Shows
Wednesday in the Word02 Why Can't You Just Try Harder to Be Good?Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 2 of Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity. Why do you still feel guilty even after you’ve apologized and tried to move on? In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through Romans 1:18–32 to show that guilt is more than a feeling to shake off—it’s the real and serious result of rebelling against a holy God. Paul’s words expose a pattern of rebellion, death, and wrath that explains why life unravels without God, and why real guilt can only be answered by real forgiven...
2026-02-1137 minWednesday in the Word01 If Grace Covers All Sin, Why Not Keep Sinning?Today we’re kicking off a new season of the podcast which is a special companion series to my book, Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity. Each episode will walk you through one of the book’s “See for Yourself” passages, helping you read Scripture with confidence, even if you’re just starting out. Today's passage is from Chapter 1.Most people today assume we’re basically good—and that sin is a few bad choices sprinkled on top. In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through Romans 6:15–7:6 to show why that view quietly empties the gospel of its powe...
2026-02-0441 minWednesday in the WordRadio: What New Believers Need to Know About ChristianityKrisan Marotta, host of Wednesday in the Word podcast, joins Rob Schilling on AM 1070 WINA's The Schilling Show to discuss her book Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity. Instead of talking about why she wrote the book, they dive straight into the theology, covering what new believers need to understand and why it matters. Key takeaways:Repentance is more than saying sorry. It's a complete change of direction and the first step of saving faith.Sin has both short-term consequences (bitterness, frustration, tragedy) and long-term consequences (standing before God).Finding the right c...
2026-01-2810 minWednesday in the WordStart Strong 2026: A New Season and a New Way to ListenSeason 27 of Wednesday in the Word begins February 4, 2026, and I couldn’t be more excited to share what’s ahead. This new season is a companion to my book Start Strong: A New Believer’s Guide to Christianity, and it's designed especially for those who are new to faith, returning to church after time away, or walking alongside someone who is.Each week, we’ll unpack one key passage from the book’s “See for Yourself” section, helping you build a solid foundation, one truth at a time.I’m also introducing something brand new: Krisan Marotta...
2026-01-0704 minWednesday in the WordHow to Know You're Saved Without DoubtingHow can a believer live with real confidence that they belong to God, even while they still struggle with sin? In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta walks through key New Testament passages to show how God marks His people inwardly (by a changed heart that endures through testing) and how that mark becomes the basis of true assurance of salvation. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why the question “How do I know I’m saved?” is not only common but crucialThe biblical idea of God “marking” His people—not...
2025-11-1942 minWednesday in the Word14 How To Confront With the Meekness of Christ (2 Corinthians 10)in this episode of Wednesday in the Word, we look at what it really means to confront error with the meekness of Christ. Through 2 Corinthians 10, Krisan shows how Paul stands up to false teachers without copying their showy style, and how real spiritual authority uses strength to serve, not to impress.In this week’s episode, we explore:How 2 Corinthians fits together and why this confrontational section belongs in the same letter.The accusations against Paul that he is bold in letters but weak in person, and why his opponents see that as a fl...
2025-10-1543 minWednesday in the Word12 Why Gentiles Gave to Jerusalem (2 Corinthians 8-9 Background)In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, we step behind 2 Corinthians 8 and 9 to uncover the story of the Jerusalem Collection. Krisan shows how this long term fundraising project was never just about money for a famine. It was about caring for real people in real need, healing tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers, and strengthening the bond between Paul and the original apostles in Jerusalem.In this week’s episode, we explore:What the Jerusalem Collection was and why it mattered so much to Paul.Paul’s early, fragile relationship with the Jerusalem chur...
2025-10-0143 minWednesday in the Word11 Godly Grief and Worldly Sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:2-16)In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, we look at one of the hardest parts of real relationships: when to say the hard thing that might hurt in the moment but heal in the long run. Walking through 2 Corinthians 7:2-16, Krisan traces Paul’s emotional journey after sending a painful letter to the Corinthians and shows how God uses honest words, godly grief, and true repentance to restore broken fellowship.In this week’s episode, we explore:How this section fits into the story of Paul’s troubled relationship with the Corinthians.What was at...
2025-09-2437 minWednesday in the Word09 Receiving Grace in Vain (2 Corinthians 6:1-12)What does it really mean to receive God’s grace in a way that changes you, not just your labels? Looking at 2 Corinthians 6:1-12, Krisan shows how Paul urges the Corinthians to stop judging by appearances, respond to the message of reconciliation, and treat the gospel like a check you actually cash, not a nice idea stuck on the fridge. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 2 Corinthians 6 connects to Paul’s call to “be reconciled to God” at the end of chapter 5What it means to “receive the grace of God in vain” a...
2025-09-1047 minWednesday in the Word08 New Creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:12-21)in this episode of Wednesday in the Word, we ask what really changes when someone comes to Christ. Walking through 2 Corinthians 5:12-21, Krisan explains how believers become a “new creation” and why that means we can no longer judge ourselves or others by outward appearances, natural talent, or worldly success. Instead, we learn to see people through the lens of the gospel and God’s work of reconciliation.In this week’s episode, we explore:Why some in Corinth judged Paul by his speaking style and personal presence instead of his message and motives.What it...
2025-09-0336 minWednesday in the Word07 Why We Should Not Fear Death (2 Corinthians 5:1-11)Facing death is not just an abstract topic for Paul. It was built into his daily life as an apostle. In this episode, Krisan walks through 2 Corinthians 5:1–11, exploring how Paul can be brutally honest about suffering and the fragility of life, yet deeply confident about his future with Christ. As he reflects on tents and buildings, groaning and glory, judgment and reward, we see how the hope of resurrection shapes the way he lives, speaks, and serves right now.In this week’s episode, we explore:Paul’s imagery of our present bodies...
2025-08-2738 minWednesday in the Word06 Why Paul Did Not Lose Heart and What We Can Learn From Him (2 Corinthians 4)When ministry feels discouraging, confusing, or simply exhausting, how do you keep going? In this episode, Krisan walks through 2 Corinthians 4 and traces Paul’s repeated conviction: “We do not lose heart.” By unpacking Paul’s imagery of light in darkness, treasure in jars of clay, and an “eternal weight of glory,” she shows how his battered, unimpressive life as an apostle actually highlights the power and beauty of the gospel he proclaims.In this week’s episode, we explore:How 2 Corinthians 4 fits into Paul’s larger defense of his ministry in this letterWhy Paul refuses to “tamp...
