Break #46
WRITTEN STUDY NOTES
Our Flesh
XII
"Tis the Season"
Now what do we have going on that is 'seasonal'?
Lent
So what is this thing called "Lent," anyway?
This is how many of the liturgicalists, Protestants, Baptists, and other
denominationalists deal with their flesh.
In their own words, Lent is a time of self-denial, a time of
'chosen' moderation, a time of fasting as well as
even a time of "forsaking their sinful nature."
"Lent is a period of fasting, moderation,
and self-denial traditionally observed by Catholics and some Protestant
denominations. It begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday.
The length of the Lenten fast was established in the 4th century as 46
days (40 days, not counting Sundays). During Lent, participants eat sparingly
or give up a particular food or habit. It’s not uncommon for people to
give up smoking during Lent, or to swear off watching television or eating
candy or telling lies. It’s six weeks of self-discipline. Lent began as
a way for Catholics to remind themselves of the value of repentance. The
austerity of the Lenten season was seen as similar to how people in the
Old Testament fasted and repented in sackcloth and ashes (Esther
4:1-3; Jeremiah 6:26; Daniel 9:3)."
I remember when it was just the Catholics that 'did Lent'... but then,
I also remember the days when Catholics would NEVER allow them to be called
Christians and when my Lutheran family wouldn't even allow me to play with
Catholic kids. (Not that I wanted to, anyway - they were most often
bullies!) But then it became more and more popular in the Protestant
churches; now today, more and more Baptist's 'observe'' Lent!
What gives, anyway.
Just more tradition, eh! Just more 'sacramental' and 'ecumenical'
traditions that more and more engage in to keep their friends, to obey
their pastoral and denominational teachings and more and more just erring
cuz folks don't' know the Scriptures. Know the Scriptures?
They don't even have the Scriptures anymore today!
If one were to follow the teachings found in the Gospels 'better
than most' people, then doing Lent will be seen as an 'ok' thing.
And for those Baptists, etc.? Well, if they also follow the Gospels
and yet 'say' they also include Paul, then they can say it seems to be
an ok thing.
While they ALL say there is no scriptural directive (as if they even
know what the Scriptures are???), but they can find verses that 'hint'
at it, anyway.
I have seen them refer to II Samuel 13:19,
Esther 4:1; Job 2:8; Daniel 9:3. And the Baptists, etc.
turn to 'fasting' because, well, Paul does mention it.
Paul mentions it? Yes... I Corinthians
7:5 -: Defraud ye not one the other,
except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting
and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your
incontinency. In fact, to shake some up even more,
Paul even fasted himself. II Corinthians
6:5; II Corinthians 11:27. We can talk about that in more
depth another time - but to say simply, Paul does not command us to fast
in the same design and context as the Gospels - and if we consider I
Corinthians 13:8-10, fasting does nothing to please God today.
However, there could be a personal benefit from fasting, etc. but we are
not talking about Lent, etc. There is no spiritual / scriptural command
for us to fast in order to get God to 'bless us'' - nor is there a command
for us to do Lent, etc. But let's come back to these thoughts later...
Let's keep going with our original concern...
For the most part, those that 'do' Lent generally
turn to Matthew 6:17-18.
Ok, first, let's go to that Matthew 6:17-18
- you know, from what they all call "The Sermon on the Mount." ...
when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; 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.
If they WERE to really and honestly 'fast' something during Lent, they
should also anoint their head - and wash their face - and do it secretly
so as not to draw attention to their "Lentening". So that kills their
'scriptural reasoning.
Now, let's consider their silliness of tradition.
Well, along with Lent, they have Clean Monday, Shrove
Tuesday, Ash Wednesday and then Lent.
First: Clean Monday
"Clean Monday, also known as Pure Monday, Ash Monday, Monday
of Lent or Green Monday, is the first day of Great Lent in the Eastern
Orthodox Christian, Saint Thomas Christians of India and Eastern Catholic
churches. It is a movable feast that occurs at the beginning of the 7th
week before Orthodox Easter Sunday.
The common term for this day, "Clean Monday", refers to the leaving
behind of sinful attitudes and non-fasting foods. It is sometimes called
"Ash Monday", by analogy with Ash Wednesday (the day when the Western Churches
begin Lent). The term is often a misnomer, as only a small subset of Eastern
Catholic Churches practice the Imposition of Ashes. The Maronite Catholic
Church and The Mar Thoma Nasranis of India-Syro-Malabar Catholic Church
are notable amongst the Eastern rite that employs the use of ashes on this
day.
