By John Gamades
“How much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible, and not tell them that?”
This quote from Penn Jillette of Penn & Teller has always stuck with me. To be clear, Penn identifies strongly as an atheist. There’s no confusion about where he stands. He’s vocal and direct about his beliefs. But it’s the story behind this quote that makes it so powerful.
After one of his shows, a man lingered off to the side of the autograph line. He approached Penn and shared that he had attended the show the night before. He was thoughtful, sincere, and genuinely complimentary about the performance.
As they talked, the man handed Penn a Bible. He explained that he was a businessman, that he was sane, not crazy. and that he simply wanted Penn to have it. It was a gift. The man looked Penn directly in the eyes as he spoke. Penn noted that the man likely knew he was an atheist, but his approach wasn’t confrontational or defensive. He was kind, respectful, and genuine.
As Penn reflects on that moment, what he says next is jarring. It hit me hard:
“I’ve always said, I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. If you believe that there’s a heaven and hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life or whatever, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward… how much do you have to hate somebody to believe that everlasting life is possible, and not tell them that?
I mean, if I believed beyond a shadow of a doubt that a truck was coming at you and you didn’t believe it, that truck was bearing down on you, there’s a certain point where I tackle you… and this is more important than that.”
Here’s the takeaway… Most of us don’t share the Gospel because it feels uncomfortable. We worry about making someone else uncomfortable, or we’re afraid of how they might respond, so we stay quiet. It’s not that we hate people; we just hate being uncomfortable.
I’ve shared the Gospel on the other side of the world, traveling deep into the mountains to tell people my story, how Jesus has changed my life, and how He can change theirs. One old man responded, “This is good news!” He was right. This is good news… it’s THE Good News.
So why is it so hard to share it back here in the United States?
We all have lots of reasons to stay quiet. With what Penn said in mind, here’s my story…
God created the world, and it was perfect. He created man and woman, and He loved them deeply. But sin entered the picture, and that sin separated us from God. That separation created a hole in the human heart, and we’ve been trying to fill it ever since through alcohol, power, drugs, sex, money, and influence.
I’ve chased all of it. None of it worked.
Then, someone introduced me to Jesus. I had known about Jesus growing up in the church, but I realized I didn’t truly “know Him” as a friend or as my Savior. As I began to understand who He is, I also came to realize that my good works could never make up for my sin… sin that comes with punishment. I couldn’t close the gap myself, and my good deeds would never be enough to reconnect me with a perfect God.
God saw that, not just in me, but in every one of us. Because He loves us, He sent His Son, Jesus, to take the punishment for our sins. What do we need to do to receive that gift? Repent of our sins and believe in Christ as our Savior. Simply put, admit your junk and believe in the one who can remove it. It’s that simple… even though it feels like it should be much harder.
It’s not hard, in fact, it’s incredibly easy. Scripture makes it clear:
God loves us and sent Jesus…
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
We can’t earn everlasting life…
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast”. – Ephesians 2:8-9
We’ve all sinned at some point…
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” – Romans 3:23-24
Belief is the key to receiving this free gift…
“If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”. – Romans 10:9-10
This Easter, like every other Easter that has passed, Jesus will die on the cross… and He will rise again on the third day, putting an end to death. The question is, what are you going to do with that?
Penn Jillette, an atheist, challenged us in a way most believers won’t. If we believe this is real, if we believe eternity is on the line, then staying silent isn’t an option.
Here’s the call: Don’t let comfort win. Don’t let awkwardness keep you quiet. Don’t assume someone else will say it. Be the one who cares enough to have the conversation. This is good news. It’s the Good News. Go share it this Easter.