Pascal’s Wager or Jesus’ Admonition?

Few of us would remember the name, Blaise Pascal, from our days in either math or science class.  Pascal was one of those over-achieving over-thinkers who paved the way for both modern science and mathematics.  “Pascal’s Wager” was a probability-based argument to mankind that since God either exists or He doesn’t, we are all betting our lives on whichever reality is true.  So, he reasoned, why not bet your finite life, behavior, and wealth on the premise that God DOES exist in the hope that you will gain an infinite eternity in God’s presence if you are correct?  While Pascal supposed he was encouraging his fellow humans to live unselfishly to gain eternity with God, it is clear he lacked a theologian’s perspective on salvation.  Pascal’s encouragement to good deeds and sacrifice won’t get ANYONE to heaven, which is only offered to those who trust in the atoning death of Jesus Christ.

But like Pascal, Jesus encouraged a similarly unselfish life when He said,

Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Matthew 6:19-21

If putting our earthly “treasures” to better use than our own selfish wealth accumulation doesn’t get us any closer to heaven, then why does Jesus admonish us to do so?  Because in Jesus’ view of things, our accumulation of whatever can waste or rust away is dumb.  He isn’t just saying to take all the money and possessions you have and somehow “invest” them in heavenly things.  It’s not about just giving your money and stuff away.  It’s more about not accumulating those things in the first place.  Why should believers spend day after day, and year after year, trading their lives for stuff?  I guarantee you can’t take it with you to heaven!

I believe Jesus’ Admonition is all about PERSPECTIVE.  Instead of working more and more hours to make more and more money to buy more and more stuff, why not understand what James wrote to us?

You don’t even know what tomorrow will bring—what your life will be! For you are like smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes.  James 4:14

James wasn’t trying to discourage us, but instead trying to drive the truth home that this life is such a little part of the whole of our existence.  We need to remember that in Christ, we are eternal and so it makes lots of sense for us to spend our days “working” for eternal stuff.  How do we do that?  By remembering that the greatest treasure we have is our knowledge of the Gospel – the promise of God to everyone who might believe in Jesus.  So we “work” to live lives that honor the sacrifice Jesus made for us; we share the truth we know with those who need to hear it; and we find a way to love the people God puts in our path while we walk this earth so they will know God loves them, too.  That all adds up to heavenly dividends!

Pascal’s reasoning might inspire us, but Jesus’ admonition should change us.  I’m ready.

Jacob