CCS 8th Grade Promotion
Integrity
17 I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity. All these things I have given willingly and with honest intent. And now I have seen with joy how willingly your people who are here have given to you.
INTEGRITY Faithful support of a standard of values. Terms which occur in parallel with integrity (Hb. tom, tomim) suggest its shades of meaning: righteousness (Ps. 7:8); uprightness (Ps. 25:21); without wavering (Ps. 26:1 NRSV, NASB, NIV); blameless (Ps. 101:2 NRSV, Hebrew uses tom twice in this verse, otherwise translated “integrity”). Several OT characters are designated persons of integrity: Noah (Gen. 6:9); Abraham (Gen. 17:1); Jacob (Gen. 25:27); Job (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3); and David (1 Kings 9:4). English translations frequently render the underlying Hebrew as perfect or blameless. Inclusion of Jacob is surprising since he is better known for his deceit (Gen. 27:5–27; 30:37–43; 33:13–17). English translators describe Jacob as a plain (KJV), peaceful (NASB), or quiet man (NRSV, NIV, REB).
In the NT integrity occurs only at Titus 2:7 (NRSV, NIV, REB) in reference to teaching. The idea of singleness of heart or mind is frequent (Matt. 5:8; 6:22; James 1:7–8; 4:8).