Masurbation is a sin.

[Faithful Kevin]

This is to all members who are struggling with masturbation and porn problems.

I leave you the Word of God, which is complete, which stands alone in Its Truth, which is enough to give wisdom for the salvation of the Soul, which is the light of our path. I've been freed from both masturbation and porn addiction over 2 years ago. God is Almighty. God bless you.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Gal 5:16

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Cor 6:19-20

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Eph 5:3

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Rom 13:14

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. 2 Cor 7:1

But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Mat. 5:28

[Mark J]

The Bible never gives a clear distinction on masturbation, as the word masturbation or its greek/hebrew equivalent are absent from the texts.

[Wesker]

When you discuss the issue of masturbation, you quickly realize how intertwined Christianity and Gnosticism are. Some historians posit that Christianity is merely the gnostic sect that won out in the war for religious converts.

[Faithful Kevin]

The Bible never gives a clear distinction on masturbation, as the word masturbation or its greek/hebrew equivalent are absent from the texts.

The texts above are clear enough for a rational person to understand that masturbation is a sin, unless you are a person who dienies the Word of God which is the truth for your own desires.

I understand though. You defend your point of view because you just won't give up your masturbation.

[Mark J]

The texts above are clear enough for a rational person to understand that masturbation is a sin, unless you are a person who dienies the Word of God which is the truth for your own desires.

I understand though. You defend your point of view because you just won't give up your masturbation.

Ummm.... I don't have time to masturbate with the 16 hours of University classes and the 40+ hours at work, plus correcting bad theology on here.

You are blinded by your own beliefs. The Bible cannot mean something today that it did not mean when it was written. It has to be read with respect to history and context of the authorship.

[Biblefollower17]

The ''Act'' of Masterbation may not be a sin but the lustful thoughts that come with it are and sense its almost impossible to Masterbate without thinking lustful thoughts, Masterbation is therefore a sin.

[Faithful Kevin]

Ummm.... I don't have time to masturbate with the 16 hours of University classes and the 40+ hours at work, plus correcting bad theology on here.

You are blinded by your own beliefs. The Bible cannot mean something today that it did not mean when it was written. It has to be read with respect to history and context of the authorship.

I love the Word of God because it touches so many important topics including this one.

"The Bible cannot mean something today that it did not mean when it was written"

I totally disagree. If the bible was written by men who were in One Spirit, the Holy Spirit, there shouldn't be much problem understanding what it says. Plus, the bible has been carefully written and translated throughout the years. Of course, we have different bible versions and languages, and other religions have altered it to fit their lifestyles, but I'm not going to verge off the main topic here.

This is what Galatians tells us about the deeds of the Spirit and the deeds of the flesh. I'm going to ask you some questions I would like for you to answer afterwards.

Galatians 5 (New King James Version)

Walking in the Spirit

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,^[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders,^[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

By the Word of God and the use of common knowledge and sense, we see that masturbation is a sexual act. Now, lets evaluate according to the Word of God:

Galatians 5 notes deeds of sexual sin the following: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, and the like.

We know masturbation doesn't fall in adultery, nor fornication, but it does fall onto uncleanness, it can also fall on lewdness, and the like.

Now, you might ask, how can I prove this?

Well here is what the Word of God teaches:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Gal 5:16

We all know that people masturbate because they want a feel good moment. This falls into the desires of the flesh. Let's go on.

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15

We know that people tend to have the need to masturbate due to their own desires. They feel attracted to doing it to the point of addiction, causing bondage. Let's go on.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11

This verse has a word I like, "abstain". Not only that, it tells us to abstain from the passions of the flesh. We all know masturbation is a passion and it is also of the flesh. Let's go on.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Cor 6:19-20

"So glorify God in your body". Now, we all know we are in our own bodies. You can't glorify God in your body when you masturbate.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Eph 5:3

"Sexual immorality and all impurity". As the bible already states, masturbation falls into the category of: uncleanness, lewdness, desire of the flesh, passion of the flesh and now, sexual immorality and impurity. We know that masturbation is immoral sexually and considered impure for a christian to practice.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Rom 13:14.

