Did I sin by masturbating with my best friend?

Question:

I am a 12-year-old boy. I masturbate but the last time I masturbated with my best friend at school. He said I am going to hell and the Bible says that it is a sin. I am really scared.

Answer:

I’m trying to figure out why someone did something with you and then afterward turned around and declare it was a sin. Most people know that sin is to be avoided.

When you masturbate another person, you are doing a sexual act with a person of the same gender. That is called homosexuality, which is a sin. “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 6:9-10). Even if you only masturbated in the presence of each other, this also is a sin that is called lewdness or sensuality. Lewdness is acting like an animal with no self-control.

All sins can be forgiven if you realize that the sins are wrong and you are willing to stop doing them. This is called repentance — when you change the direction you are going with your life. I don’t know if you have become a Christian in the way that God commanded, but a part of becoming a Christian is receiving forgiveness for your past sins. See How to Become a Christian.