Weekly Devotional 10-6-14 Christian Integrity
If the world of unregenerate man is to ever believe our report we cannot claim to be followers of Jesus Christ and live otherwise. He lived a life without sin and so should we. That of course is impossible, but our desire should be such. Furthermore, when we sin (which we will) we should not excuse it, but confess it to God and admit it as sin to those who know of it. The non-Christian person must know that sin is distasteful to us, whether the sin be our own or another’s. If we are to be believed, this is the only way we can maintain any measure of Christian integrity.
Is this even possible? Yes. Not that we will never sin, but we should have distaste toward it and live lives that are above reproach. Of course, to do this we must fill our hearts and minds with God. The Apostle Paul wrote that we are to put off the old man who is corrupt and put on the new man, who is created in righteousness and true holiness as God is holy. Consider,
“17This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, 18having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 19who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. 20But you have not so learned Christ, 21if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: 22that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, 23and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, 24and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another. ‘26Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27nor give place to the devil. 28Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you’” (Ephesians 4:17-32 NKJV).
Note that this passage is from Paul’s letter to Christian believers in and around Ephesus. It was a letter of instruction to Gentiles that had put their faith in Jesus Christ for their salvation and Paul is calling them to action. Their salvation was a free gift, by God’s grace (See 2:1-10), but to live as a “new man”, a man of righteousness and true holiness would take their commitment. They were to be active participators in their walk. This is also true of us. The life they were to live is the life we are to live.
Later on in this letter, Paul wrote that the Ephesian believer was to put on the armor of God in order to stand against the powers of darkness (see Eph. 6:12-17). It was the same with their sin. The armor was there, it was available, but the Ephesian believer was to put it on. This means a personal, active involvement.
It is the same with us, if we are to be Christians with integrity we must take a stand against sin, our own included, and put on the armor of God. Then and only then will be believed.
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Transforming Power; The Work of God on Behalf of Man
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