Fasting

[Jie-Huli]

Greetings brethren,

I am curious, what do your churches teach about fasting? Is it actively encouraged among your congregation? Are corporate fasts ever organised?

I have seen little reformed literature that deals with the subject of fasting . . . it seems to be often practised in a rather strange way in some charismatic churches, but I would enjoy reading more about its true practise from the reformed perspective.

I do not ask anyone to discuss personal fasting practises, lest this take away from the fasts being purely unto the Lord, but I am curious what your churches teach about it.

Blessings,

Jie-huli

 

[re4md]

Our church fasts every Wednesday in Lent and every third Wednesday the rest of the year. We come together for corporate prayer and then break our fast together with a shared meal.

 

[heartoflesh]

My pastor actually just spent the last two weeks talking about fasting. It was very good. He basically covered the same ground John Piper covers in his bookA Hunger for God. It's a good read.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

In our church, the subject of fasting has been taught recently. Our church adheres to the Westminster Directory for Publick Worship which has this to say about public fasting.

"Some have exalted religious fasting beyond all Scripture and reason, and others have utterly disregarded it." -- John Wesley

It is not meant to be an annual event like the Roman Catholic or Muslim practices (1 Tim. 4.3; Col. 2.16-23).

It is proper though to fast as a church, a family or in private when God's providence so calls us upon special occasions (1 Cor. 7.5 is one example).

Religious fasting is a matter of the Second Commandment (see WLC # 108) and is always joined with prayer. It is often a mark of repentance or occasions a special beseeching of God in a matter of importance.

Fasting is also spoken of much in the Scripture with respect to hypocrisy; fasting per se is commended not condemned, but it should never be thought of as a meritorious work and hypocrisy in fasting is something to be especially careful of.

Jesus, Cornelius, Moses, Daniel, David, Anna, Elijah, Esther, Paul and the Westminster Assembly all fasted in commendable ways. It is an example to be followed.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

Has your church encouraged, instructed or called for personal or corporate fasting in the wake of Hurricane Karina?

[Edited on 9-11-2005 by VirginiaHuguenot]