Re:Generation

Scriptures to Remember When Considering How to Handle Conflict

Proverbs 6:16–19
There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.

Proverbs 17:14
The beginning of strife is like letting out water, so quit before the quarrel breaks out.

Proverbs 20:3
It is an honor for a man to keep aloof from strife, but every fool will be quarreling.

Matthew 5:23–24
So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you,
leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.

1 Peter 5:5–7
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders.
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,
casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Ephesians 4:1–3
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,
eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Proverbs 18:19
A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city,
and quarreling is like the bars of a castle.

What does the word regeneration mean in Titus chapter 3 and verses 3 through 7? And how do these scriptures relate to recovery?

Regeneration in Titus 3:3–7

The word translated “regeneration” in Titus 3:5 comes from the Greek palingenesia (παλιγγενεσία). It literally means new birth or rebirth—a beginning again.

Paul describes it as the “washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”

  • Washing points to cleansing from the corruption of sin.
  • Regeneration is receiving new life from God, not just reformed behavior.
  • Renewal of the Spirit emphasizes the ongoing transformation and empowerment to live differently.

Importantly, Paul reminds us that this new life is not the result of “works of righteousness which we have done” but solely because of God’s mercy and kindness revealed in Christ.

Flow of Titus 3:3–7

  • Verse 3: Our past condition—foolish, enslaved, driven by passions, full of malice, envy, and hatred.
  • Verses 4–5: God’s kindness and love appeared; He saved us, not because of our efforts, but by His mercy, through regeneration and renewal.
  • Verse 6: The Spirit was poured out richly through Jesus Christ.
  • Verse 7: The result—we are justified by grace and made heirs with hope of eternal life.

Connection to Recovery

Recovery, whether from addiction, destructive patterns, or brokenness, parallels this passage in powerful ways:

  • Honesty about the past (v. 3): Just as Paul describes, recovery begins with acknowledging the old life—enslavement to harmful desires and behaviors.
  • God’s intervention (vv. 4–5): Real change is not just willpower or self-reform. True recovery comes through God’s mercy and the Spirit’s regenerating work.
  • A new identity (vv. 6–7): Recovery is sustained by embracing who we are in Christ—justified, heirs of grace, and filled with hope.
  • Freedom from shame: Regeneration assures us that the past no longer defines us. In Christ, we are given new life and power to walk in freedom.

In Summary

  • Regeneration in Titus 3:3–7 means the Spirit-given new birth and cleansing that makes us spiritually alive.
  • These verses mirror recovery by showing that lasting transformation is not self-driven but God-driven, freeing us from the old life and giving us hope for the new.