Danny Panter

A Different Kingdom

Re:Verse reading–Romans 13 (day six)

Paul sums up his teaching in Romans 13 by admonishing us to “put on Jesus.” Regardless of who is in authority over us, or the type of government, we are simply to be like Jesus. Whether we face justice or injustice, we are to be like Jesus. We are to live for another Kingdom altogether, under the authority of one who is greater than all earthly rulers. This, of course, means that often we look otherworldly in how we conduct our lives. That’s just it, Paul is far more concerned with our righteousness than he is about the state of our government. He is far more concerned with the state of the Church, than the state of the Union. Romans 13 reminds us that God has all the kingdoms of earth in the palm of his hand; we need not worry, we simply need to pursue one thing, to “put on Jesus.” Will you?

A Gospel Kind of Life

Re:Verse passage: Romans 12 (day six)

Coming out of Romans 1-11, it only makes sense that we would yield all of who we are in worship to such a big and glorious God. He defies comprehension! He literally sustains the universe and all human history by His word! So when we are reminded of what Jesus said to His disciples, “If you lose your life for my namesake, you shall find it,” it really is not to much to ask. Indeed it makes perfect sense.

And out of a life yielded to God comes the Gospel kind of life. We see the world with new eyes. We perceive the ways of God. We reap the reward of having the Holy Spirit active in our life. We lay down our own life, so that we might take it up again-just like Jesus!

Infinite Wisdom

Re:Verse reading–Romans 9:1-8, Romans 10:1-21 (day six)

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36

Paul introduces to the Romans (and to us) an immense God in chapters 9-11. Up to this point we have certainly encountered a God worthy of all our affections and thanks, but it is in these latter chapters that we begin to scratch at His immensity. All of salvation history is in His hands; Israel, the Gentiles, all moving towards a glorious end in the Gospel.

As he contemplates the eternal destiny of his brethren, Paul is overwhelmed by God’s glory displayed in His sovereignty. It is as if Paul wants us to feel just how small we really are; in fact,inspired by the Spirit of God,that is exactly how he would have us feel. This feeling is the beginning of wisdom…and worship.

Intercession

Re:Verse reading–Romans 8:18-39 (day six)

Paul writes something mysterious and incredible to the Romans. He writes, “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness,…the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” Have you ever given that much thought? It is a marvelous one! Now I don’t know all that this verse means, but there are a few things I do know. The Holy Spirit prays for us when we don’t know how to pray. This means, not only does the Holy Spirit know the nitty gritty of our life, but He is actively doing something about it. When we are at a loss, the Holy Spirit is not-He intercedes! That is incredible news!

You know those times when you are done? You can’t endure anymore; you’re spent, and yet you seem to make it through? Well now you know the reason why; the Holy Spirit pulls you through! Maybe you should give Him thanks! It’s okay, go ahead and praise Him for His intercession!

Once a Slave

Re:Verse reading–Romans 8:1-17 (day six)

Experts say that there are more slaves in the world today than there were in the 18th and 19th centuries. Human trafficking, modern day slavery, is the fastest growing nefarious business in the world, second only to drugs. It would be hard to imagine the feelings a once-slave might experience after being rescued. Probably feelings of great relief and new found joy, mixed with fear and post-traumatic stress, would be very real and present.

if you are a follower of Jesus, you were once a slave; rescued from the bondage of sin and death. And yet we still can experience the shadow of our former slavery bearing down on our present life; we can even succumb to it, immobilized by fear and insecurity. Paul reminds us in Romans 8 that we don’t have to live in fear of our former way of life because now we are declared sons and daughters of God. As members of God’s family we have free access to come to Him when we experience our own spiritual PTSD. We can cry out “Abba Father!”

This is Not Fire and Brimstone

Re:Verse reading–Romans 6 (day six)

I think it is very important to note this is not a “fire and brimstone” text. Paul is not trying to intimidate sinners into being righteous out of fear that they may not “be saved.” (You can go to Hebrews 10:26 for that.) Paul is in fact answering critics who argued that this “faith” business would only lead to more sin, not less. So, Paul is not trying to scare anyone, but is actually writing matter-of-factly about the nature of God’s grace at work in the Christian’s life.

