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Send us Fan Mail Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison continue “Pondering the Bible” (Season 18, Episode 30) by finishing Romans 13:8–14 (RSV), emphasizing that Christians should avoid debt except the ongoing “debt” of loving others, since loving a neighbor fulfills the law. They discuss how chapter and verse divisions can affect interpretation, the severe consequences of debt in Rome (including high interest and slavery), and concerns that some Christians used “debts forgiven” language to justify not repaying loans or taxes, risking Roman backlash against the faith. Paul’s summary of the commandments echoes Jesus’ teaching to love God and love neighbor, highlighting sanctification as visible behavior. They also explore Paul’s end-times urgency—living as if Christ could return soon—and his list of sins to avoid, noting both outward and internal sins like quarreling and jealousy. They conclude by previewing Romans 14:1–12 next week.  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:29 Read Romans 13 8-14  01:38 Owe Nothing But Love  02:45 Rome Debt and Taxes  08:00 Love Fulfills the Law  10:34 Wake Up End Times  14:09 Cast Off Darkness  18:30 Final Wrap and Next Week NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 13:1–7: Christians, Government, and Paying Taxes Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison host season 18, episode 29 of Pondering the Bible, continuing their verse-by-verse study of Romans with Romans 13:1–7 (RSV) on submitting to governing authorities, the government’s use of the “sword,” and paying taxes. Rocky explains that Romans 1–11 addresses salvation, while chapters 12–16 focus on daily sanctification and how Christians should behave publicly, including toward government. They wrestle with how Paul’s teaching fits under corrupt rulers like Nero and later examples such as Hitler, Idi Amin, and modern Haiti, outlining two theological views: God appoints all governments for purposes unknown, or only legitimate governments carry God’s authority, though defining legitimacy is difficult. They discuss when disobedience may be required if laws conflict with faith, the challenge of defining “resistance,” and conclude that Christians should pay taxes while still being able to protest. They preview continuing Romans 13 next week.  00:00 Welcome and Catch Up  00:48 Romans 13 Reading  02:30 Why Government Matters  04:40 Nero and God’s Will  08:12 Legitimate vs Illegitimate  09:58 When to Resist  12:21 Faith Conflicts Today  15:35 What Government Is For  17:14 The Sword and Justice  18:53 Taxes and Christian Duty  22:24 Wrapping Up and Next Week NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 12:9–21 Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison host Season 18, Episode 28 of Pondering the Bible, moving into Romans 12:9–21 (RSV). They frame Romans 1–11 as explaining salvation and chapter 12 as answering “now what,” describing what a saved life looks like through love expressed in the church and beyond it. They connect spiritual gifts and service to love, discuss Paul’s forceful, imperative tone about zeal and active sanctification, and contrast Christian humility with Greek cultural expectations of public honor. The conversation highlights blessing persecutors, harmony, rejecting revenge, living peaceably, and loving the world outside the church. Paul’s commands are tied to Jesus’ teaching and supported with Old Testament citations, culminating in Romans 12:21 as a daily guiding “master code.”  00:00 Welcome and Banter  01:04 Romans 12 Tonight  01:18 Reading Romans  12:9-21 03:08 Genuine Love and Honor  06:30 Zeal and Daily Sanctification  09:09 Bless and Live Humbly  13:27 Peace With the World  17:44 Overcome Evil With Good  21:53 Wrap Up and Next Episode NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison discuss Romans 12:1–8 (RSV), marking Paul’s shift from salvation debates in chapters 7–11 to practical sanctification—how saved believers should live daily. They explain presenting one’s body as a “living sacrifice” as giving one’s whole life to God in grateful response to God’s mercy, not legalism. They unpack verse 2’s call to avoid conformity to the world and pursue transformation through renewed minds, likening it to metamorphosis. Paul’s warning against pride is tied to the fact that gifts come from God, not personal merit. Using the body metaphor, they stress Christianity is lived in community and gifts exist to bless the church. They briefly define gifts listed (prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, generous giving, leadership/administration, mercy).  