Apologia Radio Episode 540: "The Gospel We're Afraid to Proclaim"

Date: September 4, 2025
Hosts: Luke “the Bear” Pierson & Zach Conover

EPISODE OVERVIEW

Main Theme:
The hosts challenge the modern, shallow understanding of the Gospel—namely, that Jesus came solely to forgive individual sins. With robust biblical support and pastoral experience, Luke and Zach advocate for a "full-orbed," cosmic view of redemption: Jesus’ work is not just for individual salvation but for the comprehensive renewal of all creation. They touch on eschatology, the ongoing reign of Christ, the Gospel's offensive mission in the world, and the practical implications for Christians engaging culture.

KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

1. Personal Backgrounds & the Narrow "Sins-Only" Gospel

• [04:42] Both hosts share their diverse church backgrounds—Luke's Baptist, Zach's Charismatic—to illustrate how the North American church often shortens the Gospel to "Jesus came to save me from my sins, period."
• MEMORABLE MOMENT [05:18]
  • Luke: “Legalism light.”
  • Zach: “I had the privilege of being exposed to a lot of different denominational settings... I’d probably say Assembly of God was the atmosphere where I cut my baby Christian teeth.”

2. Rediscovering the Gospel’s Cosmic Scope

• [06:33 – 09:54]
  • Luke introduces the influence of theologian Joe Boot, who reframed his view: the Gospel is bigger than salvation from personal sin alone.
  • Zach: “Your gospel is too small... the purchasing of individuals with Christ’s blood? We’d go so far as to say, when Christ died on the cross, he was purchasing everything.”
  • They discuss the biblical story—God’s mission to restore and reconcile all things, not just souls (Ephesians 1, Colossians 1).

3. Under-Realized Soteriology vs. Over-Realized Eschatology

• [11:47]
  • Luke recounts Joe Boot’s phrase:
    • “People accuse me of an ‘over-realized eschatology.’ My reply is: ‘You have an under-realized soteriology.’”
  • The hosts unpack this: Boot, and by extension their own view, sees salvation as cosmic in scope, not just the saving of souls but the reclamation of all creation.

4. The Gospel as a Victory Parade; The Church’s Offensive Role

• [13:17 – 19:44]
  • Zach: “Paul says in 2 Corinthians, ‘Praise be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession...’”
  • Emphasis on the present reign of Christ—He is victorious and the church is on the march, not on the defensive:
    • “The gates of hell will not prevail against it” (Matthew 16) means the church attacks the gates of hell, not vice versa.
  • Luke: “We should be the church militant, not the church in hiding... We are to kick down the gates of hell.”

5. The "Imperial Gospel" & Cultural Engagement

• [19:46 – 25:07]
  • The imperial scope: “No king but Christ.”
  • Luke (drawing on Andrew Sandlin): “Christ is the true Caesar. It’s not just that Christians were persecuted for being Christians—they refused to say, ‘Caesar is Lord.’ Instead, they said, ‘Christ is Lord’—a direct affront to the imperial kingdom.”
  • Zach: “Our citizenship is in heaven, but the goal is to have that dual citizenship inform and apply our beliefs to the world.”

6. Destroying the Works of the Devil: 1 John 3

• [26:51 – 34:04]
  • Luke reads 1 John 3, highlighting:
    • “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” ([29:43])
  • Application: Christians are “the weapons that [Christ] uses in order to destroy those works.”
  • Zach: The nature of this battle is spiritual, not merely political. Visible evidence of Satan’s work: attack on family, culture, gender, and life itself.

7. The Centrality of the Household & Strategies of the Enemy

• [34:04 – 36:09]
  • Luke: “The way that we’re going to overcome the works of Satan is through proper households, proper governmental jurisdictions and structures, one being the family.”
  • Zach: “Satan knows that we need strong husbands and strong dads... If he’s going to defeat the church, it has to start with weak fathers and broken households.”

8. The Present Reign of Christ: Biblical Foundation

• [36:23 – 46:19]
  • Zach rapid-fires NT texts (Ephesians 1, Acts 2 & 13, Psalm 110, Psalm 2, Hebrews 1 & 10, 1 Peter 3, 1 Corinthians 15):
    • Christ is NOW reigning at the right hand of the Father.
    • His reign began at His ascension, not sometime only in the future.
    • Notable Quote [38:03]
      • “Where are we seated? In the heavenly places with Him. That’s present tense.” (Zach)
    • Christians are evidence of Christ’s victory: “You were an enemy, and Christ turned you into not only a friend, but a son.”

