Food and Spiritual State

The first commandment given to Adam and Eve can be seen as abstaining from one type of food; the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:16-17).

From the beginning, God allowed Adam and Eve to only eat from herbs and fruits:

“And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.” (Gen 1:29)

After the flood, the restriction was relaxed to allow the eating of meat

“Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs.” (Gen 9:3)

This shows that food and spiritual state are linked. In addition, we find that fasting was the way of the prophets of the Old Testaments. Moses fasted 40 days before receiving the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:16-18). The story of Daniel and the three young men that chose fasting to remain faithful to God in a spiritual way (Daniel 1). Elijah fasted 40 days before he met the Lord (1 Kings 19).

What Satisfies Us

Before we talk about why we should fast, we need to understand our original state and how it is different than our current state.

We were created on the image of God. Our rest comes only from being with Him and focused on Him. St. Athanasius describes the first man as: “having at the beginning had his mind to God-ward in a freedom unembarrassed by shame”¹ Another way to look at our original state is that we are machines and our fuel is God and the contemplation on God.

Sin changed all that. Instead of being God centric, we became self-centered and material centered. Again, St. Athanasius describes it in the following way: “For he also, as long as he kept his mind to God, and the contemplation of God, turned away from the contemplation of the body.”²

Today, the tendency of the body is to seek its own pleasures and to focus on one’s self, which is contrary to our purpose, destiny, and what makes us happy. This is why we feel the internal struggle described by St. Paul in Romans chapters 6 & 7. The body has certain desires that it tries to fulfill and the spirit has spiritual desires that are in conflict with those of the body.

“For I do not do the good I want,

but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

Now if I do what I do not want,

it is no longer I who do it,

but sin that dwells within me.” (Romans 7:19-20)

Our goal as Christians is to let the spirit flourish and succeed over the body and that the body participates in the worship and struggle against sin.

Fasting is a Tool and not the Goal                                                                                                 

Fasting is a challenge to most of us. The concept of self-discipline has almost disappeared from the society we live in today, this helped  a lot of people to challenge the Church’s authority to declare fast’s and ask the believers to follow it.

We all find different excuses for ourselves: health, diet, studying, work and just simply “not feeling like doing it!” Those who are more religious will argue that food should not be the real subject of fasting and we should be fasting spiritually rather than from food or only when there is a need.

First, let us agree that God will not benefit from my fasting, the rules of fasting in the Bible and set by the Church are for my own benefit and not for the benefit of anyone else. Neither the Church, the Priest, nor anyone else will directly benefit from my fasting; I am the only beneficiary from my fasting. The only side benefit is that if I become a better person I will be more beneficial to the society and more pleasant to deal with.

Second, fasting is not a goal in itself but it is a mean to achieve a spiritual goal, to overcome a problem in your life, or offer a sacrifice to God. Those who are new to fasting will work hard to achieve a certain amount of complete abstinence from food or how many days they fast. Hard work and self-control are very important but they are not the goal either.

 We are One Being

Third, we are humans made of body, soul, and spirit. We are a single being not three. If I want to achieve a goal in my life, my whole being has to work towards achieving this goal. This means the body, the soul, and the spirit must all work together to achieve the same goal you set for yourself. The body is the loudest and most basic element in us. If you are hungry, extremely tired, or in pain, this will be the overwhelming feeling that drives your behavior and surpasses everything else. Similarly, if you are angry, your body will also participate with your emotions; your blood pressure may go up, your face will change, your fists will clinch and so on.

We are one integrated person consisting of body, soul, and spirit; and each of these “hypostasis” affects the other two.

If you are trying to participate in a race, lose weight, or study for an advanced degree. You can’t let your body sleep or eat whenever it wants. You discipline your desires in order not to hinder yourself from achieving your goal. Ask any athlete who trained for advanced competition on the amount of mental and physical disciple required to achieve the fitness level needed to compete. Or ask anyone who is trying to study for a difficult exam on the amount of discipline required to force themselves to avoid sleeping orresting, and focusing all their energy to succeed in passing the exam and getting to their goal.

