The Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Spirit
Titus 3:5 is sometimes understood to teach that the Holy Spirit directly enters a person at conversion and inwardly regenerates or renews him. But when the language of the passage is compared with the way Scripture describes washing, regeneration, renewal, and the work of the Holy Spirit in revealing God’s Word, I believe another explanation fits the biblical evidence better. I understand Paul to be describing water baptism and the renewing power of the Spirit-revealed Word of God.
“Not 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; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:5-7, KJV
According to His Mercy He Saved Us
Before examining the washing and renewing, we need to identify Paul’s main statement:
“…according to his mercy he saved us…” – Titus 3:5
That statement stands on its own. Paul does not say that we saved ourselves through our own righteousness, through ideas or systems designed by man. In fact, he expressly denies that: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done…” The reason for God’s saving action is His mercy. Then Paul adds a phrase explaining the means through which this salvation occurred:
“…by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” – Titus 3:5
The Greek preposition διά (dia) carries the idea of “through” or “by means of.” The structure, therefore, is:
According to His mercy – He saved us – through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.
This is important. Baptism and renewal are not being presented as righteous works by which man earns salvation. Paul has just excluded that idea. They belong to the means God has provided within His merciful saving work.
The Washing of Regeneration
The Greek word translated “washing” is λουτρόν (loutron), referring to a washing or bath. Paul associates this washing with regeneration—a new beginning, new life, or new condition. That language fits naturally with the New Testament teaching concerning water baptism.
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” – Acts 22:16
“The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us…” – 1 Peter 3:21
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” – Romans 6:4
The expression “washing of regeneration” therefore fits naturally with water baptism – the washing associated with entering the new life in Christ. The water itself possesses no mystical power. Neither is baptism a righteous work by which man earns salvation. It is an act of the obedience of faith within the means established by the God who saves according to His mercy.
The Renewing of the Holy Spirit
“…and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” – Titus 3:5
The Greek expression is: ἀνακαινώσεως πνεύματος ἁγίου (anakainōseōs pneumatos hagiou). The word translated “renewing,” ἀνακαίνωσις (anakainōsis), occurs only twice in the New Testament.
“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” – Romans 12:2
That occurrence is extremely helpful because Paul identifies what is being renewed: the mind. The person is transformed through the renewing of his mind. This gives us reason to question an assumption that “renewing of the Holy Spirit” in Titus 3:5 describes a personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit producing an invisible, direct alteration of man’s nature. Paul’s other use of “renewing” points us toward a transformation involving the mind.
Renewal Through Truth and Knowledge
“If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus…” – Ephesians 4:21
“And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man…” – Ephesians 4:23-24
Notice the progression: hearing → teaching → truth → renewed mind → new man.
Renewal is connected with truth entering and changing the mind.
“And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.” – Colossians 3:10
Taken together: Romans 12:2 – renewing of the mind. Ephesians 4:21-23 – truth is heard and taught, resulting in renewal of the mind. Colossians 3:10 – the new man is renewed in knowledge. This gives us a consistent biblical picture. Renewal involves the transformation of man’s thinking through truth and knowledge, producing a changed life.
Where Did That Truth Come From?
The truth capable of producing this renewal did not originate with man. It was revealed by the Holy Spirit.
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth…” – John 16:13
“But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit…” – 1 Corinthians 2:10
“Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.” – Ephesians 3:5
This establishes an important distinction: The Holy Spirit is not the Word. But the Holy Spirit revealed the Word. The Spirit worked through inspired men to reveal God’s truth. That revealed truth could then be heard, understood, believed, obeyed, and lived. Therefore, understanding the “renewing of the Holy Spirit” as renewal accomplished through Spirit-revealed truth does not minimize the Holy Spirit’s work. It identifies the means through which His work affected the minds and lives of men.
Born Again Through the Word of God
Peter provides another important connection between truth, obedience, and regeneration:
“Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through [a spirit of] unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” – 1 Peter 1:22–23
Notice the relationship Peter establishes:
obedience → truth → purification
and
new birth → through the Word of God.
Peter does not describe the new birth as the result of a direct operation upon the human mind. He specifically identifies the living and abiding Word of God as the means through which they had been born again. This fits the pattern we have already seen. The Holy Spirit revealed the truth through the apostles and prophets. That revealed Word was then heard, believed, and obeyed by men. Thus, the relationship is not that the Holy Spirit and the Word are the same thing. Rather:
The Holy Spirit revealed the truth.
