Mark Ballenger | AGW MINISTRIES

Answering “How Can God Send People to Hell?”

October 19, 2015October 7, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

But you are a mere mortal and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god.-Ezekiel 28:2

How can a loving God send good people to hell? If God is merciful, why does hell exist? And if God has the power to do anything, why doesn’t he just save everyone from hell?

Questions revolving around hell are certainly some of the most asked questions by those who do not hold to the orthodox standard of biblical faith. There are countless ways to answer questions about hell using the Bible, but often times when we do so, it still does not help those asking the question.

The reason for this is because they usually are not asking this question in faith, hoping for a biblical solution that will satisfy their mind searching for holy answers. They are typically declaring this question as a statement justifying their unbelief in God. The true meaning of the words “How can a loving God send good people to hell?” are sometimes, “I will never believe a God is loving who sends good people to hell!”

How is Christianity Different from other Religions?

November 4, 2017October 7, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” –Matthew 19:25-26

The difference between Christianity and every other religion is that Christianity is impossible.

Our Purpose Is to Glorify God

December 24, 2015October 5, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

Bible Verses:

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.-Genesis 1:27

Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.-Isaiah 43:7

“What is our purpose?” is perhaps the most asked question in the human heart. To answer “What is our purpose?” perhaps it would help to ask a few more questions.

Why do people want to be at the center of the story, to be famous, to have more followers on their social media platforms? Why is there even a need for words like “selfies”? Even the recluse is often a loner not because he hates the attention of people but because he wants it so bad it has paralyzed him, making him so fearful of rejection he would rather avoid everyone all together.

The Christian knows in their spirit this desire is wrong, even if they don’t know why it is wrong. Aside from the fact that there are plane verses all over the Bible condemning all forms of idolatry, including the idolatry of people, I think there is one main reason the Christian feels the guilt of self-exaltation. It has to do with our purpose and God’s glory.

Is it Biblical to Just “Accept Jesus Into Your Heart” to be Saved?

October 5, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

Is Accepting Jesus into your heart to be saved Biblical? — Bible Verses: Ephesians 5:31-32

All you need to do to be saved is ask, right? All you need to do is to “accept Jesus into your heart,” right? I am certainly not advocating for any doctrine that would claim we can be saved by anything but God’s grace (Ephesians 2:8-10). But in an effort to appeal to as many unsaved people as possible, we have sought to make the gospel message as simple as possible. Simplicity is never a bad thing until it begins to detract from the whole truth.

Is Eternal Security Biblical?

October 5, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. – Jude 1:24-25

Perhaps the reason so many Christians question if God will take away their salvation is because deep down every Christian should know they deserve for their salvation to be taken away. However, while every Christian deserves to lose their salvation, Jesus Christ deserves that every Christian retain their salvation for eternity.

Eternal Security is Biblical Because Christ Deserves for Us to be Saved

Since our salvation was never based in our own merit to begin with, but only in the merit of Christ (Philippians 3:9), we will retain our salvation even when we do sin because our sinlessness was never what qualified us for heaven to begin with. Christ’s sinlessness transferred to us through faith by grace is the only reason we are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9), and Christ perfections are still perfect even after we sin. Our sins after we are saved do not stain the perfect life of Christ which our salvation is based upon (but they do hinder our experience of it).

(1 Timothy 2:9-10) Is it Sinful for Women to Dress Nice?

October 4, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

When you read the above passage, it feels at first that women should all resemble Mennonites or Amish women if they want to remain true to Scripture. No jeans, makeup, nice clothes, attention to your hairstyle.

No normal women (or man!) likes this idea. Women don’t want to be “plain Jane” and men don’t want women to look like they just rolled out of bed. Internally, when passages are read like the one above, Christians either pass it off as “one of those outdated parts of Scripture” and go on wearing what they want, or they just ignore 1 Timothy 2:9-10 and feel guilty about it.

Perhaps there’s a better way.

Why Did God Love/Bless King David So Much?

July 5, 2022October 3, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

In the Scriptures, there is no king who was the apple of God’s eye like David. The heart of God had a special affection for the man who was later described by the Lord as, “a man after my heart, who will do all my will.” (Acts 13:22). A Bible study on the life of David, however, would not reveal a perfect man, but rather a man who failed and sinned in many ways. So the questions must be asked, Why did God love and bless David so much?

How to Love the Opposite Sex as a Single Christian

May 23, 2018October 1, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

This is my command: Love each other in the same way I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend. -John 15: 12-13 (NLT)

How can a single person love those of the opposite sex well? To properly answer this important question, the first thing you must do is define your definition of love. The truest essence of love is expressed in the words and actions of Jesus (John 15:13), “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.”