Welcome to my blog. I’m all pumped up and ready to go. I have a very exciting topic I want to discuss with you today, How to be born again?
If you would rather to watch the video of this Bible Study click this link.
Born again does not only happen in the Bible, it happens in contemporary life. Do you know someone who is born again? Are you born again?
Let us discuss this today. My name is Leroy Daley. I teach Bible studies that Scriptures motivate.
Thus I utilize scriptures to explain scriptures. I do not teach opinions. Today, I want to look at four people in scriptures who have been born again and show you from scriptures that born again, consists of two main prerequisites; born of water and born of the spirit.
We’ll look at the citizens of Samaria, Saul of Tarsus, Nicodemus, and the twelve brethren from Ephesus. Let’s begin.
How Were the Samaritans Born Again?
First, we’ll go to the citizens of Samaria. Therefore we will look at Acts Chapter 8, reading from the King James Version of the Bible. Let me give you a background situation of this.
Saul of Tarsus was persecuting the church. The brethren were scattered all over the region, except the Apostles.
They were together in Jerusalem. However, some of them went down into Samaria, and you know, wherever they went they preached Jesus Christ and that is what happened.
Philip went down there and preached to the Samaritans and they received Christ. They were born again. But we’re going to read and you’re going to see, from scripture, how they were born again.
All right, let’s read Acts 8:1, going down.
And Saul was consenting onto his death. [At] that time, there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the region of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.
[So], devout men carried Stephen to his burial and made great lamentation over him.
As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committing them to prison.
Phillip Preached Jesus Christ
Therefore they that were scattered abroad, went everywhere, preaching the word. So they went preaching the word because they were scattered because of the persecution of Saul.
Then Phillip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ unto them.
Note, what and whom Phillip preached? He preached the word, but he preached Jesus Christ.
And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things, which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles that he did.
For unclean spirits, crying out with loud voice came out of many that were possessed with them; and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
And there was great joy in that city. Of course, everybody was happy!
Saul of Tarsus Born Again
Let’s go and scrutinize, from scripture, how Saul of Tarsus, the tormentor of the church, was born again.
For Saul, we’re going to look at Acts Chapter 9.
Again, I’m going to give you a brief, background concerning Saul. As I said before, he was the tormentor of the church.
He was going around persecuting everybody, but he was doing it legally. According to the law of the country.
He got letters from the High Priest and people in authority. And he was on his way to Damascus now, to persecute the Christians.
Saul would arrest anybody who calls on the name of Jesus Christ. He would bound them, or tie them, and then drag them back literally to Jerusalem, to stand trial and to be imprisoned and some to be killed.
Saul Met Jesus Christ!
So he was persecuting the church.
Now on his way to Damascus, he had a unique experience. He met Jesus Christ, and it radicalized his life. It changed his life dramatically.
Anytime we come in contact with Jesus, our life will dramatically change. We will never remain the same person having met Christ.
We can’t! Because old things are passed away and behold, we are new creatures.
During Saul’s encounter with the Lord, he ended up on the ground. Now, while he was there, he asked the Lord a very important question.
And that’s where I’m going to start. Acts chapter nine verse five.
“And he said, who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks” (Acts 9:5).
So you see, I told you that the Lord has a name because Lord is a title like father and mother and sister. The Lord is Jesus! We just read it!
Who art thou Lord? And the Lord is saying, I am Jesus. So my Lord is Jesus Christ or Christ Jesus.
And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what will thou have me to do? That is the question.
Jesus – What Do You Want Me To Do?
Whenever time we come in contact with Jesus Christ, it will so radicalize our life that we will reach that point.
Lord, what would you have me to do? Saul was at that point, and he asked the Lord that very quickly.
“And the Lord said unto him arise and go into the city and it shall be told thee what thou must do” (Acts 9:6).
The Lord could have told Saul what to do; instead, He sent Saul into Damascus because someone there will explain to him what to do.
And there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and to him said the Lord in a vision, Ananias” (Acts 9:10).
“[He] said, Behold, I am here, Lord” (Acts 9:10).
“[Then] the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the street, which is called Straight, and enquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul, of Tarsus: for, behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11).
Yes, the tormentor prays. He was a religious man and he thought that what he was doing was godly.
And so it is with many of us today, the things we do, we think we are doing them in the name of the Lord.
The Tormentor – Born of Water
When we’re as far from God as the East is from the West, we are doing it in ignorance.
