Seeing the Truth: Understanding Ecclesiastes and Avoiding Misinterpretations
If you’ve heard of the World Mission Society Church of God (WMSCOG), you might know they teach there’s a God the Mother alongside God the Father. They sometimes use verses from the Book of Ecclesiastes to try to “prove” this idea.
When we read the Bible carefully and in context, it’s clear that these verses do not support that teaching. Let’s go through it in a simple, easy to understand way.
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1. Life Can Feel Meaningless – But That’s Not About God the Mother
Ecclesiastes 1:2 (NIV):
“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
- What WMSCOG says: Life is empty without God the Mother.
- The truth: Solomon is talking about how life can feel empty when we try to do everything on our own. He is not talking about a second God.
- Lesson: Life becomes meaningful when we follow the one true God, not because there’s a hidden Mother deity.
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2. “There’s a Time for Everything” – Not Proof of Two Gods
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NIV):
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens…”
- What WMSCOG says: This shows God has a dual role, meaning both Father and Mother.
- The truth: This passage is about life’s natural rhythms, birth, death, love, hate, work, and rest.
- Lesson: It’s about life’s timing and God’s plan, not about God being male and female.
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3. Everyone Makes Mistakes – But That Doesn’t Mean You Need a Second God
Ecclesiastes 7:20 (NIV):
“Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.”
- What WMSCOG says: Humans are imperfect, so we need God the Mother for salvation.
- The truth: Solomon is simply saying all humans make mistakes. Salvation comes from God alone, not a second deity.
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4. Remember Your Creator – One God, Not Two
Ecclesiastes 12:1 (NIV):
“Remember your Creator in the days of your youth…”
- What WMSCOG says: “Creator” secretly means Father and Mother.
- The truth: “Creator” refers to the one true God, the same God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
- Lesson: God wants us to honor Him while we are young, not to invent another deity.
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5. Life Ends, Spirit Returns to God – Only One God
Ecclesiastes 12:7 (NIV):
“…and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”
- What WMSCOG says: Our spirits lived in heaven before birth, sinned there, were sent to earth as punishment, and we must return to heaven through their church.
- The truth: This is poetic language about aging, death, and life.
- Our bodies return to dust.
- The life God gave us (our spirit) returns to Him.
- Lesson: It does not mean humans lived in heaven before birth or sinned there.
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6. What “Spirit Returns to God” Really Means
- “Spirit” in the Bible often means breath, life, or life force God gives.
- Think of it this way: God gives life. When we die, that life goes back to Him.
- It does not imply a conscious life in heaven before birth.
Example:
- “The dust returns to the ground” – we weren’t alive as dirt before birth.
- “The spirit returns to God” – we weren’t consciously living in heaven before birth.
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7. The WMSCOG Adds Ideas That Are NOT in the Verse
Notice what Ecclesiastes 12:7 does NOT say:
- Humans sinned in heaven
- Humans were kicked out of heaven
- Earth is a punishment
- We need WMSCOG to return to heaven
These are additions made by the group, not part of Scripture.
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8. What the Bible Actually Teaches About Sin
Romans 5:12 (NIV):
“Sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin.”
- Sin came into the world through Adam, here on earth.
- The Bible does not teach that people lived in heaven before birth and sinned there.
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9. The Main Message of Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes teaches:
- Life on earth is temporary
- Worldly things don’t fully satisfy us
- We need God
- We should live faithfully before Him
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV):
“Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”
The point: There’s no hidden past, secret heaven, or special church required, just faithful living before God.
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10. Why This Matters for New Believers
Groups like WMSCOG often target people who:
- Are new to the Bible
- Don’t know the context yet
- Are searching for spiritual answers
They may:
- Jump quickly between verses
- Sound very confident
- Connect unrelated Scriptures
This can confuse new believers. That’s why it’s important to:
- Read full chapters
- Understand context
- Compare teachings with the whole Bible
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11. A Healthy Way to Read the Bible
When someone teaches a verse, ask:
- What is the full chapter about?
- Who is speaking?
- What is the main message?
- Does this match the rest of Scripture?
True teaching will fit naturally with the Bible. It won’t rely on hidden meanings or ideas not written in the text.
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12. Staying Strong in the Truth
If you’re new to the Bible, don’t feel discouraged if a group sounds convincing at first.
Many people are persuaded because they trust confident speakers. The important thing is to:
- Keep reading the Bible in context
- Ask questions
- Seek truth patiently
God’s Word becomes clearer the more you study it carefully.
2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV):
“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.”
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Important Points to Remember
- Ecclesiastes does not mention God the Mother.
- Life’s poetry and reflections are about God, life, and mortality.
- WMSCOG misinterprets verses to support ideas that are not in the Bible.
- Salvation and meaning come from the one true God, not a second deity.
- Always check context and compare Scripture to Scripture.