Human Freedom      Top
     2.01  God, in creating persons, gives them the capacity and freedom to respond to divine grace in loving obedience. Therefore, whoever will may be saved.
     2.02  Because of their God-given nature, persons are responsible for their choices and actions toward God, each other, and the world.
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       2.01 Gn. 1:26-31; Dt. 30:19-20; Is. 55:1-3; Ro. 10:8-13; Rev. 22:17.
       2.02 Gn. 3:1-7; Jos. 24:14-15; Jer. 31:29-30; Ezk. 18:1-4, 26-28; Ro. 1:18-32.

The Abuse of Freedom      Top
     2.03  In rejecting their dependence on God and in willful disobedience, the first human parents disrupted community with God, for which they had been created. They became inclined toward sin in all aspects of their being.
     2.04  As did Adam and Eve, all persons rebel against God, lose the right relationship to God, and become slaves to sin and death. This condition becomes the source of all sinful attitudes and actions.
     2.05  In willfully sinning all people become guilty before God and are under divine wrath and judgment, unless saved by God's grace through Jesus Christ.
     2.06  The alienation of persons from God affects the rest of creation, so that the whole creation stands in need of God's redemption.
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       2.03 Gn. 3:1-13, 6:5.
       2.04 Gn. 6:5; Ps. 58:3-5,106:6; Pr. 5:22-23; Is. 59:1-15; Jer. 17:9; Mic. 7:2-4; Jn. 8:34; Ro. 3:9-19, 5:12-14, 6:16, 7:14-20; 2 Ti. 2:24-26; 2 P. 2:17-19.
       2.05 Jn. 3:18-19, 36; Ro. 1:18-32, 2:1-9, 3:9-19; Gal. 6:7-8; Eph. 5:5-6.
       2.06 Gn. 3:17-18; Ro. 8:18-23; Eph. 1:9-10; Col. 1:19-20.