Let me continue. “And hath seen in a vision a man named Ananias coming in, and putting his hand on him, that he might receive his sight” (Acts 9:12).
So here we know one of the reasons why Ananias came, and I’m bringing this up because it’s going to play an important part in this discussion.
Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I’ve heard by many of this man, how much evil he had done to thy saints at Jerusalem.” (Acts 9:13).
Nothing happens without the Lord knowing about it. He is God. He is Lord of Lords.
And here he hath authority from the chief priest to bind all that call on thy name” (Acts 9:14).
It’s all about the name of Jesus.
The Name – Jesus Christ Is Powerful
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and Kings and the Children of Israel: For I will shew how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
We didn’t know beforehand, that one of the reasons Ananias came to Saul was for him to receive the Holy Ghost.
We know earlier that he would receive his sight. But this is additional information here.
So it tells us here the Lord sent Ananias so that Saul will be filled with the Holy Ghost and Saul would receive his sight.
But this scripture doesn’t explicitly tell us that Saul received the Holy Ghost.
It doesn’t. It just said be filled with the Holy Ghost and receive thy sight.
“And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized” (Acts 9:18).
So we know that Saul got up, now he could see, and he got baptized in the name of Jesus.
Saul Born of Spirit!
He started the born again process, as I said, he was a religious man. He was a Pharisee. A very fanatical Pharisee. So he was baptized.
But to substantiate that he received the Holy Ghost and he was truly born again, we need another scripture. Remember we don’t teach opinion. We must use the word.
Then Saul, who is called Paul, filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him” (Acts 13:9).
This verse substantiates the earlier verse because it tells us here, we don’t have to guess, it tells us that Paul, and it tells us too, that he was Saul, being filled with the Holy Ghost.
So there is no way he can be filled with the Holy Ghost if he never received the Holy Ghost in the first place.
We know that Saul of Tarsus or Apostle Paul as he was later called was born again because he was baptized in water by immersion calling on the name of Jesus and he received the Holy Ghost also.
Thus Saul was born again, just like the Samaritan citizens were.
How Was Cornelius Born Again?
Now, we are going to look, at another incident where Cornelius and his household were also born again.
Now, the narration concerning Cornelius is very long. So I’m also going to give you a background.
Cornelius was a centurion; he was a soldier; a chief person in charge of a hundred soldiers, but he was religious as we would say today.
He prayed and fasted and he was very philanthropic because he helped the people in the community, to the extent that it was noticeable by the citizens, for the Jews took note of it.
They said he is a good man. However, while he was having his devotion, the Lord sent Gabriel to him and Gabriel instructed him to send for Peter.
Now apostle Peter was in a nearby city. So Cornelius sent soldiers for Peter, and they got Peter and brought Peter to him.
Now, we’re gonna read what Peter told Cornelius. Before, I discussed, how Cornelius and his household were born again. Let me read a few verses from Acts 10 verse one, reading downwards.
His Prayers & Alms – Memorial
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion, of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people and prayed to God always.
A heathen praying, a heathen seeking for God.
He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming into him and saying unto him, Cornelius.
And when He looked on him, He was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord?
[Then] the Lord said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.
[The Lord said], now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side. He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.”
Now, this is the second time we’re seeing this in this born again experience.
Send For Peter
We saw it with Saul of Tarsus. Now we’re seeing it with Cornelius. Very important. I’ll reference this later on in the discussion.
So Cornelius sent soldiers for Peter. Peter came the next day. And he was curious because the Jews don’t go into people of another nation, like that.
So he was like very curious. Not only that, but he also had to bring other Jews with him as proof, evidence, because they wouldn’t take his word alone.
Remember, in Judaism, one person’s word is not accepted concerning anything.
You must have two witnesses, at least two witnesses, three very important, but not one.
Now in showing that Cornelius’ household and himself were born again, according to the scriptures, I’m gonna read from Acts 10:34 to the end.
Now, Cornelius sent soldiers for Peter; he was in a nearby city. Now Peter came with some other brethren and he was gonna talk now to Cornelius.
How Are Jews Born Again?
“Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth, I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation, He that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all).
That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:
Him God raised the third day and shewed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto the witnesses chosen before God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He arose from the dead.
Cornelius Born of the Spirit
And He commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God be the Judge of quick and dead.
Quick in this context means alive, living and dead. To him, give all the profits witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
People believe yet they had to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and baptize.
