Manual stimulation and self-gratification have become serious topics in the Christian community. Although taboo in today’s culture, many followers of Christ question themselves, “Is masturbation a sin in the bible?”
The scientific community sees masturbation as something helpful for people’s sexuality, but let’s look at the topic from a biblical point of view.
Contents
What Does The Bible Say About Masturbation?
In the context of the Bible, to masturbate and have lustful thoughts outside of marriage is against the kingdom of God. It is considered sinful, regardless of the purpose, whether it be birth control, done out of curiosity, or with the intent to induce orgasm.
In the Word of God, the term “masturbation” cannot be found in chapters or verses. However, the scriptures tell us about sexual immorality and lust as a form of sin, highlighted clearly in Matthew 5:28, Proverbs 6:25, and 1 Peter 4:3.
Men And Masturbation
It is not new to our knowledge that young men have far more sex drive than women. It then follows that men have more lustful thoughts towards the opposite gender.
Men and women have different physiology, but they are equally important. In the context of masturbation, men tend to rely on their imagination and sometimes put themselves in a simulated act of having sex with the opposite gender. Often, masturbation leads a person to a wrong perception of sex where people see women, even their own wives, as sexual objects rather than someone to be protected and loved as the Father intended.
This broken ideology of sex is reflected in today’s world through sex trafficking, pornography, and fantasies that don’t work the same way true love and marriage do.
Is Masturbation A Sin In The Bible For Married Couples?
People are most often divided in this area of sexuality. However, let’s go back directly to the point that masturbation is a sin, for it is self-stimulation to achieve sexual satisfaction. Masturbation without one’s spouse is a sexual sin[1].
On the other hand, some couples can use manual stimulation, especially for the woman during sex, to achieve sexual orgasm as it is a natural part of pure marital love.
God’s design of the genital organs includes the need for a husband and wife to have foreplay to achieve sexual arousal. Hence, caressing your wife or husband is not considered sinful. Biblical principles also tell us that couples do not violate sexual purity so long as intercourse happens in the marriage bed.
Argumentatively, some define masturbation as no longer needed in any marital relationship. However, others suggest that masturbating with your husband or wife is not the same as giving in to the lust of the flesh, which disrespects God’s word.
Every marriage expert defines masturbation as something that helps build stronger desires and relationships between married couples. It is also a great way to help the wife and husband reach orgasm and get to know each other’s bodies better in bed.
How Can One Overcome Masturbation And Gain Self-Control?
Seek Humility
To gain self-control and resist the desire to masturbate, you must first seek humility as a faithful Christian. Acknowledge that the Holy Spirit dwells in your life and is yearning with you as you break the desires of the flesh and bad habits.
Acknowledge that as a person who has sinned and been tempted, you must accept Jesus Christ, who will help you overcome sin and guilt. The church tells us that God resists all pride, so He helps not those who seek to control sexual immorality on their terms. God will give grace and undeserved goodness to those who seek Him during troubled times and recognize that He gave everything and can take away anything.
Start overcoming masturbation by being humble and admitting that you have failed to honor God because of your sexual immorality.
Submit To The Holy Spirit
View your life through a biblical perspective and submit your inhibitions to the blessed Spirit. Remember that through Christ Jesus, you are saved from all the other sins, and only He can help you overcome your urge to commit the same sin and the lustful desire of your own body.
Surrender everything to Him, including your problems with masturbation, and place everything under His full authority.
Resist The Works Of The Devil
Sexual temptation, lust, and masturbation involve corruption of mind and bodies and are specific forms of the devil’s work. To have self-control, you must eliminate the problem from the root cause, just like triggers. For instance, watching pornography and reading lewd magazines are so-called triggers that you must avoid.
Resist any temptation that allows you to lose control and provoke inappropriate sexual behavior. Instead of giving in to temptations, try building a habit to shift your attention from masturbation to something productive and worthwhile.
Draw Closer To God And Away From Evil
As you seek self-control and stop masturbation, draw closer to God and further away from evil. Declutter your visions of unnecessary things that prevent you from achieving your goal.
One way of drawing closer to God is replacing bad habits with good ones. For instance, instead of doing immoral things like watching pornography or browsing through inappropriate images online, devote your time to a Bible study group and mingle with other church members to help build your network that has the same goal to build a relationship with God the Father.
Remember that without God’s power, nothing will happen.
Take Things Seriously
In today’s society, some people will tell you that masturbation is nothing close to immoral and does not affect anyone. However, as followers of God, we must know that the Bible tells us to glorify God with all our body parts, and the act of masturbation isn’t right in God’s eyes.
As full-pledged Christians, we must let go of our image of masturbation and seek wisdom from heaven as we take control of our desires.
Bible Verses Related To Masturbation
Here are some bible verses that will help give light on the topic.
Matthew 5:28
But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Deuteronomy 23:9-11
When you are encamped against your enemies, keep away from everything impure. 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, and he may return to the camp at sunset.
Romans 6:12-14
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master because you are not under the law but under grace.
Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; instead, serve one another in love.
Ephesians 5:3
But among you, there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, impurity, or greed because these are improper for God’s holy people.
2 Corinthians 7:1
Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and Spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.
Matthew 5:30
And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Romans 14:23
But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; everything that does not come from faith is sin.
1 Corinthians 9:27
No, I keep on disciplining my body, making it serve me so that I will not somehow be disqualified after I have preached to others.
Conclusion
To shed light on the question, “Is masturbation a sin?” we look beyond what the Bible says. The Scripture tells us that anyone who gives in to their sexual desire and indulges in sexual pleasure and sexual acts outside of the marriage bed is sinful, considered an insult, and will not glorify God.
Furthermore, as believers and members of the growing Christian churches and followers of Jesus Christ, our sole responsibility is to let go of any lustful fantasies, sexually immoral acts, and sexual behaviors that only seek self-gratification and condemnation.
Moreover, for God created man, we must come before Him and seek spiritual and practical advice against temptation and addiction, especially when we struggle to let go of any feelings of passionate lust.
This very informative, helpful and useful. In simple terms, the message is delivered.
Great job. More of that.
Yes it is correct and Bibically sound.
Sexual thoughts are impurity and lead to lustful thoughts which are sins of the flesh
We must be humble and avoid this type of temptation always
About “lustful” thoughts. How many people have read M528 in the Greek? The Greek word epithumeseis (translated “lust”) refers to desire in general, not necessarily towards the sexual. It also pertains to focused desire (used both positively and negatively elsewhere in the NT), not casual admiration. Also if you compare it to Exodus 2017 in the Greek, you see a strong similarity between the two. This points to the idea of sinful lust being focused desire for an illicit act (fornication, adultery), not in feeling a surge over an attractive woman entering the scene. It has been argued in Song of Solomon ch 5 that the Shulamite woman had been masturbating over her beloved with her hands on the lock, dripping with myrrh. One can make the case that our ideas of “lust” derive more from Augustinian prudery than what Jesus actually said.
Thanks for this word of God, I have been addicted to mustrutrubation for 45 years, I couldn’t overcome it but this year I have managed to overcome the urge. It is an evil spirit that fills you up and makes you sin and destroy your life.
Very Biblical. I have struggled with masterbation being a single Christian man. I understand now the truths about the triggers and what’s God says in His Word about lust and impure thoughts. I repented and ask Jesus to be my strength in this weakness. It is very tough being single. Please pray for me and all that are affected by this.