Integrity - Exodus 20:16.

The straightforward meaning of this command is that forbids us to lie in court against our neighbor. The command has in view a court case in which witnesses would be called to establish the facts of a particular case.

This command was important since many of the disputes between Hebrews would go before a court of priest.
The root of the word meant to tell a different story than what actually happened. In other words to deceive or lie with the goal of either gaining an advantage over someone or putting them at a disadvantage.

It’s important to keep in mind that God set up Israel to be a nation of laws. Part of what that meant was that those who couldn’t resolved disputes among themselves were to have them decided in a court of law before a group of elders or judges. Many times what decided an issue between two people was the testimony of witnesses.

Also God had designated several crimes that would merit the death penalty. Thus, not only murder, but adultery, kidnapping, hitting or cursing your mother or father and blasphemy were among the crimes that would warrant the death penalty.
Therefore, if perjury were to run rampant the whole system of justice would fall apart.
'If anyone kills a person, the murderer shall be put to death at the evidence of witnesses, but no person shall be put to death on the testimony of one witness. Num. 35:30.

"A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established Dt. 19:15

One of the reasons this was so important was that God had created the nation of Israel partly for the purpose of displaying His wisdom, righteousness and justice to the nations that surrounded them. They were to be a witness of God’s character and nature to show the care He has for people created in His image.

For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel And the men of Judah His delightful plant. Thus He looked for justice, but behold, bloodshed; For righteousness, but behold, a cry of distress. Isa. 5:7.

However, like the rest of these gracious ten words the 9th commandment calls for us to cultivate a measure of godly character that will enrich our spiritual health, and the life of the community we live in. This command calls for us to pursue truthfulness and integrity as a witness of God’s character and to build up ourselves, families, church and community.
Just as God calls us to respect our elders and by extension everyone else, just as He commands us to add to the life and well being of our family, church and community, just as He calls us to pursue holy intimacy and just as He tells us to live generously in this command God calls us to walk in integrity. You’ll remember that when Scripture uses the term walk it means to order your life in a certain way. We therefore must walk in integrity.

We walk in integrity as a way of life. Don’t indulge in any kind of deception whether active or passive.

We tell the truth even if that truth doesn’t advance our agenda or gives someone else an advantage. We let the facts speak for themselves and relate and retell the facts as accurately as we can. We look to and aim to deal with everyone we relate to truthfully in all aspects of our relationship. We especially watch for getting involved in behavior or activity that would tempt us to lie.
This makes sense due to the reality that we serve a God of truth. Jesus dealt truthfully with everyone he related to. He never tried to get over, deceive or dodge the truth in order to make Himself or His calling something it was not. In fact Jesus was so truthful that He actually challenged people to really consider the cost of following Him completely.

We walk in integrity to pursue biblical social justice. The 9th command formed the foundation of the Hebrew system of civil law and justice. The root of that command was that everyone was to be treated with fairness and justice.

You shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not fall in with the many to do evil, nor shall you bear witness in a lawsuit, siding with the many, so as to pervert justice, nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his lawsuit. "If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall bring it back to him. If you see the donkey of one who hates you lying down under its burden, you shall refrain from leaving him with it; you shall rescue it with him. "You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. "You shall not oppress a sojourner. You know the heart of a sojourner, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. Exod 23:1-9.

We pursue justice because it is an essential aspect of God’s character, nature and righteous rule.
For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. Ps. 33:4-5
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. Ps. 89:14.

We pursue justice because God loves the poor and less powerful and expects His people to do the same.
For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.

We pursue justice because it is a vital part of the holistic well being God intends for His creation.
"You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice. You shall not show partiality, and you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you. Dt. 16:18-20.

We pursue justice because it reminds us that God has shown mercy, pity and compassion to us who in terms of sin and salvation were the poor, powerless and foreigner.

We pursue justice because our Lord, Savior and King Jesus Christ is the Lord of justice.
Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law.

These two aspects of integrity are crucial to our overall witness of our Lord and His gospel. Demonstrating personal integrity and pursuing corporate integrity paves the way for us to be a truthful witness of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We walk in integrity to witness of the gospel. Jesus Christ exemplified personal and corporate integrity to witness of His person and the work He came to do.

Jesus told the truth about Himself, His Father and mankind.

Jesus told people that He was the eternal Son of God and that He came to die for the sins of the world. Through His teaching, example and resurrection Jesus proved His claim as the eternal Son of God and the only we can trust for full forgiveness of our sin.

Jesus told the truth about the Father. He told us of the Father’s nature and character. He told us what the Father values and despises. If we want to know about God we must depend on the truth we learned from Jesus.

Jesus told us the truth about ourselves. He exposed the real issues that motivate our actions. Jesus told us that sin is an issue of our hearts and not just things outside of us. He told us that without Him we are sheep with no shepherd and a people with no purpose or hope.

Jesus told us the truth about the kingdom and salvation. Through parables and by answering questions Jesus explained the key issues of God’s eternal kingdom and how we can enjoy a full life of vibrant salvation in Christ.

God can use us to proclaim these truths about Christ as we live consistent live of personal integrity and pursue public, biblical justice.

To Him Who Loves Us…
Pastor Lance