One often wonders why the Bible does not directly address masturbation. It is the cause of so much guilt and speculation in the Body of Christ.
And, then, we are left to unite the biblical principles to get an idea of whether it is sinful or not, as we do with issues such as gambling, smoking, etc.
Let’s lean in and see what the Bible says about masturbation:
Let’s start with an important biblical principle taught by our Lord: that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28).
A person who practices masturbation without imagining sex with someone is really rare, if it exists at all. On that basis, the practice amounts to engaging in adultery, fornication, homosexual behavior, or any other series of sexual practices the mind can imagine, including idolatry, as revealed in Ephesians 5:5, Colossians 3:5, and Ezekiel 23: 49.
In a sense, masturbation could be said to be a form of mental pornography.which we all know is sinful.
We also know sin by the witness of the Holy Spirit within, provided we have not quenched that witness through ongoing rebellion (1 Thessalonians 5:19; see also Ephesians 4:30). And who does not live with guilt over the practice of masturbation, even those who have convinced themselves that it is not sinful?
Furthermore, the Bible teaches that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, a sacred temple (1 Corinthians 3:16; 2 Corinthians 6:16), and that it is a member of Christ Himself (1 Corinthians 6:15-20). We are warned not to conflate “Christ in us” with a prostitute, why would we want to conflate it with the immoral thoughts and images in our minds? (1 Corinthians 6: 15-17).
The Bible also teaches that sexual immorality is a sin against our own bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18c). Also, in 1 Peter 2:11, it says that sinful desires war against our souls (1 Peter 2:11).
In that sense, By engaging in masturbation with its accompanying immoral fantasies, we are actually fighting against ourselves. And war is hell, as anyone tied to this behavior can attest.
Finally, A very important biblical principle that is often overlooked in our quest to discover if masturbation is sinful is found in 1 Corinthians 6:12; 2 Peter 2:19-20; and Romans 6:14-23 : that everything that dominates us (apart from the Holy Spirit) is harmful to us. In short, “a man is a slave to that which has mastered him.”
The principle of chastity
Throughout the history of the Church, serious believers have been guided by the biblical concept of chastity.
Chastity is the idea that we should live our lives according to the principles of purity and sexual self-control, whether mentally or physically. It is a form of respect for oneself and for others, which allows healthy sexual expression to be saved for the marriage pact.
It is the living out of the divine purpose and beauty of human sexuality, which is to prefigure and embody the marriage between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-32).
For further exploration, read 1 Peter 3:2; Revelation 14:4; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:27; Job 31:1; and 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4.
The principle of grace
It should be noted that we are not referring to the innocent exploration of the body that is carried out among children and adolescents. In fact, a harsh approach in such cases can create a fixation or obsession in the child’s mind.
We must remember the biblical principle, that it is God’s grace and love that teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions (Titus 2: 11-14; Romans 2: 4; 5:17; 2 Corinthians 5:14).
After all, it is his grace that saved us not only from the penalty of sin, but also from the power of sin.
This gracious provision is also available to the adult believer who continues to practice masturbation despite valiant attempts to stop. I will never forget when the Lord made it clear to me.
After a few successes, marred by repeated failures, one night the Lord spoke clearly to my spirit, I was protesting against myself and He said, “You are much harder on yourself than you would ever be!”
It was a moment of applied grace that allowed me to stop crucifying myself on every failure and take a new approach to finding freedom.
That approach involved a focus on developing intimacy with God rather than a fixation on my faults.
the way of escape
It is important that we discover the root problems of sin so that we can repent of them. (Such revelation comes in intimate moments with God.)
If we are unaware or unwilling to give up one or more of these strongholds, we will inevitably remain bound because Satan will continue to have a foothold in us (John 14:30). Much of the transformation process, therefore, involves discovering where Satan’s ground is and removing it with the tools God has provided.
In other words, we need to discover and confess the right things.
What then are some of the root sin issues that need to be confessed?
1. disbelief
This is the doubt that God is really good. When I sin any sin, at that moment I am doubting that God is really there for me, that He cares, and therefore that He is good. I am recreating the first sin committed in the Garden of Eden, when Eve became convinced that God was hiding something from her that was good.
