Subject: 2 followups, masturbation and 1Cor7:2-5 |
Bible Note: Greetings Biynah, 1 Corinthians 6:18 states, "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body." I believe that this verse is a strong rebuke against masturbation as well as other kinds of sin that one may do with the body. In masturbation, you are giving into the desires of sinful human flesh. Is that what Joseph did when confronted with the advances of Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39:12)? No, Joseph fled from that desire! And so should we, who call ourselves "Christians." Without getting verbally descriptive to the point of where my text would become "unbecoming" to the Christian audience of whom this Forum is put on display for, I will give you a description of the folly of masturbation from Proverbs 5:15-23. Masturbation leads to adultery, which leads to death. The sin that leads one to masturbate will result in spiritual death (Proverbs 7:23)! But I will let the imagery of death and sensual desire rest there, since I will not stoop to the level of letting one of my own posts become censured. "Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths. For many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain. Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death." [Proverbs 7:25-27] We should not be so easily enticed by sin! Continence is the alternative to living this sinful way of life, and if one continues to "burn with passion" (1 Cor. 7:9) then that person should marry, since masturbation is a perversion of what should take place in the marriage relationship, exclusive to the marriage relationship. "Burn with passion" in 1 Cor. 7:9 also does not mean 'masturbation' or justify masturbation, since Paul is clearly stating that a person cannot live a happy life and serve the Lord effectively if dominated by unfulfilled sexual passion! Matthew 5:27-30 states that we should rid ourselves of that which hinders our spiritual walk with Christ! If our sexual passions hinder our spiritual walk, then they must go! Christ says in verse 28, "but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." Just what did Christ mean by "committed adultery with her in his heart"? This is a willful, calculated stare that arouses a sexual desire within a man. And that temptation can be "turned down" or not acted upon. We are not slaves to our own bodies or to our own sinful nature! We can resist, we have been released from the bondage of sin and death, and we can have mastery over our sexual desires. Masturbation is indeed a choice, and the wrong one at that! Anyone who has fallen prey to the sin of masturbation must repent of it, and vow to keep a clear conscience, so that they can save that part of themselves for their spouse and only their spouse, since marriage is why God gave us these desires in the first place. Masturbation is nothing short of a perversion against your own body! (1 Cor. 6:18) If you masturbate during a marriage relationship, and you and your wife are "one flesh" in a marriage relationship, then not only are you committing a sin against yourself and the Holy Spirit (if you call yourself a Christian), but you are also committing a sin against your wife. You have dishonored yourself and your body to the point of shame! And your wife also bears that shame with you, since you have enacted a sinful sex act without the consent or presence of your wife. All of your sexual desire should be for your wife, and her only, and it should only be carried out with her and for the consummation of the marriage relationship. Anything else is sin! "The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does." [1 Cor. 7:4] And if you are single and you masturbate, then you are violating your body in the presence of the Holy Spirit (if you call yourself a Christian). You are committing an act of sin that will be carried over into a possible future marriage relationship if not repented and forsaken of! So, if we are either married or single, the Scriptural position is clearly against the act of masturbation. And all Christians should see clearly that this is indeed a sin that should be repented of and avoided. Biynah, please feel free to respond if you have anything else that you would like to add. I have offered a good amount of Scripture in all of my posts that serve to refute the sinful practice of masturbation, in which the Bible clearly tells us not to enact upon. Blessings to you, Makarios |