The church has lost much of its influence in society because it has turned its social-service calling over to the state. The church’s job is not only to help the responsible poor (1 Thessalonians 3:10) but also to empower the poor, equipping them to create wealth.
What if you walked into the kitchen to get a drink out of the refrigerator and it had been cooked? Or what if you picked up your tablet to watch some YouTube videos and it took you to a gardening channel instead? Of what if you stuck your cup of noodles into the microwave and they immediately froze?
Have you ever gotten a key in the mail attached to a letter or on the outside of an envelope? Sometimes car dealerships will mail out thousands of keys to thousands of people in order to try and lure them into their dealership. What they say in the letter is that the key you are holding might actually start a car – and if it does – you get to keep it. You win!
The problem with many Christians is that while they have made a decision to become a Christian by trusting in Jesus Christ for their salvation, they have not yet made a decision to become a disciple. They have not surrendered their lives in such a way so as to be a committed follower of Jesus Christ. The difference between a decision-maker and a follower is simply surrender.