What does it mean to have integrity?

General Faith
1

What does it mean to have integrity? Can we have integrity without repenting of our sin?

2

“As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.”[1]

Contextually, Paul is not making a psychological claim that humans never perform relative acts of kindness. He is making a covenantal and forensic claim: in terms of righteousness before God, all are under sin. The argument culminates in Romans 3:19–20, where “every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.” The standard is divine righteousness, not comparative morality.

Further, in Romans 8:7–8, Paul explains the condition of the natural person:

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.”[2]

The issue is moral inability in relation to God’s law. This reinforces the Romans 3 indictment: left to ourselves, we do not seek God as He truly is.

Also in Ephesians 2:1–3, Paul describes the pre-conversion state:

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins…
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh… and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.”[3]

Notice the universality: “we all.” Paul includes himself. The doctrine is not selective; it is comprehensive.

So analytically…

Premise 1: Paul teaches that all, both Jew and Gentile, are under sin (Romans 3:9).
Premise 2: He explicitly states that none is righteous and none seeks after God (Romans 3:10–12).
Premise 3: He further explains that the natural mind is hostile to God and cannot submit to His law (Romans 8:7–8).

Therefore, apart from divine grace, humanity does not possess inherent righteousness nor an autonomous inclination toward God.

Now, what does it mean to have integrity?

Biblically and philosophically, integrity refers to wholeness, consistency, and alignment between belief, speech, and action. The English term comes from the idea of “integer,” something undivided. A person of integrity is internally unified, not fragmented between profession and practice.

In Pauline terms, integrity would involve sincerity before God and congruence between confession and conduct. For example, in 2 Corinthians 1:12, Paul writes:

“For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity… we have had our conversation in the world.”[4]

Integrity is not sinlessness. Romans 3 already dismantles that illusion. Integrity is moral consistency under the authority of truth. It is the opposite of hypocrisy. It means that one’s outward claims are not contradicted by hidden practice.

So when someone points to hypocrisy among believers, the proper response is not to deny sin, since Paul denies universal righteousness. The proper response is to distinguish between the doctrine, which condemns sin, and the individual who violates it.

No one is inherently good in the Pauline sense of meeting God’s righteous standard. Integrity, therefore, is not the claim of personal perfection. It is the pursuit of coherent, truthful living in submission to God, grounded not in self-righteousness but in grace.

J.

  1. As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
    There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
    They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. - KJV

    ↩︎

  2. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
    So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. - KJV

    ↩︎

  3. And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
    …Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh… and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. - KJV

    ↩︎

  4. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity… we have had our conversation in the world. - KJV

    ↩︎

3

I think integrity means repenting of our sin. Do we have integrity if we don’t?

4

What do you want brother? The long, or short version?

One, or two liner?

J.

5

You’d better give me the short version.

6

Why, if I may ask?

J.

7

Because I don’t have the patience to read long posts, unless you can convince me it’s in my best interests to do so.

1 Like
8

Doesn’t work that way, I know you from another forum.

Many here that can assist you.

J.

9

Well, that depends. Integrity is generally defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; it is “moral uprightness.” It’s the alignment of your actions with your stated values.

Many people live by a “Golden Rule” or a personal code of honor derived from reason, empathy, or civic duty. A person can be a person of their word, treat others with dignity, and stay consistent in their principles simply because they believe it is the right way to live.

If a person claims to value honesty, and they never lie, even when it hurts them, they are demonstrating integrity, regardless of their spiritual status.

In the Word, there is a distinction between moral goodness and spiritual salvation.

Some may argue that all people, regardless of faith, are capable of doing good and acting with integrity because of “common grace” or a shared moral conscience.

In this framework, being “saved” isn’t about being “better” than others; it’s about a relationship with the divine or a state of being “redeemed.” Therefore, a “saved” person might actually struggle more with integrity than an “unsaved” person who has a very disciplined moral compass. I have met quite a few.

Then again, you have people who will point out things like this in the Word.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23

and point out that without God, there is no moral compass. Not really. Even Jesus responded like this when someone called Him good.

“And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.” Mark 10:18

I guess the short answer is “Yes.” However, the long answer is “No.”

Peter

1 Like
10

@BobEstey
Short answer: A person of integrity is not disintegrated.

A person who is disintegrated is coming apart at the seams while a person of integrity is rightly put together.

Sin is destructive, so sin disintegrates a person. Jesus makes a person whole, so we are integrated in Jesus.

KP

11

INTEG’RITY, n. [L. integritas, from integer.]

  1. Wholeness; entireness; unbroken state. The constitution of the U.States guaranties to each state the integrity of its territories. The contracting parties guarantied the integrity of the empire.
  2. The entire, unimpaired state of any thing, particularly of the mind; moral soundness or purity; incorruptness; uprightness; honesty. Integrity comprehends the whole moral character, but has a special reference to uprightness in mutual dealings, transfers of property,and agencies for others.
    The moral grandeur of independent integrity is the sublimest thing in nature, before which the pomp of eastern magnificence and the splendor of conquest are odious as well as perishable.
  3. Purity; genuine, unadulterated, unimpaired state; as the integrity of language.

Webster.

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Godly Men Are Marked by Humility

06:06
Paul Is a Very Critical Leader in the Early Church

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Effective Objective Leadership

08:10
Enterprise

J.