don't be overrighteous

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posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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Do you believe the Amplified Bible got it wrong in this case?
kinda, yeah.

i am thinking, Solomon knows how to say 'don't think yourself more wise than you are, or more righteous than you are' - but he didn't say that. it's a natural inclination of ours to think, hey you can never be too righteous, you can never be too wise, so he must mean something other than what he literally says, and that looks to me like what the amplified verse you posted assumes.

some things about wisdom are clear from the text tho: in 7:23 he says he determined to be wise, but it was far from him. in 7:4, the heart of the wise is in the house of mourning. in 1:18, with much wisdom comes much sorrow. when a person gains wisdom, they see what a fool they themselves are, and understand the foolishness that pervades the whole world, and the vanity of human endeavor. this can make a person bitter, depressed, and joyless - as tho destroying yourself. the more wisdom you gain, the more you know yourself to be foolish - as this teacher, the wisest man ever to have lived, says 'it was far from me'

is righteousness similar? in becoming righteous, do we come to know how wicked we are? devoting ourselves to purity, come to see that 'it is far from us' and our eyes become in the same way more open to see how unrighteousness pervades the world, how imperfect we are too - producing grief, as though destroying ourselves?
and like pharisees, if our every thought is on pursuing righteousness in our lives, are we always looking at our hands, thinking about the right things to do with them, to the point that we do not look up to heaven because we are consumed with thoughts about our own works?

just thoughts -- but they aren't thoughts in line with what the amplified comments suggest.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,776
13,535
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It means don't go after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians,
and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. And don't
build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab,
in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech,
the abomination of the children of Ammon.
i am sure Solomon had sufficient fluency of language to be able to say 'don't worship idols' if that is what he meant to say.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,670
6,860
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If God wants you to know...He will tell you.

Same goes for me.
SO....................why exactly do you incessantly ask folks questions?

Do YOU not believe what you said to me?

If God wants you to know, He will tell you..........therefore stop with the questions and possibly consider "adding to" a conversation in a positive manner with thoughts of your own. 3rd degree questioning is not "adding to."

We are called to "edify" the Church, not subject it to a 3rd degree line of questioning.

Sooner or later, you will be truthful and let me know what your last SN was...........you can try to fool me, BUT you can not fool God.
 
Sep 27, 2018
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SO....................why exactly do you incessantly ask folks questions?

Do YOU not believe what you said to me?

If God wants you to know, He will tell you..........therefore stop with the questions and possibly consider "adding to" a conversation in a positive manner with thoughts of your own. 3rd degree questioning is not "adding to."

We are called to "edify" the Church, not subject it to a 3rd degree line of questioning.

Sooner or later, you will be truthful and let me know what your last SN was...........you can try to fool me, BUT you can not fool God.
 
Sep 27, 2018
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Just who do you think you are to talk to me like this?
 
Sep 27, 2018
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He said to me...who do you think you are talking to me like this?

Eventuality He doesn't speak to you so He spoke to me about you.


I would advise you to answer me. In truth

But you do as you will.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,670
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You are too, too funny......... :)


Goodness.............
 

CherieR

Senior Member
May 6, 2017
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I think this verse can apply to different ways of being overly righteous...

1) Where someone is trying so hard and messes up, and they are super hard on themselves

2) When one begins making all kinds of extra rules. An example may be someone who has to dress in an extremely modest fashion where it is way too hot in summertime to wear, or someone who won't watch or listen to anything secular, even regular new channels.

3) Another example is when someone is praying and they have a bad thought randomly pop in their mind. This happens to some people and some will spend much of their time praying asking forgiveness for a thought that just came out of nowhere. This is a behavior that people with a religious form of OCD may do.

These are just some of the ways one can be overly righteous. The passage is talking about having a balance and avoiding extremes.
 
Sep 27, 2018
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You have read
Be not righteous over much;
neither make thyself over wise:
why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

But verily verily
I say unto you

Be not unrighteous in anything
neither make thyself stupid
Save thyself from thyself.
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,670
6,860
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Thank you for your answer.

Praise the Lord.
And thank you for yours.......you have answered every one of my posts........ :)

So, God spoke to you about me, and told you that you didn't have to tell me what your last SN was..........but that I had to answer your questions.......is that about right? :)

Does that apply to the others here you are questioning as well? Has God spoken to you about them? Did He speak to you about Posthuman?

You advise me to answer you in truth............you are the one God spoke to about me. Why did He not tell you? Maybe He doesn't want you to know, so I won't tell you either. If God wants you to know, He will tell you.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me about you.............can't tell you........it's a secret
 
Sep 27, 2018
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And thank you for yours.......you have answered every one of my posts........ :)

So, God spoke to you about me, and told you that you didn't have to tell me what your last SN was..........but that I had to answer your questions.......is that about right? :)

Does that apply to the others here you are questioning as well? Has God spoken to you about them? Did He speak to you about Posthuman?

You advise me to answer you in truth............you are the one God spoke to about me. Why did He not tell you? Maybe He doesn't want you to know, so I won't tell you either. If God wants you to know, He will tell you.

The Holy Spirit spoke to me about you.............can't tell you........it's a secret
Why are you telling me all this about you?
 

p_rehbein

Senior Member
Sep 4, 2013
30,670
6,860
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Why are you telling me all this about you?
Because I enjoy watching you play the silly games you play................. We had a saying in the Army:

The whole world is a Circus, no need for you to be the clown...........

Usually I put folks like you on "Ignore," but it's too much fun watching your antics............
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
37,776
13,535
113
what your last SN was...........
A good name is better than precious ointment,
and the day of death than the day of birth.
(Ecclesiastes 7:1)
just 15 verses after this the teacher arrives at the thread verse. how does it relate?