Essays | Dwell Community Church

As in Adam, So in Christ

Dennis McCallum

Before anything can change on the deepest level in our lives, we have to lose the identity we have in Adam. As long as that identity remains the same, our outer actions may change to some extent, but such change doesn't amount to much in the ultimate sense. Losing our identity in Adam is different than losing our sin nature, as we will see later.

Baptism at Dwell

Gary DeLashmutt

Water baptism is a symbolic act that allows believers to publicly acknowledge their need for God's forgiveness.

The people of Israel evidently began practicing baptism during the period between the end of the Old Testament and the birth of Christ. When non-Jewish people came to believe in God and wanted to become members of Israel, they were required to undergo an immersion baptism. This baptism was a symbolic washing through which they agreed about their need for God's cleansing (forgiveness) of their sins.

Calvinism & Arminianism: Controversial Passages

Dennis McCallum and Gary DeLashmutt

Calvinists and Arminians hold differing views on key theological concepts. A handful of controversial passages explore these differences.

Christology Outline

Dennis McCallum and Gary DeLashmutt

Since the focus of Christianity is on Christ, the believer must have a clear understanding of his person and work. Christology is the study of his person; soteriology is the study of his work. The two are obviously related: who Christ is will determine what he is able to do. Virtually every heresy denies the deity of Christ and therefore also denies to some extent his work on the cross for us. As a rule, liberal (and some Neo-Orthodox) theologians deny Christ's deity, while some fundamentalists tend to underemphasize his humanity.

Early German Lutheran Pietism's Understanding of Justification

Gary DeLashmutt

We are examining the early German Lutheran Pietists' understanding of justification. Specifically, the teaching of Johann Arndt, Philip Jacob Spener and August Hermann Francke will be studied. Three specific areas of their view of justification will be examined: the basis of justification, the relationship between justification and sanctification, and the role of baptism in justification.

An effort has been made to identify and study the primary sources of each of the above Pietists in these doctrinal areas. Direct quotations of their works accompany and substantiate any assertion concerning their teaching. Secondary sources have also been evaluated for additional interaction in the interpretation of the primary sources.

For Whom Did Jesus Die?

Conrad Hilario

Christian thinkers have been divided over the teachings of John Calvin for nearly four centuries. And there is good reason for this long-standing controversy. The debate over Calvinism is exceedingly complex and the sweep of all that has been written on this subject could easily fill the largest of libraries.

Legalism in Translation

Dennis McCallum

Language is very influential in framing subjects. How we describe something often determines people’s impressions, and this makes word choice very important. Translation is the first act of interpretation, and this means English readers need a way to check on the translations of passages they study. One of the easiest ways to study this as an English reader is to compare translations. You quickly see that opinion plays a part at many points. Bible software has made word studies easier than ever.

Man's Part and the Law's Part in Sanctification

Dennis McCallum and Gary DeLashmutt

The Bible teaches that there is a continuity between sanctification and justification (Colossians 2:6; Galatians 3:3)--both are by grace through faith. Specifically, man's part in sanctification consists of three distinct responsibilities. All three should be carefully defined, understood, and taught regularly, along with God's part.

The Christian Doctrine of Substitutionary Atonement

Within recent years a movement has been “emerging” within Christianity promising to repaint the Christian faith. The leaders of this movement depict modern Christianity as a rigid, dusty orthodoxy, filled with endless dogmas and doctrines. According to their perspective, true Christianity must be understood as fluid, changing, and being reworked to throw off the straightjacket of doctrines restricting its modern relevance. Among these doctrines being reworked is the Christian teaching of substitutionary atonement –the belief that Jesus died to pay humanity’s moral debt to God.

The Extent and Nature of Biblical Inspiration

Dennis McCallum

The evangelical debate on this issue has been called the infallibility vs. inerrancy debate.

A short description of the "infallibility" as opposed to the "inerrancy" view of inspiration can be seen in Daniel Fuller's statement,

Scripture as a whole is revelatory, either directly revelatory or facilitating the revelation. The directly revelatory part concerns the main purpose of the Scripture (to make man wise unto salvation) and is inerrant. The facilitating parts are not inerrant and are important only as a framing for the revelatory parts - therefore, they should not be made to harmonize with science and history.