Pascal's Wager

Mark 9:24 (NLT)
24 The father instantly cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”

A father brought his son to be healed by Jesus from an evil spirit. The boy would fall to the ground with what would be described in modern terms as a grand mal seizure. The father explained how the boy at times would fall into the fire or water from this problem. The father desperately wanted his son healed. He said to Jesus, “Have mercy on us and help us, if you can.” Jesus asked him, “What do you mean, ‘If I can?’” Jesus went on to say, “Anything is possible is a person believes.” At this point the father cried out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!”



Blaise Pascal was a great philosopher and mathematician. Pascal questioned whether he should believe in an eternal life with God so he set out to prove an answer to his question. Paschal found his answer and today it is known as “Pascal’s Wager”. Pascal said the following about believing in God, “Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He (God) exists.”

Pascal put his doubt about God aside by noting that by believing there is a gracious and merciful God he would gain the rewards of his belief. For Pascal knew the Bible told him belief in Jesus Christ would allow him to live an eternal life in heaven. If Pascal chose not to believe in Jesus then he would lose all benefits God was willing to grant him. However if he believed and he was wrong he lost nothing. So why not put aside doubt when there was a greater benefit to believe than not to believe.

There are people today who do not believe in God or do not believe in Jesus. They are cheating themselves because God offers eternal life in heaven for believing in Jesus Christ. Why would one forfeit such a great gift offered so freely?