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:15 Travel Catch Up  00:38 Romans 12 Reading  02:21 Living Sacrifice  06:36 Renewed Mind  08:33 Humility and Grace  11:27 One Body Many Parts  13:15 Spiritual Gifts Explained  22:10 Next Week and Closing NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail  Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison return for Season 18, Episode 26 of “Pondering the Bible,” finishing Romans 11:22–36. They discuss God’s kindness and severity, including debate over whether believers can lose salvation, with Rocky arguing “once saved, always saved” while acknowledging traditions that read “cut off” as loss of salvation and offering sanctification as evidence of genuine faith. Using Paul’s olive tree imagery, they explain how Gentiles are grafted in by grace and Jews can be grafted back in through faith in Christ, cautioning Gentiles against arrogance and anti-Jewish exclusion. They unpack Paul’s “mystery” about Israel’s hardening until the Gentiles come in, consider differing views of “all Israel will be saved,” affirm God’s irrevocable promises, and end with Paul’s doxology meant for congregational singing.  00:00 Welcome Back Intro  00:17 Travel Catch Up  00:45 Romans 11 Setup  01:26 Kindness And Severity  05:09 Can You Lose Salvation  08:42 Grafted In Again  10:55 Mystery Of Israel  15:02 All Israel Saved Debate  17:28 Irrevocable Promises  18:12 Mercy For All  20:12 Doxology Explained  22:15 Final Reflections Outro NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Important Note: Next Episode will be Sept. 27th Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison mark five years of “Pondering the Bible” (240 episodes heard in 112 countries and 795 cities) before continuing their Romans study in season 18, episode 25, covering Romans 11:11–21 and noting translation differences in paragraph breaks. They discuss Paul’s question about whether Israel stumbled to be damned, his emphatic “by no means,” and the idea that Jewish rejection opened salvation to Gentiles to provoke Jewish jealousy leading to some Jews being saved, clarifying that “full inclusion” refers to the completeness of salvation, not all Jews. They explore “life from the dead” as end-times resurrection (citing R.C. Sproul), the firstfruits/root/branches and olive tree grafting illustration, debate what the “root” represents, and emphasize Paul’s warning that Gentile believers must not boast, since God can also remove them.  00:00 Welcome and Milestone  01:13 Romans 11 Setup  02:42 Reading the Passage  04:25 Stumbled or Hardened  06:14 Jealousy and Inclusion  09:03 Save Some of Them  12:06 Life from the Dead  14:22 Firstfruits and Root  17:09 Grafted In Warning  22:12 Gentile Pride Check  23:50 Travel Break and Wrap NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison record Season 18, Episode 24 of Pondering the Bible from a home studio during a heat wave and begin Romans 11:1–10 (RSV). They discuss Paul’s argument that God has not rejected Israel, pointing to Paul’s own Jewish lineage and to Elijah’s despair and God’s preserved 7,000 as evidence of a faithful remnant. The hosts connect this to the mixed Jewish-Gentile Roman church and its conflict, emphasizing that salvation is by grace, not works, and addressing foreknowledge versus forechoice. They explain “the elect” as Jews who accept Jesus and interpret the “hardened” through accurate Old Testament citations from Deuteronomy/Isaiah and Psalm 69, warning against complacent confidence in works. They plan to cover Romans 11:11–27 next.  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:54 Starting Romans 11  01:47 Reading the Passage  03:18 Has God Rejected Israel  03:59 Paul the Benjaminite  05:42 Elijah and the Remnant  11:45 Chosen by Grace  13:47 Grace Not Works  15:56 The Elect and Hardening  17:00 Stupor Quote Explained  20:10 David’s Warning Psalm  21:55 Wrap Up and Next Week  23:23 Closing Joke and Signoff NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 10:14–21: Hearing, Preaching, and Israel’s Response Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison continue “Pondering the Bible” in Romans 10:14–21 (RSV), aiming to finish chapter 10. They unpack Paul’s chain of questions about calling, believing, hearing, preaching, and being sent, suggesting it reads more clearly in reverse: God sends a preacher, people hear, believe, then call on Jesus. They discuss why this passage is controversial, since Paul quotes Isaiah, Psalms, and Deuteronomy throughout and sometimes not word-for-word, raising debate about context and accuracy. Paul argues Israel has heard and had both general revelation (creation) and specific revelation (Scripture), yet many still reject the gospel, while Gentiles accept it. Using William Barclay’s outline, they frame the section as four questions with four answers emphasizing Israel’s responsibility for unbelief.  