9. Colossians 1: Cosmic Reconciliation

• [47:45 – 59:08]
  • Luke’s “go-to” text for the cosmic reach of the Gospel; also an apologetics point with Mormons:
    • “For by Him all things were created... whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities... all things were created through Him and for Him.” ([49:37])
  • Zach: “Nothing whatsoever is left outside of the redemptive work of Christ in all of creation. God made it all for Himself and He is redeeming it. Has it been touched by sin? God’s redeeming it.”
  • The Kingdom of God is everywhere the Lordship of Christ is carried by Christians—not just in the institutional church (“cubicle, kitchen, public square...”).

10. Joy to the World: Singing the Cosmic Gospel at Christmas

• [59:08 – 64:17]
  • Hosts reflect on “Joy to the World” lyrics:
    • “No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground. He comes to make his blessings flow, far as the curse is found.” ([60:04])
  • Christ’s atoning work deals not just with personal guilt but universally with the curse—even creation.
  • Zach: “The sign of the curse on the ground is placed... on top of his head [the crown of thorns].”
  • Key takeaway: The Gospel is the announcement of the King’s rule, His victory, and the church participates in the advance of His kingdom—as far as the curse is found.

NOTABLE QUOTES & MEMORABLE MOMENTS

• [07:10] Zach: “The narrow focus of individual salvation... hasn’t been the full story... The death, burial, resurrection of Jesus. But, even more, the enthronement... the reign of Christ.”
• [13:17] Zach: “When Christ died on the cross He was purchasing... a fallen creation that is in the process of being restored to Him.”
• [19:44] Luke: “We should be the church militant... out of its four walls of safety and trying to kick down the gates of hell.”
• [29:43] Luke: “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil... The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
• [34:52] Zach: “The nature of the conflict [with evil] is not inherently political. It’s spiritual... fighting for the glory of God and the crown rights of Christ over all things.”
• [38:03] Zach: “Where are we [believers] seated? In the heavenly places with Him... That’s present tense.”
• [51:36] Zach: “Nothing... is left outside of the redemptive work of Christ in all of creation.”
• [59:50] Luke: “He comes to make his blessings flow far as the curse is found... that means the Gospel should go forth everywhere.”
• [62:21] Zach: “Adam would and his work would yield thorns... When Christ comes and goes to the cross, the sign of the curse on the ground is placed... on top of his head.”

TIMESTAMPED STRUCTURE OF CONTENT

• [01:13 – 03:58] Cold open, banter, gratitude for supporters
• [04:42 – 09:54] Personal backgrounds, introduction to a bigger gospel
• [11:47 – 13:17] Joe Boot: under-realized soteriology vs. over-realized eschatology
• [13:17 – 19:44] Biblical vision: cosmic salvation, Christ’s victory, church’s offensive role
• [19:46 – 25:07] Imperial gospel, cultural implications, “Christ is Caesar”
• [26:51 – 34:04] Exegesis of 1 John 3, confronting the works of Satan
• [34:04 – 36:09] The strategic centrality of the household/family
• [36:23 – 46:19] Christ's present reign: Ephesians, Acts, Psalms, Hebrews, 1 Peter, 1 Corinthians
• [47:45 – 59:08] Colossians 1, kingdom vs. church, reconciliation of all things
• [59:08 – 64:17] “Joy to the World,” conquering the curse, everyday Christmas theology

FINAL TAKEAWAYS

• The Gospel is not just personal but cosmic; Christ’s reign is active, present, and advancing through His Church over everything, everywhere.
• Christians are not called to retreat but to advance—proclaiming Christ’s kingship in every sphere, seeing themselves as agents of reconciliation.
• The ultimate victory and restoration of all created things is assured—Christ’s blood secures the renewal ‘as far as the curse is found.’
• In practice: Stand boldly in public faith, strengthen households, engage culture with a “Church militant” mindset, and remember: “No king but Christ!”

This episode is a rich, scripturally-driven rallying call for believers to see, preach, and embody the Gospel in all its fullness.