Statements on Human Sexuality

Our Statement

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth ... God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them ... God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good" (Gen. 1:1, 27, 31).

   The event and order of creation was and is the product of an infinitely wise, good, and holy Creator who purposely made all things to reflect His glory and to provide for the flourishing of those whom He designed to bear His image. God's design for human sexuality is integral to reflecting His image and experiencing the complementary nature and harmony of (biological) gender.  

   Indeed, the climatic statement of the creation account is a presentation of male and female in the union of marriage, bound in commitment, purity, and love that includes the imagery of sexuality (Gen. 2:24–25). Sin introduced a disruption to the fundamental aspect of human existence and nature––a break in humanity's intimate fellowship with God and the intimate bond of male and female in the union of marriage (Gen. 3:1–10). The first mention of the effect of sin is a reversal of the pure intimacy of Genesis 2:24–25, purity is replaced with corruption, love is replaced with accusation, harmony is replaced with discord, and sexual intimacy is replaced by shame (Gen. 3:7–13). 

   Human sexuality is integral to our existence as humanity creatures (Gen. 1:28), but, also, the point at which our fallenness and corruption by sin is most apt to be displayed (Rom. 1:26–28; Eph. 4:17–19; 1 Thess. 4:5; Rev. 18:3, 9; 21:8; 22:15). What God intended for our good and His glory is most often the means of our misery, of abuse, perversion, and the evidence of our rebellion to our Creator (Rom. 1:22–25). 

   What sin has corrupted, God, by grace, redeems and restores in Christ (1 Cor. 6:9–11). In fact, God designed the covenant unity of marriage to provide imagery of His redeeming covenant with Israel (Ezek. 16:8; Hosea 2:19–20) and those in Christ (Eph. 5:28–32). The intimacy of sexual union within the covenant of marriage, by a God's design in creation, is a reflection of His covenant intimacy and union with those who are in Christ by repentant faith (Eph. 2:8–10), united to Him by the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:19-22; 3:16–17). Even more, all who are in Christ (married and single), the church, are Christ's bride, who will enter into the final and eternal fullness of fellowship with God, in Christ, which is placed within the imagery of a consummated marriage (Rev. 19:7–9; 21:2, 9). 

   In light of the importance of human sexuality to both God's glory in Christ and the flourishing of humanity, it is important for the church to be clear with God's design for sexuality revealed in His Word––Holy Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16–4:5). In this spirit, and to this end, the following statements provide a clear, biblical, declaration of human sexuality, with which NBC is in agreement.