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But Why Is There Still So Much Chaos?

“One might understand the biblical concept of the kingdom of God by analogy of D-day and V-day. A war is often effectively over long before the final day of victory—a momentous battle may so turn the tide of the war that it both heralds and brings into reality now the not-yet fully realized victory. And so the Allied forces, in their invasion of Normandy beach, won both the battle and the war on that Decisive-day; the war was as good as over, though many battles were yet to be fought, many lives yet to be lost, and many belligerents yet to concede defeat. V-day was not yet in sight, the armistice not yet signed, but the war was over.” 

—Lee C. Camp, Mere Discipleship

One of the most challenging parts of faith is trying to reconcile the evil, suffering, and injustice we see in our world today with the belief that, through His death and resurrection, Jesus defeated death and robbed sin of its power. Because if that’s true, shouldn’t suffering and death be over and done? 

This is why it’s so important to understand that we are living in the in-between. According to Scripture, time is divided into two different parts: the present age and the age to come (aka the Day of the Lord). There were many people in Jesus’ day who expected the arrival of the Messiah to signal the end of the present age and the beginning of the age to come. They believed this would happen in a single grand cosmic event where everything changed all at once! 

But that’s not what happened. Instead of it being an all-at-once kind of thing, the transition from the present age to the age to come is more of a process. It was a process that was launched with Jesus’ life on Earth, but it won’t be completed until Jesus eventually returns. The Apostle Paul compares the in-betweenness we are experiencing to a woman expecting a baby: 

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. Romans 8:22-23 NIV 

This is why the Kingdom of God has been described as being “now but not yet.” Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Church has been launched, sin has been overcome, and the decisive battle has been won against the powers of darkness. The Kingdom of God is here in part, but it will not be here in full until the fateful day when Jesus eventually returns. 

The Book of Revelation ends with a depiction of what things will be like when all of creation is under the rule and reign of King Jesus. It will be a day when every tear is wiped away, every hurt will be healed, and death will be no more, “for the old order of things has passed away.” It will be a day when God finishes what He started and makes “all things new.” 

 Until that day comes, we, as the Church—the people of God living out the will of God—have been given the job of bearing witness to the reality that God’s Kingdom is here in part and will someday be here in full.