Wednesday in the Word with Krisan Marotta

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 5 of Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity. Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with a warning that is both sobering and hopeful: it's possible to talk like a disciple while walking the wrong road. In Matthew 7:12–29, we learn how a God-centered worldview reshapes what “love” looks like in practice—and how the Golden Rule, true spiritual fruit, and the foundation we build on reveal whether we're actually headed toward life.In this week's episode, we explore:How the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) summarizes “love your neighbor as yourself” as a call to seek another person's good—not simply to be “nice”Why Jesus frames the choice before us as two roads: the wide way to destruction and the narrow way to life (Matthew 7:13–14)What it means to “recognize them by their fruits,” and how discernment protects God's people from false teachers (Matthew 7:15–20)Why calling Jesus “Lord” and even doing impressive religious works isn't the same as doing the Father's will (Matthew 7:21–23)How the images of rock and sand press the question: are we hearing Jesus' words and living as if they're true? (Matthew 7:24–27)How humility, mercy, repentance, and a longing for God's kingdom mark the path Jesus describes throughout the sermonAfter listening, you'll come away with clearer “markers on the road” for examining your faith—not through fear or performance, but through the settled direction of a life built on Jesus' teaching. You'll be invited to center your worldview on God, practice love with wisdom and integrity, and choose the narrow path that leads to life. Series: Start Strong: A New Believer's PodcastStart Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 4 of Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity. What does saving faith actually look like and how did Jesus define it? In this episode, we turn to Matthew 5:1–12 and the Beatitudes to hear Jesus describe the people who are truly “blessed.” Rather than offering a path to personal happiness or self-improvement, Jesus paints a picture of saving faith that recognizes sin, depends on grace, and trusts God for eternal life.In this week's episode, we explore:Why the Beatitudes are not a checklist for a better life, but a description of people who inherit the kingdom of heavenWhat Jesus means by calling the poor in spirit, the meek, and the persecuted “blessed”How the Beatitudes reveal the sharp divide between those in God's favor and those under judgmentThe four core convictions of saving faith: Recognize, Embrace, Accept, and Lean (R.E.A.L faith)Why future hope, not present comfort, defines who is truly fortunateHow Jesus' teaching exposes the lies we believe about God, ourselves, and where real life is foundAfter listening, you'll come away with a clearer understanding of what saving faith is—and what it is not. You'll see how the Beatitudes describe the heart posture of those who trust God rather than themselves, and why faith is ultimately about where you are headed, not how comfortable you are now.   Series: Start Strong: A New Believer's PodcastStart Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.

Today's passage is one of the "See For Yourself" passages Chapter 3 of Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity. If all religions lead to God, why did Jesus have to die? This episode walks through John 3:14–21 to show why the cross is not one option among many, but God's gracious and necessary provision for a guilty world. Through Jesus' nighttime conversation with Nicodemus and the Old Testament story of the bronze serpent, we see why believing in Jesus is the only way to escape condemnation and receive eternal life. In this week's episode, we explore:The tension many Christians feel between “all religions are valid” and “Jesus is the only way” and why both cannot be trueHow Jesus challenges Nicodemus' assumptions about religion, knowledge, and spiritual rebirthThe wilderness story of the bronze serpent in Numbers 21 and how it prepares us to understand the crossWhat it means for the Son of Man to be “lifted up,” and why simply looking to Christ in faith is God's appointed way of rescueHow John 3:16–17 reveals God's heart: not to condemn the world, but to save it through His SonAfter listening, you'll come away with a clearer grasp of why the cross was necessary, why belief in Jesus matters so profoundly, and how your response to Him reveals the true condition of your heart.  Series: Start Strong: A New Believer's PodcastStart Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.Support the show

