The Doctrine of Man
We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God (Gen. 1:26,27), but Adam’s willful sin in the Garden of Eden involved the representation (Rom. 5:14; 1 Cor. 15:22) and fall of all humanity with him. Mankind is totally depraved; this doesn’t mean that man is as bad as he can possibly be, but rather that the fall has affected every aspect of our being. As a result of the fall, the human race lost its position of innocence and was expelled from the Garden of Eden. From that time on, each person has been born with a sin nature (Ps. 51:5) and is subject to aging, disease, and death. Being spiritually dead (Eph. 2:1-4), mankind is inclined to sin and is alienated from God apart from the intervention and regenerating work of the Holy Spirit. Being sinners by nature (Rom. 8:5-8) and by choice, people are in desperate need of a Savior (Rom. 3:23). Only Jesus (through the virgin birth) bypassed the sin nature, lived a sinless life and qualified to be our Redeemer. Mankind’s only answer to sin is to have faith in the redemptive work of the Second Adam – Jesus Christ (Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 15:22,45) who has brought salvation to those who by grace through faith receive Him (Acts 16:31; Eph. 2:8-9).
Marriage: We believe that marriage is ordained by God to be between one biological man and one biological woman. God’s design for marriage is that it last for a lifetime (Gen. 2:23,24).