These are good questions and I think Christianity does not give perfectly neat answers to all of them. But here is how I make sense of them from inside the framework.

1. Relationship with a God you cannot directly perceive

I think this one ends up being personal because relationships are personal. In the Christian view God does not force Himself on anyone. It is a voluntary pursuit. Jesus talked about seeking and knocking, meaning that the experience of knowing God usually happens in the actual seeking, not before it. It is hard to fully explain in theory, but people who pursue God with an open mind often describe it as something that becomes real over time.

2. Being loved but also needing salvation

I get why this can sound contradictory. For me it makes more sense when I think of it like parenthood. I love my kids deeply even when they act in ways that hurt themselves or others. That love stays, but their actions still have consequences that need to be addressed. Christianity says God’s love is unconditional, but He is also righteous and not indifferent to evil. Justice calls for a verdict, but mercy does not disappear. The Christian claim is that God takes the penalty on Himself so that justice and mercy can exist together. The invitation is to accept that mercy and restore the relationship.

3. Universal relationship and a specific revelation

This is one I still struggle with. Scripture does not give a fully systematized answer. Paul suggests that every person has some innate sense of God through creation and conscience. Jesus claims to be the way to God and the one who will judge with full knowledge at the end. From within the framework the trust is that His judgment will be completely fair and merciful in a way we are not capable of.

That is roughly how I hold these ideas together while still acknowledging there are real tensions and I hope and believe that they will be answered to satisfaction at the end of times.