If all of those that condone the use of masturbation would please stop trying to pick a fight with FloatingAxe and respond to any of the Scripture I presented, I would greatly appreciate it. If the desire here is really to seek the truth of God's Word on the matter and not just flaunt personal opinions and exonerate personal behavior then let's go to God's Word already. I have set before all of you numerous Biblical passages, none of which have been addressed other than by a poor synopsis that was claimed to summise what Scripture was saying, but failed horribly to do so. Read all the verses and listen to what they teach. For those of you that are going on about "self-gratification" and tea and back-scratches pay attention to Galatians 5:16-21. I don't see how tea or back-scratching can be involved. You are right so far as stating that a claim that masturbation is self-gratifying makes it sinful is flawed and flat out incorrect. The problem is when you take pleasure in things listed as "against the Spirit." Which is obviously the Spirit that dwells within us and should be serving as our Helper and guide. Self-denial is not the goal that pleases the Lord, especially when most here are viewing self-denial as self-deprivation, self-degradation or self-punishment in areas such as necessities for survival (i.e. food) and torturing one's own body (obviously condemned by other verses I have shown about the importance of our physical bodies to the Lord). It is about living a transformed life in the Spirit, instead of a decrepit lifestyle in the flesh. When it comes to denying the desires of the flesh (self-denial in such a sense), OF COURSE THAT PLEASES THE LORD! It means we are living in response to His Holy Spirit, renewed and regenerated beings that we are. The feeble attempts to avoid the true issue need to stop if the goal of this forum is truly to help a brother in Christ with a question concerning what Scripture teaches about a certain act. None of us decide what is sinful. Sin exists because God exists. His standard of perfection set out by His attribute of Holiness makes sin an inevitable reprocussion (in our fallen state). So, if you want to help answer a brother's question stop determining with your own biases what you want to call sin or not and start determining with God's Word. This is not directed at any specific side of this argument or individual, but rather the entire forum. A brother asks for insight on sin and we give opinions? This should not be brothers and sisters. How can this be? Please, please, let us edify one another as Scripture calls for, not be stirrers up of dissension. If fellow brothers do not believe that the claims of Scripture make a case against masturbation, that is truly fine with me, but please just take the time to consider and consult God's Word, and respond to such verses as I have shown. I ask this simply to see from another brother what it is he sees Scripture to be saying. That's all I ask, not for agreement or anything else. I will leave this forum praising God for the ability to discuss the teachings of His Word with other brothers and sisters if I am the only one who leaves believing it's a sin or if I am shown through His Word and His Spirit that it is not and can leave here with such a claim as it is a "freedom in Christ" (Romans 14). So, in all this, let us not be divisive if we happen to be in discord. There need not be disunity because there is disagreement. Let us love and respect one another as brothers and sisters even if we do not see eye to eye on all matters. If we believe on Christ as our Savior, then we are His Church and His Body, there is no division in Him.
Ephesians 2:13-16
"But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the emnity, which is the Law of commandements contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by having put to death the enmity."
Ephesians 4:14-25
As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their undersatnding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have give themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another."
Much love in Christ.
