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John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”BORN AGAIN: Bible phraseology is important. Jesus did not say “reformed.” He did not say “improved.” He did not say “join a church.” He did not say “turn over a new leaf.”He said, “born again.”That is not religious language — that is regeneration language. That is not behavior modification — that is new birth. A man born once has physical life. A man born again has spiritual life.The first birth gives you a heartbeat. The second birth gives you a new heart.The first birth prepares you for earth. The second birth prepares you for eternity.That is why the meme says what it says: Born once — die twice. Born twice — die once.Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” That second death is spoken of in Revelation 20:14 — eternal separation from God.Jesus was not being poetic in John 3. He was being plain. Without the new birth, a man “cannot see the kingdom of God.” Not might not. Not probably won’t. Cannot. Religion cannot produce it. Baptism cannot produce it. Good works cannot produce it. Family heritage cannot produce it.The Spirit of God must do the work.Nicodemus was religious, moral, educated, and respected — and he still needed to be born again.So does every man. This is not about church membership. It is about conversion. It is about a changed nature. It is about repentance and faith in Jesus Christ.You were born once without asking. You must be born again on purpose.Make sure you have more than a testimony of religion. Make sure you have the witness of the Spirit and a changed life to match it. Born once? You will face two deaths. Born twice? You will only face one.That is not dramatic — that is Scripture.