Author: Ben Bourland

Romans 14:5-9 (ESV)
One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Fair warning – a lot of what I write today is from John MacArthur. His commentary on this passage was super helpful, so I apologize in advance and give him the credit for the great ways of looking at what the Lord is saying through Paul here.

In Paul’s time (after the ascension of Jesus), though it was no longer required by God, the weak Jewish believer felt compelled to observe the Sabbath and other special days associated with Judaism –> “esteems one day” On the other hand, the weak Gentile wanted to separate himself from the special days of festivities associated with his former paganism because of its immorality and idolatry –> “esteems all days alike”. The mature believers were unaffected by these things. Each of us believers must follow our conscience in matters not specifically commanded or prohibited in Scripture. Since conscience is a God-given mechanism to warn and responds to the highest standard of moral law in the mind (Rom. 2:14–15), it is not sensible to train yourself to ignore it. Instead, we must respond to its compunctions and as we mature; by learning more, our mind will not alert it to those things that are not essential. –> “Each . . . should be fully convinced”

The next verse (6) talks about the strong believer eating whatever he pleases and thanks the Lord. The weak brother eats according to his ceremonial diet and thanks the Lord that he made a sacrifice on his behalf. In either case, the believer thanks the Lord, so the motive is the same –> “of the Lord”. Whether weak or strong, the motive behind a believer’s decisions about issues of conscience must be to please the Lord.

As this chapter started, Paul comes back to not judging one another. This time he draws our attention to the fact that one day, every knee will bow before Jesus and we will all stand before the Judgement Seat of God…all of us. So, if I and the person I am having an issue with, will have to stand before the perfectly just God of the universe and answer for our life choices, then what business do I have passing judgement on them now…when I have a flawed fleshly sense of justice?

APPLICATION

Since I live in a glass house, it is probably best that I don’t throw stones. I need to remind myself that I have been saved by grace alone…that I actually deserve to spend an eternity in hell for the sin I have and continue to commit toward a Holy and Pure God. Therefore, when it comes to being upset by the way I have been treated, or something I see in someone else that I don’t agree with, I better remind myself what I too will answer for my own shortcomings. Better to just stay in my lane of keeping my focus on thanking the Lord for everything, in every situation, and every circumstance.

Romans 14:1-4 (ESV)
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Once again the Lord is hitting me right where I need it. Paul is calling out those that want to meet with a fellow believer, who is earlier in their walk of faith/sanctification, to encourage them but then using that time to argue about areas of scripture that require deep study and comprehending the arch of God’s Word about something. In a parenting context, Marianne and I call this “Parenting outside the funnel”.

Paul is encouraging us to 1) have patience and 2) to not overly ‘school’ a new believer. He then moves on to differences in conviction; that depending on one’s upbringing, church history, or exposure to biblical principals, may hold on to a looser stance on something. A good example might be the consumption of alcohol. Marianne and I made a decision almost 15 years ago that we did not want our kids growing up seeing us drink and secondly there was a lot of damage that alcohol had done on both sides of family…we just felt that is wasn’t worth it. That being said there is nothing wrong with the believer who drinks in moderation (God’s word is very clear about not drinking to drunkenness).

There are things in my life right now where it is really easy to look at “how I might handle something” versus “how I am seeing someone else handle something”. I find that I have a fleshly tendency to think critically of a person (especially if they are in a spiritual leadership capacity) who is not approaching and handling something as I would…as I would based on what I believe the Lord lays on my heart in biblical conviction. Every believer is running their own race and some at different stages than others. Sometimes the Lord uses us to further a fellow believer’s understanding of God’s word and others, He is just working on that person’s heart in His own timing.

APPLICATION

I need to keep my heart pure. The evil one would like nothing more than to tear down the internal ranks of God’s Kingdom by Christians passing judgement on each other, holding each other to inappropriate bars, or worse, building resentment and bitterness. I must keep my heart positioned (nestled) into the shins of my Savior…keeping my ear close to His mouth and leaning on His discernment, wisdom, and grace. Essentially, spending more time at the foot of the cross.