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:35 Reading Romans  10 02:14 Why So Confusing  02:26 Chain of Questions  09:34 Isaiah and Faith  12:43 Have They Heard  16:30 Israel and Gentiles 19:52 Hands Held Out  22:03 Barclay Simplifies  25:27 Final Thoughts  26:16 Closing Sign Off NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 10:1–13 — Zeal Without Knowledge and Salvation by Faith Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison discuss Romans 10:1–13 (RSV) in season 18, episode 22, focusing on Paul’s anguish that many Jews reject Christ despite serious religious zeal. They contrast rigorous Sabbath rules and man-made traditions with “God’s righteousness,” arguing that Israel sought self-established righteousness rather than submitting to God. They unpack “Christ is the end of the law” as both fulfillment and the end of the Mosaic covenant as a means of salvation, replaced by the covenant of grace. Quoting Leviticus and Deuteronomy, they emphasize humans cannot perfectly keep the law, so salvation comes through confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in the resurrection, which Paul treats as justification. They explain Paul’s Isaiah reference and conclude that salvation is for anyone—Jew or Greek—who calls on the Lord.  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:34 Romans 10 Reading  02:27 Paul’s Heart for Israel  04:06 Zeal Without Knowledge  05:18 Sabbath Rules Example  08:13 Cafeteria Faith Today  09:56 Christ Ends the Law  13:40 Law vs Faith Explained  17:46 Confess and Believe  20:40 Isaiah and Assyria Story  25:32 Everyone Can Be Saved  27:04 Wrap Up and Joke NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison continue Romans in season 18, episode 21, finishing Romans 9:14–33 from the Revised Standard Version. They discuss Paul’s “therefore/what shall we say” style of arguing against a fictitious objector and explore whether God is unjust in choosing whom to show mercy and whom to harden, using Moses, Pharaoh, and the potter-and-clay image. Rocky notes these passages support Calvinistic predestination but finds “how dare you question God” unsatisfying, explaining his move to Methodist/Arminian free-will theology while still stressing God’s mystery and goodness and the legitimacy of asking questions. They cover Paul’s Old Testament citations (Hosea and Isaiah) with historical context about Israel’s division and Assyria’s conquest, and conclude with Paul’s main point: Gentiles attain righteousness by faith, while Israel stumbles by pursuing law-based works; salvation comes down to faith in Christ. 00:00 Welcome and Heatwave  00:44 Romans 9 Reading  03:48 Is God Unjust  05:38 Mercy and Pharaoh  09:13 Potter and Clay  15:01 Wrath and Calling  17:22 Hosea and Isaiah Context  23:28 Faith Not Works Finale  26:29 Closing Thoughts  27:53 Sign Off NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 9:1–13 (RSV). Paul’s Sorrow for Israel and God’s Election Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison open Season 18, Episode 20 of “Pondering the Bible,” noting Rocky’s recovery from recent throat surgery, then begin Romans 9:1–13 (RSV). They discuss Paul’s “great sorrow” over Israelites who faithfully follow Jewish law and worship yet do not believe in Jesus, emphasizing salvation by faith rather than DNA. Rocky explains Paul’s use of “conscience” as a morally driven, Spirit-validated witness and highlights Paul’s willingness to be “anathema” for his people, comparing it to Moses’ plea in Exodus 32. They note Paul’s listing of Israel’s privileges, his strong statement that Jesus is both Jewish and God, and his argument that God’s promises are for the Church (believers), not ethnic lineage, contrasting this with dispensationalism. They close by examining Isaac, Jacob, and Esau as examples of God’s elective purpose and acknowledging the Calvinism debate.  00:00 Welcome and Check In  00:43 Reading Romans 9  02:46 Paul's Anguish for Israel  04:09 Conscience and the Spirit  07:56 Willing to Be Accursed  11:31 Israel's Privileges and Christ  15:15 Promises Beyond DNA  17:59 Dispensationalism Detour  22:48 Isaac Jacob and God's Choice  24:31 Election and Calvinism  26:22 Wrap Up and Dad Joke NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 8:31–39: Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison continue Season 18 of Pondering the Bible by finishing Romans 8:31–39 (RSV). They explain Paul’s “therefore” conclusion to the prior discussion of sin’s effects, suffering, and God bringing good out of hardship, clarifying that “If God is for us” doesn’t mean Christians always win. They connect verse 32 to Christ’s crucifixion as proof God will follow through on salvation. Using courtroom imagery, they discuss judgment, emphasizing Jesus as judge, prosecutor, and intercessor, citing Hebrews 9:27 and 7:25, and encourage believers not to fear judgment. They note Christians may suffer—even death—especially under Nero, warn against asceticism, and conclude that nothing in creation can separate believers from God’s love. They announce a two-week break for Rocky’s throat surgery and resume with Romans 9:1–13.  