HONOR AND INTEGRITY

I have found out a site in which there is an exhaustive explanation of what does it mean honor and integrity. I have copied only a part and will set the link for those who want to read it completely. Take in mind that I only have copied a portion of this needed explanation, therefore feel free to read it completely. This post is about the matter that it is, no more!

HONOR AND INTEGRITY

Honor and integrity are two words that are seemingly lost on our society today. This is clearly evident in the world, but unfortunately it is becoming all too common within the church. This teaching will explore what the commands of the Lord are regarding the concepts of both honor and integrity, and the terrible consequences that ensue when we fail to govern our lives according to these scriptural principles. We will find that the Bible has much to say on these topics and they are very important to our spiritual growth. I will point out that, as usual, our falling short in these vital areas has opened the door for the adversary to do tremendous damage to the church. You would be very wise to give careful consideration to these teachings to try yourself as to whether you are in the faith or not.

Our foundation Scripture is found in Romans 13:7, Where it says “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor”.

1: Honor

A: What is Honor?

It is clear from the scriptures that we are commanded to give honor in a number of quarters, however if we don’t know what honor is we will certainly not know if we are being obedient or not. Webster’s Dictionary defines honor as follows: The esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; reverence; veneration. In the New Testament there are two Greek words that are translated honor.

1. time’; 5092 a price paid or received; esteem espec. Of the highest degree or the dignity itself. Honor, precious, price

2. doxa: 1391; glory, as very apparent, dignity, glory, honor, praise, worship

We can see then that honor has to do with some intrinsic value of something and the honor worthiness of that something is independent of the reckoning of any outside agency. In other words, if something is due honor, then it is due whether you agree with its honor worthiness or not. This is a most important consideration, since many times people fail to show honor because they don’t like someone or they don’t agree with them. However in the case of human affairs, the honor due is by virtue of the position of the person, and not by how well they may be performing in that position. For example, we may not like our politicians or agree with the job that they are doing, but they are due honor because they hold the “position” of honor. So then we can see that in its most fundamental form, honor is first perceiving that something is worthy of high esteem and reverence. Then we need to be diligent to render it unto that vessel that we have perceived is worthy of honor. Remember that what makes something “worthy” of honor is the office or position that they hold and not necessarily anything that they emanate themselves. Also remember that the honor worthiness of something is not diminished because you don’t recognize them or their position as honorable. For that which is deserving of honor has been ordained and established by God and cannot be abrogated by man. We ignore this principle at our peril, for to revile the position or the position holder is to revile God. Here are several powerful examples of this principle in the Bible.

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2: Integrity

A We will now move on to a discussion of the concept of integrity. Following the same model as with honor, let us define the meaning of the word integrity.

Webster’s gives the meaning as follows; (L. integritas, wholeness, soundness, from integer, untouched, whole entire

1 the quality or state of being complete, wholeness, entireness unbroken state.

2 the entire, unimpaired state or quality of anything; perfect condition, soundness

3 the quality or state of being of sound moral principle uprightness ,honesty, and sincerity.

Strong’s Concordance gives for us the following Hebrew word which is translated integrity; tome: 8537: completeness, full, integrity, perfect, simplicity, uprightness

There is no direct Greek word in the Bible translated integrity, however based upon the meaning of the word that we have discovered so far, we can safely use the following analog teleios 5046: a word usually translated perfect which means : complete,(in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, of full age, man, perfect.

So now it becomes clear that to have integrity is to be complete and whole, in other words to be completely intact, which by implication would involve all aspects of the triune nature of man namely, spirit, soul and body. We can now see how important having integrity is to us in enabling us to withstand the attacks of our adversary the devil. Notice the following admonitions from the Scriptures.

a. Eph. 4:26-27 “Be angry and do not sin” do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. The implication here is quite clear, that if we are whole and our “integument” intact, then the devil has no way to enter in to afflict our lives.

b. Eph. 6:10-17 Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord and the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Using the metaphor of armor the Lord instructs us to completely cover ourselves with the attributes that will make us impervious to the destructive effects of the fiery darts that will surely come our way from the hand of the evil one. Again notice the protective effects of being whole and complete. By so being it protects the inner most areas of our beings, keeping us from going down in defeat at the hands of our enemy.

c. Matt. 5:43-48 In this example the Lord Jesus shows us how to achieve perfection, and by so doing reveals to us that, contrary to what you have heretofore been taught, it is indeed an obtainable goal.

