Aslans Singer said: Also, the depravity of man is a definition Calvin used in his 'Institutes of the Christian Religion'. Now Reformers believbe that Calvin properly defined mans condition. Yet there are other Christian groups which hold to a 'less depraved' ( for lack of a better term ) condition of man. Their viewpoints must be honored-- because even they believe that man is lost and doomed to an concious eternity in Hell except he be saved via Christs atonement alone.
As previously noted, total depravity has always been the doctrine of the catholic church. It is heresy to reject total depravity, to reject justification by faith alone, and thus embrace Pelagianism.
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To me a heretic is one who is steeped in 'heresy'. Just because we baptize someone into the visible Church, does not make them members of the Invisible Church.. to go there is to tread into 'Romish Popery' ( As JC so aptly called it).
Heresy is not enough for one to be called a heretic. There must be obstinacy in the face of admonishment. Titus 3:10, 11. There was no intent by Gerhard to imply that baptism into a visible church automatically caused one to be a member of the invisible church. However, I will acknowledge that Gerhard's definition may be obsolete. Baptism has become so neglected among some Christian sects that it can no longer be considered a universal sign of an outward connection to the Christian religion. But what can be used in its place?
