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"Is Masturbation A Sin?"
Question:
"I don't see anyone in the Bible being called a sinner for
masturbating. Also, Jesus said that if a man even looks at a
woman lustfully he has already committed adultery with her in
his heart. What does it mean to look at her lustfully?"
Answer:
The Bible does not specifically condemn masturbation, nor does
the Bible specifically condone it. This tends to be one of those
"taboo" subjects that people don't often talk about, but if it
is a sin then it's important for us to know that. I have tried
to deal with this subject carefully, but please forgive me if
anything I say makes you uncomfortable. Personally, I don't
believe that God cringes at the subject of masturbation (or any
other subject), so we should try to set our fleshly reactions
aside for a moment in order to seek God's view on the matter.
Possibly you will be surprised at my conclusions (I certainly
was!), and perhaps you will disagree with me, but it's important
that we don't allow our feelings to dictate our
beliefs.
Everyone has biases, and personally I always assumed that
masturbation was probably a sin. But instead of trying to defend
my bias, I wanted to find out what God's view is
towards masturbation. Here's what I discovered when I studied
the Christian arguments against masturbation and compared them
with the Bible.
Onan
Some people say that Onan masturbated in the Old Testament, and
they say that God killed him for his wickedness. Here's what the
Bible says about Onan:
Genesis 38:6: "Judah got a wife for Er, his
firstborn, and her name was Tamar."
Genesis 38:7: "But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the
Lord's sight; so the LORD put him to death."
Genesis 38:8: "Then Judah said to Onan, "Lie with your
brother's wife and fulfill your duty to her as a
brother-in-law to produce offspring for your brother.""
Genesis 38:9: "But Onan knew that the offspring would
not be his; so whenever he lay with his brother's wife, he
spilled his semen on the ground to keep from producing
offspring for his brother."
Genesis 38:10: "What he did was wicked in the Lord's
sight; so he put him to death also."
It was Onan's duty to marry (or to sleep with)
his dead brother's wife and to provide offspring who would carry
on his dead brother's name. Notice that Onan did not masturbate,
but rather he slept with his brother's wife as was his duty.
However, because of his wicked and greedy heart, he deliberately
prevented her from being able to conceive a child, which meant
that Onan's dead brother would have no heirs. This is the sin
for which the Lord put Onan to death, it had nothing to do with
masturbating. Here are some things that Bible commentaries say
about the above passage:
"By the custom of the levirate (from Latin
levir, "husband's brother") law of marriage, the second
son, Onan, was to marry Tamar, the widow of
his brother, and raise up offspring for his
brother. However, Onan repeatedly used that law for
sexual gratification. He took advantage of the situation,
but refused the responsibility that went with it. So God
took his life too." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary
(Old Testament edition), Walvoord and Zuck, Dallas
Theological Seminary, p.88, emphasis in the original)
"Moses here uses a word not common for marriage, but which
was peculiar to the marrying of a brother's wife according
to a law given in his time: it appears to have been a custom
before, and which the patriarch might be directed to by the
Lord, in such a case when a brother died, and left no issue,
for the sake of multiplication of seed, according to the
divine promise, and which in the time of Moses passed into a
law, see Deu_25:5 ... For this law or custom was partly
political, to continue the paternal inheritance in the
family, and partly typical, to direct to Christ the
firstborn among many brethren, Rom_8:29, who in all things
was to have the preeminence, Col_1:18; and this was not
taken from the Canaanites, among whom Judah now was, but
from the ancient patriarchs, which they had no doubt from
divine revelation, and was taught in the school of Shem, and
handed down from father to son; for as to this being a law
among the Egyptians in later times, and which continued to
the days of Zeno Augustus (q), it is most likely they took
it from the Jews." (Gill's Exposition of the Bible, from
http://www.e-sword.net/commentaries.html
 ,
Genesis 38:8)
"The original word means to act as a husband to the widow of
a deceased brother who has left no issue. Onan seems to have
been prompted to commit his crime by the low motive of
turning the whole inheritance to his own house." (Barnes,
from
http://www.e-sword.net/commentaries.html
,
Genesis 38:8)
"The sin of Onan has generally been supposed to be
self-pollution; but this is certainly a mistake; his crime
was his refusal to raise up seed to his brother, and rather
than do it, by the act mentioned above, he rendered himself
incapable of it. We find from this history that long before
the Mosaic law it was an established custom, probably
founded on a Divine precept, that if a man died childless
his brother was to take his wife, and the children produced
by this second marriage were considered as the children of
the first husband, and in consequence inherited his
possessions." (Adam Clark's Commentary on the Bible, from
http://www.e-sword.net/commentaries.html
,
Genesis 38:10)
Notice that Onan knew that the
children from this marriage would not be considered as his
children (instead, they would be his brother's children). This
was an established custom or law, as the above commentaries
point out, and it was Onan's duty to marry (or
sleep with) his dead brother's wife. Onan was not masturbating
in the above passage, but instead he was having legitimate
sexual intercourse according to his duty. However, he was
rebellious against his duty by not providing offspring for his
dead brother. He was evil in God's sight because of his wicked
and greedy heart, not because of masturbating.