The Word communicated that truth to men.
Men obeyed that truth.
Through the living and abiding Word of God they were born again.
Peter therefore provides another important connection between regeneration and the Word of God. When this is placed alongside Paul’s statements concerning the renewing of the mind through truth and knowledge, it strengthens the understanding that the “renewing of the Holy Spirit” in Titus 3:5 can be understood as the renewing work accomplished through the truth the Holy Spirit revealed.
Washing, Water, and the Word
“That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” – Ephesians 5:26
Compare Paul’s language:
Titus 3:5: “washing of regeneration” + “renewing of the Holy Spirit”
Ephesians 5:26: “washing of water” + “the word”
These passages should not simply be declared identical. Titus does not explicitly say “water and the Word.” Nevertheless, the comparison is significant. Paul can associate washing with water, while also associating that washing with the Word. When this is combined with the passages showing that renewal takes place through truth and knowledge, and that the Holy Spirit was responsible for revealing that truth, the pieces begin to fit together.
Water and Spirit in John 3:5
“Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” – John 3:5
Here again we encounter two elements: water and Spirit. Titus 3:5 likewise contains two corresponding ideas: washing and Holy Spirit. I understand the water in these passages to refer to water baptism. I understand the Spirit’s part in regeneration to be accomplished through the truth He revealed. This does not mean that the word “Spirit” should simply be replaced with the word “Bible” or “Word.” They are not synonymous. Rather: The Spirit is the revealer. The Word is the revelation. The mind is renewed through that revealed truth. The renewed mind produces a changed life.
The Holy Spirit Was Poured Out
“Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” – Titus 3:6
The Greek grammar points the relative pronoun back to the Holy Spirit. Paul is saying that God poured out the Holy Spirit abundantly through Jesus Christ. There is no need to explain that statement away.
“I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh…” – Acts 2:17
“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.” – Acts 2:33
The Holy Spirit was poured out. The Spirit worked through inspired men to reveal and confirm God’s truth. Therefore, verse 6 does not require a doctrine of a direct, nonmiraculous personal indwelling that regenerates every Christian. It explains the Holy Spirit mentioned in verse 5: this is the Spirit whom God had poured out abundantly through Jesus Christ. The Spirit’s work through inspired men produced the revealed Word by which regeneration of the minds and lives of men became possible. That understanding allows both statements to stand exactly where Scripture places them: The Spirit really was poured out. And men are renewed through the truth and knowledge that the Spirit revealed.
The Complete Picture
We can now return to Titus 3:3-7 and see Paul’s complete thought.
“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures…” – Titus 3:3
Something had to change. The foolish needed knowledge. The deceived needed truth. The disobedient needed to become obedient. Those enslaved to lusts needed transformed minds and lives.
“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared…” – Titus 3:4
God acted. Why? Because of His mercy.
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…”– Titus 3:5
How?
“…by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” – Titus 3:5
I understand these two expressions as describing water baptism—the washing associated with regeneration and entrance into the new life—and the Spirit-revealed Word—the truth through which the mind is renewed and the life transformed. The Holy Spirit was poured out through Jesus Christ. Through inspired men He revealed God’s truth. That truth was preached, heard, believed, and obeyed. The sinner who responds to that truth through obedience of faith is baptized into Christ and rises to walk in newness of life. The Word continues to renew his mind, knowledge, thinking, conduct, and life.
“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” – Titus 3:7
The complete picture is therefore beautifully balanced: God’s mercy is the reason He saved us. God’s grace is the basis of our justification. The Holy Spirit revealed the truth. The Word renews the minds and lives of men. Water baptism is the washing associated with regeneration and entrance into new life. None of this makes salvation something man earns. It begins with God. It originates in His kindness, love, mercy, and grace. But God chose to save man through means He Himself provided.
For that reason, I understand Paul’s expression – “the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost” as describing water baptism and the Spirit-revealed Word of God. The Spirit was poured out. Through inspired men He gave God’s revealed truth. The Spirit’s work through inspired men produced the revealed Word by which regeneration of the minds and lives of men became possible.
Thus the picture found throughout these passages remains remarkably consistent:
Water and the Word.
Washing and renewal.
Baptism and Spirit-revealed truth.
A renewed mind producing a renewed life.
And behind it all stands Paul’s central declaration: “According to his mercy he saved us.”