Masturbation.
Is it a sin according to the Bible?
Hi.
Welcome to today's Little Lesson.
Thank you so much for joining me.
Today, we're going to broach a very sensitive topic but an important topic and a controversial
topic, the topic of masturbation.
Within the greater body of Christ there is a spectrum of opinion of the subject.
The reason that there is, is because, as we'll soon see, the Bible is actually silent on
the subject, at least to some degree.
Now, the reason that I decided to broach the subject is because our most popular Little
Lesson video that we produced, and we've been doing this for, I guess, about a year now,
is one that is titled Will God Keep Forgiving Me if I Keep Repeating the Same Sin?
That video has received, as I'm talking to you right now, 41,000 views.
On average, our videos receive hundreds of views.
So this one in particular, 41,000 views.
Now, YouTube will actually reveal to us some of the demographics of our viewers.
Whatever it knows, whatever YouTube knows it reveals.
We have learned that for the most part, the large majority of folks who have searched
for and viewed that particular video are young men in the ranges of 18 to 25 or 26.
So it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what they're struggling with.
Mostly young, unmarried men who have reached the age of puberty.
This is widespread.
Christian young men struggle because they want to do what's pleasing to God and they
know that God has things to say about sex and their body being the temple of the Holy
Spirit and so forth.
So a lot of them are looking for answers.
It brings them, in their searches, to our most popular YouTube video, If I Keep Committing
the Same Sin, Will God Keep On Forgiving Me?
Now, if you've seen that video, you know that, of course, I make it very plain that God's
grace and mercy and forgiveness are unlimited.
If we confess our sins he's faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from
all unrighteousness.
You can't out-sin the mercy of God.
Of course, we have to confess and ask for his forgiveness.
But he never would say no.
God gives grace to the humble and I'm so glad for that and I'm sure you are too.
But a lot of young men are struggling and looking for answers and so forth.
So I'm going to spend a few of our Little Lessons talking about this subject of masturbation.
The very first thing, most important question I think to ask is, what does the Bible say?
The plain fact of the matter, it's almost shocking.
It certainly is surprising on one level.
The Bible never mentions masturbation.
You never find the word masturbation.
You never find a synonym for the word masturbation.
The Bible's essentially silent on the actual physical act of masturbation.
The reason I said that's surprising is because the Bible is so clear on so many levels when
it comes to revealing God's thoughts and God's will concerning human sexuality.
I mean, let's face it, God enumerates in Scripture, both Old and New Testament, specific sexual
sins.
The one I think that everybody would think of first would be, of course, the sin of adultery.
Well, that's one of the 10 commandments.
Thou shalt not commit adultery.
What is adultery?
Adultery is sex by two people who are ... one or two people who are married and they're
having sex with someone to whom they're not married.
So they're cheating on a spouse.
Everyone in their conscience, of course, knows that's wrong and every culture knows that's
wrong.
But that's in the Bible, Old and New Testaments.
God specifically says sex is something that's to be enjoyed between a husband and a wife,
two people who are committed to each other in a lifetime marriage covenant.
Why is that?
Because God loves us, that's why.
Because he knows what's best for us and he's reserved something strictly to marriage.
Because he loves us.
He knows that's good for us.
Everything outside of that has potentially bad consequences and always carries some bad
consequences that are totally inescapable.
Adulterers suffer, always, to some degree.
God doesn't want us to suffer that way so he gives us this commandment.
All right.
That's one of the things that God had to say about sex.
Similarly to adultery would be fornication.
In the same kind of category, sex between unmarried people.
Again, God wants people to enjoy sex within the covenant of marriage.
It's special.
It's intimate.
It's vulnerable and it's something that is so special it's reserved for one special person.
All right?
Again, because God loves us.
Well, what other sexual sins does God mention in Scripture?
Oh, my goodness.
He mentions incest.
Old and New Testaments list it as wrong.
In the Old Testament, he spells it out very specific what constitutes an incestuous relationship.
Prostitution, of course, a form of adultery or fornication.
That's condemned in Scripture.
Homosexuality, sex between two people of the same sex is strongly condemned in the Old
and New Testaments.
I know people would love to change that today but the Bible's ... The Bible's the Bible.
It's been around for thousands of years and so too late to change that now.
So God condemns that.
Oh, here's one you'd never think that even would have to be mentioned in the Scripture.
Having a sexual relationship, a human being having a sexual relationship with an animal.
I mean, when did that enter anyone's mind?
How could anyone be tempted in that regard?
Who would ever do such a thing?
But apparently there are folks that are tempted and do such things.
God catches them.
He spells it out in Scripture.
Whoever does this, God condemns.
There's actually a word for this.
It's bestiality, having sex with an animal.
Bestiality.
I actually looked that up to make sure I'm pronouncing it right.
Okay?
In case you ever need to use that word, which I doubt you'll ever have to use that word.
So what I'm saying here is that all these things are condemned, clearly, in Scripture.
But masturbation, never mentioned.
Lust is mentioned.
Yes, I know some viewers are thinking that.
We'll get to that in our next Little Lesson, because we're out of time for this one.
But nobody can deny that the Bible is silent on the sin, if it is a sin, of masturbation.
We'll get into this more deeply in our next Little Lesson so I hope you join us.
I know at least a few viewers are saying, "Oh, no.
I know of a case in the Old Testament where God killed somebody for masturbating."
Oh, I'm glad you thought of that because we're going to cover that the very first thing in
our next Little Lesson.
Okay?
All right.
Thank you so much for joining me.
Hope to see you next time.
God bless you.