Are you observing Lent? If so, are you giving up anything?

So was the original idea the day before the
cessation of meat diets, and people just went
nuuts on it, turning it into way more than the
original intentiion?

 

Some of my Hispanic friends seem to observe a stricter form of Lent than U.S. Catholics. I seem to remember them saying that they don't eat meat during Lent, but I may be wrong. I'm going to ask tomorrow.

The entire concept of Lent seems strange to me. I would tend to think of it as arising out of and tied to the Roman Catholic idea of penance, more than the biblical concept of prayer and fasting. It seems also somewhat contrary to the spirit of Jesus' teaching found in Matthew 6:1-18. That being said, I am surprised that as many modern Baptists object to as do, since most do not hold New Testament practice as normative, and seem perfectly content to adopt every new idea that comes along.

 

So, are you saying that whatever is given up for Lent is not given up for a forty day period? I'm not sure I understand; I thought Lent was forty days.

 

Thanks for clearing that up.

 

Why? I am not catholic and don't bow to their practices.

 

I've given up credit card spending.

If this kind of lenten sacrifice is a curse, may God smite me with it and may I never recover.

 

It should be noted that Sundays are not part of Lent, so that whatever is given up may be done on Sundays.

Joshua

 

Joshua,
In the Anglican Church, lent is 40 days and that includes Sundays. It is the purpose of lent that one will focus each and every day on those things that hinder one's relationship with the Lord. Hence, they refer to the First Sunday of lent, the 2nd Sunday of lent, etc..leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

Too many focus on giving up "things" of no consequence, when in fact, it is a very spiritual posture. I give up chocs as a matter of health, but I give up a particular sin or shortcoming as a matter of dedication to the Lord, and that is to be a permanant thing, one hopes. It may be a good time for one, say, to give up tobacco or alcohol, but that is beside the point, unless that is one's sin causing a barrier between that person and his Lord.

In the Anglican Church, confession is encouraged, not in the Roman Catholic sense, that one confesses before a priest for absolution, but one declares verbally his weakness and jointly confesses with the hope of God giving the strength to overcome. This is why observing lent is so important.

I appreciate that Baptist and others do not give great importance to these extra church functions, but they are hardly non-biblical in the sense that anything that brings one into a closer relationship with the Lord is a good thing and very biblical.

Cheers,

Jim

 

Jim, We also encourage personal and corporate confession for the same reasons.

Are you sure that those are Sundays of Lent and not Sundays in Lent? If so, then y'all will need to move Ash Wednesday forward six days! (You never can trust architects with math ;) .)

Joshua

 

I tried to check it in the Greek, and lo, I discovered that my Common Prayer book is only in English. I do stand corrected,,it says Sunday IN Lent. It also lists the days of abstinence: All the Fridays of the year, except Christmas Day and the Epiphany, and the 40 days of Lent.

If I ever want to return to the Anglican priesthood, I shall have to be more diligent in the Common Prayer Book.

Architects and mathematics. We don't need mathematics, we have our slide rules.....and draughtsmen who do the benchwork...we just get the glory....

Cheers to you, my dear Brother Joshua,

Jim

 

Even though Christians may observe "Lent" during the seasonal emphasis, the idea of giving up something personal for the sake of the Kingdom should be prevalent all year long.

 

As a former Roman Catholic, I can tell you that the observance of Lent was not optional. Serious sin if you didn't and a way to earn grace of you did. Neither of which is Scriptural.
I Corinthians 9:27 does speak to the control of the body but it knows no calendar related boundaries.
Observing Lent seems to me like climbing up a mountain on ones knees to earn favor with God.

 

Loren, you've hit on exactly why Lent in the free church tradition is different from Lent in the Roman Catholic tradition.

Joshua

 

When I was a child I had some Catholic friends who observed Lent every year. I've never heard of any religion outside of Cathoisism observing Lent.

I've heard of fasting for a season. That's in the Bible. But Lent I have not seen there. Are there any scriptures in the Bible that you could direct me to that would describe this practice?

Thank You,
Charlotte

 

Charlotte,

In an earlier post I wrote this:

Lent is a time of reflection, instituted by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church. It may not be in the Bible, but there is nothing wrong with the discipline. Incidentally, giving up for lent is not giving something up for two weeks,,it is giving someting up that is interfering with your faith relationship with the Lord.

Ash Wednesday is when one has a simple meal after a fast. Our English custom is pancakes. The ashes are a symbol of humility in pennance. Don't call it lent of that troubles you, but the discipline can't hurt anyone. It leads up to the cross and the resurrection, the two focal points in all of Christendom, without which we would be a mere religion of sorts.

I don't think any church claims it to be an ordinance or even early church practice, but it does serve a purpose, leading believers to greater depths in their spiritual life, and certainly that is scriptural.

Cheers,

Jim