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In this episode I discuss Paul’s statements in Romans 13:1-7 that governing authorities “are established by God” (Rm. 13:1) and that “rulers are servants of God” (13:6). I explain the need to understand the function of Romans 13 before drawing any conclusions regarding its meaning, and how it must correspond with the rhetorical context of Romans and Paul’s thought generally. I then explore the promises of a coming Messiah made in the Old Testament, particularly 2 Samuel 7, and argue that Paul believes those promises have been fulfilled in Christ. I then examine two passages in the Old Testament in which the prophets refer to pagan emperors as “servants of God”. In Isaiah 10, the Assyrians are God’s servants for the purpose of punishing Israel but will be destroyed, and in Jeremiah 25 Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, also execute God’s justice before being himself judged by God. The final two oracles of woe in Jeremiah 50-51 envision the destruction of Babylon, and both Isaiah and Jeremiah proclaim the future day when David’s house will be restored and a Davidic king will sit on the throne forever. Paul knows this tradition and is not legitimizing human government as an eternally valid institution. In fact, Paul is suggesting, ala 2 Corinthians 2:6-8, that time is running out for the authorities believers must pragmatically obey.    Media Referenced: Everyone is Wrong about Romans 13 episode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-130-everyone-is-wrong-about-romans-13-including-me/   Ascension, Kingdom, and Eschatology: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-235-ascension-kingdom-and-eschatology/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

This episode features a debate I had with Cody Cook on LCI’s Greenroom, moderated by Jacob Winograd, where Cody and I debate whether libertarianism is compatible a right-wing or left-wing phenomenon. I take the position that modern libertarianism should rightly be classified as right-wing while Cody argues it is more compatible with left-wing ideology. Enjoy the friendly debate!   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.  Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Cody Libolt, writer, podcaster, and co-author of the new book Redeeming the West: A Christian Defense of Reason and Individualism. Cody defines both ‘reason’ and ‘individualism’, demonstrating how these terms are often misused in modern discourse. He discusses the dangers of collectivism for Christianity, the Biblical basis for individualism, why Christians need reason and common sense, and how the church can redeem this important Western tradition.  Media Referenced: Redeeming the West: https://a.co/d/dgTeJvl Cody on X: @CodyLibolt Cody’s Website: https://www.codylibolt.com/ For the New Christian Intellectual Website: https://christianintellectual.com/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode David Beito and Phil Saunders debate Walter Block on the Israel/Palestine conflict. David and Phil defend the proposition that a Swiss-style canton model of government could resolve the conflict, offering a decentralized political arrangement which incentivizes cooperation and economic growth. Walter Block thinks the Palestinians are to blame for the conflict and need to be removed from the land. Dr. David Beito is a professional historian and proposed the Swiss-canton model. Phil Saunders lives on the border between Israel and Palestine and works for several peace-promoting NGOs. Walter Block is an accomplished Austrian economist and author of numerous books and articles.    Media Referenced: David Beito on FDR: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-229-the-real-fdr-with-david-beito/ David Beito on the New Deal: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-118-the-new-deals-war-on-the-bill-of-rights-with-david-beito/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode Dr. Dru Johnson returns to discuss his new book Understanding Biblical Law: Skills for Thinking Through and With the Torah, out now on Baker. Dr. Johnson explains how modern people have misunderstood the Law, reading it through our contemporary legal and theological frameworks, and busts several myths about Biblical Law. We then explore how the Law must be understood in in ancient legal context, how intersects with narrative, its role in community formation, its movement from specific instances to general principle, and its overall concern with righteousness and human wellbeing. We also discuss the need to understand the Law in its ancient context, its impact on New Testament interpretation, and its enduring relevance for Christians today.   Media Referenced: Understanding Biblical Law: https://a.co/d/ccRVa7U Dru on X: @Dru_Johnson OnScript Podcast: https://onscript.study/ Biblical Mind Podcast: https://thebiblicalmind.org/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I am joined once again by the great Cody Cook, this time to discuss the recent controversy regarding Kirk Cameron’s changing views of hell. Cameron defended the annihilationist position, also known as ‘conditional immortality’, and castigated by many evangelicals who hold to eternal conscious torment. We talk about the fallout of Cameron’s remarks and explain the differences between eternal conscious torment (ECT), annihilationism, and universalism. We then argue in favor of the annihilationist perspective, discussing the Biblical and theological evidence, and explain what is at stake in the debate.    