Thoughts on Lent

As we approach Easter, the topic of Lent often comes up. Why do some evangelical Christians observe Lent while most do not? Is it sinful to observe Lent…is it not? What is Lent?

To begin, let me share a brief history on Lent. Lent is the 40-day period before Easter that starts on Ash Wednesday, where you may see people with cross ashes on their foreheads. These ashes are supposed to symbolize repentance, mortality, and spiritual renewal. It is commonly observed by Roman Catholics and some Protestant churches. It involves fasting and prayer, as ways to prepare one’s heart for Good Friday and Easter. It is generally agreed that Lent emerged shortly after the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and quickly became an accepted churchwide practice. It was only until the Protestant Reformation when John Calvin and other prominent theologians criticized Lent as “man’s tradition” and a “works-based vanity” did the observance of Lent diminish to only the Roman Catholic Church and a handful of Protestant denominations.

While Lent has continued to evolve, in the Catholic church, throughout the centuries since the Reformation, there has been a renewal of interest in Lent among Protestants in recent years. Nowhere in the bible does God tell us we must observe Lent; however, nowhere does the bible says we should not either. I see no problem if one wants to reflect on their need for the cross and to prepare their heart to celebrate Christ’s victory on the cross. Sort of like an Advent but for Easter. The thing we need to be careful about is to not fall into the trap of thinking that we are “giving up” something for God. We are not called to feel bad or abstain from things so that we can feel the weight of our sins or identify what Jesus felt as he suffered for our sins. The power of the Gospel has done it all for us so that we don’t have to do any of that. We can prepare our hearts for Easter by meditating on His Word, praying and confessing our sins, and may even involve fasting if done with the with the right mindset. Keep in mind, we can do this throughout the year as well.

Lent is a tradition which the bible neither commands or forbids us from observing. Rom 14:5-7 tells us we are free to honor God according to desire and conscience. If it’s your conviction that observing Lent is consistent with the bible, then go for it. It you feel observing Lent is not consistent with biblical principles then you should refrain. Just be careful not to judge others who choose the opposite. Regardless of which path you take; I hope that we will use this time to remember His Grace which is available to us all the time.