To be honest or to be a person of integrity. Two words that on the surface may seem like synonyms, but when examined under the light of scripture reveal differences so profound that they define the course of an entire life. We often think of honesty as an essential virtue, the minimum foundation of any healthy relationship, whether with our family, with our fellow men, or even with ourselves. And it is. To be honest means not to lie, not to cheat, not to steal. It is to speak truth and act accordingly, at least on the visible surface of our actions. But integrity is more than honesty; it is the indivisible wholeness of the soul. Integrity means living in complete coherence with what one believes and knows to be right, even in secret, even when no one is watching, even when it costs dearly. While honesty answers the question of what I say or what I show before others, integrity answers the more radical question of who I truly am before God.
The scriptures abound with examples of this difference. Think of Nephi, who was not only honest but also a man of integrity. When he declared that he delighted in plainness, he was not merely saying that he avoided lying; he was affirming that his entire life was transparent before God. We see it when, after receiving the commandment to return to Jerusalem for the plates, he submitted without reservation, even at the risk of his life. He could have honestly said, “This is dangerous, my brothers oppose me, perhaps this is unreasonable.” But his integrity pushed him beyond words. It was not only his speech that aligned with the will of God but his entire being, willing to act in absolute loyalty. In contrast, his brothers Laman and Lemuel, though at times brutally frank in voicing their anger or skepticism—which in a sense might appear “honest”—lacked integrity because their hearts were not whole in obedience to God. Integrity is not merely transparency in expressing what I feel, but fidelity in living what I know to be true.
The Savior Himself made this principle clear when He unmasked the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Outwardly, they fulfilled the letter of the law. They paid tithes, prayed in public, displayed piety. In appearance, they were honest, for they did not deny their religion or hide their practices. But they lacked integrity because their inner life did not correspond to the outer. They were like whitewashed tombs, beautiful on the outside but full of corruption within. There lies the root: honesty can remain on the surface, integrity demands wholeness. A person of integrity is the same inside and out, in public and in private, when seen by men and when contemplated only by God.
Alma taught his son Corianton that all our works will be brought to light in the final judgment, and that there is no possibility of hiding anything from the Lord. This reminder shows us why integrity is greater than mere honesty. Honesty looks toward men and seeks to maintain their trust. Integrity looks toward God and seeks to be approved in His presence. One can deceive men, build an acceptable image, appear upright. But no one can deceive God. There honesty ceases to be enough; only integrity can sustain us before Him who weighs the heart.
The story of Joseph in Egypt illustrates this with power. When Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him, Joseph could have been “honest” by verbally rejecting her. He could have explained his fidelity in words. But his integrity carried him further: he fled from temptation, even though it cost him prison. Integrity is doing what is right not because it is convenient, but because it is the only possible choice for a heart that is whole. Honesty would have kept him from lying to his master; integrity compelled him to keep clean his covenant with God, even at the cost of his freedom. The price was high, but his integrity ultimately led him to be exalted in Egypt, an instrument to save entire nations from famine.
The Book of Mormon often describes integrity as having a whole heart. Alma asked the congregation in Zarahemla: “If ye have experienced a change of heart, can ye feel so now?” That question appeals to integrity, because it is not enough to have once been honest in confessing faith; it is necessary to live with integrity, consistently. Honesty can be momentary; integrity is continuous. Honesty may be expressed in a statement; integrity is demonstrated in a way of life.
The difference is also reflected in the distinction between letter and spirit. Honesty fulfills the letter: I tell the truth, I do not steal, I do not deceive. Integrity fulfills the spirit: I live the truth in its entirety, even when no one requires it, even when no human law obliges me. A merchant may be honest by not using false weights, but he will be a man of integrity if he also treats others fairly, pays generously, and keeps his heart free from greed. Honesty may keep us out of the courts of men; integrity prepares us for the judgment seat of Christ.
