Defeat Lust & Pornography Silhouette of a man looking at the sea.
Defeat Lust & Pornography 13 minute read

Is Masturbation a Sin?

Last Updated: October 24, 2024

Many Christians wonder whether masturbation is a sin. Can a habit so deeply ingrained in human nature be sinful? More than that, Christians have taught and believed differently on this issue at different times.

However, I believe masturbation is a sin in most, if not all, cases. In this article, I’ll explain why and look at Christian teaching on this issue. I should say at the outset there are those I respect who disagree with me on this, and you may too. That’s OK. The point of this article isn’t to heap shame on you if you feel guilty about masturbating.

There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus! But masturbation, especially when combined with habitual pornography use, can have a detrimental effect on your sexuality and your relationship with God.

I want you to experience the same freedom I have.

Does It Really Matter if Masturbation Is a Sin?

One question I’ve seen is, “Will I go to hell for masturbating?” Maybe you found this article because you masturbated and you’re afraid for your soul. I want to assure you: The blood of Jesus covers all sin. When you put your faith in Jesus, it doesn’t matter if you’ve masturbated or even if you can’t stop masturbating. He forgives you.

If you struggle with this, you’re not weird or perverted. LOTS of Christians do. As we’ll see, Christians throughout history have struggled with this. You’re not alone. So what’s the big deal—I might as well do it, right?

If you’re a Christian, what you do with your body is very important. God cares about your sexual activity. Yes, our salvation is by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, when we’re saved, we’re called to repent from our sinful ways and follow Christ. You can’t be a Christian without following Christ—you must put away immoral practices (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). So it matters a great deal what God thinks about masturbating.

Does the Bible Say Masturbation is Sin?

The story of Onan in Genesis 38:9-10 has historically been the most popular place to look for biblical teachings on masturbation. But most Bible scholars today don’t believe that’s what the passage is about. And there are other places in Scripture that better reveal what God thinks about this.

Masturbation and Lust

The Bible is clear that lust is a sin, and lust usually goes along with masturbation. Lust involves a strong desire for something that doesn’t belong to you. Even if you aren’t looking at pornography, masturbation often accompanies lustful thoughts or desires.

Many people who quit porn still struggle with masturbation when they remember the pornographic images they’ve seen.

The Act of Masturbation

But what about masturbation itself, apart from lust? Aside from the question of whether that’s possible, the Bible teaches a number of principles that indicate the sinfulness of the act:

  • 1 Corinthians 7:4 – Your sexuality is reserved for marriage, and your body belongs to your spouse.   
  • Galatians 5:16 – Walking in the Spirit means denying the desires of our flesh.
  • Colossians 3:5 – Our connection with Jesus means that we must kill our impulses for sexual immorality.

Even though sexual desires are at times difficult to control, the Bible teaches that sex is for marriage. Our culture says that masturbation is a healthy part of human sexuality. But God intends that we explore sex as a means of pleasing our spouse rather than ourselves. Self-pleasuring contradicts God’s design for sex.

Yes, masturbation may be common, but this doesn’t make it right according to the Bible. Many places in Scripture speak of denying the flesh and killing sin. Denying our desires for the sake of Jesus is a normal part of being a Christian (Matthew 16:24).

Christian Teaching on Masturbation

When I’m trying to interpret a passage of Scripture or looking to understand a biblical principle, I like to know what other Christians have believed and taught throughout the centuries.

Historical Christian teaching is an excellent way to check ourselves: Do we really understand what the Bible says?

Early Christian Teaching on Masturbation

In his Paedagogus, Clement of Alexandria (2nd century, AD) articulated the viewpoint of most early Christian authors who wrote on this subject:

“But marriage is the desire for the procreation of children, not the disordered excretion of semen, which is also outside the laws of the age and a foreign reason.”1

In other words, he believed the purpose of sex is to have children, so a man or woman shouldn’t engage in any other kind of sexual activity. Of course, Clement does not focus on masturbation per se. Some contemporary scholars have contested that masturbation was not viewed as sinful until later centuries.

But Clement and many other early Christian writers generally condemned any non-procreative sexual acts—so it seems clear from this that masturbation was considered a sin.

The clearest references to masturbation—and addressing its temptation—came with the rise of monasticism in the 400s, AD. In his Conference V, John Cassian (5th century, AD) identified masturbation as one type of fornication.2 In later monastic writings, we can find increasingly detailed instructions for overcoming masturbation.

These Christians were serious and often heart-breakingly honest about the temptations they faced.