Similarly, if we have a spiritual goal, then the body, soul, and the spirit must all march towards the same direction under the guidance of the will or the person[1].

“But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” (1 Co 9:27)

Fasting is the tool that helps our physical aspect get in shape and be ready for the spiritual battles. It is a tool given by God from the very beginning (Gen 2:16) to help us control the desires of the flesh.

Death to the World and to Sin

Fourth, part of our daily battle is to die to the world and submit the body and the whole being to the Holy Spirit

“always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh..” (2Co 4:10-11)

“who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed.” (1Pe 2:24)

How can we die to the world and its desires and live in the heavenly sphere if we don’t win the first level of temptations which is food. Will I be able to tell the worst of sins “no, I am dead to the desires” if I can’t tell coffee creamer, milk, eggs, burgers, or chicken no “I am dead to the world”?

[1] The details of the human nature is not addressed in this discussion.

Main points:
– Fasting is a tool and not a goal
– We are one being consisting of body, soul, and spirit
– Food and spiritual state
– What satisfies us
– Goals of fasting:
o Focus on the spiritual and not the physical
o Seeking the unseen versus what the eyes see
o Controlling the desires
o Begin the journey of death to the world
o A sacrifice and an offering
o A participation with those who suffer
– Types of fasting

“Consecrate a fast,
Call a sacred assembly;
Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land
Into the house of the LORD your God,
And cry out to the LORD.” (Joel 1:14)

Fasting can mean a lot of things to different people; this is not an exhaustive view of the topic but rather a small discussion to help you investigate this into a deeper level.
What is Fasting?
The Thrice-blessed Pope Shenouda III, defined fasting as “Fasting is not substituting one food for another, and is not abstaining from food for a certain period. All these are just means, but they do not constitute the essence of fasting which is to free and exalt the soul from its bodily needs and above the influence of materialism. The soul and the body move in unity in loving God to enjoy His Company.”

God willing I will be posting a series of small articles on fasting.
please pray for this effort

Introduction

What is Fasting

Sin, why can’t I just forget about it and move on? Why does the church make it a big deal and ask us to confess to a priest? A question we always ask ourselves when we are confronted with the Sacrament of Repentance and Confession.

Do I have to confess to the priest? Why can’t I just confess to God in private? Is confession Biblical? These are all questions that we ask to try finding a way not to perform this sacrament.

Understanding the magnitude of sin will help us understand the need for the sacrament.

Sin is not just missing the mark(as the Greek name ἁμαρτία (hamartia)  means). Sin is disobedience to God’s commandments which brings death and causes our separation from Him who is the source of true life. Throughout the Bible, sin is equated to death. In addition, sin is committed against members of the body of Christ, so also has a community aspect. Since the basic tenants of the commandments are to love God and your neighbor (Mark 12:30-31), a sin would be against God, the neighbor, and myself. Sin causes a feeling of anxiety and guilt because God has put in our hearts His Law (Jer 31:33). But this can soon turn into callous and cold heart (Eph 4:18).

Dealing with all the results of sin does not happen by just feeling sorry about what I did, nor by simply deciding not to do it again.  Feelings alone cannot remove the death that entered into my life due to sin. Realizing my sin and feeling remorse is the first step. This is what the Prodigal son did when he started his journey back home (Luke 15:17), but this step was followed by action and a request of forgiveness (Luke 15:21). The sacrament of repentance and confession removes the result of sin in my life and restores my joy and happiness by lifting away the burden of sin.

Repentance has several steps

• Realizing that I have sinned and desiring to change
• Feeling regret for my actions, thoughts, feelings, weaknesses, or lack of being good
• Confessing my sin to God in the presence of the priest (will discuss that in a moment)
• Fixing the results of my sin if it was directed against someone else
• Receiving the forgiveness of sin

Let’s discuss each of these points, their Biblical proof, and practical implementation.

