Why are you a Christian? Are you a Christian to please your family? Are you a Christian because it brings you comfort or offers some benefit? Are you a Christian out of fear of hell? Do you see it as the safest choice? Your reasoning may differ, but how we answer this question reveals the motivations behind our beliefs.
In the 1600s, Blaise Pascal presented his solution to the question of God’s existence. He suggested that everyone is involved in a life-or-death gamble regarding this matter. If God exists, following Him yields infinite rewards. If God does not exist, you lose nothing. Pascal argued that making this bet is unavoidable; everyone must choose to bet for or against God. While Pascal’s wager appears reasonable at first glance, it relies on eternal risk management rather than the truth of Scripture.
If our goal is to hedge against eternal destruction or protect ourselves from an angry God, it raises a few difficulties: (1) Our motivation for following Christ is about self-preservation, not faith; (2) Christianity may become just the best option for me, but not for thee; (3) Christianity doesn’t exactly “hedge” against the possibility of the existence of other gods, the Bible says there are no other gods. If we commit to Christianity, we commit ourselves to an exclusive religion that denies all others.
God and Christianity offer the most reasonable explanation for everything in this world and the next. However, following Jesus was never intended to serve as a tool to insure ourselves against eternal destruction. Following Jesus leads to eternal life and away from eternal destruction, but we cannot let fear be our only motivation. It is reasonable to cast our lot with God. Not because it’s the “best bet,” but because it is true. We should desire to follow Jesus because of who He is; because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6). We should follow Him because God is love. Our choice should not be because it’s the best choice of many, but because it is the only true option.