Theme: The unacceptable fasting
Fasting, in its purest expression, is a sacred act of devotion—a voluntary humbling of the soul before God. It is designed to quiet the flesh, awaken repentance, and deepen communion
- By Henry O. Adelegan
Fasting, in its purest expression, is a sacred act of devotion—a voluntary humbling of the soul before God. It is designed to quiet the flesh, awaken repentance, and deepen communion with the Father. Yet in the Sermon on the Mount, recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus exposes a sobering reality: even a holy discipline can become hollow when corrupted by pride and pretense. There is a fasting that honors God, and there is a fasting that is rejected because it is rooted in hypocrisy.
In our text, Jesus confronts those who fast “as the hypocrites.”These were not irreligious people but outwardly devout individuals. Many among the Pharisees fasted regularly and were respected for their discipline. As one Pharisee declared in the Gospel of Luke, “I fast twice in the week” (Luke 18:12). Yet their devotion was often distorted by self-display. They disfigured their faces, neglected their appearance, and adopted visible signs of suffering so that others would notice their sacrifice. Their fasting became a performance, a public exhibition of piety. And Christ’s verdict is solemn: “They have their reward.” The applause of men was all they would receive; heaven would add nothing further.
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The unacceptable fast begins when devotion turns into display. Instead of seeking God’s face, the hypocrite seeks human approval. Earlier in Matthew 6, Jesus warns, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them” (Matthew 6:1). The same principle governs fasting. When the audience becomes more important than God, the act loses its spiritual value. Discipline without sincerity becomes theater; sacrifice without humility becomes empty ritual. Another danger is pride disguised as piety. In Luke 18, the Pharisee did not merely fast—he compared himself to others. “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are” (Luke 18:11). What was meant to humble him instead exalted him. True fasting lowers the soul before God; false fasting inflates the ego. It turns a spiritual discipline into evidence of superiority rather than surrender.
Jesus later rebuked religious leaders for maintaining outward observance while neglecting inward transformation. In the Gospel of Matthew 23:25, He declares, “Ye make clean the outside of the cup… but within they are full of extortion and excess.” Fasting that does not address the heart is cosmetic religion. God is not impressed by temporary hunger if the inner life remains unchanged. The prophet in the Book of Isaiah confronted similar hypocrisy centuries earlier. The people fasted, yet continued in strife and injustice. The Lord declared that such fasting was not the fast He had chosen (Isaiah 58:3–5). Abstinence without repentance is empty. Self-denial without obedience is hollow. A hungry body cannot compensate for a hardened heart.
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Jesus offers a simple corrective: “When thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face” (Matthew 6:17). In other words, do not advertise your devotion. Let your fasting be directed toward “thy Father which seeth in secret” (Matthew 6:18). The acceptable fast seeks intimacy, not admiration. It desires transformation, not recognition.
As we progress in this fasting journey, I plead that you should be spiritually alert and intentional with your fasting. Examine your motives before you begin a fast. Guard your heart against subtle pride, comparison, and the craving for approval. Refuse to allow a sacred discipline to become spiritual performance. Fast with reverence, with repentance, and with a sincere desire to draw near to God. Let your hunger be hidden with Him, your devotion grounded in humility, and your life marked by inward change. In an age of visible religion, choose secret faithfulness. In a culture of display, choose sincerity. Be spiritually aware, and deliberately reject every form of unacceptable fasting. You shall end with testimonies in the name of Jesus.
•Prayer: Lord, purify our motives, humble our hearts, and teach us to seek You in secret with sincerity and truth, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
