Masturbation and 1 John 3:9

Q

I have read in your Q&A post that you don’t think masturbation itself is a sin, and clearly, you have missed a vital verse from your bible. This verse most definitely would cover masturbation.

Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. 1 John 3:9

I hope you will prayerfully consider revising your position on the subject matter.

A

Sorry, but you’ve misinterpreted the verse. The rules of grammar require that a pronoun refers to the closest preceding noun. This means that the word “his” in the phrase “his seed” refers to God. Some modern translations use the phrase “God’s seed” to make it clearer.

John was saying that when we are born of God, His essence (seed) becomes a part of us and will keep us from living a life characterized by sinfulness. It’s another way of saying that the Holy Spirit dwells within us and prompts a change in our behavior when we’re born again.