In the time of the beginning of Christianity many in that part of the world were called Godfearers. They believed in there being a spirit over all other spirits - a God over all other divinities - a 'most high'. There is no harm in admitting we are such as they were. Belief like this we today might call the same thing, godfearing or simply monotheistic. These people were inclined to believe in worshipping this God over all gods with worship over all worship. They would try to seek and please this most high spirit. They seem to have been the first in the Gentile world to receive the gospel with belief and be the first Gentiles to become part of church gatherings. We have to start somewhere. We then have to believe that Jesus is the Christ. John the Baptist showed the way to this first step in belief. Rebirth requires an understanding of what it means in prophecy that God would send a 'prince' (Christ) who would build His Temple. This is a combination of faith and understanding so when we hear the gospel about Jesus we inwardly believe what it means that God sent Him as this Christ and that His death and resurrection for us spells out our souls' salvation and the message holds for us hope of salvation because we believe it. This is the beginning of rebirth - birth into becoming a person made anew by the Spirit from God. This faith is helped when considering the historic person John the Baptist and how his preaching of a social levelling of wealth to prepare the way for the Christ as prophecy foretold shows that Jesus is this Christ. For me this started when I committed to following the teachings of Jesus when baptised in my teens. Years after that I had the joy of hearing that Christ died for me and having a believer who was a servant of the gospel at hand to pray for me such that the Holy Spirit came on me in that session of prayer. Laying on of hands is similar. This spirit in power showed me first hand that God is good and true.
