A Christian View of Masturbation

Masturbation and Christian; those are perhaps two words that are rarely used in the same
sentence, if ever. Like many things within our Christian society there seems to be this fear of
discussing the practical issues. Depending on the research one reads anywhere between 85-95%
of men report that they masturbate once a month and 40-80% of women. With such a large
percentage of people involved in this activity it is time that the Church provides an answer to
people’s questions: is it normal? Is it ethical? Is it sinful?
This activity, that so many people participate in, is perhaps one of the most neglected areas of
discussion within Christian circles, and that is partly for a valid reason. The Bible does not
directly address the issue; there are no passages that we can point to and say, "This is wrong/
allowed." The lack of biblical data on the subject has left many Christians at the whims of our
culture, which, while not discussing the issue directly either, does give us an opinion on the
issue.
Speaking from a male perspective, if one has spent any time in a locker room they have heard
of the "dangers" of masturbation: you'll get hairy palms, it will stunt your growth, it will cause
erectile dysfunction, etcetera. Yet while none of these are true, this has perhaps influenced our
thinking on the subject. Society has always held a "position" on the issue, even from ancient
times.
Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, reasoned that the loss of semen weakened a man
and made him more susceptible to disease and even death. Thus the more a man engaged in
sexual activities the more he put his life in danger. Hippocrates even went as far as identifying a
"spinal marrow" disorder which had symptoms such as: fever, twitching, headaches, ringing in
the ears, loss of breath, weakness, and infertility.[1]
With Augustine the Christian view of sexuality developed one main purpose that would
dominate Christian thought for the next 1200 years. Perhaps because of his immoral lifestyle
before he became a Christian, Augustine developed the view that sex was for procreation alone.
In fact so strong was his conviction in this regard that he believed the first sin by Adam and Eve
was sexual intercourse, and that sex of any kind was sinful. While he had some difficulty in
explaining "be fruitful and multiply" his ideals came to dominate the Church until the time of the
Reformation.
During the Reformation we begin to see a change in the views of sexuality. During the
previous 1200 years since Augustine the Church had adopted a position which claimed: sex
equals procreation. Period. Yet during this time the Reformers began to shed some of these
views and allowed clergy to marry, most of them in fact did marry, but they still held a negative
view of masturbation.
While we begin to see a change in thought during this time, the view of masturbation as evil,
sick, and wrong continue to this day. The Victorians age saw a return to the ideals of Augustine
in which all sex was wrong, and that greatly influenced our modern culture.
It is striking to see how this pattern of thought has been established even from the earliest
of ages, but we also see that the Christian response to sex has been at best disappointing.
Philosophy and cultural bias seem to have been the defining factors when it came to viewing
sexuality, and many of their views continue with us today. However, we as Evangelical
Christians should desire to not allow our culture to define our beliefs, but rather examine the
Scriptures to know what it is that God says.
One may be wondering at this point how we are going to embark on this endeavor when we
have already mentioned that the Bible does not specifically address the issue. While this is true
the Bible is not silent in regards to other issues of sexuality, and it is from these other principles
that we must draw our conclusions. We will also need to examine the views of our culture,
because, while we will not derive truth from our culture per se, it provides a starting point for the
rest of the discussion.
Culturally we face an interesting battle; as was mentioned above the vast majority of people
participate in the activity of masturbation. In fact on the WebMD.com site they have an article
entitled "Sexual Health Guide to Masturbation."[2] In the article they claim the following in
regards to the ethics of masturbation:

While it once was regarded as a perversion and a sign of a mental problem,

masturbation now is regarded as a normal, healthy sexual activity that is pleasant,
fulfilling, acceptable and safe. It is a good way to experience sexual pleasure and can be
done throughout life.