2025-08-2036 minWednesday in the Word05 Why Paul’s Ministry Outshines Moses (2 Corinthians 3:7-18)Paul takes the dramatic story of Moses’ shining face and uses it to explain what God is doing in every believer today. In this episode, Krisan walks through 2 Corinthians 3:7–18, tracing Paul’s comparison between the old covenant under Moses and the new covenant in Christ. We see how the law came with real glory, yet could only condemn, while the gospel comes with an even greater glory that brings forgiveness, transformation, and boldness before God.In this week’s episode, we explore:How Exodus 34 and Moses’ veiled, radiant face set the background for Paul’s argument i...
2025-08-1342 minWednesday in the Word04 What’s New About the New Covenant (2 Corinthians 3:1-6)When trying harder still leaves you discouraged, what does God offer instead? In this episode, Krisan turns to 2 Corinthians 3:1–6 to explore Paul’s defense of his ministry and his astonishing claim to be a “minister of a new covenant.” Along the way, she shows how this new covenant does not simply give us better instructions or more spiritual effort—it gives us new hearts, written on by the Spirit of the living God.In this week’s episode, we explore:Why “try harder Christianity” leaves so many believers frustrated, and how Paul addresses that struggle in 2 Co...
2025-08-0653 minWednesday in the Word03 Why Paul Refused to Change to Win More Converts (2 Corinthians 2:5-17)Paul’s ministry in Corinth was marked by conflict, misunderstanding, and deep personal pain—and yet, through it all, he remained convinced that God was leading him in triumph. In this episode, Krisan walks through 2 Corinthians 2:5–17, unpacking the story behind a painful offense in the church, the Corinthians’ response, and Paul’s call to both discipline and forgiveness. From there, she turns to Paul’s striking image of the triumphal procession and the “aroma of Christ,” showing how his fragile, often troubled ministry still becomes the vehicle for God’s victory in the world.In this week’s epis...
2025-07-3037 minWednesday in the Word01 Suffering, Comfort & Prayer: What Paul Teaches about Ministry (2 Corinthians 1:1-11)Paul opens 2 Corinthians with a personal, almost vulnerable defense of his ministry and a rich picture of how God meets His people in suffering. In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through 2 Corinthians 1:1–11, unpacking Paul’s troubled relationship with the Corinthian church, his claim to be a true apostle, and his confession that he despaired even of life itself. Along the way, we see how God’s comfort is not the removal of hardship, but the courage to endure it—and how that encouragement is meant to flow from one believer to another.In this week’s ep...
2025-07-1647 minWednesday in the WordA Biblical Perspective on MoneyIn this episode, Krisan and David John Marotta present a biblical perspective on money. Drawing from Scripture and their extensive experience in financial management, they blend theological insights with practical advice.In this week’s episode, we explore:The biblical principle of stewardship, showing how everything we have comes from God and belongs to Him.How to use financial resources to fulfill the responsibilities and calling God gives us.The importance of work to meet those responsibilities, with practical encouragement for starting your career.Common pitfalls like overspending or over-giving, and how to avoid them through ba...
2025-05-071h 10Wednesday in the Word24 Why Believe? Themes from the Gospel of John’s Final ChaptersIn this episode of the Wednesday in the Word, we summarize the themes of the Gospel of John as we learned in this series. We focus on John 20:30-31 as a lens to understand John’s purpose and the transformative power of belief.In this week’s episode, we explore:The significance of Jesus’ miraculous signs and their role in proving his identity as the Messiah.The critical role of the apostles as eyewitnesses who pass down Jesus’ teachings through written testimony.The theme of belief versus unbelief and why it’s central to John’s message.Jesu...
2025-04-0940 minWednesday in the Word23 The Upper Room Discourse: Jesus’ Final Teaching (John 13-17)In this episode of the Wednesday in the Word podcast, we tackle the Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17) where Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure. Jesus addresses both the unique role of his apostles and the universal call for all his followers to live faithfully in his absence. In this week’s episode, we explore:Jesus’ Departure and Return: Jesus announces his leaving but reassures his disciples of his eventual return, offering hope through the promise of his second coming.Commissioning of the Apostles: Jesus explains to his apostles their mission and the challenges they will...
2025-04-021h 00Wednesday in the Word22 Mary Anoints Jesus and the Triumphal Entry Explained (John 12)In this episode of the Wednesday in the Word podcast, we study the narratives of Mary anointing Jesus and his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. These events underscore Jesus’ identity and mission while contrasting the responses of belief and unbelief, culminating in his voluntary path to the cross.In this week’s episode, we explore:Mary’s anointing of Jesus: Her act of devotion with costly perfume signifies loyalty and foreshadows Jesus’ burial.Judas’ contrasting reactionl: His objection to Mary’s act reveals his self-interest and sets the stage for his treachery.The triumphal entry: Jesus enters Jerusalem as...
2025-03-2643 minWednesday in the Word21 Why Jesus Delayed Raising Lazarus (John 11)In this episode of the Wednesday in the Word podcast, we explore the story of Lazarus in John 11. This event serves as a pivotal moment where the major themes of John’s Gospel converge, illuminating Jesus’ identity, mission, and the responses he elicits from those around him.In this week’s episode, we explore:The miracle of Lazarus’ resurrection: Jesus demonstrates his authority over death, performing a sign that testifies to his divine power.Jesus’ path to the cross: This event triggers the sequence leading to his crucifixion, showcasing his obedience to God’s will.The spectrum of...
2025-03-1943 minWednesday in the Word19 Understanding Jesus as the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-21)In this episode of the Wednesday in the Word podcast, we explore John 10:1-21, part of our ongoing series on the Gospel of John. We'll unpack how Jesus uses the shepherd and sheep metaphor to reveal his identity and challenge listeners to discern whom they will trust.In this week’s episode, we explore:The continuation of Jesus’ conversation from John 9, addressing spiritual blindness and the judgment his presence brings.Jesus’ shepherd and sheep analogy, illustrating his protective relationship with believers while critiquing the Pharisees as false leaders.The significance of Jesus as the "good shepherd" who vo...
