Masturbation of the flesh. Is it a sin?

Hi everyone. I would like to bring a discussion on your opinions on masturbation and whether you believe it is a sin.
I have a pretty strong view that masturbation is a sin (not just from my own convictions of experience but from scripture aswell) referring to masturbation without lustful thoughts, and just satisfying the flesh of sexual tension.

I just want to point out what this discussion excludes , so we can focus on the main point

I think we can all agree lusting over anyone (or anything of the imagination) is a sin as Jesus refers to it, whether that's in the mind or practically
Matthew 5:28
For anyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
So let's go a step deeper with masturbation not including lust of the mind, but just because it "feels good" ,which are the desires of the flesh. Obviously desires of the flesh can be normal and healthy~ hunger, thirst.

I also think we can agree that anything that has control over us or compulsiveness is dangerous and therefor a sin, as we gratify the flesh and lose the spirit of self control

James 1- 14-15

14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

This includes the freewill of the person, whether constructive or not~ 1 Corinthians 10: 23

Okay so is masturbation if we say is practiced once a month or 2 , doesn't include lust ofbut the mind ir eyes but comes from of heart of satisfying the flesh (like eating food) of sexual tension then is it a sin?

Let me give my reasons why I believe it is regardless of any circumstance

1 Corinthians 7:4
The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife.

We can agree that God's purpose for us was to have dominion on this earth and populate from the beginning with Adam and eve

Genesis 2:24
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

From these scripture, it shares to me that any sexual stimulation or practice practiced outside of the context of marriage wasn't in God's original intent. This would make me to believe that masturbation is actually sexually immoral because sex was created by God to be used by his creation for marriage between a man and a women, not self stimulation as 1 Corinthians 7:4 shares that our bodies belong to our spouse (or future spouse if you're single)

So this is my argument for why any form of masturbation is a sin. I also think of the idea of my leaders or pastors performing masturbation or the thought to teach masturbation is crazy! To me it just shows a lack of self control and not what God designed our sexual desires for.

Please leave your thoughts, agrees or disagrees and your opinion to this topic. I've just heard too much about masturbation with lustful thoughts rather than masturbation in general

umm… i think this subject is just too deep for discussion, well… in my opinion and yes you made a few good points there… so, thats all i have to say

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
[John 1:8]

Sin ~Greek: hamartia ~ a violation of God’s divine law in thought or in act; it’s anything that is an offense against God.

Sin is our flesh. Our fleshly thoughts, our own understanding, our thoughts or actions that are not spiritual. Sin is anything that we measure ourselves by, good or bad in our outward man, our flesh.

[SUP]21 [/SUP]“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. [SUP]22 [/SUP]Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ [SUP]23 [/SUP]And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ " [Matthew 7:21-23]

The Lord does not relate to our flesh (outward man), but to His Spirit He has placed within our hearts. In other words, God is in union with us spiritually. The flesh cannot receive from God, no flesh will ever submit to God, no flesh will glory in His sight. No man or woman is righteous in their flesh. No, NOT ONE. No one understands, no one seeks for God. Everyone is turned aside.

Only God is holy. Jesus Christ's Spirit alive in us is holy. Not our flesh. Our flesh will never enter heaven. We enter in with Christ now, spiritually. Always, eternally. It is His doing. We are His workmanship, His handiwork. He is making us into the image of His Son. We must believe Him!

Do you understand? No flesh, nothing of us that we think is good or bad, measures up to God’s perfection. You can obey every commandment of your own efforts, cast our demons, raise folks from the dead and still be an offense to God because you are banking on your good works, on your own efforts, on your own intellectual perception, and not 100% wholly trusting in God doing the work in you spiritually. You are not giving God glory, but are boasting of yourself. (Or in the case of the op, condemning yourself.)

