John said to repent, the kingdom is at hand, and Jesus said the kingdom is near. A well known commentator writes that the kingdom has already started and that once we are saved, we become kingdom builders toward the day when Christ’s returns rather than waiting for the kingdom to come in the future. What are your thoughts on this?
It’s hard to find a commentator who doesn’t try to insert some kind of human effort into God’s equation somewhere. In Matt. 16:18 Jesus said, “On this rock (Peter’s confession) I will build my Church and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.” The work we do after being saved, if it’s done at the Lord’s direction and in His strength, will bring us rewards at the Bema Judgment (1 Cor. 3:10-15) but it’s the Lord who does the building.