2025-03-0528 minWednesday in the Word09 Fruit of the Spirit: FaithFaith belongs on the list of the fruit of the Spirit but not as vague optimism, positive thinking, or a one-time decision we made years ago. In this episode, Krisan Marotta unpacks “faith” in Galatians 5 as a growing, Spirit-given way of seeing reality: believing the gospel, holding its core convictions, and learning to stand firm in that truth for a lifetime. In this week’s episode, we explore:How viewing faith as a one-time “switch” at conversion misses the New Testament emphasis on a lifelong battle to keep believingThe problems with dividing Christians into “spiritual” an...
2024-05-0138 minWednesday in the Word08 Fruit of the Spirit: GoodnessGoodness, as a fruit of the Spirit, is not bland niceness or a vague sense of being “a good person.” In this episode, Krisan Marotta explores goodness as a clear-eyed pursuit of what is truly right, holy, and true in a world that often laughs at moral boundaries. In this week’s episode, we explore:How “goodness” in Galatians 5 fits into Paul’s larger contrast between the works of the flesh and the Spirit’s transforming work in believersEphesians 5 and its call to live as “saints”—people set apart to God—by letting our lives match what we say...
2024-04-2439 minWednesday in the Word06 Fruit of the Spirit: PatiencePatience, as a fruit of the Spirit, is not quiet politeness or simply “putting up with” hard things. In this episode, Krisan Marotta unpacks the biblical idea of longsuffering.In this week’s episode, we explore:Why the New Testament word often translated “patience” is better captured by the older word longsuffering—being “slow to anger” and willing to endure over a long timeThe two main ways Scripture uses this word: persevering through difficulties with hope, and forbearing with the sins and failures of other peopleHow biblical patience is rooted in belief, not temperament: it flows from tr...
2024-04-1039 minWednesday in the Word05 Fruit of the Spirit: PeacePeace, as a fruit of the Spirit, is not a quiet life with no problems and no difficult people. In this episode, Krisan Marotta explores what Scripture means by “peace” and why, in Galatians 5, it is especially about believers learning to live at peace with one another. In this week’s episode, we explore:Different biblical uses of “peace”: peace with God instead of war (Romans 5:1), peace as the end of all trouble, peace of mind in a broken world, and peace as the opposite of strife among believersWhy “peace with God” is the foundation for...
2024-04-0345 minWednesday in the Word04 Fruit of the Spirit: JoyJoy, as a fruit of the Spirit, is not a constant emotional high or the absence of sorrow. In this episode, Krisan Marotta explores joy as a deep, steady confidence rooted in the promises of God. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why “joy” in Scripture can coexist with sorrow, loss, and hardship—and how Paul can say he is “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” The difference between happiness (pleasant circumstances, upbeat feelings) and biblical joy (confidence in a good outcome God has promised) How passages like 2 Corinthians 6, 2 Corinthians 8, and James 1 show believers rejoicing right in the mi...
2024-03-2743 minWednesday in the Word03 Fruit of the Spirit: Love Part 2Love as a fruit of the Spirit is not only about how we treat all people made in God’s image—it also has a particular shape in the way believers treat one another. In this episode, Krisan Marotta explores the special bond Scripture describes between followers of Jesus, showing how our attitude toward other believers reveals what we truly think of Christ, His gospel, and our shared hope. In this week’s episode, we explore:How Galatians 5 connects the fruit of the Spirit to real moral transformation, not to personality traits or instant spiritu...
2024-03-2034 minWednesday in the Word02 Fruit of the Spirit: Love Part 1Love is the first fruit of the Spirit. In this episode, Krisan Marotta shows that this fruit is not a warm, passing feeling. It is a changed way of seeing God, ourselves, and other people: learning to live as those who stand equally guilty and equally loved before Him, and then acting for the good of others the way we would want them to act for us. In this week’s episode, we explore:What Paul means by “fruit”: not instant transformation or spiritual mood, but the long-term result of the Spirit’s work in us thr...
2024-03-1349 minWednesday in the Word01 Introduction to the Fruit of the Spirit: Understanding GalatiansPaul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 is not a set of personality goals—it is the visible result of God’s Spirit at work in people who have been forgiven and made new in Christ. In this introductory episode, Krisan sets the stage for the whole series by walking through the message of Galatians: why Paul wrote it, what crisis the Galatian churches were facing, and how the gospel—not the law—solves both our guilt and our deeply rooted corruption. In this week’s episode, we explore:The background of...
2024-03-0649 minWednesday in the Word03 How to Spot a Faithful Bible Teacher (1 Thessalonians 2:1-16)In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through 1 Thessalonians 2:1–16, where Paul defends the way he first lived and taught among the Thessalonians. Rather than a manipulative salesman or spiritual celebrity, Paul presents himself as a servant entrusted with God’s message—someone who refused flattery, greed, and glory-seeking, and instead poured himself out like a nursing mother and a faithful father for their spiritual good. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why Paul spends so much time talking about himself in this chapter, and how his unique role as an apostle shapes thatThe pattern of reject...
2023-03-1548 minWednesday in the Word02 How to Know If Your Faith Is Genuine (1 Thessalonians 1:1-10)In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10, showing how Paul sees this young church as a living picture of what genuine faith looks like. Their “work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope” are not abstract virtues, but visible evidence that God has chosen them, changed them, and is using them as a model for other believers. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10 fits into the story of Paul’s short but intense ministry in ThessalonicaWhy Paul opens with thanksgiving and what his prayers reveal about his heart for their spi...
2023-03-0842 minWednesday in the Word01 Introduction to 1&2 ThessaloniansIn this episode, we step into the world of 1 Thessalonians by looking closely at its opening verse and the story behind it. Krisan Marotta introduces Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy, traces how the gospel first came to Thessalonica, and explains why this young church needed encouragement to endure opposition and remain faithful to Christ. In this week’s episode, we explore:How New Testament letters are structured and what we learn from the greeting in 1 Thessalonians 1:1Who Paul, Silas, and Timothy are, and how God brought them together as a ministry teamPaul’s dramatic conve...
2023-03-0125 minWednesday in the Word55 What "Before the Son of Man Comes" Means (Matthew 10:23)Jesus tells his disciples to flee persecution—but then adds a puzzling phrase about his return. What did he mean, and why does it matter?In this episode, Krisan Marotta tackles one of the most debated verses in the New Testament. As Jesus sends out the twelve, he tells them they will not finish going through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. This short sentence opens up big questions about timing, mission, and what Jesus is preparing his disciples to expect. Without settling every theological argument, Krisan offers a thoughtful and cl...
