The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God'srevelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divineinstruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, andtruth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, allScripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles bywhich God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of theworld, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard bywhich all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried.All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus ofdivine revelation.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32;Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15;17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17;Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent,spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, andRuler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all otherperfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfectknowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, includingthe future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highestlove, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himselfto us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personalattributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
A. God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, Hiscreatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to thepurposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, andall wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of Godthrough faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward allmen.
Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.;Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3;Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9;28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.
B. God the Son
Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus ChristHe was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesusperfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself humannature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himselfcompletely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law byHis personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross Hemade provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised fromthe dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as theperson who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heavenand is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the OneMediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected thereconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory tojudge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwellsin all believers as the living and ever present Lord.
Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53;Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27;28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5,21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4;3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6;15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25;3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16;5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16.
C. God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holymen of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables mento understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, ofrighteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effectsregeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believerinto the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comfortsbelievers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve Godthrough His church. He seals the believer unto the day of finalredemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God willbring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. Heenlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship,evangelism, and service.
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.;Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19;Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24;14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55;8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14;4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14;3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10;22:17.
Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He createdthem male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift ofgender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. In the beginningman was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom ofchoice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin intothe human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed thecommand of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby hisposterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin.Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they becometransgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God canbring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill thecreative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evidentin that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died forman; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and isworthy of respect and Christian love.
Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5;51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offeredfreely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by Hisown blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadestsense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification,and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith inJesus Christ as Lord.
A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace wherebybelievers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heartwrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which thesinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord JesusChrist. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.
Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is theacceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality toHim as Lord and Saviour.
B. Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principlesof His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ.Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favorwith God.
C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, bywhich the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled toprogress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence andpower of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace shouldcontinue throughout the regenerate person's life.
D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the finalblessed and abiding state of the redeemed.
Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17;16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36;5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31;17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23;8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20;15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15;Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22;3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which Heregenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It isconsistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means inconnection with the end. It is the glorious display of God's sovereigngoodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludesboasting and promotes humility.
All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted inChrist, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from thestate of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall intosin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit,impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause ofChrist and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept bythe power of God through faith unto salvation.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34;Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24;6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10;8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28;Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.
A New Testament church of the Lord Jesus Christ is an autonomouslocal congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in thefaith and fellowship of the gospel; observing the two ordinances ofChrist, governed by His laws, exercising the gifts, rights, andprivileges invested in them by His Word, and seeking to extend thegospel to the ends of the earth. Each congregation operates under theLordship of Christ through democratic processes. In such a congregationeach member is responsible and accountable to Christ as Lord. Itsscriptural officers are pastors and deacons. While both men and womenare gifted for service in the church, the office of pastor is limited tomen as qualified by Scripture.
The New Testament speaks also of the church as the Body of Christwhich includes all of the redeemed of all the ages, believers from everytribe, and tongue, and people, and nation.
Matthew 16:15-19; 18:15-20; Acts 2:41-42,47; 5:11-14; 6:3-6;13:1-3; 14:23,27; 15:1-30; 16:5; 20:28; Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:2;3:16; 5:4-5; 7:17; 9:13-14; 12; Ephesians 1:22-23; 2:19-22; 3:8-11,21;5:22-32; Philippians 1:1; Colossians 1:18; 1 Timothy 2:9-14; 3:1-15;4:14; Hebrews 11:39-40; 1 Peter 5:1-4; Revelation 2-3; 21:2-3.
VII.Baptism and the Lord's Supper
Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the nameof the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obediencesymbolizing the believer's faith in a crucified, buried, and risenSaviour, the believer's death to sin, the burial of the old life, andthe resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is atestimony to his faith in the final resurrection of the dead. Being achurch ordinance, it is prerequisite to the privileges of churchmembership and to the Lord's Supper.
The Lord's Supper is a symbolic act of obedience whereby members ofthe church, through partaking of the bread and the fruit of the vine,memorialize the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming.
Matthew 3:13-17; 26:26-30; 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11; 14:22-26; Luke3:21-22; 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41-42; 8:35-39; 16:30-33; 20:7;Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16,21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12.
The first day of the week is the Lord's Day. It is a Christianinstitution for regular observance. It commemorates the resurrection ofChrist from the dead and should include exercises of worship andspiritual devotion, both public and private. Activities on the Lord'sDay should be commensurate with the Christian's conscience under theLordship of Jesus Christ.
Exodus 20:8-11; Matthew 12:1-12; 28:1ff.; Mark 2:27-28; 16:1-7;Luke 24:1-3,33-36; John 4:21-24; 20:1,19-28; Acts 20:7; Romans 14:5-10;I Corinthians 16:1-2; Colossians 2:16; 3:16; Revelation 1:10.
