Subversive Christian Unity

St. Paul twice exhorts us to examine ourselves. Once, to ask if we are truly in the faith. He means this as first-century converts would have understood it. Christ said that whoever heard his words and believed God who sent him had already passed from death to life. The only thing first century Christians knew about Christ was what he said and did. Paul isn't asking for an exegesis according to Thomas Aquinas or Karl Barth. Paul exhorts us in another place to do it, examine ourselves, before taking communion, lest we be guilty of the Lord's body and blood. I think he meant the same thing both times.

We are all limited in our understanding of God's salvation: how it works out day by day.  Sometimes it scares us, sometimes it sickens us, and sometimes it draws Jonah's reaction: I am angry enough even to die! I suggest an exercise in accurate reasoning. The other fellow, whose religious ideas you deeply disagree with, is likely as limited as you in his understanding. You do not altogether understand life. Neither does he. Some aspects, and some experiences along the way, startle you with God's severity or awe you with his mercy. You just scraped by, you think, by the grace of God. You are exactly right about that. So is the other fellow.