2022-09-2836 minWednesday in the Word54 Why Jesus Made Ministry Harder for His Disciples (Matthew 10:8-23)Jesus sends his disciples out with no supplies, no safety net, and a clear warning: expect rejection.In this episode, Krisan Marotta continues exploring Jesus’ second major teaching discourse in the Gospel of Matthew. As he sends out the twelve disciples to minister on his behalf, Jesus gives them surprising instructions. Instead of preparing for a successful campaign, he prepares them for hardship. Their journey will test the hearts of those they encounter and teach the disciples to rely completely on God. Through it all, Jesus makes it clear: representing him will not be easy, bu...
2022-09-2147 minWednesday in the Word53 What Jesus Taught the 12 Before Their First Mission Trip (Matthew 9:35-10:8)Before the disciples were sent, Jesus saw the crowds and he had compassion.In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta opens a new section in the Gospel of Matthew as Jesus prepares to send out the twelve disciples. But first, we see what moved him to act: compassion for people who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. That compassion launches a mission. Jesus not only sends his disciples out with instructions. He gives them authority to extend his ministry of healing and proclaiming the kingdom.In...
2022-09-1440 minWednesday in the Word52 Why Jesus Healed the Blind (Matthew 9:27-34)Jesus heals two blind men and a mute man, but the real question isn’t what he can do—it’s whether we’re willing to believe what those miracles mean.In this final episode of Matthew chapter 9, Krisan Marotta guides us through two striking healings that mark a turning point in Jesus’ ministry. As the crowds grow more amazed, the Pharisees grow more hostile. These miracles are more than moments of compassion. They’re acts of authority that force everyone watching to wrestle with who Jesus really is—and how they’ll respond.In this wee...
2022-08-2438 minWednesday in the Word51 Why Jesus called Death Sleeping (Matthew 9:18-26)When death seems final, Jesus shows that it isn’t.In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks us through the story of Jairus, a synagogue leader who risks everything to beg Jesus for help when his daughter is dying. But before they even reach the house, news arrives that it’s too late—she’s already gone. What follows is not only a demonstration of Jesus’ authority over death, but also a powerful portrait of his compassion for the grieving and his challenge to hopelessness. This passage calls us to believe, even when the situation looks beyond sav...
2022-08-1740 minWednesday in the Word50 Why Jesus Stopped Everything to Heal One Outcast Woman (Matthew 9:18-26)In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta unpacks the quiet but powerful story of a woman who reaches out to Jesus in the middle of a crowd, desperate for healing after twelve long years of suffering. Her faith isn’t loud or dramatic, but it’s real—and Jesus sees it. This moment reveals not only Christ’s power to heal but his desire to restore, comfort, and affirm those the world has overlooked.In this week’s episode, we explore:The cultural and religious weight of ritual uncleanness in the first cent...
2022-08-1045 minWednesday in the Word49 Why Jesus Refused to Fast Like the Pharisees (Matthew 9:14-17)In this episode of Wednesday in the Word, Krisan Marotta examines one of Jesus’ most striking confrontations with the religious traditions of his time. When questioned about why his disciples don’t fast like the Pharisees or John the Baptist’s followers, Jesus responds with powerful imagery about weddings, wine, and worn-out garments. This passage challenges us to consider whether our religious practices are sincere expressions of faith or empty rituals used to judge others.In this week’s episode, we explore:Why Jesus’ disciples did not follow the expected fasting customsThe biblical context and histor...
2022-08-0352 minWednesday in the Word04 How To Trust God When Judgment Is Coming (Habakkuk 3:1-19)Habakkuk 3 records a prophet who has heard God’s terrifying answer, trembles to his core, and yet chooses to rejoice in the God of his salvation. In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through Habakkuk 3:1–19 as a prayer set to music—a vision of God’s majestic coming in judgment and salvation that leads Habakkuk from anxiety and dread to quiet, settled trust. In this week’s episode, we explore:How Habakkuk’s final response is not more argument, but a psalm—“a prayer…according to Shigionoth”—offered in the midst of real fear and uncertaintyWhat it mean...
2022-03-0933 minWednesday in the Word03 The Righteous Will Live by Faith: Trusting God’s Justice (Habakkuk 2:1-20)Habakkuk 2:1–20 records God’s second answer to a worried prophet: yes, He will use the Babylonians to discipline His people, but He will also hold them accountable for every act of violence, greed, and idolatry. In this episode, Krisan Marotta traces how God exposes the pride of the Babylonians, contrasts it with “the righteous [who] will live by his faith,” and anchors Habakkuk—and us—in the certainty that His justice will come at the appointed time. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why God tells Habakkuk to “write the vision” on tablets and what...
2022-03-0241 minWednesday in the Word02 What If God’s Answer Is Worse Than the Problem? (Habakkuk 1:1-2:1)Habakkuk opens his book with a bold, unsettling honesty: he looks at the injustice in Judah, cries out to God for help, and is stunned when God’s answer seems even worse than the problem. In this episode, Krisan Marotta walks through Habakkuk 1:1–2:1, tracing the prophet’s first complaint, God’s shocking response about the Babylonians, and Habakkuk’s decision to keep watching and waiting even when he cannot understand what God is doing. In this week’s episode, we explore:How Habakkuk gives faithful voice to the question, “How long, O Lord?” as he surveys corrup...
2022-02-2326 minWednesday in the Word01 Introduction to HabakkukHabakkuk is a short prophetic book born out of long, anguished questions: How can a loving, righteous God allow His people to suffer under corrupt leaders and violent empires—and why keep trusting Him when the answers seem worse than the problem? In this introductory episode, Krisan Marotta sets the stage for Habakkuk’s struggle by walking through Israel’s history, the rise of Assyria and Babylon, and the spiritual collapse of Judah under kings like Manasseh and Jehoiakim. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why life’s “bad surprises” can feel so incompatible wi...
2022-02-1619 minWednesday in the Word39 Why Everything You've Been Taught About Throwing Pearls to Pigs Might Be Wrong (Matthew 7:6)Most Christians think Matthew 7:6 warns against sharing the gospel with hostile, unworthy people. But what if that popular interpretation completely misses Jesus' point? In this episode, Krisan Marotta challenges the traditional reading of "don't cast pearls before swine" and offers a minority view that better fits the context of the Sermon on the Mount. Instead of identifying who the "dogs and pigs" are, Jesus may be warning us not to become the fool who throws away what's precious.In this week's episode, we explore:Why the traditional interpretation creates theological problems and contradicts Jesus' e...
