Is masturbation wrong?
Introduction. The New Testament doesn’t explicitly discuss this activity, but there are several general principles that would apply.
Proper Sexual Activity. God created mankind as sexual creatures with God-given sexual needs and desires (Gen. 1:27-28). As a result, He has the right to say what are proper and improper ways of expressing that sexuality. Sexual activity is not dirty or forbidden, providing it is exercised within marriage (1 Cor. 7: 1 ff.). Sex is designed to be more than just for procreation. It is also designed to provide physical pleasure and emotional fulfillment (1 Cor. 7: 3-5).
Improper Sexual Activity. All sexual intercourse outside of marriage is called "fornication" (KJV) and is condemned (Heb. 13: 4; 1 Cor. 6:18-20). But Jesus goes beyond condemning the overt act to the main root cause and also condemns stimulating one's lusts by looking (Matt. 5:27-28). There is also no provision for self-gratification. Consider Romans 13:13-14:
Remedy. Some remedies for sexual temptation (including masturbation) are to fill one’s mind with spiritual thoughts (Phil. 4: 8), avoiding idleness, and avoiding situations that encourage sexual desires (1 Cor. 15: 58, 16: 13). And in our modern sex-crazed culture, that includes carefully regulating what we see (e.g., Internet, TV, movies, magazines) and what we hear (e.g., music, dirty jokes).
Conclusion. Hebrews 11:25 admits there is pleasure in sin. That is one reason so many people do it. Even the great apostle Paul in Rom. 8:14-25 and 1 Cor. 9:24-10:13 admitted the struggle he had between his spirit (what he knew to be right) and his flesh (sinful desires). We would be well advised to following his good example :
Proper Sexual Activity. God created mankind as sexual creatures with God-given sexual needs and desires (Gen. 1:27-28). As a result, He has the right to say what are proper and improper ways of expressing that sexuality. Sexual activity is not dirty or forbidden, providing it is exercised within marriage (1 Cor. 7: 1 ff.). Sex is designed to be more than just for procreation. It is also designed to provide physical pleasure and emotional fulfillment (1 Cor. 7: 3-5).
Improper Sexual Activity. All sexual intercourse outside of marriage is called "fornication" (KJV) and is condemned (Heb. 13: 4; 1 Cor. 6:18-20). But Jesus goes beyond condemning the overt act to the main root cause and also condemns stimulating one's lusts by looking (Matt. 5:27-28). There is also no provision for self-gratification. Consider Romans 13:13-14:
- “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.” (ESV)
Remedy. Some remedies for sexual temptation (including masturbation) are to fill one’s mind with spiritual thoughts (Phil. 4: 8), avoiding idleness, and avoiding situations that encourage sexual desires (1 Cor. 15: 58, 16: 13). And in our modern sex-crazed culture, that includes carefully regulating what we see (e.g., Internet, TV, movies, magazines) and what we hear (e.g., music, dirty jokes).
Conclusion. Hebrews 11:25 admits there is pleasure in sin. That is one reason so many people do it. Even the great apostle Paul in Rom. 8:14-25 and 1 Cor. 9:24-10:13 admitted the struggle he had between his spirit (what he knew to be right) and his flesh (sinful desires). We would be well advised to following his good example :
- "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." (1 Cor. 9:24-27, ESV)