Sanctified Motives in Fasting

The first half of Matthew 6 is all about walking in practical holiness with pure heart motives. Our aim must never be to be seen by men so that we can be praised by them, but to be seen by God to glorify and please Him. Our Lord speaks of the holy practice of fasting in such a way as to assume that it is a Christian discipline. But He speaks to us pointedly about the motives that should govern our hearts whenever we fast. To this end we explore both the meaning and the motive of fasting.