Is Masturbation a sin?

[Steven Wood]

Yes, and I think that is a sign of living under oppression. If Jesus freed us, we should feel free and joyful.

Joy comes with obedience, but joy can only come also with hope and faith. And if we are living too harshly on one side or the other, we will not have our joy.

I think we should start collecting verses that speak about the sinners in the Bible, all the gamut of sinning. From the OT to the NT, from the prophets and the writings to Jesus and Paul. And see where it all falls out. I have not formally studied this but have stumbled upon this sin construct enough that it has caught my attention.

But I don't believe living just in faith with Jesus is enough either. I believe in living out the Law. I have a friend who always says, "We are not under law anymore". But actually we are. We are under Jesus and Jesus illustrates the perfect law, so we are still under the law, it is just buffered by Jesus. We cannot hide behind Jesus and claim ignorance of what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes we can know and have the grace of Jesus but sometimes we need more specific instructions to know what is right and wrong.

However, for all the speaking everyone does of being a SINNER it seems contrary to how the same people are also the ones who claim we are not 'under the law' anymore. Where I am going with this is that when we do not stick with the boundaries we need and have been given by God to know right from wrong, and just claim Jesus' grace is enough, it really is not enough for us; we feel like sinners because we are shunning the law! We should feel like sinners.

But if we do both: if we first accept and have faith in Jesus, and then live under the law as given by Him and the Father and the Holy Spirit, then we will feel like the righteous and holy army that God had made us to be.

First off. I agree with most of what you are saying. In Matthew 5:17 Jesus clearly says He hasn't come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. Even more so, in Mathew 5:21 he goes even further and adds to the law to an extremity. Now the one thing that I disagree with you on is about living under oppression. I may be reading you wrong. I agree about living too harshly one way or the other. In my opinion and this is where people think I go into a conspiracy nut rant but Luciferianism a long time ago (and I won't delve into it but there is miles and miles of proof) indoctrinated itself into every aspect of every religion on earth. Christianity being the main and hardest hit. If for any reason at all only to make the religion seem so much harder than it really is to follow and stay true to so people not only fall away but they look down on Christians and want nothing to do with Christ at all seeing us Him and His followers as a joke. The only True joy in life and even though it sounds very depressing is to work hard as though you are working for the LORD, not men, Serve your neighbor and fulfill every request will love and sincerity, and expect nothing in return. By doing this and this alone, you'll receive true contentment and peace therefore gaining a truly joyful heart.

 

[dayhiker]

Satan .. I've found the more I tune into God and loving God the less I car about Satan. Besides he can only be in one place at one time and I doubt he spends much time worrying about me. I really don't think Satan is concern whether we touch or not. Satan is concern with what we think about Jesus and wants us to do things that hurt other people whether its with our words or with a rifle that that guy did yesterday. Masturbations doesn't hurt anyone unless they think its a sin and/or are denying their wife the sexual love she deserves.

Oninism ... has nothing to do with masturbation in my mind. It was all about he made the commitment to raise up children to receive their father's inheritance. But he was having sex with his brothers wife as he was suppose but not getting her pregnant so that he could steal his brothers inheritance and give it to his sons. Im my mind there is no comparison in those two, one is breaking one of the 10 commandments to not steal and the other is not breaking any law of God.

masturbation is a selfish fleshly desire and therefore sin. Yes its selfish, I do selfish things all day long: I eat, I drink, I walk, I sleep, I go for rides in my car, I look at the trees around my house. I do those things because they bless me. I don't know anyone to gets anything form me for doing any of those things. Fleshy not that isn't the desire to eat and drink or even to have sex. Our flesh as as Paul uses it is a desire in use to sin, to do things like kill people, to steal their goods, to humiliate them with our words, to steal their wife to forsake God by cursing his name and not worshiping him. There isn't sin some thing that is almost sin, like our flesh or being worldly and being good. No there is sin and not sin, there is loving God and not loving God there is loving people and not loving people. Example, I heard watching football was a worldly activity. So I asked is it a sin to watch football? No. To be worldly is to sin, that is steal, kill, and destroy; not to play cards, got to the movies and watch TV.

