I want to spark a discussion with this post, not to convince anybody to adopt my view on masturbation but to give them more theoretical material to help them make a better choice with their decisions about this topic.
When pastors are asked to list sexual sins, they typically include masturbation alongside other sexual offenses like fornication, adultery, polygamy, rape, incest, homosexuality, and bestiality.
However, the Bible’s chapter on sexual sins, Leviticus 18, doesn’t mention masturbation:
1. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
2. Speak unto the children of Israel, and say unto them, I am the LORD your God.
3. After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances.
4. Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God.
5. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.
6. None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.
7. The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
8. The nakedness of thy father’s wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father’s nakedness.
9. The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.
10. The nakedness of thy son’s daughter, or of thy daughter’s daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.
11. The nakedness of thy father’s wife’s daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
12. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s sister: she is thy father’s near kinswoman.
13. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother’s sister: for she is thy mother’s near kinswoman.
14. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father’s brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.
15. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son’s wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.
16. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother’s wife: it is thy brother’s nakedness.
17. Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son’s daughter, or her daughter’s daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.
18. Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.
19. Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.
20. Moreover thou shalt not lie carnally with thy neighbour’s wife, to defile thyself with her.
21. And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.
22. Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
23. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
24. Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
25. And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
26. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
27. (For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)
28. That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.
29. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
30. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.
The Bible does not mention masturbation at all. However, some passages have been interpreted as related to the topic:
Genesis 38:9-10: The story of Onan, who “spilled his seed” on the ground to avoid impregnating his brother’s widow, has been interpreted by some as a reference to masturbation. However, this interpretation is disputed, and the context is more likely related to levirate marriage and inheritance issues.
Matthew 5:27-28: Jesus teaches that looking at a woman with lustful intent is equivalent to adultery. Some have extended this teaching to include masturbation, but this is not a direct interpretation.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20: Paul writes about the importance of honoring God with one’s body, which some have interpreted as including sexual purity. However, this passage does not specifically mention masturbation.
Many Christian denominations and theologians have varying views on masturbation, ranging from considering it a sin to seeing it as a neutral or even healthy aspect of human sexuality.
Remember that interpretations of religious texts can be complex and nuanced, and it’s essential to consider the historical context, and theological perspectives when exploring these topics.
I question how masturbation can be counted among sexual sins when there is no scriptural condemnation. How can we call it a sin without supportive scriptures? There are countless Scriptures about all the other sexual sins so much so that nobody can legitimately deny the fact that God regards it as abominations and serious sins against him and mankind.
None of the 3 Scriptures mentioned above has anything to do with masturbation. The Bible is completely silent on masturbation. Many people masturbate without sinning if they are not making use of pornography or not looking at a woman with lustful intent. On the other hand, many people do this without masturbating and that is a sin.
As a Bible teacher, I’ve considered this topic carefully and concluded that unmarried people who masturbate without involving others or pornography don’t sin. This also applies to married people in certain circumstances like separation due to war, work, or imprisonment.
I believe God understands that people have sexual desires, and there are situations where normal sexual activities aren’t possible.
Recently, I received an email about the addiction to masturbation. My response was that while it’s true that people can become addicted to masturbation, they can also become addicted to harmless things like chocolate, coffee, and Coca-Cola.
The key is to avoid addiction. In married couples, masturbation can lead to neglecting one’s spouse, which is wrong. I believe married people should not masturbate unless they are temporarily separated. Additionally, using aids or instruments to enhance the experience is also problematic. This can lead to unrealistic sexual expectations and difficulties in replicating normal sex.
However, none of this makes masturbation inherently sinful. People have varying sexual desires, and these desires don’t disappear when one is not married. Some individuals may have a stronger sexual urge than others, leading them to masturbate more frequently. This doesn’t necessarily mean they’re addicted to masturbation; rather, they may have a higher sexual desire.
I compare masturbation to dancing, which was once considered a sin by some. However, they always referred to acts surrounding dancing. The sinful acts surrounding dancing are the issue, not dancing itself. Ultimately, God decides what is a sin, and the Bible lists various sexual sins in both the Old and New Testaments. Notably, masturbation is not mentioned. This silence suggests that masturbation is not a sin.
While opinions on masturbation vary, the Bible doesn’t support any particular view. Just as dancing can be done with a clear conscience if done without sinful behavior, so too can masturbation.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this controversial topic.
Leon sent me an email to bring to my attention that some people become addicted to masturbation. My answer was that it is true but people get addicted to chocolates, coffee, and Coca-Cola. Those things are not wrong to enjoy but we must guard against addiction. There is even the danger that people who masturbate start neglecting their spouses and that probably is a sin (not masturbating but neglecting their spouses). I do believe that married people should not masturbate unless they are temporarily separated from their spouses. There is also the danger that people start to involve all kinds of instruments to enhance their experiences and that is also wrong. That can also lead to married people neglecting their spouses, but, none of this makes masturbation a sinful act.