Romans 9:6-11
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God’s purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls…

When I read this passage, I’m reminded that God has never been limited by bloodlines, resumes, or human expectations. His word hasn’t failed—not then, not now. What Paul is saying confronts my instinct to measure belonging by externals. Being part of God’s family has never been about physical descent or religious pedigree. It has always been about promise. About God speaking life where there was none and calling a people to Himself simply because He willed it.

The story of Isaac and Jacob blows my mind because it exposes how upside-down grace really is. Before either child had done anything—good or bad—God chose. Not because of effort. Not because of merit. Not because one earned it more than the other. God’s purposes moved forward because He calls. That means my place in God’s family rests on His faithfulness, not my performance. I’m not here because I proved myself worthy; I’m here because God keeps His promises.

And here’s the crazy, awe-filled truth: in Christ, I’ve been swept into that promise. I’ve been adopted into God’s chosen people—not by birth, not by effort, but by grace. I belong because God said so. That truth humbles me, steadies me, and fills me with worship. My identity is rooted in God’s sovereign love, not my shifting obedience.

APPLICATION

When I’m tempted to define myself by success, failure, or comparison, I want to return to this truth: I am a child of promise. God did not choose me because I was impressive; He chose me because He is faithful. Today, I will rest in the security of being adopted by grace and let that assurance shape how I live—grateful instead of striving, humble instead of proud, confident instead of fearful. My life is not about earning God’s favor but responding to the unbelievable gift of being called His own.

Romans 5:12-13 (ESV)
Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law.

I love it when there is the word “therefore” after poignant passages in the Bible because great insight follows. Here in Romans 5:12, Paul connects us back to the preceding verses, especially Romans 5:1–11. He has just finished explaining the benefits of being justified by faith: peace with God, access to grace, hope in suffering, and reconciliation through Christ. So when he says “therefore,” he’s moving us into a deeper theological explanation of how sin and death entered the world and why the Passion of Jesus is so necessary. It’s a pivot from the benefits of salvation to the reason salvation is needed in the first place.

Paul explains that sin entered the world through one man, Adam, and death came as a result of sin. This death then spread to all people. Here the English translation is that death spread to all men because all have sinned. However, I think there is different way of reading this. “Because of Adam, everyone is born into sin (being that our nature is to sin), and because of that, without rescue, we will all experience spiritual death.” What is important to grasp is that due to Adam’s sin, it became part of his nature and is why sin was passed down to every human being (except Christ of course). That nature is present from the moment of conception, making it impossible for people to live in a way that pleases God.

Paul clarifies that sin existed before the law was given (i.e., before Moses), but it wasn’t counted in the same way because there was no formal law written down to break. I like how John MacArthur says it, “Though all men were regarded as sinners, because there was no explicit list of commands, there was no strict accounting of their specific points of violation.”

Tomorrow…there is another wonderful “BUT” coming.

APPLICATION

I recognize that my struggle with sin isn’t just a personal issue—it’s part of a larger human condition that began with Adam. I see that death, both physical and spiritual, is the consequence of sin. Even when I don’t have a clear rule to break, I still fall short, which shows how deeply rooted sin is in my human nature (this body I call “the carcass I live in here on earth”). This passage reminds me that I need grace not because I’ve broken a specific law, but because I’m part of a humanity that has inherited sin and its consequences. As I look forward to what comes tomorrow, it humbles me and makes me grateful for the gift of reconciliation through Jesus, Who offers life where death once ruled.

Romans 5:10-11 (ESV)
For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Paul makes a powerful argument: If God reconciled me to Himself while I was His enemy, how much more will He save me now that I’m His child—through the resurrected life of Jesus! And not only am I saved, but I also rejoice in God Himself, because through Jesus, I’ve received reconciliation, a restored relationship with the Creator God.

I am reminded of Jesus’ teaching on “the vine and branches” in John 15:5.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Jesus uses the analogy of a vine and branches to describe the essential relationship between Himself and His followers. He is the source of life, nourishment, and growth—the vine. We as believers are the branches, entirely dependent on Him to bear fruit.

