About Fasting

[Willie T]

Several people trashed a certain book. So, of course, I immediately had to grab myself a copy. (Bless all the "Haters" who open so much of the word of God to me.... while trying their best to destroy it.)

What do you think of these words in the book?

Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason; and others have utterly disregarded it. — JOHN WESLEY

In a culture where the landscape is dotted with shrines to the Golden Arches and an assortment of Pizza Temples, fasting seems out of place, out of step with the times. In fact, fasting has been in general disrepute both in and outside the Church for many years. For example, in my research I could not find a single book published on the subject of Christian fasting from 1861 to 1954, a period of nearly one hundred years. More recently a renewed interest in fasting has developed, but we have far to go to recover a biblical balance. What would account for this almost total disregard of a subject so frequently mentioned in Scripture and so ardently practiced by Christians through the centuries?

Any thoughts?

[Willie T]

Yeah, the book those words came from, Celebration of Discipline, has much to say about the value of fasting.... as well as a wealth of other great subjects.

Edited July 10, 2018 by Willie T

[Still Alive]

I don't fast. Sometimes I try to be careful about my diet if I think I'm gaining weight. I see no instruction in the bible that I'm to fast. I mean, it TALKS ABOUT fasting, but it also talks about owning slaves.

[Still Alive]

1 hour ago, Yowm said:

I agree, when I was a baby Christian I seriously talked about fasting with some brothers and one quipped, ‘my idea of a fast is to hold off on the cheese of my Big Mac’...opulence.

Jesus said ‘when’ you fast, not ‘if’.

But yeah some ride the topic into legalistic waters.

And his ministry was to Jews.

He also talked to them about Tithing, which was a part of their theocracy as set up by God, though tithing is not a Christian concept.

[Still Alive]

Just now, Yowm said:

No one is making a law out of it.

fasting sets apart time for seeking God.

giving is to help others.

Sabbath was for the Jews too, but I’m glad to have at least one day a week for rest from a 6 day work week.

Yeah. My point is pretty much in line with what you are saying.

Fasting seemed to be a cultural thing, similarly to what it said about a married couple abstaining from sex for a time. And yeah, I see giving and tithing as two completely different things. And I like my Saturdays and/or Sundays off.

[Still Alive]

24 minutes ago, Yowm said:

Agreed except the cultural thing about fasting as seeking God has little to do with culture and more to do with, well..taking time to seek God.

I just meant "cultural" as in different cultures (and subcultures) have different ways of seeking God.

[Willie T]

6 minutes ago, Still Alive said:

I just meant "cultural" as in different cultures (and subcultures) have different ways of seeking God.

Many of the great Christians throughout church history fasted and witnessed to its value; among them were Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, Charles Finney, and Pastor Hsi of China.  Fasting, of course, is not an exclusively Christian Discipline; all the major religions of the world recognize its merit.  Zoroaster practiced fasting as did Confucius and the Yogis of India.  Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle all fasted.  Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, believed in fasting.  Now the fact that all these persons, in and out of Scripture, held fasting in high regard does not make it right or even desirable, but it should make us pause long enough to be willing to reevaluate the popular assumptions of our day concerning the Discipline of fasting.

[Still Alive]

4 minutes ago, Yowm said:

There’s only one way to seek Him and it is not cultural ...

John 4:23-24 NKJV
[23] But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. [24] God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

 

There are LOTS of ways to seek him.

Y'know, sometimes I feel like I could say the sky is blue and I'd end up with an argument regarding what shade of blue.

 

BTW, we don't choose him. He chooses us.

[Still Alive]

3 minutes ago, Willie T said:

Many of the great Christians throughout church history fasted and witnessed to its value; among them were Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Wesley, Jonathan Edwards, David Brainerd, Charles Finney, and Pastor Hsi of China.  Fasting, of course, is not an exclusively Christian Discipline; all the major religions of the world recognize its merit.  Zoroaster practiced fasting as did Confucius and the Yogis of India.  Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle all fasted.  Even Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine, believed in fasting.  Now the fact that all these persons, in and out of Scripture, held fasting in high regard does not make it right or even desirable, but it should make us pause long enough to be willing to reevaluate the popular assumptions of our day concerning the Discipline of fasting.

Yes. Fasting is great. No doubt about it. It's also not a requirement. It's not part of my culture, but other things are. To each his own.

[Willie T]

19 minutes ago, Yowm said:

There’s only one way to seek Him and it is not cultural ...

John 4:23-24 NKJV
[23] But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. [24] God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

 

I think we need to be careful in this.  In effect, we might inadvertently be declaring to a young believer that certain "rituals" (maybe even just seen in our denomination) are required to seek God...…. even possibly planting the idea that the man or woman who communes with God by a peaceful pond is "wrong."

Edited July 10, 2018 by Willie T