Water metaphor:

            Regeneration and renewing:

Titus 3:5-7

5     He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,

     6     whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

     7     so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

            This underlines the fact that our salvation doesn’t depend on what we’ve done to earn it. It also doesn’t depend on our becoming good enough. It’s completely based on His mercy and grace. We were washed clean when we were regenerated by the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t just a drop or two. He was poured out upon us abundantly. We have all of the Holy Spirit that we will ever need. Through all this we were made heirs of an incredible inheritance.

If you could hear God speak to you, I believe this is what He would say:

            "It is through My Spirit that you were brought into fellowship with Me. He it is who made you acceptable unto Me through the blood of My Son. My Spirit applies that blood to your heart and brings you into oneness with Me. He will cleanse you and make you whole as you allow Him to do. Trust in His work in you to bring it about. I delighted so much in you that I purposed to give Him to you that you might know His presence for all eternity.”

            50. I didn’t have to work for my salvation, doing deeds of righteousness. It was through His mercy and grace that I experienced the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit.