me and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, (Job 27:4 NRSV) my lips will not speak falsehood, and my tongue will not utter deceit. (Job 27:5 NRSV) Far be it from me to say that you are right; until I die I will not put away my integrity from me. (Job 27:6 NRSV) I hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days. (Job 31:4 NRSV) Does he not see my ways, and number all my steps? (Job 31:5 NRSV) "If I have walked with falsehood, and my foot has hurried to deceit-- (Job 31:6 NRSV) let me be weighed in a just balance, and let God know my integrity!-- (Job 31:7 NRSV) if my step has turned aside from the way, and my heart has followed my eyes, and if any spot has clung to my hands; (Job 31:8 NRSV) then let me sow, and another eat; and let what grows for me be rooted out.
(Psa 7:8 NRSV) The LORD judges the peoples; judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness and according to the integrity that is in me. (Psa 25:21 NRSV) May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you. (Psa 26:1 NRSV) Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. (Psa 26:11 NRSV) But as for me, I walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. (Psa 41:12 NRSV) But you have upheld me because of my integrity, and set me in your presence forever. (Psa 101:2 NRSV) I will study the way that is blameless. When shall I attain it? I will walk with integrity of heart within my house; (Psa 101:3 NRSV) I will not set before my eyes anything that is base. I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me. (Psa 101:4 NRSV) Perverseness of heart shall be far from me; I will know nothing of evil. (Psa 101:5 NRSV) One who secretly slanders a neighbor I will destroy. A haughty look and an arrogant heart I will not tolerate. (Prov 10:9 NRSV) Whoever walks in integrity walks securely, but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out. (Prov 11:3 NRSV) The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them. (Prov 14:32 NRSV) The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing, but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity. (Prov 17:26 NRSV) To impose a fine on the innocent is not right, or to flog the noble for their integrity. (Prov 19:1 NRSV) Better the poor walking in integrity than one perverse of speech who is a fool. (Prov 20:7 NRSV) The righteous walk in integrity-- happy are the children who follow them! (Prov 28:6 NRSV) Better to be poor and walk in integrity than to be crooked in one's ways even though rich. (Prov 28:18 NRSV) One who walks in integrity will be safe, but whoever follows crooked ways will fall into the Pit. (Mal 2:6 NRSV) True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. (Titus 2:7 NRSV) Show yourself in all respects a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, (Titus 2:8 NRSV) and sound speech that cannot be censured; then any opponent will be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us.

(Mat 18:15 NIV) "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. (Mat 18:16 NIV) But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.' (Mat 18:17 NIV) If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.

(James 5:16 NIV) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

(1 John 1:8 NIV) If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.
(1 John 1:9 NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
(1 John 1:10 NIV) If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

(Prov 28:13 NIV) He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.
(Prov 28:14 NIV) Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.


Fowl language in selected company, goofing off when the boss is away (see my work ethic) need to be avoided. Let's not compartmentalize our lives. We need to keep the faith that God will take care of us in the end even when things don't always go well in this life. Read the rest of the story of Job. Notice these scriptures about God's plans for His children (in the long run).