Dearly Beloved,
The history of Christianity has shown also the extremes of belief systems. Before the Reformation, monks and saints tortured themselves hoping to ‘earn’ salvation. Some monks’ garments were designed of rough material with the purpose of ‘disciplining’ the body to achieve spirituality. Martin Luther himself was said to have climbed the ‘Sacred Steps’ on his knees to relief his conscience when he heard a thunderous voice in his heart which declared that ‘the just shall live by faith.’
On the other hand, we have swung in the opposite direction with modern Christianity emphasizing on wealth and health as a natural ‘right’ to all who walked with God. St Francis of Assisi count it a privilege to be married to poverty but modern Christianity espouses marriage to prosperity. Mystics have shunned society in order to seek spirituality, while modern Christians seek success in society. There are those who fast constantly and occasionally damage their own bodies in extreme fasting while others do not even see the necessity to fast, thinking Jesus has already done everything. Christians are so prone to extreme practices without consultation with God and the written word; without balance and skills in fasting or in celebration feasting.
What can we say to Christians who neglect the body in pursuit of spiritual dimensions, while others neglect the spiritual in pursuit of natural success? The correct answer is that we must have a balance of spirit, soul and body as it is God who created us as tripartite beings (1 Thessalonians 5:23. All three dimensions are to be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Old Testament, there are seven feasts which incorporate both fasting and feasting. The Passover consists of fasting from leaven bread, eating only unleavened bread during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (seven-day feast from fifteenth day of 1st religious month) which immediately follows the Passover (fourteenth day of 1st month). And on the morning of after the seventh Sabbath (49 days), exactly on the fiftieth day, they celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. On the first day of the seventh month, the Feast of Trumpets celebrates the first of ten days of Days of Awe in which conversations revolve around blessings, atonement, forgiveness and striving to be a better person, culminating in the holiest day of the year, the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). The fifteenth day of the month is the Feast of Tabernacles. In the midst of all the six celebration feasts is the most holy day, observed by a solemn fast. God instituted both feasting and fasting into the Jewish feasts.
Besides the most important fast of Yom Kippur, the Jewish yearly calendar has periods of fasting:
• Ta’anit Bechorim (the Fast of the Firstborn observed by firstborn males), observed on the day before Passover,
• Tzom Tammuz (Fast of the 17th of Tammuz or Fast of the Fourth Month), when Israel sinned in the wilderness through the golden calf which Moses smashed.
• Tishah B’Av (Ninth of Av or Fast of the Fifth Month). Some fast on the first day of Av, too. Ninth of Av is the second most important fast in Judaism (after Yom Kippur) with some customs of eating a boiled egg sprinkled with ashes on the eve of the fast.
• Tzom Gedaliah (the fast right after Rosh Hashanah or fast of seventh month) commemorating the ending of life of Gedaliah by misguided zealots).
• Asarah B’Tevet (tenth of Tevet or fast of the tenth month) commemorating the fall of Jerusalem. In the state if Israel this fast includes prayer recitals to unknown deceased.
• Ta’anit Esther (the fast of Eshter on the day before Purim).
Judaism incorporates the practice of both feasting and fasting throughout their calendar year.
In the book of Acts, the early church practice both feasting and fasting. It incorporates the Passover into a Christian feast celebration (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 5:8; 10:27). At the same time, they fast when they prayed over leaders and appoint them into ministry (Acts 14:23). Couples fast together to seek God (1 Corinthians 7:5). The apostle Paul speaks about fasting often (2 Corinthians 6:5; 11:27). The church of Antioch fasted regularly when they prayed and ministered to the Lord (Acts 13:2) and fasted again before sending Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. No one can deny that it is the will of God for the church to both learn to celebrate in feasting and rejoicing, and also in fasting and prayers. Our Lord Jesus recognized that when He was physically present, the disciples feasted more often than they fasted but in between this time of His First Coming and Second Coming, there is the necessity to seek Him in fasting and prayers (John 5:34-35). The conclusion is that all Christians must learn both to fast and also to rejoice and feast. Both have their place in the exercise of faith.
To those who are fasting and praying excessively, remember that fasting should be spiritually energized from the spirit and not just an outward religious performance. Paul speaks about the vain outward observation of refraining from meat or drink or false humility which is seeking false merit from God like the proud Pharisee of a parable of Jesus (Colossians 2:16-18, 22; Luke 18:12). When fasting is performed in strife and arguments without true humility and repentance, it is completely unacceptable to God (Isaiah 58:3-5). However, when it is done with a true heart of humility, it is powerful and breaks bondages and yokes, bringing light and health, righteousness and glory (Isaiah 58:6-8).
When feasting is done excessively, it leads to licentiousness and gluttony ending in poverty (Proverbs 23:20-21). Those who constantly desire feasting and drinking and go from one feast to the next, their god is their belly and their end destruction (Philippians 3:19). A good son keeps the law but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father (Proverbs 28:7). The Cretans in Paul’s time were ineffective spiritually because they were liars, evil brutes and gluttons (Titus 1:12). The kingdom of God is not just eating and drinking but righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17).
The key to life in the kingdom of God is a balanced life with proportionate attention given to all three dimensions of spirit, soul and body. The primary portion is, of course the spirit man, and then to the development and maturing of the soul, without neglecting the physical discipline of the body, for bodily exercise has some measure of profit, though little (1 Timothy 4:8). Spend most of your time in spiritual exercises, which include fasting and prayers. Then spend time every day training in the Word of God, meditating, contemplating and studying the Scriptures. Finally, spend some time taking care of the temple of the Holy Spirit, your physical body. Take good quality food, exercise your physical body, keep it clean and fit for the Lord Jesus to dwell within you.
Those who have never fasted, you should learn to fast for only when one fast can one reach the optimum quantum of spiritual growth. To those who have never learned to relax and just enjoy this created world that God has blessed us with (though not as perfect as it could have been without sin), it is still a place to repose, reflect and consider all the creation of God and His attributes (Romans 1:20). Even Jesus learned to have His customary places of prayer and waiting on the Lord. Finally, let your soul grow by studying the Scriptures and absorbing the principles of God’s Word, which speaks about all laws of spirit, all laws of soul and all the laws of the natural world. God created humans to function well and in perfect health in all three worlds; the spiritual world, the world of soul thought and emotions and the physical world around us. Be balanced, be fully spirit, renewed in soul, and healthy in body.
His power and strength be upon each of you, spirit, soul and body. Amen.