Magyar Egyház, 1960 (39. évfolyam, 1-9. szám)
1960-02-01 / 2. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 7 MAGYAR CHURCH FASTING “When you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by men. Truly, I say to you they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by men but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:16-18. Entering the Lenten season of this year, again we have to go back to the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ about the true meaning of fasting. Only his pure teaching is able to make us see the errors of those who made a meaningless, superstitious, hypocrite custom of fasting during the Lent as well as the errors of those who think a Christian person is not supposed to fast at all. Indeed it is a great error when Christians are forced by their priests to select their daily food and are dictated as to the portion of food they want to consume. As we see these Christians and their church claim to fast the way God wants it. But in the light of the words of Jesus Christ about true fasting, it is evident that their fasting is nothing else than obeying some sensless, man-made regulations about eating and drinking. Their fasting has nothing to do with that kind of fasting Jesus Christ talks about in the above quoted Bible passage. But those Christians are erring also who say that the Christian religion abandoned fasting entirely. This is not true. There is a true Christian fasting which should be practised by all sincere Christians. True Christian fasting is a weapon in our daily struggle with our own sinful nature and Satan. The deeper we go into examining our own personal life the clearer it becomes to us that we live under the constant influence of Satan who urges us to be disobedient to the will of God. Since our human nature is sinful we are inclined to carry out the temptations of Satan. However, the merciful God is working in our hearts through his Spirit, He regenerated us that we should desire and long for a pure life, to obey his sacred laws and repel the temptations of Satan. According to this in the life of a true Christian person there is a constant battle. He is fighting against his own sinful nature, he is resisting the devil and he is daily growing in his new life with the gracious help of God. Fasting is helping us in this lifelong battle. The form of fasting can not be the same for all men because the temptations of Satan are hundredfold in the lives of different persons. If a person is tempted by Satan to commit grave sins as a result of drinking, for him true fasting is not to eat fish instead of pork, but to give up drinking. Simply, true Christian fasting means that we subdue or even torture our body in order that we can get closer to the time when the admonition of the apostle will be a blessed reality in us: “Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness." Ephesians 4:23. Brethren, begin your battle if you did not begin yet. With the guidance of the Holy Spirit in your hearts you are able to see the temptations of Satan and also you will see how to subdue your own sinful desires and what to deny to yourself that you might be victorious in the hardest battle of your life. Stephen Kovács Mii American Reformed ('hurclies Met In Toronto, Canada The North American Area Council of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches holding the Presbyterian order held its annual meeting in Toronto, Ontario from January 26 through January 28th, 1960. For us Hungarian Reformed Christians, this World Alliance of Reformed Churches has always been of immense importance. One of the leaders of our mother church in Hungary said once after having visited various international and interdenominational church organizations: “The Alliance meetings are the ones where I have always felt myself completely at home.” This statement proved to be correct once more. The Hungarian Reformed Church in America is made felt to be at home in the fellowship of the North American Reformed and Presbyterian Churches. “Our delegation” was headed by the Right Reverend Bishop Zoltán Beky and as we were permitted to have two delegates I was the other member this time. The Churches Where We Met As a pastor of the Second Cumberland Presbyterian Church from Oklahoma told me, he has never been aware of the fact that there were two different Reformed Churches in Canada and that it meant so much walking, the delegates had to move a lot around the city of Toronto. During the days of the meeting we have been visitors of the Metropolitan United Church, the Calvin Presbyterian Church, the Timothy Eaton Memorial Church and the Dear Park United Church. All these churches gave an impressive picture of the living service of our Canadian brethren. The pastor of the Calvin Presbyterian Church, the Rev. D. G. M. Herron has been a