 

[Steven Wood]

Righteousness which we acquire purely through the fact that we are washed free of ALL sin by the blood of Jesus Christ, have His Holy Spirit in us, and thus we are righteous in the eyes of God? We do not have to try anything. You will want to, of course. But we do not have to. You can't do the same sin over and over and say "Look God, I'm doing sin, forgive me in five minutes please." which would mean that you probably haven't really accepted the Holy Spirit, which is why it would be quite disastrous if masturbation were a sin.

Can you please explain the comment in further detail. I agree about the sinning over and over, this is why I believe that the Eucharist leads many many Christians astray and they don't even know it. Masturbation on the other hand. Please people, c'mon, you don't have to do years and years of research, go to a divinity school, or even learn Hebrew to have your eyes opened and learn that it's a sin. The only thing I can ask is this. Do you believe it's not because you've studied on it thoroughly, or do you believe it's not because you're convicted and really don't want it to be a sin because then you'd feel guilty and have to stop doing something you don't want to. Plainly, for example and please don't just dismiss me, please have an open mind and think about it. It took me a long time and a lot of studying and research to come to my results and beliefs. If you think on it and about it instead of just saying I'm wrong. How many things in the world for example not only sexually based like adultery, bestiality, Incest, Homosexuality, even the minor of the things like intercourse with a step parent or sibling, just someone related by marriage, not even by blood. They are all in the Bible yes and Masturbation is out so it must be ok right? Well Gambling is in the Bible but not looked on as a sin, but We know that it is a sin because many consider it a disease. Anything, and I do mean anything that focuses on yourself is a sin. Plain and simple. It says it over and over in the Bible. Masturbation is a purely selfish act. I don't ay that to condemn anyone. I throw myself in the same boat, under the same bus. I'm just as guilty, and if I say that in learning what I have I've repented and will no longer be bound by that sin then I've committed another sin just then. Please open your minds and really stop to think before you automatically make a decision. It IS a sin. Sex was made to feel good and to be a pleasure but a pleasure shared between you and your spouse. To show each other the ultimate love and dedication to each other. To make each other feel so loved and special that your hearts explode. That is what it's supposed to be not just a brief carnal feeling. Again I don't mean to condemn I just hope I can get some to really think before deciding.

 

[dayhiker]

Well, I personally spend 3 years studying what the Bible said about sexuality and marriage. Plus I read the history of what the church has said was sexual sin and what wasn't sexual sin. Then I read what the cultures around the Israel: Greek, Roman and Stoic said in their writings. I studied the history of the Greek works and what they became in Latin and then into English and of course some Hebrew.

My conclusion was that masturbation isn't a sin. I've only been tempted to call it a sin when men told me it was a sin when I was young and figured they knew more than I knew. More people touch than any other activity called sin in the Bible. If God wanted us to think it was sin, I've not doubt he could have told us.

 

[J. Bleize]

Can you please explain the comment in further detail. I agree about the sinning over and over, this is why I believe that the Eucharist leads many many Christians astray and they don't even know it. Masturbation on the other hand. Please people, c'mon, you don't have to do years and years of research, go to a divinity school, or even learn Hebrew to have your eyes opened and learn that it's a sin. The only thing I can ask is this. Do you believe it's not because you've studied on it thoroughly, or do you believe it's not because you're convicted and really don't want it to be a sin because then you'd feel guilty and have to stop doing something you don't want to. Plainly, for example and please don't just dismiss me, please have an open mind and think about it. It took me a long time and a lot of studying and research to come to my results and beliefs. If you think on it and about it instead of just saying I'm wrong. How many things in the world for example not only sexually based like adultery, bestiality, Incest, Homosexuality, even the minor of the things like intercourse with a step parent or sibling, just someone related by marriage, not even by blood. They are all in the Bible yes and Masturbation is out so it must be ok right? Well Gambling is in the Bible but not looked on as a sin, but We know that it is a sin because many consider it a disease. Anything, and I do mean anything that focuses on yourself is a sin. Plain and simple. It says it over and over in the Bible. Masturbation is a purely selfish act. I don't ay that to condemn anyone. I throw myself in the same boat, under the same bus. I'm just as guilty, and if I say that in learning what I have I've repented and will no longer be bound by that sin then I've committed another sin just then. Please open your minds and really stop to think before you automatically make a decision. It IS a sin. Sex was made to feel good and to be a pleasure but a pleasure shared between you and your spouse. To show each other the ultimate love and dedication to each other. To make each other feel so loved and special that your hearts explode. That is what it's supposed to be not just a brief carnal feeling. Again I don't mean to condemn I just hope I can get some to really think before deciding.