With the rise in pornography in the world this view point is understandable. Even as short as
50 years ago the idea of pornography was taboo, but as our culture has moved further and further
down the road of the "sexual revolution" we have seen this view point shift. One is now
abnormal if they in fact are not viewing pornography, and most masturbation is accompanied by
the viewing of pornographic material.
Yet even with the "sexual revolution" our society is still some what hesitant to discuss the
issue. While nearly everyone is "doing it" no one seems apt to talk about it; while sexuality is
more "in your face" now this particular issue is still associated with a sense of shame and guilt
for most people. Needless to say this mentality has crept into the Church and is something that
almost all Christians will struggle with (men anyway).
There are however some physiological things that we must also draw into the discussion. It
should also be noted that masturbation is primarily a male thing, so we will begin by discussion
male physiological issues.
When a young enters puberty his body begins to produce testosterone, which begins to make
physical changes to the body. Hair begins to grow, the vocal range deepens, and the production
of semen and sperm begins. Testosterone also increases the "sex drive" dramatically, and he may
experience frequent uncontrolled erections. At this point the body is producing a strong need for
sexual release because of the production of sperm.
At this point there are four ways that the seminal buildup can be dealt with: one, it will go
away on its own. The body will eventually reabsorb the sperm as it dies off, but this is a lengthy
process and at this stage the body is producing sperm faster than it is absorbed. Two, one
engages in sexual activity. For Christians wishing to remain pure and holy this is not really an
option outside of marriage.
Three, nocturnal emission. Sometimes while sleeping the body will simply release the seminal
buildup. This can happen in a couple of different ways: he may just wake up to find his bed wet
because the release has been a slow seeping throughout the night; the other is through an orgasm
which is usually accompanied by a vivid, erotic dream. The problem with nocturnal emission is
that it is usually not frequent and there is no control of when, or even if, it will happen. There are
even some instances in which a man is either sexually active, or masturbates, and still has
nocturnal emission. There is simply no "rhyme or reason" in regards to nocturnal emission.
Fourth, is to masturbate.
With this information in mind we can see that there are some very real physiological issues
that young men face when discussing this issue. For women there is not a buildup of fluids, or
any other physiological issues that would prompt a woman to masturbate. This is not to say that
women don't, and in fact there are some physicians that will recommend a woman masturbate if
she has extreme cramping during her menstruation, as a form of release.
In light of these medical issues one must ask if the issue has become any clearer. We are
sorry to say that this medical information may in fact further cloud the issue, but we will press
on.[3] Let us now examine some of the biblical principles in regard to sexuality.
One biblical passage that we must examine is the story of Onan found in Genesis 38:6-10.
Many people will look to this passage of scripture and claim that it is speaking about
masturbation. Let us examine what it actually says though:

"And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. But Er, Judah’s
firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. Then
Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-
law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” But Onan knew that the offspring
would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother’s wife he would waste the
semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. And what he did was
wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also."[4]

What some people will claim is that Onan masturbated and “spilled his seed on the ground”
for which he was punished. While this interpretation may seem some what logical, the context of
the passage, and Jewish culture, does not support this view.
Within Jewish society, and which would eventually become part of the Law, was the
importance of having a male child to carry on ones lineage. If, for example, a man died without a
descendant to carry on his line, then his brother was obligated to father a child with his wife,
which would carry on his line. This may seem strange to our modern understandings, but within
that culture it made perfect sense. Carrying on ones line was of the utmost importance, thus large
families were the norm.
The sin of Onan, was not masturbation, but rather a practice that is called coitus interruptus.
What this term means is that he removed his penis from Tamar before he ejaculated. This may
sound crude, but it is true; he faked it. What this enabled Onan to do was in effect say, “I did my
best, but she just can’t have children.” Thus he would become the patriarch of the family with all
the wealth and power that that position held. Thus this passage does not teach us about
masturbation, but rather about fulfilling our duties, and not being selfish.
 Next let’s examine Matthew 5:27-28:

" “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you
that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery
with her in his heart."[5]

Because masturbation is often done in the context of lust these verses are important to our
understanding of the issue. Most people would agree that lust is wrong, within marriage or
outside. Of course we must also define what Jesus meant by this comment, and also discuss it in
relation to our topic. Brown Driver Briggs defines lust: a great desire for something, desire, longing,
craving.[6]

Within the context of this passage we see that Jesus talking about adultery, not fornication.
This may seem like mincing words, but the distinction is important. Before we were married our
desire for a mate is what leads us to get married. Perhaps you saw a beautiful man or woman and
it was that initial physical attraction that implored you to go and talk with them. This is normal
and natural as a single person; however as a married man or woman this type of behavior is not
appropriate.
Jesus is very exact in choosing his words and we should be mindful of them. While
masturbation typically is associated with lusting (and often times with pornography) this does
not mean that 100% of the time that is the case. There are some individuals that are able to
separate the physical act from the mental act of lust. Again this may seem like splitting hairs but
the difference is important.
Perhaps one brings to mind the Old Testament Law and all of its various concerns for
sexuality.

"“If a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water and be
unclean until the evening. And every garment and every skin on which the semen
comes shall be washed with water and be unclean until the evening. If a man lies with a
woman and has an emission of semen, both of them shall bathe themselves in water and
[7]
be unclean until the evening."

This passage is often used to build a case that masturbation is sinful because it involves
ejaculation. Context, again, begs for another interpretation. According to the verse any seminal
emission causes one to be unclean; this includes sexual relations with ones spouse. There is also
another observation that we must make: seminal discharge does not require a sacrifice to be
made.
One may wondering, “What difference does not requiring a sacrifice make, it still says a
person is unclean!” In response we would like to say: everything. Within the context of the Law a
sacrifice was required for the forgiven of sin. This is important because if ejaculation was sinful
then a sacrifice would have to be made every time a husband and wife had intercourse. However
God does not require a sacrifice, rather He says that one is simply unclean, and that until
evening.

… pertaining to males was the periodic discharge of an emission of semen, whether

possibly a nocturnal emission or one during intercourse. For this case, no sacrifice was
required and the uncleanness was removed by a simple wash-and-wait (till evening)
procedure. It is noteworthy that while the normal sexual process between husband and
wife (15:18) made both partners ceremonially unclean, it did not make them sinful—no
[8]
guilt was involved and no sacrifice was required.

