Origin
 

     Mankind was directly and immediately created by God in His image and likeness.. The image of God in man includes distinct and immutable genders of male and female, which are complimentary. Each gender bears fully the image of God, although each gender is a distinct expression of that image. Rejection of one’s biological sex/gender, is a rejection of the image of God within that person.              Gen. 1:26–27; Matt. 19:4.

     Because man––male and female––bears the image of God, every person is to be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture, or sound doctrine. Gen. 9:6; Mk. 12:28–31; Lk. 6:31; Gal. 6:10; 2 Tim. 2:24–25; James 3:9–10.

     Mankind was created free of sin with a rational nature, intelligence, volition, self-determination, and moral responsibility.

 Genesis 2:7, 15-25; James 3:9

     God's intention in the creation of human beings was that they should glorify God, enjoy His fellowship, live life in the will of God,  as both authoritatively and principally revealed in Scripture, and accomplish God's purpose for mankind in the world. 

Isaiah 43:7; Colossians 1:16; Revelation 4:11
 

The Fall

     In Adam's voluntary sin of disobedience to the revealed will and word of God, man lost his innocence, incurred the penalty of spiritual and physical death, became subject to the wrath of God, became inherently corrupt, and became utterly incapable of choosing or doing that which is acceptable to God apart from divine grace. With no recuperative powers to enable him to recover himself, man is hopelessly lost. Man's salvation is thereby wholly of God's grace through the redemptive work of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Genesis 2:16-17, 3:1-19; Romans 3:23, 6:23; 1 Corinthians 2:14; Ephesians 2:1-3; 1 Timothy 2:13-14; 1 John 1:8

     Because all people were in Adam, a nature corrupted by Adam's sin has been transmitted to all people of all ages, except for Jesus Christ. All people are thus sinners by nature, by choice, and by divine declaration. Psalms 14:1-3; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-18, 23, 5:10-12
 

Marriage
 

     Marriage is the intimate,  life-long covenant relationship established by God between one man and one woman. That God’s intension for marriage is permanent is seen by His command to the man to “leave his father and mother, and be joined to his wife” in a “one flesh” relationship. By “one flesh” it is meant that the husband and his wife are joined physically in the only union that can potentially produce offspring (except in certain cases of infertility or debilitating physical abnormality), and relationally by virtue of their shared and united life together. The above definition of marriage––as one man and one woman in a single, exclusive union––is the only one recognized by God.  Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-19, 23-24; Matthew 19:4-6; Romans 7:2.
 

     The union of a husband (man) and wife (woman) is reflective of the very nature of God and His relationship with His people. 

Genesis 1:28; Isaiah 54:5; Hosea 1:2; 3:1; 1 Corinthians 11:1-3; Ephesians 5:31-32; Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9.
 

     Any intimate sexual union or activity outside the one man and one woman marriage covenant is illegitimate and sin. God explicitly and repeatedly condemns any sexual unions, such as: homosexuality (male with male), lesbianism (female with female), bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication (all sexual union outside marriage), adultery, altering one’s gender by surgery or appearance, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex and sexuality, and are expressly forbidden. Genesis 2:24; 18:20; 19:5-7, 13; 

26:8-9; Leviticus 18:1-30; Matthew 5:27-32; Romans 1:18-29; 1 Corinthians 5:1; 6:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8; Hebrews 13:4.
 

     To continue in any of the above mentioned sexual unions or activity, or be supportive of after being informed of what the Scriptures teach on the matter without repentance, evidences that one is walking in sin and is in fact demonstrating that they are not a born-again Christian who has tasted of God’s saving grace.  1 Corinthians 6:9-10; John 14:15; Romans 8:5-9; Galatians 5:17-23; John 14:15; 

1 John 2:3-5; 3:4-10; Revelation 21:8, 27.
 

     Divorce is expressly forbidden by God except in the following circumstances: death of husband, or wife; unbelieving spouse leaves or refuses to be reconciled; adultery (sexual activity with someone other than their spouse). Matthew 5:31-33; 19:3-9; Romans 7:2-3; 

1 Corinthians 7:10-17. 


Sanctity of Human Life

     All human life is sacred and created by God in His image. Human life is of inestimable worth  in  all  its  dimensions,  including pre-born babies,  the  aged,  the  physically  or  mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life (Ps 139).