What is the New Birth?

Titus 3:5

“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;” 

1 Peter 1:23

“Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” 

J.C. Ryle
It is a change by which we once more recover something of the divine nature, and are renewed after the image of God. It is a complete transforming and altering of all the inner man; and nothing can more fully show its completeness and importance than the strong figure under which Jesus describes it: He calls it a NEW BIRTH. We have all been born once as men—but we must see to it we are born again as true Christians. We have been born once of the seed of Adam—woe to us if we are not born the second time of the seed of God! We have been born of the flesh—we must also be born of the Spirit. We are born earthly—we must also be born heavenly. We are born corruptible—we must also be born incorruptible. Our natural birth is as necessary to the life of the body—as our spiritual birth is necessary to the life of the soul.

To be born again is, as it were, to enter upon a new existence, to have a new mind and a new heart, new views, new principles, new tastes, new affections, new likings and new dislikings, new fears, new joys, new sorrows, new love to things once hated, new hatred to things once loved, new thoughts of God and ourselves and the world and the life to come, and the means whereby that life is attained. And it is indeed a true saying that he who has gone through it is a new man, a new creature, for old things are passed away—behold, he can say, all things are become new! It is not so much that our natural powers and faculties are taken away and destroyed; I would rather say that they receive an utterly new bias and direction. It is not that the old metal is cast aside—but it is melted down and refined and remolded, and has a new stamp impressed upon it, and thus, so to speak, becomes a new coin.

A.W. Pink

That which takes place at regeneration, is the reversal of what happened at the fall. The one born again is, through Christ, and by the Spirit's operation, restored to union and communion with God. The one who before was spiritually dead—is now spiritually alive. (Jn. 5:24) Just as spiritual death was brought about by the entrance into man's being of a principle of evil—so spiritual life is brought about by the introduction of a principle of holiness. God communicates a new principle, as real and as potent as the principle of sin. Divine grace is now imparted. A holy disposition is wrought in the soul. A new temper of spirit is bestowed upon the inner man. But no new faculties are created within him, rather are his original faculties enriched, ennobled, and empowered.

James Smith

To the regenerated soul, to the man that is in Christ,

"Old things are passed away."

The old STATE passes away:
He was in a state of condemnation — but he is now justified.
He was under law — he is now under grace.
He was a child of wrath — he is now an object of God's highest love.

The old PRINCIPLES pass away:
He was under the legal covenant, and was influenced by fear.
He is now under the new covenant, and is influenced by love.

The old DISPOSITION passes away:
He was once carnal, he is now spiritual.
He had the disposition of the slave, he has now the disposition of the loving child.

The old CHARACTER passes away:
He was God's enemy, as living in sin; but he has now put off the old man with his deeds: and has put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.

The old CONNECTION passes away:
He comes out of the world, becomes distinct from the world, and is connected with the church in its privileges and duties.

Thus "old things are passed away," he is not what he once was — but has passed through a thorough and abiding change. To him,
 "All things are become new."

Matthew Henry

 To be born again is to be born of the Spirit, v. 5-8. The change is not wrought by any wisdom or power of our own, but by the power and influence of the blessed Spirit of grace. It is the sanctification of the Spirit (1 Pt. 1:2 ) and renewing of the Holy Ghost, Tit. 3:5 . The word he works by is his inspiration, and the heart to be wrought on he has access to.[b. ] The nature of this change, and what that is which is wrought; it is spirit, v. 6. Those that are regenerated are made spiritual, and refined from the dross and dregs of sensuality. The dictates and interests of the rational and immortal soul have retrieved the dominion they ought to have over the flesh. The Pharisees placed their religion in external purity and external performances; and it would be a mighty change indeed with them, no less than a new birth, to become spiritual. [c. ] The necessity of this change. First, Christ here shows that it is necessary in the nature of the thing, for we are not fit to enter into the kingdom of God till we are born again: That which is born of the flesh if flesh, v. 6. Here is our malady, with the causes of it, which are such that it is plain there is no remedy but we must be born again. 1. We are here told what we are: We are flesh, not only corporeal but corrupt, Gen. 6:3 . The soul is still a spiritual substance, but so wedded to the flesh, so captivated by the will of the flesh, so in love with the delights of the flesh, so employed in making provision for the flesh, that it is mostly called flesh; it is carnal. And what communion can there be between God, who is a spirit, and a soul in this condition? 2. How we came to be so; by being born of the flesh. It is a corruption that is bred in the bone with us, and therefore we cannot have a new nature, but we must be born again. The corrupt nature, which is flesh, takes rise from our first birth; and therefore the new nature, which is spirit, must take rise from a second birth. Nicodemus spoke of entering again into his mother’s womb, and being born; but, if he could do so, to what purpose? If he were born of his mother a hundred times, that would not mend the matter, for still that which is born of the flesh if flesh; a clean thing cannot be brought out of an unclean. He must seek for another original, must be born of the Spirit, or he cannot become spiritual.

Birth is the beginning of life; to be born again, is to begin to live anew, as those who have lived much amiss, or to little purpose. We must have a new nature, new principles, new affections, new aims. By our first birth we were corrupt, shapen in sin; therefore we must be made new creatures. No stronger expression could have been chosen to signify a great and most remarkable change of state and character. We must be entirely different from what we were before, as that which begins to be at any time, is not, and cannot be the same with that which was before. This new birth is from heaven, 13, and its tendency is to heaven. It is a great change made in the heart of a sinner, by the power of the Holy Spirit. It means that something is done in us, and for us, which we cannot do for ourselves. Something is wrong, whereby such a life begins as shall last for ever. We cannot otherwise expect any benefit by Christ; it is necessary to our happiness here and hereafter. 

Thomas Watson

 It is a second birth added to the first birth, John 3:3. It may be thus defined: it is a supernatural work of God's Spirit, renewing and transforming the heart into the divine likeness.
The efficient cause of the new creature, is the Holy Spirit; no angel or archangel is able to produce it. Who but God, can alter the hearts of men—and turn stones into flesh? If the new creature was not produced by the Holy Spirit—then the greatest glory in a man's conversion would belong to himself; but this glory God will not give to another. The turning of the will to God—is from God.
The instrumental cause by which the new creature is formed, is the Word of God. James 1:18, "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth." The Word is the seed—out of which springs the flower of the new creature.
The matter of which the new creature consists is the restoring of God's image lost by the fall.

The new creature is a work of free grace. There is nothing in us, to cause God to make us anew. By nature we are full of pollution and enmity—yet now God forms the new creature. Behold the banner of love displayed! The new creature may say, "By the grace of God I am what I am!" In the creation, we may see the strength of God's arm; in the new creature, we may see the working of God's heart. That God should consecrate any heart, and anoint it with grace, is an act of pure love! That He should pluck one out of the state of nature, and not another—must be resolved into sovereign grace. Matthew 11:26, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight." This will

increase the saint's triumphs in heaven, that the lot of free grace should fall upon them—and not on others.

Ephesians 2:1

“And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;”

2 Corinthians 5:17

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  

John 3:3

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”