Article one
We teach that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as either male or female and that these two distinct, complementary sexes together reflect the image and nature of God.
Article two
We teach that God created marriage to be exclusively the union of one biological male (man) and one biological female (woman) and that intimate sexual activity is to occur exclusively within that union.
article three
We teach that God has designed marriage to be a covenantal, sexual, procreative, lifelong union of one man and one woman, as husband and wife, and is meant to signify the covenant love between Christ and his bride, the church.
We deny that God has designed marriage to be a homosexual, polygamous, or polyamorous relationship. We deny that marriage is a mere human contract rather than a covenant made before God.
article four
We teach that God’s revealed will for all people is chastity outside of marriage and fidelity within marriage.
We deny that any affections, desires, or commitments ever justify sexual intercourse before or outside marriage, nor do they justify any form of sexual immorality.
article five
We teach that God created Adam and Eve, the first human beings, in his image, equal before God as persons and distinct as male and female.
We deny that the divinely ordained differences between male and female render them unequal in dignity or worth.
article six
We teach that God wonderfully and immutably creates each person as male or female. These two distinct, complementary genders together reflect the image and nature of God (Genesis 1:26-27). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the image of God within that person.
article seven
We teach that the differences between male and female reproductive structures are integral to God’s design as male or female.
We deny that physical anomalies or psychological conditions nullify the God-appointed link between biological sex and self-conception as male or female.
article eight
We teach that those born with a physical disorder of sexual development are created in the image of God and have dignity and worth equal to all other image-bearers. With all others, they are welcome as faithful followers of Jesus Christ and should embrace their biological sex insofar as it may be known.
We deny that ambiguities related to a person’s biological sex render one incapable of living a fruitful life in joyful obedience to Christ.
article 9
We teach that the term “marriage” has only one meaning: the uniting of one biological man (husband) and one biological woman (wife) in a single exclusive union, as delineated in Holy Scripture (Genesis 2:18-25).
We teach that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between one biological man and one biological woman who are married to each other (Hebrews 13:4) and that no intimate sexual activity be engaged outside of a marriage (Matthew 19:4-6).
article ten
We teach that any form of sexual immorality is sin. Sexual sin is any sexual activity (fantasy or behavioral) outside the covenant of marriage between one biological man and one biological woman.
article eleven
We teach that to preserve the function and integrity of River Bible Church, it is imperative that all persons employed by River Bible Church in any capacity or who serve as volunteers agree to and abide by this Statement on Marriage, Gender, and Sexuality (Matthew 5:16; Philippians 2:14-16; 1 Thessalonians 5:22).
article twelve
We teach that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 3:19-21; Romans 10:9-10).
Article thirteen
We teach that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity regardless of their personal view on marriage, gender, and sexuality (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:27-36). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Holy Scripture nor the doctrines of River Bible Church.
Article fourteen
We teach that self-identification as male or female should be defined by God’s holy purposes in creation and redemption as revealed in Scripture.
We deny that adopting a homosexual or transgender self-identification is consistent with God’s holy purposes in creation and redemption.
We deny that adopting a homosexual or transgender self-identification is consistent with God’s holy purposes in creation and redemption.
article fifteen
We teach that it is sinful to approve of homosexual immorality or transgenderism and that such approval constitutes an essential departure from Christian faithfulness and witness.
We deny that the approval of homosexual immorality or transgenderism is a matter of moral indifference about which otherwise faithful Christians should agree to disagree.
We deny that the approval of homosexual immorality or transgenderism is a matter of moral indifference about which otherwise faithful Christians should agree to disagree.
article sixteen
We teach that it is our duty to speak the truth in love at all times, including when we speak to or about one another as male or female.
We deny any obligation to speak in ways that dishonor God’s design of his image-bearers as male and female.
We deny any obligation to speak in ways that dishonor God’s design of his image-bearers as male and female.
article seventeen
We teach that the grace of God in Christ gives both merciful pardon and transforming power and that this pardon and power enable a follower of Jesus to put to death sinful desires and to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.
We deny that the grace of God in Christ is insufficient to forgive all sexual sins and to give power for holiness to every believer who feels drawn into sexual sin.
article eighteen
We teach that the grace of God in Christ enables sinners to forsake transgender self-identification and, by divine forbearance, to accept the God-ordained link between one’s biological sex and one’s self-identification as male or female.
We deny that the grace of God sanctions self-identification that are at odds with God’s revealed will.