Giving Up Lent For Lent

Lent, which begins today, has become popular in recent years among evangelicals. Among non-Christians, even. “What are you giving up for lent?”, I hear colleagues at work ask each other. Some give up chocolate, others wine. Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Anglicans give things up for more pious reasons, but I’m still not inclined to participate, and here’s why:

-I’m not prepared to allow Roman Catholic traditions and calendars to direct my spiritual life.

-If something is worth giving up for a season, it might be worth giving up altogether. If you eat too much chocolate and you find yourself addicted to the stuff, don’t buy it again.

-Paul condemns early false teachers for introducing ascetism into the churches, as though self-denial was a spiritual virtue in itself:

“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. Colossians 2: 21ff

On the other hand, fasting is encouraged in Scripture, especially when it is performed in the context of prayer. Furthermore, over-fed and pampered Western Christians might do well to do without life's luxuries, an abundance of which can cause destruction (Proverbs 1:32, AV). So observe it if you wish or ignore it as you see fit. But let Paul have the last word:

So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Colossians 2:16-17