Therefore, Onan's crime does not help us determine whether or
not masturbation is a sin.
Addiction
Many people are struggling with addictions to pornography, sex,
masturbation, drugs, alcohol, food, gambling, and so on.
As you probably know, some
of the wrong things that we or our ancestors have done (or some
of the wrong things that have been done to us) can open the door
for the devil to attack us, and this procedure might help to
break those attacks. Also, there are many Christian ministries
which help people break free from addictions, so try searching
the Internet for "Christian help for ________ addiction" (fill
in the blank, and don't use quotes).
Now, sometimes people claim that masturbation is a sin because
of the possibility of becoming addicted to it.
To see why this is a false argument against masturbation,
carefully compare these two statements:
- Sex within marriage is a sin because of
the possibility of becoming addicted to it.
- Masturbation is a sin because of the
possibility of becoming addicted to it.
Notice that if the possibility of addiction
proves that something is a sin, then statement #1 proves that
sex within marriage is a sin (because married people have become
addicted to it - search the Internet for "Christian help for sex
addiction" without the quotes). It's easy to see that this is a
false argument because the Bible says that sex within marriage
is not a sin.
So the possibility of addiction does not prove that something is
a sin.
If people become addicted to sex within marriage then it's the
addiction which is wrong, not the marital sex. The
Bible never says that marital sex is a sin.
If people become addicted to masturbation then it's the
addiction which is wrong, not the masturbation. The
Bible never says that masturbation is a sin.
Pornography
Sometimes people claim that masturbation is a sin because of the
possibility of using pornography.
To see why this is a false argument against masturbation,
carefully compare these two statements:
- Sex within marriage is a sin because of
the possibility of using pornography.
- Masturbation is a sin because of the
possibility of using pornography.
Notice that if the possibility of using
pornography proves that something is a sin, then statement #1
proves that sex within marriage is a sin (because married people
sometimes use pornography together - search the Internet for
"married couples using pornography" without the quotes). It's
easy to see that this is a false argument because the Bible says
that sex within marriage is not a sin.
So the possibility of using pornography does not prove that
something is a sin.
If people use pornography during sex within marriage then it's
the pornography which is wrong, not the marital
sex. The Bible never says that marital sex is a sin.
If people use pornography during masturbation then it's the
pornography which is wrong, not the masturbation. The
Bible never says that masturbation is a sin.
Gratifying the Flesh
Sometimes people condemn masturbation on the grounds that it is
"gratifying the flesh."
One reason why this is a false argument against masturbation is
because the New Testament never says that "gratifying the flesh"
is a sin. For example, when you scratch an itch then you are
"gratifying the flesh." When you're hungry and you eat
something, you are "gratifying the flesh." In fact, when a
husband and wife make love then they are "gratifying the flesh"
in a sexual way. These things are not sins, so "gratifying the
flesh" is not sinful in itself.
Instead, the sin is in the method that we use to
"gratify the flesh" (such as adultery). If we can prove from the
Bible that masturbation is a wrong method for
"gratifying the flesh," then masturbation would be a sin. But
the argument that masturbation is "gratifying the flesh" doesn't
mean anything because "gratifying the flesh" is not sinful in
itself.
Another reason why this is a false argument against masturbation
is because the Bible never tells us not to "gratify the flesh."
Instead, the Bible tells us not to gratify the lusts
of the flesh:
Romans 13:14: "Rather, clothe yourselves with
the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to
gratify the desires [epithumia] of the
sinful nature."
Galatians 5:16: "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will
not gratify the desires [epithumia]
of the sinful nature."
Ephesians 2:3: "All of us also lived among them at one time,
gratifying the cravings [epithumia]
of our sinful nature and following its desires
and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of
wrath."
In the above passages, the Greek word
epithumia ("desires" or "cravings") means:
"a longing (especially for what is
forbidden): - concupiscence, desire, lust
(after)." (Strong's Greek Dictionary, emphasis added)
This is a Greek word for intense desire (or
forbidden lust), such as when one person lusts for
another person, or when a person lusts for wealth,
or when a person lusts for fame, or when a person
lusts for power, and so on.
But notice that the above verses do not say that masturbation is
a forbidden lust. Instead, the above verses tell us not to
gratify our forbidden lusts. We need to look
elsewhere in the Bible to find out if something is a forbidden
lust, and nowhere does the Bible ever forbid masturbation.
