Foundations Series: Marriage and Family
MARRIAGE AND FAMILY
Note: Scripture abbreviations used in this section are for brevity only.
- We believe that men and women are spiritually equal in position before God but that God has ordained distinct and separate spiritual functions for men and women in the home and the church.
Gal. 3:28; Col. 3:18; 1 Tim. 2:8-15; 3:4-5, 12 - We believe that God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of human society. The husband is to love his wife as Christ loves the church. The wife is to submit herself to the Scriptural leadership of her husband as the church submits to the headship of Christ. Children are a heritage from the Lord. Parents are responsible for teaching their children spiritual and moral values and leading them, through consistent lifestyle example and appropriate discipline.
Gen. 1:26-28; Ex. 20:12; Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 127:3-5; Prov. 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; Mk. 10:6-12; I Cor. 7:1-16; Eph. 5:21-33; 6:1-4; Col. 3:18-21; Heb. 13:4; I Pet. 3:1-7 - We believe that God created and ordained marriage and that it is to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church.
- We believe that the only marriage ordained by God is the joining of one biologically born man and one biologically born woman. For the believer, marriage is to be “in the Lord” and only to another believer.
Gen. 2:24; Rom. 7:2; 1 Cor. 7:10; Eph. 5:22-23; II Cor. 6:14-16 - The marriage bond is holy and defined by Scripture to be a life-long union, only ending in the death of a spouse. Although we welcome individuals who have been divorced to serve in the church and be used of God, they may not be considered for the office of pastor or deacon.
Gen 2:24; Matt. 19:3-12; Rom. 7: 1-3; Eph 5:31-32; 1 Tim. 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6
- We believe that the only marriage ordained by God is the joining of one biologically born man and one biologically born woman. For the believer, marriage is to be “in the Lord” and only to another believer.
- We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged outside of a marriage. We believe that any form of homosexuality, lesbianism, bisexuality, bestiality, incest, fornication, adultery, and pornography are sinful perversions of God’s gift of sex, and as such, are not acceptable lifestyles. We believe that God disapproves of and forbids any attempt to alter one’s gender by surgery or appearance.
Gen. 2:24; 19:5, 13; Lev. 18:1-30; Rom. 1:26-29; 1 Cor. 5:1; 6:9-10; 1 Thess. 4:1-8; Heb. 13:4 - We believe that human life begins at conception and that the unborn child is a living human being. Elective abortion constitutes the unjustified, unexcused taking of unborn human life; therefore, we believe that elective abortion is murder.
Ps. 51:5; 139:14-16; Isa. 44:24; 49:1,5; Jer. 1:5; 20:15-18; Luke 1:44