Is the concept of ‘already but not yet’ biblical?

from the old testament

• Though the phrase “already but not yet” is drawn from the New Testament, the concept of a future (“not yet”) kingdom has its roots in the Old Testament. For example, Daniel, in the book by the same name, wrote to Jews who had just been released from captivity. He was writing to explain both how God had preserved the nation of Israel and how there was still a future, eternal kingdom to come (Daniel 7).
• A similar idea is found in God’s various declarations about being Israel’s God. In some places, God calls Himself their God currently, yet at other places He talks about being their God in the future. For example, in Exodus 20:2, God declares “I am Yahweh your God.” That is the “already” sense. However, speaking about the future covenant, God said, “You will be my people, and I will be your God” (Jeremiah 30:22). Israel existed as God’s people yet rarely lived like it. God spoke about a future time, after He finished disciplining them, that they would fully submit to Him in their hearts, and, at that time, He would truly be their God (and they, His people) in the full sense of the meaning.

from the new testament

• While not a phrase from the Bible, the concept is the logical conclusion reached when combining verses that talk about the kingdom already being here with other verses that talk about it coming in the future. For example, the New Testament records Jesus as saying things like the kingdom is “at hand” (Matthew 4:17) and that it is already “in their midst” (Luke 17:21). However, when talking about signs before the end, He told His disciples that “when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near” (Luke 21:31). So, in one sense, the kingdom was “near” with Jesus (the “already”) but in another very real sense, it was far and would come “near” in the future (the “not yet”).
• What Jesus has (and has not yet) accomplished also supports an “already but not yet” idea. By His death, resurrection, and ascension, Jesus has made an escape from God’s future wrath, and thus He has begun to put an end (“plunder”) to the evil world system (for example, Matthew 12:28–29). In that sense, the kingdom is “already.”
• At the same time, Hebrews 2:8 tells us that “at present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” So, the kingdom has come, and yet it is not fully realized (not everything is subjected to Him—the evil world system remains). That will happen when once “He has put all His enemies under His feet,” ultimately abolishing death once-and-for-all (1 Corinthians 15:25–26).
• Scripture’s commands to obey Jesus now, before the kingdom is realized, is another example of “already but not yet.” We are told to live as “citizens of heaven” (Philippians 3:20), yet also told we must remain in this sinful world (1 Corinthians 5:10).
• Jesus, Himself, prayed to the Father that, while we live in this “kingdom,” we would be protected from its evil (John 17:14–18). In effect, He was praying that we would live like citizens of the kingdom of heaven while living in the kingdom of “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). How we live is further evidence that the kingdom is “already” despite being “not yet.”
• Additionally, the world’s hatred of us shows that we are living with our feet in two kingdoms. They hate us because they hated our King (John 15:18). Because we live like the King, behaving as citizens of a kingdom not yet fully here (1 Peter 4:3–4), we are persecuted by the citizens of the world (Matthew 5:10). This, then, adds support to the concept of the “already not yet” reality of those of us living in our King’s hostile territory.
• Finally, Christians are said to have an elevated standing, despite our present reality not matching our status. For example, Paul tells us that the Father “seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6). Similarly, he talks about the believer’s glorification as if it has already happened (Rom 8:30). So, the Bible speaks of this dichotomy, giving us another example of the kingdom being “already” though not yet realized.

implications for today

As believers, this world is not our home (John 17:16). However, rather than removing us from it, Jesus deliberately sent us into the current evil “kingdom” (John 17:18). He has done that so that we would be His witnesses (Matthew 23:19–20) as lights in the world (Matthew 5:13–16). We, as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) are to live like we are already in the kingdom of God despite it not yet being fully here. That means we are to be growing in purity as we look forward to the King’s return (1 John 3:1–3), striving to be known as children of God (Philippians 2:15), and pointing people to Jesus when they wonder why we don’t live like the world’s citizens do (1 Peter 3:15–16 and 1 Peter 4:3–4). Because we are no longer of this world, and because the world hates our King, Jesus did promise that we will be persecuted (John 15:18–20). Though suffering is never enjoyable, the knowledge of the future kingdom brings joy as the world’s hatred shows that we are truly of that future kingdom and able to look forward to the time when Jesus brings it to earth (Revelation 20:1–3)!