Is Masturbation a Sin?

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Is Masturbation a Sin?

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Sin is often the result of lust or wrong selfish desire. This fact forms the primary basis of answering this question. Jesus tells us in Matthew 5:28 that “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Sexual lusting in the mind is the primary reason or trigger for masturbation and is sin—whether from erotic imagery, viewing pornography, or lusting after a person who is not one’s spouse. A Christian must therefore learn to control his thoughts (2 Corinthians 10:5).

As the apostle James wrote: “But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin” (James 1:14-15, New American Standard Bible).

The Bible specifically forbids adultery, fornication, homosexual sex, incest, bestiality and lust but does not mention masturbation or self-stimulation. Masturbation as part of sexual relations between married partners would not be classified as sin. But masturbation outside of marital relations commonly is sinful, being often accompanied by wrong lustful thoughts, such as when viewing pornography.

The use of pornography (including so called “soft porn”) is definitely a sin, as it violates Christ’s teaching in Matthew 5:28. Looking lustfully at risqué entertainment and immoral fantasizing are all clearly sinful. Addictions to porn and masturbation will reinforce each other. When a person stops viewing or thinking about anything wrongly erotic, there won’t be so much improper sexual arousal with urges to masturbate. 

The Bible does not teach asceticism, such as the pagan Gnostic teaching that all physical things are evil, including the human body. God designed human beings with sexuality—“male and female” (Genesis 1:27; Matthew 19:4)—for many reasons, but especially so they can marry, enjoy marital love, have children and enjoy many other blessings. Marriage is sacred and critically important to God. Therefore, one must not allow anything to hinder the success of his or her present marriage or a future marriage. 

Lustful self-stimulation can easily become a habit that hurts a marital relationship and future sexual satisfaction with one’s spouse. A habit formed before marriage can be difficult to break even after getting married. Many marriages have been seriously hurt because one or both of the spouses had a secret habit of masturbation. (The United Church of God offers a valuable free study guide on love, sex and marriage—Marriage and Family: The Missing Dimension.)

Because sex is powerful, masturbation can also become an addiction. Any addiction is spiritually dangerous because it has become the master, and the addict has become the slave—and we must only be “slaves of God” (Romans 6:22). Remember that it is easier to prevent a habit or addiction than to break an already-formed habit or addiction. 

As Christians, we are to be “bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5). This of course requires His help. We must constantly be asking God to renew and strengthen us. The practical method for stopping unwanted thoughts is to replace them with good thoughts (Philippians 4:6-8). Strive with God’s help for spiritual growth in all areas of life and, as a result, you will become stronger in those areas where you have been the weakest.

Once God has called us to be His disciples, we are doubly responsible to Him for how we use our time, our minds and our bodies. We are called to bear “good fruit” and “much fruit” spiritually (Matthew 7:15-20; John 15:1-8). And part of the fruit of God’s Spirit is self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Don’t allow anything habit-forming or lustful to interfere with these goals. 

Make sure to pray to God and read His Word every day to discern His will in your life. In that way, you are regularly talking to God and listening as He speaks to you. We encourage you to read our free study guide Tools for Spiritual Growth. It thoroughly explains prayer, Bible study, fasting, meditation and three other “tools” that are essential for spiritual growth. We highly recommend it!

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Comments

  • Susankgata2

    maturation isn't even in the Bible, but lust, sexual immorality, and walking in the flesh is. As true Christians we are supposed to be an example of Christ Jesus, follow His ways in obedience, obeying God's Holy Word, His Commandments, His laws, and His Commands. God said in the Old Testament and Jesus said in the New Testament, be holy for I Am Holy. It is possible or He would not of said it. We're supposed to be pure, clean, without blemish or regret before God. Walking in the Spirit not the flesh. The Spirit overcomes the flesh when your walking along side with God. Jesus says, "Go and sin no more". I believe if a person feels convicted after doing something wrong, they should repent and ask God truthfully from their heart to help them stop, we can not accomplish such things on our own fighting against satan and his deception and lies. This is a spiritual war, everytime we sin we grieve the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. We need help from the Lord Jesus Christ, without Him we are nothing, we are powerless, vulnerable and weak towards sin and temptation. They who practice sin are condemned, we will make mistakes cause we are human and God fully understands us. God have mercy on us

  • ArtistPaul

    What is the topic today?

