Two “ages”—”the present age and the age to come”—are the foundation of biblical history (Ephesians 1:21). Scripture also confirms that we are currently reaping some of the benefits of the future era. That is, even while we live in a time where some components of the future age have already begun with the first advent of Jesus Christ, they have not yet come to a complete conclusion. We refer to this conflict as the “already, but not yet” tension.
The Kingdom of God is a reality
At Christ’s first advent, [God’s Kingdom] was established (Luke 17:20–21). God appointed Him to rule over all authority, dominion, power, and rule when He was raised from the dead (Ephesians 1:20-21). But the consummation of the Kingdom of God is still to come—that is, at His second coming.
All rule, authority, and power that opposes His objectives will be destroyed when Christ returns in glory, bringing with Him all the blessings of the age to come (1 Corinthians 15:24-26). The Kingdom of God has not yet reached its full realization, yet it is already a reality today.
Redemption is a reality
Christ entered the earth to save His people from sin (1 Peter 1:18–20); by accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, the Father set us free from the grip of evil, brought us into the kingdom of his dear Son, and adopted us as His own children (Colossians 1:13; John 1:12). He accomplished this by sealing us with the power of His Spirit, ensuring that the work He started will be finished on the day of Jesus Christ’s return (Ephesians 1:13–14; Philippians 1:6).
Even so, even though we have been redeemed in this age, we still moan and wait for God to grant us all rights as His children in the next (Romans 8:22–23) and for our bodies to be freed. Though not yet complete, His people’s restoration is now a reality.
The new creation is a reality
God promised a new creation in both the Old and New Testaments (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:13), which would be far superior to the garden of Eden and distinct from the current era. But even this new creature has not yet reached completion since it is a benefit of the age to come; for this reason, it longs for the day of its redemption (Romans 8:21–22).
But since we are a new creature in Christ, we can perceive that it has been introduced among God’s people (2 Corinthians 5:17). Thus, the fact that Christ saved His people signifies the start of the world’s reconstruction. The new creation has not yet reached its full realization, but it is already a reality.
A worldview of hope
Knowing this gives us hope for the future because, even in this dark age, we are already experiencing the first fruits of a century to come because of our unity with Christ. Since “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us,” living in this tension will help us grow spiritually and overcome our obstacles (Romans 8:18).
