palingenesia . Only twice in the New Testament: Titus 3:5 of the regeneration of the soul by the Holy Spirit, and Matthew 19:28 the regeneration of the body and of the material world. (See BAPTISM.) Besides his natural birthday the believer has a spiritual birthday in this life, and a birthday to glory in the life to come. The marks of regeneration are given 1 John 3:9; 1 John 3:14; 1 John 5:1; 1 John 5:4. Only if God's Spirit regenerate the soul now will the same Spirit quicken to immortality and glory the body hereafter (Romans 8:11; Philippians 3:21).
The third and crowning step will be the regeneration of our home, this earth, and of "the whole creation," "the restitution of all things" (Acts 3:21; Matthew 19:28; Romans 8:19-23). Nations and society shall be first regenerated in the millennial world, with Israel as their priest-kingly head (Isaiah 2:2-4; Isaiah 2:11); wars shall cease, and even the wild beasts cease to rage. (See THOUSAND YEARS.) (Revelation 20; Isaiah 65:16-25). The final regeneration of the earth and nature shall be after the millennium (Revelation 21; 2 Peter 3:7-13).