When is Too Much Not Enough?

An Open Letter to Our Roman Catholic Friends

Something to Think About

Although the above phrase seems at first blush to be a contradiction, in reality there are many cases when too much of something falls far short of achieving its intended outcome. In running, for instance, too much training actually breaks down the body and eventually lowers the performance capability of the runner. In effect, "too much" becomes "not enough" to help the runner achieve maximum execution. In cooking, as well, "too many" chefs can become "not enough" when it comes to the desired effect of producing a good bowl of soup!

What's This Have To Do With Religion?

In the realm of theology there are illustrations of "too much" being "not enough" when it comes to conducting oneself in the household of God. Paul says in 1 Corinthians that he would rather speak five words with his mind, in the church, than ten thousand words in a tongue. In this case, the apostle realized that "too much" speaking in tongues was "not enough" to accomplish his intended goal.

Earlier, in the book of Galatians, the apostle was extremely agitated by Judaizers who wished to add something to the gospel of Christ. Paul was vexed that the churches of Galatia were troubled by those who wished to include "too much" in the gospel formula so that the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice was compromised. Paul knew that there was a danger of "too much" being "not enough" to satisfy the essence of the gospel message. In Acts 15:5, we are informed that a sect of the Pharisees, which believed, was promoting the necessity of circumcision and keeping the law of Moses. The apostles concluded that adding Moses to the gospel was in reality "too much." They knew that this would become "not enough" in proclaiming the full pardon of punishment due sin and freedom from the law found in the gospel of Christ.

When Addition Equals Subtraction

There are many religions today which bring before God their own peculiar ideas of worship and faith. However, the one thing all man-made religions have in common is that they are guilty of the "too much" is "not enough" error. As with the Judaizers of the first century, there are many religions that have an affinity with Christianity but fall short of it by adding "too much" to it. We believe that yours is just such a religion.

It is not that you fail to believe in God or Jesus Christ. It is not that you lack zeal and heartfelt faith in the Bible. So, what is the problem? The problem is that you add "too much" and thus your gospel is "not enough" to achieve the goal of being considered true Christianity.

Keep It Simple

The simple message of repentance and faith in the finished work of Christ for forgiveness of all sins and all penalties due to sins is completely obliterated by the "too much" of your religion. Consider that the apostle Paul became unglued over the inclusion of circumcision, a time-honored ordinance that pre-dated the Mosaic law, into the gospel formula. What would he have thought of baptismal regeneration, confirmation, confession to a priest and penance, eating a literal Jesus in the Lord's table, a re-presentation of Christ's death in a bloodless sacrifice, papal infallibility, worship and adoration of Mary, purgatory, condign and congruent merit, rosary beads, scapulars, holy shrines and holy water, feast days and fasts, robes and rituals, incense and indulgences, ablutions and absolutions? Not to mention lent and limbo, extreme unction and encyclicals, presumption and perpetual virginity! From acts of contrition to venial sin, you have perhaps the greatest religious illustration of when "too much" is "not enough." There are, indeed, many ways to ruin the gospel of Christ. The most popular, by far, as in the runner who runs too much and the soup with too many cooks, is to add so much that it becomes "not enough" to qualify. Your religion's "too much" obliterates the very thing it seeks to establish. When weighed in the balance, this "too much" will always be "not enough."