Therefore, the above passages have nothing to do with
masturbation because it is not a forbidden lust.
Fantasizing
Sometimes people claim that masturbation is a sin because of the
possibility of fantasizing.
To see why this is a false argument against masturbation,
carefully compare these two statements:
- Sex within marriage is a sin because of
the possibility of fantasizing.
- Masturbation is a sin because of the
possibility of fantasizing.
Notice that if the possibility of fantasizing
proves that something is a sin, then statement #1 proves that
sex within marriage is a sin (because married people can
fantasize during sex). It's easy to see that this is a false
argument because the Bible says that sex within marriage is
not a sin.
So the possibility of fantasizing does not prove that something
is a sin.
If people fantasize during sex within marriage then it's the
fantasizing which might be sinful (depending on what
they fantasize about), not the marital sex. The Bible never says
that marital sex is a sin.
If people fantasize during masturbation then it's the
fantasizing which might be sinful (depending on what
they fantasize about), not the masturbation.
The Bible never
says that masturbation is a sin.
Sometimes people claim that sexual fantasies violate Jesus'
command against looking at someone lustfully:
Matthew 5:27: ""You have heard that it was
said, 'Do not commit adultery.'"
Matthew 5:28: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at
a woman lustfully [epithumio] has
already committed adultery with her in his heart."
In the above passage, the Greek word epithumio
("lustfully") means:
"to set the heart upon, that is, long
for (rightfully or otherwise): - covet, desire,
would fain, lust (after)." (Strong's Greek
Dictionary, emphasis added)
This Greek word is sometimes used in the New
Testament for "coveting" or "lusting after" something (e.g. Acts
20:33, Romans 7:7-8, James 4:2), and that's how Jesus used this
word in the above passage. The Greek word epithumia
(which we saw in the section called "Gratifying the Flesh") is
derived from this word.
Look closely at Matthew 5:21-44 (below) and notice that Jesus
repeatedly explained the true meanings and intentions behind
some of the commands in the Law of Moses. In the case of
adultery, Jesus said that it's not just the outward act of
adultery which is sinful, but even the inward desire and
intention to commit adultery is sinful:
Matthew 5:21: ""You have heard that it
was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and
anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.'"
Matthew 5:22: "But I tell you that anyone who
is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.
Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable
to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be
in danger of the fire of hell."
Matthew 5:27: ""You have heard that it was said, 'Do
not commit adultery.'"
Matthew 5:28: "But I tell you that anyone who looks at
a woman lustfully [epithumio] has
already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Matthew 5:31: ""It has been said, 'Anyone who
divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'"
Matthew 5:32: "But I tell you that anyone who
divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes
her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the
divorced woman commits adultery."
Matthew 5:33: ""Again, you have heard that it was said
to the people long ago, 'Do not break your oath, but keep
the oaths you have made to the Lord.'"
Matthew 5:34: "But I tell you, Do not swear at
all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;"
Matthew 5:35: "or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or
by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King."
Matthew 5:38: ""You have heard that it was said,
'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.'"
Matthew 5:39: "But I tell you, Do not resist
an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek,
turn to him the other also."
Matthew 5:43: ""You have heard that it was said,
'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'"
Matthew 5:44: "But I tell you: Love your
enemies and pray for those who persecute you,"
In the above passages, Jesus was clarifying
several commands in the Law of Moses, including the command
concerning adultery. So Matthew 5:27-28 (above) doesn't justify
the argument that sexual fantasizing is always a sin, because
that wasn't Jesus' point. His point was that the intention
or desire to commit adultery is just as sinful as
the act of adultery.
Of course, sexual thoughts are often no different than
pornography, in which case they are just as wrong as
pornography. But it is unscriptural to claim that all
sexual thoughts are sinful because the Bible never says such a
thing. In fact, notice that it's actually a good
thing for a husband and wife to have sexual thoughts about each
other because this helps enhance their marriage by maintaining
their desire for each other.
The New Testament doesn't give us any specific guidelines about
sexual thoughts, but it does tell us to keep our thoughts
wholesome and pure (Philippians 4:8, 2 Peter 3:1). So if you
find yourself having sexual thoughts or fantasies, ask yourself
if you would be comfortable describing those thoughts in detail
to your spouse (or your future spouse). This might be a way to
help keep your thoughts pure. For example, if you're thinking
about a situation which would not be sinful in real life, then
it's probably not sinful to fantasize about it.
Christ in Us
Another type of argument that Christians sometimes make is that
we are supposed to be conformed to the likeness of Christ
(Romans 8:29), and that we shouldn't offer the parts of our body
to sin (Romans 6:13) because Christ lives in us (Colossians
1:27). Essentially, the argument is that we can't imagine that
Jesus ever masturbated, and we shouldn't offer our bodies to sin
by masturbating, and we shouldn't cause "Christ in us" to
masturbate.
