The church of Jesus Christ lives in the overlap of the old age and the new—the “already/not yet,” as it’s often called. We are at the same time living in the kingdom of God and seated with Christ in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6), but we are also longing to be with Christ personally and reign with him eternally. We find this tension throughout the New Testament:
The believer is saved in Christ (Eph. 2:8), but yet to be saved (Rom. 5:9); The believer is adopted in Christ (Rom. 8:15), but yet to be adopted (Rom. 8:23); The believer is redeemed in Christ (Eph. 1:7), but yet to be redeemed (Eph. 4:30); The believer is sanctified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:2), but yet to be sanctified (1 Thess. 5:23–24). The believer is raised with Christ (Eph. 2:6), but yet to be raised (1 Cor. 15:52).
Churches must live in light of this tension. As the community of the new creation that still lives in the old order, our job as Christians is to build up the church and prepare her for the appearing of Christ so that no one is ashamed at his appearing (1 Jn. 2:28). One primary
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