Media Referenced: https://anarchistanabaptist.com/ https://www.cantus-firmus.com/ Cody on X: CantusFirmusCC Class on Hell: www.udemy.com/course/three-views-on-hell/ Gospel of the Resurrection Book: https://a.co/d/fQjQSoG Universalist Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-124-hell-eternal-damnation-and-universalism-with-derek-kubilus/ TPLP 212: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-212-why-anabaptists-arent-like-other-protestants-with-cody-cook/ TPLP 183: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-183-anabaptist-anarchy-with-cody-cook/ TPLP 155: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-155-christianity-and-nonviolence-with-cody-cook/    The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.  Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I discuss “the antichrists”, a group of people who appear exclusively in 1 and 2 John. John describes “the antichrists” in 1 John 2:18-25, 4:1-6, and 2 John 1:7-11. Despite many popular eschatological interpretations which a singular antichrist figure who signals the end of time, John specifically defines what he means by the term. The antichrists (John uses the plural) are literally “against Christ”; they were once a part of the believing community but chose to leave and are not an individual but rather a type of person. They are characterized by denying two beliefs: one, that Jesus is the Messiah, or “Christ” (hence antichrist) and two, denying that Jesus came in the flesh. The term ‘antichrist’ appears nowhere else in the New Testament. I discuss how modern statist Christians are essentially denying the Messianic identity of Jesus, denying that which makes him Christ, and are in danger of following down the path of those John labels antichrists.      The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.   Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this fourth edition of my annual Christmas series I discuss six of the most important books I read in 2025. The list includes:   FDR: A New Political Life by David Beito The Struggle for Liberty by Ralph Raico, edited by Ryan McMaken Interpreting Jesus by Dale Allison The Fourth Synoptic Gospel by Mark Goodacre The Place of The Past by Drew Holland Jesus and the Law of Moses by Paul Sloan   I highly recommend all of them. Treat yourself to something nice this Christmas! Links and interviews below.   Media Referenced: FDR: A New Political Life: https://a.co/d/2inp1Ty Beito Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-229-the-real-fdr-with-david-beito/  The Struggle for Liberty: https://a.co/d/id17KtN  Interpreting Jesus: https://a.co/d/69u7ZLN Allison Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-201-interpreting-jesus-with-dale-allison/  The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: https://a.co/d/dClhNR5 Goodacre Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-224-johns-knowledge-of-matthew-mark-and-luke-with-mark-goodacre/  The Place of The Past: https://a.co/d/3lwgM3i Holland Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-226-history-and-biblical-interpretation-with-drew-holland/ Jesus and the Law of Moses: https://a.co/d/6UwDMxe  Six Books 24: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-171-six-essential-books-of-2024/  Six Books 23: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-97-six-essential-books-of-2023/ Six Books 22: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/six-books-that-shaped-my-political-thinking-and-theology/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com.  Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I reflect on the relationship between the ascension of Jesus, his status as king over all creation, and inaugurated eschatology. The resurrected Jesus was taken up into heaven during his ascension and currently sits at the right hand of God, ruling over all creation as king and presiding over the cosmic temple as priest. Because of this, the promised ‘final days’ have already arrived. God’s kingdom grows through the empowering Spirit which the ascended Jesus poured out upon his church to proclaim the gospel to the ends of the earth. The eschatological end has been inaugurated and will be completed upon the return of Jesus. I explore how passages like Acts 1:1-11, Matthew 28:18-20, Hebrews 1, and Psalm 110 attest to this reality, why we often ignore the dangerous political ramifications of the ascension, and the impact on Biblical studies and theology.  The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Eric Schansberg, professor of economics at Indiana University (Southern) about his brand-new book Gen Men: What the Men of Genesis Can Teach Us Today. We discuss the crisis of masculinity in our culture today, the false caricatures about men promoted outside of the church, and why the church has failed to address this issue. We then explore how the men in Genesis reveal what it means to be truly masculine through both their successes and failures, and how men should take initiative, be responsible, serve others, and love God. We also talk about how the American culture is shaping men in very unhealthy ways and the need for authentic discipleship in the church, which is the only way we will ever be able to cultivate true Biblical masculinity.    Media Referenced: Gen Men: https://a.co/d/geryPb1 Getting Equipped Discipleship: https://gettingequipped.life/ Thoroughly Equipped Discipleship: https://thoroughlyequipped.org/ The Word Diet: https://thoroughlyequipped.org/the-word-diet/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Ross Hastings, Professor of Theology at Regent College, Vancouver, about his brand-new book “The Glory of the Ascension: Celebrating a Doctrine for the Life of the Church”, out now on IVP. Dr. Hastings explains the ascension, why it matters for everyone and everything, why it is often neglected by Christians, what it tells us about Jesus as king and priest, the Trinity, and the church. We also explore the political consequences of Jesus as the ascended king over all creation, the inauguration of the eschaton, and how the ascension should transform the way we worship God and serve others.    