The problem is that this argument starts off by assuming
that masturbation is a sin. This argument doesn't actually prove
anything about masturbation.
For example, how do we know that we shouldn't cause "Christ in
us" to commit adultery? We know it because the Bible
specifically says that adultery is a sin. In other words, the
"Christ in us" argument doesn't prove that adultery is a sin, it
only says that because adultery is a sin then we
shouldn't cause "Christ in us" to commit the sin.
Here's another example. Is it a sin for a wife to take "Christ
in her" and make love to her husband? We know that this is not a
sin because the Bible specifically says that husbands and wives
should make love. Again, the "Christ in us" argument doesn't
prove that making love is acceptable in a marriage. We had to
look elsewhere in the Bible to find that proof.
The point here is that first we must prove from
the Bible that masturbation is a sin, and then we
can say that we shouldn't cause "Christ in us" to commit the
sin. The "Christ in us" argument by itself doesn't prove
anything about masturbation.
Therefore, if we can't prove from the Bible that masturbation is
a sin, then it is perfectly acceptable to have "Christ in us"
and to masturbate, just as it is perfectly acceptable for a
husband and wife to have "Christ in them" and to make love.
Similarly, if we can't prove from the Bible that masturbation is
a sin, then it is perfectly acceptable to masturbate even if
Jesus never did it, just as it is perfectly acceptable to have
sex within marriage even if Jesus never did it.
God Told Me Not to Masturbate
Sometimes people claim that masturbation is a sin because God
told them to stop doing it.
Certainly it would be a sin for you to masturbate if God has
forbidden you to do it, but it's not a sin for everyone
unless the Bible has forbidden it for everyone.
For example, my favorite Christian recording artist is Rebecca
St. James, and back in 2000 I bought her new CD called
"Transform." To this day (eight years later), God has not
allowed me to listen to it. He allows me to listen to all of her
other CDs, but for some reason it's not yet time for me to
listen to her "Transform" CD.
Notice that if I say that listening to Rebecca's "Transform" CD
is a sin for everyone because God told me
not to do it, this is clearly a false argument. In the same way,
if I say that masturbation is a sin for everyone
because God told me not to do it, this is a false
argument.
If we can prove that the Bible forbids masturbation, then
we can say that it's a sin for everyone. However, the Bible
never forbids it.
Crucifying the Flesh
Sometimes people claim that masturbation is a sin based on the
following passages (and any similar passages):
Colossians 3:5: "Put to death, therefore,
whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality,
impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."
Galatians 5:24: "Those who belong to Christ Jesus have
crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."
The argument against masturbation is that we must
crucify the flesh and put to death our earthly desires.
One problem with this argument is that it starts off by
assuming that masturbation is a sin.
But the Bible never
says or implies or hints that masturbation is a sin. Another
problem with this argument is that our earthly desires are not
all sinful, so this argument is based on a false assumption.
For example, we have earthly needs and desires for oxygen,
water, companionship, love, etc., but these are not sinful needs
and desires because they were given to us by God.
Remember, the sin is in the method that we use for
fulfilling our needs and desires. For example, God has given us
the need and desire for food, so it's not a sin to eat food. The
sin is when we eat food in a way which violates Scripture, such
as gluttony. Notice that the above passages don't tell us if
gluttony is a form of impurity, lust, evil desires, etc., but
instead we must look elsewhere in Scripture to find out if
gluttony is something which needs to be put to death.
Similarly, God has given us the need and desire for sex, so it's
not a sin to have sex. The sin is when we have sex in a way
which violates Scripture, such as adultery. Notice that the
above passages don't tell us if adultery is a form of sexual
immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, etc., but instead we
must look elsewhere in Scripture to find out if the desire for
adultery is something which needs to be put to death.
In the same way, the above passages don't tell us if
masturbation is a form of sexual immorality, impurity, lust,
evil desires, etc., but instead we must look elsewhere in
Scripture to find out if the desire for masturbation is
something which needs to be put to death. Again,
the Bible never
says or implies or hints that masturbation is a sin. Therefore,
masturbation is not a form of sexual immorality, impurity, lust,
evil desires, etc.
The Craving Gets Stronger Each Time
Sometimes people claim that the desire gets stronger each time a
person masturbates.
If you think about it, this doesn't prove anything for or
against masturbation. Remember, the desire for sex was given to
us by God, so there is nothing sinful in having a strong desire
for sex. The sin is in the method that we use for
fulfilling our sexual desires, and the Bible never says or
implies or hints that masturbation is a sin.
The reason why people make this argument is probably to imply
that masturbation might become an addiction, but we have already
seen that the possibility of addiction does not prove that
anything is a sin.
Another problem with this argument is that it is simply not true
that every person who masturbates will crave it more strongly
every time. This is a false generalization which is easily
disproved by a simple Internet search.
