Is masturbation a sin?

Sincerely, Brave Enough To Ask

Dear Brave Enough To Ask,

Self-stimulation is never specifically condemned or even mentioned in the Bible, but that doesn’t make it right.  There is only one example that people often use of masturbation in the Bible (Gen 38:9), but that was not really masturbation.  The example of Onan still doesn’t tell us much about the subject because he was rebuked, not for the act of masturbation, but for having sex with his brother’s wife, and then spilling his seed on the ground in order to avoid raising children up for his brother (which God had commanded him to do).

I think your question demands two separate answers.

The first question would be “What does the Bible say?”, since we are providing Bible answers to Bible questions. The answer to this question is, “The Bible says nothing about it.”

The second question would be, “Are there any other Bible teachings that would make it wrong?”.  Masturbation is the act of stimulating one's self sexually without the use of a partner.  The sexual realm was not designed for the individual, but for two committed lifelong partners (1 Cor 7:4-5).  Many marriages have been ruined because one or the other spouse seeks sexual satisfaction apart from their marital partner.   We should be very wary of any situation where we are attempting to find satisfaction outside of the pattern the Lord has designed.

Furthermore, self-stimulation is almost always connected to mental (i.e. lustful thoughts) and visual (i.e. pornography) fantasizing about the opposite gender.  God is very clear in condemning that sort of behavior (Matt 5:28).

The practical problem that generally evokes this question is with a young man who has been unable to find a godly wife.  His hormones are going wild, which is according to nature.   Now what does such a young man do?  There are two things that must be avoided at all costs.  First, he must not lust after a specific woman because that is specifically forbidden in God’s word.  Secondly, he must avoid pornography at all costs.  This always demands lust for a specific woman.  Pornography has proven to cause all kinds of sexual problems, not only while a person is doing it but also later in life.   Realistically, with those two things in mind, a young man doesn't have much likelihood of masturbating without sinning.  It is the overconfident youth that thinks "others would sin, but not me".

In due time, Lord willing, young men will be blessed with godly wives, and until then self-control is their duty in the eyes of God.

Do you think a person must be baptized by a Christian male only? Could a woman be baptized by a Christian woman if there are no men around? Does the person doing the baptizing have to be a Christian?

 

Sincerely,
Immersed in the Issue

Dear Immersed in the Issue,

The person who is doing the baptizing is not nearly as important as the one being baptized.  The only examples we have in the Scriptures are of male christians baptizing people, but that is probably more of an incidental then a matter of importance.  It reminds me of the argument that all churches should meet in upper rooms because the only examples we have in the New Testament are of churches meeting in upper rooms.  Males baptizing and upper room meetings would both fall under the heading of "missing the point" in my opinion.  It would be a rather odd situation where someone came to the conclusion that they must be baptized without being taught by someone who could also baptize them.  However these things do occur, so let's consider what the Scriptures say.

Baptism is all about the effect that is had on the person immersed.  They are saved (Mk 16:16, Acts 2:38), their life starts anew (Rom 6:4), and they are buried with Christ (Rom. 6:4).  The emphasis is so steeply placed upon the person being baptized that there is only one incident in the entire New Testament where it says, "he baptized him"(Acts 8:38); every other circumstance is "they were baptized", "he was baptized", etc.  The emphasis is placed time after time upon who was baptized and not who did the baptizing.  Paul rarely baptized people himself after teaching them (1 Cor 1:14-17), nor did Christ (John 4:2).  The importance was that the people were baptized for salvation and not who did it.  In general, people will be baptized by male Christians, but a woman doing the baptizing wouldn't be an issue either if the circumstances called for it.  I can't think of many circumstances where an unbeliever would baptize someone, but I wouldn't contest that person's baptism as illegitimate if that were the case.  The angels are rejoicing over the sheep that has been found in either situation (Lk 15:10).

I’ve been just wondering about Deut 22:5; would you explain, please?  Is it okay to wear trousers because I’m just afraid; I don’t want to live a God-fearing life while wearing trousers only to be shunned out of heaven when time comes because I did not heed His warning on it, or does Deut 22:5 have a different meaning?  Thank you and God bless.

Sincerely,
Suited Up

Dear Suited Up,

Deut 22:5 teaches that a woman is not supposed to dress like a man, and a man is not supposed to dress like a woman.  Cross-dressing is a sin because men are not to behave effeminately (1 Cor 6:9), and similarly, women are not to behave in a masculine way.  Deut 22:5 is a generic teaching on the subject of men and women’s clothing that teaches a principle.

In today’s society, women wear pants all the time that are women’s pants.  They are designed for women, look like a woman should wear them, and would look decidedly inappropriate for a man to wear!  If a woman is wearing trousers that are feminine, she is fine.  However, if a man or a woman begins to dress in a way that clearly is against the natural design the Lord intended, that is a sin.

Did God make mistakes when he made homosexuals?  Why did Jesus not rebuke homosexuals?

Sincerely,
Looking For Answers

Dear Looking For Answers,

We’ll answer your second question first.  Jesus did rebuke homosexuality, but He didn’t do it specifically.  Jesus answered the question of homosexuality when He taught on marriage.  Jesus said that marriage was intended between a man and a woman (Matt 19:4-5).  Any sexual activity outside of God’s plan for marriage is fornication.  Homosexual behavior, pre-marital sex, adultery, etc. are all sinful and Jesus condemned them all when He taught the right way for men and women to behave.

Now let’s address the issue of people being made homosexual.  God doesn’t force anyone to act upon same-sex attractions, just like God doesn’t force an alcoholic to the bottle or a wrathful husband to strike his wife.  How we act is a choice, not a genetic equation.  There is a lot of debate over why some people have same-sex attractions, but at the end of the day, those temptations need to be mastered.  When Cain was angry, God told Cain to rule over sin or it would devour him (Gen 4:7).  Same-sex attractions are a temptation that stems from within a person, just like anger, unhealthy opposite-sex attractions, and a thousand other temptations (Jas 1:13-14).  The key is that there is always a way of escape from those unhealthy desires (1 Cor 10:13).  God didn’t make a mistake when creating us; it is when we turn from the path He has designed for us and follow our own desires (which are often unhealthy) that we sin (Jer 10:23).

     What about a woman being ordained as a pastor, bishop, or an apostle?

Sincerely,
What About Women?

Dear What About Women,

Pastors (Eph 4:11) – also known as elders or bishops (Tit 1:5-7) – are always men.  The qualifications for pastors are given in 1 Tim 3:1-7 and Tit 1:5-9.  One of those qualifications is that he must be “a husband of one wife” (1 Tim 3:2, Tit 1:6) – that clearly rules out females from becoming pastors.

As far as being an apostle, all of the apostles have long since died.  An apostle had to be someone who personally saw Christ in the flesh and witnessed His resurrection (Acts 1:21-26).  There were twelve apostles, and they were all men (Matt 10:2-3).