In daily life, the difference becomes clear. A student may be honest if he does not cheat on an exam. But he will show integrity if he also studies diligently, fulfills his responsibilities, and refuses to deceive himself with excuses. A husband may be honest if he does not lie to his wife; but he will show integrity if he also keeps his heart pure, faithful even in his thoughts, maintaining his covenant even when no one else observes. A citizen may be honest if he does not evade taxes; but he will show integrity if he also genuinely cares for the well-being of his community, serving with dedication beyond the minimum required.
Integrity is indivisible. One cannot be a person of integrity in some areas of life and not in others. A man who is honest in business but cruel in his home is not a man of integrity. A woman who is sincere with her friends but harbors resentment in her heart is not a woman of integrity. Integrity means that what I am in private and in public, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I say and in what I do, is unified in the light of Christ. This is why the scriptures invite us to be perfect in Him, and that perfection does not mean flawlessness, but completeness, wholeness, being entire. To be a person of integrity is to be whole, without duplicity, without reservations.
The spiritual power that accompanies integrity is immense. The Lord has promised that those who live with integrity will enjoy confidence in His presence, peace in the midst of trials, clarity in the midst of confusion. That confidence is different from the mere tranquility of one who knows he is honest before men. It is the assurance that we are right with God. It is the joy of having nothing to hide in secret. That confidence, more than anything else, sustains the righteous when the storms of life come.
The stories of scripture show us that integrity is often tested in adversity. Job is the most compelling example. Satan accused him before God, and even after losing everything, his integrity remained firm. His honesty would have been to say he was suffering. But his integrity led him not to curse God or turn from faith. “Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me,” he declared. That is the spirit that distinguishes the person of integrity: he is not defined by circumstances but by an absolute loyalty that is non-negotiable.
Integrity is also tied to covenants. Baptism is an invitation to integrity, to take upon ourselves the name of Christ and never bring it to shame. Each time we renew that covenant in the sacrament, we not only honestly testify in words that we will remember Christ, but we commit to live with integrity in such a way that our actions match that testimony. A person may honestly say, “Yes, I believe in Christ,” but will show integrity by remembering Him always, keeping His commandments even when no one else does, being a disciple in heart and not merely in appearance.
The lack of integrity, on the other hand, is always destructive. Ananias and Sapphira, in the New Testament, are examples of incomplete honesty. They gave part of the money from a sale and pretended to have given all. They did not merely lie to men, but to God. The tragedy of their story lies not only in the specific lie but in the lack of integrity: they wanted to appear devout while secretly keeping something back for themselves. It is the same struggle of all times: the temptation to divide the heart, to reserve a hidden corner for selfishness while the exterior appears devoted.
The call to integrity is ultimately a call to holiness. It is to live without masks, without compartments, without reservations. Honesty is necessary and noble, but it is only the beginning of the road. Integrity is the goal. Honesty builds trust among men; integrity builds souls fit for eternity. Honesty avoids social shame; integrity opens the door to celestial glory. Honesty responds to our neighbor; integrity responds to God.
And perhaps the most beautiful thing is that integrity, in the end, gives us true freedom. The one who lives with integrity does not fear being discovered, because he has nothing to hide. He does not live a double life, does not divide his being, does not need to maintain facades. His peace is deep because it is real. His confidence does not depend on the opinion of men but on the approval of the Lord. That freedom is the greatest reward of integrity: to walk with head held high, with a clean heart, with the assurance that at the end of the path he will hear the Master’s voice saying: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord.”
Thus we understand that the difference between honesty and integrity is not merely semantic, nor academic, nor theoretical. It is a difference that defines the destiny of our souls. To be honest is important; to be a person of integrity is essential. Honesty makes us trustworthy in this world; integrity prepares us for the world to come. And as we move through life, every day, every decision, every thought, every word invites us not only to choose honesty but integrity. For in the final judgment, the Lord will not merely ask whether we were honest in what we said, but whether we were whole in what we were.
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