Liturgically, Clean Monday— and thus Lent itself — begins on
the preceding (Sunday) night, at a special service called Forgiveness Vespers,
which culminates with the Ceremony of Mutual Forgiveness, at which all
present will bow down before one another and ask forgiveness. In this way,
the faithful begin Lent with a clean conscience, with forgiveness, and
with renewed Christian love. The entire first week of Great Lent is often
referred to as "Clean Week", and it is customary to go to Confession during
this week, and to clean the house thoroughly. The theme of
Clean Monday is set by the Old Testament reading appointed to be read at
the Sixth Hour on this day. (Isaiah 1:1-20)"
Ok, I get it... they have to get 'clean' before they 'do their sacrifices
and self denials...
Then comes Shrove Tuesday:
"Shrove Tuesday (known in some countries as Pancake Tuesday
or Pancake day) is a day in February or March preceding Ash Wednesday (the
first day of Lent), which is celebrated in some countries by consuming
pancakes. In others, especially those where it is called Mardi Gras or
some translation thereof, this is a carnival day, and also the last day
of "fat eating" or "gorging" before the fasting period of Lent.
This moveable feast is determined by Easter. The expression "Shrove
Tuesday" comes from the word shrive, meaning "absolve". Shrove Tuesday
is observed by many Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists
and Roman Catholics, who "make a special point of self-examination, of
considering what wrongs they need to repent, and what amendments of life
or areas of spiritual growth they especially need to ask God's help in
dealing with."
Being the last day of the liturgical season historically known as
Shrovetide, before the penitential season of Lent, related popular practices,
such as indulging in food that one sacrifices for the upcoming forty days,
are associated with Shrove Tuesday celebrations, before commencing the
fasting and religious obligations associated with Lent. The term Mardi
Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to the practice of the last
night of eating richer, fatty foods before the ritual fasting of the Lenten
season, which begins on Ash Wednesday."
So, as I see it, before they get into their own personal sacrifices and
self denials, they have to 'pig out' beforehand so that they can make it
through their time of Lent.
Then, of course, Ash Wednesday:
Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent
in Western Christianity. It occurs 46 days (40 fasting days, if the six
Sundays, which are not days of fast, are excluded) before Easter and can
fall as early as February 4th or as late as 10 March. Ash Wednesday, is
observed by many Western Christians, including Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists,
Presbyterians, and Roman Catholics.
According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus
Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation
by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation
for Easter. Every Sunday was seen as a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ's
resurrection and so as a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate.
Accordingly, Christians fasted from Monday to Saturday (six days) during
six weeks and from Wednesday to Saturday (four days) in the preceding week,
thus making up the number of 40 days.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes
made from palm branches blessed on the previous year's Palm Sunday, and
placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the words
"Repent, and believe in the Gospel" or "Remember that you are dust, and
to dust you shall return".
Then when Lent finally arrives, they have cleansed themselves, then
gorged themselves and then they can to their Lenton thing!
Unbelievable stuff, but they do it
- and more and more are getting into it.
They err not knowing the Scriptures!
Jesus even told them in Mark
7:13 - Making the word of God of none effect
through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things
do ye.
And Paul stated: Colossians 2:8 -
Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy
and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the
world, and not after Christ.
Let's end this mini-study with a comment / question
that you can ask your friend participants. If these folks are
serious about their self denials, about their stopping of doing wrong things,
etc. then why do they get angry at us when we say we want to walk according
Paul's teachings? Even though the reasons for doing these things
are different - they basically involve somewhat the same things.
You know - stopping eating too much / dressing more modestly / laying off
sweets / lay off the tube and computer more / exercising and denying our
flesh some fleshly pleasures, etc.
And besides, when we try to do it, we try to do it privately in our
own personal and private walk. We don't even want or need a formal
liturgical public claim to be seen by others, ashes on our forehead, etc.
And even besides that, they only do it for 40 days and we just want
to do it the rest of our earthly lives.
And we are the bad guys?
Aren't you glad you have chosen the
RISEN LORD and the KJB - and have Paul to look to for our guidance and
manner of life? Aren't you glad you are not told to 'imitate' Paul,
as the modern bibles say? Aren't you glad about being aware of the
dispensation of grace - and having that understanding about our own flesh.
Aren't you glad you don't have to play these games of religion? Aren't
you glad you have chosen scriptures over the church? (Sola scriptura
- "by Scripture alone" - the Bible is the supreme authority in all matters
of doctrine and practice.) Aren't you glad you have wised up
to the 'theft' of the Bible in the world today so when you see the word
'Bible' you know that only the KJB is the fulfillment of that word?
Aren't you glad you KNOW you are following the true Christ, not the false
christ? Aren't you glad you know the difference between Revelation
6 and Revelation 19? And... aren't you glad you know at least one
guy who won't tweet Paul in a manner that will give him a great following
with high finances that will cause him to err from the faith like it seems
more and more pastors are doing these days?
Definitions of the 'days' are from
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (good enough for me)
