Integrity

The one who lives with integrity lives securely,

but whoever perverts his ways will be found out. (Pr 10:9)

Various dictionaries define integrity and relate it to adherence to a moral, ethical code. The moral code of our contemporary society is relative. Morals and ethics are not based on an absolute foundation but flex with the desires of society.

In scripture the word integrity is translated from the Hebrew words, tom, tummah, and tammam. The basic meaning conveyed in passages that contain these words is simplicity, soundness, completeness, upright, even perfection.* God's Word is built on an absolute foundation and is the standard we should use. That last word in defining integrity, perfection, is unattainable.  It is here we must appropriate the integrity and righteousness of Christ as part of God's mercy and His grace.

As recipients of God's mercy and grace, how do we live or walk with integrity? By being consistent. Matthew Henry comments that we should walk with integrity before both God and men. This seems obvious but not all who claim to be Christians adhere to this.

There are some who feign integrity before men. Perhaps they have learned to speak the language of the contemporary church. They seek their standing and reward before men. Their motives vary and are not worth speculation. There are others who treat people harshly, feeling they need only to answer to God and not to men and use bits of scripture improperly to justify their hatred towards other human beings.

God is in the people business. Therefore, we should also be in the people business. This is nothing new. Scripture is replete with commands to love God and to love others. Jesus said we should love the Lord and we should love our neighbors. He also told us to pray for our enemies. John wrote, "If anyone says, "I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For the person who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen."

Worthiness of our love is not a criteria we can use. For who among us is worthy of God's love? God's grace and God's mercy are gifts He intended for us to share.

* International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia, "Integrity,"  https://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary/viewTopic.cfm?topic=IT0004625, accessed October 15, 2018

Long to Belong

They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. (Acts 2:46-47)

Following Pentecost and Peter's powerful sermon, the church began to grow. People felt genuinely connected to each other. Scripture tells us that, "They devoted themselves to the apostle's teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer." The bond was so strong that people began selling their possessions and contributing the proceeds to the work of the church. Today, this kind of communal living is rarely seen and when it is seen, it is probably a dangerous cult. So what made the early church different than a contemporary cult? Genuine Christian love and Truth.

Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35) Being loved is where we feel safe. Being loved is where we feel like we belong. God has created us as relational beings, social in nature, not isolationists. When the church demonstrates genuine Christian love, people on the outside respect that and long to become part. We gain a platform to tell them about the ultimate love; the love of Jesus Christ for all of mankind.

Dysfunction can be defined as not in accordance with social norms and bad. But it seems that dysfunction has become the new norm. Every family has a story and most of them seem bad, they seem out of the ordinary. Television shows used to reflect the idyllic family and people longed for that. Now they reflect complete discord and every sort of immoral and abnormal behavior as just part of the new norm. What hasn't changed from real people is the desire of individuals to be part of something better, to belong to a family where they feel loved and safe. They will go where it is offered. If not from the church, then from cults, gangs and other organizations. They shy away from the church because they don't see the love. They might even think, "If I wanted to experience that kind of coldness I could have just stayed home."

Expectations from the church should be high. People long to belong and if Jesus' bride--the church-- shows them genuine Christian love, they will want to belong. When Jesus said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another," it was more than an observation; it was a command.

Finally, by showing genuine Christian love within the walls of the church, the church offers something that other organizations cannot offer: A love that extends into eternity.