To “abide” in Christ means to remain in close, continual fellowship with Him—through trust, obedience, prayer, and the Word. Fruitfulness is not the result of human effort alone, but of staying connected to Jesus.

The phrase “apart from me you can do nothing” is a sobering reminder that our spiritual awareness and effectiveness are impossible without Him. It’s not that people can’t do anything—but they can’t do anything of eternal value, true spiritual significance, or permanent change of heart, without abiding in King Jesus.

APPLICATION

Now that I’ve been reconciled to God through Jesus’ death, I can be absolutely confident that I’m secure in His life. Jesus didn’t just die for me—He lives FOR me. His resurrection means my salvation is alive and active, not just a past event.

I will live with confidence. If God loved me at my worst, I don’t need to fear losing His love now. I only fear disappointing Him. I will rejoice in God Himself…Not just in His gifts, but in who He is—my Father, my Savior, my source of life. I will walk in reconciliation. I’m no longer an enemy of God. I’m His beloved child. That changes how I see myself and how I relate to others. I will trust in Jesus’ life. His resurrection power is at work in me today, giving me strength, peace, and purpose.

Romans 5:6-8 (ESV)
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I am a weak vessel. I feel this everyday as I strive to be more like my Savior. If it were up to me to EARN my way to heaven, I would miserably fail! In fact, by the time I became aware of what the purity of God demands in His presence, I had already failed and sinned; reaping the wrath of God I so justly deserve.

This is not popular —- The world tells us that we are inherently good and that if we just focused on ourselves and respect who we are, we would be so much better off. This is simply not true…through Adam, we have been born into a sinful body and existence we cannot escape. BUT then, at just the right time for Jesus to enter the world, He came and lived a perfect life, taught us what our position is relative to the Father, and then sacrificially gave Himself as a ransom for us! He didn’t die for the good Ben Bourland, He died for the wretched, sinful, and weak Ben Bourland. The Ben Bourland and I am.

BUT NOW, because of that ransom that has been paid for me by Jesus, I stand in God’s amazing grace. God, because of His Son, has literally transformed my heart into one who out of a desperate love and gratitude, lives to honor, glorify, and praise God for all that He has completed. That love God displayed in sending His Son and God the Son enduring the cross for my Salvation, is not comprehendible. I only live Justified, because He lives…not only lives, but lives IN me.

APPLICATION

The truths of this passage are overwhelming! Some of this is so overwhelming that it is hard to comprehend how I, a lowly sinner, can receive such a gift. It is this heart condition that drives me into God’s Word everyday seeking to know God’s character and attributes so that the life I live here on this earth is one that points to the Savior Who rescued me. It is this mindset that has me seeking every opportunity to build relationships with hurting people, share the love of God as well as what He has done for us, and finally taking every opening I can to share the Gospel of this God Who has created a way, a way that is outside of any capability we have, to have everlasting life in the presence of the One Who ransomed us from our depravity.

Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Looking back to yesterday, Paul begins Romans 5 by declaring that justification by faith brings peace with God through Jesus Christ. Because of this, we as believers now stand in grace and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

So the flow is:

Faith → Justification → Peace with God

Access to Grace → Hope in God’s Glory

This sets the foundation for verses 3–5, which shift the focus from future hope to present pain.

Paul makes a bold and counterintuitive claim: I rejoice in our sufferings. Why? Because suffering is not meaningless—it initiates and continues my spiritual growth process (Sanctification):

Suffering → Endurance Trials teach me to persevere, to keep going even when it’s hard.

Endurance → Character Perseverance shapes who I am. It refines me, showing me Who God is, and finally proving and strengthening my faith.

Character → Hope A tested and proven character leads to a deeper, more confident hope in God.

Hope → No Shame This hope is secure—it won’t disappoint me—because it’s anchored in God’s love, poured into my heart by the Holy Spirit.

APPLICATION

This passage teaches that suffering is not a detour from spiritual growth—it’s part of the journey. It’s not something to merely endure, but something that God uses to shape me.

