Could giving to the poor be seen as a practice of fasting?

[zoidar]

What is a fast? The first thing we might think of is abstaining from food. Some people mean a fast could be taking a break from "screen time" and spend more time in prayer and Bible studies. What about giving to the poor?

 

[Allen of the Cross]

Jesus listed it separately from fasting in Matthew 6, so I assume God sees it differently. Acts 10:4 suggests strongly that our alms are seen as a memorial offering to God, which I find quite interesting indeed. God bless you, have a wonderful day.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Check out Isaiah 58 if you are not familiar with it.

I can imagine if you give what you would have spent on food, this could be quite meaningful.

 

[zoidar]

Jesus listed it separately from fasting in Matthew 6, so I assume God sees it differently. Acts 10:4 suggests strongly that our alms are seen as a memorial offering to God, which I find quite interesting indeed. God bless you, have a wonderful day.

What about Isaiah 58?
3‘Why have we fasted and You do not see?
Why have we humbled ourselves and You do not notice?’ Behold, on the day of your fast you find your desire, and drive hard all your workers.

4“Behold, you fast for contention and strife and to strike with a wicked fist. You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high.

5“Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed and for spreading out sackcloth and ashes as a bed? Will you call this a fast, even an acceptable day to the LORD?

6“Is this not the fast which I choose, To loosen the bonds of wickedness, To undo the bands of the yoke, And to let the oppressed go free And break every yoke?

7“Is it not to divide your bread with the hungry And bring the homeless poor into the house; When you see the naked, to cover him; And not to hide yourself from your own flesh?

8“Then your light will break out like the dawn, And your recovery will speedily spring forth; And your righteousness will go before you;

 

[zoidar]

Check out Isaiah 58 if you are not familiar with it.

I can imagine if you give what you would have spent on food, this could be quite meaningful.

What if you give what was meant to be spent on luxury, like an expensive car?

 

[splish- splash]

I think I'd classify, giving to the poor and fasting as examples of self denial.

 

[timewerx]

A lot of Christians don't get the concept of giving to the poor.

Giving to the poor is about justice.

In the beginning, God made the world and everything in without a price tag and without borders/fences. Everyone had access to the fruits of the land for free and everyone can live wherever they wanted. No one is poor.

I'm betting some you totally despise this concept but that is how the Lord orginally made the world and would eventually restore it to such state in the future. If you hate such system then do everything you can to forfeit your salvation.

How did lands and stuff came about with price tag is when violent men in ancient times started taking lands by force, putting walls around them. They robbed everyone blind. Many people became poor as a result. We've been making business with robbers and thieves ever since then.

This is why Jesus called the merchants at the temple thieves. They were not thieves because they are selling at the temple but because of their desire for money.

Thousands of years have made people completely ignorant of how everything came to be.

The fact is you are a thief until you have committed your resources and time to the Lord which means denying yourself for the sake of the the Lord's cause. That's actually denying yourself of a comfortable life so you can give more to the cause.

It doesn't say we should quit our jobs or close our business. It's how we spend our money and time that makes us a thief or not.

 

[Carl Emerson]

What if you give what was meant to be spent on luxury, like an expensive car?

This is a personal issue between you and Him...

Bare in mind that giving comes to nothing unless the giver has His motivation.

 

[zoidar]

Bare in mind that giving comes to nothing unless the giver has His motivation.

What do you mean?

 

[timewerx]

What if you give what was meant to be spent on luxury, like an expensive car?

What matters is you know why you're doing it - love and justice.

 

[Carl Emerson]

What do you mean?

That giving to the poor means nothing if you don't do it for the right reasons? Or you mean giving means nothing if you aren't doing it for God?

1 Cor 13:3
if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing...

 

[timewerx]

This is a personal issue between you and Him...

Bare in mind that giving comes to nothing unless the giver has His motivation.

That is "relative moralism". I know a lot of Christians believes the same thing. But it brings a lot of gray areas and it's uncanny that many Christians who ascribe to it are worldly (loving the things of this world, and looking for an easy life)

The Truth leaves very little gray areas and probably those little gray areas I assume are probably the result of my insufficient knowledge.

 

[timewerx]

It only hurts to give much if you still love the things of this world:

1 John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Fathera]">[a] is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

 

[zoidar]

1 Cor 13:3
if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing...

Good quote... Is Paul talking about we are to be driven by a selfless motive, driven by the love of God? Or how do you understand it?

 

[Carl Emerson]

Such works need to be appointed from above, and done with a motivation of the Love of Jesus to gain eternal reward.

 

[Albion]

What if you give what was meant to be spent on luxury, like an expensive car?

Throughout all of this you have been thinking of actions that might logically be related to fasting, but "fasting" itself refers only to giving up the intake of (some) food yourself.

 

[bling]

What is a fast? The first thing we might think of is abstaining from food. Some people mean a fast could be taking a break from "screen time" and spend more time in prayer and Bible studies. What about giving to the poor?

If you give to the point of giving up something like the widow gave it would be like a fast.

 

[timewerx]

Throughout all of this you have been thinking of actions that might logically be related to fasting, but "fasting" itself refers only to giving up the intake of (some) food yourself.

True.

Fasting is temporary. But taking up the Lord's cause, turning your back on worldly things for the rest of your life and also love it takes a change of heart.

So they're not the same.

 

[Albion]

True.

Fasting is temporary. But taking up the Lord's cause, turning your back on worldly things for the rest of your life and also love it takes a change of heart.

So they're not the same.

True, but it's not as though they are supposed to be the same, so let's not talk as though fasting--for those who might think of it as a good thing to do--is half-hearted or useless, etc.

 

[timewerx]

True, but it's not as though they are supposed to be the same, so let's not talk as though fasting--for those who might think of it as a good thing to do--is half-hearted or useless, etc.

I've heard it too often among Christians (incorrect use of fasting) to temporarily cease being worldly and then return to being worldly again.

It's only being done in vain, out of convenience. Sacrifice for the sake of something in return, instead of a changed heart to turn away from something completely.