2022-01-2641 minWednesday in the Word33 The Lord's Prayer: What Does 'Daily Bread' Mean (Matthew 6:11)What does "daily bread" really mean in the Lord's Prayer? Most Christians have recited Matthew 6:11 thousands of times, but this familiar phrase contains one of the most puzzling words in the entire New Testament. The Greek word epiousios appears nowhere else in ancient literature, leaving scholars debating its meaning for 2,000 years. In this episode, Krisan Marotta tackles this translation mystery head-on, examining the linguistic evidence, exploring both literal and metaphorical interpretations, and showing how context shapes our understanding. More importantly, she explains why translation uncertainty doesn't have to shake your confidence in S...
2021-11-1743 minWednesday in the Word14 How to Understand the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)The Sermon on the Mount is one of the most important passages in Scripture, yet it's also one of the most misunderstood. Many Christians struggle with this teaching because it sounds more like impossible law than good news. In this episode, Krisan Marotta introduces a fresh approach to understanding what Jesus really meant when he sat down on that mountainside to teach. Rather than a set of unattainable rules designed to drive us to despair, the Sermon on the Mount reveals what true godliness looks like and how God shapes his children over time.In t...
2021-05-1235 minWednesday in the Word05 Why Matthew Quotes Hosea When Hosea Isn't Predicting Anything (Matthew 2:13-15)Matthew 2:15 contains one of the most puzzling quotes in the entire Gospel. Matthew says Jesus' return from Egypt "fulfilled" Hosea 11:1, which reads, "Out of Egypt I called my son." But here's the problem: Hosea wasn't predicting anything about Jesus. He was looking backward, remembering the Exodus when God rescued Israel from slavery. So why does Matthew claim this passage is fulfilled in Jesus' life? In this episode, Krisan Marotta explains what Matthew means by "fulfill," how the nation of Israel connects theologically to Jesus as God's firstborn son, and why Matthew expects his readers to kn...
2021-03-0341 minWednesday in the Word02 Stop Skipping Matthew's Genealogy, You're Missing the Point (Matthew 1:1-17)Matthew opens his gospel not with a miracle or a parable, but with a long list of names—and in this episode, Krisan shows why that “boring” genealogy is actually a powerful proclamation about who Jesus is. By tracing Jesus as “son of Abraham, son of David,” Matthew is announcing that all of God’s ancient promises—to bless the nations and to establish an everlasting king—find their fulfillment in this one man.In this week’s episode, we explore:Why Matthew begins his gospel with a genealogy and what that signals to his original Jewis...
2021-02-1035 minWednesday in the Word01 Gospel of Matthew IntroductionMatthew’s Gospel has shaped Western culture and Christian faith more than many realize—but Matthew didn’t write a slogan book; he wrote a carefully crafted story to show us who Jesus is, what He did, and why it matters. In this introductory episode, Krisan sets the stage for the whole series on Matthew by exploring the author, the structure of the gospel, and how we should approach studying it as modern readers who want to understand, not just quote, Scripture.In this week’s episode, we explore:Who Matthew was—his background as a tax c...
2021-02-0332 minWednesday in the Word47 How 1 Corinthians Exposes Our Worldliness and Calls Us Back to the Gospel (1 Corinthians 16)Paul ends 1 Corinthians not with abstract theology, but with travel plans, personal greetings, and one last urgent call: stay awake to the gospel, stand firm in the faith, and let everything you do be shaped by love. In this final episode on 1 Corinthians 16, Krisan Marotta walks through Paul’s “business end” of the letter and then steps back to reflect on the whole book—its warnings about worldliness, its call to love God and neighbor, and the way it teaches us how to read Scripture in context. In this week’s episode, we explore:Paul’s...
2020-05-2049 minWednesday in the Word46 The End of Death: Our Final Transformation (1 Corinthians 15:50-58)Death is not just the end of earthly life; it is a doorway to judgment—and in Christ, even that last enemy will be swallowed up in victory. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 15:50–58, Krisan Marotta explores Paul’s climactic conclusion to his teaching on resurrection: our present “flesh and blood” existence cannot inherit the kingdom of God, so God himself will transform mortal, perishable bodies into immortal ones when Christ returns, ending the reign of sin and death forever. In this week’s episode, we explore:What Paul means by “flesh and blood cannot inh...
2020-05-1334 minWednesday in the Word45 What Will Our Resurrection Bodies Be Like? (1 Corinthians 15:29-49)Resurrection is not an optional extra in the Christian story; it is the future God is actually preparing for His people. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 15:29–49, Krisan Marotta follows Paul as he exposes the contradictions of denying bodily resurrection and then answers a mocking question: How are the dead raised, and with what kind of body? Through vivid images of seeds, flesh, and heavenly glory, Paul insists that our perishable, natural bodies are destined to be raised imperishable and spiritual—fully transformed by the Spirit of God. In this week’s episode, we explore:Ho...
2020-05-0643 minWednesday in the Word44 The Goal of History: Christ’s Reign and the End of Death (1 Corinthians 15:20-28)The Christian hope is not just that our souls float off to a better place, but that God will end history well—by raising His people from the dead and putting every enemy, including death itself, under Christ’s feet. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 15:20–28, Krisan Marotta unpacks Paul’s sweeping vision of where the story is headed: from Adam’s failure and universal death to Christ’s resurrection, reign, and final handover of a restored creation to the Father, so that “God may be all in all.” In this week’s episode, we explore:What...
2020-04-2937 minWednesday in the Word43 Why Christ’s Resurrection Matters (1 Corinthians 15:1-19)If the dead are not raised, the entire Christian story collapses—but Paul insists the resurrection of Jesus is a real event at the very heart of the gospel. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 15:1–19, Krisan Marotta revisits the message the Corinthians first believed, shows how it includes both Christ’s death and bodily resurrection, and explains why denying resurrection empties faith of meaning and hope. In this week’s episode, we explore:How chapter 15 opens the final major section of 1 Corinthians and addresses a new problem: some in Corinth are saying there is no resu...
