- And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, - Ephesians 2:1
Because humanity is spiritually dead, no one can meet God’s righteous demand of holiness.
- …You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. - Leviticus 19:2
Thus, God must impart to humanity a new spiritual nature, which is alive. Jesus referred to the impartation of this new nature as being born again or born of the spirit.
- Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. […] That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. […] so is everyone who is born of the Spirit. - John 3:3, 6, 8
The term born again can be rendered as born from above. This work of being born again is known as regeneration and is performed by the Holy Spirit.
- 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 (paliggenesía) and renewing by the Holy Spirit, - Titus 3:5
Regeneration (paliggenesía) comes from two terms: pálin meaning again and génesis meaning birth. Hence, regeneration is re-genesis or rebirth.