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To address this question from a biblical perspective, one must examine what the Bible teaches about sexual immorality. It is generally accepted that where the Bible gives specific instruction, we stand firm, and where the Bible is silent, we should live according to godly principles.

The Bible is clear, sexual immorality is prohibited by God. A survey of scripture reveals numerous instances in which sexually impure people are described. See Gen19:5, Gen19:30-38, Gen34:1-2, Gen35:22, Gen38:9, Gen38:14-18, Num25:6-14, Judg16:1, 1Sam2:22, 2Sam11:4, 2Sam13:14, 2Sam16:22, Hos1-2, John4, John8:1-11, Luke7:36-39, 1Cor5:1 and Rev2:20. The specific issues are homosexuality, incest, rape, adultery, refusal to father a child by the wife of a dead brother, fornication, sex in the tabernacle and in public, and leading others to sexual immorality. Lev18-20 prohibit incest, adultery, fornication, prostitution, homosexuality, bestiality and sexual relations during menstruation. In all these, sexual relations with a partner are involved.

Nowhere does the Bible expressly discuss solitary sexual activity, i.e. masturbation. While in some cases a failure to prohibit may imply tolerance or even permission, such reasoning can lead to serious error. Yet, in light of the Bible’s apparent silence on this topic, what conclusions may be drawn?

The most obvious place to start is Jesus’ teachings about the content of our hearts. In the gospels, he taught that murder begins as anger, stealing begins as greed and adultery begins as lust. Hence, the life we give to our thoughts is morally equivalent to the sinful acts they inspire. However, most Bible scholars agree that the terms "anger", "greed" and "lust", as understood in biblical cultures and times, are not the kinds of passing thoughts all of us have at one time or another. Rather they are obsessive patterns of thinking that are indulged without regard to consequences and reduce others (or their possessions) to objects for base gratification of some fleshly desire, e.g. revenge, coveting or sex.

In lust, sexual desire is indulged until it becomes grotesque and compelling, leading to sexual acts that are clearly immoral. If masturbation involves this kind of thinking, it is sinful and a perversion of God's intent for our sexuality. Hence, masturbation can cause us to fall short of God's standards and bring upon ourselves the natural consequences of disregarding His wisdom.

For example, because sexual climax involves the release of very powerful chemicals in the brain, it is possible to become addicted to these chemicals. The dynamics of such addiction are the same as other forms of addiction, i.e. escalation in dependence, leading to increasing demands for more intense experiences, which can lead to the use of pornography and even promiscuity, both of which are clearly sinful. Furthermore, because addiction soon becomes the most important thing in life, it may be considered a form of idolatry, another sin.

Another example is that for some people masturbation can carry with it profound shame or guilt. While shame or guilt can serve to correct error, excessive shame or guilt can prevent us from accepting God’s love, mercy and grace, hindering our relationship with him.

While the Bible does not expressly address masturbation, it honors sexual purity and speaks to the content of our hearts and the life we give to our thoughts. Accordingly, masturbation should not be dismissed as trivial or irrelevant, but rather understood as a powerful experience that each person must consider in light of scripture, prayer, counsel and conscience.