Integrity in the Bible

Each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. – 1 Corinthians 3:13   
Have you thought about integrity and how it is reflected in the Bible? The Greek word for ‘integrity’ means ‘without cracks’. Remember we must take the Bible verses in context of the culture, times and people it is addressing. In Biblical days, if a deceptive or deceitful merchant broke a vase or it obtained some cracks in it, the merchant would fill those cracks with wax and paint over the outside as if it was a perfect vase….without cracks. The filled in cracks covered with paint did not prevent the vase from being without integrity. It had cracks. It was damaged.
In this verse, God is saying what matters is real, honest, true integrity. It is the integrity that, when the paint is taken off, the vase remains solid. No cracks. God will do the same thing. The Lord will reveal the reality of all our works and the existence, or non existence, of integrity. For some, it will be a painless process. For others, it will reveal you have done almost anything and everything you could to cover up those cracks.
This truth, although Paul wrote it primarily to ministers and church leaders, applies to all believers. God is clear in Scripture that he will test our works with fire. Think about what happens on a hot, sunny, summer day when you throw a match into a pile of hay or wood. It burns. All our works that are done for the world, by the worldly powers, and with selfish motives and desires, will be exposed to fire and burned. Only those of gold and silver will remain and be purified. Those done for the kingdom of God with pure motives.