“Whoever walks in integrity will be delivered, but he who is crooked in his ways will suddenly fall.” Proverbs 28:18
Devotional Thought For The Day
Our sinful nature takes this proverb in just the wrong way, especially if we are reading those translations which utilize the English word “uprightly” or even “blamelessly” rather than “in integrity” or “truthfully.” We obviously want to be included in the group that “will be delivered,” and to avoid being “crooked” or “perverse in our ways.” So we assume that we must be perfect to gain our deliverance, or at least quite a bit better than most other people, far enough up on God’s grading curve to have obtained His favor and deliverance. However, this is most “crooked” and “perverse” for God’s Word clearly states that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” [Rom. 3:23], and that “if we say we have no sin we are calling God a liar and His Word is not in us” [1 John 1:10]. So this verse again encourages us to honesty and truthfulness, especially in our relationship with God, and this means a life of daily repentance and confession of our sins.
Throughout Holy Scripture God promises that those who walk in integrity, in sincere repentance and sorrow for their sin, who are aimed at doing what is good, right, and constructive, but who fall into all manner of sins of weakness, will indeed receive His gracious mercy, forgiveness and cleansing from sin. This is the only hope that human beings can have, that somehow we might receive a Savior Who would take away our sin and guilt and punishment, and restore us to relationship with God. And this is precisely what God has provided for us, in His own Son, His only-begotten Son, Who is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.” [Heb. 1:3] He took on human being in the mysterious conception and birth as “the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world” [Jn. 1:29], and He laid down His life for us, in our stead, under the guilt burden of our sins, to take them away from us and to reconcile the Father to us [2 Cor. 5:19]. And of course, in vindication of His perfect and complete sacrifice, He was raised again to life.
All of this invites us to integrity, to honesty and confession in our relationship with God. The crooked are those who continue to try to assert their own moral goodness, and perhaps even sinlessness, but this is absurd hypocrisy and perverse lying. Indeed it is making God out to be a liar, and thus asserting a moral superiority to God! What could be more crooked and perverse? But “if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [1 Jn. 1:9] So the way of God’s deliverance is made clear to us, and the way that leads to a “sudden fall.” There is no reason for anyone to continue walking in such a hypocritical charade; God invites, and has paved the way with His forgiveness and salvation, for every human being to turn away from lies and deceit and to walk humbly with God – all the way to eternal life in His heavenly kingdom. It is one of the saddest facts in regard to human being, that in spite of all that God has done for us the vast majority of human beings continue to reject His love and His gift of salvation. May it not be so for us.
And in this new life of integrity, “walking in the light as He is in the light,” we enter into fellowship with one another,” the true fellowship of the church of Jesus Christ, a fellowship of confession of our sin and joy that “the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin.” [1 Jn. 1:7] Apart from this there is no real and genuine fellowship among human beings, for all other associations are based in human performance and not in the grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love of God in Christ Jesus. They are all based in hypocrisy – which separates us from the love of God and His salvation. Again, there is no need for this, and how richly blessed we are if we can find such a fellowship of God’s dear people of faith, and if we walk in the light together in fellowship with God and with one another. May God grant it to us all!
Prayer For The Day
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for all that You have done for us and for our salvation in the gift of Your beloved Son, our Savior. Grant us increasing boldness in our integrity, in our honest confession of our sinfulness, by strengthening our faith in Your promises of forgiveness, mercy, and salvation. Help us also to find people of integrity around us, among whom we needn’t be afraid to walk in the light of truth. Amen.