Jesus does not say, “Depart from Me, you never knew Me.” He said, “Depart from Me, for I never knew YOU.” Because Jesus doesn’t recognize you in the flesh. If you trust in your own good works, in your fleshly deeds, or if you feel you are not good enough, neither of those are trusting in the Lord. But are fleshly and ungodly because you are focused on you and not God.

Jesus recognizes His Spirit within us, that is all. We have an intimate Spiritual relationship and that is whom Jesus knows. He will never know, never be intimate with your flesh, your carnal man, your old crucified self.

Either we walk in the Spirit with our eyes on Him, or we bank on ourselves, in our own efforts, and walk in the flesh.

Is masturbation a sin? That’s not the right question. The question is, Do you believe Jesus died to set you free and is able to keep you from bondage to yourself? Because that’s exactly what He did.

But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (flesh).
[I John 1:8]

Keep your eyes on Him, stop focusing on yourself, and believe His Voice in your heart, not the random, impulsive thoughts in your head. If Christ is your Savior, you are set free from all flesh. You are a spiritual being, no longer a carnal man to God. That's some really GOOD NEWS!!

No fap...

Depends. Normally no it's not a sin but if it becomes an addiction it is

Hello Demi777,

I would have to greatly disagree with that! According to scripture, anything outside of sexual intimacy between a married man and woman is sexual immorality, and that includes self pleasuring. Whether it is once in awhile or an addiction doesn't matter, it is all sexual immorality.

Like the Lady said, if it becomes an addiction it's sin. As to when does it become an addiction, it's when you cant let it go: Unless we forsake everyone and everything and our own life, we cant be His disciple.
"Nothing is evil in itself, but to him who esteems it ("Lovers of pleasure more than Lovers of God.") to him it is evil." "Whatever is not of faith is sin." In the case you find yourself addicted and think shamefully of yourself, rather "God be merciful to me a sinner," In this sense doesn't matter if its sin or not, as "Sin shall not have dominion over you for you are not under the law but under grace." "All manner of sin shall be forgiven unto man but rejecting the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven to man." Have masturbated while praying in tongues: to release stress and verify wether it was possible to be considered not sin: not rejecting the Holy Spirit wile doing it. One of the few time there was no shame involved, I have struggled with addictions practically my whole life and could possibly be one of Paul's rivals as chief of sinners and compete with "not of works lest any man should boast." Our accomplishments are fitly rags so we don't think to highly of ourselves. But as single we are to aspire to love the Lord with our whole heart and not be distracted by the world, as opposed to married people who 'Seek the things of the world to please their mate." An expression of love in marriage; an opportunity to dye to our selfish nature and seek to please the Lord without distraction as single. "The time is short, it remains that they that have wives be as if they have none,"

And as scripture states, performing it at all, is sin. It is not a matter of whether it becomes an addiction or not. It is sin period. The Holy Spirit should be confirming this with your spirit, if He dwells in you.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a person is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.”

Be very careful as not to teach that it is ok to commit sin, which is what you are doing by saying that masturbation is ok as long as it is not an addiction.

An addiction happens when you start graving. An normal human urge is one thing but if it becomes a regular thing or you can't stop...there's a problem

We can not be judges of another mans conscience: those of you who do, have not read carefully: doesn't matter if it is sin or not, our blame is taken away, as we receive the Holy Spirit who will teach us and lead us in the truth. Unless your self righteous, then prostitutes and sinners like me enter the kingdom of God before you. If you think you can enter by your merit and judgment, think again: "The merciful shall obtain mercy." It's easier for sinners to have compassion on sinners, are you a sinner? "One thing is needful and Mary has chosen that good part that shall not be taken from her." 'whoever has been forgiven much loves much." "One thing I do, forgetting what is behind, to go on to know the Lord."