The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over theuniverse and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledgeHim as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation intowhich men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ.Christians ought to pray and to labor that the Kingdom may come andGod's will be done on earth. The full consummation of the Kingdom awaitsthe return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.
Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 3:2;4:8-10,23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32; 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:6-7;17:22-31; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:13;Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:28; 1 Peter 2:4-10; 4:13; Revelation 1:6,9; 5:10;11:15; 21-22.
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to itsappropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will returnpersonally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised;and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will beconsigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous intheir resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward andwill dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44;25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37;21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11;20:1-22:13.
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of everychurch of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of allnations. The new birth of man's spirit by God's Holy Spirit means thebirth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all reststhus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expresslyand repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. The Lord JesusChrist has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It isthe duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost toChrist by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and byother methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 9:37-38;10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18;24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40;10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10;Revelation 22:17.
Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In JesusChrist abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All soundlearning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage. The new birthopens all human faculties and creates a thirst for knowledge. Moreover,the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with thecauses of missions and general benevolence, and should receive alongwith these the liberal support of the churches. An adequate system ofChristian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program forChrist's people.
In Christian education there should be a proper balance betweenacademic freedom and academic responsibility. Freedom in any orderlyrelationship of human life is always limited and never absolute. Thefreedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary islimited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative natureof the Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the schoolexists.
Deuteronomy 4:1,5,9,14; 6:1-10; 31:12-13; Nehemiah 8:1-8; Job28:28; Psalms 19:7ff.; 119:11; Proverbs 3:13ff.; 4:1-10; 8:1-7,11;15:14; Ecclesiastes 7:19; Matthew 5:2; 7:24ff.; 28:19-20; Luke 2:40; 1Corinthians 1:18-31; Ephesians 4:11-16; Philippians 4:8; Colossians2:3,8-9; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:14-17; Hebrews 5:12-6:3;James 1:5; 3:17.
God is the source of all blessings, temporal and spiritual; all thatwe have and are we owe to Him. Christians have a spiritual debtorship tothe whole world, a holy trusteeship in the gospel, and a bindingstewardship in their possessions. They are therefore under obligation toserve Him with their time, talents, and material possessions; and shouldrecognize all these as entrusted to them to use for the glory of God andfor helping others. According to the Scriptures, Christians shouldcontribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically,proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer'scause on earth.
Genesis 14:20; Leviticus 27:30-32; Deuteronomy 8:18; Malachi3:8-12; Matthew 6:1-4,19-21; 19:21; 23:23; 25:14-29; Luke 12:16-21,42;16:1-13; Acts 2:44-47; 5:1-11; 17:24-25; 20:35; Romans 6:6-22; 12:1-2; 1Corinthians 4:1-2; 6:19-20; 12; 16:1-4; 2 Corinthians 8-9; 12:15;Philippians 4:10-19; 1 Peter 1:18-19.
Christ's people should, as occasion requires, organize suchassociations and conventions as may best secure cooperation for thegreat objects of the Kingdom of God. Such organizations have noauthority over one another or over the churches. They are voluntary andadvisory bodies designed to elicit, combine, and direct the energies ofour people in the most effective manner. Members of New Testamentchurches should cooperate with one another in carrying forward themissionary, educational, and benevolent ministries for the extension ofChrist's Kingdom. Christian unity in the New Testament sense isspiritual harmony and voluntary cooperation for common ends by variousgroups of Christ's people. Cooperation is desirable between the variousChristian denominations, when the end to be attained is itselfjustified, and when such cooperation involves no violation of conscienceor compromise of loyalty to Christ and His Word as revealed in the NewTestament.
Exodus 17:12; 18:17ff.; Judges 7:21; Ezra 1:3-4; 2:68-69;5:14-15; Nehemiah 4; 8:1-5; Matthew 10:5-15; 20:1-16; 22:1-10; 28:19-20;Mark 2:3; Luke 10:1ff.; Acts 1:13-14; 2:1ff.; 4:31-37; 13:2-3; 15:1-35;1 Corinthians 1:10-17; 3:5-15; 12; 2 Corinthians 8-9; Galatians 1:6-10;Ephesians 4:1-16; Philippians 1:15-18.
XV.The Christian and the Social Order
All Christians are under obligation to seek to make the will ofChrist supreme in our own lives and in human society. Means and methodsused for the improvement of society and the establishment ofrighteousness among men can be truly and permanently helpful only whenthey are rooted in the regeneration of the individual by the savinggrace of God in Jesus Christ. In the spirit of Christ, Christians shouldoppose racism, every form of greed, selfishness, and vice, and all formsof sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality, andpornography. We should work to provide for the orphaned, the needy, theabused, the aged, the helpless, and the sick. We should speak on behalfof the unborn and contend for the sanctity of all human life fromconception to natural death. Every Christian should seek to bringindustry, government, and society as a whole under the sway of theprinciples of righteousness, truth, and brotherly love. In order topromote these ends Christians should be ready to work with all men ofgood will in any good cause, always being careful to act in the spiritof love without compromising their loyalty to Christ and His truth.
