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I wonder, assuming this is true, might what psycology calls our subconscious be the residence of Christian flesh. However, I believe the existence of a 'subconscious' is, like 'evolution', a thesis that is usually stated as a fact and truth but no one can prove. Neither is a scientific theory and are certainly not proven theorems because they are not replicable through experimentation.

There is no command that we fast in either the Old or New Covenant that I can find. Verse 16 for me is a suggestion not a command. If I'm correct, why do Christian pulpiteers and writers talk about Jesus' quote here like, as this writer says, it should be taken as "an assumption" that Jesus Followers for all time should fast? Why not just consider it what it was? In context, I suggest that Jesus was teaching about an appropriate attitude to take in our relationship with God and our worship of Him. To do so, Jesus used illustrations about how to fast a worship activity practised by the Jews of his day and Old Covenant characters with whom they were familiar. His illustrations were made to a group of religious Jews when He was teaching them on a hillside by using inappropriate fasting practises which some of them followed that He and everyone else present probably observed regularly. Likewise, because Holy Spirit "drove" Jesus into the wilderness without food or water for 40 days for reasons unique to Jesus' ministry, why is it often taught that we must imitate that one time happening, as far as we know, in our Masters life? Undoubtedly, fasting can be healthy for some when properly practised. It may also have positive spiritual implications when done for reasons God leads the faster about. But, much of the super-spiritual things taught about fasting for spiritual reasons do not seem to have any real Biblical support. It is Holy Spirit Who "shapes us into spiritual people" using his lovingly slow process of sanctification ...as it says in Romans 8:29-30 at http://diigo.com/0lc07 ... not our disciplined, hard work by depriving ourselves to train our subconscious as Rob Mol says in this article. Undoubtedly, fasting can be healthy for some when properly practised. It may also have positive spiritual implications when done for reasons God leads the faster about. But, much of the super-spiritual things taught about fasting for spiritual reasons do not seem to ha

How "worksy" is this statement? I thought it was Holy Spirit Who "shapes us into spirital people" using his lovingly slow process of sanctification ... not our disciplined, hard work by depriving ourselves to train our subconscious... as it says in Romans 8:29-30 at http://diigo.com/0lc07 .

But, in my humble opinion, Mr. Moll hasn't proven this concluding statement nor his thesis which isn't even a scientific theory because it can neither be replicated nor tested.

Is Matthew 6:16-18 and Jesus' comment on fasting His command to practise a "spiritual discipline" or a suggestion to religious Jews about their common practise? gfp (2012-04-07)

There is no command that we fast in either the Old or New Covenant that I can find. Verse 16 for me is a suggestion not a command. If I'm correct, why do Christian pulpiteers and writers talk about Jesus' quote here like, as this writer says, it should be taken as "an assumption" that Jesus Followers for all time should fast? Why not just consider it what it was? In context, I suggest that Jesus was teaching about an appropriate attitude to take in our relationship with God and our worship of Him. To do so, Jesus used illustrations about how to fast a worship activity practised by the Jews of his day and Old Covenant characters with whom they were familiar. His illustrations were made to a group of religious Jews when He was teaching them on a hillside by using inappropriate fasting practises which some of them followed that He and everyone else present probably observed regulalrly. Likewise, because Holy Spirit "drove" Jesus into the wilderness without food or water for 40 days for reasons unique to Jesus' ministry, why is it often taught that we must imitate that one time happening, as far as we know, in our Masters life? Undoubtedly, fasting can be healthy for some when properly practised. It may also have positive spiritual implications when done for reasons God leads the faster about. But, much of the super-spiritual things taught about fasting for spiritual reasons, such as in the Christianity Today article at http://diigo.com/0p9iv do not seem to have any real Biblical support, in my opinion.

A Jesus Follower's escape from God's wrath and death is because we are "in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) when we enter the next life plus, being also in Christ in this one, we confess our sin moment-to-moment (1 John 1:9).

Isaiah 5:20-21 outlines the behaviour of those in what the Bible calls "the world", i.e., every human being (Romans 3:23-26 & 6:23). The Bible makes clear this group includes even Followers of Jesus because sometimes we live out of our flesh by not "walking in the spirit". (Galatians 5:16-19 & 25) God punishes all who disobey His laws because His character of "justice" demands consequences be extracted ...even given His character of grace. Jesus Followers, who truly "fear God" (Proverbs 1:7 & 2:1-7) have an escape from the clear wrath of God and eternal separation from His presence. The guaranteed wrath of God is indicated by His use of the strong Hebrew word translated as "woe". gfp (20120-4-19)

But those in the world have exactly what He charges we must not do withot consequences. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We also have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. (Note 1) And Isaiah 5:20-21 makes clear at that the above is the behaviour of those in what the Bible calls "the world", i.e., every human being (Romans 3:23-26 & 6:23). The Bible makes clear this group includes even Followers of Jesus because sometimes we live out of our flesh by not "walking in the spirit". (Galatians 5:16-19 & 25) God punishes all who disobey His laws because His character of "justice" demands consequences be extracted ...even given His character of grace. Jesus Followers, who truly "fear God" (Proverbs 1:7 & 2:1-7) have an escape from the clear wrath of God and eternal separation from His presence. The guaranteed wrath of God is indicated by His use of the strong Hebrew word translated as "woe". A Jesus Follower's escape from God's wrath and death is because we are "in Christ" (2 Corinthians 5:17-21) when we enter the next life plus, being also in Christ in this one, we confess our sin moment-to-moment (1 John 1:9). If you are not in a close, personal relationship with Yeshua (Jesus), I beg you for your eternity's sake plus to ensure your ability to live an abundant life now, to ask Jesus to save you. Call out to the Son of God from your heart of hearts, acknowledge that is truly Who He is and ask him to forgive all your

Jonathan Dodson adds exciting new dimensions to the standard interpretations of Jesus' "Great Commission" in the article. It is the first of two parts. gfp (2012-03-03)

The only greater "poverty" is its lack of application in their lives by so-called Christians. In North America, a too-common and oft-heard phrase exchanged between so-called Christians is: "I'd din't know you were a Christian!" "Lord, please forgive us although we know what we're doing! gfp"