Well essentially I believe that masturbation isn't a sin, due to lack of Biblical proof that does not merely insinuate something vague. It could be a sin. It's something that most men do, like lying, which is one of the most destructive sins (which is why I called masturbation as sin a destructive thing, however I don't think it's sin) It sounds to me like a matter of opinion, and there is nothing opinionated when it comes to sin. It's a sin or it isn't. So I'm caught here between the two options, not really knowing what I should believe. However, God did once tell me after I felt guilty that I had masturbated "You don't have to give in to temptation. You really don't have to. It's your choice, just remember that I am always with you." and after that I haven't been tempted again.

 

[Steven Wood]

Well, I personally spend 3 years studying what the Bible said about sexuality and marriage. Plus I read the history of what the church has said was sexual sin and what wasn't sexual sin. Then I read what the cultures around the Israel: Greek, Roman and Stoic said in their writings. I studied the history of the Greek works and what they became in Latin and then into English and of course some Hebrew.

My conclusion was that masturbation isn't a sin. I've only been tempted to call it a sin when men told me it was a sin when I was young and figured they knew more than I knew. More people touch than any other activity called sin in the Bible. If God wanted us to think it was sin, I've not doubt he could have told us.

I respect that you've done so much studying. Anyone that puts that much dedication and conviction into learning about a topic has my utmost respect. I'm glad to see people that keep their minds open to things and who are willing to put the time in to research things. May I ask you. Can you research Luke 22:31, Isiah 29:15-16 , The Apocryphal acts of peter.Please also research 1 Kings and how Solomon turned away from the Lord GOD so turned to worshiping false gods and idols, which in turn has corrupted Israel today. Knowledge and study is a very very good thing and an excellent place to start but there also has to be prayer and discernment in study or else the Bible can and will be interpreted falsely.

 

[Steven Wood]

Satan .. I've found the more I tune into God and loving God the less I car about Satan. Besides he can only be in one place at one time and I doubt he spends much time worrying about me. I really don't think Satan is concern whether we touch or not. Satan is concern with what we think about Jesus and wants us to do things that hurt other people whether its with our words or with a rifle that that guy did yesterday. Masturbations doesn't hurt anyone unless they think its a sin and/or are denying their wife the sexual love she deserves.

Oninism ... has nothing to do with masturbation in my mind. It was all about he made the commitment to raise up children to receive their father's inheritance. But he was having sex with his brothers wife as he was suppose but not getting her pregnant so that he could steal his brothers inheritance and give it to his sons. Im my mind there is no comparison in those two, one is breaking one of the 10 commandments to not steal and the other is not breaking any law of God.

masturbation is a selfish fleshly desire and therefore sin. Yes its selfish, I do selfish things all day long: I eat, I drink, I walk, I sleep, I go for rides in my car, I look at the trees around my house. I do those things because they bless me. I don't know anyone to gets anything form me for doing any of those things. Fleshy not that isn't the desire to eat and drink or even to have sex. Our flesh as as Paul uses it is a desire in use to sin, to do things like kill people, to steal their goods, to humiliate them with our words, to steal their wife to forsake God by cursing his name and not worshiping him. There isn't sin some thing that is almost sin, like our flesh or being worldly and being good. No there is sin and not sin, there is loving God and not loving God there is loving people and not loving people. Example, I heard watching football was a worldly activity. So I asked is it a sin to watch football? No. To be worldly is to sin, that is steal, kill, and destroy; not to play cards, got to the movies and watch TV.