The Effects on Marriage
Other arguments that people sometimes make against masturbation
are based on the assumption that it will have a
negative effect on marriage. For example, some of the purposes
for sex between a husband and wife (according to these
arguments) are for intimate companionship, for procreation, for
giving and receiving pleasure, for being "one flesh," and so on.
The concern is that masturbation is for self-gratification, and
therefore it hinders these purposes for sex within a marriage.
But how valid is this concern? Consider the following points:
- For one reason or another, the frequency
of sex in a marriage might not always meet a person's needs.
If the person pressures the spouse for more sex, this
sometimes causes resentments and arguments. On the other
hand, Christian wives (for example) have reported in blogs
and forums that they are quite happy with the frequency of
lovemaking, and it takes the pressure off of them if their
husbands are willing to relieve their sexual needs by
masturbating once in awhile (without pornography, etc.).
This means that occasional masturbation actually enhances
their marriage by leveling out their different needs for
sex.
Married Christians who occasionally masturbate usually
report that they would much rather make love to their
spouses. Masturbation doesn't prevent them from making love
to their spouses when the opportunities are there, it simply
"curbs their appetite" until there is an opportunity to make
love.
Some men experience "premature ejaculation," meaning that
they reach orgasm almost immediately after lovemaking
begins. This can leave the husband feeling frustrated and
ashamed, and it can leave the wife with unmet needs. Men
have reported that they have been able to gain greater
control over the duration of sex by using masturbation as a
way of "training" their sexual responses. So occasional
masturbation can enhance the marriage by helping to increase
the duration and the frequency of sex.
Sometimes a person's unmet needs can lead to adultery.
People have pointed out that by masturbating occasionally in
order to "curb their appetite" (e.g. on a business trip),
they are not tempted to have sex outside of marriage. So
occasional masturbation can enhance a marriage by helping to
prevent the devastating consequences of adultery.
- Pornography can have a harmful effect on
a marriage. However, people who have had an addiction to
pornography have sometimes been able to break this addiction
by masturbating without pornography in order to re-train
their sexual responses. So masturbation can enhance a
marriage if it helps to break addictions to pornography.
According to marriage counselors, sex is one of the top two
things that married couples fight about (money is the other
one). If the husband or wife is willing to masturbate
occasionally in order to help level out their different
sexual needs, this helps reduce the arguing over sex. So
occasional masturbation can enhance a marriage by reducing
one of the top two causes for fights in marriages.
What it boils down to is that in blogs and forums
and so on, husbands and wives have testified that the intimate
companionship, procreation, giving and receiving of pleasure,
being "one flesh," etc., are not hindered by occasional
masturbation. These concerns about the negative effects on
marriage are false assumptions, and they don't prove that
masturbation is a sin. Instead, occasional masturbation can
enhance a marriage in certain ways.
Sexual problems can have a devastating effect on a marriage. The
above points are not "worldly" issues, but rather they are real
issues which affect Christian marriages. Therefore, it is
important to be able to talk about these things in a Christian
context.
Touch No Unclean Thing
Sometimes people argue that masturbation is a sin because it
makes a person "unclean":
Leviticus 15:32: "These are the regulations
for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by
an emission of semen,"
2 Corinthians 6:17: ""Therefore come out from them and be
separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I
will receive you.""
2 Corinthians 6:18: ""I will be a Father to you, and you
will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.""
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."
In Leviticus 15:32 (above), is the "emission of
semen" referring to masturbation? Is it referring to a
"nocturnal emission" (sometimes called a "wet dream")? Is it
referring to sex? The truth is, we really don't know for sure
what the Bible means when it refers to "emissions of semen" or
"nocturnal emissions." Therefore, this argument is based on the
assumption that Leviticus 15:32 (above) is
referring to masturbation.
If Leviticus 15:32 (above) is talking about masturbation, notice
that masturbation would cause a man to become "unclean" under
the Law of Moses. But when people use this verse (or similar
verses) to argue against masturbation, they are assuming
that the word "unclean" means that the man had sinned. However,
this is a false assumption from not understanding the Jewish
background of Scripture. Under the Law of Moses, the Jews were
not allowed to come into God's presence (e.g. into the Temple)
if they were ceremonially unclean. This did not necessarily mean
that they had sinned, because they could become ceremonially
unclean through something perfectly normal or good or proper
which they did or which happened to them. For example, touching
a dead body made a person ceremonially unclean (Numbers
19:11-13), so Joseph of Arimathea became unclean by caring for
Jesus' dead body (Matthew 27:57-60). It was proper
for Joseph to do this, so his uncleanness did not mean that he
had sinned. If a woman gave birth then she was ceremonially
unclean for a period of days, even though giving birth is not a
sin (Leviticus 12:1-5). Being unclean simply meant that a person
must go through the specified purification ritual in order to
become ceremonially clean again. Here are some ways that people
have described ceremonial uncleanness under the Law of Moses:
"The concepts of "unclean" and "clean" are
not equivalent to "physically dirty" and "spic and span" ...
