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So do you agree that the Gentiles in Acts 10:43-47 (cf. 15:7-9) were not yet regenerated until they were baptized? Or that they were and were baptized with the Spirit (Acts 11:15-18) before being baptized with water, testifying to their acceptance by God? That is the contention at issue, which goes back some posts. See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2811552/posts?page=2935#2935

Thanks for the reference. I think that we may be talking past each other in terms of what 'regeneration' means. As I understand it, Protestants believe in 'imputation' of the holiness of an external source (God), or else the 'covering up' of sins which still continue.

We believe, as in 2 Peter 1:4:

4Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.b 5* For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge,c 6knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, 7devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. 8If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9d Anyone who lacks them is blind and shortsighted, forgetful of the cleansing of his past sins.

We believe that baptism makes us a new creature and that as Jesus said that we must be born of water and the Holy Spirit. Now, the Church teaches of the baptism of desire (as in the good thief), but setting aside special cases, we believe that both are required.

So do you agree that the Gentiles in Acts 10:43-47 (cf. 15:7-9) were not yet regenerated until they were baptized? Or that they were and were baptized with the Spirit (Acts 11:15-18) before being baptized with water, testifying to their acceptance by God? That is the contention at issue, which goes back some posts. See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2811552/posts?page=2935#2935

Thanks for the reference. I think that we may be talking past each other in terms of what 'regeneration' means. As I understand it, Protestants believe in 'imputation' of the holiness of an external source (God), or else the 'covering up' of sins which still continue.

We believe, as in 2 Peter 1:4:

4Through these, he has bestowed on us the precious and very great promises, so that through them you may come to share in the divine nature, after escaping from the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire.b 5* For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, virtue with knowledge,c 6knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with devotion, 7devotion with mutual affection, mutual affection with love. 8If these are yours and increase in abundance, they will keep you from being idle or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9d Anyone who lacks them is blind and shortsighted, forgetful of the cleansing of his past sins.

We believe that baptism makes us a new creature and that as Jesus said that we must be born of water and the Holy Spirit. Now, the Church teaches of the baptism of desire (as in the good thief), but setting aside special cases, we believe that both are required.