I agree with you wholeheartedly but I do have to say this to you though I'm not an extremist to any degree whatsoever. Yes this world has changed and unfortunately we have to change to live in it. Romans 12:2 though says be not conformed but transformed. Though in a reality we could not live in these days like Jesus did. Do you see either him or to that matter any even later apostles wasting their time watching football or going to the movies? Although I know of no single person on the face of this earth with the dedication to live their full lives preaching the word of GOD. That is what we were commanded to do. and nowhere is it stated to "take some time off and catch the 49er's game. As for Drinking, eating, walking, sleeping. You can't compare those. They are all needed to be done to survive and they serve a needed purpose. Admiring a tree is Finding peace enjoying the innocent beauty in GOD's creation. Stealing, killing, An assault on others, is a blatant attack on another human being. and a sin.

 

[Purge187]

The Bible time and again condemns sleeping with another person's spouse, homosexuality and fornication, but is silent on the issue of masturbation. Just sayin'.

 

[dayhiker]

I respect that you've done so much studying. Anyone that puts that much dedication and conviction into learning about a topic has my utmost respect. I'm glad to see people that keep their minds open to things and who are willing to put the time in to research things. May I ask you. Can you research Luke 22:31, Isiah 29:15-16 , The Apocryphal acts of peter.Please also research 1 Kings and how Solomon turned away from the Lord GOD so turned to worshiping false gods and idols, which in turn has corrupted Israel today. Knowledge and study is a very very good thing and an excellent place to start but there also has to be prayer and discernment in study or else the Bible can and will be interpreted falsely.

Yes, Steven, One of the main themes of the Bible is that all people should forsake the the worshipping dead idols and worship the living God.

 

[dayhiker]

I agree with you wholeheartedly but I do have to say this to you though I'm not an extremist to any degree whatsoever. Yes this world has changed and unfortunately we have to change to live in it. Romans 12:2 though says be not conformed but transformed. Though in a reality we could not live in these days like Jesus did. Do you see either him or to that matter any even later apostles wasting their time watching football or going to the movies? Although I know of no single person on the face of this earth with the dedication to live their full lives preaching the word of GOD. That is what we were commanded to do. and nowhere is it stated to "take some time off and catch the 49er's game. As for Drinking, eating, walking, sleeping. You can't compare those. They are all needed to be done to survive and they serve a needed purpose. Admiring a tree is Finding peace enjoying the innocent beauty in GOD's creation. Stealing, killing, An assault on others, is a blatant attack on another human being. and a sin.

Yes, as you state our world is so different than the ancient world in every aspect of our life that it is pretty hard for us to put ourself into their world. But I think we can get a few baseline things that can help is a little.
One they had very limited light. So after dark there was limited activity. As of even 150 years ago people often sleep 9 hrs while we are often down around 7 hrs.
Paul talked about training for the athletic events was a little value. He didn't say they were of no value or were a sin.
It seems all societies gave a lot of respect to people that could tell a good story and so they would sit around as different people told those stories.
Very few people can be productive all the time. Most of us need maintenance time to live a healthy life. I know when I used to work ever spare second for God
I didn't enjoy my relationship with God. Indeed, ministers who work too many hours for God end up burning out.

So yes, I do think Jesus and the apostles would spend some time watching football or boating or going to the county fair depending on what their interest is.

 

[Steven Wood]

Yes, as you state our world is so different than the ancient world in every aspect of our life that it is pretty hard for us to put ourself into their world. But I think we can get a few baseline things that can help is a little.
One they had very limited light. So after dark there was limited activity. As of even 150 years ago people often sleep 9 hrs while we are often down around 7 hrs.
Paul talked about training for the athletic events was a little value. He didn't say they were of no value or were a sin.
It seems all societies gave a lot of respect to people that could tell a good story and so they would sit around as different people told those stories.
Very few people can be productive all the time. Most of us need maintenance time to live a healthy life. I know when I used to work ever spare second for God
I didn't enjoy my relationship with God. Indeed, ministers who work too many hours for God end up burning out.

So yes, I do think Jesus and the apostles would spend some time watching football or boating or going to the county fair depending on what their interest is.

