We believe that God wonderfully creates each person as male or female and that one’s gender does not change. Each of these two, distinct, complementary genders reflects the image of God in its own right and according to His purposes (Gen. 1:26-27; Mark 10:6-9, 1 Cor. 7:1-11, 32-38). Rejection of one’s biological sex is a rejection of the Creator and His natural order (Rom. 1:18-32).
We believe that the term marriage has only one meaning: the uniting of one man and one woman in a single, exclusive, lifelong union, as delineated in Scripture (Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 19:4-6). We believe that God intends sexual intimacy to occur only between a man and a woman who are married to each other (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2-5; Heb. 13:4). We believe that God has commanded that no intimate sexual activity be engaged in outside of a marriage between a man and a woman.
We believe that any form of sexual immorality (including adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, bisexual conduct, bestiality, incest, and use of pornography) is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 15:18-20; 1 Cor. 6:9-10). We also believe that divorce for reasons not permitted in Scripture is sinful and offensive to God (Matt. 19:4-6).
We believe that God offers redemption and restoration to all who confess and forsake their sin, seeking His mercy and forgiveness through Jesus Christ, as St. Paul also proclaims, “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; see also Acts 3:19-21). If you desire this forgiveness and restoration with God, please contact one of our pastors that they may share with you the Means of Grace (insert link).
We believe that every person must be afforded compassion, love, kindness, respect, and dignity (Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31). Hateful and harassing behavior or attitudes directed toward any individual are to be repudiated and are not in accord with Scripture nor the doctrines of St. John’s.
We believe that in order to preserve the function and integrity of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church as the local Body of Christ, and to provide a biblical role model to the St. John’s members and the community, it is imperative that all persons employed by St. John’s in any capacity, or who serve as volunteers, agree to and abide by this Statement on Gender, Marriage, and Human Sexuality (Matt. 5:16; Phil. 2:14-16; 1 Thess. 5:22).
