Fasting, in the biblical sense, is the self-denial of food and drink for a period of time for spiritual reasons. For the Christian, this extreme form of worship is voluntary. It should arise out of a feeling of intense need, not because of mere ritual or formality.
In the Old Testament era, the Jews fasted frequently, though there was one fast prescribed by the law. Once each year on the Day of Atonement the Hebrews were to afflict their souls (Lev. 16:31), which meant fasting (Isa. 58:3).
Overall, the New Testament has little to say about fasting, but what it says is important. At no place, in all his thirteen letters, does the apostle Paul command Christians to fast. Neither does Peter in his. Or John. Or any other book in the New Testament.
In layman’s terms, fasting leans heavily on the Old Testament. The Hebrew Scriptures do not speak the final word on fasting, but they are vital in preparing us to hear the final word from Christ.
Though there are no compulsory fasts required of Christians today, the New Testament seems to take for granted that children of God would see the need to fast occasionally. When the Lord’s disciples were criticised for not fasting, Jesus responded by suggesting that it was hardly appropriate for them to fast while he was yet with them. The time would come, however, when he would be taken away from them. Then they would fast (Lk. 5:35).
Too, in cautioning against improper motivation in worship, Christ warned:
“Moreover when you fast, be not, as hypocrites” (Mt. 6:16).
It is significant that he did not say if but when you fast reflecting an expectation that they would.
And yet, for two thousand years, Christians have fasted. One expression, among others, of healthy, vibrant Christians and churches have been the practice of fasting. However much it may seem to be a lost art today, fasting has endured, for two millennia, as a means of Christ’s ongoing grace for his church.
Why, then, if Christians are not commanded to fast, do we still fast?
First, Jesus’s teaching in the Gospels, particularly in Matthew, is plain enough. Besides his own example (Matthew 4:2), and while not directly commanding his followers to fast, Jesus gave instructions for “when you fast,” not “if” (Matthew 6:16–17).
More than that, in speaking about what his followers would do after his departure, he says, “then they will fast” (Matthew 9:15; also Mark 2:20; Luke 5:35). Again not a command, but a powerful promise from our Saviour’s lips that we’d be foolish to ignore.
Insomuch as fasting has proven to be a better method of drawing believers to God and the creation of healthy and vibrant churches, it has also posed serious health issues to its practitioners. Simply, a google search of the word will show plenty of cases of devotees who succumbed to the shortcomings of fasting.
Some believers have died because they have fasted too much. Some have been left with perennial health infirmities because of it. The surroundings of some of these issues are debatable, however.
Here are a few cases when fasting went utterly wrong by human standards.
Family Mourns Devout Christian Who Died After Fasting For 23 Days, May 2006
According to the Indipendent.co.uk, Rosaline Gilbert, a devout Christian died during a fast after telling her family she wanted to emulate Christ’s 40 days and nights in the wilderness. Miss Gilbert’s family believe she had become dangerously frail from her extreme form of worship.
The paper quoted her sister Juliet Gilbert saying:
“She started her latest fast on 19 March – just drinking water and reading the Bible. We think she maybe hadn’t drunk enough water. She was starving herself and it must have been just too much for her body to take.
She would have found some peace devoting herself to God. She was very religious and she used to say she was a child of God. She was not any particular Christian denomination but she was so strong in her beliefs.”
Her mother, Gloria Gilbert, 66, said:
“She had been a Christian for a long time. She fasted frequently and would do it when the Lord told her to. Then she would start eating again.”
A haematology report at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, however, revealed Miss Gilbert suffered from a sickle cell trait. Coroner Dr Andrew Reid said she died of acute cardio-respiratory failure due to an underlying sickle cell trait. He ruled she died of natural causes.
Other religious experts at the time contended that although fasting is common in many religions, cases of death were extremely rare. “It is a very rare and unusual case,” said Dr Marat Shterin, a lecturer in sociology of religion at King’s College London.
Dr Asker Jeukendrup, a nutritionist at the University of Birmingham, said it was unlikely that 23 days of starvation would kill a normally healthy and average weight person, who could stand 40 days of total fasting without serious ill-effects. Albeit, he pointed out that the longer someone goes without food the more the body becomes vulnerable to illness and infection.
Perhaps, with her body probably weakened by years of intermittent starvation sustained only by water and her Bible, Miss Gilbert, 34, died after going without food for 23 days.
Man Dies After Trying To Fast For 40 Days In Imitation Of Jesus, 2015
A 73-year old Christian man trying to emulate Jesus by going without food for 40 days and 40 nights reportedly died a month into his abstention from all nourishment.
Khulu Reinfirst Manyuka reportedly left his Zimbabwe home on June 15 and headed into the wilderness to pray, redirecting his attention away from worldly things and instead toward God, according to Nehanda Radio.
Although he was trying to copy or even break Jesus’ epic fast of 40 days, he fell short by 10 days.
“After a month we got the sad news of his death,” the relative noted.
The report says his family and local community knew Manyuka as “a very spiritual person whose faith could move mountains.”
“He was a very spiritual man. It’s unfortunate he had to die this way,” said a close relative.
According to family members, Manyuka had no history of illness.
Nehanda Radio says the precise day of Manyuka’s death remains a mystery to his family and friends as he was alone in the wilderness, and his corpse was founded by a stranger who later notified police.
Police said Manyuka wasn’t the first to die from fasting, with “many” other cases reported.
“We have received such reports before, but we cannot stop the public from fasting,” a police spokesperson said.
South African Pastor Dies After 30 Days Of Fasting To Beat Jesus Record, 2016
A South African cleric Alfred Ndlovu died of malnutrition after going without food for 30 days. Buzz South Africa reported that the 44-year-old pastor left home on June 17 for a nearby bush to have prayers, just like Jesus did.
Mr Alfred Ndlovu died just a month despite having no history of illness. He was alone in the wilderness and his body was found by a stranger who then called the police.
Bishop Chihana’s Health Starts To Fall Apart As He Goes On With 60 Days Of Fasting, April 2019
The health of Bishop Simon Chihana, leader of International Fellowship for Christian Churches in Zambia appears to be in a bad state, The Zambian Church Newspaper reports.
Bishop Chihana is currently observing 60 days of prayer and fasting. As of today, he has fasted for around 48 days.
“There is trouble on earth. Reason for long fasting,” he said.
Bishop Chihana also appealed to Christians to join him in prayers saying there was trouble in many countries.
But some pastors close to Bishop Chihana who sought anonymity said the clergyman’s health is falling apart as a result of not eating as he should.
“He is a good man. We all love him. And personally, I admire his courage and he is a man who is always fighting for what is right regardless of the consequences. I just feel for his health. At his age, it’s very important for him not to risk his health in the manner he is doing. He is pushing himself beyond certain limits and as a result, his health is falling apart. I am really praying for him and I know he is going to finish this program fit. I hope so,” said a pastor near the Bishop.
Where This Leave Us About Fasting
There are a plethora of cases around the web where fasting has been attributed as a cause to many people losing their lives or their health. It remains a challenge, however, whether fasting led or is leading to the subsequent deaths of these people, especial with contention from various health specialists that it does not.
That leaves us with a conundrum of whether Christians should carry on with this form of extreme worship, or if there is a need to re-imagine it.
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