plaining that Christians do not exist. They take offense at Christ
for his superior wisdom. For Christ has given us scriptural authority
for knowing Christians by their fruits. He says (Mt 7, 16), "By their
fruits ye shall know them." Here they are emphatic.

18. Can you locate the failure of such an individual? He fails in the
fact that he understands absolutely nothing of Christ's kingdom. For
he misinterprets the passages referring to Christians. He understands
the statement that Christians should be kind and meek, to mean they
must never become angry, must bear anything and show impatience toward
none; if they do not so, they cannot be Christians, for they have not
the fruits. Dear man, what but his own blindness can lead him to such
a conclusion? He fancies Christianity to be a holy order of
perfection, altogether without infirmity, a perfection as in heaven
among the angels. But tell me, where do the Scriptures speak thus of
Christians?

But whoso recognizes Christianity as a progressive order yet in its
beginning, will not be offended at the occasional manifestation of
ungentleness, unkindness and impatience on the part of a Christian;
for he remembers that Christians are commanded to bear one another's
burdens and infirmities. He knows that the enumeration of the fruits
of the Spirit is not a record of laws the observance of which is
imperative or Christ will be denied. He is aware the passage is to be
interpreted as meaning that Christians are to strive to be kind; that
is the mark at which they aim. However, even though they have made a
beginning and some progress in this virtue, they often are unkind and
bear fruits directly the opposite of the fruits of the Spirit. True,
the text quoted says we should be kind, but it does not say we are
kind. We are tending toward it, we are in a state of progression; but
during the progress much of the old and as yet untransformed nature is
intermingled.

19. Know, then, that in a mysterious way Christ is in his saints, and
beware of judging or condemning anyone when you have not positive
assurance that he believes and teaches contrary to the Gospel. But
whoso does oppose the Gospel, you may safely judge to be without
Christ, and under the sway of the devil. Pray for such a one and
admonish him, in the hope of his conversion. But in the case of one
who endorses and honors the Gospel, observe Paul's comment (Rom 14,
4): "Who art thou that judgest the servant of another? t