Pastor Terrie Beede's "Studies in Theology" series, adhering to the minister's charge in 1 Timothy 4:16 to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine", presented The Doctrine of The Church Part 8: The Doctrine of Marriage. This session, part of the broader study on the church's ordinances (also called sacraments), focused on marriage as an institution ordained by Christ. Due to the sensitive nature of the content, the audio was restricted to the sanctuary, highlighting the need to address difficult issues found in God's Word directly.
The session reiterated the Calvary Chapel Milwaukee's statement of faith regarding marriage: "We believe that marriage was instituted by God as exclusively the legal and spiritual union of one man and one woman. We also believe that legitimate biblical sexual relations are exercised solely within marriage." This statement explicitly defines various sexual activities (e.g., adultery, homosexuality, pedophilia) and behaviors (e.g., pornography, gender alteration) as inconsistent with biblical teaching. The detailed, legalistic phrasing of this article was noted as a necessary response to the "legal climate and culture of our time," requiring technical precision where other doctrines might allow for more gracious wording.
A foundational principle stressed for understanding marriage is that its doctrine is based solely upon the clear teaching of the Word of God as the supreme infallible authority in all matters of faith and conduct. It is not based on personal opinion, feelings, tradition, custom, societal norms, scientific findings, or civil law, as all these can err and be corrupted; only God's inherent Word stands unchanged.
Beede emphasized that the doctrine of marriage serves as a building block within systematic theology, necessitating a review of prior studies. It is grounded in:
• The Doctrine of God (Theology Proper): God is described as living, independent, self-existent, efficient, powerful, and sovereign, possessing absolute freedom to act according to His will. His goodness, benevolence, love, mercy, grace, and patience were also highlighted.
• The Nature of the Trinity: The Trinity is a unity and a perfect society, characterized by eternal fellowship, union, and communion. It is a "functional complimentarian society" or "functional subordinationism," where God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are absolutely equal in attributes but possess distinct functional roles. This inherent order within the Trinity is presented as "very important for the understanding of Christian marriage".
• The Purpose of Man: Man's chief purpose is to glorify God in his nature, character, and essence, by willingly serving and worshipping Him. Man was created to reflect God's image, both individually and corporately, and to function as God's agent on earth.
Ultimately, marriage is presented as a reflection of the Trinity/Godhead and a type of Christ and the church. It is also essential for carrying out God's directive to "be fruitful and multiply" and "fill the earth," a command that logically requires both man and woman. The biblical commands concerning marriage, though potentially offensive to modern sensibilities, are not arbitrary but are "absolutely consistent with God's nature, with his character, with the nature and the essence of the trinity and with the purpose for which man was created".
The session concluded with the intent to continue discussing the biblical injunctions for marriage in the following week, before transitioning to the doctrine of the church.