Integrity Issues

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Good morning, class!  Today’s lesson is about “integrity.”  In case you don’t know, integrity is simply being who you say you are.  It is about standing for who you are and what you believe no matter what the circumstances or consequences.  When you are true to your word, you are showing integrity.

Phil Robertson of A&E’s extremely popular “Duck Dynasty” reality series is a man of integrity.  When interviewed by GQ magazine, he used some pretty crass, degrading language, but he definitely stood by the writings of the Apostle Paul in his response to the question of whether homosexuality is a sin.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.  1Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV

(I love these verses, because they clearly show that ALL of us are broken badly by sin… That none of us, including myself ever had any hope of taking part in the Kingdom of God.  BUT, that my justification and sanctification by the sacrifice of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit changes me. That’s the Gospel at work, right there!)

What Phil really did was to show integrity.  He proved to us that his on-screen persona is EXACTLY the person he is in real life.  On screen, AND in real life, He is definitely a Southern, redneck, conservative, plain-spoken Christian who believes in God’s Word.

What A&E is doing to Phil shows a lack of integrity.  They have been more than happy to make millions of dollars off of these southern, redneck, conservative, plain-spoken Christians, knowing exactly what they believe in and stand for… All while claiming that their organization supports gay rights activism.  They just got caught with their hand in the cookie jar, and now they are playing innocent.  Now, because of the attention drawn to this interview, they’ve made the simple calculation that they can make more money without Phil than they can with him.  In suspending him, they’re proving that no matter what they may say, they don’t stand with Phil, OR with the LGBT alliance.. They are loyal to money, and that is all.

So, class… The question comes to us.  Am I a person of integrity?  Do I live by the values I claim, or are they just a convenient friend in easy times?  Am I living Godly values in my work ethic?  In the way I spend my money?  In the way I treat my family?  If my life was under such a microscope, would I be found to be true to who I claim to be?  Of course, NONE of us is fully there yet.  I am certainly not.  But, because I have been justified by Christ, the Holy Spirit continues to sanctify me and make me more and more like Him.  Let Him work in you.  Let him knock off all those rough edges, and clean up those inconsistencies.  It won’t be easy, but it will be for HIS glory.