In Webster, regeneration is defined as:  “The act of being spiritually reborn; complete reformation; bringing into existence again; the act of being made anew or formed again.”

In the New Testament, the new birth is described as a cleansing: “. . . according to his mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration . . .” (Titus 3:5).

It is also described as being “born again” (John 3:3, 5-6).

Man was created with three aspects to his nature: a body, a soul, and a spirit.  God designed us to have our spirit rule over our body and soul.  Because of our rebellion against God, things were turned around, and we became spiritually dead, allowing our flesh to take over and rule our spirit and soul.

God wants to indwell us with His Spirit through regeneration, reviving our spirit, so we no longer walk according to the flesh, but in the Spirit.  Then, walking in the Spirit, we will experience a new life; born again of the Spirit, we can now understand the things of God.

In Romans 6:4, Paul referred to this new birth as “newness of life.”  Peter described it as being “begotten again” (1 Peter 1:3).  Therefore, if you have not been born again, you cannot enter the kingdom of God:

Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, (Titus 3:5).

How can I become a new person?
Justification is God’s provision of salvation for guilty and lost sinners.  Because of Christ’s redeeming work, His death on the cross, we no longer stand before God as sinners, unrighteous or guilty, but as holy, righteous and not guilty.  We are declared righteous because of our faith in Christ (Romans 4:5).  We become righteous the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  At that moment, we are considered born again and our old self dies and a new spiritual man arises.  This new man is freed from the stain of sin in the eyes of God.  This doesn’t mean that he won’t sin anymore, because he doesn’t become sinless, he is forgiven and seen in the eyes of God as sinless.  The term justification means that the believer is in right standing before God.  It speaks of a courtroom scene in which the accused is acquitted and pronounced “not guilty.” 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:23-26).

Why be holy?
The term sanctification means “to be made holy” and “to be set apart.”  Sanctification speaks of both a position and a process in the Christian life.  The moment we are born again, we are sanctified, made holy, and also set apart for God’s purpose.  Every Christian needs to understand that they have been sanctified and set apart for a special purpose for the glory of God.  This is seen in the life of Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).  Jeremiah, though born into sin was called to walk holy before God and be set apart for the service of God.

As we behold the LORD through His Word and through intimate communion with Him, we are being changed into His likeness (2 Corinthians 3:18).  We don’t become sinless, but we do sin less.  As we walk with Him, we live more holy lives.  The Bible says in Galatians 5:16, “I say then; walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” So this process begins the moment we are justified, and continues up until the moment when we die.

The primary reference is in John 15:1-8, which describes the relationship that exists between God and believers.  Those that neglect to abide in Him are cast out and in danger of judgment (Matthew 7:21-23). Those that do abide in Christ are not only considered true disciples, but their lives will produce much fruit (Galatians 5:22, 23).  The Christian must believe and abide in Christ.  The word believe in the following passages and others such as John 3:16; John 6:40, is in the present tense, and means “to believe and to continue to believe” or “to abide.”  It implies not only an initial act of faith, but a maintained attitude. Even though God does not desire that anyone should perish for all eternity, God does not save or keep a man against his will.

Just as faith in God and repentance from sin are necessary for salvation, so they are necessary for the continuance of the Christian’s life.  The scriptural condition for salvation is, believing.  “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).  Also, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).