These are just a few of the verses that are often quoted when talking about the subject of
masturbation, but as we see they do not actually discuss the issue. Instead of trying to find verses
that support a position, our efforts will better be spent looking at what Scripture says in regards
to sexual issues and drawing conclusions from those passages.
We have already mentioned Matthew 5:27-28 above, but it is still relevant to the discussion.
Lust is one thing that most men will struggle with; it is predominant in our culture and the
temptation is all around us. Yet as a married person we need to not look outside of our marriage
to meet our sexual needs. Jesus is very clear that one should not even play “mind games” as this
is an internal sin of the heart.
Another set of verses that we should consider is 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5:

"For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual
immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and
[9]
honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God;"
 Paul is here informing the Thessalonians that it is the will of God that they progress in
sanctification. He then further clarifies his statement by telling them that part of sanctification is
abstaining from the sexually immoral.
The Roman world was much like our own in regards to issues of sexuality, and in same ways
it was worse. Temple prostitution was a large economic factor for many cities and was
considered a form of worship. For Christians though God was not worshipped in this manner and
God’s design for intimacy was different than that of the pagan culture. Paul is telling us that the
Gentiles participated in all kinds of sexually immoral activities, but that the believer is not to live
their life in that manner.
There are of course other verses that we could draw upon, but these provide a general
overview and give us a good spring board into our application. Having reviewed the information
the reader would be wise to ask “So what?”
We would propose the following principles for application as we conclude our discussion.
One, sex outside of marriage is sinful. This principle can be applied both within marriage and as
a single person. Within the context of marriage one should be seeking sexual fulfillment within
that marriage covenant. For a single person the options are abstinence or marriage. The other
option is masturbation, but we would issue a word of caution.
Robertson McQuilkin[10] has identified four views of masturbation: one, it is a gift of God.
Two, It is probably all right if not indulged in with lustful fantasies, is not compulsive, is not
performed in a group, and does not produce guild. Three, it is probably wrong because it is
against nature and may be in violation of the biblical law of purity. And four, it is certainly
wrong.
In light of the evidence presented we would argue that the second and third options are most
likely correct. While we think that it is practically impossible for the author to engage in
masturbation without lusting, there are those individuals that may be able to. Like McQuilkin we
would caution against those things listed in option two and say that a person should follow their
convictions in this regards.
Second, we would suggest that the reader practice grace in this issue. While we may hold a
strong conviction that all masturbation is wrong, unless one can prove it from the Scriptures
(which we have already discussed would be difficult at best), we would be wise to not condemn
another should their convictions differ. This is the beautiful use of our Christian liberty. We may
disagree, but we can agree to disagree, and still fellowship together. So long as the activity is not
sinful for the individual, does not lead to sexual addiction, and can be practiced in good
conscience, then go with God.

Bibliography
McQuilkin, Robertson An Introduction to Biblical Ethics (Wheaton IL, Tyndale House Publishers
Inc, 1989)
The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001.
John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge
Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985)
William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New
Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000)
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/45/2953_487.htm November 17th 2006
Gerali Steven P, The Struggle (Colorado Springs CO, NavPress, 2003)
Balswick, Judith & Jack: Authentic Human Sexuality (Downers Grove IL, InterVarsity Press,
1999)
Geisler, Normal L Christian Ethics: Options and Issues (Grand Rapids MI, Baker Book House, 1993)
Hart, Archibald et al, Secrets of Eve (Nashville TN, Word Publishing, 1998
Smedes, Lewis B Sex for Christians (Grand Rapids MI, William B Eerdmans Publishing Company,
1976)
Nelson, James B et al, Sexuality and the Sacred (Louisville KY, John Knox Press, 1994)

[1] Gerali Steven P, The Struggle (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2003) pp. 35-36

[2] http://www.webmd.com/content/article/45/2953_487.htm November 17th 2006

[3] The medical information provided is designed to educate the reader in this area while still
being pertinent to the discussion. In light of the medical evidence we would urge our readers to
keep this information in mind when drawing ones conclusions.
[4] Gen 38:6-10
[5] Matt 5:27-28
[6] William Arndt, Frederick W. Danker and Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New

Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, "Based on Walter Bauer's Griechisch-Deutsches

Wr̲terbuch Zu Den Schriften Des Neuen Testaments Und Der Frhchristlichen [Sic] Literatur, Sixth

Edition, Ed. Kurt Aland and Barbara Aland, With Viktor Reichmann and on Previous English Editions by

W.F. Arndt, F.W. Gingrich, and F.W. Danker.", 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000),

372.

[7] Lev. 15:16-1

[8]
John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible Knowledge

Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983-c1985),

1:195.

[9] The Holy Bible : English Standard Version. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001.

[10] McQuilkin, Robertson An Introduction to Biblical Ethics (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale

House Publishers, Inc, 1989)