Should Christians celebrate Lent? (crucified, woman, minority, Christ)
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9 And a man that is clean shall gather up the [b]ashes of the heifer, and lay them up without the camp in a clean place, and it shall be kept for the congregation of the children of Israel for a water of separation: it is a purification for sin.
Nehemiah 9:1
Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.
In biblical days peole that fasted wore sack clothing and marked their forehead with ashes.
Esther 4:3
And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Daniel 9:3
And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:
I secretly love to teach the Bible to Sola Scriptura folks.
You secretly love to teach the Bible out of context to make your point. Jesus didnt know what lent was and didnt command anyone to keep it. I can google search any random word I want and try to make it mean something with the bible. Lent is a RCC invention plain and simple.
Like I said I have nothing against Lent for those who keep it, but im not blind to what it origins either. Im glad what it means now replaced what they used to do back then.
You secretly love to teach the Bible out of context to make your point. Jesus didnt know what lent was and didnt command anyone to keep it. I can google search any random word I want and try to make it mean something with the bible. Lent is a RCC invention plain and simple.
Like I said I have nothing against Lent for those who keep it, but im not blind to what it origins either. Im glad what it means now replaced what they used to do back then.
Sure, the Messianic Christian Jews of the 1st century did not know Lent. However, Lent is nothing but the idea to remember our Lord Jesus.
The whole point of the above is that early Christians remembered these passages from the OT regarding Lent.
Quote:
Lent (Latin: Quadragesima - English: Fortieth) is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations that begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of approximately six weeks before Easter Day.
The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance, repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial. Its institutional purpose is heightened in the annual commemoration of Holy Week, marking the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, which recalls the tradition and events of the New Testament beginning on Friday of Sorrows, further climaxing on Jesus' crucifixion on Good Friday, which ultimately culminates in the joyful celebration on Easter Sunday of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I don't think it's boasting. Most Catholics I know feel kind of awkward about it, especially since we often get questions or comments. It's one of those many things in faith - you don't want to hide your faith as if it's something shameful but you don't want your expression of it to seem like boasting, especially since we are called not to be boastful. But if your example leads others to see the faith as acceptable or admirable, that would be a form of witnessing or evangelization, which we are also called to do. It's a fine line to walk.
Many Christians wear a cross, it's not much different.
Actually, it can be a chance to evangelize. One women asked my husband if he knew he had dirt on his forehead. He had forgotten about it but it was a chance for him to tell her about Lent and Ash Wednesday. When one goes to the morning service and then to work I don't see any harm in leaving them and anyway most forget about removing it.
If it strengthens your faith, then go for it. If it somehow distracts or destroys your faith then no. Should it be a requirement? No it shouldn't since it isn't a commandment from God and cannot be demonstrated to have been practiced by the earliest Christians. But I've been considering observing Lent and the stations of the cross after my own fashion because I think that it is a good faith building exercise. I think I'd use less ritual and focus more on spiritual, faith building material. Since I'm not Catholic, I don't know if calling it Lent makes any sense either.
I don't know why Protestants who believe in Sola Scriptura celebrate or observe any of these. It's all based on tradition and not found in the bible. Christmas, Easter, Lent, Ask Wednesday. All from the RCC and all tradition. Of course, it's all based on the bible but you won't find it in the bible.
The bible is silent in remembering the 40 days of Jesus in the desert.
Are you assuming that silence in this subject is a direct command for not remembering the 40 days? WHy?
I don't recall having ever said that! I simply look for honoring God in way's that God has set forth or given. Nothing wrong with man making up some way to try and honor or remember events as long as it does not become an object of worship or works that might hinder the worship of God.
Do you have a problem with seeking out what God has told us to do and doing that?
Christians could celebrate Lent if they ask the Lord and get His lead in the spirit to have Lent fast .......I do not believe for one minute that lent and Easter are of Babylon as this these ideas are of the spirit of false prophet who would under mine Jesus and division against Gods family ..... See there is a lent in the bible from Matthew 26: 36-45.... Where Jesus and His disciples came to Gethsemane before Jesus captors came, to pray , as Jesus said ...``Watch and Pray , that you enter not in to temptation, the spirit is indeed willing , but the flesh is weak ``..... See the Lent fast is a time of prayer and fasting before the celebration of Good Friday and Easter Resurrection day
I once attended Synod Assembly and the highlight, other than a few thousand Lutherans singing Haugen, was a Taize service. It was a deeply moving experience.
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