Our word today is regeneration. This word is more common to us than propitiation, at least in our Christian world. This word is found primarily in Titus 3:5 which says, “He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.” As we look at this verse, we see Christ saved us, not according to anything that we have done to deserve salvation, but according to God’s mercy and grace. Then it says through the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. So, this is a ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the unredeemed and unsaved person that brings him to the state of redemption and in this case, regeneration.
Regeneration basically means to make alive. Something that was once dead is now alive. Something that did not exist in its present form is now existing. Jesus talked about it with Nicodemus in John 3:7 and used basically this same word, but it is translated as born again or born from above, depending on your translation. He told Nicodemus that in order to have eternal life, you must be born from above, or born again. So that is the word regeneration. A new birth.
We find the same thing in 1 Peter 1:3, it says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” So, it is a second birth, just as Jesus told Nicodemus and that is the idea of regeneration. That which was dead has now been made alive. That which was born physically has now been born spiritually . . .