Catholic and Medieval Teaching on Masturbation

In the Middle Ages, the teaching about masturbation did not change fundamentally, but it did become more explicit. Peter Damian (11th century) wrote a tract called Liber Gomorrhianus in which he condemned masturbation. Pope Leo IX heartily endorsed the tract, strengthening Catholic teaching and discipline on this issue.3

Like many early Christian thinkers, Thomas Aquinas considered masturbation to be “against nature.” That is to say, it runs counter to God’s design and purpose for sex. He believed that when we use something contrary to God’s intention, it is a sin against Him—even if no one else is harmed by it.

“Just as the ordering of right reason proceeds from man, so the order of nature is from God Himself: wherefore in sins contrary to nature, whereby the very order of nature is violated, an injury is done to God, the Author of nature. “4

Contemporary Catholic teaching affirms this as well:

“[M]asturbation is an intrinsically and seriously disordered act. The main reason is that, whatever the motive for acting this way, the deliberate use of the sexual faculty outside normal conjugal relations essentially contradicts the finality of the faculty.”

Early Protestant Teaching on Masturbation

For hundreds of years, Protestants agreed with Catholics and early Christian thinkers on the sinfulness of masturbation. In The Estate of Marriage, Martin Luther contended that single people will fall prey to “secret sins” (i.e., masturbation) unless God gives them special grace:

“For if special grace does not exempt a person, his nature must and will compel him to produce seed and to multiply. If this does not occur within marriage, how else can it occur except in fornication or secret sins? But, they say, suppose I am neither married nor immoral, and force myself to remain continent? Do you not hear that restraint is impossible without the special grace?”5

Commenting on the Onan story in Genesis 38, John Calvin called masturbation “a horrible thing.” Likewise, another Bible commentator reflecting on the same passage says, “Those sins that dishonor the body and defile it are very displeasing to God.”

We can see different nuances, but there are countless other examples of Christian thinkers convinced that it’s wrong.

20th Century Christians on Masturbation

In contrast, many modern Christians believe there’s nothing sinful about masturbation. Why the sudden change?

I think there are two reasons, one positive and the other negative.

Good Reasons to Avoid Calling Masturbation a Sin

Positively, commentators, theologians, and pastors alike have noted that the Bible doesn’t explicitly condemn masturbation. Furthermore, they point to passages like Colossians 2:20-22 that warn against adding to the Bible’s rules:

“Since you died with Christ to the elemental spiritual forces of this world, why, as though you still belonged to the world, do you submit to its rules: ‘Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’? These rules, which have to do with things that are all destined to perish with use, are based on merely human commands and teachings.”

We should be careful to avoid “merely human commands and teachings.” If masturbation is only considered a sin based on tradition—even Christian tradition—we shouldn’t make up rules about it.

Bad Reasons to Avoid Calling Masturbation a Sin

Negatively, however, I think our culture encourages the mindset that “if it doesn’t hurt anyone it’s fine.” This thinking is used to justify many things, including masturbation and pornography. That’s not at all what the Bible teaches.

We can easily trick ourselves into thinking that something is good and beneficial when it’s not (Jeremiah 17:9).

Why Masturbation Is (Usually) Wrong

There’s a myth that not masturbating is unhealthy.

This isn’t true.

And I believe masturbation can hinder your relationship with God also. Most Christian teachers going back to Bible times have discouraged the practice, especially if it’s a regular habit or something you feel like you can’t stop doing.

1. Masturbation often goes along with pornography.

If you’ve struggled with pornography, you know it usually goes along with masturbation. Masturbating to pornography reshapes your sexuality in a way that is deeply unhealthy and unnatural. Many psychologists and neuroscientists have acknowledged this fact and speak out against porn and masturbation.

Even if you’ve left porn behind, masturbation can reinforce the same thought patterns. Rather than encouraging a deep relationship with your spouse, masturbating reinforces a selfish mindset about sex.

2. Lust is very subtle.

Jesus said that looking to lust is sinful. When we entertain lustful thoughts throughout the day, they often lead to masturbation. I had a friend who never looked at pornography, but sexual images would come into his mind (usually at night) and he would be tempted to masturbate.

When I was struggling with masturbation, I told myself it was OK because I wasn’t looking at pornography or lusting after particular people. Does this mean I wasn’t lusting? The Bible compares lust to greediness. Eventually, I realized that masturbating was a form of sexual greed. I was not content with what God had given me and wanted the pleasure of a sexual relationship that wasn’t mine.