  • benju02@gmail.com

    Hi im benchamin from india. I bongs to one place called kerala and we are using bible malayalam version. On that 1 corinthians 6:10 clearly mentioned those who masturbate will not enter in heaven.. please check malayalam version of bible

  • WeeWigglyWoo

    That is clearly a bad translation as the bible states so many times that anyone who has accepted Jesus and their savour and therefore knows Him will be accepted into the kingdom of God. Nothing stops us once we are Christians. We could even go around murdering despite the fact that it is against the Jewish law. It would hurt God and it would be sinful but we would still be Christians. The thing that would mean/suggest that you aren't a Christian isn't the murdering but the fact that if you were a Christian, then you wouldn't do it in the first place. The only thing stopping us before we are Christians is our own human ignorance and sin to reject the bible and no access to (which is a big reason why we have missionaries mainly in countries like Papua New Guinea). Masturbation is sin (if it is wrong on a biblical basis) but not anything like rejecting Jesus. It is just as much a sin as when you lie or steal. When you told your parents something untrue when you were a child to get out of trouble. When you took that paperclip at work because no one will notice or care. It could be anything. Masturbation is just as bad as something like that. It is a sin, no more, no less.

  • Mbtiara143

    Oh wow! your so incorrect .. did you just say that we could go around murdering because we are Christians If that’s something you wanna do then your not a true Christian just because one speaks to be a Christian doesn’t mean their a Christian you can’t love someone but then disobey them and doing sinful things is rejecting God because if you love God you wouldn’t do it to begin with you’ll feel guilty brother if your doing sinful things on purpose then your rejecting God by not following his rules is showing him that you don’t love him

  • Divya Ravi Raj

    Brother, Christian Means one who follows Christ and You will enter Heaven only when You Believe in Christ and Follow his way ( Not to Commit any Sin).So, After Believing in christ . You Should follow Christ way by not committing any sin.The Sinners are not allowed in Heaven though you believe in The Christ

  • Jazlynn42

    We are all born sinners already. So to say sinners are not allowed in Heaven would mean we all aren't allowed into Heaven, which is not the case. Jesus Christ died for our sins so our sins wouldn't be the death of us anymore . Our sins alone is not what keeps us out of Heaven. Not believing , is what does , being of evil ways is what does. Submitting yourself to man and earthly ways and not God's ways. Man always forget the part were the Bible say Thou shall not judge others and it also explains that God is the only one that should ultimately be judging people. This is so , because us as man are always looking from the outside at someone's life and action not really knowing how God might be using them . One may look like a murderer in your eyes but a savior in his.

  • Mbtiara143

    Yes we are all sinners but that’s why Jesus die on the cross so we can be forgiven and have a chance to make it into heaven but just because your a natural born sinner doesn’t mean you forgiven for everything you do your only forgiven when you ask for forgiveness and you don’t go out repeating the same mistake because if you your a real Christian and not just say your a Christian you won’t go doing things you know to be sinful the things that keep us out of heaven is not following the 10 commandments and not having faith in God, if you love someone you should obey them and you should submit to a man as a woman of course a man shouldn’t be above God but the male is suppose to be the leader not the woman and your right we have no place to judge people that’s God job but you should tell someone when their doing something wrong if you allow people to go do sinful things like being gay and acting like it’s okay then how will they know it’s not okay your letting them walk into fire and not warning them what kind of love is that? And murder is murder there’s no right in murder yes you can be forgiven but you have to want to change and accept God into your life

  • Shadrach Magombe

    Jason Warden,

    You wrote, "You can't commit a 'thought crime' in the bible..." Have you never read the 10th Commandment? In Romans 7:7 Paul wrote, "I would not have known sin... unless the law had said, 'You shall not covet.'" Coveting takes place internally and includes sinful thoughts. When we transgress that law of God, we sin (1 John 3:4 KJV). If there was nothing wrong with dwelling on ungodly thoughts, then there would be no reason to "bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2 Cor. 10:5) or to set our minds on things above (Col. 3:2), things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5-6).

