Call to Christ-like Life

Transparency Honesty Credibility Trustworthiness Reliability Faithfulness Responsibility Veracity Commitment

Integrity is a concept that gives meaning to Christian’s life. It is “holiness before holiness”.

It is the fruit of a transformed life; it is the evidence of newness of the spirit (2Cor.7:15)

Integrity comes from the Holy Spirit. His presence in a Christian turns life upside down.

It is being transparent in all our dealings, actions and behaviors.

Leaders are expected to be honest in their ways

Integrity is being honest and honorable, due to our upright character.

It is shunning half-truths in our life. In leadership, it is about avoiding mixing good and evil, and manipulation.

It is being true to ourselves and to the principles.

Leaders are expected to be transparent, readable and understandable.

They should not have two lives, two faces (chameleon syndrome)

Malice should not be found in all their dealings

They should not have a two natures, two confusing personalities ( like a bat that is neither a rat-an animal- nor a bird.

Ambiguous leadership is confusing to the followers

Leadership must be credible. It is about being trusted and dependable Followers will always rely on a leadership

that truthful. Their words and actions are always constant

and without bias. It is about being trustworthy. Veracity must be one of the leaders’ strong

trait of character.

Leaders ought to be accurate and reliable in giving information, in handling issues and in using principles

Accuracy is an aspect of honesty and transparency.

When accuracy becomes part of the leaders’ life, followers therefore rely on them

Integrity also implies effectiveness, competence, expertise and know-how.

It is about the ability of the leaders to be efficient, proficient and experienced.

It is being able to deliver the services that are awaiting you understanding and proven skills.

When leaders occupy position for which they are not skilled for, the spirit integrity is violated.

Integrity goes along with commitment. Commitment is a promise and an inner decision

to do what one has accepted to do It is a pledge and a vow to stick to the promise. It is an engagement and a guarantee given in

words and translated in actions, that one is going to discharge themselves with the duties assigned them.

Therefore a commitment is a binder, an obligation

Uncommitted leaders are as dangerous as mercenaries

Integrity is a friend to excellence. Excellent leaders experience fineness and

diligence. They are conscious of the importance of their

duties What makes them excel is the fact that they

are industrious, assiduous, and persistent in their responsibilities, together with others.

Success in leadership is tributary to distinction, superiority, quality, merit and brilliance, versus mediocrity. And that is integrity.

Integrity is also recognizing others’ skills and expertise and teaming up with them for the best.

Without the spirit of cooperation, collaboration, solidarity, communication, fellowship and joint effort, the principles of integrity will be violated.

Integrity must spill out to others, influencing them and impacting them with cohesion and compatibility.

Pellucidity- It is the ability to shade light in your duties and actions, readable and seeable all the way.

Clearness- clarity and order in processes and dealings

Limpidity- Cleanliness, openness in thoughts and action

Uprightness Morality Goodness Righteousness Scrupulousness Rectitude Decency

Believability Sincerity Acceptability Standing

Dependability Fidelity Constancy

In the book :True to principles” Doctor Samuel Koranteng-Pipim lists a number of principles that must govern our mind and lead us through all aspects of our life.

Our life belongs to the Lord. So, our work and position in Leadership.

These principles, though difficult for the sinners that we are, can be implemented only by God’s grace through Jesus ( Gal. 2:20).

These principles are:

It is about committing our mind ahead of time to what we shall do or shall not do.

Situation-ism has no place here. We know what is the standard when it comes to what to do and what not do. We therefore don’t let ourselves under the influence of the situation

The Hebrew young men set a model: 1. Joseph ( Gen. 39:7-9); 2. Daniel (Dan.1:8); Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego (Dan.3). They set their mind ahead of time in order to guarantee good results.

In choosing our response to situations, we must rule out any options that are contrary to God’s will.

There is always fear that we may not be able to stand. We need to always bear in mind that the fight for the truth is ours and ours alone.

God will always be with us (Isa 30:21; Mark 13:11)

We all need to recognize that we have freedom of choice and we are the free moral agents. Making choice is a privilege given us by God. That’s why we are not robots.

Therefore we should say that we did this or that because “we had no choice”. Even, not choosing is a choice.

The-devil-made-me-to-do-this syndrome is running away from our responsibility in choice making. We chose what the devil proposed to us.

Sometimes we say were created like that; it is in our genes. It is being irresponsible.

Running away from the recognition of our fault makes us not to need Jesus in our life.

Moral choices are tributary of the Spiritual battle between “good” and “evil”, between God and Satan.

The Great Controversy is a test of loyalty to Christians. It determine whether they love God or Satan. Trials and tests point out to our faithfulness to our MAKER.

We need to know that He has power to rescue and deliver us from any temptation. We should choose to serve God despite illness, financial crisis, embarrassment, pain, anguish, disappointment, and even death. Job is a living example of integrity.

Let’s aim to not betray our God and Savior.