So you see here that believing alone doesn’t save anybody, because this group of people we’re dealing with, they will receive the Holy Ghost and they will be baptized, but they believed, we must believe!
If we don’t believe in Jesus Christ, we can receive nothing. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
So we see right there that their born again process started, but in the reverse order, they are receiving the Holy Ghost before they were baptized with water.
But the order is not important. The key thing is that we must be born again. Cornelius and his household were born of the Spirit before they were born of water.
Leroy Daley Born Again
Speaking of myself, I was born of water first. And then five years later, I was born of the spirit. But the order is never important, unless you are going to die soon after, and you need to procure your salvation.
How did Peter and his crew know that Cornelius and his household received the Holy Ghost? The answer is right here. Verse 46 says for they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God (Acts 10:46).
Tongues are an indication.
Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Could anybody really?
No! But also realize that up until this point, this was the second group of Gentiles, according to scripture, to receive the Holy Ghost because the Samaritans also received Him.
Now Cornelius and his household are receiving the Holy Ghost, but it was not a popular thing.
This is new! Gentiles receiving the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost was for Jews. But the Samaria experience changed that, and now Cornelius’s experience has changed that.
Baptism in the Name of the Lord – Jesus!
It’s for everybody now, because everybody’s got to hear the word. So could anybody really forbid water now? Not at all!
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days” (Acts 10:48).
Recall too how Paul was baptized? In the name of the Lord. How were the citizens of Samaria baptized? In the name of the Lord; and now Cornelius and his household were baptized in the name of the Lord.
So there we have it. The Samaritans were baptized and they were filled; Saul of Tarsus was baptized and he was filled with the Holy Ghost.
Cornelius and his household were baptized and filled with the Holy Ghost.
Now, we are going to the final example namely twelve Ephesian brethren who were born again, just as these brethren were born again.
Ephesians Believers Born Again
“It came to pass that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper courses, came to Ephesus and finding certain disciples” (Acts 19:1).
So these men were already Christians.
“He said unto them. Have ye received the Holy ghost since he believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost” (Acts 19:2).
Now you see how important it is to receive the Holy Ghost? If it weren’t, Paul wouldn’t even think of asking, have you received the Holy Ghost?
So it must be key in our lives as Christians for Paul to bring this up. He wanted to ensure that not only are these people claiming to be Christians are saved, but they are saved according to the Word of God.
Have You Been Born of Water Since You Believed?
So Paul asked them, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?
Now, I’m asking you, have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed? It’s very important that we are born again!
Now, they were equally astonished at Paul’s question.
They said, “We have not even heard whether there is any Holy Ghost” (Acts 19:2).
And today there are many Christians like that, who are Christians for years and don’t know that they need to receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost.
And it’s not automatic. When you start your walk with God you don’t automatically receive the Holy Ghost.
It Is something we have to seek for, and search for.
Baptism is a promise you know. Being baptized in the name of Jesus is a promise that you will receive the Holy Ghost at a later time.
The Lord made that promise. We’ll discuss that in another Bible study.
“And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism” (Acts 19:3).
The Way of the Lord
Now, at that time, before Christ, John’s baptism was the thing because John’s baptism prepared the way of the Lord for Jesus Christ.
It prepared the heart of the people, which is the way of the Lord.
But after Christ came, everything changed because his baptism was a baptism to repentance. That means you get baptized in water with the intention of repenting later on.
But now it’s not like that. Now, you repent, then you are baptized. All right.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus” (Acts 19:4).
So John is saying to me, there is coming one mightier than me. I’m just encouraging you to believe in him. And by baptism in water, you indicate that.
That’s what that means.
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 19:5).
So, here again, we see how they were baptized and we see that they were baptized.
Ephesians Born Of Water
The Samaritans were baptized in the name of the Lord. Paul of Tarsus was baptized in the name of the Lord. and Nicodemus and his household were baptized in the name of the Lord.
Now, these Ephesian brethren were baptized too, in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 19 verse 5.
So baptism must take place in ‘the name’. Remember, Father, Son, or Holy Ghost is not a name.
I am a father. I am a son and I have the Holy Ghost, and it is just one me. Those are titles. Those are roles. Father, Son, or Holy Ghost, not name, deception from the pit of hell by the devil himself.
We’ll discuss that, but you need a name. And that name is Jesus.
And anything that opposes that name is called Satan because that is his primary purpose. The opposer of truth. The opposer of God. He opposes Christ.
