We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female, in concert and consistent with other dichotomies in His creation (light and dark, sea and dry land). Thus, preserving the integrity of gender identity and the character of male and female sexual relationships should not be seen as something culturally bound or found in isolated biblical texts. The beliefs and the texts cited below are part of a consistent context and instruction that pervades all of God’s revelation to us. Seeking to uphold this witness, we affirm that:
We believe that every person is made in the image of God and must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity. Hateful attitudes and harassing behavior directed toward any individual or group are to be repudiated and are not in accord with biblical scripture and Christ-like behavior. (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:27-31; Genesis 1:27)
We believe that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female; thus, rejection of one’s biological gender is a rejection of the image of God within that person. (Genesis 1:26-27)
We believe, as a consequence of the fall, that the world and each person is sinful and broken, including sexual brokenness. But God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 3; Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-13; I Corinthians 6:9-11; I Timothy 1:12-16)
We believe that the term “marriage” has only one meaning and that is marriage as a covenant under God which joins one man and one woman in a single, exclusive and permanent union which mirrors God’s image as delineated in the Bible. (Genesis 1:24, Genesis 2:18-25; Matthew 19:3-9; 1 Corinthians 7:2; 1 Timothy 3:2)
We believe that God intends sexual intimacy only to occur between a man and a woman who are married to each other (Deuteronomy 5:18; Matthew 5:27; Mark 7:21; 1 Corinthians 7:3), and that no intimate sexual activity should be engaged in outside of a marriage. (1 Corinthians 6:18-18; Ephesians 5:3; 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5; Hebrews 13:4) We believe that God hates for divorce to occur and that only in specific situations is the breaking of this lifelong covenant allowed. (Malachi 2:16; Matthew 19:7-9; 1 Corinthians 7:18-17)
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including but not limited to adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, incest, and attempting to change or reject one’s biological sex) is sinful and offensive to God. (Romans 1:26-27; 1 Corinthians 5:1-2; 1 Timothy 1:8-11; Matthew 18:18-20; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10)