3. Masturbation discourages self-control.

Throughout the Bible, self-control is elevated as a virtue. Even outside the Bible, secular philosophers, psychologists, as well as plain common sense all point to the value of self-control. When you follow the impulse to masturbate, it breaks down your self-control.

This makes it more difficult to exercise self-control in the future.

Everyone needs sexual self-control. Even if you don’t think masturbation is wrong in itself, everyone knows there are times when masturbating is inappropriate. Learning to say “no” to masturbation helps cultivate healthy discipline.

A little masturbation can lead to a lot of masturbation.

Sigmund Freud called masturbation the original addiction. He said every other substance is merely a substitute. I’m not convinced that’s true, but I do know from personal experience that saying “just this once” can easily lead to a regular habit.

Some people think, “Just this once and I’ll stop.” But this kind of thinking enables unhealthy patterns of behavior. Particularly, if you find yourself tempted to masturbate in public or other inappropriate situations, it’s time to take this seriously.

Masturbation may not be about sex.

For many people who struggle with habitual masturbation, it’s not about relieving sexual urges. Masturbation becomes a coping mechanism for dealing with boredom, loneliness, stress, or other negative emotions. I’ve had many friends who turned to masturbation out of frustration and depression.

Masturbation may feel good, but it’s not going to heal the emotional wounds that you’ve experienced. If you’re using masturbation as a form of self-medication, it may be helpful to seek counseling or therapy.

Can You Stop Masturbating?

The Bible says that whatever is not of faith is sin (Romans 14:23). If, like me, you believe masturbation might be leading you away from God, it’s a habit you need to remove from your life. But how can you stop? Over the years, I’ve been an ally for guys who struggle with masturbation. There’s no easy formula to break free. But by God’s grace, you can.

Try to understand why.

If you’re tempted to masturbate, you probably just think it’s about masturbation. But we often have complex subconscious reasons behind our unwanted habits. If your masturbation comes from lustful thoughts, you need to find what’s triggering these thoughts. Are you looking at pornography? Are you watching TV shows or movies with sexual content? Do you entertain sexual thoughts about the people you encounter?

For many people, the root cause isn’t necessarily sexual triggers. Masturbation becomes a coping mechanism to deal with loneliness, anxiety, or depression.

Eliminate your triggers.

When possible, work to eliminate the things that trigger masturbation from your life. It may mean stopping certain habits, like some TV shows or video games. But it could also mean developing new hobbies and habits.

Plan for times of temptation.

You can’t always avoid the temptation to masturbate. This is something you will face. That means you should plan for these times of temptation. If you know when you’re most tempted, great! If you don’t, you need to figure that out first. Then come up with a strategy—what are you going to do instead?

Get accountability.

Habits like masturbation thrive in shame and secrecy. When I struggled, it was because I didn’t tell anyone about it. When I opened up about my struggle to a trusted mentor, it was easier to resist temptation.

Depending on the level of temptation you face, simply talking with a friend or mentor might be enough to help you overcome it. But if you need to break a regular habit, then you need more engaged accountability. I had a friend who used to text me every time he faced temptation to masturbate, or even when he felt like he might be tempted. I was able to encourage him, pray for him, and keep him motivated to stay on track.

Need more help quitting? Check out this article for steps to overcome masturbation.


1 Clement of Alexandria, Paedagogus, accessed September 29, 2023 at https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/02092.htm.

2 John Cassian, Conference V, accessed September 29, 2023 at https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/350805.htm.

3 Peter Damian, Liber Gomorrhianus, accessed September 29, 2023 at https://archive.org/details/liber-gomorrhianus/page/n7/mode/2up.

4 Thomas Aquinas, Summa, accessed September 29, 2023 at Christian Classics Ethereal Library https://ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/summa/summa.SS_Q154_A12.htm.

5 Martin Luther, The Estate of Marriage, accessed September 29, 2023 at https://media.christogenea.org/sites/all/libraries/pdf.js/web/viewer.html?file=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.christogenea.org%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Fsharedfiles%2F1%2FPDFs%2Fmartin-luther-estate-of-marriage.pdf.