Media Referenced: The Glory of the Ascension: https://a.co/d/5YVqwUc Dr. Hastings Bio: https://www.regent-college.edu/faculty/hastings-ross/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In Genesis 3:5, the woman eats from the tree because the serpent promised she would be “like God”. This reveals the fundamental sin of humanity: trying to grasp for a power they weren’t intended to have. I discuss the historical and literary context of Genesis 1-11, the relationship between myth, history, and truth, and the purpose of these chapters. I then explain Genesis 1-3, showing how God created a good world, made humans in his image and gave them power to rule over creation (but not each other!), and how the human desire to become like God is the root of our problems. I reflect on how Genesis should shape our understanding of human power and why we should be skeptical of political systems.    Media Referenced: John Walton Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-109-understanding-old-testament-prophecy-with-john-walton/ Carmen Joy Imes Interview: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-69-being-gods-image-with-carmen-joy-imes/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. Carmen Joy Imes about her brand-new book Becoming God’s Family: Why the Church Still Matters. We discuss the rich theology of God’s family in both the Old and New Testaments, particularly the significance of all people being created in the image of God, the calling of Abraham’s family to rescue the world, the failures of Israel, and the restoration of God’s family through Jesus. We then discuss how the modern church has become divided over theology, politics, and culture, and why understanding our identity as members of God’s family can help us overcome the divides which plague the church. Dr. Imes also discusses how people have been hurt by the church and gives advice to those who want to walk away. This is a theologically rich and extremely relevant conversation which proves that the church will always matter.    Media Referenced: Becoming God’s Family: https://a.co/d/bxoUHEq Dr. Imes on YouTube: @CarmenJoyImesPhD Dr. Imes on Substack: https://substack.com/@carmenjoyimes Dr. Imes on X: @carmenjoyimes Interview for Being God’s Image: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-69-being-gods-image-with-carmen-joy-imes/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I welcome back Dr. James McGrath. We talk about his contribution to the book Judeophobia and the New Testament, where he discusses contemporary negative attitudes towards Jews and Judaism. We discuss the problem of Judeophobia, how Jews are often marginalized in Christian theology, and how the Jewish Jesus movement lead to rampant anti-Judaism during the Middle Ages. McGrath explains the supposed division between the Old and New Testaments, how scholarship has clarified the relationship between Christianity and Judaism, how to better understand the New Testament in its Jewish context, and, very importantly, how debates about the modern state of Israel have contributed to Judeophobia. We also talk about the social problems which inevitably result from unclear thinking about Judaism and how we can avoid them.      Media Referenced: Judeophobia and the New Testament: https://a.co/d/idwmt3Y James McGrath Blog: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/religionprof/ James on Twitter: @ReligionProf James McGrath Eerdmans Page: https://www.eerdmans.com/author/james-f-mcgrath/ McGrath on John the Baptist: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-134-john-the-baptist-with-james-mcgrath/ McGrath on the New Testament: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-104-what-biblical-scholars-want-everyone-to-know-about-the-new-testament-with-james-mcgrath/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!

In this episode I talk with Dr. David Beito about his brand-new book FDR: A New Political Life, which is a critical biography of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We discuss his influences and upbringing, how he was shaped by Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and the Progressive Era, and his path to the presidency. We explore the New Deal, FDR’s signature domestic policy legacy, and how it not only failed to solve the economic problems caused by the Great Depression but fundamentally expanded the scope of the Executive Branch. Beito explains how FDR leveraged New Deal policies to win elections and how the New Deal destroyed free markets. We also discuss FDR’s abhorrent treatment of minorities, opposition to free speech, and political intrigue. Beito also examines FDR’s foreign policy record, challenging the consensus view that FDR was the hero of WWII. We then reflect on FDR’s legacy and how he is responsible for much of America’s political dysfunction today.   Media Referenced: FDR: A New Political Life: https://a.co/d/7RhTMca David Beito on X: @davidtbeito New Deal episode: https://libertarianchristians.com/episode/ep-118-the-new-deals-war-on-the-bill-of-rights-with-david-beito/   The Protestant Libertarian Podcast is a project of the Libertarian Christian Institute and a part of the Christians For Liberty Network. The Libertarian Christian Institute can be found at www.libertarianchristians.com. Questions, comments, suggestions? Please reach out to me at [email protected].  You can also follow the podcast on Twitter: @prolibertypod, and YouTube, @ProLibertyPod, where you will get shorts and other exclusive video content. For more about the show, you can go to theprotestantlibertarianpodcast.com. If you like the show and want to support it, you can! Go to libertarianchristians.com, where you can donate to LCI and buy The Protestant Libertarian Podcast Merch! Also, please consider giving me a star rating and leaving me a review, it really helps expand the show’s profile! Thanks!