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speratus said:
To the contrary, to deny that baptism is "essential to salvation" is to deny sola fide. The children of God by faith are baptized into Christ. Gal. 3:26, 27. Those who have not the baptism of Christ are not part of the body of Christ. 1 Cor. 12:13.
What planet to you live on? "Sola Fide" means, "salvation by Faith ALONE" not "by Faith plus baptism"

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speratus states more error:
If the origin of faith is regeneration (i.e., inner character change) rather than the work of Holy Spirit then we are made righteous before God not declared righteous. But, according to scripture, we have no righteousness of our own. The righteousness of Christ is imputed through faith not regeneration.
First of all, regeneration is far more than "character change"! It is a total recreation of one's nature/predisposition. One of the elements of regeneration is the implanting of faith which the new nature then exercises by believing on Christ unto justification. This regeneration is the sovereign and sole work of the Holy Spirit. The sinner has no part whatsoever in regeneration other than being the recipient of God's unconditional saving grace. Secondly, regeneration has nothing to do with "righteousness", whether infused or imputed. Regeneration enables one to believe upon Christ at which time God imputes Christ's righteousness to the believer. HELLO?

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And speratus expresses more of his misunderstanding of Scripture by stating:
It is also illogical that a dead man gains faith through the written Word. Admit it. You reject regeneration being connected to any means of grace.

Tell me how the minister is able to see faith and unbelief so that he may infallibly baptize only believers? Could not one slip through and first believe through the Word of Baptism?
<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/hairout.gif" alt="" /> It is God's ordained method of bringing salvation to sinners by using the means of the Word of God through and by which the Holy Spirit works. (Rom 1:16; 10:14-17). Sorry, but I and others have explained the biblical doctrine of regeneration to you myriad times as well as pointed you to several articles on The Highway which set forth the biblical doctrine of regeneration in great detail. If you haven't got it by now...... well! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/shrug.gif" alt="" />

As to your second question, it doesn't pertain to me. I am not a Baptist. It is not required of a minister to know infallibly who actually possesses true saving faith. What is given to us is the responsibility to examine those who make a profession of faith by reasonable means. God alone knows the heart. And lastly, I know of no such terminology or teaching in Scripture which even hints at what you refer to as "believe through the Word of Baptism". <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratch1.gif" alt="" />

In His grace,

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simul iustus et peccator

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