the lent list...

I'm always intrigued each time we approach the 40 days before Easter by all the things that I hear people are giving up for Lent. I'm intrigued by it because historically "Lent is a season of grief that necessarily ends with a great celebration of Easter. It is known in Eastern Orthodox circles as the season of "Bright Sadness."" It's also a time when things are to be given up, instituted and given away (ie: giving up a personal vice, praying more and giving to charities.)

Now, this is not intended to be some sort of theological treatise on the validity of Lent today or its many different and varied applications in today's religions and denominations. It is merely something that has always intrigued me. It is supposed to be a great season of grief and sadness over sin and what led Christ to the cross. Regardless of whether or not you believe it should still be observed today, the premise is solid: true grief over sin should mark any believer. A realization of what it cost Christ and His Father to buy my freedom should remain at the forefront of my pursuit of holiness. A proper perspective of myself in light of the cross leads me to a proper perspective of my Savior. With that said, a mere 40 day deprivation of tv, facebook, twitter, some food or drink or anything else does not check off a box in eternity and earn us anything. Those 40 days of deprivation without a new perspective and change going forward from there have not really done anything for us either. I'm not saying that people don't go on amazing spiritual journeys during Lent because I'm certain that they probably do. I'm not saying that this suggested pondering of Christ's sacrifice and our sin as the catalyst will necessarily be life-changing for you either. But...any amount of considering our sin, considering it's ramifications, considering it's cost and considering the cross can and SHOULD mark us forever in a way that nothing else comes close to.

Now, I've heard it said over and over "if you're focusing on holiness, your focus is in the wrong place, it should be on God" and "focusing on God's holiness will automatically make you holy" and "grace covers everything and God knows our limitations and that we can't be holy on this side of heaven" and "pursuing holiness is just works and legalism and I live under grace" and frankly, it's disturbing me. The fact of the matter is that parts of those statements are certainly true. But, the other parts are cop outs for getting to live how we want to live, talk how we want to talk and do what we want to do because "we're covered." I'm not buying. Scripture is clear that we're to "be holy" in all we "do." (1 Peter 1:15) and that we're to "BE holy" because He is holy (1 Peter 1:16). So, by the grace of God alone and through no goodness of my own, I'm pursuing holiness. I'm straining for it and it's uncomfortable. It informs everything I say and do and how I think..... and I fail regularly. I mean, seriously.......ALL the time. But that's where the grace part comes in! The very process of sanctifying something or making it holy means that it's to be "set apart" and "separate" from defilement. Sin is what defiles us. Sin is what we struggle with. But with every chance to sin, there's the chance not to by the grace of God. The amazing thing about God is that He has put my sin behind His back and has removed it as far as the east is from the west. Sin lost its power over us when Christ bought us who are believers. Sure, I can choose to let sin get victory, or I can choose to systematically put it to death, forsake it and kill it in my life. Make no mistake......this is not about good works, or not sinning so I'll feel better or earn something or even any delusion that this can be accomplished apart from the grace of God. But, it IS about appropriating the grace that is given to us FREELY by the Spirit of God, the power that is available to us.....the same power that RAISED CHRIST from the dead and appropriating that grace and power for defeating sin. So...for the next 35 days leading up to Easter weekend, I'll blog one reason not to sin each day and it'll be the Lent List....because it's catchy and this is the season of Lent. They are from a list I came upon several years ago called "35 Reasons Not To Sin" and they're amazing and convicting.

I don't know if you're giving something up, or purposely not giving something up because everyone else is, or are unsure about the whole giving up process...but rather than specifically giving something up together, I'd love for us to dive in together. Will you go on this journey with me? It will involve commenting from personal experience and/or study and pondering and hopefully won't take you too long each day. I'm not interested in debating and I want it to be uplifting and refining. Iron sharpens iron and we've got a community of believers here and the beauty of social networking to shrink the miles between us. Won't you join me? Can we head toward Easter together by taking a few minutes each day to chew over something and soak in it as we go about our days? I have no doubt God would meet each one of us specifically along the way. I may go all alone, but I'm going nonetheless. I'd love it if you'd come...and bring a friend!

"The pursuit of holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working in his life, but just as surely no one will attain it without effort on his own part. God has made it possible for us to walk in holiness. But He has given to us the responsibility of doing the walking; He does not do that for us." - Jerry Bridges


"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.  And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Romans 12:1-3

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1

"But as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; because it is written, Be holy; for I am holy." 1 Peter 1:15-16

See you tomorrow...
peace.