Regeneration means to be born anew. It is the imparting of divine life from above, instantly transferring the soul into the realm of the eternal. It is only used once in this sense: “according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). But the idea is found elsewhere, especially in the words of the Lord Jesus as cited in John’s Gospel. For example, in John 3 He tells Nicodemus he must be born again (anew or from above). Note John 5:24-25, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life. Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.” The two most sure things are linked by the Lord: man surely needs new life because he is dead, and dead men can respond to Christ’s call because He has a voice they all can hear.