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 forgiveness in Christ. In this week's episode, we explore:Why confusion about sin and guilt is so widespread—even among ChristiansHow Romans 1:18–32 fits into Paul's larger argument about justification by faithWhat it means that God's wrath “is revealed” now, not just on a future Judgment DayHow creation itself leaves us “without excuse” before GodThe repeated pattern Paul traces: rebellion, death, and God “giving them over”Why idolatry begins with what we see, captures our hearts, and then reshapes our bodies and behaviorHow “respectable” sins like gossip, pride, and arrogance reveal the same underlying exchange of truth for a lieWhy God's wrath is not a temper tantrum, but a just decision to hand us over to what we insist on havingHow this bleak diagnosis prepares us to understand and cherish the hope held out in the gospelAfter listening, you'll see guilt in a new light, not as something to ignore or manage, but as a truthful indicator that you need more than a fresh start. You'll come away with a clearer grasp of what Romans 1 teaches about sin, spiritual death, and God's wrath, and you'll be better prepared to understand why the good news of Jesus is not just helpful advice, but the only way out of the prison of sin and death. Series: Start Strong: A New Believer's PodcastStart Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.Support the show

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 power. Paul's argument reveals that grace doesn't make sin safer; it exposes just how destructive it really is—and why understanding sin is the first step toward real hope. In this week's episode, we explore:Why believing we're “born innocent” blinds us to our need for a SaviorHow Paul answers the objection, “If grace covers all sin, why not keep sinning?” (Romans 6:15) What it means to be a “slave” either to sin or to righteousness—and how that shapes the quality of your daily life How the Bible defines “death” as more than physical dying: a present experience of decay, futility, and relational breakdown Why sin always pays out in death, even for believers whose eternal inheritance is secure (Romans 6:23) Why the law could expose sin but never cure it—and how it actually inflamed our rebellion (Romans 7:1–6) Paul's marriage analogy for being released from the law so that we can “belong to another,” to Christ, and bear fruit for God How the Holy Spirit, not human willpower, becomes the new way we serve God “in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code” After listening, you'll come away with a clearer understanding of what sin really is, why it always brings some kind of death into your life, and why grace is not permission to drift but the power that frees you from slavery to sin. Series: Start Strong: A New Believer's PodcastStart Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.Support the show

Krisan 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 church means looking for one that teaches the Bible in a real way, not just political agendas.Biblical worldview divides people into sinners who have found forgiveness through Jesus and those who haven't, not oppressors and oppressed.Fellowship with other believers is essential for encouragement and growth.Fearing God means making what He thinks more important than anything else.AM 1070 WINA's The Schilling Show January 27, 2026Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.Beginning February 4, join us for Season 27 of the podcast, Start Strong: A New Believer's Podcast. Each episode walks through the Scripture behind the book.Visit StartStrongBook.org for more details. Support the show

Season 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's Bookcast—a subscriber-only podcast where you can listen to the audiobook version of Start Strong, one chapter at a time. Each chapter will release one week before the matching podcast episode, giving you a chance to hear the full teaching, then explore the biblical passage in depth.If you've ever wanted a trusted guide to walk with you through the basics of Christianity—or wished you had a resource to share with someone just starting out—this is for you.Podcast: Start Strong: A New Believer's PodcastBook: Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to ChristianityKrisan Marotta's BookCast - click on the support the show linkStart Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity is available now wherever books are sold.Beginning February 4, join us for Season 27 of the podcast, Start Strong: A New Believer's Podcast. Each episode walks through the Scripture behind the book.Visit StartStrongBook.org for more details. Support the show

Questions? Comments? Send Krisan a textPsalm 110 doesn't mention a manger, shepherds, or angels. Yet it gives us one of the clearest pictures of who the baby in Bethlehem really is: the eternal King and Priest who will rule over all and bring His people back to God. In this Christmas episode, we trace how Psalm 110 reveals the identity and mission of the Messiah and how the New Testament writers apply this ancient psalm directly to Jesus. In this week's episode, we explore:Why it matters that Psalm 110 is “a Psalm of David” and how Jesus Himself uses that authorship to reveal the Messiah's greatness What it means for the Messiah to sit at God's right hand and how that image explains the authority and scope of His reignHow the promise that enemies will become a “footstool” points to a final, decisive victory over all evil and opposition to GodThe surprising declaration that the Messiah is “a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” and why that matters more than the Levitical priesthoodHow Matthew 22, Acts 2, and 1 Corinthians 15 each reach back to Psalm 110 to identify Jesus as David's Lord, God's chosen King, and our eternal Priest What Psalm 110 adds to our understanding of Christmas: not just the birth of a child, but the arrival of the One who will rule, judge, and reconcile foreverAfter listening, you'll come away with a clearer, richer vision of who Jesus is at Christmas, not only the promised son of David, but the greater Lord whom David himself calls “my Lord.” You'll see how Psalm 110 anchors the Christmas story in God's larger purpose: a reigning King, a forever Priest, and a sure promise that history is moving toward the day when every enemy is subdued and God's people stand secure in His kingdom.Series: Christmas Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity launches January 9, but you can pre-order your copy now. Just visit StartStrongBook.org for more details.  

