As per Bible — Is Touching Yourself a Sin?
Traditional interpretations of the biblical account of Onan (Genesis 38) have it alluding to mast*rbation and its condemnation, although the sexual act depicted in this story is coitus interruptus, not mastu*bation. Mast*rbation is not explicitly stated as a sin in the Bible.
In the past, prior crusaders declared touching yourself a sin, and many other sins, like homosexuality and enslavement. But these crusaders took their teachings of love out of context and used them to justify controlling their fellow humans. As a result, touching oneself is commonly referred to as onanism.
Self-mast*urbation
If you have ever wondered if self-mast*urbation is a sin, you are not alone. The temptation is universal and can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, or marital status. It is not based on age, marital status, or years of church membership. For many, it is an act of vanity and a way to express their desire. Thankfully, there are several ways to curb self-mast*urbation.
If you find yourself mast*urbating for no apparent reason, ask God why. Could you be bored, lonely, curious, or addicted to the feeling? Maybe you are simply bored, lonely, or need a little special attention. Or, perhaps, you feel that mast*urbation is a way to relieve stress and get enough sleep. Whatever the cause may be, self-mast*urbation is a sin.
The temptation to mast*urbate outside of marriage is excellent. It breaks the bond between marriage and sexual enjoyment and betrays the marriage. Moreover, mast*urbation is not an act of love; instead, it is a selfish act contrary to God’s will for our lives. Despite the pleasure it brings, mast*urbation is a sin. Even worse, it devalues the role of marriage in our lives.
The Bible does not directly address the issue of mast*urbation, but the passage that does mention mast*urbation highlights the ramifications of selfishness. It is a perversion of God’s intended purpose for sex. Likewise, it indicates a lack of self-control and emanates from impure thoughts. The result is always negative. Self-mast*urbation is a sign of impure thoughts.
Seeing as a sin
Although the Bible has no explicit prohibition against touching one’s self, previous crusaders have referred to self-touching as a sin. They used scripture as a pretext for condemning homosexuality, enslaving practices, and self-touching. These clerics deconstructed scripture to identify concepts they could control fellow humans through. They labeled self-touching as “onanism.”
But it is not just physical self-indulgence that is a sin. Habitual self-indulgence is also a sin and shows that we lack self-control. God even considers mast*urbation to be a sin. In addition, it can also hinder our progress in the spiritual realm. God’s angels can guide us in this area if we know we should not do it.
Two main reasons why touching ourselves is a sin are unclean and impure. If it was a sin, it’s a sign of self-indulgence; if we’re Christian, it must be a sin of coitus. The Bible also condemns homosexual activity, but not mast*urbation. The Bible mentions many other sexual sins, including coitus, but mast*urbation is omitted.
Compulsive self-indulgence
Self-indulgence is not just an individual choice; it is also a sin. It is considered wrong because it brings pleasure to the self and creates a rush. Self-indulgence is a result of self-centeredness and hedonism. The opposite of self-indulgence is self-nurturing, which involves taking care of yourself. Self-nurturing is necessary as accumulated stress can affect mental and physical health.
Several scriptures condemn self-indulgence. Numbers 11:5-6, Deuteronomy 21:20-21, and Proverbs 23:1-3 warn against self-indulgence. In addition, the apostle Paul warned against fanaticism, an unbridled obsession with one’s pleasure. As a result, fanaticism is another type of self-indulgence.
Seeing as a substitute for marital intimacy
Jesus once compared the love between a husband and a wife to the love between Christ and his Church. Those who substitute sexual intimacy between husband and wife undervalue God’s glory. The marriage bed symbolizes that love and those who substitute mast*urbation for marital intimacy are undermining the glory of Christ. If we don’t love one another this way, we’re not truly living in the spirit of marriage.
Touching yourself as a sin
The Church often condemns the practice of touching yourself. Previous crusaders declared that the practice was a sin. However, they misused scripture to justify these practices. In the case of touch, they used the teachings on love to condemn themselves and others. Furthermore, they needed the pretext to control their fellow humans. Hence, they twisted scripture to find concepts and justify their actions. As a result, many Catholics and Protestants now reject touching themselves as a sin.
The Bible defines sin as a transgression of the law. This law is the moral law. It is a violation of God’s command. Mast*urbation is an act of self-gratification and violates this command. Therefore, mast*urbation is a sin. Therefore, Christians should avoid mast*urbation. In addition to violating the moral law, mast*urbation is also a sin.
Bible does not mention mast*urbation. Hence, the term is a modern invention. It is derived from the Latin word “masculine” or “male” and could mean to defile with a hand. Therefore, this word is a product of colonialism and slavery mentality. It’s an example of the use of modern terminology with little basis in the Bible.
Despite being a sin, Christians still search for the definition of mast*urbation. They are ashamed after mast*urbating and keep it a secret. They believe it’s a sin but can’t find a direct command in the Bible. Consequently, they turn to Google to find out what the Bible says about mast*urbation. The search results are endless. But one must be very careful about what one searches for.