Here we see that we aren't supposed to make provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. This speaks for itself. You masturbate and you are giving in to your fleshly desire by doing so.

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. 2 Cor 7:1

How can you cleanse yourself from defilement of your body if you keep masturbating? The act of masturbating is not bringing holiness to God.

See, Mark? The bible might not say, "I say onto you, Timothy, do not gratify your own flesh with masturbation", but it tells us enough to understand that masturbation is unclean, unholy, unpleasing to God and an act of the flesh which wages war against the Spirit.

---------- Post added at 08:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 PM ----------

The ''Act'' of Masterbation may not be a sin but the lustful thoughts that come with it are and sense its almost impossible to Masterbate without thinking lustful thoughts, Masterbation is therefore a sin.

If you read my latest post, I have listed a number of scriptures that suggest masturbation is a sin. Anyone with common sense can get this.

[Wesker]

I totally disagree. If the bible was written by men who were in One Spirit, the Holy Spirit, there shouldn't be much problem understanding what it says.

The authors of the books of the Bible never claimed that their books were inerrant or God speaking to man. Inerrancy is an invention of post-Christ and Post-Pauline Christians. St. Paul believed he was inspired by God, but there is nothing to suggest he thought the letters he wrote were to be treated as the Words of God, much less that they would be read by Christians 2,000 years later. I do not see how Christians believe this diminishes the Christian message.

If you read my latest post, I have listed a number of scriptures that suggest masturbation is a sin. Anyone with common sense can get this.

I do not agree that the Bible asserts modern, pre-marital sex is a sin. For one, there was no birth-control and protection against STDs back in ancient times, so sex pretty much naturally led to child birth, which is untrue in our time. It is not moral relativism, exactly, just changing material realities (e.g. how smart bombs make humanitarian interventions a positive).

[Faithful Kevin]

The authors of the books of the Bible never claimed that their books were inerrant or God speaking to man. Inerrancy is an invention of post-Christ and Post-Pauline Christians. St. Paul believed he was inspired by God, but there is nothing to suggest he thought the letters he wrote were to be treated as the Words of God, much less that they would be read by Christians 2,000 years later. I do not see how Christians believe this diminishes the Christian message.

I do not agree that the Bible asserts modern, pre-marital sex is a sin. For one, there was no birth-control and protection against STDs back in ancient times, so sex pretty much naturally led to child birth, which is untrue in our time. It is not moral relativism, exactly, just changing material realities (e.g. how smart bombs make humanitarian interventions a positive).

I answer you with this:

Matthew 24:35

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

[Biblefollower17]

---------- Post added at 08:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 PM ----------

[/color]

If you read my latest post, I have listed a number of scriptures that suggest masturbation is a sin. Anyone with common sense can get this.

I did in-fact read it. Masterbation falls under the sin category of Lust as do all other bodily sins

[Wesker]

I answer you with this:

Matthew 24:35

New King James Version (NKJV)

³⁵ Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

I adhere to preterist interpretation of the Christian apocalypse, so you are going to have to come up with a better passage than one that is speaking about the Roman War against "Israel."

[Mark J]

I love the Word of God because it touches so many important topics including this one.

"The Bible cannot mean something today that it did not mean when it was written"

I totally disagree. If the bible was written by men who were in One Spirit, the Holy Spirit, there shouldn't be much problem understanding what it says. Plus, the bible has been carefully written and translated throughout the years. Of course, we have different bible versions and languages, and other religions have altered it to fit their lifestyles, but I'm not going to verge off the main topic here.

This is what Galatians tells us about the deeds of the Spirit and the deeds of the flesh. I'm going to ask you some questions I would like for you to answer afterwards.

Galatians 5 (New King James Version)

Walking in the Spirit

¹⁶ I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,^[c] fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders,^[d] drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

By the Word of God and the use of common knowledge and sense, we see that masturbation is a sexual act. Now, lets evaluate according to the Word of God:

Galatians 5 notes deeds of sexual sin the following: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, and the like.

We know masturbation doesn't fall in adultery, nor fornication, but it does fall onto uncleanness, it can also fall on lewdness, and the like.