B: Perfection

A recurring theme so far in our discourse is the word perfection. Now this word strikes fear into the heart of most Christians, since they see this condition as an impossible goal. However I will show you that not only is it possible to achieve perfection, it is actually a command from the Word of God. No doubt there will be much dissention on this matter, since for so long the Church has been saddled with a mentality of weakness and immaturity. This leads to an attitude of futility resulting in wholesale failure in the affairs of life. Nevertheless, perfection is entirely obtainable and it is this perfection or maturity that constitutes the heart of integrity.

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For those who want to know more you may go HERE

Virtue

            At this point, I think this is a word that is losing its meaning in the actual world. Not that before it had more meaning, but at least was recognized as a fundamental part of the character of the individual.

What is virtue? 1. General moral excellence; right action and thinking; goodness or morality. 2. A specific moral quality regarded as good or meritorious. 3. Chastity, esp. in a woman. 4. Effective force or power: believe in the virtue of prayer. The cardinal virtues are the basic virtues of ancient Greek philosophy: justice, prudence, fortitude, and temperance. Those considered as the chief Christian moral theologians, e.g. St. Ambrose, St. Augustine, and St. Thomas Aquinas, took over this classification from Plato and Aristotle. The theological virtues are the three virtues (faith, hope and charity [love]) that have God as their immediate object. These three virtues are grouped together by St. Paul (I Cor. 13:13; cf. I Thess. 1:3; Gal. 5:5-6; Col. 1:4-5 as the bases of the Christian life.

While St. Paul put it together, we should not forget that these virtues are rooted in the Old Testament. This do not discredited what the ancient philosophers did with the cardinal virtues, because the cardinal or natural virtues also are a part of the Christian life. Let me quote what Paul wrote to the Philippians as he was encouraging them in their Christian life: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Phil. 4:8).

As many people is watching things and thinking different, maybe it is the hour to turn our eyes and thoughts to virtue, do not you think so?

Debts

            Thinking about how the world goes came to my mind one of the main principles of economy taught by Adam Smith: If you want to be happy you have to spend less of what you gain. In other words: you gain 100 and spend 99 result happiness; you gain 100 and spend 101 result anxieties.

            The Bible teaches us, in a wonderful passage in Romans 13, a better principle which has to be not only with economy but with everything you ought in life. As I was reading the passage meditating in what it says I realize that despise any kind of governments’ doctrines or ideals what the Bible says is the better way to go. As Paul was talking about authorities and how we have to be subjected to them, he says the following: “For, for this cause pay yr tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” I do believe the wisdom of these words is valid for everybody, individual or groups, enterprises or states. But this goes farther, because we not only ought money, but other things like custom, fear or honour. And there are few times in life that we really pay our dues. Remember, your parents, your relatives, your teachers, and your authorities should know that you have paid your dues.

            But regarding with the moment we live… Don’t you believe that instead of being basing our economy in deficits should we have based it in this principle? Think on that…

Summer Warbrobe 

Probably reading this theme you will think, here is again the typical summer’s topic. But it is evident that each year comes almost everybody with worse way of dressing.

I do believe people have not understood what does it mean freedom nor even how they have to dress to be in every place in life. The fact is that people do not know how to dress in summer time. They have lost their perspective of home, beach, restaurant or theater. They are dressing in the same way at home or going to walk. They will dress to go to work casually and will dress in the same way at the presence of the king. As I live in Barcelona, Spain, I could note the difference, and no one will dare to go before the king dressing casually at the palace, although many have tried to…

Only those who have been taught in the fear of the Lord know how to dress adequately in every place, and at the same time are capable to give honor to God by yielding his own freedom in obedience to the Lord’s Words, for there Paul says: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty, only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” Galatians 5:13.

Well, you see, there are people who will restrain his freedom by love, using an adequate wardrobe for each occasion, and keeping up their bodies from the lascivious watch of those who walk without hope in this world.