Do any Christians think its wrong to fast?

[CanIHunt]

Is there any Christians that think its wrong to fast or perhaps those that disagree with the Catholic practice of giving up meat on Fridays in Lent? If that is the case on either question, can someone point me to an article to read on that view? Thanks.

 

[Neogaia777]

I fast every once in a while (as I feel the Lord press it upon my heart) but this is only to "practice" exercising self-control over the flesh (so I can learn to apply it in other areas concerning the desires of the flesh) and can become strong in the Spirit (through Christ) against the desires of the flesh (sin) and can concentrate (be made more aware of and focus on) the desires of the Spirit, Jesus Christ has put within me...

God Bless!

 

[BrokenWarrior]

Is there any Christians that think its wrong to fast or perhaps those that disagree with the Catholic practice of giving up meat on Fridays in Lent? If that is the case on either question, can someone point me to an article to read on that view? Thanks.

I myself do not fast, nor do I really see the need to, but as Scripture says:


"Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall."
-1 Corinthians 8:13

So i really don't hold anything against anyone who fasts or partakes in what the Catholics call "Lent"

But rather:

"Even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved."
-1 Corinthians 10:33

Of course, I do this for their conscious, for again in Scripture:

"If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?"
-1 Corinthians 10:30

God Bless!
-The Current Lowest Servant

 

[Bramwell]

Hi CanIHunt,

I don't see a problem with fasting in itself, though Jesus did tell us to fast secretly, so no one else knows. He said if we fast in secret, then our heavenly Father will reward us openly.

Along those lines, He also likened public fasting to hypocrisy, one of two evils - the other being greed - which Jesus preached most against. So the fasting is not really the issue to me, so much as our motivation with it, i.e. to draw closer to God, or to be seen fasting by other people.

 

[BryanW92]

(Archbishop Fulton Sheen noted that the Protestant attitude is summarized by the line, "First comes the feast, then comes the hangover," while the Catholic attitude is "First comes the fast, then comes the feast.")

Archbishop Fulton Sheen is a Protestant? Or is he just making stuff up? I'm a Protestant and I've never had a hangover in my life because I've never been intoxicated. How many good Roman Catholics can say that?

 

[abysmul]

Is there any Christians that think its wrong to fast or perhaps those that disagree with the Catholic practice of giving up meat on Fridays in Lent? If that is the case on either question, can someone point me to an article to read on that view? Thanks.

I've never ran into a Christian that said it is wrong to fast. There are plenty of Christians that don't follow the man made tradition of Lent.

 

[BryanW92]

Archbishop Sheen was a protestant before he converted, yes.

Really? He went to seminary right out of high school and was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest at age 25. When did he have time to become a Protestant before that?

 

[abysmul]

Really? He went to seminary right out of high school and was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest at age 25. When did he have time to become a Protestant before that?

Yeah, wasn't he even an alter boy?

 

[JLR1300]

smead has a line on the bottom of the page that says...

"Pray for us, o holy Mother of God, that we may be worthy of the promises of Christ."

Wow. That is so wrong on so many levels. Jesus is both human and Divine. Mary was the mother of the human part of Jesus only. The Divine part, (the second person of the Trinity) existed before the world began. So Mary did not bring the God part of Jesus into being. It is completely misleading to call her the "mother of God". That is total blasphemy and complete foolishness.

Also Mary called God her Savior. In Luke 1:47 Mary said... "My spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior." If Mary was not a sinner then why did she need a Savior?

I certainly don't need Mary to pray for Me when Jesus, who is God, is said to be our Great High Priest who prays for us and we are invited to come boldly to Him and pray to Him directly. (Hebrews 4:14-16) By praying to Mary, Catholics are saying that Jesus is insufficient for our needs. As if His work as a Mediator were not enough.

Hebrews 7:25 We read... "Therefore He (Jesus) is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him (not Mary) since He always lives to make intersession for them (again Christ makes intersession for us... so we don't need Mary to intercede for us) Notice that it says that we can come to God through Christ (not Mary) and that Christ is able to save us to the UTTERMOST. That means that Christ does the job so completely that nothing more is needed. We certainly don't need Mary's help.

Mary needed a Savior. So we don't need a person to help us who needed a Savior herself. We need Jesus only. He is our Savior.

 

[7angels]

Is there any Christians that think its wrong to fast or perhaps those that disagree with the Catholic practice of giving up meat on Fridays in Lent? If that is the case on either question, can someone point me to an article to read on that view? Thanks.

fasting is not wrong in and of itself. but man can turn what was meant for good into a tradition which can cause what was meant to be good to be made of no effect. there is a Godly reason to fast and there are ungodly reasons to fast. the question comes down to why are you fasting? what are you trying to accomplish? fasting was originally used to get closer to God to hear from the God more clearly. i hope this helps.

God bless

 

[BryanW92]

your post wreaks of the man in the temple who was so glad he was not like the sinful man who sought God.

im sure PLENTY of Catholics live a more saintly life you are bragging about

I'm not bragging. I'm just saying that Sheen doesn't know what he's talking about since this Protestant (and many others) do not have hangovers. He's actually the one who wreaks of the man in the temple who was so glad he was not like the sinful man who sought God.

I'm sure that many Catholics who live a more saintly life than I do. Many Protestants as well. You probably do, because I don't pretend to be some Holy Joe who only reads the bible and attends mass every day and prays until my knees bleed. I am the person that God created. Nothing more. He knows that I'm a failure at being totally holy.

 

[BryanW92]

He missed the point of Archbishop Sheen's comment. I agree with what you are saying, Polluted, but let's try to be charitable.

I didn't miss the point. I disagree with it. There's a difference.

 

[IamNazarene]

Fasting is taught by Jesus.

And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.

19 Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?

20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.

21 Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

 

[BryanW92]

I assure you I didnt make the name polluted rag because im Holy and ive experianced allot more than a hangover


......but i give it an honest try.

There ya go. You're more holy than me. I accept that. Just about everyone here is more holy than me.

 

[abysmul]

So how many answered that fasting is wrong?

 

[BryanW92]

So how many answered that fasting is wrong?

I don't think anyone said that its wrong. Several did say that it is wrong to make a big show of it.

 

[dogs4thewin]

When Jesus spoke of fasting it was a matter of WHEN you fast.....not IF you fast

but if you are fasting for the sake of fasting you should not fast. In other words, if you are fasting out of NOTHING but duty and not for the right reasons you should not do it.

 

[Jesse2014]

I don't fast. I am not discipline at it.

 

[MWood]

It doesn't hurt anyone to fast. As I wander through Wal Mart, I see a lot of people that need to fast. Very fast and in a hurry.

 

[CanIHunt]

Thank you