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:40 Romans 8 Reading  02:06 God Is For Us  05:04 God Gave His Son  06:52 The Courtroom Trial  12:08 Suffering and Faith  17:47 More Than Conquerors  20:55 Wrap Up and Next Time NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 8:18–30: Suffering, Creation’s Groaning, the Spirit’s Help, and Predestination Ken Corkins and pastor Rock Ellison record season 18, episode 18 of Pondering the Bible after Vacation Bible School and continue their study of Romans, reading and discussing Romans 8:18–30 (RSV). They explain Paul’s teaching that present suffering is not comparable to future glory, using childbirth as an illustration, and connect human struggle with sin to the promise of renewed bodies. They discuss how the fall affected all creation, which now “groans” for renewal, citing Revelation’s new heaven and new earth and supporting the idea with 2 Peter 3:13 and Jeremiah 12. They clarify hope as patience in what is unseen, and explain the Spirit’s intercession in prayer, rejecting claims that speaking in tongues is required for salvation. They interpret Romans 8:28 as God bringing good from suffering for those called to His purpose, then address foreknowledge and predestination, contrasting Calvinism and Arminianism and arguing the terms imply God’s prior knowledge rather than coercion. They plan to finish Romans 8:31–39 next week.  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:34 Romans 8 Reading  02:57 Suffering and Glory  06:05 Creation Awaits Renewal  09:36 Groaning for Redemption  12:15 Saved by Hope  15:05 Spirit Helps Our Prayers  19:45 All Things for Good  23:04 Predestination Debate  29:08 Wrap Up and Next Week NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Romans 8:1–17: No Condemnation, Life in the Spirit, and Adoption as God’s Children Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison discuss Romans 8:1–17 (RSV) on “Pondering the Bible,” focusing on Paul’s shift from despair in Romans 7 to assurance that there is “no condemnation” for those in Christ, especially in the end-time judgment. They explain that believers are judged by what Jesus has done, not by the law weakened by the flesh, and emphasize the role of the indwelling Holy Spirit as evidence of belonging to Christ. They interpret “living by the Spirit” as being troubled by sin and pursuing sanctification, and they discuss verses 9–11 as pointing to the Trinity. Using an ancient slavery-and-redemption analogy, they describe Jesus as redeemer and conclude with believers’ adoption as God’s children and heirs with Christ; they recommend the NLT for clarity and note a week off for Vacation Bible School before finishing Romans 8.  00:00 Welcome and Setup  00:21 Romans 8 Reading  03:22 No Condemnation Explained  06:04 Judged by Different Rules  08:45 Flesh vs Spirit Mindset  09:18 Do You Have the Spirit  13:02 Trinity in You  16:04 Debtors and Redeemer  20:05 Adoption and Heirs  23:03 Wrap Up and Next Week NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock

Send us Fan Mail Ken Corkins and pastor Rocky Ellison continue “Pondering the Bible” (Season 18, Episode 16) by finishing Romans 7:7–25 from the Revised Standard Version. They discuss Paul’s teaching that the law is holy and reveals sin—especially the internal sin of coveting—while sin exploits commandments as a “base of operations,” making forbidden things more tempting. Using Prohibition and a basketball-rules illustration, they explain that God’s rules are meant to prevent self-inflicted harm, not punish, and that ignorance doesn’t remove consequences. Paul’s anguish highlights the ongoing war between a believer’s mind that delights in God’s law and a flesh still captive to sin; sanctification is the lifelong process of aligning mind and behavior. They close with Paul’s cry for deliverance from the “body of death,” gratitude for Jesus, and anticipation of Romans 8’s “no condemnation.”  00:00 Welcome Back and Setup  01:09 Reading Romans Seven  04:03 Law Reveals Sin  08:22 Rules and Consequences  14:15 Carnal Nature and Original Sin  16:39 The Inner War Explained  22:25 Anguish and Two Laws  25:31 Body of Death and No Condemnation  30:30 Takeaways and Next Episode NEW!: Rate us at Podchaser   Find us at www.pondergmc.org.  Feedback is welcome: [email protected]  Music performed by the Ponder GMC worship team. Cover Art: Joe Wagner Recorded, edited and mixed by Snikrock