the sin of masturbation
The Sin of Masturbation!
The Sexual Sin no one ever discusses - Masturbation - Pleasing Self Sexually.
Matthew 5:27, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, `You shall not commit adultery.' 28, "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
What is Jesus saying here in Matthew chapter 5? First of all, the Lord is telling us that the act of Adultery and the act of thinking about adultery are on an equal plain of sinfulness from God's perspective. As Christians, we need to be careful not to do what the world does, that is to view sin from man's perspective. Unsaved man says: "living together unmarried is all right, having children out of wed-lock is all right, having sex outside of marriage is all right and pleasing yourself sexually is all right!" BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD SAYS !
What does masturbation or sexually pleasing your self have to do with Matthew 5:28? Plenty! Jesus is saying to us that the act or the thought of adultery are both sinful. The moment a man or a woman begins to focus on pleasing themselves sexually, they're oppening their mind up to lusting in the mind, which is sinful.
The Bible only provides for sexual satisfaction and fulfillment in the marriage relationship, PERIOD!
1Corinthians 7:2, "Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband."
The Greek word that translates "sexual immorality" is "porneia", from which we get our English word, "pornography". Pornography entices people to think, to look and to please self. This is just what Jesus was saying NOT to do in Matthew 5:28. "Porneia" does not require a picture on paper or a computer screen. "Porneia", sexual immorality can be a picture in your mind. Here lies one of the biggest problems with masturbation. You're setting yourself up to think about or imagine a sexual partner. This is nothing but fornication of the mind, adultery of the mind and immorality of the mind! All of which is Sin before God.
Ponder the following Bible passage in the light or what we think about and what we should think about :
Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things."
It's quite clear that pleasing yourself sexually would violate the teaching we find in Philippians 4:8, 1 Corinthians 7:2, Matthew 5:28 and a host of other passages in God's Word.
The apostle Peter describes the wicked as "Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children" 2Pe 2:14. If you're a Christian, your heart and mind should not be full of adultery, but rather your heart should be full of pure things and God honoring things.
Job, in the Old Testament, gives us some godly advice:
Job 31:1 "I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?"
He made a vow with his heart and with his eyes not to look were he should not, not to look upon women to lust. We need to do the same wheather you're a young man or young women. Determine not to let your mind go where the Lord never intended it to go. In God's power, you can win the battle of the mind!
Christians need to understand that God gave the sexual relationship in order for one spouse to please their partner. The focus is not on pleasing self, but rather on pleasing your spouse! Consider the following passage of Scripture:
1 Cor. 7:3, Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 4, The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 5, Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.
In the 1 Cor. 7 passage, you see no mention of pleasing self sexually, but rather, the spouse's responsibility is towards the other marriage partner. Masturbation goes against this biblical teaching of meeting the others need. Pleasing yourself sexually sets you up to have a self-serving mind set in marriage and this will only lead to problems in the marriage. Be forewarned, young people, what you do now could be setting up a habbit that will hinder your marriage in the future.
Some practical thoughts on how to have victory over the sin of Self-Sexual Sins or Masturbation:
We've encouraged a number of teens that have asked for help dealing with this sin problem. Some stuggle with this sin while there going to sleep or when they wake up in the moring.
You need to have a godly plan to deal with this sin. We suggest that you read your Bible and Pray right before you go to sleep. So the last thing on your mind will be about the Lord.
We also believe that you MUST confess this sin EVERY time you commit it. Don't simply ignore the sin, because God never does! Confess it! Ask God for help and victory over this sin. Plan on praying to God and thanking God as soon as you wake in the morning. If you begin to day-dream about someone in a sexual way, confess that as sin, right away and begin to think about God honoring things.
Avoid idle time that will allow you to engage in ungodly thinking. When you begin to think about commiting this sin, STOP, PRAY, repent for even thinking about it, and then begin doing those things that please God.
Like many sins, this Self-Sexual Sin becomes a habit that can only be broken through the power of God. Cry out to God for forgiveness and for Victory!
sourfce: http://www.wolfeborobible.com/
wow. nevr knew masturbatin wuz a sin :huh:
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