We believe God directly created the first man and woman (Genesis 1:26-27; 2:7; 5:1) and all succeeding generations of man were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27; 9:6; 1 Corinthians 11:7; James 3:9) apart from any evolutionary process, on the sixth day of creation. We believe that this image within man was irreversibly (apart from divine intervention) marred as a result of the fall. So then man is completely depraved in every sense, unable to perform truly righteous deeds or comprehend spiritual matters apart from divine intervention. We teach that the Spirit-wrought sanctification and glorification of believers is the only means of restoring and completing the glory of God's image in man (Romans 8:29; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Ephesians 4:23-24; Colossians 3:10).

The Fall of Man: We believe that the first Adam and Eve were created by God completely devoid of sin, that they willfully chose to disobey the commandment of God. As a result of Adam's sin, not Eve's as she was deceived (1 Timothy 2:14), the entire human race inherits a sin nature at conception (Romans 5:12; Psalms 51:5). Because of this, every man with the sole exception of the God-Man (Jesus Christ) is completely depraved in his heart. Although he can do good deeds, he will not choose to do truly righteous deeds apart from regeneration through the work of Christ. Thus man does have a free will but it is limited in some degree to only do the things that are consistent with his nature. Man is completely culpable for his own sin because he freely chooses to sin, but he is naturally incapable of pursuing and understanding God because it is entirely contrary to his nature to do so (Isaiah 64:7; Matthew 13:13-15; John 6:44; Romans 3:10-18; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 2 Corinthians 4:3-4). God, however, makes it possible for sinful people to choose to accept His gift of salvation by acting upon their nature and will by His mercy and grace (Isaiah 55).