Sometimes a little knowledge is enough.

For better or for worse, I'm a fairly intellectual person. My judging function (from Jungian psychology) is very active; throw a pattern in front of me, and I instantly start analyzing it for how well it works, or how it can be improved.

This means that my walk among Christians as a Jew is ... challenging. Christians don't typically have the same ferocious dedication to understanding that Jews do; as a result, many things get expressed that simply don't hold up under the glare of history and understanding.

This is a struggle for me, because it's a constant prodding to correct and instruct and educate.

This correction and education is unfair and unnecessary; it's my struggle, not inadequacy on the part of those whom I observe.

The way I see it, there's an ideal that I want realized, in one way, while recognizing God's sovereignty in another way - and that "other way" recognizes that the ideal is something that can be moved to without harming the actuality around us.

I can pick my battles, so to speak, with God's grace and guidance hopefully making it so that I don't harm the faith of those around me.

There're two absolutes that the Law prescribes for Christians:

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40, NIV)

Verse 40 is ... slightly important.

Let's expand on this "limited law" and walk through two verses in Corinthians.

"I have the right to do anything," you say - but not everything is beneficial. "I have the right to do anything" - but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Cor 6:12, NIV)

Here, the Corinthians are referring to sexual immorality and a justification of it. Note Paul's nuanced response! He doesn't disagree with the statement. He comments upon it and places it within an appropriate context in Christian life. It's permitted - just not beneficial, and further development in the chapter shows how difficult it would be to be immoral in the Christian life and still be in communion with God.

Please note that I'm not excusing immoral behavior - merely using this verse to illustrate a nuance, if you would.

"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. (1 Cor 10:23, ESV)

Same form, same expression, different context entirely. Here, Paul is referring to the eating of meat offered to idols. In verse 31 of the same chapter, Paul concludes the thought unit with "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

So we have two verses - among many - that use the same form, in the same way. All things are lawful, when you love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and when you love your neighbor as yourself.

Where is my right to judge others for their lack of knowledge in this?

Nowhere.

Looking at 1 Cor 10 again, you find this explanation wedged between the two verses to which I referred above:

²³"All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. ²⁴ Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. ²⁵ Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. ²⁶ For "the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." ²⁷ If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. ²⁸ But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience - ²⁹ I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? ³⁰ If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? (1 Cor 10:23-30, ESV)

Paul is saying that we are free, and should consider ourselves constrained only by our witness to others.

Those whose understanding of history is limited are free.

Who am I to declare them chained by their inadequacy compared to me? Nobody.

Who am I to say that they are inadequate in any way? Nobody. I, too, am chief among sinners. God sees the saved as worthy; I can only acknowledge Him and say they are worthy, too.

If they understand salvation, they are enough.

Therefore, I try to educate in humility, which means very rarely and with great fear that what I say might not be constructive for those to whom I'm speaking. After all, in many cases, the details are only going to be extra details, not things that enhance the core meaning of what's being taught.

My prayer is that I am always cognizant of what those around me need, and that I try to fulfill that need with God's love and guidance - and that I'll keep my trap shut unless God guides me otherwise.

Shalom.