First step in repentance requires me to wake up to my awful sinful state. Our society trains us to reject any feelings of guilt or shame for our actions, feelings, or thoughts (Isa 5:20). This is why we need to examine ourselves daily against God’s Word; to remind ourselves of what is right and what is wrong. It is only when I realize that I have transgressed against God’s Word that I will begin to realize that I have sinned and feel regret to my actions. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”(1Jn 1:8-10)

Feeling sorry for what I did is an important part of the repentance process “For godly sorrow produces repentance to salvation, which brings no regret. But the sorrow of the world produces death.”(2 Co 7:10). Understanding that I have saddened the one who loves me the most and died for me makes me realize the magnitude of my error. If my sin has impacted others by words or by actions, this will also increase my feelings of guilt and sorrow. David the prophet used these feelings of remorse to bring him back to God rather than push him farther away from Him (Psalm 50 Septuagint). If I don’t feel sorry for my actions, why would I confess? Also, bottling up one’s sins leads to failure socially, emotionally, and spiritually “He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.”(Pro 28:13)

Sin is ultimately against God “Against You, You only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Your sight. Psalm 50:4).

Acknowledging my sin in front of God is an essential step for the forgiveness of my sin, as sin is transgression to His commandment and an offense towards Him (1Jn 1:9).

So why does it have to happen before the priest? Why not between God and I in my bedroom or some other quiet place? Actually, the confession in my bedroom is an essential step for true repentance prior to the confession before the priest.

Christ gave the Apostles the authority to bind and release sins “22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”. (Joh 20:22-23)

It is by this authority that the priests give the absolution. The priests do not forgive sins, only God does. However, the priests are acting as God’s agents exercising the authority He entrusted them with.

From the Old Testament, when anyone sinned they would go to the altar, confess in front of the priest and offer a sacrifice (Lev 5:5,6). After David confessed his sins, Nathan the Prophet told him that his sin was transferred from him (2 Sam 12:13). At the time of the Apostles people confessed their deeds publicly “And many who believed came and confessed and showed their deeds.” (Act 19:18). St. Paul punished the sinner of Corinth (1 Co 5:3-4) and then allowed him back to the church (2 Co 2:6). These are some examples to show the role and authority of the priesthood in the forgiveness of sins.

Confessing in front of the priest is also important as a witness to my repentance and to keep me accountable. The priest’s responsibility is also to give guidance, permission for the sacrament, punishment (if needed), and support. He is a father (1 Co 4:15) who is guided by the Holy Spirit to help us in our journey of repentance.

When the priest gives the absolution, his role (through the work of the Holy Spirit) is to transfer the sin from you to Christ who will carry away your sins on the cross.

The commandment is clear, ”without shedding of blood is no remission” (Heb 9:22). “and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”(1Jn 1:7)

Also, feeling embarrassed from confessing in front of the priest is helpful in making me realize that what I am doing is embarrassing and not appropriate.

If my sin has offended anyone, Christ commands us to go and reconcile with that person first (Math 5:23-24). We need to make sure that the impact of sin is dealt with.

The Sacrament of repentance and confession is the process by which our sins are transferred to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of all of us.(Jn 1:21).

It is the process by which we are washed and cleansed from our sins (John 13:8-10).

Only sinners need to be saved and redeemed. Christ came for the sick and not the healthy (Mark 2:17).

We need to acknowledge that we are sick in need of salvation and redemption (1Jn 1:6-10). Only then we will accept our savior and be able to participate in the sacrament in an active way to benefit from it and to be renewed to the image God planned for each of us, His own image.

The Sacraments and God’s plan for salvation

“Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.” (Gen 1:31). God’s creation was “very good”, God wanted humanity to be joyful and to prosperous. He also wanted them to choose to love life over death, to choose to love Him and obey Him to gain eternal life versus choosing to follow death and destruction. As our creator, He chose to create us with a free will even if that meant that we can disobey Him.

