Lessons on Integrity and Purity from Job 31

Job 31

1 I made a covenant with my eyes; why then should I think on a maid?

2 For what portion of God is there from above? and what inheritance of the Almighty from on high?

3 Is not destruction to the wicked? and a strange punishment to the workers of iniquity?

4 Does not he see my ways, and count all my steps?

5 If I have walked with vanity, or if my foot has hurried to deceit;

6 Let me be weighed in an even balance that God may know my integrity.

7 If my step has turned out of the way, and my heart walked after my eyes, and if any blot has stuck to my hands;

8 Then let me sow, and let another eat; yes, let my offspring be rooted out.

9 If my heart have been deceived by a woman, or if I have laid wait at my neighbor’s door;

10 Then let my wife grind to another, and let others bow down on her.

11 For this is an heinous crime; yes, it is an iniquity to be punished by the judges.

12 For it is a fire that consumes to destruction, and would root out all my increase.

13 If I did despise the cause of my manservant or of my maidservant, when they contended with me;

14 What then shall I do when God rises up? and when he visits, what shall I answer him?

15 Did not he that made me in the womb make him? and did not one fashion us in the womb?

16 If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail;

17 Or have eaten my morsel myself alone, and the fatherless has not eaten thereof;

18 (For from my youth he was brought up with me, as with a father, and I have guided her from my mother’s womb;)

19 If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;

20 If his loins have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

21 If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, when I saw my help in the gate:

22 Then let my arm fall from my shoulder blade, and my arm be broken from the bone.

23 For destruction from God was a terror to me, and by reason of his highness I could not endure.

24 If I have made gold my hope, or have said to the fine gold, You are my confidence;

25 If I rejoice because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much;

26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

27 And my heart has been secretly enticed, or my mouth has kissed my hand:

28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

29 If I rejoice at the destruction of him that hated me, or lifted up myself when evil found him:

30 Neither have I suffered my mouth to sin by wishing a curse to his soul.

31 If the men of my tabernacle said not, Oh that we had of his flesh! we cannot be satisfied.

32 The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the travelers.

33 If I covered my transgressions as Adam, by hiding my iniquity in my bosom:

34 Did I fear a great multitude, or did the contempt of families terrify me, that I kept silence, and went not out of the door?

35 Oh that one would hear me! behold, my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that my adversary had written a book.

36 Surely I would take it on my shoulder, and bind it as a crown to me.

37 I would declare to him the number of my steps; as a prince would I go near to him.

38 If my land cry against me, or that the furrows likewise thereof complain;

39 If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life:

40 Let thistles grow instead of wheat, and cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.

Job 31 provides a profound blueprint for personal integrity, illustrating that true godliness requires a heart free from covetousness, impurity, and selfishness. It teaches that our lives must bear divine inspection in every transaction and private thought, as God records every deed in the ledger of heaven3T 550.1+1.

Purity of Heart and Action

True integrity begins with the internal control of one’s thoughts and passions.

• Guarding the Senses: Just as Job made a covenant with his eyes, we must recognize that a man who degrades others to gratify lustful propensities loses his godlike dignity and self-respectSA 173.1.

• Internal Morality: The state may only punish incivility, but God measures the immorality that lies within the heart, such as hatred which is equated to murder and impure thoughts to adulteryNSLS27 149.4.

• The Power of Grace: While the "old man" may have gnarled and crooked tendencies, through the merits of Christ, we can part with that which scars the soul and adopt His life as our guideT26 127.1.

Justice and Equity Toward All

Job’s example highlights the necessity of treating all people—regardless of rank or status—with absolute fairness.

• No Distinction of Rank: God recognizes no caste or rank; in His sight, men are judged by their purity, nobility, and love for ChristCS 162.2.

• Fair Dealings: We are strictly forbidden from taking advantage of anyone under the pressure of circumstances or purchasing property for less than its valueCS 145.3+1.

• Just Standards: The divine requirement is to maintain just balances, just weights, and a just ephah in every business transaction Leviticus 19:35-37.

• Compassion for the Needy: Neglecting the cry of the widow and the fatherless while living in luxury makes a person the poorest on earth in God’s sight21MR 351.5.

Faithful Stewardship of Means

Our attitude toward wealth reveals the true condition of our spiritual life.

• Hating Covetousness: Leadership requires men of truth who hate covetousness and fear God Exodus 18:21.

• The Danger of Riches: The love of money is the root of all evil, and those determined to be rich often fall into snares and hurtful lusts that lead to destruction4T 618.1+1.

• Active Benevolence: Property is a talent lent to us; if we bury it in the world through selfish indulgence, we will be unable to give a good account of our stewardship in the judgment7LtMs, Ms 26, 1891, par. 7+1.

• Systematic Giving: Returning tithes and offerings is a constant test that reveals whether the truth or the love of the world predominates in the heart Malachi 3:8T06 20.1.

Integrity in Business and Speech

A godly character is revealed through honesty and the refusal to use guile.

• Honesty in Representation: In selling property or goods, one must never keep back unfavorable facts or exaggerate praise to deceive a purchaser13MR 233.3.

• Rejecting Falsehood: The spirit of perjury and the act of turning truth into falsehood is a tool of the enemy that must be shunnedCCh 176.4.

• Universal Obedience: If a man reforms many parts of his life but clings to even one evil way or crooked path, he is considered ungodly Psalms 125:5ARSH April 11, 1865, page 145.21.

• Judgment Based on Light: Every person is held accountable for the light and opportunities they have been given; our responsibilities are proportioned to our privileges4T 415.2+1.

A Life of Unselfish Effort

The ultimate lesson is that character is developed through earnest, unselfish work rather than meditative abstraction.

• The Mind of Christ: To be laborers with God, we must cultivate humility, kindness, and nobility of soul while putting away all malice and envyRH January 24, 1893, par. 15.

• Stability in Trial: Only love as the underlying principle of action can enable a person to withstand trial and temptationCS 197.1.

• The Reward of Integrity: Those who are faithful in the little things and maintain strict integrity will hear the gracious words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant"4T 46.1+1. 😇