Fasting?

Dear calimus,

I take from your post that you are not Orthodox.

As to fasting, yes it is entirely Biblical. Jesus said, "when you fast," not "if you fast."

I am Orthodox and follow the pattern of fasting outlined by the church. Besides the two time you alluded to, there are two other "major" fasts. Here is how it outlined in the church:

Advent- 40 days prior to The Feast of the Incarnation (Christmas)
Lent - 40 days prior to Pascha (Easter)
The Apostles Fast- Between Pentecost and June 29
The Dormition Fast- August 1-15

In addition, Orthodox are encouraged to fast on Wednesdays to remember Christ's betryal and on Fridays to remember His crucifixion.
We also fast in preperation to Divine Liturgy.

All told, if one keeps all the fasts, an Orthodox christian fasts over 1/2 of the year.

You should know that an Orthodox fast is not simply going without food or drink. It's about increasing ones prayers, searching one's heart for unconfessed sin and for giving alms. All of these things go together and not one of them should be singled out above the others.

Why do we do this? We do it for our perfecting, our salvation. This always makes certain groups jump up and down because it sounds like works righteousness.
But a person is only saved by God's grace and not by works we do. It's just that we Orthodox do not make a distinction between salvation and sanctification. To us it's all called salvation.

I trust this helps.

Peace.

Peter

fasting is simply giving up something that you have for a period of time for spiritual growth. I used to be catholic, and i do remember (even tho i was 6) that for a week before Easter, we would fast meat, or something.. I think, maybe i don't remember too well? but yes it is Biblical: moses fasted 40 days(Deut.9:11-18), fasting in time of sorrow (1sam 31:13), during national crisis (2sam 1:12), fasting for peoples sins (ezra 10:6), in need of courage (Ester 4:16), humbled by fasting (ps. 35:13), scorn for acts of humility (ps. 69:10-11), weaknes from fasting (ps. 109:24), real meaning of fasting (isaiah 58:3-7), egypts desolation (Ezekiel 29:11-13), distraught king (dan. 6:18), prayer and fasting (daniel 9:3) fasting for repentance (joel 1:13-14), animals and men fast together (jonah 3:7), insincere fasting (zech. 7:1-6), Joyful fasting (zech. 8:19), example of Jesus (matt 4:1-2), pretense of fasting (matt 6:16), disciples did not fast (matt 9:14-15), some fast, others do not (mark2:18-20), four thousand people fasting three days (mark8:1-3), Jesus in desert (luke 4:1-2), a time to eat, to fast (luke 5:33-35), worship and fasting (acts 13:2-3), fasting with evil intent (acts 23:12-13), anxiety, lost appetite (acts 27:33-36), little value in itself (1corr. 8:8).


Fasting is Biblical, but when fasting for religion gets more important than fasting for God, you have a problem. Jesus did not fast because Paul did, Paul didn't fast because Matthew was, they all fasted because God told them to (through Jesus and in the Scripture). And I'll tell you what, there is nothing that gets God's attention quicker than fasting! If you feel dry, and you feel like God doesn't hear your prayers, fast something that you love! If you love chocolate, fast that. If you love a certain band, fast that. And if you feel oppressed, fast and pray against it! Jesus says to His disciples in Matthew 9:14-15, that the reason they could not cast out a ceratin demon, was because they had to pray AND FAST. There is power in prayer and power in fasting.
But if you aren't saved by GRACE ALONE, and don't know Christ as you personal Savior, and you have not asked Him to come into you and save you from hell, or you don't believe that He died for your sins, and rose to conquer death and make a way for you to enter with Him into heaven, all fasting is in vain. God commands us to ask forgiveness before communing with Him. Communion isn't the wine and bread, its the relationship with Jesus resembled through His blood and body. And before you enter into a fast you need to ask forgiveness for your sins (you should do this daily, if not more often), so that your fasting is not in vain before the Lord.

I just started fasting every Friday. I thought this was weird because I have never even thought about fasting before a couple of weeks ago. But I just felt so strongly that God was wanting me to fast for a loved one that is in a time of need. I am on a water & juice fast with NO food(that's all I drink for 24 hours). There are different types of fasts you can do. Just do a search under the internet, or better yet, look in the concordance of your Bible under fasting. Hope this helps, God Bless.

calmius said:

Thanks Peter, I am Christined as Orthodox in former soviet union, but I never practiced the customs, my grandma did. So there is no eating anything on those fasts? or is there restrictions only to certain foods?

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Welcome calmius ! (I've been away for travel for 10 days and am just catching up)

Most fasts are restrictions on what types (and quantity) of food that we eat. On certain special days we (ideally) abstain completely. All of this is done under the guidance of one's spiritual father/confessor to account for health, work, and spiritual needs.

Over at oca.org there is a quick summary of Fasting & Fast-Free Seasons of the Church

Stop by the Orthodox Christianity forum when you get a chance. The Taverna is a great place to relax and have some mezzes and a drink to wash them down with

transformed by grace that was very good. I believe that fasting is a great thing to do, but when it becomes a methodology it loses it's uselfulness.

if_i_only_had_a_brain said:

transformed by grace that was very good. I believe that fasting is a great thing to do, but when it becomes a methodology it loses it's uselfulness.

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What 'usefullness' is that ? What do you mean by methodology ? How do you know when and how to fast ? What did Jesus tell his disciples and Apostles regarding fasting ?

Well, fasting is mainly giving up something that you would like to do or depend on & sacrifice it to God & put Him first, as should be anyway. In the Bible, God says, "When you fast, not if you fast". I interpret that as kind of a command. But then again, that is my opinion.

.

For EO, fasting is one way that we are conformed to the image of Christ. We believe in a literal renewing of the mind, one that reflects the scripture that reads, "let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus," and "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind," and "be ye holy as I am holy."
We call this "Theosis."
Fasting is a time of intense focus at preparing the heart to be transformed and renewed. We see these as being an ongoing process.
Where the West has two seperate ideas, salvation and sactification, the East puts both together under the term salvation.
We believe that salvation is by God's grace. However, in His infinate mercy he allows mankind to participate in it. This is a great mystery. We don't seek to say how it is or how it is not. It simply is. Fasting is one of the ways we are allowed to participate in our transformation and restoration to our true selves.

Peace.

Peter