• It’s not commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ or the Biblical Apostle’s. In fact the Apostle Paul is quite clear about the dangers of falling away from the grace of God and returning to observing the religious days of men (Gal. 4:9-11; 5:1, 4-5).
• It helps to rebuild all that Jesus Christ came to undo through the New Covenant; that is man made and self imposed religious ordinances that ultimately supplants faith in God with faith in keeping them, and thus keeps mankind from knowing God personally by grace and truth (John 1:17).
• The Lord Jesus has given us the Lord’s Supper to remember His death and suffering for us, not lent (1 Cor. 11:23-26).
• It is born out of the doctrines and commandments of men; something when commanded that believers must observe is clearly rebuked by the Lord Jesus Christ as worshiping Him in vain, and the Apostle Paul calls turning from the truth (Matt. 15:9; Titus 1:14).
• It has no value against the sinful desires of ones flesh (Col. 2:20-23).
• It can mislead people into thinking their standing with God is somehow based on their observing it. That their sins will be forgiven by observing it, or that they will draw nearer to Him if they observe it. And if they don’t they either have self doubts about their own faith and standing with Christ, or if they do observe it, doubts about others who don’t. And thus it can undermine the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace through the religious ordinances of man.
• It hinders the Grace of God and conceals that the only means of salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ and His the finished work on the cross; not by ones works, prayers, fasting or observing man-made religious days and ordinances. For it is only by believing in Jesus Christ crucified for ones sins remission that one enters into a personal relationship with God the Father and receives remission of all their sins and eternal life (John 14:6; 17:3).
• The Scriptures warn of trying to earn salvation whether through the Law of God or by the traditions and commandments of men (Rom. 4:4-5). For we are all commanded to cease from our works and enter Jesus Christ’s rest (Heb. 4:10). That is cease from trying to earn salvation (however one may do that) and rest all our hope and faith fully on Him, crucified and raised from dead as the only Way to life everlasting. For it is the Lord Jesus Christ's Person and finished Work on the cross that justifies us before God the Father when we believe in Him. Now for those who don’t, who try to sow into the faith their own ideas and works risk not entering Christ's rest all! As the Scripture says of God rejecting them for disobeying Him: “So I swore in My wrath that they shall not enter My rest” Heb. 4:3
• Nowhere in the N.T. are we commanded to observe any such thing. Though we are warned about such things as coming from those who turn from the truth (Titus 1:14).
• Observing Lent, if held as incumbent upon believers, is not worshiping God in Spirit and truth (John 4:24). For it denies the very commands that warn us not to heap up religious ordinances and observances of special days and fasts on ourselves, or anyone else (Gal. 4:9-11). In fact it is born out of those whom the Holy Spirit warned as falling away from the faith (1 Tim 4:1-3). Why then would I observe what they having willfully ignored/rejected the Scriptures have decreed upon themselves.
• It lay’s unnecessary religious burdens on men’s shoulder’s, something the Lord Jesus Christ does not do, nor will I (Matt. 11:28-30; 23:4)
• Observing Lent tries to emulate Jesus’ fasting forty days in the wilderness before He was tempted by Satan. None of which anyone should presume to do.
• It makes the Christian life “religious” and “seasonal” through the religious ordinances and observances of man rather than emphasizing our need for repentance and faith, and thus having a personal relationship with God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ and then daily living and walking in obedience to Him, all by the grace of God.
• I don’t need to do so to be in right standing with God my Father and Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior (Rom 5:1).
• It can create an atmosphere of "religious" animosity, rather than genuine fellowship and love; for if observing lent is being done to appease some sort of man made and imposed religious requirement, than it is very doubtful that Christian faith and love will flourish through it.
•It's not a New Testament Church Tradition and thus is incumbent upon no one who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• It's a poor replacement for genuine faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lent can add nothing to what the Lord Jesus Christ has already done for me. Therefore I don't observe lent, my place with the Lord Jesus Christ is already secure.
I will not validate the doctrines and commandments of men by observing any of them (Matt. 15:1-9; Col. 2:2-23)