So they were baptized in the name of Jesus, but that is not complete. That does not complete the born again process.
12 Ephesians Born Of Spirit
Now, they need to receive the Holy Ghost.
And when Paul, had laid his hands upon them. The Holy Ghost came on them and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:6).
Here again, we see, how did Paul know that they received the Holy Ghost?
He heard them speak with tongues. Tongues are an indication that the Holy Ghost has come.
Speaking in Tongues Indicates This!
Initially, tongues are an indication that the Holy Ghost has come. So Paul laid his hands on them and they spoke with tongues and Paul knew, yes! the Holy Ghost came.
Peter heard Cornelius and his household spoke in tongues and when they spoke in tongues, he knew that the Holy Ghost came. So tongues are an indication that the Holy Ghost has come.
Remember, you know, the Holy Ghost, at first, doesn’t live in us by default. But we prepare our minds and our bodies and our souls and our spirits for him. And then he comes and lives within us.
Not even demon possession is by default. Demon possession happens based on what we do and what other people do to us.
So, not even demon possession is by default. Spiritually, we’re empty like that, but we open our selves to either good or evil, either Jesus or the devil.
“And all the men were about twelve” (Acts 19:7).
How the Lord Operates
There we have it, folks. With this teaching, we realize that oftentimes the Lord will send somebody to speak with somebody else when He could have spoken to the person directly, but that’s not how the Lord operates.
He always sends a representative. Considering Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus, he spoke to Paul, could have told Paul all that Paul needed to do, but instead, he sent Paul into Damascus, then he sent Ananias to speak to Paul, to tell Paul what to do.
Cornelius was praying, the angel Gabriel spoke to Cornelius. Gabriel could have told Cornelius exactly what Cornelius needed to do. But instead, he told Cornelius to send for Peter and Peter came.
Now, we should realize this is how the Lord operates. He sends somebody to speak to us and if we accept that person, we accept God.
The Lord Sends a Representative
If we refuse that person, we refuse God. The Father, the Lord God, sent Jesus Christ his Son to redeem us and to save us.
If we accept Jesus Christ, we accept the Father. If we reject Jesus Christ, we reject the Father.
From 2012 I’ve been procrastinating about doing this channel because I was so caught up with how I might be making mistakes and all that sort of thing.
But all along, I was writing and teaching, but I have just decided that this is the way to go. But I know long ago that God had called me to teach.
I knew it because he told me! I have it written down and one day I will read it for you. But God has sent me to give you this word. Believe it, receive it.
Bible Study Tip
A Bible study tip. If there is only one occurrence of a situation in scripture, we cannot use it as a principle.
For example, if there was only one incident, when the Lord, speaking to a person, said to that person, go to such a place and I will send someone to speak to you.
If there was only one incident of that in scripture, we could never use that as a principle. But in this study, we have seen two. So we can use it because we need at least two witnesses. Three is key.
There are others. There are many others, but they are out of the realm of this Bible study. So that’s a Bible study tip for you there. You’ll need at least two witnesses to use anything as a principle.
Conclusion
So to conclude, according to the Holy Bible, everybody who is born again, must be born of water and must be born of the spirit.
They are born again according to the scripture. All these people that we have looked on were born again, according to Jesus’ teaching.
Apostle Paul, Cornelius and his household and the twelve Brethren from Ephesus and those from Samaria, they were all born again, according to Jesus’ teaching.
Have You Been Born Again?
So, have you been born again? Enter in the comment below if you are born again and let me ask you a question.
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God? Have you received the Holy Ghost? Have you been baptized in water in his name? Yes? That’s great. No? What are you waiting for?
If you were baptized in his name, how long have you been baptized? Did that person who baptize you in water invoke the name Jesus Christ as he dipped you under that water?
If not, you need rebaptism because as we saw earlier, those 12 Brethren from Ephesus were not baptized in the name of Jesus, but Paul rebaptized them in the name of Jesus to complete their born of water process. Get baptized in the name of Jesus.
Meaning when the baptizer dips you into the water and say, I now baptize you in the name of Jesus. If he didn’t say that you were not baptized in his name.
Be Born of Water Today
If he said, I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost and dip your three times, you are not yet baptized in the name of Jesus.
Change that. Change that today. Make an appointment with a church near you that practices the teachings of Christ and get baptized before long.
Finally, subscribe to my channel, give this Bible study a thumbs up, hit the notification bell so that you’re notified when new Bible studies are out. Thank you for stopping by. God bless you.
