The first thing you must know is that the Bible does not discuss masturbation, meaning we are not told whether it is sinful or wrong. Now, we must realize that we have to be very careful to declare something as sinful or not sinful when God does not reveal it in the Scripture. Thus, we can only take general principles about sex and see if we can apply them to this controversial issue.
There have been others that have written extensively on the topic including the following links:
(this chapter is part of a larger e-Book that you can download for free)
Please read these articles carefully. They are full of wisdom, practical advice (if you're really struggling with this issue) and Scripture.
In reading these articles myself, I found the common thing the authors all agree on is this: The goal of the Christian life is to be pure in thought and deed (Eph. 5:3). Even though there are circumstances in which masturbation is not sinful (i.e. thinking about your spouse, etc.), most masturbation would probably fall into the category of sin as it involves lusting after someone. This is the reason why masturbation is often associated with looking at pornography. Practically, fighting against masturbation is a lesson in self-control (and thus has great benefit spiritually and physically). Summarily, to answer your question, ask yourself (honestly!) these questions, posed by Pastor Mark Driscoll:
- Question #1 –
Can you masturbate without lusting (Job 31:1)? - Question #2 –
Can you masturbate in a way that builds oneness with your spouse, pulling you together more intimately through the act (Gen. 2:24)? - Question #3 –
Can you masturbate without experiencing shame (Gen. 2:24)? - Question #4 –
Can you masturbate with a clear conscience (Titus 1:15)? - Question #5 –
Can you masturbate without capitulating to the cravings of your sinful desires and thoughts (Eph. 2:3)? - [Answered by Pastor HM]
