“And whenever
you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their
faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have
received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your
head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen
not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you.” Matt 6:16-18
Often when the topic of fasting comes
up in Christian circles, the question is asked or the statement made that we
are never commanded in the New Testament to fast. You know what? They are right. Jesus never commands that we fast. Paul doesn’t tell us to fast. The other lesser-known writers of the NT such
as Jude or James tell us to fast. But
here is another truth the NT assumes that we will fast. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says, “whenever you fast”. Jesus thinks that fasting is apart of
discipleship, that it is essential to following him.
What Jesus does say about fasting is
that we shouldn’t shout from the rooftops that we are fasting. He warns us to not advertise to others by our
clothes or hygiene that we are fasting for the purpose of receiving praise and
honor from our peers. Rather, we fast
for the purpose of glorifying God. Jesus
gets at the heart of the matter and asks us to look at our motives. Unfortunately, there are many other reasons
to fast that are kept secret from others.
We may fast for weight loss purposes or for our own self-gratification
but under the guise of giving glory to God.
These reasons are unhealthy for the body and soul. This is when fasting has become harmful and
not helpful. In the case of weight loss,
it is better to stop fasting all together and focus upon finding ways to affirm
your worth and value. In some cases, it
would be good to seek advice from a trust friend or pastor.
May the God who loves us purify our
motives. May God help you to gently
examine your motives and free you from impure motives.
-Rev.
Matt Seaton
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