Is Masturbation a Sin?
Many people have debated whether masturbation is wrong or right due to the fact that the Bible is silent on the subject, but do we really need the Bible to clarify this subject for us? The main point of the argument lies in the theory that masturbation substitutes fornication and helps prevent the sin of fornication.
This is an error. First of all, a person masturbates because of a strong desire to be sexually satisfied. Colossians 3:5 warns, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire."
Sexual gratification is ordained by God to serve within marriage. Any sexual gratification outside marriage is a sin and cannot be justified. But if we look deeper; there are a few things we must see here:
How can a Christian substitute a sexual craving with something sexual?
God does not want us to substitute our carnal desires; He asks us to kill them.
When we masturbate we are still sexually pleasured just as it would be in actual fornication, therefore there is no difference; we still fall victim to our fleshy desires.
Our intention may be right that we would rather masturbate than fall into actual fornication, yet, it is because we cannot control ourselves to bring our fleshy desires under subjection that we therefore use substitutes. This violates the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is... self-control.”
Masturbation may include mental imagery and graphical fantasies (Matt 5:28-29), so the question is placed, “what if no illicit fantasies are included in masturbation; is the act still sinful? The answer is Yes! Colossians 3:5, “So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire...”
Also, masturbation is a sexual addiction. All addictions are sin. Romans 6:16, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Part of the fruit of the Spirit is self control, which is also mentioned in 1Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control.” Being addicted to masturbation is not disciplining your flesh and bringing it under control. Ephesians 4:19, "Since they have lost all sense of shame, they have abandoned themselves to sensuality and practice every kind of sexual perversion without restraint."
Galatians 5:19, “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity,”
Many people have debated whether masturbation is wrong or right due to the fact that the Bible is silent on the subject, but do we really need the Bible to clarify this subject for us? The main point of the argument lies in the theory that masturbation substitutes fornication and helps prevent the sin of fornication.
This is an error. First of all, a person masturbates because of a strong desire to be sexually satisfied. Colossians 3:5 warns, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire."
Sexual gratification is ordained by God to serve within marriage. Any sexual gratification outside marriage is a sin and cannot be justified. But if we look deeper; there are a few things we must see here:
How can a Christian substitute a sexual craving with something sexual?
God does not want us to substitute our carnal desires; He asks us to kill them.
When we masturbate we are still sexually pleasured just as it would be in actual fornication, therefore there is no difference; we still fall victim to our fleshy desires.
Our intention may be right that we would rather masturbate than fall into actual fornication, yet, it is because we cannot control ourselves to bring our fleshy desires under subjection that we therefore use substitutes. This violates the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is... self-control.”
Masturbation may include mental imagery and graphical fantasies (Matt 5:28-29), so the question is placed, “what if no illicit fantasies are included in masturbation; is the act still sinful? The answer is Yes! Colossians 3:5, “So put to death your worldly impulses: sexual sin, impurity, passion, evil desire...”
Also, masturbation is a sexual addiction. All addictions are sin. Romans 6:16, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?" Part of the fruit of the Spirit is self control, which is also mentioned in 1Corinthians 9:27, “But I discipline my body and keep it under control.” Being addicted to masturbation is not disciplining your flesh and bringing it under control. Ephesians 4:19, "Since they have lost all sense of shame, they have abandoned themselves to sensuality and practice every kind of sexual perversion without restraint."
Galatians 5:19, “Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, promiscuity,”