The distinction between unclean and clean was not even a
matter of "sinful" and "unsinful," for much of the ritual
defilement came about through accident, illness, physical
processes, and other actions that were proper and even
commendable" (The Bible Knowledge Commentary (Old
Testament edition), Walvoord and Zuck, Dallas Theological
Seminary, p.190)
"Perhaps a helpful way to grasp one nuance of the term's
meaning ["unclean"] is by analogy. In designing a house, one
does not put the dining room next to the bathroom. The
activities of the bathroom do not complement those of the
dining room. Neither bathroom nor dining room activities
are, however, sinful, just incompatible." (Jewish
Laws of Purity in Jesus' Day
)
"A Jew avoided ceremonial uncleanness because under the Law
of Moses, it prevented him from entering the Temple-- in
which was the presence of God. The Gentiles, who did not
follow the Scriptures to maintain ceremonial cleanliness
could never enter the Temple. For instance, at the time of
her monthly period, a Jewish woman could not enter the
Temple. Other things which made a person ceremonially
unclean included contact with the dead, leprosy, sexual
discharge, and child birth. Anyone unclean who did enter in
was cut off from the community of Israel, excommunicated by
God and expelled from His presence in the Temple--a fate
worse than death."
So under the Old Covenant, being "unclean" was
not the same as being a sinner. Under the New
Covenant, every Christian is ceremonially clean at
all times:
"[The Greek word hagios means] Pure,
clean, ceremonially or morally clean ... Spoken of those who
are purified and sanctified by the influences of the Spirit.
This is assumed of all who profess the Christian name, hence
hagios, saint, hagioi, saints, Christians" (The
Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament,
Spiros Zodhiates, p.70)
In other words, Christians are always
ceremonially clean through the blood of Christ, even when we
sin. In 2 Corinthians 6:17 (above), Paul was quoting what the
Lord said to people under the Old Covenant (Isaiah 52:11,
Ezekiel 20:34, and 20:41 - see the NIV footnote), and then he
applied that principle to Christians by telling us to "purify
ourselves from everything that contaminates body
and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for
God" (2 Corinthians 7:1, above). Does sex within marriage
"contaminate body and spirit," and should we "purify ourselves"
from it? No, because the Bible never condemns or forbids it.
Does masturbation "contaminate body and spirit," and should we
"purify ourselves" from it? No, because the Bible never condemns
or forbids it. The Bible never says or implies or hints that
it's a sin. It is unScriptural for us to claim that masturbation
is wrong or sinful, because such a concept is nowhere to be
found in the Bible.
Now let's look at a similar passage:
Ephesians 5:11: "Have nothing to do with
the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather
expose them."
Ephesians 5:12: "For it is shameful even to mention
what the disobedient do in secret."
People sometimes use the above passage as an
argument against masturbation, but by now you can probably see
the error in this argument. Whenever you hear an argument
against masturbation, take a moment and objectively
apply that same argument to sex within marriage as well as to
adultery. For example, here's how we can apply this to Ephesians
5:11-12:
- When husbands and wives make love, they
usually do it in secret (to hide it from their kids). But
does Ephesians 5:11-12 (above) prove that they are doing a
"fruitless deed of darkness" and being "disobedient in
secret"? No, because Ephesians 5:11-12 (above) doesn't
mention marital lovemaking at all. In order to find out if
they are being disobedient, we must look elsewhere in the
Bible. Passages such as 1 Corinthians 7:3-5 tell us that
it's proper for a husband and wife to make love, and
therefore husbands and wives are not being
disobedient by making love in secret.
- When people commit adultery, they usually
do it in secret. But does Ephesians 5:11-12 (above) prove
that they are doing a "fruitless deed of darkness" and being
"disobedient in secret"? No, because Ephesians 5:11-12
(above) doesn't mention adultery at all. In order to find
out if they are being disobedient, we must look elsewhere in
the Bible. Passages such as 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 tell us
that adultery is a sin, and therefore people are
being disobedient by committing adultery in secret.
When people masturbate, they usually do it in secret. But
does Ephesians 5:11-12 (above) prove that they are doing a
"fruitless deed of darkness" and being "disobedient in
secret"? No, because Ephesians 5:11-12 (above) doesn't
mention masturbation at all. In order to find out if they
are being disobedient, we must look elsewhere in the Bible.
There are no passages in the Bible which tell us that
masturbation is a sin, and therefore people are not
being disobedient by masturbating in secret.
