Truth and Integrity

Key Verse:

John 17:1-3

¹After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ²For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent

God the Father is the God of truth

1.) Isaiah 65:16

Isaiah states that God is the God of _____________?

2.) Read John 14:6

Jesus states that He the _______, the __________, and the Life

What does Jesus mean when He says He is the truth?

3.) Read John 14:17

What is the Holy Spirit referred to in this verse and why?

B. Since God is truth then the Word of God is truth and is the standard for

truth

1.) Read John 17:17

In this passage John clearly states that God’s Word is truth what does this mean for you and I?

C. God hates untruthfulness

2.) Read Jeremiah 9: 9

Here you see that God says He will punish people for their lying lips does this include believers.

The answer lies in Acts 5:1-10. Read this passage and decide for yourself how much the Lord hates lying

D.) Christians and the church are call to be honest and have integrity in the way they conduct their personal as well as business life

What does it mean to have integrity?

1.) Read Colossians 3:5-9

Here we are told to be rid of earthly nature and walk in the ways of our new life. What do these verses have to with you and I since we are Christians?

As Christians is your word a binding contract because God’s word is His oath to us and

an affirmation that He will do as He says.

E. In the Scriptures truth and integrity stand together. Without truth there can be no integrity

1.) Read Psalm 25:21

What does David mean here when He says, “May integrity…protect me”?

2.) Read Psalm 41:12

Here again is the idea of being upheld by our integrity. Many times the Bible says

we will be known by our actions so according to these verses whatever we do must be done with integrity so our actions will be a beacon to guide others to God and will also help us through the difficult times in life..

Proverbs 10:9 states that The man of integrity walks a straight path but he who takes the cooked path will be found out

Truth and integrity must be lived out in our love for others so that the body of Christ can grow and mature

F. To fail to keep one’s word is a lack of integrity betraying the trust of others and dishonoring not only yourself but the God of truth

1.) Read Mathew 5:33-37

These verse talking about making an oath and then keeping that oath. In short letting your yes be yes or your no be no. When we accept God’s gift of grace through Christ we are swearing an oath to God to honor His Word and to live a life for Him. We cannot live a life that is filled with maybes.

In closing: If we say we love the Lord with all our hearts then we must strive be truthful and living a life of integrity because not only are we dishonoring our own names by being dishonest but also God’s name.