2020-04-2239 minWednesday in the Word42 Should Women Keep Silent in Church? (1 Corinthians 14:26-40)When a church gathering turns into a noisy contest of voices and personalities, it stops looking like the work of a God of peace. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 14:26–40, Krisan Marotta walks through Paul’s closing words on tongues, prophecy, and order in worship, showing how his simple principle—“let all things be done for edification”—speaks directly into the chaos at Corinth and our own assumptions about what a “spiritual” service looks like. In this week’s episode, we explore:Paul’s bottom line for corporate worship: whatever we do must genuinely build others...
2020-04-1536 minWednesday in the Word41 Why Some Gifts are Greater (1 Corinthians 14:1-25)True spirituality is not measured by dramatic experiences or ecstatic speech, but by whether our words clearly build others up in the truth. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 14:1–25, Krisan Marotta traces Paul’s contrast between tongues and prophecy, showing that while both are genuine works of the Spirit, one serves mainly the individual and the other serves the whole church by communicating understandable content. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 12–14 hangs together, and why chapter 14 returns to Paul’s earlier point about “greater gifts” after his focus on love in chapter 13 Wh...
2020-04-0842 minWednesday in the Word40 Faith, Hope, and Love: Why Love Is the Greatest (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)Love is not a sentimental extra in the Christian life; it is the essential thing God is doing in us, more important than any gift, role, or achievement. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 13:1–13, Krisan Marotta situates the “love chapter” inside Paul’s larger argument about spiritual gifts, showing that he is not pausing for wedding poetry but confronting a church that is obsessed with tongues and status while failing to love one another. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 13 fits between chapters 12 and 14, and why Paul interrupts his discussion of “greater...
2020-04-0140 minWednesday in the Word39 What Does Real Love Look Like? (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)Real love is not sentimental feeling or vague niceness; it is a hard-won, Spirit-shaped way of treating other people as just as important as ourselves. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, Krisan Marotta walks slowly through Paul’s famous list of love’s attributes, showing how each one confronts the Corinthians’ pride over tongues and spiritual status—and exposes our own deep tendency toward selfishness, envy, and arrogance. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why this beloved “love passage” sits in the middle of Paul’s argument about tongues and spirituality, and how that context cha...
2020-03-2542 minWednesday in the Word37 Should Everyone Speak in Tongues? (1 Corinthians 12:11-13)The Holy Spirit’s most important work is not giving us dramatic experiences or spectacular gifts—it is creating one people who share one faith in Jesus. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 12:11–13, Krisan Marotta explores Paul’s body metaphor and his language of being “baptized in one Spirit” and “made to drink of one Spirit,” showing why these verses cannot support the idea that every truly spiritual Christian must speak in tongues. In this week’s episode, we explore:How chapters 12–14 respond to a real problem in Corinth: a group grading other believers’ spiritualit...
2020-03-1142 minWednesday in the Word36 What Are Spiritual Gifts? (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)Spiritual gifts are not spiritual “superpowers” that prove how advanced we are—they are gracious ways the Spirit uses ordinary people to serve one another. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 12:4–11, Krisan Marotta explores Paul’s teaching on unity and diversity in the body of Christ, showing that the same Spirit gives a wide variety of manifestations on purpose—for the common good, not for personal status. In this week’s episode, we explore:How Paul’s contrast between “varieties” and “the same” (gifts, ministries, effects; Spirit, Lord, God) sets up his theme of one God working through...
2020-03-0443 minWednesday in the Word35 What Is the Mark of True Spirituality? (1 Corinthians 12:1-3)True spirituality is not measured by dramatic experiences, public gifts, or “higher” callings—it is revealed in a heart that says and means, “Jesus is Lord.” In this episode on 1 Corinthians 12:1–3, Krisan Marotta shows how Paul begins his discussion of “spirituals” by correcting the Corinthians’ assumptions about tongues and ecstatic experiences, grounding true spirituality instead in the Spirit-given faith that embraces Jesus as Messiah and Lord. In this week’s episode, we explore:How the phrase “now concerning” in 1 Corinthians 12:1 signals a new topic, and the real question behind chapters 12–14 is: Is speaking in tongues the mark...
2020-02-2636 minWednesday in the Word34 What it Means to Take Communion in an Unworthy Manner (1 Corinthians 11:27-34)Taking communion “in an unworthy manner” is not about achieving sinless perfection; it’s about whether our actions fit the very meaning of the Lord’s Supper. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 11:27–34, Krisan Marotta explains how the Corinthians’ behavior at the Lord’s table flatly contradicted the message of the cross they claimed to celebrate, and why Paul calls them to examine what they truly believe about Christ’s death. In this week’s episode, we explore:What it means to eat and drink “in an unworthy manner”: not proving ourselves morally worthy, but behaving in...
2020-02-1931 minWednesday in the Word33 Why We Take Communion (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)The Lord’s Supper is not a mystical ritual we perform by habit; it is a memorial meal that keeps the cross at the center of our story. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 11:23–26, Krisan Marotta walks through Paul’s account of Jesus’ words at the Last Supper, tracing how the Lord’s Supper intentionally echoes the Passover to remind us of judgment spared, slavery broken, and a new covenant relationship with God. In this week’s episode, we explore:How the Corinthians’ abuse of the Lord’s Supper exposes a deeper problem with what they tru...
2020-02-1239 minWednesday in the Word32 What Was Wrong with the Lord’s Supper in Corinth (1 Corinthians 11:17-22)The way we share the Lord’s Supper can quietly reveal what we really believe about the gospel. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 11:17–22, Krisan Marotta looks at a church meal in Corinth that had gone so horribly wrong that Paul says they’d be better off not meeting at all. Instead of a celebration of unity in Christ, the Lord’s Supper had become a display of social status, self-indulgence, and indifference to the poor—exposing a deeper problem with their values and faith. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why Paul’s tone he...
2020-02-0529 minWednesday in the Word31 What Does 'Head' Mean? Ephesians and a Husband’s ResponsibilityPaul’s language of “head” and “body” is not about power plays—it is about responsibility, love, and shared life. In this second episode on headship, Krisan Marotta traces how Paul uses “head” across Ephesians and Colossians to describe Christ and the church, then applies that pattern to husbands and wives. The picture that emerges is not of a domineering “boss,” but of a husband entrusted with responsibility for the marriage and family, called to love his wife as his own body, while she helps him fulfill that calling before God. In this week’s episode, we explore:
2020-01-2940 minWednesday in the Word30 What does 'Head' in Corinthians? A Genesis-Based Look at HeadshipWhat does Paul mean when he calls Christ the head of every man, the man the head of a woman, and God the head of Christ? In this episode—the first of two on “headship”—Krisan Marotta turns to Genesis and the broader sweep of Scripture to unpack this much-debated word in 1 Corinthians 11:3. She argues that Paul is not teaching male superiority, but describing an asymmetrical set of responsibilities within marriage: husbands assigned primary responsibility for the marriage and family, and wives called to be strong, capable helpers alongside them. In this week’s episode, we...
