Scripture:
1 Corinthians 13:1-3, 8-13
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
….
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Theme:
Divine Integrity
Introduction:
Our text comes from the writings of Paul to the church in Corinth. This church sent letters of inquiry or questions to Paul regarding marriage and other issues of carnality existent in the church. Simply put, the people of the church of Corinth did not know where humanity stopped and God started.
The people of the church in Corinth sought divine integrity. Integrity comes from the Latin word, INTEGER, which means WHOLE in English. Webster describes integrity as: completeness, wholeness, honesty, sincerity, unimpaired condition
Body:
COMPLETENESS, WHOLENESS — Qualification of one’s integrity…no need of outside resources:
• Moses for not accepting any payment for his services (Numbers 16.15)
• Samuel for not accepting any payment for his services (1 Samuel 12:3-5)
• Nehemiah for not accepting any payment for his services (Nehemiah 5:14-19)
HONESTY, SINCERITY – Uprightness:
• Job was “perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.” (Job 1:1)
• Abraham for how he will “command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord.” (Genesis 18:19)
• Daniel for how “he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him.” (Daniel 6:4)
• Nathaneal whom Jesus commented “Behold an Isrealite indeed, in whom is no guile!” (John 1:47)
UNIMPAIRED CONDITION – Physical, mental, and spiritual wellness:
• Physical wellness is exemplified in Matthew 9:21, “For she said within herself, if I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.”
• Mental wellness is found in 1 John 4:8, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
One being in an unimpaired condition does not mean that the individual lives without any physical or mental imparities. Instead, integrity is founded upon the individual’s disallowance of any physical or mental imparities to shake their foundation. In spite of it all, the individual is content. Spiritual wellness is found in Philippians 4:11, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” You don’t have to worry, stress, or fuss. In God, we know that he makes up the difference for any imparities or shortcomings that we may have. As it says in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” He is there for us.
Conclusion:
As it says in Ephesians 2:4-5, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved). It is God who gives us divine integrity through His gift of salvation by way of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We are then unified with Him, with God, to make us complete, whole, perfected. As Paul says in Ephesians, we are “quickened”, changed, made complete, perfected, made whole.
You can’t be perfect but there will be a change. When God comes into you life, there must be a CHANGE. God makes up the difference for our shortcomings. We may not be what we ought to be, but we are not what we USED to be. Don’t try to live the same sinful life and believe that God will make the difference
In Him we have Divine Integrity. His LOVE makes our living complete, gives our personality character, links our today to tomorrow, makes our crooked ways straight, gives us a right to the tree of life.
That’s Divine Integrity. Tell your enemies! Although I may not be what YOU want me to be, I am what He created me to be. Although I may not do what YOU want me to do, my steps are ordered by the Lord. Although my life may not seem the way that is should be, MY LIFE IS IN HIS HANDS!!!! As it says in Psalm 25:21, “Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.” I am not waiting on man. I am waiting on God. That’s Divine Integrity!!!
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