Faith of Our Fathers — “Looking Back and Looking Forward”

Speaker: John Stott
Date: December 23, 2025
Episode Theme: Balancing the “Already” and the “Not Yet” in Christian Discipleship

Overview

In this episode of Faith of Our Fathers, John Stott presents a timeless message originally delivered around the end of the year, focusing on the Christian perspective of time. Stott challenges believers to reflect on the “already” and “not yet” aspects of Christian life: looking back at Christ’s first coming and looking forward to His return. He explores how this tension shapes our understanding in five key spheres—intellectual, moral, physical, ecclesiastical, and social—and calls for a balanced, “biblical realist” faith marked by both confidence and humility.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Stewardship and Meaning of Time

[00:58]

• Time as a Divine Gift: All people have the same amount of time; the difference is how we steward it.
• Appropriate Reflection: The end of the year calls for looking back (reflection) and looking forward (anticipation), especially for Christians.

Quote:
"The only difference between us is in the use to which we put it and whether we are good or poor or indifferent stewards of this very valuable commodity." — John Stott [01:12]

2. Living “Between the Times”

[02:18]

• Christians live “in between”—between Christ’s first coming (“already”) and His return (“not yet”).
• This “spiritual simultaneity” is essential:
  “Spiritually speaking, we must be looking back to the past and on into the future simultaneously, back to the first coming, on to the second coming…we live in the present in the light of the past and the future, because this whole perspective is biblical.” [03:30]

3. Five Spheres of “Already” and “Not Yet”

A. Intellectual: Revelation

[04:15]

• Already: God has revealed Himself in creation, in Jesus Christ, and in Scripture.
• Not yet: Full knowledge remains out of reach—"our knowledge is partial."

Quote:
"We know and we don't know…Already God has revealed himself, but not yet has he revealed Himself in fullness." [06:05]

• Encourages confidence in revealed truth, humility about mysteries.

B. Moral: Holiness

[07:00]

• Already: The Holy Spirit indwells believers, producing growth in Christlike character.
• Not yet: Complete perfection eludes us; Christians live in tension between progress and imperfection.

Memorable Phrase:
“I am not what I ought to be…But still I am not what I once used to be, and by the grace of God, I am what I am.” (John Newton, quoted) [08:58]

C. Physical: Health and Suffering

[10:35]

• Already: Christ’s miracles show that the kingdom has broken into history.
• Not yet: Full redemption of our bodies and the world’s restoration awaits Christ’s return.

“We’ve tasted the powers of the age to come, but so far it’s only a taste.” [12:25]

• Cautions both against denying miracles and expecting perfection now.

D. Ecclesiastical: The Church

[14:02]

• Already: Christ has gathered a people marked by truth, holiness, and unity.
• Not yet: Sin, division, and imperfection still exist; perfect purity is future.

“The Church is both the holy people of God and a motley bunch of sinners. The Church is both united and disunited at the same time.” [15:40]

E. Social: Progress in Society

[17:05]

• Already: Christians, as salt and light, have had profound impact—educational, humanitarian, social justice advances.
• Not yet: Utopia remains unreachable until “God rises from his throne to say, ‘I make all things new.’”

"Christians are not utopians. A perfect society awaits the second coming of Christ." [19:07]

4. Typology of Christian Attitudes to the “Already” and “Not Yet”

[21:45]

• “Already Christians” (Sunny Optimists): Focus solely on what is accomplished, risk presumption and disillusionment.
• “Not Yet Christians” (Gloomy Pessimists): Emphasize what is incomplete, risk negativity and complacency.
• “Already/Not Yet Christians” (Biblical Realists): Embrace both simultaneously—confidence in what God has done, humility about what remains.

Quote:
"To which category do we belong? It wouldn't be a bad resolution, by the grace of God, to become increasingly an ‘already/not yet’ Christian." [24:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Time as Divine Gift:
  “Time is a very precious commodity. It is a gift of God.” [00:58]

• Christian Identity:
  “See what love, what extraordinary love…the Father has given to us that we should be called his children and not only called his children. We are his children.” [03:57]

• Augustine’s Pilgrimage Image:
  “Still as pilgrims, not yet at rest; still on the road, not yet at home; still aiming at it, not yet attaining it.” [09:27]

• Church’s Flawed Beauty:
  “The Church is both the guardian of the truth and very prone to error. The Church is both the holy people of God and a motley bunch of sinners.” [15:40]

• Balanced Biblical Christianity (BBC):
  “It is this combination of the already and the not yet…which characterizes what I sometimes call BBC—standing not for the British Broadcasting Corporation, but for balanced biblical Christianity.” [27:07]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Time and Christian Reflection: 00:58–02:18
• Living In Between (First and Second Coming): 02:18–04:15
• Intellectual/Knowledge Tension: 04:15–07:00
• Moral/Holiness Tension: 07:00–10:35
• Physical/Health Tension: 10:35–14:02
• Ecclesiastical/Church Tension: 14:02–17:05
• Social/Society Tension: 17:05–21:45
• Three Christian Attitudes: 21:45–27:07
• Closing Prayer & Exhortation: 27:07–28:36

Final Reflection & Prayer

[27:07] Stott concludes with a prayer, asking God to guide listeners into “balanced biblical Christianity,” rejoicing in what has been accomplished in Christ while looking forward in hope to all that is promised:

"We desire to thank you, Heavenly Father…for what you did and said and gave to us in the first coming of your Son…But we thank you that there is more, much more yet to come…lead us into this balanced understanding and living." [27:32]

Summary Takeaway

John Stott’s sermon urges believers to develop a balanced, “already/not yet” outlook: confident in Christ’s finished work, realistic about present imperfection, and filled with hopeful anticipation for His future return. This perspective shapes our thinking, character, health, community, and social engagement—inviting “biblical realism” over mere optimism or pessimism.