Why we should not celebrate lent

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I think the issue really is the observance of Lent, Advent, etc. in the context of public worship, and not observance by individual Christians. I think Romans 14 would address the matter of private observance--one will call a day holy, and another will not, but both do so "unto the Lord" and according to conscience. Now, I think there's great benefit in Christians observing fasts, vigils, etc. corporately rather than just as individuals. Certainly the pattern of fasting for 40 days has historical and biblical precedent. Sooooooo...if a whole bunch of Christians corporately observe a 40 day period of prayer and fasting, I think you basically get Lent. Having said that, the question arises as to whether it's proper for the church to incorporate such a season in its public worship. To me that gets dicey. Our presbytery in the OPC has called for days of fasting and prayer before, though these weren't mandated or reflected in the Lord's day worship. I would think that a denomination could observe something like Lent without violating Scripture. If it were observed as part of worship, though, it immediately would create a situation in which someone who doesn't wish to observe it for reasons of conscience would basically be excluded from the corporate worship.

So I would say that individuals can observe fasts, vigils, Lenten seasons, or whatever if these serve to strengthen them spiritually and bring order into their spiritual lives. I'm not so sure about a church observing this formally. I'm certain that to require such observance, ala Rome or the East, as "holy days of obligation" goes far beyond Scripture and in fact violates Romans 14 and a host of others.

As a last thought, I believe the practice of observing formal feast days, seasons, etc. was part of the larger throwback of the church toward the Old Covenant structure, which went together with moving back toward a sacerdotal priesthood, keeping Eucharistic elements in a "tabernacle," etc. I think the NT is pretty clear that to go back to the old system is to return to a time before Christ had come, and therefore to fall from grace and impose upon yourself a yoke of slavery again. Whenever justification is given to these things from Catholic apologists etc., it frequently finds precedent in the Old Testament. Why return to slavery when you're given freedom? Why return to shadows when you've been given the fulfillment?
 
I follow the Liturgical Calendar, but hey, what do I know I am just an Anglican!;););) Grace and Peace.:)
 
What does it add to the gospel?

Is it an element or circumstance of public worship?

How do you justify its importation into public worship based upon the confessional standards?

My previously asked questions remain unanswered.

If my only option for Lord’s Day worship is a reformed church which acknowledges so called “holy” days, I’ll likely attend rather than not, or going to a non-reformed one. But, given the choice between one acknowledging “holy” days in public worship and one not doing so, I’ll drive farther (and have) to worship with the latter. If Presbyterian, subscribing to the Westminster Standards, the latter are confessionally consistent. That might be an indication of what I’ll hear preached.

Why this fascination with adding trinkets to the worship of God?
 
Umm. wow I really need to brush up on my exegesis and theology as I was just whipped by 2 women. :lol:

One wasn't a just a woman it was a lawyer !! :graduate: Look out! :lol:

As for why people need to add on Trinkets, I don't think they do.

I think they just are too weak not to follow the world. They don't want to stand out or look weird. So satan gets the world doing these seemingly innocent or good things like getting Christ back into Christ mass to trap the weak professing christains. To which I answer, was Christ ever in Christ mass?

Most everyone except my JW friends hate me for not doing christmas and feel I have abused my children.

Oh for a return to full strict subscription for ministers!!!
 
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