Rationalization is finding justification or excuse. “It is coming up with good reasons for bad actions. It is applying good purpose to something that inherently wrong.” That’s why the Bible says in Prov.16:25: “There is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof are the ways of death”. Or “Let him who thinks he stands take heed, lest he falls” (1 Cor. 10:12). Rationalism is running away from the truth. It is making God a liar.

In 2 Tim.3:12 the Bible says clearly: "All who desire to live a godly life in Christ will suffer persecution”. Sometimes, Christians will suffer for being loyal to their Master. They must expect this in their ways, if they don’t compromise their faith and remain upright.

Many suffered until death, in the Ancient Rome, in communist countries and some places today, sometimes in our midst (John 16:33; Phil.1:29; Mt.5:10-12; Luke 6:26; 1 Cor. 11: 23-27).

All sins, big and small always have consequences on our moral life, soon or later.

These can be loss of respect and credibility, devastation on family, friends, church and society.

Even if alive, we died somehow ( Rom.6:23). There is no such thing as small sin, in reality. This must be present in our thoughts any time

we are facing the choice for good and evil.

We must recognize that fear is the root problem in our spiritual life.

Fear is the expression of unbelief, doubt and lack of genuine faith. It causes failure (PP.657).

Because of fear of death, Abraham, Isaac, David and Peter had to lie.

Christians sometimes cheat, lie, steal and engage in unlawful activities due to fear and lack of faith. That’s why the Bible repeatedly say: “ Fear not”.

Human tendency is to trust their sight, taste, judgment and feelings. Trust only God in all your dealings.

Jesus teaches that loyalty to God must come before father, mother, children, brother, sister and friends (Luke 14:25-33).

God must be put first and trusted above any other person in the heaven and on earth (Prov.3:5-6).

Leaders are sinners like anyone. They cannot not the will of God unless He reveals Himself.

The will of God is revealed through His word. Therefore, the Bible must the only source of knowledge. It is the only guide (2 Tim.3:16-19)

All ethical problems find answers in the Bible. Even the most complicated issues are treated in the Bible with precision. In our moral struggles, it is always good to consult the Bible.

The Bible is the foundation of our faith. The Bible has all the instructions that will

leads us to Eternal life. Some of the message are codified; they

needs to be understood through the Spirit of God.

The Bible also interprets itself. The Bible portrays the character of God and

projects His image into our life, through His commandments.

Things written in the Bible were written to teach us lessons. Let’s learn from them (Rom.15:4).

All things and even people were example for our own instruction (1 Cor.10:6,11

We emulate the Bible character when they were doing right and avoid their conduct when they did wrong.

Think about these events ( Joshua 2:1-14; 6:25; Heb.11:31; James 2:25; The only perfect Bible Character is Jesus. We can emulate Him without the fear to fail in anyway.

OT laws are not all the same Ceremonial laws- Temporal, led to Christ Civil laws: Temporal, but some can make

sense Health laws: Temporal, some still necessary Specific Laws to individuals: Temporal Moral laws ( Ten commandments): Eternal

A theocracy is a nation whose God is the ruler, the government of God.

Politics is mixed with religion. It is not possible today.

It therefore makes it impossible that some of the laws in OT may apply to all the people, all the time.

We cannot kill in the Name of God. Comments on Theocracy in PP603, 761-764

The writings of EG White cannot be ignored as they come from the God-inspired founder of our movement.

She was the recipient of the true gift of prophecy and revelation from the Lord.

Rev 12:17; 19:10.

We cannot save life as such. We did not give it, therefore we cannot hold it.

God wants us to lovingly obey Him at all cost ( Eccl. 12::14; John 14:15).

At times, it seems that obeying God is useless and even harmful. But the outcome depends on the Lord. To obey is better than sacrifice and offering ( 1 Sam.15:22). Obey God rather than men ( Acts 5:29). Obedience to God may result to suffering and persecution (2 Tim.3:12), but we must be faithful unto death (Rev2:10).

We must not your our own knowledge, means and methods, thinking we can help God ( Abraham, Uzziah, Samuel’s children, Isaac etc… Jer. 48:10.

Our wisdom is just like a filthy cloth Therefore the end does not justify the

means Let’s trust in the Lord for guidance.

Things may appear sudden, un-resolved, difficult, and unchangeable…God assures us He will be always be there ( Is.43:1-3; Ps.41,51,62, 21, 31;

He is our refuge ( Ps 42:1,2;) He is able, we need not to fear anyone

( Ps.34:19; Heb.7:25) He will use His own means and ways to

deliver us from all harm.

We need to resign fully to God’s will. We ask for it, but we go ahead and do our

will. God’s will is always the best. “Whatever perplexity, we have a counsellor;

whatever our sorrow, bereavement, or loneliness, we have a sympathizing friend” Ministry of healing, 248-249.

There is guarantee and success in doing His will.

It is rewarding to dare to wait despite how long it will take.

The Lord will always vindicate us no matter how long it takes (Ps.46:10; Ps.27:14; Ps 37: 1-10; Is. 40:31)

Patience is a fruit of the Holy spirit. Let’s ask God to provide us with it.

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