Now and Later

 

so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28

 When I was a kid, we had a candy called Now and Later. They were a taffy candy that advertised their long-lasting flavor. You could enjoy them now, and still be enjoying them later. Turns out they are pretty long lasting because when I searched for them just now they’re still around, quite a few years later! These came to mind when I was reading our verse today about Jesus’ first and second coming.

 I discussed last week how Jesus came the first time to pay the cost of our sins through His perfect sacrifice on the cross. This was necessary and important, a finished work in itself, but not everything that God has planned for Jesus to do. Jesus paid the cost for our sins and purchased our redemption on the cross. That’s the Now. Right now, our sins are forgiven when we confess them to Him and we are set free. All that takes place in the present, because it was purchased in the past. We read in Acts 1:11 that Jesus will come back, and that’s the Later.

If Jesus already paid the price for our sins and has sorted out our redemption, why does He need to come back? While we have been forgiven and set free, we are still subject to our flesh and its weaknesses as well as living in a fallen world tainted by sin. The completion of our salvation, its fulfillment, will come when we are set free from all of that. 1 John 3:2 tells us that what we will be has not yet been made known, but when we see Jesus at the end of days we will finally be able to be like Him for we will see Him as He is. Then, this salvation that is in process now, will be complete and, 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." [Rev 21:4 NIV]. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

Here's the Thing: Your salvation is completed. Jesus work on the cross is a finished work. We just haven’t gotten to experience the fullness of it all yet. But we will! Someday soon, as God wills it, Jesus will return to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him. We have salvation Now, in the forgiveness of our sins and our relationship with the Holy Spirit, and we’ll have the fullness of our salvation Later, when we will see Jesus and be like Him. So much better than a piece of taffy!

P – Father, thank You for the finished work of Your Son, Jesus, on the cross where He paid once and for all for the sins of mankind. Thank You that right Now I can experience salvation because of it. Thank You also that there is a Later where I get to be with You in Heaven forever, perfected and clean – never to sin again. May I worship today in the full knowledge and belief of the competed salvation that is coming.