Fasting is specially commendable to the Lord's people at times when they find themselves lacking in spirituality and exposed to severe temptations from the world, the flesh and the devil; for by impoverishing the physical force and vitality, it may assist the full-blooded and impulsive to self-control in every direction. We believe that a majority of Christians would be helped by occasional fasting, a very plain diet for a season, if not total abstinence. But fastings to be seen and known of men or to be conjured up in our own minds as marks of piety on our part, would be injurious indeed and lead to spiritual pride and hypocrisy, which would far outweigh their advantages to us in the way of self-restraints.
Those who afflict themselves to appear religious before others are as bad as those who pray and do alms to be seen of men. The Christians' fast is self-denial and should be entered into with grateful, joyous appreciation as a coveted opportunity for the Lord's glory. And the more of self-denial they can manifest in this spirit the sweeter is the perfume of faith, hope, love and obedience that ascends from them in prayer to God.
Isa. 58:5; Deut. 12:18; 1 Sam. 2:1; 1 Chron. 16:27; Ezra 6:22; Neh. 8:10, 12; 12:43; Psa. 4:7; 5:11; 16:5-11; 30:11; 68:3; 89:15, 16; 97:11, 12; 126:5, 6; Luke 6:22, 23; John 15:11; 16:20, 22, 24, 33; Acts 16:25, 34; 2 Cor. 6:10; 7:4; 8:2; 12:10; Heb. 10:34; Jas. 1:2; 1 Pet. 4:13.