Now, you might ask, how can I prove this?

Well here is what the Word of God teaches:

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Gal 5:16

We all know that people masturbate because they want a feel good moment. This falls into the desires of the flesh. Let's go on.

But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. James 1:14-15

We know that people tend to have the need to masturbate due to their own desires. They feel attracted to doing it to the point of addiction, causing bondage. Let's go on.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11

This verse has a word I like, "abstain". Not only that, it tells us to abstain from the passions of the flesh. We all know masturbation is a passion and it is also of the flesh. Let's go on.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Cor 6:19-20

"So glorify God in your body". Now, we all know we are in our own bodies. You can't glorify God in your body when you masturbate.

But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Eph 5:3

"Sexual immorality and all impurity". As the bible already states, masturbation falls into the category of: uncleanness, lewdness, desire of the flesh, passion of the flesh and now, sexual immorality and impurity. We know that masturbation is immoral sexually and considered impure for a christian to practice.

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. Rom 13:14.

Here we see that we aren't supposed to make provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires. This speaks for itself. You masturbate and you are giving in to your fleshly desire by doing so.

Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. 2 Cor 7:1

How can you cleanse yourself from defilement of your body if you keep masturbating? The act of masturbating is not bringing holiness to God.

See, Mark? The bible might not say, "I say onto you, Timothy, do not gratify your own flesh with masturbation", but it tells us enough to understand that masturbation is unclean, unholy, unpleasing to God and an act of the flesh which wages war against the Spirit.

---------- Post added at 08:04 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:02 PM ----------

If you read my latest post, I have listed a number of scriptures that suggest masturbation is a sin. Anyone with common sense can get this.

What about 1 Corinthians 10:23 "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial"?.

I take it that you are a Bible Literalist, am I correct?

[Faithful Kevin]

What about 1 Corinthians 10:23 "Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial"?.

I take it that you are a Bible Literalist, am I correct?

About your bible verse, we all know that we are capable of doing what we want to do because we have free will to do so (this is in the bible). But we must not forget that not everything we CAN do is what we SHOULD do. (This is also in the bible). One day we will all be judged for our actions, good and bad ones. (This too is the Word of God).

So according to 1 Cor. 10:23, yes, you can masturbate because you have free will. But that doesn't mean it is not a sin to do so, Mark.

Read this:

[h=3]1 Peter 2:15-16[/h]King James Version (KJV)

¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

¹⁶As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

Don't use the Word of God as a pretext to get away with masturbation, because God cannot deny himself. Read below.

[h=3]2 Timothy 2:13[/h]King James Version (KJV)

¹³If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

A kingdom divided by itself cannot stand. Neither can the Word of God deny itself.

Want more proof that the Word of God will ALWAYS stand?

[h=3]Matthew 24:35[/h]King James Version (KJV)

³⁵Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

[Mark J]

About your bible verse, we all know that we are capable of doing what we want to do because we have free will to do so (this is in the bible). But we must not forget that not everything we CAN do is what we SHOULD do. (This is also in the bible). One day we will all be judged for our actions, good and bad ones. (This too is the Word of God).

So according to 1 Cor. 10:23, yes, you can masturbate because you have free will. But that doesn't mean it is not a sin to do so, Mark.

Read this:

1 Peter 2:15-16

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁵For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:

¹⁶As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

Don't use the Word of God as a pretext to get away with masturbation, because God cannot deny himself. Read below.

2 Timothy 2:13

King James Version (KJV)

¹³If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

A kingdom divided by itself cannot stand. Neither can the Word of God deny itself.

Want more proof that the Word of God will ALWAYS stand?

Matthew 24:35

King James Version (KJV)

³⁵Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

Contextually, you are in error. My quote is directly talking about sin. To say it is about free will is to take the verse out of context.

You failed to answer my question. "You are a Biblical Literalist, are you not?"

[Faithful Kevin]

Contextually, you are in error. My quote is directly talking about sin. To say it is about free will is to take the verse out of context.

You failed to answer my question. "You are a Biblical Literalist, are you not?"

