Repent of Lent: How Spiritual Disciplines Can Be Bad for Your Soul

The Federalist ^ | 5-3-14 | Brian Lee

[fishtank]

Repent of Lent: How Spiritual Disciplines Can Be Bad for Your Soul

Christ fasted for forty days in the wilderness on our behalf, so we wouldn’t have to; not as a model, but as a substitute

Written by Brian Lee | Monday, February 27, 2017

His passion was not a discipline that made his heart pure in its love for his Father, it was the price to be paid for our sins, and he paid it in full. Christians are called to suffer as Christ suffered, that is, with the same purpose. We are called to suffer not for ourselves, but for others. When we engage in fasting in his image, but for the purpose of purifying ourselves, we invert that image. Such penitence is ultimately focused on self, not on the other.

[fishtank]

Ironically, it was the preaching of Martin Luther that inspired one of the most famous incidents of Lenten non-observance, almost 500 years ago. In 1522, the “Affair of the Sausages” launched the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. Huldrych Zwingli, Pastor in Zurich, attended and later defended, even blessed, a Lenten feast of meaty sausages, verboten vittles during the obligatory fast.

Zwingli’s concern was twofold: Christian liberty, and Christian sanctification. Regarding liberty, since the Scriptures did not command fasting, Zwingli felt a Christian was free to fast, or free to not fast.

[fishtank]

Should say:

“From the article:

“Ironically, it was the preaching of Martin Luther that inspired one of the most famous incidents of Lenten non-observance, almost 500 years ago. In 1522, the “Affair of the Sausages” launched the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland. Huldrych Zwingli, Pastor in Zurich, attended and later defended, even blessed, a Lenten feast of meaty sausages, verboten vittles during the obligatory fast.

Zwingli’s concern was twofold: Christian liberty, and Christian sanctification. Regarding liberty, since the Scriptures did not command fasting, Zwingli felt a Christian was free to fast, or free to not fast. “

[The Old Hoosier]

Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. -Mt. 9:15 Oops.

[avenir]

“1Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, 3who FORBID MARRIAGE and REQUIRE ABSTINENCE from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.”—1 Tim. 4

Beyond Oops.

[pgyanke]

In the Jewish tradition, there are three ways in which we are all tempted to sin: lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes and the pride of life. We see this understanding reflected in 1 John 2:16. The lust of the flesh represents the desires of our appetites (ie: gluttony and sexual pleasure). The lust of the eyes represents our desire for all we want (ie: greed and envy). The pride of life is our disordered desire to be greater than we are (ie: pride and vainglory). These are the temptations the world throws at all of us.

Where do we first encounter this in human history? In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were tempted by the Devil to disobey God. He tempted Eve with the promise that she would be like God if she ate of the fruit. When Eve considered her actions, Genesis 3:6 records that she “saw that the tree was good for food (Lust of the Flesh), and a delight to the eyes (Lust of the Eyes), and that the tree was desirable to make one wise (Pride of Life)…”. In other words, from a Jewish perspective, they were tempted in every way…and the Bible records their joint failure as Adam was with her.

Our first parents failed so Christ came to restore in obedience what had been lost in disobedience.

In preparation for His earthly ministry, Our Lord spent 40 days in the desert. Luke 4 tells us He was led there by the Spirit and was tempted by the Devil. Jesus fasted for that whole period. When the Bible says He was hungry at the end of this time, note that he wasn’t just ready for a meal. There comes a time without food where the body begins to consume what it can of itself. After 40 days, His Body was ravenous. Enter the Devil.

Satan’s first temptation is for Christ to turn rocks into bread. Here, he is playing on the Lust of the Flesh…and he knows Jesus is VERY hungry. Our Lord answered this temptation with the truth that man lives not by bread alone but by the Word of God.

