Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1, NIV 1984).
My Musings – “God either exists or He doesn’t. Based on the testimony, both general revelation (nature) and special revelation (Scriptures/Bible), it is safe to assume that God does in fact exist. It is abundantly fair to conceive, that there is at least 50 percent chance that the Christian Creator God does in fact exist. Therefore, since we stand to gain eternity, and thus infinity, the wise and safe choice is to live as though God does exist. If we are right, we gain everything, and lose nothing. If we are wrong, we lose nothing and gain nothing. Therefore, based on simple mathematics, only the fool would choose to live a Godless life. Let us see. Since you must choose, let us see which interests you least. You have nothing to lose. Let us estimate these two chances. If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation that He is.”
–“Pascal’s Wager,” Pascal. Pensées 233.
Therefore, we are faced with the following possibilities:
You live as though God exists.
If God exists, you go to heaven: your gain is infinite.
If God does not exist, you gain nothing and lose nothing.
You live as though God does not exist.
If God exists, you go to hell: your loss is infinite.
If God does not exist, you gain nothing and lose nothing.
–New World Encyclopedia.org
A wager is something risked or staked (eternal life) on an uncertain event (the Christian God and His promise through Christ is real), based on the probability (odds) that one thing (eternal life) will happen (more likely than not) rather than another (eternal damnation).
While Pascal’s Wager is logical, it is not the same as saving faith. Saving faith is not having any doubt (“being sure“) that the outcome (eternal life) exists in fact and truth (“certain“). If one “relies” solely “on” Pascal’s Wager, there is really only one possibility, one certainty–“you go to hell.” If one “believes” solely “in” the saving grace through Jesus Christ, there is also only one certainty–“you go to heaven.” Pascal’s Wager might point you in the right direction, but it won’t take you to the finish line.
My Advice – “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'” (Matthew 7:21-23, NIV 1984).
Now, doing the Father’s will is not “[living] as though God does exist” more often than not. Working for our salvation based upon a cosmic probability will not “work.” Rather, “the work of God is this: to believe in the one He has sent.” (John 6:29, NIV 1984). It is “[the] Father’s will…that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and [He] will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:40, NIV 1984).
Don’t play the odds of doing enough to be saved. You cannot do enough. Take the sure bet through someone who did do more than enough.
The Brew Is A Musing 