Ashes
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent. Sometime ago I was scanning through some Web news and I noticed Christianity Today put up some articles reflecting on Lent. As today, marks the beginning of the Lent season, I thought they would be interesting reads to meditate on:
I came to know Christ in a Baptist church, so I never really experienced the Lenten tradition, and out of ignorance, filed such practices under “Roman Catholic traditions that Baptists just don’t do.” Of course, it is not just a Roman Catholic thing, and many Protestant Lutheran and Anglican Christians observe the season. Perhaps there may even be something beneficial to voluntarily setting aside special days each year, which allow us to be deeply immersed in activities that constantly bring to mind the story of redemption unveiled to us in the Scriptures.
Ashes remind us that from beginning, God created us in His image, both male and female; however, sin had separated us from God, so from dust we are dust and to dust we shall return. During the season we are reminded that all sin requires a sacrifice, and the season comes to its climax in the observance of Good Friday, remembering Christ’s death upon the cross as a sacrifice for sin, and Resurrection Sunday, remembering Christ is the first fruits of many saints who shall rise again to eternal life. It is in this, we are reminded that God saves fallen people, and this is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
Steven R. Harmon: To Take Up the Cross
Frederica Mathewes-Green: For Spiritual Exercise
Michael Horton: To Lead Us to Christ
I came to know Christ in a Baptist church, so I never really experienced the Lenten tradition, and out of ignorance, filed such practices under “Roman Catholic traditions that Baptists just don’t do.” Of course, it is not just a Roman Catholic thing, and many Protestant Lutheran and Anglican Christians observe the season. Perhaps there may even be something beneficial to voluntarily setting aside special days each year, which allow us to be deeply immersed in activities that constantly bring to mind the story of redemption unveiled to us in the Scriptures.
Ashes remind us that from beginning, God created us in His image, both male and female; however, sin had separated us from God, so from dust we are dust and to dust we shall return. During the season we are reminded that all sin requires a sacrifice, and the season comes to its climax in the observance of Good Friday, remembering Christ’s death upon the cross as a sacrifice for sin, and Resurrection Sunday, remembering Christ is the first fruits of many saints who shall rise again to eternal life. It is in this, we are reminded that God saves fallen people, and this is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.
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