Is Fasting Christian?
That is the title of the first chapter in John Piper's book, A Hunger for God. (Click here for a free ebook). It's also a question lots of Christians ask. Since Lent is most often associated with fasting, and most of us probably don't practice the spiritual discipline of fasting often, I thought it would be good for us to consider this question in this season.
In short, the answer to the question is, "Yes, it is." If you want to just take my word for it, there's no need to read further. But if you'd like a little more, read on.
Piper writes...“Is fasting Christian? It is if it comes from confidence in Christ and is sustained by the power of Christ and aims at the glory of Christ. Over every Christian fast should be written the words, 'I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ' (Philippians 3:8). In fasting, as well as in all other privations, every loss is for the sake of “gaining Christ.” But this does not mean that we seek to gain a Christ we do not have. Nor does it mean that our progress depends on ourselves. Four verses later Paul makes plain the dynamics of the entire Christian life—including fasting: “I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (v.12).”…This is the essence of Christian fasting: We ache and yearn—and fast—to know more and more of all that God is for us in Jesus. But only because he has already laid hold of us and is drawing us ever forward and upward into 'all the fullness of God.'"
In his book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney writes...
Christians in a gluttonous, denial-less, self-indulgent society may struggle to accept and begin the practice of fasting. Few Disciplines go so radically against the flesh and the mainstream of culture as this one. Nevertheless, we dare not overlook its biblical significance. Of course, some people, for medical reasons, cannot fast. Still, even those unable to fast from food can enjoy many applications of this Discipline. No Christian should ignore fasting’s benefits in the disciplined pursuit of a Christlike life.
He goes on to make the point...
“To those unfamiliar with fasting, the most surprising part of this chapter may be the discovery that Jesus expected His followers would fast. Notice Jesus’ words at the beginning of Matthew 6:16-17: ‘And when you fast. . . . But when you fast . . .’. By giving us instructions on what to do and what not to do when we fast, Jesus assumes that we will fast.
This expectation is even more obvious when we compare these words with His statements in that same passage—Matthew 6:2-3—about giving: ‘Thus, when you give. . . . But when you give . . .’. Compare also His words in the same section—Matthew 6:5-7—about praying: ‘And when you pray. . . . But when you pray. . . . And when you pray . . .’. No one doubts that we are to give and to pray. In fact, Christians commonly use this passage to teach Jesus’ principles on giving and praying. And since there is nothing here or elsewhere in Scripture indicating that we no longer need to fast, and since we know that Christians in the book of Acts fasted (see 9:9; 13:2; 14:23), we may conclude that Jesus still expects His followers to fast today.”
In short, the answer to the question is, "Yes, it is." If you want to just take my word for it, there's no need to read further. But if you'd like a little more, read on.
Piper writes...“Is fasting Christian? It is if it comes from confidence in Christ and is sustained by the power of Christ and aims at the glory of Christ. Over every Christian fast should be written the words, 'I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ' (Philippians 3:8). In fasting, as well as in all other privations, every loss is for the sake of “gaining Christ.” But this does not mean that we seek to gain a Christ we do not have. Nor does it mean that our progress depends on ourselves. Four verses later Paul makes plain the dynamics of the entire Christian life—including fasting: “I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own” (v.12).”…This is the essence of Christian fasting: We ache and yearn—and fast—to know more and more of all that God is for us in Jesus. But only because he has already laid hold of us and is drawing us ever forward and upward into 'all the fullness of God.'"
In his book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald Whitney writes...
Christians in a gluttonous, denial-less, self-indulgent society may struggle to accept and begin the practice of fasting. Few Disciplines go so radically against the flesh and the mainstream of culture as this one. Nevertheless, we dare not overlook its biblical significance. Of course, some people, for medical reasons, cannot fast. Still, even those unable to fast from food can enjoy many applications of this Discipline. No Christian should ignore fasting’s benefits in the disciplined pursuit of a Christlike life.
He goes on to make the point...
“To those unfamiliar with fasting, the most surprising part of this chapter may be the discovery that Jesus expected His followers would fast. Notice Jesus’ words at the beginning of Matthew 6:16-17: ‘And when you fast. . . . But when you fast . . .’. By giving us instructions on what to do and what not to do when we fast, Jesus assumes that we will fast.
This expectation is even more obvious when we compare these words with His statements in that same passage—Matthew 6:2-3—about giving: ‘Thus, when you give. . . . But when you give . . .’. Compare also His words in the same section—Matthew 6:5-7—about praying: ‘And when you pray. . . . But when you pray. . . . And when you pray . . .’. No one doubts that we are to give and to pray. In fact, Christians commonly use this passage to teach Jesus’ principles on giving and praying. And since there is nothing here or elsewhere in Scripture indicating that we no longer need to fast, and since we know that Christians in the book of Acts fasted (see 9:9; 13:2; 14:23), we may conclude that Jesus still expects His followers to fast today.”