Christian Cyclopedia

Denial of appetites; expressed in non-indulgence, e.g., in certain food and drink and sexual intercourse. Examples of abstinence from certain food: Lv 3:17 11; Nm 6:3–4. The NT gives everyone liberty acc. to the dictates of conscience* and love regarding abstinence in adiaphora* (Acts 15; Ro 14:1–3; 1 Co 8), condemns legalism (1 Ti 4:3–4), and enjoins abstinence from all that has the appearance of evil (1 Th 5:22). See also Asceticism; Chastity; Monasticism.