I pulled it since you clarified his last post.

What JD fails to realize is that Jesus IS God. So when we say the righteousness of Christ, we are in fact affirming his deity as the Son of God and God the Son.

Mode Facts wrote:
Oh now come on DB, you know very well if I list all the Paedo docs, you will simply list all the Baptist docs. We've been here before.
The simple fact is that after studying Greek at Theol college I saw that the word baptizw, is used in many ways of getting wet. Not all imply totally wet. One of them implies immersion, but not all. That is true for the Bible and classical Greek lit.
But you guys in the "Baptizw Denom" have a vested reason for denying the above and deriving your own definition. After all you are the "Baptist Church" - and this is the rock on which you have separated from the Protestant churches and built your denominational version upon.
What in effect you have done is picked one definition and built your theology upon that.

Uh.. Oh wrote:
You sound like a Presby stuck record.
You should read the Reformers - even they never denied that the meaning of the word Baptizw meant to immerse. Its only the later Presbys who have tried the impossible, and failed miserably, doing themselves great discredit in the process.

Mode Facts wrote:
No Yamil.
It's that Baptizw does not mean immersion.
Nothing in the Bible indicates "all wet" ideology.
Immersion was invented and initiated much later, long after Biblical times.

Alan H wrote:
Excellent post, DB! I asked someone (perhaps you; I don't remember) a long time ago how to get the Greek fonts to display. I still haven't been able to figure it out. What Bible program do you use? I vaguely remember that person saying that they pasted the Greek words directly from their Bible program. I use the "Online Bible" (not an online Bible); it doesn't work.
I hope you have a great New Year DB. You too, Yamil...

Does "through faith" and "by faith" mean the exact same thing?

I trust the KJV in that it means what it says, however you are trying to make it mean what you want it to mean. "By faith" you are rendering it, "being justified because of faith" or "being justified on account of your faith" which by the Greek text you cannot prove your presupposition.

You basically have two choices.

You are either justified "by faith" (εκ πιστεως )

Or you are justifed "by faith" (δια της πιστεως )

The second rendering is also translated "through faith"

Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved "through faith;" δια της πιστεως

The Greek word δια is also translated "by" in 458 verses in the New Testament such as "by the prophets" or "through the prophets".

Thus to claim that "faith" is the grounds of justification, the Greek word δια would have to been used. The text would also be translated "justified "through faith" with the definite article "της" indicating "through [this, that, the] faith" as found in Eph. 2:8.

In other words, "for it is (present tense) the power of God unto salvation to every one that [is believing]; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

It is the power of God unto salvation for those who already are believers.

(1Co 1:18) "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

(1Co 1:23-24) "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; 24. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

Walt wrote:
DB,

...In regard to infants, we are not told much beyond that God ordinarily saves through the preaching and reading of the word. The gospel message of Christ is generally the outward means of our salvation, and Christ being the foundation and grounds of our Salvation.
However, for those who do not ordinarily hear the gospel, as infants or those who have a disability, we can only have hope that the Father will justify them through His election. As a believer, I can give glory that I know most human fathers would do anything and everything to save their children, and this is the hope and faith I have in my Heavenly Father. I cannot for certain guarantee every mother and father that their son or daughter, whether infant or not, has gone into eternal life everlasting, because I have not been gifted omniscience or omnipresence, but I can certainly believe.

Just popping by to say hello dear brother.

I find it amazing explaining the regeneration of elect infants and justifying them for the kingdom of God goes completely over Yamil's head.

I well explained to him that God is a just God and will not condemn anyone to a sinner's hell without them having an understanding of why they are going there. Infants and mentally challenged individuals do not have the capacity to know right from wrong or the penal sanctions for disobedience. That is why God regenerates them, justifies them and declares them righteous based on the merits of Christ therefore meeting God's requirement of entering Heaven. It also proves that the new birth is soley the act of God. He doesn't need man's cooperation or permission to regenerate anyone. He chooses who He wills. Yes Yamil, this is unconditional election.

Dr. Yamil Luciano wrote:
Discerning Believer wrote:
Tell me then, how does an infant dying in infance get to heaven without being born again of the Spirit.

I have the answer, but first you will need to explain how is it that an elect infant can be born again before being born the first time?
Let me give you a hint: Ha!

Secondly, life begins at conception, not from the time they come out of the womb. So God at any time from the point of conception can regenerate an infant.

The kingdom of God is the eternal abode of the saved. The kingdom of heaven is the celestial heavens and earth.

The kingdom of God are inhabited by those who are born into His kingdom. They are His sons and daughters.

Can an infant enter Heaven without being born again?

If Jesus says that one must be born again to enter Heaven, how praytell does an infant or mentally challenged person enter heaven without meeting God's requirement of being born-again. He is still unregenerate.

The wages of sin is death, physically and spiritually.

Was not physical death a part of the curse?

Since God is a just God and will not condemn anyone to a sinner's hell without them being consciously aware of why they are being cast there. Infants and mentally challenged individuals do not have the capacity of knowing right from wrong or the penal sanctions for disobedience. (Rom. 5:13-20)

Scripture tells us in John 3:3 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" and in 3:5 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God" and lastly in 3:7 "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again."

That is God's requirement for Heaven. In order for infants to enter heaven they must be regenerated and born drom above. This is soley an act of God, and therefore He regenerates and justifies infants who He elected that will die in infaancy. Non elect infants will not die in infancy.

Dr. Yamil Luciano wrote:
3. Let's have a three-way conversation with your pastor so that he can know exactly how you feel about "most" dispensationalist.