Promise of New Creation
Do you ever make a promise that you intend to keep but haven’t yet completed it? Like when you tell your wife you will take out the trash? We’ve been looking at promises fulfilled, but so many promises, even ones we’ve looked at already, seem like they are still waiting to be completed.
In the midst of our struggles and the world's brokenness, we often find ourselves asking, "Where is God in all of this?" The answer lies in a powerful truth of Christmas: God is not distant or disinterested; He is deeply involved in our lives, and He’s working towards a new creation both within us and in the world around us.
The reason we still face hardship and brokenness every day is because: we live in the already and not yet.
Jesus has already defeated sin and Satan, yet it is not yet fully realized. Jesus has crushed the head of that ancient serpent, yet he has not cast that beast into the lake of fire that burns forever and ever.[1]
This can be illustrated in the difference between D-Day and V-Day. The battle at Normandy on June 6, 1944, also referred to as D-Day, essentially ended World War II. Yet the battles were not over after that invasion. People still died after Normandy. It wasn’t until V-Day, or Victory in Europe day, on May 8, 1945 that the war was officially over, nearly a year after D-Day. Right now, we are living between D-Day and V-Day. The battle has been fought. The victory has been decided. But there are and will still be casualties until that victory is finally actualized.
The first week of Advent, we saw that the first Messianic prophecy was about the seed of woman crushing the head of the serpent, Satan. What happens when you crush a snake’s head? It doesn’t die immediately. It flails around and twists and contorts. This is where we’re at in the story of redemption.
Although God has come to dwell with his people in the person of Jesus, the fulfillment of all the promises have yet to be fully realized. He has crushed the head of the serpent. He has risen from the dead. He has ushered in his rule and reign and is the King of every person’s heart who places their faith in him. Although his spiritual rule and reign has been realized, creation still groans. Romans 8:18-25 explains the already/not yet dichotomy that we live in so perfectly:
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
According to Scripture, the kingdom is portrayed as both a realm that can be entered presently and one that will be entered in the future.
David Briones of Westminster Theological seminary explains it like this:
“For now, Christians live in a great theological tension: we already possess every spiritual blessing in Christ, but we do not experience the fullness of these blessings yet. In one sense, we are already adopted, redeemed, sanctified, and saved; in another, these experiences are not yet fully ours. Underneath this theological and practical tension are the two comings of Christ. In his first coming, he inaugurated the last days; in his second coming, he will complete them. In the meantime, we live for now in “the overlap of the ages.”[2]
And that’s what we’re going to see this morning. We’re going to see some of the promises fulfilled that we talked about the last two weeks, how they have also not yet fully been fulfilled. But, in the meantime, the promises still stand. And God is still true to His Word. And living in light of that reality changes everything for us.
The good news has already come and is yet to come. The first coming of Jesus was announced as “good news of great joy.”
Luke 2:10-11 – 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
Think about the shepherds on that first Christmas night, hearing the angels’ proclamation. This was a declaration of hope not just for them but for all humanity. This good news wasn't limited to a single moment in time, those shepherds on the hillside that first Christmas night; no, it echoes into our lives today, offering hope, peace, and salvation to all who hear it.
This means that the message of Christ is as relevant and needed in our modern world as it was in that shepherd's field. It's good news for the overworked parent, the struggling student, the lonely senior – it's for everyone.
God’s presence has already come and is yet to come.
John 1:14 – And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Revelation 21:3 – And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.
This dual reality of God's presence means that while we can experience His comfort and guidance today through the Holy Spirit, there is an even greater intimacy to anticipate. It's a promise that fuels our hope and directs our actions towards a future where we will dwell fully with Him.
That fuels us when we feel alone or that God isn’t near. I remember when one of my children was scared at bedtime and I told them that God was with them. They said, “But I can’t see Him.” Even though God was with them, they longed for that future realization of being with God face to face to calm their fears here and now.
In Christ, we have a real relationship with the Creator of the cosmos, but we’re not yet fully in His presence. We just had Christmas with my mom’s side of the family yesterday. Before we moved here, my kids got to see my parents weekly, and they miss them. My daughter was literally counting down the days until we went there Friday. That anticipation fueled her excitement. It didn’t discourage her. That’s how it should be for us. We will soon be with the Lord. Let that fuel your living now.
Our salvation has already come and is yet to come.
Ladd, who originated the already, not-yet distinction, shows its reality through some biblical examples that have to do with our salvation. We are:
already adopted in Christ (Rom 8:15), but not yet adopted (Rom 8:23);
already redeemed in Christ (Eph 1:7), but not yet redeemed (Eph 4:30);
already sanctified in Christ (1 Cor 1:2), but not yet sanctified (1 Thess 5:23–24);
already saved in Christ (Eph 2:8), but not yet saved (Rom 5:9);
already raised with Christ (Eph 2:6), but not yet raised (1 Cor 15:52).
Romans 8:24a – For in this hope we were saved.
If you placed your faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, you are saved. That is a present reality the moment you place your faith in Jesus. But, every aspect of it has yet to be completed. There are three aspects of our salvation (justification, sanctification, and glorification).
justification
Justification means we are declared in right standing before God. Our legal charges have been dropped. We saw last week that part of our salvation, that was promised in the first coming of Jesus, is our adoption.
Romans 8:23 – And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
The not yet aspect of our justification can lead us to doubt our salvation or be overcome by shame. We know, more than anybody, the sin that so deeply dwells within us. How can we be possibly be justified before the Judge of all the earth?
The present reality of our justification means we no longer need to strive for God's approval; we have it unconditionally through Jesus. This is what allows Paul to call the church at Corinth saints. And it’s what allows Him to call you that as well. In our daily lives, this means we can approach God with confidence and freedom, knowing we are fully accepted and loved by Him.
Imagine being in a courtroom, guilty of many charges. Suddenly, the judge declares you not guilty, not because of your innocence, but because someone else has taken your penalty. That's justification. That’s what Jesus has done for us who have placed our faith in Him. We stand forgiven and righteous, not because of our record, but Christ's.
sanctification
Romans 8:18, 21 – 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us… 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Romans 5:3-5 – 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Everything we encounter in this world has the potential to make us look more like Christ. We likely feel this part of the not yet more than anything. Sanctification hurts. I think that’s partly why Romans 8 talks about the pain of childbirth, both for creation and for ourselves.
The pain of childbirth is part of the curse of the Fall that we saw the first week of Advent. Pregnancy is amazing. A life is growing inside you. Just like Jesus was growing inside Mary as they traveled to Bethlehem. The process of bringing that baby into the world is incredibly painful, though. But all that pain fades away into obscurity when you look at the face of that newborn baby. Life comes through pain. It’s the same in our Christian walk. We are crying out in labor pains waiting for the life to come about. We get glimpses of it here and now the more we grow to look like Christ. But there’s a day we won’t have to wait anymore, when there’s no more pain.
glorification
Romans 8:18 – For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
This future promise provides us with hope and perspective. In our struggles, pains, and the weariness of life, we look forward to this glorious transformation. It reassures us that our labor in the Lord is not in vain and that our current struggles have an eternal purpose and end. Knowing that a future of no more suffering awaits us allows us to persevere through any suffering we face now.
All this is a present reality through Jesus, yet it is a promise that still stands, that we are awaiting to be fulfilled. And because of all that, and through all of that, here’s the promise He makes. He will make all things new.
God promises a new creation.
This promise is not just in the world, but it’s in us. It’s not just at the end, but it’s here and now.
Revelation 21:1-5 – 1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
This means that you need to let Him change you here and now. Let Him make you new. You need it, and this world needs it. This promise invites us to live as agents of this new creation here and now. It means our actions, our words, our lives should reflect this reality of renewal. We are called to bring glimpses of this future kingdom into our present world.
This is what Christmas reminds us…that as Jesus was born into this world, God wants to birth something within us and through us.
[1] Revelation 20:10
[2] David Briones, “Already, Not Yet: How to Live in the Last Days,” Desiring God, accessed December 23, 2022, https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/already-not-yet.
