Well, I feel like faith itself might be easier being single. I also believe the greatest blessing in life are children.. I would never know God’s love for me if He didn’t give me children.
AW Tozer
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Well, I feel like faith itself might be easier being single. I also believe the greatest blessing in life are children.. I would never know God’s love for me if He didn’t give me children.
I cant remember the passage about being overly religious in Ecclesiastes....but it's in there.
God created us to live....work....play....all kinds of stuff. Not just sit around thinking holy thoughts.
Ecclesiastes 7:16 English Standard Version
16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Great verse to pause on. Here’s the full ESV line again:
It does NOT mean “don’t be holy” or “don’t obey God.” Scripture constantly calls us to righteousness.
Instead, Ecclesiastes is warning against:
1. Self-righteousness
Becoming proud, rigid, moralistic, or believing your goodness earns you favor with God.
Think:
2. Perfectionism
Trying to control life through flawless wisdom, behavior, or religiosity.
That pressure can:
The Pharisees are a later biblical example:
They “knew the law,” but missed the heart of God.
Jesus said:
Avoid two dangerous extremes
Lawlessness
“Do whatever you want — sin doesn’t matter.”
Legalism / self-righteousness
“I can earn God’s approval and control life by being perfect.”
Instead:
Live in reverent dependence on God — humble, sincere, imperfect, grateful.
Put simply:
“Don’t become a proud religious perfectionist — it will destroy you. But don’t throw yourself into sin either. Live wisely, with humility before God.”
16 Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?
Great verse to pause on. Here’s the full ESV line again:
“Be not overly righteous, and do not make yourself too wise. Why should you destroy yourself?” — Ecclesiastes 7:16 (ESV)
What does “overly righteous” mean?It does NOT mean “don’t be holy” or “don’t obey God.” Scripture constantly calls us to righteousness.
Instead, Ecclesiastes is warning against:
1. Self-righteousness
Becoming proud, rigid, moralistic, or believing your goodness earns you favor with God.
Think:
- legalism
- spiritual superiority
- obsession with moral performance
2. Perfectionism
Trying to control life through flawless wisdom, behavior, or religiosity.
That pressure can:
- crush your soul
- breed anxiety
- damage relationships
- lead to despair when you fail
The Pharisees are a later biblical example:
They “knew the law,” but missed the heart of God.
Jesus said:
“Woe to you… you tithe mint and dill… and neglect justice, mercy, and faithfulness.”
(Matthew 23:23)
The second half of the verse explains it:“Why should you destroy yourself?”
Self-righteousness and obsessive religiosity eat people alive:- they isolate you
- they produce guilt and shame
- they rob joy
- they harden the heart
“Be not overly wicked…” (Ecclesiastes 7:17)
So the message is:Avoid two dangerous extremes
Lawlessness“Do whatever you want — sin doesn’t matter.”
Legalism / self-righteousness“I can earn God’s approval and control life by being perfect.”
Instead:
“The one who fears God shall come out from both of them.”
Ecclesiastes 7:18
Meaning:Live in reverent dependence on God — humble, sincere, imperfect, grateful.
Put simply:
- Don’t think sin is harmless
- Don’t think your goodness saves you
- Walk humbly with God
“Don’t become a proud religious perfectionist — it will destroy you. But don’t throw yourself into sin either. Live wisely, with humility before God.”
God called me to read God's Word, and He sent the Holy Spirit to provide understanding.
So, I won't be reading this guy's writings seeing I have the Lord's writings which actually matter
No, the greatest blessing in life is knowing the Lord and being led by the Holy Spirit.
God teaches many of His love for them and they don't have kids.
Let's no minimize the abilities of the Holy Spirit when a person submits to the Lord fully.
Some people acknowledge that they stand on the shoulders of their fathers or they crawl around on the ground and are indignant about it.
No one is going to force you to read anything. I'm certainly not. It's not exactly easy reading material. It might be beyond your abilities of reading comprehension. (His works are for most people)
But when someone has demonstrated extreme knowledge and talents in an area we do tend to rely upon their talents for ourselves. (Nobody should play doctor unless they are one) Christianity is supposed to be a team sport, not a solo act. Collectively we are better and more than the sum of our parts.
