Already, Not Yet

As believers, we must constantly contend with two realities: the presence of sin and the sovereignty of God. We occupy an in-between space as those who dwell in this world and yet belong to another. We are affected by evil, but in Christ, we are free from its controlling power. We find joy in the beauty of Creation, and yet we yearn to see it fully restored when Christ returns to claim His victory. The season of Advent, the season in which we remember Christ’s first coming and fervently pray for His second, reflects this tension and gives us hope as we think of what is “already” and what is “not yet.”

Already

During the season of Advent, we intentionally remember Christ’s first coming. We read the story in Luke about Caesar August’s decree, the arduous journey to Bethlehem, and Christ’s counterintuitive arrival as a baby born in a stable. We sing the words of the cherished hymn, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel,” which fervently asks that Christ return to “ransom captive Israel" and celebrates His plan to save the nations. Then, in the spring, we turn our attention to Christ’s example of sacrificial love on the cross, which ultimately ransomed all those who will believe in the name of the Lord Jesus and put their trust in Him. These traditions reflect the part of the story that is “already.” Through Christ’s sacrifice, we have been granted forgiveness for our sins and access to the Father. What a gift!

Not Yet

However, the lyrics of “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” do not end with Christ’s first coming. Subsequent verses voice hope for a day when Christ will “disperse the gloomy clouds of night, And death's dark shadows put to flight.” This speaks of a future, “not yet” day when Christ will return to make all things new, fully realizing the redemption that was secured by His death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead. Paul writes about this in 1 Corinthians 13:12, which says, “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (ESV, Crossway, 2001). Our current perspective is clouded, but it gives us hope for a time when we will see our Savior face to face. Similarly, Emmanuel is a name of God which reminds us of His presence and yet the song urges us to wait faithfully for Christ’s return. “O come, Thou Key of David, come, And open wide our heavenly home.”

Our Role

So, how are we to live in the waiting? The season of advent invites us to reflect on our present lives as we wait for Christ’s return. Though the ultimate work of justification was done at the cross, the life of the believer is marked by the Holy Spirit’s faithful work of sanctification. 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure” (ESV, Crossway, 2001, italics mine). We are to daily surrender ourselves to Christ, obediently following His commands as the Holy Spirit purifies us, for the gift that is most pleasing to God is “a broken and contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17, ESV, Crossway, 2001). Therefore, as we celebrate this advent season, singing songs like “O Come, O Come Emmanuel” and recounting the Christmas story, we must ask, are we faithfully waiting for Christ? Are we enjoying the beauty of this world without becoming stained by sin? (James 1:27, ESV, Crossway, 2001).

As I considered the message that I wanted to portray in my senior art exhibit at Dordt University, no concept seemed more appropriate than the oxymoronic phrase “Already, Not Yet.” Through the expressive brushwork and seemingly incomplete compositions that characterize my paintings, I hope to leave my audience both encouraged and challenged. I want to bless people with my depictions of this world’s beauty, while also asking what life might look like in the waiting. My paintings operate as visual representations of Christ’s work in my life. For instance, a painting titled “Light Overwhelms” is meant to depict the sky that I imagine will cover the earth when Christ returns. This prompts me to consider the imminence of His return and the preparedness of my heart.

Life as a believer is already and not yet. This advent, let us be followers of Christ who celebrate His first coming while praying with expectant hearts. “Come, Emmanuel, Come.”

Additional work from Caldwell's senior exhibit

photos by Annalise Caldwell