We are created in God’s image. Male and female, we reflect God’s characteristic attributes. This translates functionally to a commission to rule over his creation, under his authority and blessing. Ours is a sovereignty of stewardship, as we are responsible to him to fill and subdue the creation. As such, all human beings are valuable (the most important resource), and all human endeavor is validated.

We are fallen. Shaking fists at God, humanity has followed Adam and Eve in rejecting God’s blessing and authority, to do it on our own (to "be like god"). We have thus become encumbered with depraved natures, a wilful perversion of God’s attributes. Though it often looks good and seems an appealing option, this rebellion always ends badly. Christians are neither exempt from depravity or immune from its temptations.

We are delivered. Depravity does not mean we are bad, but that we are dead: unable to do anything about our condition. Though we all deserve God’s wrath, he himself has intervened on our behalf in the person and through the work of his son, Jesus Christ (God in the flesh). His motive in this is his love for us, alone; the basis of our deliverance is his grace - he gives us what we don’t deserve. We can only accept it as a gift from him, through faith. Christianity is thus a departure from religion. God’s purpose in our lives is to create the masterpieces that he intends us to be, for his own glory.

We are designed for relationship. Once reestablished in relationship to God through his provision, we are entrusted by God with the ministry of the message of reconciliation. Human relationships are primary in this, as we communicate with God and with one another in the renewed pursuit of the original dominion mandate. While marriage is a model for relationship, that particular relationship is not mandatory. All of this now takes place in the reality of the shadow of sin. Yet, we are newly enabled in relationship with the indwelling Holy Spirit, the presence of Jesus Christ in all who have accepted him.

We are destined for eternity. True freedom in this life is in knowing where, with whom and how we will be in the next. We will never be fulfilled here, but we can be satisfied and enjoy the gifts and provision of God. He has secured eternity for those who have accepted Christ, but there is an alternative; the choice is ours. We are never compelled by God in that choice, but there are good and bad, right and wrong choices. The consequences are profound.