Theology | AGW MINISTRIES

Why Are Old Testament Laws So Harsh? (Part 1)

July 27, 2017June 24, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

why are the old testament laws so harsh_ — Matthew 19:7-9

Skeptics and Christians alike often find it difficult to reconcile how God is presented in the Old Testament compared to the New Testament. With a quick read it seems the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament. Thus, it is no surprise that many ask questions like, “Why are Old Testament laws so harsh?” “Why does God seem so mean in the Old Testament?” “Why does God seem so different in the Old Testament?” Or “Why is the Old Testament so full of violence when Jesus seems so peaceful?”

Does God Need Our Help?

July 25, 2018June 6, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

Two plain truths can be seen from a simple reading of the Bible: God can do whatever he wants. And God asks us to do things.

These two truths make me ask, “Why does God ask for help if he doesn’t need it?” At first glance it seems one of these two truths must be false for the other to be true. If God can do whatever he wants on his own power, then clearly he must not ask us to do things for him. Or, if God does ask us to do things for him, clearly he must not be able to do things on his own.

So which is it? Does God need our help?

Why Pray If God Is Sovereign?

August 26, 2018June 4, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

When we begin to learn about God’s sovereignty, the temptation is to turn into the “frozen chosen” who use God’s power as an excuse to be lazy. If God is in total control of everything, why pray at all?

Certainly this is a multi layered question that could be talked about endlessly in the theological classroom. The more pressing concern is when the idea of God’s sovereignty hinders your prayer life in a very negatively practical way. This is not what God wants.

So to answer the question, “Why pray if God is Sovereign?”, perhaps a counter question will help us see the Bible’s answer: “Why would you pray if God wasn’t sovereign?”

Is Humor Biblical?

May 28, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

When we go to the Bible, laughter is usually not a common response. But is it okay to laugh? Does God have a sense of humor? Is humor biblical?

Our relationship with the Holy God must start with a holy fear, with a reverence and recognition of our need for the blood of Christ to wash away our filth. No matter how close and comfortable we get with God, the fear of the Lord must never leave us. We must never try to base our access to God on anything but the righteous work of Jesus Christ. Our humility, honor, and our fear of the Lord truly are the foundation of a healthy attitude towards God. But none of these statements mean that humor is unbiblical.

Living in Your Head to Avoid Your Heart

May 25, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. But whoever loves God is known by God.-1 Corinthians 8:1-3

Have you ever met a Christian, or someone who claims to be, where all they want to do is war about words and ideas?

There is certainly nothing inherently wrong with being a man or woman of study. I personally really enjoy studying and gaining more knowledge. God has given us our minds and surely he expects us to know as much information about him and his word as we are able to gather. However, as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 8:1-3, knowledge alone puffs up and does not accomplish God’s ultimate desire for us, which is to love him and build others up in love.

What Is the Glory of God According to the Bible?

January 4, 2022May 14, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

(Note: This is a condensed version of the article “What Is the Glory of God?” found on our Resource page.)

“What is the glory of God?” is certainly one of the most foundational questions to answer in all of Christianity because the glory of God is so central to the gospel, the Bible, and everything God does.

Humbly, however, we must first accept our answers will always be incomplete as our Infinite God can never fully be described by his finite creatures. With that said, the Bible uses the phrase “glory of God” in many different ways, which means we can create many different definitions in general. However, the Bible primarily uses the phrase “the glory of God” in a specific way, and therefore what follows is a specific definition.

Definition: The glory of God is the invisible qualities, character, or attributes of God displayed in a visible (or knowable) way.

God Does Everything for His Own Glory

May 14, 2016May 13, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

If you were to get down to the nitty-gritty motivations behind all that God does, I believe you would discover God does everything ultimately for himself, for his glory. I know it seems counterintuitive when talking about a loving God who died in the place of all sinners, but the Bible makes it very clear that all God does he ultimately does for his own glory.

According the Bible, God Does Everything for His Own Glory

God created everything through himself and for himself (Colossians 1:16). He created the world to declare his glory (Psalm 19:1-4). He formed and made man with the same intent (Isaiah 43:7). He condemns all who dishonor his name (Exodus 20:7), but he also rescues man to bring honor to his name (Jeremiah 14:7, Psalm 25:11). He rescued the Israelites for the sake of his name so he would not be profaned among the nations (Ezekiel 20:9). He parted the waters for them to gain for himself everlasting renown (Isaiah 63:12-14, Psalm 106:8). He placed Pharaoh in leadership to create for himself the opportunity to display his power and so his name would be proclaimed in all the earth (Exodus 9:16).

Why Did Everyone Want to Kill Jesus?

May 11, 2016May 10, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

On the surface, it seems everyone had their own reason for wanting to kill Jesus. The Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus because he was rebuking them, leading the crowds away from them, and breaking their traditions. The Jewish people wanted to kill Jesus because he was claiming he was the Son of God. And the Romans wanted to kill Jesus because he was creating riots amongst the Jews. So it seems everyone had their own reason for wanting to kill Jesus.

With a closer look, however, at the reasons the Bible gives on why everyone wanted to kill Jesus, we will find something surprising. The thing that really infuriated people in Jesus’ time on earth is the same thing that infuriates people during our time on earth: a commitment to truth, specifically the truth about Jesus Christ’s deity.

Should You Be Baptized More than Once?

May 28, 2018March 25, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

There are many questions regarding Christian baptism, but perhaps one of the most asked questions is, “Should you be baptized more than once in life?” To answer this questions, it helps to know what water baptism is truly symbolizing?

Does God Force Us to Love Him?

February 20, 2016 by Mark Ballenger

When we read the Bible and witness the absolute and supreme power of God, often times it can makes us wonder, “Does God force us to love him?”

God Does Not Force Us to Love Him Because God Is a Person

God is sovereign in all that does. Whatever he wants to happen will happen (Psalm 115:3). With that said, God is a person, not a robot. A person has feelings, emotions, and desires. A person can be full of joy and hurt. God is very different than us in his personhood because he is not a human person (although Jesus is fully God and fully man), but he is a person nonetheless.