In the Person of Jesus Christ the kingdom of God, the righteous judgment of God, the Yom Kippur, and the life of the age to come have broken into history. It is this eschatological character of the gospel which makes it so dynamic and urgent. This is what explains the power of the early church's witness to Jesus Christ. But these mighty happenings in Jesus Christ are evident only to faith. The gospel interprets that this is what really took place in Christ's death and resurrection.
Faith alone can see it.
When it is said that a believer enters the kingdom, or is justified at God's tribunal, or has eternal life, this means that he possesses these glorious benefits only in faith. Christ has returned to heaven. The kingdom, the righteousness of God, and eternal life are all in Him, and therefore they are, as Peter says, 'reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. The New Testament, therefore, has two focal points-the first and second comings of Jesus Christ. These two focal points may be clearly seen in the Synoptic message of the kingdom, the Pauline message of the righteous judgment of God, the book of Hebrews message of Yom Kippur, and the Johannine message of eternal life.