  1. Ak Cliff

    This corrupted world and it’s master is doing everything possible to corrupt the body of Christ but Christ has already conquered death and defeated whatever may portray itself as corruption. They are trying to do this subtly with the use of technology, science and even language. Nowadays, masturbation is now referred to as “bodily exploration”. But I know that THERE IS A WAY WHICH SEEMS RIGHT TO MAN BUT THE END THEREOF IS DEAD. My bible does not necessarily needs to tell me that masturbation is a sin, alcohol consumption is a sin, watching of porn is a sin, listening to circular music is a sin etc. No it doesn’t need to tell me that before I know that they are all sin because the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD in me ministers to me and tells me what defiles the temple of the lord (our bodies). And every true Christain filled with the spirit of God will admit this truth. JESUS IS GOD

  2. Ryan C

    I never see my situation addressed in articles like this. I am married, and after confessing to my wife about my porn addiction, she was never the same. Eventually it got to the point where she said she no longer loved me and stopped having sex with me. I would welcome the return of my body belonging to my spouse, but that might be over forever. (I see plenty of other wives who offer forgiveness for similar or greater offenses…I have never committed physical adultery…but that is irrelevant to my sex life, which by her choice is non-existent.) I have been told that divorce and remarriage would be a better option than masturbating, but I am not interested in that (based on my beliefs, it would be choosing between one thing that is certainly wrong and another that is possibly wrong). I am dedicated to removing porn from my life, closing in on 4 months of sobriety (including things like pictures and videos on Instagram that are not necessarily sexual but my consumption would be for lustful purposes). I acknowledge that lust may be involved with masturbation for a recovering porn addict, but I am not sure if I can achieve sustained success at eliminating orgasms for the remainder of my life.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related in Defeat Lust & Pornography

Editor's Picks

praying hands

Defeat Lust & Pornography

How Gratitude Helps Overcome Porn

“Let’s go around the table and say something we’re thankful for” is…

9 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

circle of people holding hands around Bibles and praying

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Heath Lambert on the Power of Thanksgiving Over Porn

“Porn is only consumed by thankless people.” Dr. Heath Lambert isn’t coddling…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Female student writing in a notebook, making a plan on stairs in city.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

The Anti-Resolution Approach To Change

The idea of waiting until the calendar flips to begin a transformation…

3 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Close-up of a young man writing his journal outdoors

Defeat Lust & Pornography

7 Keys to Integrity: A Student’s Perspective

Every year Covenant Eyes provides scholarship opportunities for students who use Covenant…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Two young men studying the Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

5 Ways Accountability Can Deepen Your Relationship With God

You probably recognize that accountability is a powerful tool for behavior change.…

4 minute read

Read Post

Editor's Picks

Man looking at his Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

When Porn Leads To Despair

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making…

4 minute read

Read Post

Related in Defeat Lust & Pornography

praying hands

Defeat Lust & Pornography

How Gratitude Helps Overcome Porn

“Let’s go around the table and say something we’re thankful for” is…

“Let’s go around the table and say something we’re thankful for” is a clichéd Thanksgiving tradition. But this simple exercise may be more important than you realize—especially if you’re fighting the temptation to look at…

9 minute read

2 Comments

circle of people holding hands around Bibles and praying

Defeat Lust & Pornography

Heath Lambert on the Power of Thanksgiving Over Porn

“Porn is only consumed by thankless people.” Dr. Heath Lambert isn’t coddling…

“Porn is only consumed by thankless people.” Dr. Heath Lambert isn’t coddling readers in his book Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace. While the quote from his book might sound like…

4 minute read

17 Comments

Female student writing in a notebook, making a plan on stairs in city.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

The Anti-Resolution Approach To Change

The idea of waiting until the calendar flips to begin a transformation…

The idea of waiting until the calendar flips to begin a transformation can feel overwhelming, especially when winter days are short, dark, and filled with post-holiday exhaustion. Instead of setting yourself up for failure by…

3 minute read

0 comments

Close-up of a young man writing his journal outdoors

Defeat Lust & Pornography

7 Keys to Integrity: A Student’s Perspective

Every year Covenant Eyes provides scholarship opportunities for students who use Covenant…

Every year Covenant Eyes provides scholarship opportunities for students who use Covenant Eyes. The applicants write essays in which they share their experiences, struggles, and victories—and their perspectives on what it means to use today’s…

4 minute read

0 comments

Two young men studying the Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

5 Ways Accountability Can Deepen Your Relationship With God

You probably recognize that accountability is a powerful tool for behavior change.…

You probably recognize that accountability is a powerful tool for behavior change. The business world, the self-help world, and the porn-recovery world all acknowledge the vital importance of accountability.   But it can be much…

4 minute read

0 comments

Man looking at his Bible.

Defeat Lust & Pornography

When Porn Leads To Despair

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making…

For the enemy has pursued me, crushing me to the ground, making me live in darkness like those long dead. My spirit is weak within me; my heart is overcome with dismay. Psalm 143:3-4 Has…

4 minute read

0 comments