Questions? Comments? Send Krisan a textHow 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 outwardly, but by circumcising the heartHow holiness is first a change in direction of the heart, not instant moral perfectionThe fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5 and what these qualities reveal about a heart inclined toward God How the Beatitudes in Matthew 5 describe the inner life of those who will enter the kingdom of heaven The difference between sinners who don't care about their sin and “righteous sinners” who grieve it and hunger for righteousnessWhy common approaches to assurance—like relying on a remembered prayer or only on God's general promises—can give false or incomplete comfort How Romans 5 teaches that tested faith, proven through suffering and perseverance, produces a hope that “does not put us to shame” Why God uses trials to reveal, both to us and to others, that His Spirit is truly at work in our heartsAfter listening, you'll come away with a clearer, more biblically grounded understanding of assurance. You'll see that the evidence of salvation is not a flawless life or a perfectly steady heart, but a tested faith that continues to seek God, hate sin, and long for His kingdom. And you'll be encouraged to view your trials not as proof that God has abandoned you, but as the very means by which He makes it visible that you belong to Him.Start Strong: A New Believer's Guide to Christianity launches January 9, but you can pre-order your copy now. Just visit StartStrongBook.org for more details.

Paul's closing charge is often misunderstood. In this passage, “examine yourself” is not a call to anxious introspection but a corrective to a church testing Paul while overlooking the evidence of Christ at work among them. Paul redirects attention from his credentials to their shared life in Christ, using his authority to build them up and aiming for restoration, unity, and peace.

What was Paul's thorn in the flesh and why didn't God remove it? Discover how weakness can reveal God's power and reframe your own struggles.

Paul confronts the false apostles and reveals what true gospel leadership looks like. Learn how to spot deception and follow the real thing.

Explore the Meekness of Christ in 2 Corinthians 10. Learn how Paul confronts false claims with truth and God's power, using authority that builds.

What does it really mean to give generously and why does it matter? When Paul asks for money for the Jerusalem collection, he's doing more than asking the Corinthians to donate. He's inviting them to express their faith, restore broken trust, and unite with their spiritual family. If you've ever wrestled with when, why, or how much to give, this message will help you see giving in a whole new light.

2 Corinthians 8–9 records Paul's advice to Corinth about the Jerusalem Collection. But it isn't just about fundraising. In order to understand this event, we trace the story behind the Jerusalem Collection. We look at various passages in Acts, Galatians and Romans. so we can hear Paul's appeal to Corinth the way his first listeners did.

Have you ever wrestled with whether to speak a hard truth to someone you care about? In 2 Corinthians 7:2–16, Paul reflects on the pain and power of writing a sorrowful letter to the Corinthian church, noting how godly grief leads to genuine repentance.

“Do not be unequally yoked” is not a blanket ban on contact with unbelievers; it is a warning about binding yourself in partnerships that tug your heart away from Christ or deceiving nonbelievers.

Paul urges the Corinthians not to receive God's grace in vain, exposing the gap between outward claims and reconciliation.

Paul explains why outward appearance doesn't define true ministry, what it means to be a new creation, an ambassador for Christ, and part of God's ministry of reconciliation.

In 2 Corinthians 5:1–11, Paul continues his defense of his ministry by explaining how his confidence in the resurrection shapes his message, motivates his courage, and defines his integrity.

2 Corinthians explained: Why Paul doesn't lose heart in ministry, how weakness reveals God's power and the gospel brings eternal hope.

Explore why Paul's ministry is more glorious than Moses'. Learn how the Spirit transforms hearts and unveils the glory of the gospel.

