MAN

A. His creation

We believe that man was created by an immediate act of God.

And the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7

He was created in the image and likeness of God. He was without sin, enjoyed fellowship with God and was capable of full obedience to his will.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:27

He was created in order that he might glorify God and enjoy him forever. In so doing, man finds his greatest measure of blessedness and true enjoyment.

...He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace which he has freely given us in the One he loves.
Ephesians 1:5-6
Also see: Ephesians 1:18

B. His fall

We believe that man was confronted with a moral choice in the garden.

And the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil for when you eat of it you will surely die."
Genesis 2:15-17

By voluntarily transgressing God's command and yielding to the enticement of Satan, man lost his original condition, became physically, morally, intellectually and spiritually depraved and was alienated from God.

Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.
Romans 5:12, 18
Also see: Genesis 3:1-6

In consequence of this act of disobedience, the entire human race became guilty before God with the result that each one of us possesses a sin nature. Both our sin nature and our acts of sin make us deserving of the righteous judgment of God.

As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.
Romans 3:10-12
Also see: Isaiah 53:6; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 1:19-32; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 1 John 1:8-10

Therefore all men are sinners and guilty before God, are dead in their sins, and unable to save themselves.

…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23
Also see: Ephesians 2:1

C. His eternal destiny

We believe that there are two eternal, conscious destinies for man; heaven for the righteous and hell for the unrighteous.

Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
John 5:28-29
Also see: Psalm 9:17; John 14:1-3

After the great White Throne Judgment, and after all the enemies of God are consigned to their place of eternal punishment, the present order of things will be dissolved, and the new heaven and the new earth, wherein dwells righteousness, shall be revealed as the eternal abiding place in which the righteous shall dwell.

Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
Isaiah 65:17

But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness.
2 Peter 3:13
Also see: Revelation 21:1-22:7