2020-01-2253 minWednesday in the Word29 Are Women's Head Coverings Cultural? (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)Is 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 about a timeless command—or about cultural symbols that no longer mean the same thing today? In this episode, Krisan Marotta steps back from the text itself to explore the cultural world behind head coverings in Corinth, explaining why this passage is both unusually difficult and often misunderstood, and how we can take Paul’s reasoning seriously without insisting that his exact practices are binding in every time and place. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why 1 Corinthians 11 is one of the more complex passages in the New Testament and why it...
2020-01-1534 minWednesday in the Word28 Should Women Wear Head Coverings? (1 Corinthians 11:2-16)Paul’s teaching on head coverings in 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 is often experienced as confusing, controversial, or even hurtful—but this episode approaches it with patience, humility, and a clear focus on what Paul is actually doing. Krisan Marotta walks through the whole passage as a unified argument, showing how Paul connects creation, marriage, cultural symbols, and worship practices in Corinth to answer a very specific question: should married women uncover their heads when they pray or prophesy in public worship? In this week’s episode, we explore:Why 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 is unusually difficult and why sincere...
2020-01-0859 minWednesday in the Word27 How to Use Your Freedom Without Playing With Idols (1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1)Christian freedom is never an excuse to flirt with idols or to ignore how our choices affect others. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 10:14–11:1, Krisan Marotta traces Paul’s conclusion to the whole “idol meat” discussion, showing that the real issue is not just what we’re allowed to eat, but which table we belong to and what our behavior says about the God we claim to worship. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 8–10 hangs together, and why Paul’s “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” is the capstone of his whole argument abo...
2019-11-2736 minWednesday in the Word26 Does God Always Provide to Escape Temptation? (1 Corinthians 10:13)Our struggles with sin are real—but 1 Corinthians 10:13 is not a secret “escape hatch” we’re supposed to find if we’re spiritual enough. In this episode on a single, much-quoted verse, Krisan Marotta places Paul’s words back into their context and argues that he is not promising sinless success in every moment of temptation, but reassuring believers that God will not let the trials of life destroy genuine faith. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 10:13 is often memorized and taught as a universal method for “escaping temptation,” and why that underst...
2019-11-2034 minWednesday in the Word25 Take Heed Lest You Fall: Is Going to Church Enough? (1 Corinthians 10:1-12)Being part of the “inside crowd” of God’s people is not the same thing as actually trusting Him. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 10:1–12, Krisan Marotta follows Paul as he recalls Israel’s wilderness story—people who all experienced God’s miracles, provision, and “baptism into Moses,” yet still fell in the desert because they would not believe. Paul uses their example to warn the Corinthians (and us) against treating Christian freedom and spiritual privilege as a license to flirt with idolatry. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 10 continues Paul’s argument from c...
2019-11-1347 minWednesday in the Word24 Why Paul Refused to Take Support: Living on Support, Part 2 (1 Corinthians 9:15-27)Real Christian freedom is not about clinging to our rights; it is about ordering our lives around the hope of the gospel. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 9:15–27, Krisan Marotta unpacks why Paul refuses financial support from the Corinthians and how that choice reveals what he truly values: not comfort or status, but finishing the race of faith and helping others do the same. In this week’s episode, we explore:How this passage completes Paul’s larger argument from chapters 8–9 about knowledge, freedom, and love in the dispute over meat sacrificed to idolsWhy P...
2019-11-0647 minWednesday in the Word23 Should Pastors Be Paid? Living on Support Part 1 (1 Corinthians 9:1-14)Christian freedom includes real rights but love may lead us to lay some of them down. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 9:1–14, Krisan Marotta shows how Paul uses his own choice not to take financial support as a living example of the principle he’s been teaching about meat sacrificed to idols: it’s not enough to be right about what we’re free to do; we must also consider how exercising that freedom affects others and the reputation of the gospel. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 9 fits within Paul’s ongoi...
2019-10-3049 minWednesday in the Word22 Freedom and the Weaker Brother: Guidance for the Gray Areas (1 Corinthians 8:4-13)True Christian freedom is not about proving how much we know—it’s about using what we know to love others well. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 8:4–13, Krisan Marotta traces Paul’s response to the “knowledgeable” Corinthians who proudly eat meat sacrificed to idols, showing that while their theology is correct (idols are nothing, there is one God and one Lord), their attitude toward weaker believers is deeply wrong. In this week’s episode, we explore:How temple feasts, marketplace meat, and idol-dining worked in Corinth, and why this question wasn’t theoretical but wo...
2019-10-2347 minWednesday in the Word21 Knowledge Makes Arrogant: What Paul Teaches About Being Right (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)Paul opens his long discussion about food sacrificed to idols not by talking about idols or meat, but by talking about knowledge—and the danger of using it badly. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 8:1–3, Krisan Marotta shows how Paul confronts a group of believers who are “right” about idols being nothing, yet are using that truth to justify ignoring their brothers and sisters. He insists that knowledge by itself can puff us up, but love—and being known by God—changes how we treat one another. In this week’s episode, we explore:The new sectio...
2019-10-1631 minWednesday in the Word20 Is Singleness Better Than Marriage? (1 Corinthians 7:25-40)Paul’s final words in 1 Corinthians 7 are not an argument against marriage—they’re an invitation to see both marriage and singleness in light of eternity. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 7:25–40, Krisan Marotta unpacks Paul’s counsel to the betrothed, clarifies what he means by “the present distress,” and shows how our decisions about marriage fit inside a much larger question: where is our ultimate hope and loyalty? In this week’s episode, we explore:How this closing section of chapter 7 fits with the earlier questions about celibacy, marriage, mixed-faith marriages, and the Corinthian slo...
2019-10-0947 minWednesday in the Word19 Stay as You Are? What Paul Teaches About Mixed Marriages (1 Corinthians 7:12-24)Following Christ does not require escaping your life. It calls you to be faithful in it. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 7:12–24, Krisan Marotta looks at Paul’s counsel to believers married to unbelievers and his broader principle that we are to serve God in the circumstances where he found us, whether in a mixed marriage, as Jew or Gentile, slave or free. In this week’s episode, we explore:How this section fits into the flow of 1 Corinthians 7 as Paul keeps responding to the Corinthian slogan that “it is good for a man not to...
