Fasting Fasting Is the First

👉🏾👉🏾👉🏾 About Fasting (Part 2) Fasting is the first of all laws. According to the experts of the Church, fasting started during the time of Adam and Eve. One of the things that God commanded Adam, the first man, was "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." (Genesis 2:16-17) This is when God established the ritual of fasting for Adam. It also shows that food is the basis of sin, and fasting is the foundation of life. Even though the tree was appealing to eat and unappealing to the eyes, it was necessary to patiently fast and conquer it. This would have resulted in eating the tree of life. All the things that our God and Savior Jesus Christ did when He came to this earth were works of salvation. Christ fasted to pay off the debt that Adam brought through food. In order to be an example for us, He showed us the work of righteousness and instructed us to lead by it so that we do not get confused as to who will show us righteousness. He strengthened our fasting by command and practice and became an example for us to fast. To mutilate even one of the redemptive works that He did for our salvation is a crime. To show that we can defeat our enemy, the devil, through fasting and prayer, He fasted for 40 days and 40 nights in the desert and taught us in practice by defeating the devil who defeated Adam. (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13) The apostles followed in the footsteps of their Lord. After the Holy Spirit descended upon them, they deployed to different parts of the world and prayed together before they began to teach the gospel. God has given those who believe in Him to be like Him. On the contrary, Jesus Christ, God manifested in the flesh said. "I tell you the truth, whoever believes in me, the works that I do, he will also do; He will do more than that," as He taught in John 14:12. He made the apostles, saints, and righteous people who believed in Christ to imitate Him until death. Saint Paul advised us by saying, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1). Therefore, even though we fast voluntarily, believing that it is good for our souls, it is appropriate to know that fasting is a commandment given to us by God. "Now says the Lord: Return to me with all your hearts, with fasting and with weeping and wailing." (Joel 2:12-13) Fasting precedes all the mysteries. In order to receive the sacraments in a religious order, fasting is necessary and obligatory. For example, before approaching the Holy Communion, before performing the sacraments, etc., one should fast. Fasting is a gift from the Creator, God. If you notice the grace and blessings we receive through fasting, fasting is indeed a special gift given by Almighty God, who is the creator of the body and soul, who knows what is good for the strength and growth of our spiritual life. Fasting makes us live with God forever. Prophet Elijah and Prophet Moses were among the fathers who attended to see the divine light on Mount Tabor with our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. They were known for fasting forty days and forty nights. Our Lord fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, neither less nor more than the Our Lord had also taught us to fast and pray, saying, "When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." (Matthew 6:16-18) (Continues)👇🏾