If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:8-10

If you’ve ever made the trip to Cincinnati during rush hour you know you have plenty of time to read the bumper sticker on the car in front of you.

As I thought about how many of those around us are easily deceived, there is one sticker that lingers in my mind from years ago. It simply said – Born Right the First Time.

When Jesus began his conversation with Nicodemus, He told the man that “unless you are born again, you will not see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). Nicodemus didn’t understand (yet) that each one of us needs to experience a spiritual rebirth by believing and trusting in Christ.

The truth is many people fail to see their need for the Savior. I’ve heard people say things like –

“I’m as moral as the next guy.”
“I’m better than most of the people who go to church anyway.”
“I am just fine the way I am.”
“I believe my good deeds will outweigh my bad deeds and if there is a God, I’ll be in.”
“I’ll get to heaven by doing it my way.”

In my daily work life, part of my job is to provide solutions to problems, but no one gets excited about the solution to a problem he/she doesn’t see in the first place. Acknowledging our need is the first step.

As John wrote in the verses at the top of the page, we can either be deceived or we can repent of our sins and be rescued.

I am sure that I for one was not born right the first time. In spite of myself, the good news is found in the well-known verses above – God gave Christ for whoever will believe and He did not come to condemn us but to save us so that we might live.