2019-10-0244 minWednesday in the Word18 Is Singleness a Gift or a Curse? (1 Corinthians 7:7-11)Paul’s counsel in 1 Corinthians 7:7–11 is not a put-down of marriage or a glorification of a “higher” spiritual class of celibates. It is a call to see both singleness and marriage as good gifts from God and to stop treating sexuality as something inherently unspiritual. In this episode, Krisan Marotta unpacks how Paul answers the Corinthians’ extreme views about celibacy, clarifies what he means by “gift,” “self-control,” and “burning,” and explains why divorce is not a shortcut to a supposedly more holy life. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 7 fits into Paul’s response...
2019-09-1846 minWednesday in the Word17 Too Spiritual for Sex? Paul's Advice To Married Couples (1 Corinthians 7:1-6)What did Paul really mean when he wrote, “It is good for a man not to touch a woman”? In this episode on 1 Corinthians 7:1–7, Krisan Marotta looks at the first of the Corinthians’ written questions to Paul and argues that he is responding not to people desperate to marry, but to believers flirting with an extreme, “super-spiritual” celibacy—even within marriage. Paul’s answer offers a balanced, positive vision of both singleness and marriage, and a richer understanding of sexuality as part of the promises spouses make to one another. In this week’s episode, we explore...
2019-09-0442 minWednesday in the Word16 Glorify God in Your Body: What Paul Says About Sex and Belonging (1 Corinthians 6:15-20)Sexuality is not a casual pastime or a private indulgence; it is a language God designed to express covenant love and belonging. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 6:15–20, Krisan Marotta explores Paul’s claim that our bodies are members of Christ and temples of the Holy Spirit and why that makes our sexual choices inseparable from our allegiance to Jesus. In this week’s episode, we explore:How Genesis 2 shapes Paul’s thinking: “the two shall become one flesh” as God’s definition of marriage and the purpose for which sexuality was createdWhy sexuality is “th...
2019-08-2847 minWednesday in the Word15 All Things Are Lawful? What Paul Says About Sin and Freedom (1 Corinthians 6:9-14)Christian freedom is not a license to do whatever we want; it is the fruit of being washed, sanctified, and justified so that our lives begin to change. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 6:9–14, Krisan Marotta looks at Paul’s sobering list of sins, his warning about those who “will not inherit the kingdom of God,” and his reminder that believers have been fundamentally changed by the Holy Spirit—even as we continue to struggle with sin. In this week’s episode, we explore:How 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 fits into the larger argument of chapters 5–6 about the Corinthi...
2019-08-2142 minWednesday in the Word14 When Christians Sue Each Other (1 Corinthians 6:1-8)When a community makes peace with rebellion against God, it is not being kind—it is losing sight of what the gospel is for. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 5:6–13, Krisan Marotta unpacks Paul’s leaven and Passover imagery, his instructions about “not associating” with certain people, and his concern that the Corinthians are boasting in their tolerance instead of mourning a destructive pattern of life. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why Paul says “your boasting is not good,” and how the Corinthians’ pride in their open-mindedness reveals a deeper refusal to submit to God’s t...
2019-08-1441 minWednesday in the Word13 What Paul Means by 'A Little Leaven Leavens the Dough' (1 Corinthians 5:6-13)When a church treats ongoing, defiant sin as acceptable, it is not being gracious—it is quietly undermining the very gospel it claims to believe. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 5:6–13, Krisan Marotta unpacks Paul’s leaven and Passover imagery, his instructions about “not associating” with certain people, and his concern that the Corinthians are boasting in their tolerance instead of grieving over rebellion against God. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why Paul says “your boasting is not good,” and how the church’s proud tolerance of blatant immorality reveals a deeper problem of ar...
2019-08-0745 minWednesday in the Word12 When the Church Looks the Other Way (1 Corinthians 4:17-5:5)When a church proudly tolerates what even the surrounding culture finds shocking, something has gone very wrong. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 4:17–5:5, Krisan Marotta follows Paul as he confronts a case of blatant sexual immorality in Corinth—not only the man involved, but the community that refuses to grieve over it. Paul’s response raises hard but necessary questions about spiritual arrogance, genuine repentance, and what it means to take both grace and obedience seriously. In this week’s episode, we explore:How Paul’s plan to send Timothy and later visit himself fits...
2019-07-3138 minWednesday in the Word11 How to Be ‘Foolish’ in the World’s Eyes and Wise Before God (1 Corinthians 3:18-4:16)True wisdom will rarely make you look impressive. In this episode on 1 Corinthians 3:18–4:16, Krisan Marotta traces Paul’s closing appeal to a church that wants to be admired by the world more than they want to cling to the gospel. Paul exposes their pride, redefines what it means to judge Christian leaders, and invites them to embrace the strange, costly path of being “fools” for Christ rather than respectable in the world’s eyes. In this week’s episode, we explore:Paul’s stark contrast between the “wisdom of this age” and the wisdom of God, and why tru...
2019-07-2444 minWednesday in the WordAre there Rewards in Heaven?What should Christians expect when Scripture talks about “rewards,” “crowns,” and being judged according to our works? In this second episode on rewards in heaven, Krisan Marotta revisits 1 Corinthians 3 and then walks through a range of key passages to argue that many popular teachings about heavenly reward rest on blurred categories and verses taken out of context. Instead of painting the Christian life as a race for extra prizes, she shows how these texts consistently call us back to grace, genuine faith, and faithful perseverance. In this week’s episode, we explore:Why 1 Corint...
2019-07-1751 minWednesday in the Word10 What Paul said about Rewards in Heaven (1 Corinthians 3:10-17)Many Christians have heard 1 Corinthians 3:10–17 used to teach levels of heaven, extra rewards, or “barely saved” believers. But what if Paul is actually talking about something else entirely? In this episode, Krisan Marotta looks carefully at Paul’s building metaphor to show that his focus is not on individual believers racking up merit, but on how teachers and leaders build on the one true foundation of Jesus Christ as they care for the church, God’s temple. In this week’s episode, we explore:How a childhood lesson about “seven levels of heaven” sparked...
2019-07-1039 min