Concise Bible Dictionary:
The word is παλιγγενεσία, literally “new birth,” a renovation as in the return of spring. The word occurs but twice in the New Testament. In Matthew 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28) it speaks of the time when Christ will sit on the throne of His glory; and in Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5) it refers to the new order of things in connection with the presence of the Spirit, into which believers were brought. The word does not occur in the LXX. Josephus (Ant. xi. 3, 9) uses it for the “restoration” of the Jewish nation after the exile. It will be seen that the word regeneration has not in scripture the sense of “new birth,” to which the term has been commonly applied. Intimately connected with regeneration is the idea of “washing,” referring probably to a cleansing, or separation from old associations, which is essential to the idea of regeneration.
Strong’s Dictionary of Greek Words:
Transliteration:
paliggenesia
Phonic:
pal-ing-ghen-es-ee’-ah
Meaning:
from 3825 and 1078; (spiritual) rebirth (the state or the act), i.e. (figuratively) spiritual renovation; specially, Messianic restoration
From Anstey’s Doctrinal Definitions:
This word signifies a new beginning in a believer’s life—a new outward moral change, resulting from being saved and sealed with the Holy Spirit. This change is something that people should see in the life of every believer. W. Scott said, "The washing of regeneration can be discerned by the eye of man, as it is an outward change" (Doctrinal Summaries, p. 28).
The “washing of regeneration” (Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)) refers to the moral cleansing of a believer’s life, resulting from his separation from his old pre-conversion lifestyle according to the flesh. It has to do with a person’s passage from the old order of life in which he once lived into the new order of life that is consistent with Christianity. Hence comes the often-heard comment, "He has cleaned up his life; he’s on the straight and narrow now!" If this change is a real work of God in a person’s life, it is a result of the washing of regeneration. The "washing" involved in regeneration is connected with that which the waters of baptism signify for the baptized. The person is thereby set in a new clean place on earth in the house of God, wherein he is to walk in holiness as a Christian (Psa. 93:55Thy testimonies are very sure: holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever. (Psalm 93:5); Heb. 12:1414Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: (Hebrews 12:14); 1 Thess. 4:77For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. (1 Thessalonians 4:7); 1 Peter 1:1616Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:16)). Paul emphasized to Titus the need for regeneration among the believers on the island of Crete because there was a clear lack of practical righteousness in their lives (Titus 1:1212One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. (Titus 1:12)).
Notwithstanding, Christians from all schools of thought generally do not understand regeneration. They think that since the word "regenerate" means to re-start something, it is referring to being born again, and thus, use these terms interchangeably. However, while new birth and regeneration both refer to a new beginning, they are two different beginnings in a person’s life.
New birth (which occurs first in a person’s history) is an inward new beginning in the soul through receiving a new life from God. An evidence of this will be seen in his seeking after God.
Regeneration is an outward new beginning of a believer’s life, consequent upon his being saved and sealed with the Holy Spirit. The evidence of this will be seen in his breaking off of unholy associations and habits, and his adopting the Christian lifestyle.
Mr. Darby said, “Regeneration is not the same word as ‘being born again,’ nor is it used so in Scripture” (J. N. Darby Translation footnote on Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)). W. Scott said, “New birth is not the same as regeneration, which the latter term only occurs twice in the New Testament (Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5); Matt. 18:2828But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. (Matthew 18:28)). The former term refers to an inward work; the latter to an outward change” (The Young Christian, vol. 2, p. 131). He also said, “It [regeneration] is almost universally regarded as equivalent to new birth, but it is not so in Scripture. Regeneration is an objective state or condition, while the new birth is the expression of an inward and subjective state” (Bible Handbook, Old Testament, p. 372).
New birth and regeneration both involve a bath, which signifies washing or cleansing. The “bath” involved in new birth signifies an inward washing in the soul through receiving a new clean life from God (John 13:1010Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:10) – W. Kelly Trans.; 1 Cor. 6:1111And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11)), whereas the “bath” in regeneration signifies an outward washing of the person's life in a practical sense (Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5) – J. N. Darby Trans. footnote). The former is effected by the “quickening” of the Holy Spirit (John 6:6363It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63)); the latter is effected by the “renewing” of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:55Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)). The practical effect of regeneration is illustrated in a new believer at his baptism. He leaves his belongings (his cigarettes, flask of liquor, worldly magazines, etc.) at the water's edge, and wades into the water. After being baptized and coming out of the water, he goes on his way with the Christians who attended the baptism. But someone calls to him, "John, you forgot your things." He replies, "Leave them there; they belong to the old John." This should be the practical effect of the washing mentioned in regeneration; there is a separation (and thus a cleansing) from the old lifestyle. It signifies a new beginning in a believer's life that should be observable by all.
To further complicate the misunderstandings that rise from assuming that regeneration is the same as new birth, many Christians have the idea that regeneration is a miraculous work of God in renewing or re-making a person's nature when he believes the gospel. They think that it is an infusing of new life into a person’s old nature, making it anew. Based on this mistaken idea, most Reformed theologians, and many evangelical preachers as well, teach that Christians do not have two natures, but rather, one nature that has been regenerated! This makes new birth and regeneration to be nothing more than a rehabilitation of the flesh. The truth is, that the old nature is not capable of being improved and thus it cannot be rehabilitated. Scripture says, "It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom. 8:77Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. (Romans 8:7)). The flesh simply cannot be made subject to God. The Lord taught this to Nicodemus. He said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:66That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:6)). That is, men could apply many devices to the flesh in an effort to improve it—the influence of culture, education, religion, etc.—but the end result is that nothing changes morally. The flesh is still the flesh. And this is why the Lord said to him, "Ye must be born again." That is, men need an altogether new life and nature that is separate and distinct from the old nature imparted to them (John 3:77Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. (John 3:7)).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Matthew 19:2828And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (Matthew 19:28) also speaks of “regeneration” but in a slightly different way. It is referring to the new, outward, moral order of life that will pervade the world to come—the Millennium (Psa. 72:88He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. (Psalm 72:8); Zech. 14:99And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one. (Zechariah 14:9)). Men in that day will be forced to live according to righteous principles for fear of death (Isa. 32:11Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. (Isaiah 32:1); Psa. 101:7-87He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight. 8I will early destroy all the wicked of the land; that I may cut off all wicked doers from the city of the Lord. (Psalm 101:7‑8); Zech. 5:1-41Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. 2And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. 3Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. 4I will bring it forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. (Zechariah 5:1‑4)).