Be Not Righteous Over Much

VaultAI Summary:

This sermon, drawn from Ecclesiastes 7:15–18, confronts the perplexing reality that the righteous often suffer and die young while the wicked prosper, urging believers to respond with godly wisdom rooted in the fear of God rather than despair or cynicism. It emphasizes that such apparent injustices are not signs of divine failure but reflect the temporary nature of earthly life, with the righteous being spared future trials and ushered into eternal peace, while the wicked, despite long lives, face eternal judgment for their unrepentant sin. The sermon warns against two extremes: over-zealous legalism that adds human traditions to God's commands—such as banning alcohol or altering the Lord's Supper—equating mere external obedience with righteousness, and the opposite error of embracing even small amounts of wickedness or folly, which leads to spiritual ruin. True wisdom, the sermon affirms, is found not in self-righteousness or human cleverness, but in reverential fear of God, which safeguards the heart from both extremes, keeps one faithful to Scripture alone, and enables a life of holiness, humility, and enduring hope in Christ's ultimate justice.