Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and it marks the beginning of the traditional Lenten Season… but, should Christians participate?
It’s a question I have personally asked myself many, many times over the years since my wife and I came to Christ. Our last church implemented a (voluntary) Lenten tradition in which we took part, and found it to be of some spiritual benefit. However, there was no obligation to take part, and I think that is the key to understanding how we should view and approach the Season of Lent as born-again Christians freed from the trappings of law and works.
Many of our brothers and sisters around the world do participate in Lent, and others do not. An individual’s heart behind participating is really what matters here.
We recently preached on the Spiritual Discipline of Fasting a few Sundays ago here at Chelsea Green, and one of the issues that came up is that fasting is not necessarily commanded by Jesus, but He does seem to allude to the reality that fasting is part and parcel of the Christian life.
Twice in one of the key passages we touched on, Jesus says “When you fast” (Matt 6:16-18), not if… but WHEN. So, it would appear that Jesus assumed that His followers would naturally follow in His own footsteps in participating in this specific discipline. However, nowhere does He explicitly command them to do so.
So, first, I think that’s a good place to start with this… we are not commanded to participate in the Lenten season. It is not a requirement, nor does it earn us any extra points with God. Christ accomplished our salvation at the cross; there is nothing we can add to that through our own human efforts, no matter how spiritual they may seem.
Second, we need to be very mindful of our own intentions behind participating, should we choose to do so. What is the motivation we have to even do this? This is the deeper, heart stuff that we need to bring to the cross, asking Jesus to help us discern whether He is truly calling us to fast at all.
Frankly, some of the stuff that can arise from this process of discernment can be rather surprising. Are we fasting to shrink our waistlines, or to grow in our hunger for God? Are we giving something up to boast about our spiritual fortitude, or to sharpen our awareness of our own spiritual weakness apart from Jesus? Are we abstaining to manipulate God to bend to our will, or is it borne out of our submission to His?
A lot of the time, the answers to these questions can be hidden under past wounds that have never been addressed. Just remember, God is never too distant to wrestle with you in this process. He wants to work on you and with you through His Holy Spirit.
So, as the Lenten Season begins again tomorrow, be prayerfully approaching this time. Calling out to Him with these questions, and seeking the wisdom of godly men and women in your life. Above all else, spend time in His Word, keeping this Truth of the Gospel firmly planted in your heart…
“[W]e have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all”
Hebrews 10:10 ESV
Some valuable resources to get you thinking more on this subject: