The Now and the Not Yet

Matt Slick was asked to explain the Now and the Not Yet on his live radio show.
The "Now and the Not Yet" is a theological concept that helps us understand the relationship between the atonement of Christ and its application to His people. The atonement is the act of God in which He reconciled sinful humanity to Himself through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. The atonement was accomplished in history, when Jesus died on the cross and rose again from the dead. However, the benefits of the atonement are not fully realized by believers until they are glorified in heaven. Therefore, we live in a tension between the "now" and the "not yet". We are already justified, adopted, sanctified, and sealed by the Holy Spirit, but we are not yet glorified, resurrected, or free from sin and suffering. The "Now and the Not Yet" helps us to appreciate what God has done for us in Christ, and to hope for what He will do for us in the future.