Yet, but not yet. The perpetual tension seen in scripture is thematic in our reading today of Romans 8. God’s kingdom, inaugurated by Christ has always been multi-tiered. Christ appears as the manifestation of God’s kingdom, he heals, delivers, meets needs and models a godly community of love and care. Yet by his own admittance, this kingdom has only just begun. The end of the age has not yet appeared. Thus in this moment, there will still be injustice and oppression, disease and sickness, strife and dissension. The only solace that Christ brings is freedom in the spirit which is microcosmic of the universal kingdom that God plans to normalize at the end of the age. For now the Christians can demonstrate this life that will be, yet they will struggle with the challenges of this fallen world. Christ promises freedom, but this freedom is limited to the body of Christ, and the vestiges of the world it chooses to influence. God’s kingdom remains now, but not yet.
Continuing with this theme, Paul describes the tension of not achieving our full redemption as a woman in childbirth. We who are now trapped in earthly vessels, long with tremendous burden to become the full children of God. Whereby not just our hearts and minds, but also our bodies will be transformed. Paul reminds them that even creation itself and the current worldly order, will also be delivered in the apocalypse. Finally, Paul offers the spirit as our ever present comfort. His consistent message to the Romans bears significance for us. We can win the fight over the flesh, if we lean on the power of the spirit. For the spirit knows our weakness, and also knows God strengths. Thus a life lived in the Spirit is able to close the gap between the far off kingdom of heaven that appears to be not yet while helping us believers to realize a taste of heaven in the here and now.
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