Genesis 38:6-10
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also.
The first thing to note is that Onan's sin is not really about masturbation. Instead it is about disobeying the law and his father by withholding himself from Tamar. However, it is a form of withholding that tries to have the pleasure but not the responsibility. In that sense it is related to masturbation, and to our modern desire to separate sex from commitment. We want to believe that sex can just be "a natural act" devoid of any consequences and separate from any relationships. But the truth is that sex is a relational act, and thus is designed by God to include responsibility and commitment.
Lord, I confess to trying to separate sex from relationship. But that is not what You desire, and is not even what I desire deep in my soul.
So help me to experience intimacy in the context of commitment.
6 And Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn, and her name was Tamar. 7 But Er, Judah's firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord put him to death. 8 Then Judah said to Onan, “Go in to your brother's wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her, and raise up offspring for your brother.” 9 But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his. So whenever he went in to his brother's wife he would waste the semen on the ground, so as not to give offspring to his brother. 10 And what he did was wicked in the sight of the Lord, and he put him to death also.
The first thing to note is that Onan's sin is not really about masturbation. Instead it is about disobeying the law and his father by withholding himself from Tamar. However, it is a form of withholding that tries to have the pleasure but not the responsibility. In that sense it is related to masturbation, and to our modern desire to separate sex from commitment. We want to believe that sex can just be "a natural act" devoid of any consequences and separate from any relationships. But the truth is that sex is a relational act, and thus is designed by God to include responsibility and commitment.
Lord, I confess to trying to separate sex from relationship. But that is not what You desire, and is not even what I desire deep in my soul.
So help me to experience intimacy in the context of commitment.