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good news
Pascal’s wager is a famous idea that employs game theory to help people to think through the implications of countering the offer of Jesus’ good news with a response like, “I just don’t have the faith to believe.” The wager asks a person to think through their response to Jesus as they would a bet or any other important decision. He lays out a cost-benefit analysis for people to consider.
He’s essentially come to the conclusion that life is meaningless and insignificant, so he recommends just enjoying it. As you hear him talk about the freedom and happiness he enjoys, you start to wonder whether it matters if life has any meaning or not.
When Jim Carrey announced the nominees for Best Motion Picture in Comedy at the 2017 Golden Globes Ceremony, he made a joke that everyone in the room knew was all too real. He said: “You know, when I go to sleep at night, I'm not just a guy going to sleep. I'm two-time Golden Globe winner, Jim Carrey, going to get some well-needed shuteye. And when I dream, I don't just dream any old dream. No sir. I dream about being three-time Golden Globe winning actor, Jim Carrey. Because then I would be enough. It would finally be true. And I could stop this terrible search for what I know ultimately won't fulfill me.” Cue nervous laughter.
Feelings of hopelessness usually catch people by surprise. It’s as if we assign those kinds of negative feelings to a certain personality type and we assume that we’re immune. But dark clouds can settle in on anyone’s outlook. The question is what you can do about them.
There are many things that make work hard. There are pressures, deadlines, expectations, and crises to deal with. While those things make work difficult, it’s almost always the people problems that make work unbearable. Conflict with coworkers keeps you up at night and makes you dread getting up in the morning. So, what can you do about it?
Stress can weigh on almost every aspect of our lives. It interrupts our sleep. It affects our digestion. It causes aches in our bodies. It also impacts our relationships and our performance at work. According to a recent poll, about 1 in 4 Canadians said that they feel quite stressed or extremely stressed most days. Women reported feeling stressed by expectations, relationships, and family concerns while men were more stressed by layoffs, pay cuts, demotions, and financial difficulties. The question is: What do you do about it?
I watched the 80’s throwback movie “Blinded by the Light” recently, and not being a Bruce Springsteen fan, it was mostly the non-Boss music that made me reminisce. Hearing the Pet Shop Boys took me back to my high school days and the music that was so much a part of my life at a time of life when music seems so important. One song that stood out to me was “It’s a Sin,” the second hit from the Pet Shop Boys after their debut single, “West End Girls.” As I listened to the chorus, it struck me that I remembered more of the melody than the lyrics. I think I spent more time dancing to the song than actually listening to its message. Now, so many years later, I read the lyrics of lead singer Neil Tennant and reflected on them with sadness and regret. His words give voice to many people’s experience of religion, so even if you’ve never heard of the band, you may relate to their message.
If you’ve ever shared doubts with a Christian friend about whether you can know that you’ve received eternal life or will go to heaven one day, it’s likely they’ve read to you 1 John 5:13. That’s the verse which says, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.” It’s a great verse of assurance that promises us that we can know that we have eternal life. There’s no need to be left guessing. The promise is made to those who believe in Jesus and it has calmed the fears of countless believers. I think it’s a great verse and it’s not wrong to share it with people who have doubts. The problem is that it can be read and applied too simplistically. That’s because it’s a summary statement that comes at the end of a 5-chapter book that has given a series of tests of true and false faith. And so 1 John 5:13 needs to be understood alongside those other tests. The book of 1 John gives at least four tests, alongside our faith in Jesus, that are given to reassure us of our salvation. Let me share them with you.
It’s not surprising that the aspect of Christianity that is most unique is also the most misunderstood. Christianity makes the outrageous claim that God completely pardons sinners and gives them eternal life solely on the basis of their faith and not as a result of anything they have done morally or religiously to deserve it. This is what distinguishes the Christian message from almost every other religion. But it begs the question: What part do good works play in the Christian life? Doesn’t God care how a person lives? Our minds immediately race to movies featuring mafia members in a confessional booth or church service and then hours later committing some shocking crime. Is that what the Bible teaches? Two seemingly contradictory passages of the Bible help clarify the place of good works in a person’s salvation.
Last time, we considered the ‘almost Christians’ who thought they were on-side with Jesus but found themselves denied entry into heaven because of their lack of repentance and relationship with Him. Perhaps that’s still too vague for some people, though. Is there a way to evaluate what you believe to make sure you’ve actually responded to the heart of Jesus’ message? One of the places to look is at the people who walked away. We often hear about the crowds who gathered to hear Jesus speak. But there were also those who heard His message and turned from it. Rightly understood, Jesus’ teaching invites some and repels others. Consider his encounter with a man who walked away, and evaluate your own faith in light of the exchange.