However Man made the wrong choice and chose death over life and misery over joy. When God created Adam, He created him from dust. By sinning and separating himself from God, the true source of life, Man turns again to nothingness and emptiness. Man’s nature was corrupted and death entered into his life. (On the Incarnation Chapter 2)

Sin is the cause of human suffering in all shapes and forms. Sin is not something that was invented to scare people into a social norm but is something real that we all feel and experience. Sin is a fact that causes pain, suffering, greed, anger, hate, deceit, lust, wars, and the list goes on. Ask anyone who carries hate, anger, lust, envy, or any other sin inside them about what they feel. Can they control those emotions or are they driven like slaves by these emotions. Are they living a happy life when they are under the influence of these feelings? We all know the answer very well as we all experienced this type of slavery in one way or another and the horrible impact of sin on humanity can be seen all around us.

In Greek sin is ἁμαρτία (hamartia), which means “missing the mark”, which is to transgress against God’s commandment and to go in the wrong direction of self-righteousness and following one’s desires, not following God’s plan for me.

Sin has a lot of dimensions that sometimes we forget (or prefer to ignore).

1. Sin is a transgression against an infinite God [“How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?” (Gen 39:9)]
2. Sin is a separation from God since He is light and sin is darkness (what communion hath light with darkness?) (2Co 6:14) [see also Isa 59:2].
3. Sin is death “For the wager of sin is death” (Rom 6:23, 7:13)
4. Sin is a separation from my community (the church which is the body of Christ).

How can humanity solve the problem and reverse the result of sin? Time and time again, the Bible shows us that Man failed to live a righteous life no matter what the circumstances were. The solution needed to come from outside, it needed to come from God Himself.

As a loving Father, God has provided for us our salvation and victory over sin and death by Him paying the price on our behalf, I need to accept it and live accordingly.

Through the sacraments God recreates and sustains my spiritual life.

But what is a sacrament? The Sacrament is an invisible gift through visible means.  God gives something invisible like His body and His blood through the visible means of bread and wine.

Sacraments recreate my life. The Sacrament of Baptism washes away all of our sins as the old person dies and a new person is created in us, as a new creation that abides in Jesus  Christ (Rom 6:3-14). The Sacrament of Chrismation makes us a temple of the Holy Spirit to dwell in us and sanctify us (1Co 6:19). This also confirms us in Him.

However, this does not end our free will. Just as Adam and Eve made the wrong choice by disobeying God and eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, we also make wrong choices on a daily basis even after renewing our nature because we have a free will.

Out of God’s love and care, the process of renewal continues through The Sacrament of repentance and confession (1Jn 1:8-19) where the person confesses their sins to God in the presence of the priest. The Sacrament of Holy Communion in which Christ gives us His true body and true blood for eternal life (John 6:53). All these Sacraments can’t be performed without the Church and through the free gift that Christ gave to His disciples (John 20:23). Priesthood is a sacrament that serves all other sacraments.

The Sacrament of Matrimony is the way which a new family is created in the Church. That family is established by uniting the man and the women into one through the Holy Spirit and that the fruits of their life together might be sanctified [Eph 5:31-32].

Our body, soul, and spirit will become ill and require healing. The Sacrament of the unction of the sick is for the healing of the body, soul, and spirit (James 5:13).

All these sacraments were established by the Lord and practiced in the Church from the beginning. They are the means by which we receive the invisible grace through visible means.

God our Father, wants us back in His bosom, we can’t approach while we are stained with sin. His Only begotten Son came to reconcile us with the Father and to make us a new creation. The Holy Spirit sanctifies us and confirms us in the faith through His work in the sacrament. These sacraments are for our benefit and salvation; we need to live them in order to sanctify our lives.

God willing I will try to post some comments on the Bible as an aide for me and maybe others to benefit from.

Pleas pray for me so I can start and be consistent with this effort