True Holiness vs. Self-Righteousness: The Pitfall of Being 'Holier-Than-Thou’

“Do not be overly righteous, nor be overly wise: Why should you destroy yourself?” Ecclesiastes 7:16

When I first read this verse many years ago, I wondered if there could be such a thing as too much holiness and righteousness.

Undoubtedly, the Word of God does n’t tell us to be careless in matters of holiness or to tolerate sin in order to avoid being overly righteous. That is not what it means to be overly righteous. A person who hates all sin, loves holiness, and is set apart from the world is not overly righteous. The "overly righteous" is akin to the "holier-than-thou" believer—the Pharisee who despised the tax collector. The overly righteous are those who accused Jesus' disciples of eating with unwashed hands.

Overly righteous people create demands that God never gave, invent self-imposed prohibitions, rely on religious rituals, and take pride in their own righteousness. The overly righteous are like the people in 1 Timothy 4:3, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created. The overly righteous include hermits who think that by oppressing their bodies and deliberately choosing poverty, they will earn God's favor. An overly righteous person may neglect his responsibilities to focus solely on "spiritual" matters. He might be a pastor who forbids everyone from watching TV but allows his children to behave like the world, failing to discipline them with the Word of God or rebuke them for sin. An overly righteous woman may attend worship services three times a day but neglects her housework, her husband, and her children.

The overly righteous may be a Christian who criticizes others for reading a harmless, non-sinful book, yet is filled with pride and boasts of his own righteousness. He may consider singing with musical instruments to be worldly, yet finds no fault in constantly criticizing and accusing others. When he is rebuked, he calls it judgment, but when he condemns others for playing a musical instrument or reading poetry, he believes it to be a scriptural rebuke.

An overly righteous person might fast to the point of being too weak to fulfill their daily duties. They might even seek out persecution deliberately, hoping to appear as though they are suffering for the name of the Lord.

However, a person who sincerely prays for holiness, seeks holiness, sets their mind on heavenly things, and obeys the Word of God will never be overly righteous.

From my diary,

October 20, 2024