New Covenant - Fasting

In the New Covenant, we have no account of fasting except book of Acts, 2 Cor 6:5, 2 Cor 11:27 and perhaps 1 Cor 7:5.

Book of Acts was a historical book. It wasn’t a theological book. The early apostles were still growing in revelation of the New Covenant. Personally, I see both Old and New Covenant in the book of Acts. Historically, it wasn’t so clean cut. This is why the book of Hebrews had to be written. Until the Temple was destructed, the people were still in a mixed Covenant as they were going through transition. Hence, while the early apostles fasted, it didn’t mean they fully understood the New Covenant.

In Paul’s letters, however, we don’t see him talking about fasting, except 2 Cor 6:5, 2 Cor 11:27 and 1 Cor 7:5.

1 Cor 7:5 is clear cut in the Greek translation. Fasting isn’t in the original Greek. Only prayer.

For 2 Cor 6:5 and 2 Cor 11:27, the Greek Word for ‘fasting’ can also mean ‘hunger’. The whole list of what Paul went through seemed to point to the fact that he was driven to hunger because of a lack of food. In other words, he had no choice but to fast because there was no food haha.

I believe that fasting is no longer an obligation and no longer a need in the New Covenant. You should start feasting haha. Most of the reasons for fasting in our present day context are out of wrong motive and wrong understanding.

Yet there is a space for fasting if we read 1 Cor 7:5. Paul was talking about fasting from sexual intimacy with the spouse for the purpose of prayer.

The principle seems the same. Fasting for the purpose of focus. It’s to be intentional in the consciousness of Him. However, if you can stay conscious of Him without fasting, then there is no need to fast. Besides, there are other ways to stay conscious of Him without fasting.

P.S: I still live a lifestyle of fasting...