I do agree with you. Down time is much needed in every aspect of life. But I still really don't see the disciples or Jesus' Down time as wasted time. Even when they were relaxing there time would have purpose of some sort. Whether purposely or not. For example not saying that I do this because I don't. I'm a sinner, of the world, no better than the lowest but only for example. I'm a musician. In my downtime while relaxing, I like to play some music with my buddies, chill out by a campfire and have a beer. In my thoughts, If Jesus were around, and I guitar player like myself, While he was relaxing. He'd be hanging out, playing his guitar around the fire, but unlike me instead of playing a lot of secular song, I believe he'd be playing songs exalting to the father, at that father and at that time, he'd be singing a few and someone in desperate need would be walking by and would edified from his music. That's my opinion though. I don't know. I just don't see any needed down time being a waste of time.

 

[dayhiker]

I don't see down time as wasted time either. I could see Jesus playing fock songs!

 

[Dave-W]

Is everyone going to ignore the fact that Satan probably licks his lips when he sees someone masturbating?

Where on earth did you get that idea?

 

[ken777]

I don't see down time as wasted time either. I could see Jesus playing fock songs!

I did a double take when I read that - I guess you mean folk songs.

 

[ken777]

The Bible time and again condemns sleeping with another person's spouse, homosexuality and fornication, but is silent on the issue of masturbation. Just sayin'.

I suppose that might depend on how you interpret 1 Thes 4:4

"each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable"

.​

 

[Dave-W]

Satan enjoys disruption he enjoys people having heated discussions and having tempers rage.The best thing he likes is that you are not close with GOD or your family. GOD is the only one that can judge it is not ours to do. Satan did not create sex GOD did.

If the devil is salivating over this issue, is is because of the bind he can put people into over it; The guilt he can use to paralyze our youngest and most vulnerable believers who end up caught between bodily desires that can drive you crazy and the constant preaching that M is one of the ultimate evils. That person becomes of little use to advancing the Kingdom of the Lord.

YES it can be misused. So can every other good gift. Cars can get us to and from where we need to go. They can also be used as a weapon of deadly force. Fire can cook food and generate electricity. It can also kill people. So the fact that M can be misused does not make it inherently sinful.

One thing most of evangelical and fundy Christianity is weak on is understanding the Law of Moses.
As far as sexual mores go, the Law of Moses is quite good. IT pulls no punches and is not shy of condemning any and all perversions. It prohibits many things that HE considers wrong and many things that were symbolic of pagan worship practices. Male masturbation was an act of worship in ancient Egypt as their cosmology had the universe being created by their supreme god masturbating. (our world was the 'product') There are hundreds of hieroglyphs showing the big M. Probably Hebrew slaves were made to draw many of them.

So why did the Law of Moses not even mention it? The only reason I can think of is that God allows it for times when marital relations are not possible.

 

[Cearbhall]

Is everyone going to ignore the fact that Satan probably licks his lips when he sees someone masturbating? I can even imagine him lending a hand.

Now there's a mental image I didn't need.

 

[ken777]

So why did the Law of Moses not even mention it? The only reason I can think of is that God allows it for times when marital relations are not possible.

There is mention in the law of nocturnal emission:
If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there. But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp. (Deut 23:10-11, NIV)
So do you think masturbation would also have made a man unclean under the Law?

.

 

[dayhiker]

I did a double take when I read that - I guess you mean folk songs.

Yes, ken ... thank for catching my type.

 

[dayhiker]

There is mention in the law of nocturnal emission:
If one of your men is unclean because of a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the camp and stay there. But as evening approaches he is to wash himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp. (Deut 23:10-11, NIV)
So do you think masturbation would also have made a man unclean under the Law?.

1 Cor.1:30 says that Jesus is my righteousness.
Its like the woman at the well. She was unclean because she had an issue of blood. So when she reached out to touch Jesus, if it had been any other man, that man would have become unclean. But it was Jesus she touch and instead of Him becoming unclean Jesus made her clean. So it is when Jesus has touch our life, He makes us clean and what we touch also becomes clean thru Him. This is why Paul tells the Gentiles they are not under the Jewish law. This is what we are whole, sanctified, holly etc in Christ not by trying to obey the law because no one could obey the law. Jesus is our righteousness, praise God.