I Need to Rejoice in Trials: Not because they’re pleasant, but because they’re purposeful. God is doing something in me through each one of them.

Trust the Process: Endurance builds character, and character strengthens hope. I can’t rush it—I need to let God work; God’s timing is perfect.

Lean on the Holy Spirit: I’m not alone. God’s Holy Spirit (the Helper) is actively present in my heart.

Live with Hope: This hope isn’t wishful thinking—it’s a confident expectation rooted in God’s love and faithfulness.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2

Told you! One verse at a time. 🙂

This verse brings such comfort and at the same time directs our focus to exactly where it should be -> in hope of the glory of God.

I love the sentiment that Paul uses here in the term ‘Stand’. This refers to the permanent, secure position we as believers enjoy in God’s grace. The new creature in us strives to be more like God’s Son but in these fleshly bodies and on this sin cursed earth, we will falter…and when we do, we stand in this grace Paul talks about. Let that sink in for a moment. Once reconciled, always reconciled.

I want to address this “access”…this is something the OT Jews could never have fathomed. While it may be true that God showed Himself through awesome miracles and deliverance in the OT, this grace we have been given access to is something they never had. They needed to look to blood sacrifices to temporarily atone for their sin until that forbearance was completed in the shed blood of the perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ.

Finally, we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. This kind of hope is different than the normal English word “hope”. This New Testament word comes with no uncertainty; it speaks of something that is certain, but not yet realized. Our destiny as believers is to share in the very glory of God and that Hope will be realized because Jesus has secured it!

APPLICATION

These promises are everything! Without these clear and certain promises of The Word of God, we would have no basis for hope. Knowing I STAND in this place of Grace, forever embraced by God to an eternity with Him, I can rejoice while I am here on earth. As we will see tomorrow, that rejoicing does not take condition on my circumstances or situations.

Peace with God Through Faith
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

Expect my speed to slow down over the next week or so because there is so much in every verse here in Chapter 5. These next 4 chapters are just packed full of goodness and theology about our faith in the Lord Jesus and what we reap through that faith.

Justification is a one time occurrence – At the moment of Salvation we are “Justified” and as we have learned in the preceding chapters, this by faith in Christ alone.

The title of this devotion is “Peace with God” because this is what Justification does. God has declared Himself to be at war with every human being because of humanity’s rebellion against Him and His laws. BUT, the first great result of justification is that the sinner’s war with God is ended forever. As we learned in church today, scripture refers to the end of this conflict as a person being reconciled to God.

APPLICATION

This peace with God is not some internal sense of calm and serenity, no, this peace is a real peace; an objective reality. Because of this, I have an eternal hope that is connected to this peace with God that goes beyond good relations with God…He sees me like He sees His own Son. In this peace, I have an inheritance that is unimaginable. Lord God, first, thank You for Your Word that you have given us that is Your voice, Your message, and Your truth. Resting on passages just like this one gives a level of gratefulness and hope in my future that is secured by the most powerful being in the entirety of what there is to know (Space, Cosmos, etc).

But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Romans 4:23-25

A little shorter QT today but no less impactful. Sometimes people struggle to see the gift of Easter. We get Good Friday, and we love that the Father raised Jesus from the dead…but the gravity of the implication sometimes escapes us. Here is something right here in Romans 4:25 you can hang your hat on. The Father resurrected Jesus from the dead to provide proof that He had ACCEPTED THE SACRIFICE of His Son and would be able to be just and yet justify the ungodly. Jesus is living proof of that promise and His resurrection directly impacted our ability to be Justified!

APPLICATION

My King and Justifier of my soul lives as proof of the powerful promise of God! This reading through Romans 4 has landed on me in very new ways this time around. That my friends is the Living Word of God. In my previous times through this chapter of the Bible, I may not have been read to fully consume what the Lord wanted to reveal to me. I am so grateful to my Lord and Savior for speaking to me through this letter from Paul. I do not deserve His grace, love, and provision. It once again invigorates me to live even more deliberately for Him while I am here under the sun.