I read another post concerning the practice of fasting yesterday. I appreciated the line taken at the end of the post, which was clear after making its case: ‘that’s why I fast’. Not an imposition by the author, but the reason why he personally chooses to fast.

The issue I had with the post was that it fails to make a biblical argument for its position. The entire post was a subjective sense of something good occuring through fasting. And such that you get some subjective sense of benefit from it, I am not here to stop you accessing it. But I view it much like the subjective benefit someone might get through watching F1 racing or playing polo. I, personally, don’t get it and I’ve never derived any benefit from it myself. But you’re free to enjoy it and derive whatever benefit you sense you get out of it.

Only, the post was pretty clear from the outset:

Candidly, I hate fasting. At least, I hate the struggle of fasting. When I don’t eat, I get irritable quickly. I become impatient. I feel less productive. My mind is slower. It’s difficult to focus.

I hate all those feelings. Furthermore, I love food! Who doesn’t? Eating is a daily experience of the grace of God in his provision of sustenance and joy.

Which leads to the obvious question: why bother? The rest of the post was an attempt to make the case for why it is worthwhile despite such feelings. But the essence of the case rested on a faulty foundation, claiming ‘I still fast because it is a powerful tool, designed by God, to help us have the mind of Christ’. This, in my view, is an unbiblical assertion.

Nowhere in the New Testament do we find any command of Christ (either quoted directly or via the Apostolic writings) to fast. We have the example of Jesus telling the disciples of John that they can fast if they want, but they cannot mandate it for all and – according to Jesus in that same passage – it is not required for his followers as long as he is with them, which according to the specific words of Jesus himself, is now always and forever.

Not only do we not find any command to fast, but we also have Paul’s fairly clear and direct statement to the Colossians on this issue:

Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God. (2:18-19)

If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the world, why, as if you were still alive in the world, do you submit to regulations— “Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch” (referring to things that all perish as they are used)—according to human precepts and teachings? These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting self-made religion and asceticism and severity to the body, but they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. (2:20-23)

It is notable that, in response to those who are arguing for the benefits of spiritual experiences and the importance of ascetic practices i.e. fasting, Paul simply says these things are of no value. If Paul had intended for fasting to be retained as a useful practice, he could have done as he did elsewhere on contentious issues. In 1 Corinthians – where tongue-speaking is being abused – Paul does not simply say tongues are of no value, but encourages the Corinthians in a better way. He continues to encourage the use of tongues, but encourages their use in an altogether different way. It is notable that this is not the line Paul takes in Colossians. Paul simply says the practice of not eating food is ‘of no value’.

Given this, the arguments in favour of fasting drawing us close to God seem to fall flat. For one, Jesus does not command it of his followers and, second, Paul makes clear – despite it having the appearance of wisdom – it is of no actual benefit. These are the hard words of scripture on the practice in the New Covenant.

On that basis, it should not surprise us that we find no such command nor questions and issues surrounding fasting in the New Testament letters, except for those insisting on its importance and the Apostles denying it is so. The issues of food in the Gentile churches seemed to revolve around which particular food it is acceptable to eat. Jesus’ declaring all foods clean and Paul insisting even idol-offered food is not defiling are the fairly all-encompassing answers to those questions. What we do not find is any questions about fasting because it does not seem to be a Gentile practice. The only time it becomes an issue is when some begin to insist on its importance, which is roundly rejected by the Apostle. Ironically, an insistence that many continue to propagate today.

The article arguing for fasting then relied on a subject sense of benefit that one derived from the practice. It was presented as something God designed for the purpose of the benefit described. But it seems apparent God does not command it and Paul is clear it does not bring any specific benefit. At best, these are subjective benefits one describes; but they are most assuredly not biblically grounded benefits.

Much of the post is dedicated to the principles laid out in Philippians 2. However, these verses concern imitating the humility of Christ in putting others needs ahead of our own. There is absolutely nothing in these verses that would lead us to the view, taken in the post, that fasting is a means of emulating Jesus’ humility. Ironically, verses dedicated to the imitaton of Christ by preferring others needs above our own were turned into a means of imitating Christ for nothing more than our own benefit. A benefit, it cannot be said enough, Paul expressly tells us does not exist in reality!

What is more, the article notes – as I quoted at the beginning – the effect that fasting has upon the writer. He says, ‘When I don’t eat, I get irritable quickly. I become impatient. I feel less productive. My mind is slower. It’s difficult to focus.’ This does not sound like the mind of Christ nor does it sound like the preferring of others needs above our own. This is the strongest, non-biblical, subjective argument against fasting. If, in our effort to be closer to God through a practice he doesn’t command, we find it induces the very behaviours his word says we ought to put to death because they are sinful, could there be a clearer outworking of Paul’s claim that these things have the appearance of wisdom but are, in fact, of no spiritual value? If we take seriously the actual context of Philippians 2, when fasting has such an effect on us, ought we not – for the sake of the others we will encounter throughout the day – determine NOT to fast for their sake? The idea that inducing such things somehow brings us closer to God strikes me as an incredible nonsense.

To be sure, there are most definitely calls on the Christian to deny ourselves. Denying ourselves now for future glory later, a fuller yet delayed satisfaction, is most certainly a biblical thing. But the things we are to deny ourselves are made explicit in scripture. What I am less convinced is helpful is suggesting that we further deny ourselves on matters the Lord has not commanded nor encouraged us to do. At its worst, it tends to a pharisaism, adding rules and commands that God does not require. At its better end, it simply purports to be a discipline that has the appearance of wisdom but doesn’t have any real value and consequently makes the Christian life – which can already be pretty hard – unnecessarily and pointlessly harder.

I have made the case against fasting before. Not as a command – it is something you’re free to do if you want – but as anything Jesus wants or expects of his people. I’m yet to hear a biblical argument for it in the New Covenant. I see no command and no ongoing example of it. I do see some statements both from Jesus and in the letters that would stand directly against it as a practice. I have certainly never heard anything approaching a compelling reason why we should do it or how it is in any way beneficial. I don’t think it is something you musn’t do; but I am of the view it is something we should stop suggesting is a biblical discipline or encourage others to do. Not least, the Christian life is more than hard enough and doesn’t need us to make it any harder than it has to be. In the face of Jesus telling us to do it, Paul’s explicit statements on its lacking value and the complete absence of biblical reasons why it is a beneficial practice, we really ought to put it in its proper place: something you can do if you want of no greater value than any other thing you are free to do that has no explicit biblical warrant for all God’s people.