The Old Testament describes a period of sin in the present and a period of redemption in the future. The New Testament similarly distinguishes between two ages: this one and the next. The term “age” designates a lengthy, occasionally infinite period of time. God seated Christ “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come,” according to the apostle Paul in Ephesians 1:21.
The present age
referred to as “this age, this time, the present age, this world” in the Bible. It spans the time from creation to [Jesus Christ’s second arrival]. The following describe this age: it is characterized by disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), evil (Galatians 1:4), pain (Mark 10:29–30), death (Luke 20:34–40), and an earthly, demonic philosophy (1 Corinthians 1:20; James 3:15).
Even though he is imprisoned, Satan has an impact on this age of fall and wickedness, which will last until Christ returns and brings with Him the age to come and the establishment of his Kingdom (2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19).
The age to come
referred to as “the century to come, the age to come” in the Bible. It begins at Christ’s second advent and lasts for all of eternity. According to 1 Corinthians 15:24–26, this age is defined as follows: it is eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18), the bodies of those who are in Christ are fully redeemed (Romans 8:23), the new creation has reached its fullness (Romans 8:21), and all rule, authority, and power that opposes the purposes of Christ is destroyed.
At the end of time, the Kingdom of God will be fully realized in Christ, and Satan will be hurled into the lake of fire and sulfur (Revelation 20:10; 22:1-5).
Enjoying today the blessings of the age to come
But even so, there are benefits from the future age that we are already experiencing in this one. For instance, Christ is ruling now and proclaiming the Kingdom through his people (Ephesians 1:20–21; 2:6); the Holy Spirit’s seal on a Christian assures them of an eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:14); and the new birth that a sinner who has only received in Christ experiences is the start of the new creation that is anticipated in the future age (2 Corinthians 5:17).
By God’s grace, I thus implore you, brothers, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and acceptable to God—this is your act of spiritual worship. Instead of conforming to this world, allow the renewal of your mind to transform you so that you can discern what is good, acceptable, and perfect—that is, what God’s will is—through testing (Romans 12:1-2).
