Q. What does the Bible teach about a man or woman who masturbates? If it is a sin then how is the sin committed? Is it the THOUGHT or the ACT or both that is sinful? (Submitted by: Eduardo) A. Your question depends upon whether you are referring to the Law received by Moses (1John 3:4) or by a Christian's standard (1John 5:17): "Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness." (1John 3:4, NKJV throughout) "All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death." (1John 5:17)
The Christian standard is much higher because it is based on the spirit and not the letter. Christians are having God's Law written in their hearts by God changing our nature: " . . . for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them . . ." (Romans 2:14-15)
In Matthew 5 Jesus reveals that even having wrong thoughts are a sin because it is a matter of the heart or love. True love for another does no harm as Romans 13 states. "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matthew 5:27-28) "Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13:10)
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