Theology | 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.

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).

A Poem on Romans 9:14-16

October 19, 2015September 28, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.-Romans 9:14-16

The Love of God’s Election

I was just walking along when I tripped on grace,

I was doing nothing special, but suddenly I landed on my face.

There it was, just resting randomly in my path,

Praise the evangelist who chose to leave it there, and that I was lucky enough to find, to choose, and save myself from wrath . . . .

Is this really the explanation that I believe?

Do I really think God was not behind it all, making a mockery of my freewill awakening randomly?

Does God Speak through the Bible or the Holy Spirit?

August 7, 2018September 24, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

How does God speak to us? Does the Bible or the Holy Spirit teach us everything we need to know about God? Does the Bible or the Holy Spirit lead us to an intimate relationship with the Father? Does the Bible or the Holy Spirit fill us with the power to obey and have the knowledge to please God? According to the Bible, the answer is “the Holy Spirit” to all of these questions.

What the Bible does claim, however, is that the Holy Spirit will speak through the Scriptures to teach us about God.

Why Is Gay Marriage Wrong in the Bible?

December 15, 2015September 23, 2015 by Mark Ballenger

Bible Verses: Romans 1:25-26

We know that the Bible clearly condemns homosexuality (Romans 1:26-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11), but why? Why is homosexuality, and therefore gay marriage, wrong in the Bible?

Why is Gay Marriage Wrong in the Bible: Gay Marriage Does Not Reveal God’s Character

Foundationally, it is important to note that all of God’s commands in the Bible are a reflection of his character. God commands what he has commanded for the same reason he has created everything in its original state before the fall – to glorify himself. To glorify means to exalt, to make known, to cast a light on, to make visible, or to reveal. Just as God made people in his image (Genesis 1:27), he thus made them for his glory (Isaiah 43:7), as bearing the image of God and glorifying God are the same.