Why is forward-looking faith so important? Because what
awaits us -- what awaits all of us -- is
the final shaking out of all that has transpired under the sun. All will come
before God to give an account of their days, and the perfect judge will judge
perfectly on that day. As he will know everything prior to our opening our
mouths, it should be obvious that one’s only hope is to be found in
Christ on that day, clothed in his perfect righteousness.
This future oriented perspective has the power to shape our
daily existence. As Hebrews 11 and Psalm 37 outline, it enables us to push back
against sin and the sinful, proclaim the gospel, persevere through trials, and
even pass peacefully from this life to the next. For example, it empowered Noah
to publicly bear witness to God’s word, Abraham to leave the known for the
unknown, Joseph to confidently declare that the future God had promised his
people would come to pass despite the evident strength of the present to deny
it, Moses to identify with the people of God when blending in was a real option,
and Samson to believe that past failings do not need to define future reality.
Additionally, keeping our eyes focused on the Lord’s future we need not fear or
envy the wicked. They may have power to trouble us in this life but they are
powerless to separate us from the hope set before us; they may prosper on
account of their wickedness but their temporal blessing will only bring eternal
condemnation.
Living out forward-looking faith is not easy for the present
seems so much more persuasive. But if we remind ourselves who holds the future
and the reality he has promised, we will have strength to endure and possess
the prize that awaits.