Wrong. The Holy Spirit is leading to to read the SOURCE of Truth which is God's Word.
As such, I have no need for some guy's "opinions" on what he thought God said.
Those that do not understand this are backing up!
When it comes to doctrine each person is to walk with the Lord individually first and foremost. All the rest is secondary.
The devil uses your so called "team sport" thing to spread false doctrine.
I've belonged to several churches over the years and they all have one thing in common which is that "you will either believe what we tell you to believe or you need to attend church someplace else".
In other words, check your personal relationship with the Lord at the door, sit down, shut up, and we will tell you what to believe.
The majority of churches and preachers teach false doctrine in these last days as the Lord warns about in His Word so I'll pass on allowing the tares to turn me in to a tare.
But you do you, and enjoy following the tares in to the abyss if you so desire.
I don't need anyone else to each me, I have the Holy Spirit is horrible theology.
Ephesians 4:11–12
“He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
If “I only need the Holy Spirit” were true, this verse would not exist.
“I have no need of you” is explicitly condemned
Paul attacks this exact attitude:
1 Corinthians 12:21
“The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,’ nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’”
The “Holy Spirit only” claim is spiritually dressed-up independence — and independence is the opposite of how the Body of Christ works.
The Spirit builds interdependence, not isolation.
The verse people abuse does not mean what they think
They usually quote:
1 John 2:27
“You have no need that anyone should teach you…”
But read it in context. John is not abolishing teachers — John himself is teaching them in that letter.
What he is saying is:
You don’t need new secret revelations beyond the gospel you already received.
He is attacking Gnostic false teachers, not biblical discipleship.
If that verse meant “no teachers,” then John contradicts himself in the same book:
1 John 4:1
“Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits…”
How do you test doctrine without teachers, Scripture, and the church?
You can’t.
This doctrine produces pride, not holiness
This idea shows up whenever someone doesn’t want correction.
The Bible calls that dangerous:
Proverbs 12:15
“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.”
Hebrews 13:7
“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God.”
2 Peter 1:20
“No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.”
“Holy Spirit only” theology always ends the same way:
isolated believers, doctrinal drift, and spiritual arrogance.
Even the apostles submitted to teaching
Paul went to Jerusalem to have his gospel examined:
Galatians 2:2
“I went up… and set before them the gospel… lest I should be running in vain.”
If Paul didn’t trust himself as a lone Spirit-guided interpreter, neither should anyone else.
So you claim Jesus LIED about the Holy Spirit, got it.
Jesus said the Holy Ghost would lead us in to ALL Truth (John 16:13),
and Jesus said God's Word IS Truth (John 17:17)
Sure, early on when I was a baby Christian I listened to my pastor and various other teachers.
As I grew in the Lord and knowledge of His Word I learned what the Lord warned about many coming in His Name that would deceive many so I found out there is much false doctrine being taught and the Lord showed me the difference so I could opt out from following
seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
But feel free to enjoy all the heresy being brought forth thru seducing spirits and doctrines of devils if you so desire.
1 Corinthians 2:9-12
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
I believe the Holy Spirit said... XYZ, I don't care what anyone else says on the matter, you are all wrong... and my theology is the right theology... and that's why there are thousands of protestant denominations. Got it.
They're all resisting the leading of the Holy Spirit just like the catholics and all of them together are speaking confusion as the demons are leading them to do in order to lead as many to hell as possible.
So, your being led by the Holy Spirit and others are not? Only you are .... and you are positive? ok Got it.
Does this sound like pride or humility... hmmmmm
Most of us aren't Catholic.
And Tozer was an early Pentacostal...before they got the label.
So you instead follow the so called reform theology cult instead?
Well enjoy being a follower of AW Hozer
I'm going to keep being a follower of Jesus Christ myself
You aren't following him as evidenced by the numerous statements that you have made.
You need Jesus. I suggest that you do follow Jesus instead of whomever it is that is directing your comments on this board.
