Day 5 -Luke 18:12

A Fasted Journey for Spiritual Renewal

Day 5

“I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’” -Luke 18:12

Jesus’s parable about the Pharisee and the tax collector is one of his most profound. It is so simple, so basic, so easy to understand, yet many, like the Pharisee himself in the parable, miss the point. I think it is accurate to say that most people who claim to believe in God fail to understand this basic parable. The bottom line is this: we are not righteous; and there is nothing that we can do to be righteous! We came into the world as sinners and our sin continues daily.

Jesus’s whole point is that we are justified because of God’s righteousness, not because of anything we can possibly do. There is no work that we can do to save us from eternal damnation. This point is verified countless times in Scripture. Here are just a few others:

“For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” -Ephesians 2:8-9

“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” -2 Corinthians 5:21

“But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man's trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift by the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many.” -Romans 5:15

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,” -1 Peter 3:18

That is just a few. There are many more.

The Pharisee in this parable said in his prayer, “God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.” In his pride, so right there already outside of the perfect righteousness of God, the Pharisee failed and refused to recognize his own sin when he prayed. Thinking he was good, thinking he had enough good works, he condemned himself. Whereas the tax collector recognized that it was only through God’s mercy. He stood far off, wouldn’t even lift his eyes up to heaven, beat his breast and said, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

Jesus concludes the parable by saying, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” It doesn’t matter how many times per week you fast. It doesn’t matter if you fast. All that truly matters is that we recognize how hopeless we are because we are sinners. This is a time to rejoice! Even though we are undeserving, God is merciful. He sent His only Son to be our atonement. We just have to recognize and believe that truth. Christ is the only way.

I am not a medical professional. This journal is about my spiritual path and about that which the Lord has placed on me. This is not medical advice, nor was this fast done for any medical purpose. If you have a medical interest, seek medical advice. If you have particular health concerns, seek medical advice and/or conduct your own research. Any fasting advice, effects, realizations or anything else related to my fast come from my personal reflection and experience. If you are considering fasting, consulting with a healthcare provider may be appropriate for you.