In the second temptation, the Devil took Jesus to a high mountain and offered Him all of the kingdoms of the world in return for Christ’s worship. This temptation is challenging Jesus through the Lust of the Eyes as Christ came to call all people to Himself–but definitely not this way. In fact, in the Garden of Gethsemane, we see that Jesus doesn’t want to die. His only desire is to do the Will of His Father in Heaven. God alone deserves our worship… even if we see before us the very goal we think we were made to do.

In the third temptation, Jesus is taken to the pinnacle of the Temple and told to throw Himself down since the angels will rescue Him from harm. This is the temptation of the Pride of Life by tempting Jesus to reveal His Glory to all before His hour had come. Consider that what the Devil promised here is true… the angels will rescue Him. Jesus knows, though, that His Father plans to raise Him up in sacrifice, not in personal glory. Though we trust that God will protect us, that doesn’t mean we should test His resolve.

Luke 4:13 tells us that “all temptation” was ended after the third one. From our limited perspective, we are inclined to point out all of the other ways we feel tempted in life. Again, Christ suffered temptation in all ways possible, though not in every variation of the same temptations… and He succeeded where Adam and Eve failed.

Where Our Lord led, we are to follow. We will be tempted in life and He has given us tools to help us on our journey. What can we do to control temptation and the occasions of sin? We can focus our efforts on the opposite of the temptations mentioned here. In fact, outside of the two Great Commandments to love God and our neighbor, Jesus told us to do three things: fasting, alms-giving, and prayer. It is so important that He taught us how to do all three in Matt 6:1-18 where He said, “When you fast… give alms… pray…”. He didn’t say, “If you fast.” This is our life in the Church, especially during this time of Lent.

When we focus on self-denial in fasting and abstinence, we can’t be focused on the Lust of the Flesh… seeking to satisfy these same desires.

When we focus on alms-giving, it would be hard to also focus on thoughts of greed and envy in the Lust of the Eyes.

When we turn our hearts to God in humble prayer, we acknowledge our lowliness and leave behind the Pride of Life.

So, in following Christ, listen to the Church, His Bride, as She exhorts us to lives of fasting, alms-giving and prayer. She is leading us to deeper faith and closer communion with Her Bridegroom through self-denial, supplication and sacrifice.

[tiki]

I guess Paul screwed up when he encouraged fasting. Oh yeah, and when Jesus more or less, gave rules for fasting.

[Salvation]

**Repent of Lent: How Spiritual Disciplines Can Be Bad for Your Soul**

??

Wrong

[fishtank]

Did you read the article?

Have you read The Book?

[fishtank]

Did Jesus pay for 100% of your sins?

1% ?

50% ?

99% ?

[piusv]

Except Christ taught others how to fast.

[metmom]

When any spiritual discipline is required, or forced by a governing church body, it' becomes legalism.

Romans 14:1-9 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Romans 14:12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

[metmom]

Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. -Mt. 9:15 Oops

Christ in us, the hope of glory.

Christ is still with the believer. He never left him. Ooops....

[DungeonMaster]

Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom mourn while he is with them? The time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; then they will fast. -Mt. 9:15 Oops.

Guests of the bridegroom are not the bride. Oops.

[Salvation]

The Church is Christ’s bride.

[Campion]

When any spiritual discipline is required, or forced by a governing church body, it' becomes legalism.

Seriously? There's a ton of very legalistic churches out there, then, and that's just considering the evangelical Protestant ones.

[The Old Hoosier]

He's referring to his Apostles, later the first Christians, who had just been criticized for not fasting. So I don't see how your distinction applies.

Also, Jesus said: "When you fast, do not be somber like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they already have their full reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that your fasting will not be obvious to men, but only to your Father, who is unseen. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

That's Jesus, saying among other things that the Father will reward you for fasting.

[The Old Hoosier]

Nobody has forbidden marriage. Nobody has re-outlawed foods like pork, as the old law did, which is clearly what he’s referring to. Oops again.

[The Old Hoosier]

Those are his words, not mine. I don’t think either of us would accept that he’s lying about being taken from them (and crucified) and them fasting, so instead we have to reject your interpretation.

[Biggirl]

Amen.

[Biggirl]

How true.