  • Shadrach Magombe

    I convinced myself of similar reasoning years ago, but mb didn't really fix the problem for me. For a male, it is very difficult not to have a single sexual thought while mb. By taking matters into my own hands, I was also putting a human solution (idol) in place of God's spiritual ability to help me overcome the urge. There are verses about covetous desires being like idolatry (Col. 3:5), which is sin in God's eyes.

    Just because you don't see the word mb in your English Bible, doesn't mean the principle is not addressed. 1 John 2:15-16 mentions urges (cravings or lusts) of the flesh, that are contrary to the love of God. In Matt. 5:30, Jesus also addressed the concept of using your hand in a sinful act, and the nearest sins mentioned in that verse's context are sexual sins (5:27-29, 5:32).

    Song of Songs 2:7, 3:5, and 8:4 also touch on a principle of not stirring up or awakening marital desires before the time and manner that pleases God (which would be within marriage). For males, God built-in an unassisted night-time release of semen while we're sleeping (similar to Lev.15:16-17) -- that is, if we're patient enough to wait for God's designed way of release when unmarried

  • RedC50

    Great biblical research. Explosive scriptures. I’m grateful for your insight. Im totally aware of the “God built in unassisted night-time release” that men have. However, I’m a divorced woman. So I’m just gonna continue to be patient for God’s release system to be activated in my life at once! Hallelujah.

  • ReapWhatYouSow

    The idea that "lust" and masturbation is a sin is straight out of the pits of Gnostic theology. Matthew 5:27-30 has the word "epithumeo" in it and that same word is translated as "kidnap" in the 8th commandment and just simply in a good sense in this verse,

    (1 Timothy 3:1) "This is a true saying, If a man DESIRE the office of a bishop, he DESIRETH a good work"

    Matthew 5:27-30 has nothing at all to do with a gnostic concept of "lust". Jesus said that if you want to steal another man's wife (gune in Greek can mean either wife or woman, going by the laws in the OT and most translations of this word it's certainly wife) you are committing adultery (na'aph in Hebrew means woman who breaketh wedlock) in your heart. The whole verse is only directed at men because wives were the posessions of their men and a man can have multiple wives in the bible.

    You can't commit a "thought crime" in the bible, so therefore "lust" is not a sin.

    Gnostics believed that all your flesh was evil and created by demons, whereas the the spiritual world was created by a good God. The ascetic gnostics infiltrated the early church and spread this dogma that all physical pleasure and lust is a sin.

  • Oh to be like Him
    I am a father of 5 beautiful children and even though they are now all grown up and married, I remember all of them playing with themselves as toddlers, I also remember doing the same myself at a tender young age and at which time I knew nothing about sex or the opposite sex. Nor did I have a desire to have sex with anyone else at this age of 5 or 6. I did know that girls were different to boys but for what reason I didn't know. I imagine every one of you were in a similar position and that we are all guilty of this sin if it is a sin. I believe that particularly with boys they also had wet dreams as little infants and I don't think they were lusting after their kindigarden playmate but that their little bodies were doing this automatically.I also know that many of these children continued this habit long into their primary school days and later before they found out that their hormones started working and then maybe started lusting after the pretty girls. My point is if it were so wrong would God allow this to happen in little ones that He said unless we become as children we would not see the Kingdom of heaven. If it was a sin and we feel bad about this and repent He is loving and will forgive us from all unrighteousness and will remove our transgressions from us as far as the East is from the west. I am not condoning it but if I had to chose between master action and adultery I would prefer master action. Please bring it to the Lord and get clarification from our Father in Heaven who loves you all. For those of you who are being beaten up about it I hope you find the answer you are looking fore but we will not all come to the same conclusion. I wish you all Gods peace which transcends beyond all our understanding.
  • EvanToledo
    Thanks, UCG, for the clarification. We definitely don't want to do as the Israelites--or society today--doing what is right in OUR OWN EYES---we are being judged by God now if we are converted and baptized! God never said it would be an easy journey through our physical life!
  • Norbert Z
    Considering the leading question "What does the Bible say about this?" in the article, where does someone find this "pleasure bond" mentioned in the Bible? A person could ask themselves if Romans 6:16 is relevant to this topic and much of the chapter surrounding it. Specifically Romans 6:13. Look at the other pleasures, slavery to food is gluttony and likewise the consumption of alcoholic beverages is alcoholism. It could be understood that the lusts of the flesh that lead to slavery to them are known in modern terms as addictions. People might want to examine themselves and ask if their sexual behavior is showing signs of addiction.
  • United Church of God

    This "Bible Question and Answer" post has been updated to help address some of the comments and questions raised over the past number of years.