Exodus 20:3-17; Leviticus 6:2-5; Deuteronomy 10:12; 27:17; Psalm101:5; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 8:16; Matthew 5:13-16,43-48; 22:36-40;25:35; Mark 1:29-34; 2:3ff.; 10:21; Luke 4:18-21; 10:27-37; 20:25; John15:12; 17:15; Romans 12–14; 1Corinthians 5:9-10; 6:1-7; 7:20-24;10:23-11:1; Galatians 3:26-28; Ephesians 6:5-9; Colossians 3:12-17; 1Thessalonians 3:12; Philemon; James 1:27; 2:8.
It is the duty of Christians to seek peace with all men on principlesof righteousness. In accordance with the spirit and teachings of Christthey should do all in their power to put an end to war.
The true remedy for the war spirit is the gospel of our Lord. Thesupreme need of the world is the acceptance of His teachings in all theaffairs of men and nations, and the practical application of His law oflove. Christian people throughout the world should pray for the reign ofthe Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 2:4; Matthew 5:9,38-48; 6:33; 26:52; Luke 22:36,38; Romans12:18-19; 13:1-7; 14:19; Hebrews 12:14; James 4:1-2.
God alone is Lord of the conscience, and He has left it free from thedoctrines and commandments of men which are contrary to His Word or notcontained in it. Church and state should be separate. The state owes toevery church protection and full freedom in the pursuit of its spiritualends. In providing for such freedom no ecclesiastical group ordenomination should be favored by the state more than others. Civilgovernment being ordained of God, it is the duty of Christians to renderloyal obedience thereto in all things not contrary to the revealed willof God. The church should not resort to the civil power to carry on itswork. The gospel of Christ contemplates spiritual means alone for thepursuit of its ends. The state has no right to impose penalties forreligious opinions of any kind. The state has no right to impose taxesfor the support of any form of religion. A free church in a free stateis the Christian ideal, and this implies the right of free andunhindered access to God on the part of all men, and the right to formand propagate opinions in the sphere of religion without interference bythe civil power.
Genesis 1:27; 2:7; Matthew 6:6-7,24; 16:26; 22:21; John 8:36;Acts 4:19-20; Romans 6:1-2; 13:1-7; Galatians 5:1,13; Philippians 3:20;1 Timothy 2:1-2; James 4:12; 1 Peter 2:12-17; 3:11-17; 4:12-19.
God has ordained the family as the foundational institution of humansociety. It is composed of persons related to one another by marriage,blood, or adoption.
Marriage is the uniting of one man and one woman in covenantcommitment for a lifetime. It is God's unique gift to reveal the unionbetween Christ and His church and to provide for the man and the womanin marriage the framework for intimate companionship, the channel ofsexual expression according to biblical standards, and the means forprocreation of the human race.
The husband and wife are of equal worth before God, since both arecreated in God's image. The marriage relationship models the way Godrelates to His people. A husband is to love his wife as Christ loved thechurch. He has the God-given responsibility to provide for, to protect,and to lead his family. A wife is to submit herself graciously to theservant leadership of her husband even as the church willingly submitsto the headship of Christ. She, being in the image of God as is herhusband and thus equal to him, has the God-given responsibility torespect her husband and to serve as his helper in managing the householdand nurturing the next generation.
Children, from the moment of conception, are a blessing and heritagefrom the Lord. Parents are to demonstrate to their children God'spattern for marriage. Parents are to teach their children spiritual andmoral values and to lead them, through consistent lifestyle example andloving discipline, to make choices based on biblical truth. Children areto honor and obey their parents.
Genesis 1:26-28; 2:15-25; 3:1-20; Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy6:4-9; Joshua 24:15; 1 Samuel 1:26-28; Psalms 51:5; 78:1-8; 127; 128;139:13-16; Proverbs 1:8; 5:15-20; 6:20-22; 12:4; 13:24; 14:1; 17:6;18:22; 22:6,15; 23:13-14; 24:3; 29:15,17; 31:10-31; Ecclesiastes 4:9-12;9:9; Malachi 2:14-16; Matthew 5:31-32; 18:2-5; 19:3-9; Mark 10:6-12;Romans 1:18-32; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Ephesians 5:21-33; 6:1-4;Colossians 3:18-21; 1 Timothy 5:8,14; 2 Timothy 1:3-5; Titus 2:3-5;Hebrews 13:4; 1 Peter 3:1-7.