Human Sexuality

We believe that God created mankind in His own image.[1]  In two separate acts, He created only two distinct genders:  male and female.[2]  The genders of Adam and Eve were established by God and defined by their physiological sex at creation.[3]  Subsequent to creation, God determines the gender of all other humans by their physiological sex at the time of birth.[4]  Thus, all attempts to redefine human sexuality beyond the physiological male-female distinction (whether framed biologically or culturally) and all attempts to change one’s birth gender are sinful rebellion against our Creator.  As our Creator, God stipulates in His Word that the only legitimate and acceptable sexual desires and sexual acts are those between a man and a woman within the context of marriage.[5]

Marriage

We believe marriage is a gift of God’s common grace to all mankind as a fundamental building block of society.[6]  As the architect of marriage, God alone retains the right to define its constructs and guidelines, and He has done so in His Word.[7]  In accordance with Scripture, we teach that God’s design for marriage is a public, formal, and official covenant between one male and one female.[8]  God designed the marriage covenant to be a life-long bond, with divorce permitted only in the case of unrepentant[9] sexual sin or of desertion by an unbeliever.[10]  Although sexual sins of thought are not justification for divorce, all sexual immorality, both thoughts and behavior, must be taken seriously as a transgression against God.[11]  God intends that the union between two believers be a loving illustration of the relationship between Christ and His church, when carried out in obedience to the Bible and through the enabling power of the Holy Spirit.[12]

[1] Gen 1:27; 5:1; 9:6; James 3:9

[2] Gen 1:27; 5:1-2; Matt 19:4; Mark 10:6

[3] Gen 1:27; 2:7, 22

[4] Gen 18:10; Lev 12:2, 5, 7

[5] Gen 2:24; Lev 18:22; 20:13; Matt 5:28; 19:4-6; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9-11; 7:1-5; Gal 5:19-21; 1 Thess 4:3-8;  1 Tim 1:10; Heb 13:4

[6] Gen 1:28; 2:18, 24; Ps 127:3; Prov 18:22; 31:10-11; Heb 13:4

[7] Gen 2:18-24

[8] Gen 2:24; Pr 2:17; Ezek 16:8-14; Mal 2:14

[9] In keeping with the spirit of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments, we urge reconciliation in most cases in the event of an unfaithful spouse who demonstrates sincere biblical repentance (cf. Hosea 1-3; 11; Eph 4:32; Col 3:13).

[10] Mal 2:16; Matt 5:32; 19:9; Mark 10:11-12; 1 Cor 7:12-16, 24

[11] Job 31:1; Matt 5:28; 15:19; James 1:14-15

[12] Eph 5:18-33; 2 Cor 6:14; 1 Peter 3:7