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Ask The Pastor
> Question:
>
> I am a Christian youth with the age of 17. I masturbated for almost 5
> years. My question is this: Is masturbation sin? I am confused since all
> the psychology books that I have read regarding masturbation stated that
> it's all natural-a part of the process of adolescence. Please help me
> regarding this. Thank you and God bless!!!
Mario, [not his real name]
I'm afraid psychology isn't going to provide much help in this area.
Let's look at the problem. Without question we live in a sex-driven
society (world). You cannot walk down the street, listen to the radio,
watch television, go to a movie, or simply be in a public place, without
being confronted with sexual images. And because our sexual side is easily
aroused, we have to deal with all this on a day- to-day bases. (Perhaps
even moment-by-moment.)
So, if we can take away the images everything will be alright? Not
really. Even if we did not have all these images to deal with, we
would still have a problem This is why masturbation has to be dealt
with from a spiritual side. And don't think you are alone.
Temptations are common to us all.
First let consider what the Bible has to say about sexual issues
outside of marriage. I'll only mention a few:
Jesus said, "Everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has
already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matt5:28) ---
Here Jesus says that adultery actually takes place in our inward
parts. For this reason it is not simply a physical act. ---
Paul said, "Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is
outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body."
(1Co6:18) --- Masturbation can be classed as 'mental' fornication. ---
James said, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being
tempted by God'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He
Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is
carried away and enticed by his own lust." (James 1:13,14) ---
Hence we see the real problem. It is an issue of lust. ---
I could go on, but you probably already know these things. So its not
whether masturbation is a sin. The real question is how to deal with lust.
Let me share with you what won't work.
First understand that simply being a Christian does not take lust
away. Secondly, understand that you don't 'reform' lust. This means
that you cannot fast lust away, pray lust away, drive lust away, or, make
enough vows so that lust will get the idea and just disappear. None of
this works. Fleshly desires are going to be with us until the day we go to
be with Jesus.
What then does work? Paul said, "If by the Spirit you are putting to death
the deeds of the body, you will live." The only way to conquer lust of any
sort, is to do it by the Spirit. Our hearts have to be turned towards the
Lord. This is part of what Paul means when he says 'the law of the Spirit
of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death."
(Rom8:2)
And this is why the apostle John said, "Greater is He who is in you
than he who is in the world." (1John4:4) This can only mean that
every believer has an inward power source that can be drawn from,
that can disable any temptation. This power source replaces fleshly
desires with holiness desires.
But this is also where living in grace comes from. What Paul also
means is that when Jesus took all our sins to Himself, in God's
redemption program we died to sin. Therefore sin no longer has the
power to be our master. The short side of this is that a believer
always has an atonement for his or her sins. It is in the atonement
of the cross that we can draw from the power of the cross, that is,
the Holy Spirit effecting the cross in us.
Mario, certainly there is more to this. Its like the gentleman who
describes his world as having two dogs living in him. A white dog,
and a black dog. And the one who wins the fight is the one he feeds
the most. While that may sound a little odd, just think about it. It will
make sense. If you are feeding the flesh, then fleshly thoughts will
dominate your life. If you are feeding the spirit, then your thoughts will
be thoughts of holiness and peace.
Hope this helps a bit.
Buddy
Bro. Buddy Martin - Ask
the Pastor
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Lawrence "Buddy" Martin
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
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