26.1 As Bible-believing Christians and Messianics we are forced to address the fact that the Scriptures also endorse and protect a more complex form of marriage which was practiced extensively by the ancients.

26.2 As part of our mandate to be scripturally honest and thorough like the New Testament Bereans we are therefore obliged to make a detailed study of these scriptures and the history of Israel both for the sake of the small minority of maturer believers called to live this way in the last days and for the sake of those who are already living this way in non-Western cultures when they convert to the Messiah so that they may live this principle righteously and honourably.

26.3 This complex or multiple form of Holy Echad Marriage (as opposed to the simpler monogamous form which the vast majority should be adhering to) we call Uni-Plural Echad Marriage (UPEM) or simply Plural Echad Marriage (PEM) or Complex Echad Marriage (CEM) as opposed to Monogamous Echad Marriage (MEM) or Simple Echad Marriage (SEM) - both come under the umbrella of Holy Echad Marriage (HEM), MEM being the first stage of the development into PEM.

26.4 We use these terms to clearly distinguish what the scriptures teach from what is otherwise known as 'polygamy' or 'polygyny' as practiced by Muslims, Fundamentalist Mormons, Christian Polygamists, and others.

26.5 Our purpose is not to encourage or promote multiple marriage (we actively discourage it) as some ideal or superior lifestyle for this age (because it isn't - this age is not ready to receive it), neither do we believe it is necessary for salvation or some mythical 'exaltation' (as fundamentalist Mormons teach).

26.6 All marriage is simply a returning to what existed before we were born (see Pre-existence).