The apostle Paul was referring to those who became spirit-anointed Christians, when he wrote: “The kindness and the love for man on the part of our Savior, God, was manifested, owing to no works in righteousness that we had performed, but according to his mercy he saved us through the bath that brought us to life and through the making of us new by holy spirit.”​—Titus 3:4, 5.

The fact that ‘the bath that brings to life’ is mentioned before the ‘making new by holy spirit’ indicates that this bath precedes spirit-begettal. For an individual to be adopted as a spiritual son of God, he must first be justified or declared righteous, that is, he must have perfect human sonship imputed to him. This is because Jehovah God, being perfect and holy, cannot accept as his son anyone who is unclean. On the basis of Jesus’ shed blood, however, he can justify sinful humans. As the apostle Paul states: “Those in union with Christ Jesus have no condemnation. For the law of that spirit which gives life in union with Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”​—Rom. 8:1, 2, 33.

Thus it can be seen that Jehovah God cleanses or ‘bathes’ those whom he brings into a relationship of sonship. He ‘bathes’ them in the blood of his Son, applying in their behalf the merit of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice. Through this “bath” resulting in their justification, they gain the status of perfect human sons. This puts them in position to be ‘made new through holy spirit,’ that is, to become spirit-begotten sons of God. They become a “new creation.”​—2 Cor. 5:17.