How do you maintain your integrity?
What steps do you take to guard your heart?

We had a good conversation as a group of Pastors yesterday about accountability, personal integrity, and how we can take steps to prevent faltering and “making shipwreck of our souls.”

After the fall of another “big name” preacher and teacher, it was an agreeably sobering discussion as we all say “It will never happen to me,” yet but for the grace of God that story of failure and disqualification could have been ours.

Rationalizing our sin comes naturally to the human heart. Familiar patterns of behavior, by definition, don’t feel as threatening to our conscience as they should. Regardless of our role, title, status or any other qualifier, every Christian has a mandate and a standard for purity for their life as modeled by Jesus Christ Himself.

Yes, we all sin and fall short. I have made plenty of my own mistakes, chosen sin over righteousness, and allowed attitudes and actions in my life that God doesn’t honor or promote. This is the Romans 7 struggle between the flesh and the Holy Spirit that every Christian faces.

But as a Christian, I know to “be killing sin or it will be killing” me. (John Owen) There must be a “mortification of the flesh,” a dying to self.

This matters behind the pulpit, in the office, on the sales floor, on calls with clients, when we’re working on projects, any time, any place, any circumstance in the life of every Christian.

We all, as Christians, represent Jesus Christ everywhere we go, in every occasion. How do we remain accountable and walk upright, regardless of a title, role, status or calling? What steps will you take today to walk worthy and in Him?

Helpful Follow Up:

1. Make time, as a priority, to meet with God in His Word.
2. Talk to God regularly and intentionally.
3. Get a few people to serve as accountability in your life.
4. Be in church, active, involved, serving.
5. Pray for the salvation of others daily.
6. Be mindful of your weak points and take steps to alter your behavior accordingly.
7. Check and change your media intake, evaluate what you’re allowing in your life.

Suggested Scriptures:

Proverbs 4:23:
Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flow the springs of life.

1 Corinthians 10:13:
No temptation has overtaken you except something common to mankind; and God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.

James 5:16:
Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.

Romans 12:1-2:
Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 Peter 5:8:
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Ephesians 6:11-13:
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.

Psalm 119:9-11:
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, so that I may not sin against You.

Galatians 5:16-17:
But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, in order to keep you from doing whatever you want.

2 Timothy 2:22:
Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

Matthew 26:41:
Keep watching and praying, so that you do not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Colossians 3:5-10:
Therefore, treat the parts of your earthly body as dead to sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, rid yourselves of all of them: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you stripped off the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self, which is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created it.