by We are in a “religious season” called LENT, observed by Catholics, Anglican and Protestants. We are not Catholic, and we are not Anglican, and we are not Protestant.
What is LENT?
What is Mardi Gras?
#1) LENT starts on Ashe Wednesday with putting a cross in ashes on one’s forehead
After Jesus finished teaching in Matthew 6 on how to pray, after condemning tithing and praying to be seen, He said,
“Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast [ashes lets everyone know what you’re doing]. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. 17 But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face [how about those ashes]; 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.”
(Matthew 6:16-18)
#2) LENT is a scheduled brief time to give up certain sins and pleasures to be more holy and pure before God
LENT is a scheduled brief time of the year for denial, whereas Jesus said denial is a daily event for believers in Luke 9:23, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Thus, whatever is righteously done during LENT, we should be doing as a Christian every day of the year.
LENT as if man’s commandments they are equal with the divine requirements of God (Matthew 15:8-9).
The Catholic Church requires fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday by anyone between the ages of 18 and 59, and to refuse is to be guilty of sin. Jesus said in Mark 7:8-9,
“For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. 9 And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”
(Mark 7:8-9)
#3) LENT commands to abstain from meats, where the Bible specifically calls this command, “lies in hypocrisy”
LENT’s scheduled deviations from meats are required by church tradition whose authority is not set upon the Word of God
#4) A major reason we do not observe LENT, it is a work that is done to “attain salvation”
A priest in response to the Pope’s 2016 Lent message said, “Lent is an important season that is based on four main pillars which is prayer, fasting, alms giving and penance. It is through this that we attain salvation”
Pope’s 2009 LENT message said, “It is … salvation of the whole person and of the whole of the human community that Lent puts before us.” He ended by giving their agent of cleansing and salvation: “let us enter the penitential spirit of Lent. May the Blessed Virgin Mary, accompany and support us in the effort to free our heart from slavery to sin, making it evermore a living tabernacle of God.”
This is contrary to what the Bible says in Titus 3:5-7,
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
(Titus 3:5-7)
YES, we are to tithe and help the poor, BUT NOT as a means to salvation from eternal damnation of Hell!!!
CONCLUSION:
Fasting, repenting, giving, and remembering our Lord’s death and resurrection are righteous things to do. However, LENT is a perversion of these.
As born-again Christians, we are to aim to be more holy and righteous than observing LENT … we repent and think on the Lord’s death and resurrection all year! We confess, forsake, repent, 24/7/365. We believe we should live this way with godliness every day of the year.
A last major caution
Paul gives warning of what our participation teaches others (these verses we should heed when we consider locking arms with a movement that’s not in line with God).
“For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol’s temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 11 And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. 13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”
(1 Corinthians 8:10-13).
