Walk in Integrity
Of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, and I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. Psalm 26:1
Can a Christian walk in integrity and vote for either Trump or Clinton to lead our nation?
Can we walk in integrity and support legislation that puts a title of “Pro-Life” on it, but only changes the time an abortion can be done or the method by which it can be performed?
Can we walk in integrity and define marriage by any standard other than God’s?
Can we walk in integrity and sit under preaching, week after week, that is leading people astray?
I read Psalm 26:1 (at top) this morning and wondered what it means for a Christian to walk in integrity and trust in the LORD without wavering. This list of questions is what came to my mind.
One of the most sobering passages in the Bible is Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
It seems that Jesus gives us His test of integrity in these verses, “the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” He identifies the person of integrity by looking at what they do while they are on earth. We cannot just say (or sing, or write) “Lord, Lord” and expect to be welcomed in heaven.
David’s plea in Psalm 26 was that God would see his integrity, his unwavering trust, and that He would vindicate David. He had been slandered by Saul and his men and David was calling on God to vindicate him based on the truth of his integrity.
Would God find you and me full of integrity if He were to examine our stances on critical issues, right now? I, for one, confess that I have been misled by the pro-life movement. I have always believed it was murder to kill a baby, but I have not always stood for that truth as I have supported or encouraged “Pro-life legislation.” I now see that for what it is, a compromise on the word of God. Murder is illegal according to God.
By introducing integrity, David is talking about the consistency of his faith. If we have integrity in unwavering faith, we will apply the Word of God to all of our lives, not just the stuff that seems “religious.”
I have not decided how to handle the voting question. Isn’t voting for the lesser of two evils also a compromise? My choices are: write in, don’t vote for President, or find a candidate from some obscure party that loves the Lord.
Like David, we want to trust God with an unwavering faith that His Law is the best plan for all aspects of this life.
How do you do that?