Integrity/Uprightness #1: (Definition/Relationship Between)

Driving home: What this invaluable book, the book of Proverbs impresses upon their minds is the importance of deep-seated principles in the heart, the responsibility of conduct in every step of life, the danger of trifling deviations …

Martin reads an excerpt from Bridges' introduction to his commentary on Proverbs, highlighting the book's unique benefits and distinctive character as a guide for the young, setting the stage for the sermon's focus on parental admonition.

How Not to Foul Up the Training of Your Children This is cassette number 33 in a series given by Pastor Albert N. Martin in the Adult Sunday School class of the Trinity Baptist Church on October 6, 1991. Now, in our ongoing studies of this most important subject, how not to foul up the training of our children, we have concentrated our attention on seeking to flesh out the directive of Ephesians 6, 4, given to fathers explicitly, implicitly, to mothers as they share the burden of the training of the children. Fathers, do not provoke them to wrath, but nurture them in the chastening and admonit...

0:01 - 1:27 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Till I die, I will not put away my integrity from thee. My righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go. My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.

Martin summarizes the theological argument of Job's friends, who believed Job's suffering was proof of his hypocrisy, to set up Job's unwavering commitment to his integrity.

And then after his so-called friends have all come in and said, Now Job, look, we know in God's world there is an unbending, inflexible law of divine operation. God blesses the righteous with favor manifested in his providential appointment of health and wealth and prosperity. God unmasks hypocrites who strut about like they are godly men by bringing them to physical and material destitution. Therefore, Job, from one who at one time was healthy and wealthy and looked upon as the wise, sagacious counselor of others, God has pulled away the mask of your hypocrisy, and there you sit on your heap ...

18:44 - 19:56 Read in full sermon

Driving home: When the little bird in my bosom sings a merry song, it is no matter if a thousand owls hoot at me from without.

Martin quotes Spurgeon's analogy of a 'little bird in my bosom' singing a merry song (a good conscience) to illustrate that inner integrity outweighs external criticism, reinforcing the idea of self-conscious possession of integrity.

He says in the midst of all of this, I hold to my integrity. Spurgeon beautifully, as only Spurgeon could do, captured this thought with these words. When the little bird in my bosom sings a merry song, it is no matter if a thousand owls hoot at me from without. Isn't that beautiful?

24:54 - 25:19 Read in full sermon

The point: If you struggle with knowing the will of God, examine whether you lack integrity and uprightness.

Martin uses the analogy of a properly fixed and magnetized compass for a mariner to explain how integrity and uprightness provide clear guidance for the soul in discerning God's will.

You see if I may use this imagery and I wrestled with what kind of illustrations would help you. Integrity and uprightness are to the soul what a properly fixed properly adjusted properly magnetized compass is to the mariner or to the one who is traversing an uncharted wilderness. You see if you never know whether your compass will naturally and immediately and with real settledness point to the north how in the world can you find your way? Sometimes it's wavering and it's pointing to the north and then a bit to the northeast and some how can you find your way?

32:44 - 33:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Stop vacillating and let your 'needle' settle in the direction of north, committing to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Martin recounts a story of a man facing a major career decision, illustrating how his integrity (seeking first the kingdom of God) made the choice clear, contrasting it with those who struggle due to a 'flopping needle' of vacillating priorities.

So when as this very week he's facing a major career job decision I had a call from someone in one of our sister churches with the knowledge and consent of his own elders tremendous opportunity to leave a university where he presently works seeking to work with athletes in their academic schedules and he has an important influential position and he had a marvelous position opened up to me and I had a chance to talk to him out in California USC that would mean a promotion an advancement in pay and influence prestige and who knows what else and it's tailor made to the very thing that career wise...

34:05 - 35:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Inculcate in your children the truth that the integrity of the upright shall guide them in their many future decisions.

Martin extends the compass analogy, describing integrity as a fixed rudder locked in God's will and engines that only run when moving towards God's glory, emphasizing unwavering commitment.

But the perverseness the crookedness of the treacherous shall destroy him. Integrity is like a fixed compass to walk in the fear of God to change the imagery. It's like a fixed rudder locked in the direction of the law and the will of God and engines that will only run when we're moving in the direction of the glory of God and the good of our souls. Now think of your children.

36:04 - 36:37 Read in full sermon

The point: Confess sins against God to God and sins against men to men, so that your way is a highway, free from fear of exposure.

The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's refusal to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's idol is used as an example of upright men walking on a 'wide highway' of God's law, demonstrating the surety that comes from integrity.

He doesn't always have to be saying well if I go here will someone discover that I've been dishonest in my business deals and if I go here will it bring about a series of relationships and factors that will unmask that I really am not what I'm pretending to be and if I step here will I you see the man who walks uprightly finds that his path is a highway. Look at the three Hebrew children they were committed to be servants of God and when Nebuchadnezzar said and said look you guys got a decision to make if you don't do this they were almost rude and said look King no need to negotiate the issue...

38:09 - 39:38 Read in full sermon

The point: Seek to impart the nobility of integrity and uprightness to your children by way of godly admonition, consistent example, and fervent prayer.

Martin uses the metaphor of a 'plate of beans and a crust of bread with a good conscience' being a banquet fit for kings, while a lavish meal with a 'galling conscience' is like eating gravel, to illustrate the superior value of integrity over material wealth.

He would have to give up an element of moral wholeness, integrity or an element of moral straightness uprightness. Far better is the poor man who has as his companion that lovely singing bird within his breast called a good conscience. A plate of beans and a crust of bread with a good conscience is a banquet fit for kings. But a twelve course table full of all the dainties the best chefs could produce that are put into a mouth joined to a galling conscience it's like eating gravel. And the scripture says these are the values that we must live by and by the grace of God seek to impart to our ch...

46:37 - 47:52 Read in full sermon