He began his argument in chapter five when he wrote, “how much more shall we be saved by his[Christ’s] life.” He makes the case that in the same way sin and corruption struck like a virus in humanity through Adam, so shall the life of Jesus spread into the life of those who believe in the Gospel by faith. If this is true, Paul believed that the resulting life is one given to more and more righteousness, or fruits of the Spirit. By God’s grace, the Christian is freed for the first time to fight the fight of faith, or to increasingly give themselves to the righteousness of Christ. It is a given reality, not just a possibility.

Fairy Tales

Re:Verse reading–Romans 5:1-11 (day six)

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings,…” Romans 5:3

The Brothers Grimm wrote their fairy tales to provide a sense of escapism or present to their readers cautionary tales. Fairy tales are best when they impart some truth; acting as a sweet easy-to-swallow capsule to an otherwise unpleasant reality. And like medicine, you only use it when needed, or when you are eager to be swept away to another world.

The Gospel is nothing like a fairy tale. That’s Paul’s message in the first few verses of Romans 5. The Gospel is not a supplement to life, to be sprinkled here, or applied there as needed, no, the Gospel meets us in all of life, messy bits and all. It is not a sweet notion, or fashionable (or unfashionable) fairy tale, but is a gritty and real antidote to our most desperate brokenness. The Gospel is gritty; it is the clearest lens which to understand all of life, and it changes everything!

Fully Convinced

Re:Verse reading–Romans 4:1-25 (day six)

Abraham’s story is a remarkable one. He was rough around the edges, but when it counted he did some extraordinary things. There is no wonder that God chose him to be the father of nations,…except that is not the story at all. The glorious hero in this story is not Abraham, but God. God sovereignly made a promise to Abraham, to provide him a son, make him a father of nations, ultimately blessing the whole world, and Abraham “fully convinced that God was able to do what He promised,” believed Him. This remarkable story of faith is not about God’s confidence in choosing the right person for the task, but Abraham’s confidence, or faith, in God. It was at that moment, when Abraham was “fully convinced,” before he had obeyed God even once, that God credited his faith as righteousness.

“The righteous will live by faith.” Will you? Will you follow hard after Jesus, not because you are fighting for His approval, but because you believe what he was promised? Let’s believe together, and take great steps of faith!

Cornerstone

Re:Verse reading–Romans 3:21-31 (day six)

The Law declared the righteousness of God by contrast. Up against the Law, the starkness of our own brokenness and idolatry, only ever served to draw attention to the righteousness of God. The Law was both microscope and telescope; bringing into view the fissures left in the wake of our idolatry, as well as bringing into proper view the true immensity of God’s righteousness. It could never bring life or restoration to dead and dying things; it was never meant to. This is why Paul tells us that the Law and Prophets(v. 21) always pointed to the righteousness of Jesus, the very image of the invisible God, and the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17).

And so we rejoice, not in the doing of the Law, but in Jesus. He is the cornerstone, the glory of God, and our righteousness by grace through faith!

Work

Re:Verse reading–Romans 2:1-29 (day six)

But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. Romans 2:29

Paul makes it increasingly clear that we are all in trouble. We are idolaters, all of us; and even those of us who look the part, we too have rejected God for the praise of men. He then introduces the type of person that God seeks, one who is concerned more about the affections of their heart, then the one putting on airs. This one doesn’t live for the approval of men, but lives to worship God in all of life. Finally he tells us how such a person takes shape, “by the Spirit.” The Spirit of God does the work of reshaping the human heart through faith in the Gospel. The key to living a life of faith is just that-faith! It is not working harder, or beating yourself up over past sins (penance), it’s not adding another Bible study to your schedule, no, it is none of those things. Live from faith to faith forever resting in God’s approval of you because of the work of His Son! Have faith in the Gospel, and let the Spirit of God do the hard work of reshaping your heart!