But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
Earlier this month, we entered the season of Lent. This is the forty-day span of time leading up to Easter. The church has observed this season of fasting ever since its earliest beginning in the 300’s A.D. The fast started as only a two-day fast, taking place on Friday to commemorate Jesus’ death, and on Saturday to remember the time spent in the tomb. Over time, the fast extended to the six days prior to Easter. By the mid 300’s A.D., some churches were observing a forty-day period, inspired by Moses’ forty days with God on Mount Sinai, Elijah’s forty-day sojourn to Mount Horeb, and Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness.
The word “Lent” comes from an Old English word “lencton,” which means the lengthening of the days, like what happens in the spring when increasing hours of sunlight make the days longer. More sunlight creates the right conditions for the sprouts of the next year’s growth to appear. The change of seasons in the natural world acts as a picture to us of the promise of new life through Christ’s resurrection.
We observe Lent hopeful of God’s plan to regenerate us, and yet aware of our mortality and sinfulness. When a minister says to us on Ash Wednesday, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” those words mean that we live for a certain amount of time, and then we will die. The ashes spread on our foreheads are a symbol of this mortality, and they are a sign of our desire to be honest with God about our sin.
The season of Lent has two goals. The first one is to lament the sin that placed Jesus on the cross. The second goal is a deeper personal understanding of the work Jesus did there. By his death, forgiveness and eternal life are secured for us.
When we take the time for lament and meditation, we see meaningful outcomes. I appreciate the season of Lent as one of the most significant periods of spiritual formation of the entire year. Lent helps us to make sense of our lives. We need the sort of reflection and lament that Lent offers in order to understand the purpose behind the things that happen to us, and also to grow secure in our identities as children of God. It’s vital to the well-being of our souls to look inward and admit our areas of vulnerability. As we progress in our journey of faith, we must look outward to weigh the cost of discipleship. As we come face to face with our behavior and motivations, we repent of our wrongdoing and turn toward God.
This is ultimately what we want for our lives. Each year, as Lent recurs, we move closer to God in our relationship with him, and we get a little farther along in the sanctification process. Lent doesn’t leave us unchanged. It is a season intended for restoration and healing. The themes of Lent help us understand that we must look to God for our salvation.
God loves us and he welcomes us. Romans 5:8 highlights the truth that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. This verse is from a larger passage in Romans 5 that relates to the themes of Lent because it mentions the benefits of salvation, such as the things we want to have and know will be ours through repentance. Romans 5 also mentions the things we know we need due to our sinfulness. We know that we can’t get any of them on our own and that saving help must come from somewhere outside of ourselves.
According to Romans 5, we have so many benefits given to us through faith. We have been justified. We have peace with God. He has given us the Holy Spirit and has poured out his love into our hearts. Christ died for us while we were powerless. We are saved from God’s wrath. We are reconciled and saved through the love of Christ.
Romans 5:6 says that Christ died for the ungodly. This is the point of our Lenten lament. Our sin cost Jesus his life. When we fully realize this, our hearts are touched with conviction. Then we turn away from sin and toward God.
This is as it should be. The only appropriate response to this act of love is repentance. Christ gave everything for us. We ought to choose to place him above everything and everyone else in our lives. He loves us deeply, completely, and with great passion. In Romans 5:5 it says God has poured his love into our hearts. We must keep our hearts open to him so that we have room for this love to enter us. Only with this help from God are we able to love Christ fully, in the way he deserves.
Romans 5:2 says we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Rejoicing flows out of our hope in God’s power to do for us what we can’t do for ourselves. We know the glory will come someday, but it hasn’t arrived yet. We are confident enough in its arrival that we celebrate now. The work has been done in Jesus’ death and resurrection. The payment is complete. We rejoice because God’s promises stand firm.
We’ve been justified through faith. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. So many benefits are ours because Christ died for us, the ungodly. As you observe the season of Lent this year, may it be a time of spiritual renewal bringing about change in your heart and in your life. May you grow in your understanding of the work that Jesus has done for you. By his death, forgiveness and eternal life have been secured for you.
