Pastor Terrie Beede's "Studies in Theology" series continued with The Doctrine of The Church Part 9: The Doctrine of Marriage – Corruption and Restoration, anchored in the minister's charge from 1 Timothy 4:16 to "take heed unto thyself and unto the doctrine" for personal and congregational salvation. This session marked the second part of the study on marriage, emphasizing that doctrine is a living and vital aspect of faith. Due to the sensitive nature of the content, the audio for this specific message was restricted to the sanctuary, though recordings were made available.
The session began with a brief review of foundational theological concepts, including the nature and character of God, His attributes, and the nature of the Trinity. The Calvary Chapel Milwaukee's statement of faith on marriage served as the guiding text, asserting that marriage is "exclusively the legal and spiritual union of one man and one woman, and that legitimate biblical sexual relations are exercised solely within marriage". The statement explicitly identifies various sexual activities (e.g., adultery, fornication, homosexuality, pedophilia) and behaviors (e.g., pornography, gender alteration) as inconsistent with biblical teaching. The detailed and "legalistic" phrasing of this article was noted as a necessary response to the "legal climate and culture of our time".
A central principle reiterated was that the doctrine of marriage 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 derived from 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 remains unchanged.
Beede emphasized that the doctrine of marriage serves as a building block within systematic theology, grounded in prior studies such as:
• The Doctrine of God (Theology Proper): God is described as living, independent, self-existent, efficient, powerful, and sovereign, possessing absolute freedom, goodness, benevolence, love, mercy, grace, and patience.
• The Nature of the Trinity: A "unity" and "perfect society" characterized by eternal fellowship, union, and communion. The Trinity is a "functional complimentarian society" or "functional subordinationism," meaning God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are "absolutely equal in all of their attributes" but have "distinct functional roles," which is "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 fulfilling 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 would then move to discussing the "corruption of marriage" and the "biblical injunctions which are also the steps that God has taken to toward the restoration of marriage".
This session, part of the larger study of the church's ordinances (which also include baptism and the Lord's Supper), was set to be followed by further discussions on the "ministries of the church" and "purposes of the church" before concluding the Doctrine of the Church and transitioning to "the doctrines of hell and then the return of Jesus Christ".