Eschatological living is life in union with Christ. Since Christ was the Spirit-filled last Adam (Luke 4:18; 1 Cor. 15:45), we who are joined to Him enjoy the same filling of the Spirit. Therefore, the moment we are united to Christ by Spirit-wrought faith (John 3:5), we are nothing less than Spirit-filled, Spirit-baptized, and Spirit-controlled. The Spirit’s indwelling is Christ in us, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). As a result of this union, we live an “already/not yet” life in Christ. We have been crucified with Him (Rom. 6:6), but we carry the cross daily (Luke 9:23).
The term eschatology and its meaning are the subject of unfamiliarity and confusion for many Christians. Much of this is because of how eschatology has been taught. Most of the time, it is limited to a study of the last events preceding the return of Christ. Certainly, it is not less than a study of those things, but it is also much more. Eschatology is woven into the warp and woof of every verse in Scripture. Therefore, eschatological life is the Trinitarian, covenantal promise of God’s revelation to us.
Still, many Christians wonder what the eschatological character of the Bible means for their daily lives. In this article, we will focus on two aspects of eschatological living. First, we will examine eschatological living as kingdom living. Second, we will trace eschatological living as it relates to our Spirit-wrought union with Christ.
The central focus of Christ’s ministry was the kingdom of God—anticipated in the Old Testament, inaugurated by our Lord’s first coming, explained in the rest of the New Testament, and consummated at Jesus’ second coming. Eschatological living begins with the understanding that Christians live as citizens of the kingdom of God (Phil. 3:20). How does this kingdom-centered mindset affect the way we live?