Remember, our goal is to honor the Lord in all
that we say and do and believe. Therefore, it's important to be
honest and objective when we study a doctrine so that our views
are based on Scripture, not on our "feelings." This is the
reason for comparing masturbation with marital sex and adultery
when we're evaluating arguments against masturbation, because
this helps us to be objective in our conclusions.
Does the Bible Indirectly Mention
Masturbation?
The Bible never directly mentions masturbation, but it's
possible that the Bible mentions masturbation indirectly
(without condemning it). For example, I have heard that the
Jewish expression, "covering one's feet," comes from the
practice of standing up while masturbating in a private place. I
have not been able to verify if this is true or not, but the
euphemism, "covering one's feet," is translated as "relieving
himself" in two places in the NIV. The first occurrence is in
the book of Judges:
Judges 3:20: "Ehud then approached him [King
Eglon] while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his
summer palace and said, "I have a message from God for you."
As the king rose from his seat,"
Judges 3:21: "Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the
sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king's
belly."
Judges 3:22: "Even the handle sank in after the blade, which
came out his back. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the
fat closed in over it."
Judges 3:23: "Then Ehud went out to the porch ; he shut the
doors of the upper room behind him and locked them."
Judges 3:24: "After he had gone, the servants came and found
the doors of the upper room locked. They said, "He must be
relieving himself in the inner room of the
house.""
Here's what a prominent Bible commentary says
about this passage:
"the king's servants delayed outside his
locked door, figuring that the king was relieving himself
(lit., "covering his feet," a euphemism for body
elimination; cf. 1 Sam. 24:3)." (The Bible
Knowledge Commentary (Old Testament edition), Walvoord
and Zuck, Dallas Theological Seminary, p.387, emphasis
added)
According to this commentary, "covering his feet"
is a euphemism for body elimination. But "body elimination" can
be a euphemism for several things, such as going to the bathroom
or masturbating. The commentary doesn't clarify this for us.
The other reference to "covering his feet" concerns King Saul:
1 Samuel 24:3: "He came to the sheep pens
along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to
relieve himself. David and his men were far back in
the cave."
1 Samuel 24:4: "The men said, "This is the day the LORD
spoke of when he said to you, 'I will give your enemy into
your hands for you to deal with as you wish.'" Then
David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul's robe."
Once again, "relieve himself" comes from the
euphemism, "cover his feet":
"Saul's life was in David's hands as the king
went to relieve himself (lit., "cover his feet," a
euphemism, v. 3)" (The Bible Knowledge Commentary
(Old Testament edition), Walvoord and Zuck, Dallas
Theological Seminary, p.451, emphasis added)
The argument that some people make is that if
King Saul needed to go to the bathroom, he would not normally
seek out the privacy of a cave because soldiers of that time
went to the bathroom at a designated spot outside the camp
(Deuteronomy 23:9-13). But King Saul wanted to "cover his feet"
(which refers to masturbation, according to this argument), so
he wanted a place where he could have some privacy for awhile.
Consider that if King Saul were simply going to the bathroom, it
seems unlikely that David would be able to creep up and cut off
a piece of Saul's robe without Saul noticing. But if King Saul
were masturbating, it seems more likely that he would be
mentally preoccupied enough for David to sneak up on him and
take part of his robe. We don't know what King Saul was doing,
but notice that if he was relieving his sexual needs then there
is no condemnation of masturbation here.
The above two passages might be describing the simple act of
going to the bathroom, but I have included them for the sake of
thoroughness because they might be Scriptural examples of
masturbation (with no condemnation attached to the practice).
Sometimes people point out that Eglon and Saul (in the above
passages) weren't God-fearing men at that point, so if they did
something sinful then it wouldn't have bothered them very much.
However, this doesn't change the fact that there is no
condemnation attached to whatever they were doing,
nor is there
any condemnation attached to masturbation anywhere in the entire
Bible.
Here are several passages which refer to "an emission of semen":
Leviticus 15:32: "These are the regulations
for a man with a discharge, for anyone made unclean by
an emission of semen,"
Leviticus 22:4: ""'If a descendant of Aaron has an
infectious skin disease or a bodily discharge, he may not
eat the sacred offerings until he is cleansed. He will also
be unclean if he touches something defiled by a corpse or by
anyone who has an emission of semen,"
Deuteronomy 23:9: "When you are encamped against your
enemies, keep away from everything impure."
Deuteronomy 23:10: "If one of your men is unclean because of
a nocturnal emission, he is to go outside the
camp and stay there."
Deuteronomy 23:11: "But as evening approaches he is to wash
himself, and at sunset he may return to the camp."
