Risks of Excessive Jesus Focus in Christian Living

While devotion to Jesus is central to Christian faith, theological traditions have identified potential pitfalls when this focus becomes excessive or improperly directed. These risks often involve a distortion of Christian living, a misunderstanding of God's nature, or an imbalance in spiritual practice.

One area where an "excessive" focus can be problematic is in the pursuit of spiritual disciplines or worship. Thomas Aquinas, in his Summa Theologica, addresses whether there can be an excess in the worship of God. He distinguishes between two ways something can be in excess: in absolute quantity or in proportional quantity. While he argues that in terms of absolute quantity, one cannot offer too much worship to God because human efforts are always less than what is owed, he notes that excess can occur if worship is not proportionate to its end ^[3]. This suggests that worship, even if directed toward God, can be misapplied if it loses its proper purpose or context.

Similarly, early Christian writers warned against distortions of Christ's teaching. Ignatius of Antioch, for instance, cautioned against heretics who "mix up Jesus Christ with their own poison," administering a "deadly drug in sweet wine" ^[9]. This highlights the danger of misinterpreting or manipulating the message of Christ, leading believers astray with teachings that appear appealing but are fundamentally harmful.

Another risk lies in an imbalanced focus on Jesus that neglects other aspects of Christian life, such as practical living or the broader understanding of God's kingdom. Jesus himself warned against anxieties about worldly possessions, urging his disciples to focus on God's Kingdom and purpose rather than being "obsessed with possessions" ^[1]. Matthew Henry, commenting on Matthew 6:25, notes that Jesus "more largely and earnestly warns his disciples" against "disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of life," which indicate that "both the treasure and the heart are on the earth" ^[6]. This suggests that an exclusive or misdirected focus on Jesus that does not translate into a transformed perspective on daily life can be problematic.

John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, emphasizes that a true Christian life involves a "special love for righteousness" ^[4]. He also discusses the importance of meditating on the future life, but not in a way that leads to shunning or hating the present life. Instead, believers should desire the future life while gladly accepting the present at God's command ^[5]. Calvin further advises against extremes in using the present life and its comforts, warning against both excessive austerity and carnal intemperance ^[10]. This indicates that an "excessive" focus on spiritual or future realities that leads to an unhealthy detachment from or disdain for the present world can be a distortion.

The concept of "excess" is also applied to other areas of Christian conduct. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary on Ephesians 5:18, for example, defines "excess" in relation to wine as "worthless, ruinous, reckless prodigality," contrasting it with being "filled with the Spirit" ^[2]. This illustrates that even good things, when taken to an extreme or used improperly, can become detrimental.

Theological systems have also grappled with the implications of Christ's nature. Charles Hodge, in his Systematic Theology, discusses the "exaltation of the humanity of Christ" due to its union with his divine nature ^[7]. He also critiques theological views, such as Schleiermacher's Christology, which he argues were embraced by those who had "been constrained to give up Christianity as a doctrine" ^[8]. This suggests that certain interpretations or emphases on Christ, if they deviate from established doctrine, can lead to a diminished or distorted understanding of Christianity itself.

