One Minute Apologist - God's Design For SexSample

Is Masturbation a Sin?

Some people say masturbation is normal and amoral, others contend that masturbation can be either amoral or immoral, and still others believe masturbation is always immoral.

How might we assess these various opinions?

First, as Christians, we certainly wouldn't align with the first view that masturbation is always amoral. We may concede that it’s normal, but that doesn’t make it amoral. Obviously, when lust enters the picture, we’re dealing with a real moral issue.

The second view states that masturbation can either be amoral or immoral. What do I mean by this? Some would argue that masturbation is permissible for the pre-married individual as long as they don’t lust after another person. Some believe it’s okay for a man, in particular, to masturbate in order release a semen buildup, assuming he doesn’t lust in the process.

Just because our body feels the need for a certain type of release doesn’t mean we should cave in to our desires. As humans, we have many desires, and nothing will erode our discipline quicker than constantly giving in to those desires.

The third view stresses that masturbation is always wrong. It’s a true moral issue. While I can understand how a prepubescent child may have innocently masturbated and even continued to do so without lusting to sexual images into puberty, if they continue with this behavior, my fear is that it will only be a matter of time before they enter into puberty and masturbate to the imagination of their lusts. When this happens the act is no longer innocent. A shift has taken place that can become a lifelong habit of objectifying other human beings through masturbation.

With these thoughts in mind, let me offer a couple of warnings.

First, masturbation exhibits a lack of self-control. According to the Bible, self-control is a virtue and is even described as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Many people are controlled by their next episode of masturbation. Christ doesn’t want us mastered by anything but Him.

Second, masturbation can cultivate a self-centered and pleasure-seeking appetite that warps one’s view of biblical sex. That’s a frightening thought that should cause us to reserve all forms of sexual pleasure for marital love.

In the end, the obvious answer is, yes, masturbation is a sin if it entails lust. But even if it doesn’t include lust, I advise against it as it can lead to other sinful behaviors, such as self-centeredness and the lack of self-control. On this, I’d err on the side of caution.

Question to Consider

Do you agree with this advice regarding masturbation? If not, what good do you think can come from masturbation?