In the above passages, there is no concern about
whether this "emission" happened as a result of sex or
masturbation or "nocturnal emissions" (sometimes called "wet
dreams"). Actually, the "nocturnal emission" in Deuteronomy
23:9-11 (above) does not necessarily refer to a "wet dream," it
could also be a reference to involuntary urination during the
night or it could be a reference to masturbation during the
night. The Hebrew text is not specific enough for us to be
certain. Still, no condemnation is associated with any of the
above "emissions," no matter how they happened (remember, we saw
earlier that being "unclean" does not mean that the person had
sinned).
The only other references to an "emission of semen" in the Bible
are in Leviticus 15:16-18:
Leviticus 15:16: ""'When a man has an
emission of semen, he must bathe his whole body with
water, and he will be unclean till evening."
Leviticus 15:17: "Any clothing or leather that has semen on
it must be washed with water, and it will be unclean till
evening."
Leviticus 15:18: "When a man lies with a woman and
there is an emission of semen, both must bathe with
water, and they will be unclean till evening."
In verse 18, notice that there is no condemnation
for an emission of semen which is associated with sex.
In verse 16, it appears that it refers to an emission of semen
that is not associated with sex because otherwise
verse 18 would not be necessary (plus there is no mention of a
woman in verse 16 as there is in verse 18). Whether it's
referring to a "nocturnal emission" or to masturbation, there is
no condemnation for it.
There is one more passage in the Bible which some people believe
might be a reference to female masturbation:
Song of Songs 5:2: "I slept but my heart was
awake. Listen! My lover is knocking: "Open to me, my sister,
my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched
with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.""
Song of Songs 5:3: "I have taken off my robe-- must I put it
on again? I have washed my feet-- must I soil them again?"
Song of Songs 5:4: "My lover thrust his hand through the
latch-opening; my heart began to pound for him."
Song of Songs 5:5: "I arose to open for my lover, and my
hands dripped with myrrh, my fingers with flowing myrrh, on
the handles of the lock."
There are many different ways that people have
interpreted Song of Songs, and some people see a suggestion of
female masturbation in the above passage. I don't know if that
is the proper interpretation or not (personally I'm doubtful),
but I have included it for the sake of thoroughness. Notice that
if Solomon's lover was masturbating while he was away, this is
not condemned as a sin.
Conclusion
Masturbation is one of those subjects that brings out strong
emotional reactions in Christians, but it's important to guard
against letting our feelings dictate our beliefs.
As we have seen throughout this article,
the Bible never says or
implies or hints that masturbation is a sin.
We saw that there are several passages which might
be a description of masturbation, and we saw that those passages
do not condemn or forbid masturbation in any way. Apart from
those passages, the Bible never mentions masturbation at all.
Try doing a computer search in any version of the Bible, and you
won't find any variation of "masturbation" (or any euphemism for
masturbation) anywhere in the Bible. Try looking in any New
Testament Greek or Old Testament Hebrew dictionaries or
lexicons, and you won't find any listings for any variation of
"masturbation" (or any euphemism for masturbation). Try looking
in any Bible concordances or topical Bibles, and you won't find
any listings for any variation of "masturbation" (or any
euphemism for masturbation).
God did condemn various forms of sex between a man and a woman
(e.g. Leviticus 18:6-20), and between members of the same sex, and between humans and animals
(Leviticus 18:23), but not once did He condemn or forbid
masturbation anywhere in the Bible. It's not an issue. It's not
a sin.
After reading this article you might be saying to yourself,
"Okay, but I still feel that masturbation is a sin." If so, then
ask yourself what Scriptural evidence supports your feeling that
masturbation is a sin. There isn't any! The Bible provides us
with no evidence at all to support the idea that masturbation is
a sin. Therefore, your view is not based on Scripture, but
instead it is based on your feelings. In other words, you have
elevated your feelings above the authority of
Scripture, which is a form of pride.
Remember, our goal should always be to honor the Lord in all
that we say and do and believe. We should always try to be
prayerful and honest and thorough and objective when we study a
doctrine. Therefore, when Scripture passages seem to condemn
masturbation, be honest with those passages. Find
out what those passages really mean, and compare them with the
passages in this article. For some reason, masturbation is a
subject which causes many people to allow their feelings
to dictate their beliefs, which dishonors the Lord.
What it boils down to is that we must elevate Scripture above
our feelings and our reasonings, and we must believe
what God has chosen to tell us. There is no Scriptural evidence
whatsoever that masturbation is a sin. I certainly didn't expect
to come to that conclusion when I began this study! But like
anything else that we do, it's important to make sure that
masturbation is not done in a way which might dishonor the Lord
(e.g. becoming addicted, using pornography, improper
fantasizing, etc.).
God did not think that masturbation needed to be addressed in
the Bible. As Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family
said, "It is my opinion that masturbation is not much of an
issue with God." (Preparing for Adolescence, Dr. James
Dobson, p.83)
All for Your glory, Lord Jesus! |
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