Sources

Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 12:22: 12:22-34 Jesus’ warning against greed (12:13-21) is followed by teaching about living in dependence on God. Jesus’ disciples were to focus on God’s Kingdom and his purpose in this world rather than being obsessed with possessions.”
Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 5:18: excess--worthless, ruinous, reckless prodigality. wherein--not in the wine itself when used aright (Ti1 5:23), but in the "excess" as to it. but be filled with the Spirit--The effect in inspiration was that the person was "filled" with an ecstatic exhilaration, like that caused by wine; hence the two are here connected (compare Act 2:13-18). Hence arose the abstinence from wine of many of the prophets, for example, John the Baptist, namely, in order to keep distinct before the world the ecstasy caused by the Spirit, from that caused by wine. So ”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Second Part of the Second Part (Secunda Secundae), Of Superstition Consisting in Undue Worship of the True God, Art. 2: Article: Whether there can be any excess in the worship of God? I answer that, A thing is said to be in excess in two ways. First, with regard to absolute quantity, and in this way there cannot be excess in the worship of God, because whatever man does is less than he owes God. Secondly, a thing is in excess with regard to quantity of proportion, through not being proportionate to its end. Now the end of divine worship is that man may give glory to”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 61: 2001 CHAPTER 6. THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN MAN. SCRIPTURAL ARGUMENTS EXHORTING TO IT. This and the four following chapters treat of the Life of the Christian, and are so arranged as to admit of being classed under two principal heads. First, it must be held to be an universally acknowledged point, that no man is a Christian who does not feel some special love for righteousness, chap. 6. Secondly, in regard to the standard by which every man ought to regulate his life, although it seems to be considered in chap. 7 only, yet the three f”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 64: 2025 CHAPTER 9. OF MEDITATING ON THE FUTURE LIFE. The three divisions of this chapter,—I. The principal use of the cross is, that it in various ways accustoms us to despise the present, and excites us to aspire to the future life, sec. 1, 2. II. In withdrawing from the present life we must neither shun it nor feel hatred for it; but desiring the future life, gladly quit the present at the command of our sovereign Master, sec. 3, 4. III. Our infirmity in dreading death described. The correction and safe remedy, sec. 6. Sections . 1.”
Matthew (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Matthew 6:25: There is scarcely any one sin against which our Lord Jesus more largely and earnestly warns his disciples, or against which he arms them with more variety of arguments, than the sin of disquieting, distracting, distrustful cares about the things of life, which are a bad sign that both the treasure and the heart are on the earth; and therefore he thus largely insists upon it. Here is, I. The prohibition laid down. It is the counsel and command of the Lord Jesus, that we take no thought about the things of this world; I say unto you. He says it as our Lawgiver, and”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 80: that is, whosoever religiously worships Him and looks to Him as his God and Saviour, shall be saved, whether in a dungeon or alone in a desert. The Exaltation of the Human Nature of Christ. Another consequence of the hypostatical union is the exaltation of the humanity of Christ. As the human body in virtue of its vital union with an immortal soul, is immeasurably exalted above any mere material organization in the universe (so far as known or revealed), so the humanity of Christ in virtue of its union with his divine nature is immeasurab”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 85: This is a meagre outline of Schleiermacher’s Christology. His doctrine concerning Christ is so implicated with his peculiar views on anthropology, on theology, and on the relation of God to the world, that it can neither be fully presented nor properly appreciated except as an integral part of his whole system. Gladly as Schleiermacher’s theory was embraced as a refuge by those who had been constrained to give up Christianity as a doctrine, and great as have been its popularity and influence, it was assailed from very different quarters a”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 1: Clement, Polycarp, Ignatius, Barnabas, Papias, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus — CHAP. VI.--ABSTAIN FROM THE POISON OF HERETICS.: I therefore, yet not I, but the love of Jesus Christ, entreat you that ye use Christian nourishment only, and abstain from herbage of a different kind; I mean heresy. For those(7) [that are given to this] mix(11) up Jesus Christ with their own poison, speaking things which are unworthy of credit, like those who administer a deadly drug in sweet wine, which he who is ignorant of does greedily(13) take, with a fatal pleasure(14) leading to his own death. I therefor”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 65: 2031 CHAPTER 10. HOW TO USE THE PRESENT LIFE, AND THE COMFORTS OF IT. The divisions of this chapter are, I. The necessity and usefulness of this doctrine. Extremes to be avoided, if we would rightly use the present life and its comforts, sec. 1, 2. II. One of these extremes—viz. the intemperance of the flesh—to be carefully avoided. Four methods of doing so described in order, sec. 3-6. Sections . 1. Necessity of this doctrine. Use of the goods of the present life. Extremes to be avoided. 1. Excessive austerity. 2. Carnal intempera”

Ask Your Own Question