What's new about the New Covenant? The new covenant doesn't just offer help. It creates new people. 2 Corinthians 3:1–6 explained.

Explore why Paul refused to change either himself or the gospel to win more converts and what that means for us today.

When Paul didn't return to Corinth as expected, some accused him of being unreliable. His response shows us how faith navigates conflict, disappointment, and the hard work of loving others well.

Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 1:1-11 offer deep insight into suffering, encouragement, and prayer. Learn what his experience teaches us about gospel ministry and why it still matters today.

Corinth was a city of wealth, power, and moral decay—an unlikely place for a thriving church. In this episode, we explore how Paul planted the church in Corinth during his second missionary journey and why he stayed longer than expected. You'll learn about his partnership with Priscilla and Aquila, the cultural challenges he faced, and the strategic vision behind his ministry.

Wednesday in the Word Season 26 kicks off July 9 with a series on 2 Corinthians: When Church Hurts.

In 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.

John 20:30-31 captures the themes of John's Gospel. The final episode in this series explores John's purpose and major themes, tying them to Passion Week and the book's closing chapters.

John 20:30-31 captures the themes of John's Gospel. The final episode in this series explores John's purpose and major themes, tying them to Passion Week and the book's closing chapters.

John 20:30-31 captures the themes of John's Gospel. The final episode in this series explores John's purpose and major themes, tying them to Passion Week and the book's closing chapters.

The Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17) records Jesus' final teaching to his disciples. Jesus explains 5 key themes to prepare his disciples for the future.

The Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17) records Jesus' final teaching to his disciples. Jesus explains 5 key themes to prepare his disciples for the future.

The Upper Room Discourse (John 13-17) records Jesus' final teaching to his disciples. Jesus explains 5 key themes to prepare his disciples for the future.

Jesus' ministry shifts toward the cross. Mary's devotion and the triumphal entry highlight his worthiness, while Judas and the crowd expose the complexity of belief.

Jesus' ministry shifts toward the cross. Mary's devotion and the triumphal entry highlight his worthiness, while Judas and the crowd expose the complexity of belief.

Jesus' ministry shifts toward the cross. Mary's devotion and the triumphal entry highlight his worthiness, while Judas and the crowd expose the complexity of belief.

Jesus's raising of Lazarus proves his authority over death, offering us confidence in his promise of eternal life and setting the stage for the cross.

Jesus's raising of Lazarus proves his authority over death, offering us confidence in his promise of eternal life and setting the stage for the cross.

Jesus's raising of Lazarus proves his authority over death, offering us confidence in his promise of eternal life and setting the stage for the cross.

When Jesus pointed to his works as proof of words, he made the famous claim "I and the Father are one." He is at least claiming to be the Messiah. How much more he's claiming is debated.

When Jesus pointed to his works as proof of words, he made the famous claim "I and the Father are one." He is at least claiming to be the Messiah. How much more he's claiming is debated.

When Jesus pointed to his works as proof of words, he made the famous claim "I and the Father are one." He is at least claiming to be the Messiah. How much more he's claiming is debated.

Jesus describes himself as both “the door” to salvation, and “the good shepherd,” who willingly gives his life for his flock.

Jesus describes himself as both “the door” to salvation, and “the good shepherd,” who willingly gives his life for his flock.

Jesus describes himself as both “the door” to salvation, and “the good shepherd,” who willingly gives his life for his flock.

In John 9, Jesus heals on the Sabbath again, provoking the Jewish leadership. John highlights a variety of responses to this miracle, contrasting spiritual and physical blindness. The blind man now sees, but more importantly he has faith.

In John 9, Jesus heals on the Sabbath again, provoking the Jewish leadership. John highlights a variety of responses to this miracle, contrasting spiritual and physical blindness. The blind man now sees, but more importantly he has faith.

In John 9, Jesus heals on the Sabbath again, provoking the Jewish leadership. John highlights a variety of responses to this miracle, contrasting spiritual and physical blindness. The blind man now sees, but more importantly he has faith.

What does Jesus mean when he says 'before Abraham was, I am?" Traditionally seen as a declaration of divinity, context suggests Jesus intends to highlight his role as the Messiah.