  • Whose Morality
    Thank you for your response Evan Toledo. It is indeed not easy to determine what rules apply and do not apply to one. I appreciate your response to add clarity, but my concern is that this complexity is the reason why some believers encourage one rule and other believers another rule. The non believer is easily confused by two different messages from both believers who should be on the same page. Regarding not insulting others, I still find it difficult to understand what to do or not to do since Jesus himself called people fools in Matthew 23:17 and a few other biblical verses.
  • bludda
    I think I have this figured out. matt 5 says the sin is lust. if something causes you to sin cut it off. if ur eye causes u to sin it's serious enough that you need to cut out the eye. but is it really the eyeball that is causing the sin? no it is not. cut off what ever is causing lust. if the hand is causing lust through masterbation then cut off the hand. but is it the hand causing lust? no because one can masterbate without the hand. point is if masterbation causes you to have lustfull thoughts then u can't masterbate. if one could masterbate without lustfull thoughts I would say that it's ok. if one cannot masterbate without having lustfull thoughts then he masterbation has to go. I do feel that masterbation eventually leads me to having lustfull thoughts and therefore it has to go bye bye in my life. not easy or preferable but we are talking about eternal life here. we do what we have to do by the power of God to make it to heaven.
  • derfsenoj20
    I agree with Kory. I believe this is an issue where each must seek God for an answer on this issue. Then obey what the Lord has given them. We cannot say that those who masturbate are lusting on others. It is true that some do but what about those who do not. What if a person masturbates thinking upon his or her own spouse? Would this person then be without sin? Or what about the person who only admires another while masturbating and does not at all desire to be with that person because they know all the undesirable spiritual attachment that comes along with it? These are just a couple scenarios. Another point I want to make is how can this be taught to others when there is no scripture saying it is wrong. The other things that are sin are clearly mentioned in the bible so if this is wrong why was it not mentioned? Is our God forgetful? I personally don't believe God is forgetful but I honestly know I cannot tell anyone whether this act is sin because they is no Word or scripture to back it up and the bible does teach us to neither add nor take away from the Word of God. So in actuality by scripture those who say this is or is not sin when it is not written are in error. I have to say on this matter that I don't know the answer scripturally but God knows all things and is willing to teach through his Spirit. I personally want a concrete answers so that I may teach others with an unashamed conscious but I cannot make the bible say something that it does not for this is wrong. My stand for this matter will be to ask God until I see a scripture that addresses this issue. For I am certain that is wrong to add or take away from this book but I am uncertain if masturbation is wrong. We are human and the bible clearly states we do not know everything. References: Is. 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written.... Proverbs 3:5
  • derfsenoj20
    I agree with Kory. I believe this is an issue where each must seek God for an answer on this issue. Then obey what the Lord has given them. We cannot say that those who masturbate are lusting on others. It is true that some do but what about those who do not. What if a person masturbates thinking upon his or her own spouse? Would this person then be without sin? Or what about the person who only admires another while masturbating and does not at all desire to be with that person because they know all the undesirable spiritual attachment that comes along with it? These are just a couple scenarios. Another point I want to make is how can this be taught to others when there is no scripture saying it is wrong. The other things that are sin are clearly mentioned in the bible so if this is wrong why was it not mentioned? Is our God forgetful? I personally don't believe God is forgetful but I honestly know I cannot tell anyone whether this act is sin because they is no Word or scripture to back it up and the bible does teach us to neither add nor take away from the Word of God. So in actuality by scripture those who say this is or is not sin when it is not written are in error. I have to say on this matter that I don't know the answer scripturally but God knows all things and is willing to teach through his Spirit. I personally want a concrete answers so that I may teach others with an unashamed conscious but I cannot make the bible say something that it does not for this is wrong. My stand for this matter will be to ask God until I see a scripture that addresses this issue. For I am certain that is wrong to add or take away from this book but I am uncertain if masturbation is wrong. We are human and the bible clearly states we do not know everything. References: Is. 55:8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. Revelation 22:18-19 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written.... Proverbs 3:5
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