"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

Paul uses the term "regeneration" to refer to the individual man, his being born again into God's new order.  This new order is the church, the Body of Christ, not an organization, but a spiritual organism.  No effort on man's part can bring him into God's order.

Regeneration, then, may be defined as an act of God whereby He bestows upon the believing sinner new life.  this life is God's own life, the imparting of His own nature.  God Himself is the Source and the One who gives life, so that beleivers are said to be:

• "partakers of the Divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4)
• "created in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:10)
• "born of God" (John 1:13)
• "born again" (John 3:3, 7)
• "a new creation" (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Some people who possess a certain moral goodness, and are therefore self-righteous, do not realize any need of regeneration.

They feel that only drunkards, thieves, murderers, harlots, dope addicts and the like need to be born again.  Someone once told me that he did not need to be born again because was born right the first time and simply needed to continue being good.  This is far from the truth...a deception of Satan.

The necessity of regeneration for all men grew out of the depravity of man's nature.  The natural man is "dead in trespasses and sins...alienated from the life of God" (Ephesians 2:1; 4:18) because sin has separated him from God (Isaiah 59:2).  The need for regeneration is universal.

"There is none righteous, no, not one....For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God".  (Romans 3:10, 23)

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately (incurably) wicked; who can know it?"  (Jeremiah 17:9)

The best thing that God can do for man is to bring him to a knowledge of his sin, so that he will realize his need of being regenerated.  Our Lord left no doubt as to the indispensable necessity of the new birth as a pre-requisite to entrance into the Kingdom of God, and to spend eternity with Him.

Heaven may be reached without education, wealth or worldly acclaim, but it will not be inhabited by those who have not been regenerated.

Man's sinfulness, and God's holiness, are opposed to each other so that regeneration is an absolute necessity.  Inasmuch as Jesus Christ Himself said "You must be born again", we had better believe it!

To learn more of what God has to say, please listen to (link below):

Regeneration - Justification - Sanctification, Part One  - Pastor Howard Fleury - Posted on 12/13/2007

http://biblestudies.aroadinthewilderness.org/2007/12/13/regeneration--justification--sanctifcation--part-1.aspx