Matthew 6:16 “When you fast………...
Fasting strictly on the Day of Atonement is negated by the
sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
However, Christians are still expected to regularly fast as a means of drawing
nearer to God by placing complete faith in His promise to fully provide for us.
While fast as a
verb is defined as abstaining from all or some kinds of food or drink; and as a
noun is an act or period of fasting; one of the adjective definitions strikes
closest to the root as it pertains to our goal:
· firmly fixed or attached:
synonyms: secure · fastened · tight · firm · closed · shut · immovable · unbudgable
·
(of friends) close
and loyal.
synonyms: loyal · devoted · faithful · firm · steadfast · staunch · true · bosom · inseparable · constant · enduring · unswerving
·
(of a dye) not fading in light or when washed.
synonyms: indelible · lasting · permanent · stable
Matthew 6:16 “When you fast, do not look somber as the
hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting.
Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”
Daniel 9:3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him
in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in
each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in
whom they had put their trust.
Additional guidance can be obtained from the following
resources:
Fasting – The Ancient Practices series by Scot McKnight
Key Principles of Biblical Fasting by Kay Arthur
Simplicity and Fasting by Jan Johnson
