"I've fasted on several occasions; and nothing happened. I just got hungry... Several years ago I heard a couple of pastors discussing fasting. On their recommendation I tried my first fast. They said it was commanded in the Bible and should be practiced by every Christian... I decided to try it. All I could think about was how hungry I was. I said to myself, 'If I ever get through this day, I'll never try this again.' I don't think that day of fasting helped me one bit." (Andy Anderson, Fasting Changed My Life)
I think many of us have the same perspective on fasting as this individual. We can see, then, that there's a need for proper understanding in this area. Now, this won't be exhaustive, meaning there will still be much to cover that I have left untouched, but here's just a few questions to consider concerning the discipline of fasting...
What is fasting? The NT word for fasting is the word "nesteia" which is a compound of “ne”, a negative prefix, and "esthio" which means "to eat." So literally when you fast, you are engaged in the act of refraining from eating food. Normally in scripture it's a complete cutting out of food, although there are some modified instances where only certain foods are eaten. Even when you look at our english word, “breakfast”, the etymology of the word makes a little more sense. After all, breakfast is normally when you “break” your “fast”, because you haven't eaten for roughly eight or nine hours (due to your sleep.)
So fasting, therefore, is the act of abstaining for a certain time from all or specific foods to seek the Lord. I say all this (about eating) because some people engage in practices in which they refrain from watching TV, or using the internet, so they can seek God in prayer and they'll call it “fasting.” In reality it's not fasting, in the literal sense. Paul does talk, however, about married couples that may at times abstain from sex to seek the Lord in prayer, and then return to engaging in sexual activity. (1 Cor. 7:5). Besides this instance, which is open to debate, the Bible only shows fasting distinctly as the abstinence of food. Regardless, I believe if the person's intention is to give more time to prayer and to seek God than that's always a good thing. I wouldn't get on their case over the fact that I believe it's technically not a "fast" to refrain from watching TV. I would, however, get on someone's case who actually was abstaining from food but whose heart was completely in the wrong place. This leads me to my second point.
What should our motive be in fasting? Motives will always show the heart of an individual. Therefore, our motives in fasting should always be examined because, quite frankly, some people fast a lot but for all the wrong reasons! Their fasting is essentially worthless. So you have to ask yourself, "Why am I fasting?" Fasting incorrectly is like using a razor to remove plaque from your teeth; it's not a good idea, it's not going to be of much benefit to you, and is just going to end up doing you more harm than good in the end. So with that being said, here's a couple questions to consider before or during fasting:
• Am I fasting to lose weight? Weight loss is certainly most easily achieved by fasting, that's sure enough. Weight loss, though, shouldn't be our goal in fasting. Ironically, I think it's the number one reason people fast. If you want to lose weight, there's a universal chap stick out there called superglue. Combine that with a bit of exercise and voilà!--there you have it, folks.
• Am I fasting to show everyone else how “spiritual” I am? Everyone's eyes are sure to be on you when you announce to the world that you are so faithfully seeking the Lord by not eating, and everyone else should just admire you. Loved ones, we are no more spiritual with food in our stomachs than we are without! Please be extra careful to avoid this pitfall. Please, beloved. This approach to fasting is especially dangerous. In fact, Jesus actually warns against this hypocritical view of fasting in Matthew 6:18-22, when he says to not fast as some do--only seeking to draw attention to themselves.
• Am I fasting because I think God will owe me something afterward? Some people think that if they fast the Lord will be forced to give them something they want. It's as if you're paying your dues to the Lord by refraining from food, and after your done God owes you something. That's not the case, because God doesn't ever owe us anything. The same principle would apply to giving money as well. When we give, we give with a cheerful heart out of love for God, not expecting anything to be given back in return. Just like the way a father and mother feed and care for their children, not expecting anything back in return. We often fast, and give, believing God now owes us something.
• Am I fasting to earn God's saving favor? Perhaps the most dangerous motive a person can have in fasting, however, is when he or she takes the previous motive one-step further, and believes the act of fasting will somehow earn them eternal favor before God. That's an especially dangerous motive, because it's completely contrary to the gospel of Christ. It's a "false-gospel", if you will, to believe fasting earns one favor before God. Christ alone redeems and saves sinners--not fasting. Nobody fasts their way to heaven, loved ones. The "fast track" to heaven is a fast track to hell. Allow me to elaborate more on this last point, because it's certainly crucial to understand.
Other religions engage in fasting too, but their fast means nothing to God. For example, Muslims engage in the discipline of fasting during “Ramadan”, which they observe once a year, to keep one of their “five pillars.” Essentially they believe its part of the process you engage in as you earn favor before “Allah,” and so ultimately to enter heaven one must fast. Now, we're not Muslims, and nor do we believe Allah to be god, but I think there's a tendency for some Christian's to engage in fasting because they think it will earn them brownie points with the true God. They're kind of like these Muslims in their mentality.
They think, in essence, God will grant them grace because they've afflicted themselves and so he'll take notice of them because of their good deed. This isn't true. The Bible teaches that our good deeds are as "period stained rags" before God, which is pretty darn disgusting (see Isaiah 64:6). Christ taught the complete opposite of the "good deeds gospel", and earning one's own favor before God. Christ taught that no one can earn grace, (or brownie points) before God. That's why it's called grace after all, right? He taught that all have sinned, and that there is none righteous, and that no amount of prayer, or fasting, or good-deeds could ever deliver anyone from God's judgment.
Essentially when it comes down to it we stand before Christ asking Him, “Lord, what can I do to be saved from God's judgment toward sinners? Can I pray? Can I fast? I can fast for a really long time!--just let me know how long is necessary.” Christ, in turn, then replies by saying, “No. No amount of praying, giving, fasting, or anything else you try will earn you favor before my Father. He demands perfection." (Matthew 5:48)
God's demand is perfection, but "nobody's perfect," as the saying goes. But Jesus has come and accomplished that which we could never accomplish. And through His death and resurrection on the cross, taking our place, He have saved us from that judgment. Through faith and repentance, that is, turning from our sin, we get the benefits. And now, when the Father looks at you and I, He see's His good works, and His righteous deeds, and His perfect life.
So, in closing: abstaining from food doesn't grant me any more favor with God than wearing a Michael Jordan jersey makes me Michael Jordan. So we do not fast to earn favor before God. Because Christ has already accomplished all that grants us grace from God on the cross, when he said, “It is finished.”
Grace and peace, saints.
zach
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