Our Beliefs

What Do We Believe About Marriage?

God designed marriage as a holy, honorable covenant relationship between one man and one woman (Gen. 2:22-25; Mal. 2:14; Heb. 13:4;), in which “they are no longer two but one flesh” (Matt. 19:6). This covenant is meant to be unsevered (Matt. 19:6). Marriage is designed to reflect Jesus Christ’s relationship to the Church (Eph. 5:22-33), and the fruit of marriage should be godly children (Mal. 2:15; Gen. 1:27-28).

What Do We Believe about the Creator–Creation Relationship?

God is Creator (Gen. 1:1)

Transgenderism is a rebellion against God’s creation, and His role as Creator. God is the One who creates human beings as either male or female (Gen. 1:27); biological sex is not to be determined by human creatures themselves.

Homosexual practice is a rebellion against God’s holy design for intercourse and marriage.

God’s human creatures have no right to usurp God’s role as Creator, in an attempt to re-create themselves. That is pride and idolatry, and the result is a perversion of identity (transgenderism) and a perversion of sex (homosexuality, 1 Tim. 1:10).

What Do We Believe About Sexual Relations?

God designed sex to be a powerful experience within a covenant marriage of two members of the opposite sex—an experience that is life-giving to the marital relationship and life-giving to the next generation. As such, it is imperative that all members of society conduct themselves in a manner that values and adheres to God’s beautiful design for sex, rather than resorting to perversions of sex that stray from God’s purposes and harm humanity.

Sexual Immorality:

The Apostle Paul admonished the Corinthians to “flee sexual immorality!” (1 Cor. 6:18), and the Greek word underlying “sexual immorality” is porneia [1]. William Mounce’s gloss for porneia is: “sexual immorality, fornication, marital unfaithfulness, prostitution, adultery, a generic term for sexual sin of any kind” [2].

Sexual Purity:

Single individuals must abstain from all sexual relations (1 Cor. 6:18). Married people must have sexual relations with their spouse (1 Cor. 7:3-5)—and only with their spouse (Mark 10:19; 1 Cor. 6:18; Heb. 13:4). All people must refrain from lust, masturbation, pornography, (Matt. 5:27-28; Eph. 5:3), and same-sex sexual acts (1 Tim. 1:10; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Rom. 1:26-27).

What Do We Believe about Spiritual Gifts?

Spiritual gifts (e.g., 1 Cor. 12:8-10) are still practiced among Christians today.

What Do We Believe about Forgiveness after Sexual Sin?

For anyone who has already committed sexual sin, there is hope.

Forgiveness can be found through repentance, if you have trusted in Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins,

so that His blood has paid for your sin (e.g., Acts 2:38; Rom. 3:21-26; 1 Pet. 1:18-19; Heb. 9:12-14, 26).

If an unbeliever wants forgiveness, Acts 2:38 shows that repentance and baptism are steps that should be taken.

Additionally, 1 John 1:9 is a helpful verse that highlights the power of confession:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Furthermore, in 1 Corinthians 6:9 the Apostle Paul specifically mentions

“the sexually immoral,” “adulterers,” and “men who practice homosexuality,”

and just two verses later he shows that hope is possible for those who indulged in those sins/lifestyles

and later came to Christ: “And such were some of you.

But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified

in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Cor. 6:11).

So, if you have given into any type of sexual sin (even after becoming a Christian), come receive forgiveness and cleansing from Christ! And then “go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:11; see also Rom. 6:1-2).

Do not give into the power of shame (cf. Heb. 12:1), and find comfort in knowing that

“Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters” (Heb. 2:11 NRSVUE) and

“there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

What Are Our General Christian Beliefs?

See the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed Below

"I believe in one God, Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

"And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Only-begotten Son of God, begotten from the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God; begotten, not made; of one essence with the Father; by Whom all things were made. Who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried; and on the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge both the living and the dead; Whose Kingdom shall have no end;

"And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life; Who proceedeth from the Father; Who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified; Who spoke by the Prophets; in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. I await the resurrection of the dead and the life of the age to come.

Amen." [3]

1. William Mounce, www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Cor%206%3A18&version=MOUNCE.

2. William Mounce, Porneia, Greek Dictionary, https://www.billmounce.com/greek-dictionary/porneia.

3. https://www.standrewsgreekorthodoxcathedral.co.uk/our-faith/the-nicene-creed/

Note: Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations on this website are taken from the English Standard Version.