My family has been walking through the New Testament letter of Romans in our family devotions.  We are taking it a little at a time because this letter is one that is filled with rich theological truths that we need to grasp.

In this morning’s devotion, we looked at Romans 8:1-11.  As we did, these verses seemed to stick out for us…

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death.  (Romans 8:1-2 CSB)

I don’t know if there are any more precious words… “no condemnation for those in Christ”.  As we talked about this as a family, an illustration came out that helped to make these verses come to life for our family.

You may come across a building that has been marked as “condemned.”  You see the sign on it and know that this building is not stable and will be destroyed soon.  It will not be long until it becomes a heap of rubble and taken to the dump.  This building has been deemed useless and good for nothing.

This is what our lives are like apart from Christ.  The sin that is present in our lives has condemned us before God.  While we may seem to be “good” or even “moral” people, the truth is that our sin condemns us.  If something drastic is not done, destruction is what we have to look forward to.

But there may be another sign present on a building.  It tells a very different story.  This sign is one of renovation.  It says that this building is one that is not what it should be, but it is being made new.  Someone has seen the value in it and is doing whatever is needed to make it what it should be.

This is what happens when a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ.  That person’s sin is dealt with by the sacrifice that Jesus paid on the cross of Calvary.  The “condemned” sign that once hung on this life is torn down and replaced with a “renovation” sign.  The Holy Spirit moves in and begins work molding and shaping – renovating – us into the image of Christ.  He fills us with His power to say no to the things that once condemned us and helps us to live the abundant life that God has for us.

There is a sign that hangs on the outer walls of each of our lives.  Which sign is hanging on you today?