Proverbs 11:3 (Mini Sermon)

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3. Pro 11:3 – "The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them." A. The integrity of the upright shall guide them: i. Definitions a. Integrity n. – 1. The condition of having no part or element taken away or wanting; undivided or unbroken state; material wholeness, completeness, entirety. 3. In moral sense. a. Unimpaired moral state; freedom from moral corruption; innocence, sinlessness. b. Soundness of moral principle; the character of uncorrupted virtue, esp. in relation to truth and fair dealing; uprightness, honesty, sincerity. b. Upright adj. – III. fig. 8. a. Of persons: Adhering to or following correct moral principles; of unbending integrity or rectitude; morally just, honest, or honourable. c. Guide v. – 1. a. trans. To act as guide to; to go with or before for the purpose of leading the way: said of persons, of God, Providence, and of impersonal agents, such as stars, light, etc. c. To keep from by guidance. 2. fig. and in immaterial senses: To lead or direct in a course of action, in the formation of opinions, etc.; to determine the course or direction of (events, etc.) d. In other words, the soundness of moral principle, uncorrupted virtue, honesty, and sincerity of a morally just, honest, and honorable man will lead and direct him in his course of actions and in the formation of his opinions. ii. An upright man with integrity will be guided to keep God's commandments (1Ki 9:4). iii. Job was an upright man whose integrity guided him. a. His integrity guided him to hold fast to his faith and allegiance to God in the face of severe adversity and affliction (Job 2:3; Job 13:15). b. His integrity guided him when his own wife tried to persuade him to give up the good fight of faith (Job 2:9-10). c. His integrity guided him and kept him from turning out of the way and walking after his own eyes (Job 31:6-8). iv. David was an upright man whose integrity guided him. a. His integrity guided him and prevented him from sliding off the path of God's truth (Psa 26:1-3). b. His integrity guided him out of the way of the wicked and into God's church (Psa 26:8-12). c. His integrity and uprightness preserved him (Psa 25:21). v. Integrity guides us in our Christian walk (Pro 19:1; Pro 20:7). B. but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. i. Definitions a. Perverseness n. – The quality of being perverse; the disposition or tendency to act in a manner contrary to what is right or reasonable; obstinate wrongheadedness; refractoriness; corruption, wickedness. b. Perverse adj. – 1. Turned away from the right way or from what is right or good; perverted; wicked. b. Not in accordance with the accepted standard or practice; incorrect; wrong. 2. Obstinate or persistent in what is wrong; selfwilled or stubborn (in error). 3. Untoward, froward; disposed to go counter to what is reasonable or required; hence, wayward, petulant, cross-grained, ill-tempered, peevish. c. Transgressor n. – One who transgresses; a law-breaker; a sinner. d. Transgress v. – 1. a. trans. To go beyond the bounds or limits prescribed by (a law, command, etc.); to break, violate, infringe, contravene, trespass against. b. intr. To break a law or command; to trespass, offend, sin. e. Destroy v. – 1. trans. To pull down or undo (that which has been built); to demolish, raze to the ground. 2. To lay waste, ravage, make desolate. b. To ruin (men), to undo in worldly estate. f. In other words, the disposition or tendency to act in a manner contrary to what is right or reasonable, and the obstinate wrongheadedness, corruption, and wickedness or those who break the laws and commandments of God and thereby trespass, offend, and sin against Him will lay waste, ravage, and ruin themselves. ii. Balaam's perverseness caused his destruction both temporally (Num 22:32 c/w Jos 13:22) and eternally (2Pe 2:15-17). iii. Those that have perverse tongues fall into mischief (Pro 17:20) and will end up destroying themselves thereby (Pro 18:7). iv. Those who are perverse in their ways shall fall at once (Pro 28:18). v. The perverseness of sinners (especially their rejection of the word of God) will bring upon them sudden and devastating destruction (Isa 30:9-14). vi. God will recompense sinners' own perverse ways upon them as a judgment (Eze 9:9-10).