Mark, that verse is talking about the free will we all have. We can do anything we want on earth, but that doesn't mean they are all OK. It's like sin. You can sin because you choose to due to free will. Free will = choice. You choose to do what you want, but not all that you choose is the right thing to do. The opposite would be, Not everything is good for you (sin), but you can do what you want (because we have free will).

Answering your question: Call me whatever you want to call me. I'm not a big terminology person.

[Mark J]

Mark, that verse is talking about the free will we all have. We can do anything we want on earth, but that doesn't mean they are all OK. It's like sin. You can sin because you choose to due to free will. Free will = choice. You choose to do what you want, but not all that you choose is the right thing to do. The opposite would be, Not everything is good for you (sin), but you can do what you want (because we have free will).

Answering your question: Call me whatever you want to call me. I'm not a big terminology person.

Do you claim to follow the Bible Literally?

[Faithful Kevin]

Do you claim to follow the Bible Literally?

What is that supposed to mean?

[Mark J]

What is that supposed to mean?

The Biblical text says that x is wrong, thus x is wrong. Is this how you believe?

[Faithful Kevin]

The Biblical text says that x is wrong, thus x is wrong. Is this how you believe?

Yes.

---------- Post added at 11:58 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:51 AM ----------

I adhere to preterist interpretation of the Christian apocalypse, so you are going to have to come up with a better passage than one that is speaking about the Roman War against "Israel."

The Roman War against Israel? How is this verse related to that?

[Mark J]

Yes.

Jesus said to give all your money to the poor. Have you done so?

[Faithful Kevin]

Jesus said to give all your money to the poor. Have you done so?

How is this answering my questions?

Give me scripture examples please.

[Mark J]

How is this answering my questions?

Give me scripture examples please.

Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

[Paper Towels]

Luke 12:33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

Mark, this wouldn't be literal interpretation of scripture, this would be an obscene exagerated literalism that loses the meaning of the text. Walking in the same ilk of those who would presume "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out" actually provides a real mandate to mutilate your eyes.

[Wesker]

Mark, this wouldn't be literal interpretation of scripture, this would be an obscene exagerated literalism that loses the meaning of the text. Walking in the same ilk of those who would presume "if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out" actually provides a real mandate to mutilate your eyes.

To be fair, Jesus was speaking in metaphors with the when references Gehenna and body parts. I see no reason to assume Jesus was non-literal when speaking about wealth. Jesus despised wealth, and was very much akin to Buddha and Gandhi in that regard. This is why Biblical hermeneutics is a deeply personal issue and pure exegesis is a foolish illusion. Christian fundamentalists are fine with following the passages against homosexuality, but most are capitalists. I hate to say it, but Jesus would have abhorred capitalism. It is the institutionalized antithesis of everything he spoke about. So, many Christians take the passages about avoiding lust to the extreme (all lust is bad, except for maybe lust in marriage), but ignore all the blatantly anti-wealth messages, which are equally important. It is all a personal balancing act, and we are foolish to think otherwise. Mark J's interpretation is not any less valid than one which stakes an active anti-masturbation stance. Depending on how you weigh certain passages, and the hermeneutics you use, you can either support or stand against masturbation.

[Paper Towels]

To be fair, Jesus was speaking in metaphors with the when references Gehenna and body parts. I see no reason to assume Jesus was non-literal when speaking about wealth. Jesus despised wealth, and was very much akin to Buddha and Gandhi in that regard.

It is non-literal, but it is the condition in which we would live in the ideal world; however, to command every single person to sell all ones' posessions is not only not the command here, but it is downright irresponsible, and that is not the intent Jesus has here. If you have people dependent on you, dependent on your income, dependent on what you provide for them in the form of food, clothing, housing, etc it is not only not required, but wrong of you to sell all of your posessions and give the money away. The same for someone who is a prospective husband, father, wife, mother, etc. You have a duty to certain people in your life, duties which unfortunately cannot be fulfilled without money and certain posessions. I am not saying he was speaking in metaphors in this instance, but what I am saying is that he certainly does not expect, nor want everyone to actualize that standard which can only exist universally in the ideal because to do so would mean to abdicate from your own responsibilities and obligations to those entrusted to your care.