Rethink… Pt-1

There are two events I would like to share with you today. Both the subjects can be correlated… I’ll leave that to your perception.

1. As most of you are aware that the season of Lent is going on and churches across the world have fasting prayers.

I do not have a wide understanding of the observance of lent but there was something that was bothering me the other day.

We were told that this is the season to sacrifice the things you like/love the most, like meat, decorating your hair with flowers, etc and be extremely humble and down to earth with repentance (I do not know what their definition of repentance was) and kindness and fasting religiously(note, I’m not a religion fan) and pleasing God by your actions.

What is wrong with saying all these you may ask? Here’s why I rethought that preaching. What can I sacrifice to God? Can I please God with my character? Is this new character build-up only for a season? Are we to feel sad during these days as we remember the fasting and crucifixion of Jesus Christ our Lord?

Romans 12

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

//YOU, the living sacrifice, HOLY and pleasing to God. This is what you can offer. I don’t believe that your giving up on meat and flowers and doing charity (only for the 40 days) can please God. What is the intention? Is it to understand the pain Christ went through? If so, then why was Christ crucified? Was it in vain? (He suffered everything, every single thing so that we may be free, as we were already in bondage (of sin, of law, of curses))

Next, Isaiah 64: 6

For we all have become like one who is [ceremonially] unclean [like a leper], And all our deeds of righteousness are like filthy rags; We all wither and decay like a leaf, And our wickedness [our sin, our injustice, our wrongdoing], like the wind, takes us away [carrying us far from God’s favor, toward destruction].

// our good works, in the sight of God are filthy rags! You can not please God by your righteousness. You cannot be righteous on your own. We are MADE righteous by the clean blood of Christ Jesus our Lord. Which is why we are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When you put your faith in the solution God has offered which is Jesus Christ of Nazareth, in what He did for you, then you are justified, righteous in the sight of the Lord.

Next, about feeling sorrowful during the forty days. Honestly, I have pushed myself to be sad and cry in the past thinking about the amount of pain Jesus our Lord went through, not knowing why He had to go through. But what does that change? You are sad and do many things to keep yourself pessimistic and simple for a SEASON, how does that help? This is why I said I don’t understand the lent in so many places. The very important person, our Lord Jesus Christ our Savior and God has been dismissed! It has become about us, we doing something to become something. Jesus Christ our Lord is our only way to our Father. He came to restore what we had lost. If anyone believes in Him and confesses that Jesus Christ of Nazareth is their Lord and Saviour, they are saved! Salvation here is not by our righteous works. It’s purely out of the abundance of the Grace of our God. The very reason He came here is to die on that cross to redeem us from the bondage we were in. It is not the matter of forty days, it is forever! Isn’t that great news?I understand that some of them feel sad about the crucifixion and the suffering.

But think about it like this –

You and I would have been in that place. That punishment would be upon us if He didn’t come. We were such terrible sinners, yet He showed His love upon us while we were still sinners. So acknowledge what your position would have been and thank God for what He has done instead of thinking like any other person on earth. Look at the bigger picture. Know the scriptures instead of being emotional.

Romans 3:10 

As it is written:“There is no one righteous, not even one;”

Romans 3 : 23-27

23 since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God,

 24 and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] [c]grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus, 

25 whom God displayed publicly [before the eyes of the world] as a [life-giving] [d]sacrifice of atonement and reconciliation (propitiation) by His blood [to be received] through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness [which demands punishment for sin], because in His forbearance [His deliberate restraint] He passed over the sins previously committed [before Jesus’ crucifixion].

 26 It was to demonstrate His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus [and rely confidently on Him as Savior].

27 Then what becomes of [our] boasting? It is excluded [entirely ruled out, banished]. On what principle? On [the principle of good] works? No, but on the principle of faith. 

I shall continue with the remaining in the next blog. Thank you for reading till the end. 🤗