This article is designed to create a better understanding of integrity. For the next 30 days read the questions and allow them to spark deeper personal reflection and life change.

Integrity is the most important character trait you can develop. It means behaving and thinking in a way consistent with your personal values and beliefs.

As Christians, we believe we have been set free from sin and are new creations in Christ. In this context, integrity takes on a new level of significance. It means being consistent with who we now are in Christ.

1. Read Romans 6:1–4. When we are saved the Holy Spirit places us in Christ. We have died with Christ and are new creations in Him. What does having a new identity mean to you?
2. With an identity change comes an ownership change. We don’t belong to ourselves, God bought us with Christ’s death. In this light, what is your obligation to God? (1 Corinthians 6:19–20).
3. Along with a change in position and ownership comes our responsibility to live so our lives match our identity. What is your responsibility toward the goal of integrity?
4. Although we’re changed to being in Christ once we’re saved, our behaviour isn’t automatically changed. What are some ways you sense the inner conflict between who you were and who you are becoming?
5. Paul instructed Timothy to give careful attention to his behaviour and beliefs, ensuring they matched (1 Timothy 4: 15–16). What do you find when you examine if your behaviour matches your beliefs?
6. Because we are still sinners we are not completely whole. But we should continue making progress. What are some signs you’re seeing with the integration of behaviour and belief in your life?
7. Integrity doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by intentionally purposing in your heart, like Daniel, to pursue integrity (Daniel 1:8). What are some ways you can be more intentional about pursuing integrity?
8. Daniel’s life of integrity was rooted in his consistent and continuous choice to make God his priority (Daniel 6:10). How can you make your relationship with God your main priority?
9. Developing integrity begins with intentional transformation in our thoughts, allowing our sinful ways of thinking to be reshaped by God’s Truth. What are you doing to reshape your thinking with God’s Truth?
10. The Lord is always with us and He’s aware of our thoughts, words, actions, and attitudes (Proverbs 9:10). What effect does this awareness have on your life?
11. Joseph was conscious that his life was lived before God and his sin was ultimately against God (Genesis 39:1–10). How did this awareness help Joseph maintain sexual purity?
12. Joseph’s temptation came after obvious success (Genesis 39:1–6). What is the connection between success and the temptation to compromise?
13. Joseph was able to remind himself of his responsibilities, which helped him to flee temptation (Genesis 39:9–10). What responsibilities can you remind yourself of when tempted?
14. Joseph shows us how to deal with sexual temptation regardless of the cost (Genesis 39:6–12). What is the price you have to pay in order to maintain distance from sexual temptation?
15. One purpose of a new identity is to live a new life through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:5–11). From Ephesians 5:18, what are some ways you live your life under the influence of the Holy Spirit?
16. The Holy Spirit manifests the life of Christ in us (Galatians 5:22–23). We are to cultivate this. What evidences of the Holy Spirit do you need to cultivate in your life?
17. Integrity is not only what we don’t do. It is also about what we do. What are you doing to pursue high standards in relationships, vocation, speech, stewardship, and spirituality?
18. Pursuing high standards for every aspect of our lives leaves less room for poor integrity. How can you use models of integrity you think of to pattern your life after and pursue greater integrity?
19. Proverbs 4:23 says “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.” What boundaries have you set for your eyes and ears to protect your heart and mind?
20. Boundaries protect our integrity by establishing what we won’t do. Job set a boundary not to look with lust at a young woman (Job 31:1). What boundaries have you set to protect your moral integrity?
21. Pursuing excellence and high standards in every area of life requires boundaries for those areas including how we relate to others. What boundaries have you set for relationships?
22. Think of your friends and consider their influence on your integrity (1 Corinthians 15:33). What are character traits you need to look for in your closest friends to help you continue developing integrity?
23. Integrity in our vocation requires boundaries for what we will not allow ourselves to do. What boundaries for integrity and excellence have you set in relation to your vocation?
24. Integrity in our speech means saying what we mean, meaning what we say, and doing what we say we will do (Psalm 39:1; 141:3). What boundaries have you set to ensure integrity in your speech?
25. Stewardship integrity requires us to set boundaries for how we will use the resources God has given us. What boundaries have you set regarding the financial and physical resources God has given you?
26. Sin in our life is the essence of a lack of integrity. Ask the Lord to show you any sin in your life (Psalm 139:23–24) and confess and repent of it. What are some ways you can set boundaries to prevent those sins from resurfacing?
27. Read Psalm 15. It lists 10 characteristics of integrity and their reward of fellowship with God. Does experiencing unbroken fellowship with God motivate you to be a person of integrity?
28. God has recorded our works and we will be rewarded in heaven based on our integrity (Revelation 20:12; 1 Samuel 26:23). How does anticipating a heavenly reward motivate you to greater integrity now?
29. Envy, jealousy, and greed are desires, which can lead to sinful behaviour and undermine integrity (Philippians 4:11). What can you do to cultivate contentment in order to counteract these desires?
30. Being a person of integrity in every area of our lives means making choices that others may not like but that God will reward us for. What are some choices you need to make in order for integrity to be your lifelong pursuit?