There are two kinds of people in churches. On the outside, it’s very hard, almost impossible, to tell the difference between the two. On the inside, however, the first person believes that going to church makes him a Christian. The second goes to church because he already is a Christian. Therefore, one lives life out of fear; the other, out of joy…
Rankin Wilbourne illustrates this in his excellent book, Union With Christ:
“American Idol was one of the most popular television shows of all time, and for the contestant, one of the most nerve jangling. A single missed note could cost you the competition, but winning could change the course of your life. At the end of each season, when the competition was over and the winner had been crowned, she took up the microphone and sang one more time. But she was no longer singing to win; she was singing because she had won. It was no longer a contest. She had nothing more to prove or earn. Instead, the chosen and honored performer could sing with all her heart, delighting in her gifts for the benefit of others. That’s the freedom from anxiety the gospel gives. You have already been chosen and crowned in Christ, so now you can do what you do with all your energy, delighting in whatever gifts God has given you for the benefit of serving others.”
Entrusted with the Gospel 
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