Meant for GoodSample

Joseph’s Blameless Integrity

Read: Genesis 39:7-10

Discover

Potiphar’s wife tempts Joseph. He resists, maintaining his integrity with Potiphar and staying faithful to the Lord.

Learn

Joseph’s successful resistance against Potiphar’s wife is not coincidental or haphazard. He does not stumble into victory over the temptation. Rather, Joseph’s success is due to a character rooted in three unassailable convictions. First, he does not betray the trust of Potiphar. Joseph is given expansive responsibilities over Potiphar’s property, staff, and resources. The trust he labors hard to earn is a gift from God. Joseph is not willing to betray that trust by giving in to temptation.

Next, Joseph does not betray his convictions on marriage. Joseph says, “There is no one greater in this house than I, nor has he kept back anything from me but you, because you are his wife” (Genesis 39:9). In the throes of temptation, Joseph reminds Potiphar’s wife of the commitment she had made to her husband. Joseph knew God Himself joined Potiphar and his wife together and he would not be the one to tear them apart (Matthew 19:6).

Finally, and most importantly, Joseph does not betray the providential care of his God. Joseph declares to Potiphar’s wife, “How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). Beyond betraying the trust of Potiphar or undermining his beliefs about marriage, Joseph is not willing to sin against his God. All of Joseph’s success – the prosperity of his labor, his rapid ascent in leadership, and the flourishing of Potiphar’s household – is because God is with Joseph. Trading the blessing and favor of God for the temporary satisfaction of sin is an absurd proposition to Joseph.

Apply

Joseph’s daily barrage of temptation is not foreign to the life of any believer. You too can have victory like Joseph by developing a character formed by convictions. Joseph had relational convictions. Fidelity to your spouse, family, friends, coworkers, and church requires a commitment to righteousness. Sinful infidelity destroys trust, tears families apart, and causes discord in every environment it touches. Joseph also had truth convictions. Fidelity to believing and obeying God’s Word enables us to resist when temptation tries to seduce us. Finally, Joseph had spiritual convictions. His fidelity to Potiphar and his fidelity to truth flowed out of a greater loyalty to the Lord. Compared to God’s blessing, the fleeting pleasures of sin were an absurd trade. Friend, are you facing temptation today? Consider how sin destroys relationships and undermines our convictions. Like Joseph, pray to God to empower you (Genesis 39:2) and for Him to give you victory over sin.