Faith, Works, Future

Traditional debates about faith and works might be clarified and illuminated by highlighting eschatology. To wit:

God intends to establish perfect justice and peace, reconciling all things by the Spirit in the Son. That is the future of the world.

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not yet seen. Faith believes that God will do what He says He will do. A believer is one who looks forward to God’s future.

If we believe this for real, we conform our lives so that they fit with what is ahead. God’s just kingdom is coming, and we live in a way that anticipates what’s coming, so that when it comes we can enter in.