Many people only “believe” on an intellectual level instead of a heart level and do not see the manifestation of God’s promises. Try to meditate, meditate and believe the Scriptures with your heart, such as 2 Peter 1: 3-11, Psalm 16: 7-8, Romans 8: 5-14 and Galatians 5:16.
The truth is, God has a better coping mechanism than masturbation, even for single people.
He has something higher, something that will bring fulfillment and fulfillment to his sexual self.
Understanding this truth is very effective in being persuaded to give up sin.
2. Idolatry
Ephesians 5:3-5 and Colossians 3:5 clearly teach that sexual immorality is a form of idolatry.
As with the worship of any god, masturbation has its own fetish objects and rituals: times, places, triggers, ritual objects, and ritual patterns that lead the person in an almost trance-like progression toward peak experience and outcome. Confessing that ritual worship and removing and relinquishing its various components is key to breaking its power.
Also, masturbation often becomes a source of life and peace, especially for those who have been through great pain.
In a sense, he becomes a substitute god.
If the Spirit comes to offer freedom, many will recoil in terror as they realize that they are being asked to live without something that has been a primary source of peace in their livessomething that has prevented them from falling apart.
The behavior becomes so ingrained in their sense of self that life without it becomes unimaginable.
In essence, they have yet to seek and find healing for their traumas, which is a necessary part of developing trust in God.
3. Rebellion
Sometimes we simply refuse to listen to the Holy Spirit or pretend not to listen to him.
The self-care of masturbation often masks anger and mistrust of God, who never seemed to be there when we needed him.
Often when God does not rescue us and change us as He requires, we judge Him in our hearts and develop a root of anger that must be removed through confession and repentance. That means we acknowledge our rebellion and make concerted decisions to love him and believe that given the necessity of free will (as the basis of genuine love), God operates with complete love and integrity.
4. The love of sin
This is often buried under mounds of rationalizations. We pretend that we need to practice sin, we deserve to practice it, which is the least God can do to allow it considering what we’ve been through.
But the truth is that we love him more than God. To change this, we need to discover how to love God more.
The greatest love for God comes as a fruit of taking the time to know him intimately.
A lifestyle of worship is important. The demon realm cannot bear that.
Meditating on the Cross is also an important key. As we gain a deeper appreciation for our Lord’s suffering, we are more willing to let go of the “things that have delighted us most” (as the old hymn says).
When we are tempted, we only need to ask ourselves, “Who do I love right now? The sin that is tempting me or the one who loves me so deeply that he died on the Cross for me? »
Put this way, the choice becomes much easier to make.
5. Self-delusion
It is somewhat humiliating to realize that over the years we have become masters at fooling ourselves.
to believe that we want to free ourselves from something that we will not give up.
Like an onion, we layer upon layer of self-deception, saying the right religious words with the right religious thoughts, while refusing to give up the sin that remains in our hearts.
We need to acknowledge before God the continuing impurity in our motivations, the depravity in our hearts, and our need for Him to give us the true and sincere desire to be holy and pure. As stated in Jude 24, Psalm 37:23-24, and Psalm 55:22, it is God who prevents us from falling, whenever we really want it.
6. Execution of straightness
Most of us, even those of us who know best, continually fall into this trap. Although we speak of “grace alone” and being able to do “nothing without Christ” (John 15:5), our fallen nature continually seduces us into believing that we must earn God’s love and acceptance and that we must develop our own righteousness. .
Over and over we try to make ourselves holy and pure rather than suffer the humiliation of the flesh and truly become dependent on God for the power to live the kingdom life that He won for us on the cross.
There are so many more potential strengths behind a bondage to masturbation and other sins that it is impossible to list them all.
That is why seeking intimacy and revelation from God and then doing what He says is essentially the way of escape.
God then leads you the rest of the way through the promptings and enablings of his Holy Spirit.
Dr. David Kyle Foster (M-Div, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; D-Min, Trinity School for Ministry) is the author of Transformed Into His Image and Love Hunger and is the founder/director of Pure Passion Media…