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Lent as people celebrate it

I remember that I gave up pizza one year for lent. It was actually pretty interesting. Pizza was and to some extent still is a huge part of my diet. I remember on Easter morning I got home around 2 am from work and I had found that my Grandma had picked up a pizza from my favorite place at the time. It was actually a pretty good experience because it gave me a goal of trying to limit myself and find ways around my diet.
 
Milk-Drops said:
I remember that I gave up pizza one year for lent. It was actually pretty interesting. Pizza was and to some extent still is a huge part of my diet. I remember on Easter morning I got home around 2 am from work and I had found that my Grandma had picked up a pizza from my favorite place at the time. It was actually a pretty good experience because it gave me a goal of trying to limit myself and find ways around my diet.
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:clap
 
wondering said:
ASHES AND LENT

Lent begins with Ash Wednesday.
From Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday is about 40 days, deducting each Sunday.

When the priest places the ashes on the forehead, or the hair, of the person, he says one of two verses:
"For you are dust and to dust you shall return."
Genesis 3:19c
OR
"Repent and believe in the gospel."
Mark 1:15b

Person who had committed grave acts of sin (O.T.) were required to wear sackcloth for 40 days. They were sprinkled with ashes and expelled from church to remind them of when Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. They were admitted back to church on Holy Thursday.

Ashes were used in the year 200-300 AD, but the ritual, as practiced today, dates to about 950 AD. Ashes were used because they were a sign of repentence.
Job 42:5-6
Daniel 9:3
(1 Maccabees 3:47)
Mathew 11:21

Today, ashes are received as a sign of devotion. They remind people that God is gracious with those who have a repentant heart. They reflect a humble heart and remind us that this earthly life is a passing life.

Lent is a time of preparation for a big event.
The big event is the Passion of Christ.
Christ was born for us.
He died for us.
He was resurrected for us.
He was born and died to save us from death and from sin.
Purple is the color for Easter. The color of penetance and humility, the color of royalty. Jesus is the sovereign King in the Kingdom of God, right here on earth.

Most catholics will deny themselves meat on Friday, or perhaps make some other small sacrifice. This is in line with Romans 12:1 and helps in preparing the heart for Easter.

If one dies with Christ on Good Friday, and has prepared himself properly, the joy of Easter morning is all the more full.

It's my belief that all churches should prepare for Easter and the death of Christ. This would be a nice way. Children, especially, could use some "religiosity". It would help them to understand Christian seasons and would help them to bond with their Christian faith.
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What does Romans 12:1 have to do with giving up something for a certain period of time then going back to it when that time is passed.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-Lent.html

The length of Lent was established in the 4th century as 40 days beginning from Ash Wednesday to Easter. It's only for the purpose of self discipline. It's simylar to how people in the OT fasted and repented in sackcloth and ashes, Esther 4:1-3; Jeremiah 6:26; Daniel 9:3.

However, over the centuries Lenten observances have developed a much more "sacramental" value. Many Catholics believe that giving something up for Lent is a way to attain God’s blessing. But the Bible teaches that grace cannot be earned; grace is “the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17). Also, Jesus taught that fasting should be done discreetly: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen” (Matthew 6:16-18). Jesus’ command to “wash your face” seems to conflict with the practice of rubbing ashes on one’s face on Ash Wednesday.

Fasting can be a good thing, and God is pleased when we repent of sinful habits. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with setting aside some time to focus on Jesus' death and resurrection. However, repenting of sin is something we should be doing every day of the year, not just for the 46 days of Lent.

If a Christian wishes to observe Lent, he is free to do so. The key is to focus on repenting of sin and consecrating oneself to God. Lent should not be a time of boasting of one’s sacrifice or trying to earn God's favor or increasing His love. God’s love for us could not be any greater than it already is.
 
for_his_glory said:
What does Romans 12:1 have to do with giving up something for a certain period of time then going back to it when that time is passed.

Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-Lent.html

The length of Lent was established in the 4th century as 40 days beginning from Ash Wednesday to Easter. It's only for the purpose of self discipline. It's simylar to how people in the OT fasted and repented in sackcloth and ashes, Esther 4:1-3; Jeremiah 6:26; Daniel 9:3.

However, over the centuries Lenten observances have developed a much more "sacramental" value. Many Catholics believe that giving something up for Lent is a way to attain God’s blessing. But the Bible teaches that grace cannot be earned; grace is “the gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17). Also, Jesus taught that fasting should be done discreetly: “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen” (Matthew 6:16-18). Jesus’ command to “wash your face” seems to conflict with the practice of rubbing ashes on one’s face on Ash Wednesday.

Fasting can be a good thing, and God is pleased when we repent of sinful habits. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with setting aside some time to focus on Jesus' death and resurrection. However, repenting of sin is something we should be doing every day of the year, not just for the 46 days of Lent.

If a Christian wishes to observe Lent, he is free to do so. The key is to focus on repenting of sin and consecrating oneself to God. Lent should not be a time of boasting of one’s sacrifice or trying to earn God's favor or increasing His love. God’s love for us could not be any greater than it already is.
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GotQuestions is not a good place to learn about Lent.
You should go to a Catholic site if you really want to learn about it.
Everything you say above I said in post 20. I used to teach this.

What does it have to do with Romans 12:1
Doesn't Romans 12:1 require discipline?
You yourself have confirmed that Lent is a way to learn discipline.
Anyway, some "give up" stuff,,,that's the negative.
I used to teach the positive. DO something different and nice and good for the Lenten period.

Everything Catholic is not bad.
 
wondering said:
GotQuestions is not a good place to learn about Lent.
You should go to a Catholic site if you really want to learn about it.
Everything you say above I said in post 20. I used to teach this.

What does it have to do with Romans 12:1
Doesn't Romans 12:1 require discipline?
You yourself have confirmed that Lent is a way to learn discipline.
Anyway, some "give up" stuff,,,that's the negative.
I used to teach the positive. DO something different and nice and good for the Lenten period.

Everything Catholic is not bad.
Click to expand...

Never said Lent is a bad thing and those who choose to partake is a good way to learn discipline. Also showing
Lent only originated in the 4th century Catholic Church, but is not a way to obtain God's blessings as the Catholic Church teaches. We do not have to partake in Lent to be acceptable to God. The blessings of God come to us as we present our bodies as a living sacrifice as we keep ourselves holy in thoughts and actions that are acceptable to God, Romans 12:1.
 
There is nothing we can do to be acceptable to God already failed, but thank God he is our Father and we are his Sons and Daughters and he loved us first.

A Father who tossed aside his royal robes and jumped into a muddy pool of filth to save his children., why, because that's what a real Father does because they love there children.

God is a great hero.
 
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for_his_glory said:
Never said Lent is a bad thing and those who choose to partake is a good way to learn discipline. Also showing
Lent only originated in the 4th century Catholic Church, but is not a way to obtain God's blessings as the Catholic Church teaches. We do not have to partake in Lent to be acceptable to God. The blessings of God come to us as we present our bodies as a living sacrifice as we keep ourselves holy in thoughts and actions that are acceptable to God, Romans 12:1.
Click to expand...
HI FHG,
I agree with everything you've posted.
As far as receiving blessings, I'll only say that when we do something for God, anything for God, it IS a blessing in and of itself. When we do a good deed, we receive blessings in the form of feeling good for having served God. There's nothing wrong with feeling good for serving God. I think we could call this a blessing. It could also be because when we do good, we get good back. Sooner or later.
 
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