The United States Supreme Court legislated Western culture’s opinion of homosexuality by legalizing homosexual marriage in 2015 (also called same-sex marriage or same-gender marriage). This decision caused a great challenge for the Christian churches throughout the West. Should the Christian churches and denominations follow Western culture and the law by affirming homosexual ‘marriage,’ or should they reaffirm the traditional beliefs of the church and denounce homosexual ‘marriage.’ To help churches and Christians decide whether to affirm homosexual marriage or denounce it as sinful, this article will answer the question whether or not homosexual ‘marriage’ can be considered marriage according to the Bible.
Homosexual ‘marriage’ is not considered marriage according to the Bible for three reasons. First, marriage is between a man and a woman. Second, homosexual marriage cannot fulfill the purpose of marriage. Finally, homosexual couples are unable to engage in God-sanctioned sexual conduct.
1. Marriage is a Union between a Man (male) and a Woman (female)
In Genesis 2:18, God declares that “It is not good that the man should alone.” As such, God creates a person who corresponds to the man to be his helper, his companion (Gen 2:18–23). That person is woman. The woman who is created for man is not the same as man, evidenced by the statement that she corresponds to him (2:18) and by the declaration that she will be called “Woman” (2:23).
After woman is created, Moses, the author of Genesis, states that since the woman was made from man, “a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (2:24). The one flesh union, which refers to marriage (Matt 19:1–9; Mark 10:2–12; Eph 5:22–33), is clearly stated to be between a man and a woman, not two men and not two women. That marriage is between a man and a woman is assumed throughout the rest of the Bible (both OT and NT).
Thus, homosexual marriage is not considered marriage because marriage as the Bible understands it is a union between a man (male) and a woman (female). For more information on Genesis 2:18–24 as it relates to marriage, see my article “What is Marriage and Its Purpose according to the Bible?”
2. Homosexual Marriage Cannot Fulfill the Purpose of Marriage
According to the Bible, the purpose of marriage is reproduction (Gen 2:18–24) and imaging Jesus and the church (Eph 5:22–33). For a detailed look at the purpose of marriage and how I came to my conclusions, see my article on the purpose of marriage. In this section, I want to interact with some conclusions from that article.
The first purpose of marriage is to reproduce, that is, to have children. Homosexual ‘married’ couples are unable to reproduce. As discussed in “What is Marriage and Its Purpose?” the woman supplies what the man lacks to fulfill God’s mandate to humanity to reproduce; she supplies the eggs. The man supplies what the woman lacks to fulfill God’s mandate to humanity to reproduce; he supplies the semen. Homosexual couples are simply not able to reproduce (regardless of what popular culture claims). They may adopt, but that is not reproduction. Thus, homosexual ‘marriages’ are unable to fulfill God’s first purpose for marriage.
The second purpose of marriage is to image Jesus and the church, the gospel. The husband is supposed to love his wife like Jesus loved and loves the church, while the wife is supposed to submit to her husband in all things like the church submits to Jesus (Eph 5:22–33). For a more detailed analysis of Ephesians 5:22–33 and the purpose of marriage, again see my article “What is Marriage and Its Purpose?”
Homosexual ‘marriages’ are unable to fulfill this second purpose of marriage because it distorts the gospel. Homosexual marriages destroy the very real distinction between Jesus and the church. The church is not equal to Jesus and does not have authority over Jesus. Jesus is the head of the church and, thus, the husband is the head of the wife. However, homosexual ‘marriage’ distorts the roles and authority of Jesus and the church by eliminating husband headship and wife submission. Homosexual marriages essentially tell the world that there are two Jesus’ or two churches and that there is no distinction between Jesus and the church, which is opposite the clear teachings of the New Testament. Thus, homosexual ‘marriages’ are unable to fulfill God’s second purpose for marriage.
3. Homosexual Sex is Considered Sexual Immorality
A key aspect of marriage is sexual intercourse. Married couples have sex. Sex within a biblical marriage is considered good and right (1 Cor 7:3–5). In fact, the apostle Paul encourages men and women to marry so that they can have sex and avoid sexual immorality (1 Cor 7:2, 8–9; see my article “Five Reasons Christians Should Marry”). However, when two people from the same sex (male-male or female-female) engage in sexual conduct of any sort it is considered sexual immorality (Lev 18:22; 20:13; Rom 1:18–32; 1 Cor 6:9–11; 1 Tim 1:8–11; also see my article entitled “Is Homosexuality a Sin according to the Bible?” and “What Is Sexual Immorality according to the Bible”). Thus, homosexual ‘marriage’ is not considered marriage because the homosexual couple is engaged in regular and intentional sexual immorality by engaging in homosexual sexual conduct. If sex in a ‘marriage’ is unsanctioned by God and is considered immorality, then the ‘marriage’ is not a marriage according to the Bible.
Summary and Concluding Remarks
According to the Bible, homosexual ‘marriage’ is not considered marriage for three reasons. First, marriage is between a man and a woman, not between two people of the same sex (male-male or female-female). Second, homosexual marriage cannot fulfill the purpose of marriage, which is to reproduce and to image Christ and the church. Finally, homosexual couples who are ‘married’ are unable to engage in God-sanctioned sexual conduct; all sexual conduct between two people of the same sex is considered sexual immorality according to the Bible.
Because homosexual ‘marriage’ is not marriage according to the Bible, churches and Christians should not endorse it. Rather, they should denounce it as sexual immorality and attempt to lead the couple engaged in the immoral relationship to repent (end the immoral relationship) and believe in Jesus, his death and resurrection, so that their sins will be forgiven, their relationship with God restored, and so that they will enter the kingdom of God.
Further, I do not believe churches or Christians should refer to homosexual ‘marriage’ as marriage; the word ‘marriage’ should never be used. Labelling an immoral relationship as ‘marriage’ is a form of endorsing it and speaking of it as if it is good and right. I have encountered many young Christians (younger than 30) who believe homosexuality is good and right because the homosexual couple is ‘married.’ Using the term ‘marriage’ has tricked them into thinking homosexuality is good and right in the sight of God if the couple is committed to each other. When these young Christians learn that a homosexual ‘marriage’ is not marriage in any way, shape, or form they are surprised.
Sinful Western culture has indoctrinated our youth into endorsing sin by labelling it as good. In the case of homosexuality, Western culture has used the term ‘marriage’ to endorse it. In doing so, Western culture has led many young people who grew up in the church away from Jesus and away from the church. Churches need to fight back by labelling what the Bible calls sin as sin and educating all Christians in truth.