Unless we know we are loved as we are and that our blame is taken away by God, we are unable to come to Him as we are.
13 years ago the Lord told me, "Enter in as a little child and put away your divided spirit."
It's been a long journey but the hidden meaning is unles we enter in we don't have self control as a fruit of the Spirit, to put away our deceitful heart and have a new heart... God does not judge us according to our sins unless we are self righters and think we are better than others. The self righteous are judged according to their sins because they impose they deceitful work on others and impair then to enter In, sadly it's dangerous to think we are good. "From now on let no one hinder me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus" This is what we should teach sinners like ourselves, to be identified with Christ in His death as apart from Him we can do nothing.

How many hand to man threads do we need?

Why do you say it doesn't matter if its a sin or not? How can we say to our God " oh it doesn't matter" ? Yes Jesus takes away all the blame for our sin but that doesn't actually give us the right to disregard whether something in a sin or not a sin. Sin may lead to someone's eternity being in absolute suffering. As you said, the Holy Spirit will continue to show us and lead us to the truth, but the spirit will never simply allow us to disregard something that may or may not be sin, otherwise we will grieve the Holy Spirit. This isn't about being self righteous .This isn't about working your way into heaven, or losing salvation because of sin. It's about being called as saints, and in God's eyes, not an identity of a sinner. We have all sinned, and fallen short of God's glory. God remain to love us, but that doesn't mean he's always pleased with us because he's called us as saints and if we intentionally sin or not care about sin, what does say about us? This is a very sensitive topic amongst new Christians and mature Christians but we cannot just ignore that the issues exist, we cannot avoid the truth. I say this very truthfully, if we sin intentionally or nonintentionally towards God, we just continue to crucify and spit on Jesus. That's the truth, but God truly sees our heart, and understands our sin may not be intentional or something we are struggling with , which is why we allow him to destroy it in our lives and remain obedient, not just in our own strength ,which is why he will forgive! I am very compassionate towards Christians who sin, but I love them enough to speak up and speak truth through everything I've learnt on my journey with Jesus. Now God wants us to submit to him so that he may transform our lives , to walk more like Jesus and be true ambassadors of His Kingdom. You are correct in saying I can't judge a man conscience because only God can, but it doesn't mean God just wants me to do nothing if he's revealed to me something potentially dangerous to His church. Blame is taken away, but sin still has it's consequences on the world and only God knows the depths of the repercussions of it

I believe it is a sin, because you can't do it without lust.

I believe it is also a sin because you are self pleasuring, sowing into the flesh and reaping death.

Why it doesn't matter if it's sin or not, I mentioned already that I lived in addiction for years, desiring to stop, "God be merciful to me a sinner" is the best I could do. There is nothing you or anyone self righteous or not, that can say anything against that. But i suppose it does matter to those who desire to be judges. Jesus did not come to judge the world but to save the world. "The heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked, who can know it." The issue is not sin but the sin nature: living after the flesh. Many times I tried to stop but the longer I tried the more prone to idolise women I became, and this was sin. If you try to stop the deceit of your heart by stopping this issue, good luck with that, it may be that some can, but for many it's through much trouble that we enter the kingdom of God. What is sin or addictive for one person is not necessarily addictive for another. It's less trouble in old age, but that's no be reason to think more highly of ourselves if we could get over it. "In my flesh dwells no good thing." "Let us not judge one another but judge this rather, that no one cause another to stumble." Calling it sin when it's not a daily addiction will not make it easier to overcome, rather more difficult with the guilt and shame... "Follow the Spirit as your guide that you may resist the flesh." "If you have died with Christ set your affections on thing above not on things on the earth." People who struggle with addiction have depravity trouble, I suspect this accounts for 90 of the world. Calling them sinners isn't going to help them and will bring the same judgment on the person passing the judgment. There is an immature view of Mercy and Grace in many Christians, Not knowing how much we are Loved and how much we are to Love as God Loves, and the obvious reason for this is our immaturity and I waked away a few times not to be part of the trouble, but it's wiser to admit our immaturity here, neither am I a good communicator.

Why is it normal to you? And what in the Holy Writ supports your idea?