Is Masturbation Wrong?

I agree by 99%. I wouldn't say it glorifies God, but it is a special thing within marriage.

 

Citation needed*

 

I see marriage as a divine institution and God's good design in creation. I'm not sure about 'chaste marriage' as a concept since mosaic law and nearly every conception of marriage for all of history has been contingent on consummation. It's clear that sex is part of God's institution of marriage and marriage is inseparably linked to the nature of man and woman in creation. I don't like to go too far into speculating as to the reasons for marriage or any other law, unless the explanation is given in the text. 'God has said,' should be enough for the believer. Although it's not a justification for the laws we know that God blesses the nations and people who revere and follow His law, this is a human reason to follow it but not the divine purpose of that law in creation.

 

I don't think it is, Doesn't seem to be held up scripturally, Buddhist teachings may teach it, but from Genesis to Revelation this common act isn't mentioned at all, surprisingly. But if you find following Christ can be done with still doing such a dirty act, then should it still be considered a sin against God?

 

If you are looking at porn it is wrong on multiple levels. Voyeurism is a sin and if you are married it’s adultery.
The Bible refers to immortality and uses the Greek word porneia to describe immorality. That’s where we got the work pornography from.

 

Immorality

 

common act today. I know a handful of people who were graced with having been raised in societies where masturbation isn't normal and not even talked of. They thus simply never tried it out and well lived without it. I myself only started at the suggestion of others, without my own body ever telling me to do it! I also know of strugglers with this sin who started after an event of temptation well past their puberty, which confirms that it isn't something natural that we are inclined to perform. We only fall prey to it after we discover how easy and pleasurable it is.
So, in a society where it is not conceived at all, besides the clear condemnation that has belonged to it since the earliest centuries of Christianity, it is simply the norm not to perform it.

If you wanted to sin, then, you had pronstitutes at every corner. Then you have explained why it isn't talked of in the Bible. Although it is implied by the fact Saint Paul advises to help resist lust through marriage. If touching one self were a safe way to get rid of lust, why then not mention it alongside marriage?

 

Paul certainly has a good Idea on how to rid ourselves of Lust (A forbidden act that God condemns) and it seems to hold up today for those who want to avoid it. Today, Marriage is an important action that anyone of us can make, but marriage to Christ is the ultimate example of what a spousal relationship should be defined as. Although M isn't mentioned as a way out we can use logic, for a sec? When your bladder fills up with urine, Your brain is telling you "it's time to release" and so you do, you do. The seminal fluid build up, will also find a way out. You can either let it out during a nocturnal emission (sometimes wet dream) or you can do it with your hand when you feel the strong urge. The spirit should be stronger than the flesh, but sometimes the flesh has some flushing to do. #KeepItSimple #Jesuslogic

 

when we use logic to find understanding in spiritual matters, we must all the more explore all aspects. Your example, I am afraid, is flawed.
Urine needs to be expelled because it is poisonous for your body and is literally waste. Semen is the opposite, it has a very important value and is not waste at all; it is not poison but something that creates life. So the two do not overlap very well.

Not just that, but semen is simply reabsorbed by the body if unused. Urine cannot do this. I have had long periods (14+ days, up to 100 days) of complete abstinence, and I haven't had any nocturnal release that I could see after waking up. The body reabsorbs the semen, which shows all the more there is no need to masturbate to pull it out.

If we applied your example to many other things in life (i.e. your body gives you an urge, just do what the body says), we would be worse than animals. For animals are not depraved and obey God's order. We are constantly under the influence of sin and Satan and as such listening to bodily urges is the best way to end up far away from God.

 

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davea...ation-c-s-lewis-explains-why-it-is-wrong.html

CS Lewis cuts to the heart of the matter in this letter he wrote.

 

Sorry @BreakingFAP I just now realized you posted the same letter in the very beginning.

 

Let's say a Guy goes down to the bar (pre-covid, of course) and he tells everyone there how many times he has have S with his spouse in a week. Crazy guy, right? Some think he might be hinting at the fact that he thinks it's a problem. so they give him solidarity. This is the culture now. We share each others private lives on the web. We conform to these secular ideas even though it's wiser not too (Romans 12:2.) We think it's a sin, so we share like it is to our brothers (James 5:16,) while leaving the real sins out of sight and out of mind (Greed and Pride.)

There is much confusion in these times, and there is more to come. This generation and the next will have a difficult time finding hardly any truth. Us paving the way to yet another useless doctrine won't help since this is just a deck of cards we are putting our trust in. We need the stability guys, we need the Lord.

 

Our hearts and minds have an uncanny way of making arguments to justify our sins. It plays upon cardinal desires we feed. That's why we are too trust in the Lord with all of your heart, mind, soul, strength and body.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”” Jeremiah 17:9-10 ESV

 

That's how I feel about capitalism, bro.

Loving God with all your Mind, Soul, and Body is the greatest command. With this one command, every other command falls in place behind it. But how do we love God with all our hearts, mind, and soul?

 

I don't get the example about sex with one's wife recounted at a bar...

The thing is, as I said, there is no sanctioning of this act in historical (apostolic) Christianity. It is sin, end of story. However if one wants to investigate the reason more deeply, the reason is simply that sex is for union and procreation. And our sexual apparatus is conceived for that only. Neither marital union nor procration? Sin, as it is something outside God's design.

 

Learning about His character from the Bible. Remembering what He has done for us. Discovering who He created us to be and fulfilling our purpose. Helping others who share our struggle.

 

Okay. Well what about not loving God simply through words (John 1 John 3:15?) We can learn of him all we want, remember all the great things he has done in history and in our lives, discovering our purpose or our meaning, but doesn't he want us to get out there and preach the Gospel? Isn't that the whole point of the Gospel, to be shown to many! This flesh our spirits are in is nothing. Our bodies should be the last thing we are worried about (Romans 12:1.) You can abstain all you want sexual desire, I'm going to abstain from loving my body. Loving God is the way to go.

Sex organs are cool and all, but I don't want to go down that rabbit whole of having to learn what's the purpose of our desire organs and their roles are. I get it, hormones and fine wine, it's all a ploy to make an offspring and allow the genes to survive. We are imperfect beings that constantly sin. Even if we obey Jesus, we really don't deserve eternal life. All animals simply don't critically think that there life will some day end, they depend on instinct (flesh.) We do, however, see an end. So the option is open. Focus on the same old MO prob and how bad it is for us, or focus on God and his kingdom, because when we seek him first, everything else, every other sin, fades away.

 

There is a theory (lacking in scientific support) that pervades modern society which says emotions and hormones build up to a breaking point unless they are released. However, this fails to explain why those dopamine generating acts (be they drug induced or otherwise) when frequently repeated, lead to a need for increased levels of stimulation to provide the same effect. Frequent drug use leads to a desire for greater use. Frequent porn use leads to a desire for more. Even venting your anger instead of controlling it, leads to more frequent venting.
The human brain is an emotion generating machine. It is not like a simple bag/bladder that needs to be emptied. Failing to manage our human desires/emotions only leads to increased desire/emotion. To classify MO as some sort of simple bodily function is merely a self-justification to commit sin.

 

I am sorry, but all I see here is a lot of beating around the bush and some disconnected replies.

Masturbating is a sin, as already shown forth by the previously offered writing. Of course, if one is some sort of protestant and tries hard enough, he will find a way to mislead himself into this lie. But that is your problem now, and only you can convince yourself to listen to God rather than your own inner demons.

 

I think the discussion here has run its course. I am closing this thread before it turns abusive. @Iohannes , please refrain from making disparaging remarks re: denominations. We are one in Christ.