Scripture shows us that Christ has removed the following key barriers to accepting same-sex marriage:

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• Replacement of the strict letter of the of the old law with the new higher law of Christ’s love

• The gradual end of the gendered complementary marriage model

• The gradual return to a fully equal life partnership model of marriage that Adam and Eve enjoyed before the Fall

• Baby-making is no longer expected from marriage (although by implication marriage should be a suitable place in which to bring up any children)

• Sex within marriage can and should be enjoyed for its own sake

 

In Ruth and Naomi and Jonathan and David the Old Testament give us two stand-out examples of same-sex relationships which appear to have bonds as close as, or even closer than, many male/females marriages, and similar to the original kenegedo ezer marriage model we see in Adam and Eve before the Fall: like-minded, equal help-mates, life-bonded to each other, doing life together.

 

After the death of her husband, the Moabite widow Ruth refuses to leave her now childless widowed mother-in-law, Naomi, when she journeys back to Israel. She is described as “clinging to” Naomi – using the very same Hebrew word  used in Genesis 2 to describe how a man will leave his parents to “cling to” his wife and the two become “one flesh”, i.e., close kins. Ruth makes a covenant vow to Naomi, which shares many elements of a marriage vow.

 

In David and Jonathan we see the closest, most loving of male friendships. They also exchanged vows and it was said that “Jonathan loved David as his own soul " (1 Samuel 18:3). After Jonathan’s death, David says of their friendship, “I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.” He was effectively saying his bond to Jonathan felt stronger than his bond to his various wives. And he was still so affected by their love that years later he went out of his way to find the sole surviving descendant of Jonathan’s (Mephibosheth) so that he could accept him into his royal household.

 

There may or may not have been a sexual attraction between David and Jonathan and nothing suggests any physical sexual relationship. However, in all other respects their relationship had the hallmarks of the original marriage that we saw in Adam and Eve before the Fall: equal, like-minded soul mates, helping and supporting each other, permanently covenant-bonded in a close kinship union like they were “brothers” - “one flesh” as the Hebrews would have understood it.

 

The relationships between Ruth and Naomi and David and Jonathan were plutonic, but they surely show us there’s no need to have a “complementary” man and woman to form a “one flesh” union of equal partners.  This suggests two men or two women should be able to from such unions.

 

I believe the New Testament also gives us examples of plutonic relationships pointing towards same-sex marriage. We see this in Jesus’s very close relationships with his 12 disciples, especially his three nearest and dearest friends, Peter, James and John, who shared his most intimate highs and lows. We also see this in Jesus’s relationship with all believers. All God’s people, both men and women, are seen as being in a “one flesh” union with Christ as part of his body (Ephesians 5)

 

So, Scripture testifies that God recognises people of the same sex are able to form the very closest of kinship bonds, as close as marriage. So, should we be surprised if same-sex couples are able to form permanent life-enhancing partnerships that appear equivalent to marriage? And, if so, on what basis are we barring them from marriage? And if they can be married, on what basis should we deny them the right to enjoy sex together?