The theological term “regeneration” (i.e., re-generate) refers to being “Born again”. Most Protestants, especially fundamentalists and Evangelicals, strongly reject what they call the Catholic belief in “baptismal regeneration.” Catholic belief has strong support from both Holy Scripture and early Church history.
Jn. 1:12-13 – But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
Jn. 1:33 – I myself did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, “He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit”.
Mk. 1:8 – I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.
Lk. 3:16 – John answered them all, “I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Jn. 3 – Brings these 2 themes together to describe Jesus as the Spirit-baptizer who grants the new birth necessary for entrance and membership in the kingdom.
Jn. 3:22 – After this Jesus and his disciples went into the land of Judea; there he remained with them and baptized.
Jn. 3:23 – John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and people came and were baptized.
Jn. 4:1 – Now when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John.
John 3:3 – Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God”.
Jn. 3:5 – Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God”.
It should also be noted that “water and the Spirit” in Jn 3:5 are both genitives connected by a single preposition (and).
Is. 44:3 – For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring.
Ezek. 36: 25-27 – I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances.
Tit. 3:5 – he saved us, not because of deeds done by us in righteousness, but in virtue of his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal in the Holy Spirit… Saved by washing of regeneration. This is a confirming testimony to Jn. 3:5.
Shepherd of Hermas [AD 85-177]: “‘They had need,’ [the shepherd] said, ‘to come through the water, so that they might be made alive; for they could not otherwise enter into the kingdom of God…The seal, therefore is the water. They go down into the water dead, and come out of it alive. (Par. 9, 1, 1)
St. Justin Martyr (AD 140): Then they are led by us to a place where there is water; and there they are reborn in the same kind of rebirth in which we ourselves were reborn…For Christ said “unless you be reborn, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven”. This washing is called illumination, because it enlightens the intelligence of those who learn these things. Furthermore, the one being illuminated is washed also in the name of Jesus Christ” (First Apology 61).
Theophilus of Antioch [AD 182]: “Moreover…this might also be a sign that men would at a future time receive repentance and remission of sins through water and the bath of regeneration – all who proceed to the truth are born again and receive a blessing from God” (To Autolycus 2, 16).