"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity" (Proverbs 11:3 NIV).

The principle of integrity helps to keep us on track.. The word 'integrity' is related to the word 'integer', meaning whole or complete. The life we possess is equal to the words we profess. Our walk matches our talk. Our behavior is in synch with our beliefs. Our practices fulfill our promises.

An integer is a whole number. All the pieces are there that add up to the whole. Nothing is missing. It's all there. The numerator is equal to the denominator. We need to become sensitized by the principle of integrity and ask ourselves: are we living up to our commitments? Is our Christian life all there?

When we agree to do something we are saying:

1. I believe it can be done
2. I will do it
3. I will tell you when I sense that I cannot keep my commitment or promise
4. I will tell you why I believe I was unable to keep the commitment and what I am going to do about it in the future. We need to help each other follow through with our commitments. So often we make excuses or give belated apologies.

Jesus is the model of integrity. His works match His words. He keeps His promises. The righteousness described in the law is fulfilled through His life in the Spirit. Jesus knew that the only way He could fulfill the will of God was to live by the Spirit. The Holy Spirit provided the dynamic for every divine demand.

The law concludes that we are all small fractions of what God wants us to be. The good news is that instead of coming under condemnation for our shortcomings we are invited to live in a relationship with a living and loving Savior who wants to freely share with us His integrity. God provides not only the death of Jesus Christ to pay the debt incurred by our wrongdoings, but He provides the life of Christ to empower us to fulfill His demands for right-doings!

Romans 8 discusses three laws. These laws are fixed universal principles of operation according to nature, such as the law of gravity. They can be counted on. They are:

1. The law of sin - We do what we are told not to do - the principle of disobedience.
2. The law of death - We don't do what we ought to do- the principle of insufficient life.
3. The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This means that the life of Christ operates as a fixed principle of nature in such a way as to fulfill every divine demand. The law-giver now plays the role as the law-keeper and offers His life through the Spirit to do so in us! (Read Romans 8:1-4).

These laws can be counted on. If you live your life relying on the old sin nature (the flesh), you will produce disobedience and disappointments (Laws 1 and 2). If you live relying on the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus you will experience liberty (Law 3). You can count on it.

Do you have what it takes to live the Christian life with integrity? It is impossible apart from being filled with the Spirit today. When we fail we can turn to God in thanks and say: "Here comes Jesus!" When we succeed, we can turn to God in thanks and say, "There goes Jesus!" Whether we fail or succeed we can learn to appropriate God's gracious provision- the performance of Christ on our behalf.

To Him be the glory,