5 interesting facts about Ash Wednesday, Lent

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Twitter
Chinnachart Martmoh/iStock
Chinnachart Martmoh/iStock

2. Why do people give up things they enjoy for Lent?

A common way Christians observe Lent is to give up something they like during the season. Popular options include soda, candy, television, drinking or smoking.

According to an entry on the website "What's in the Bible?" this practice has a scriptural basis in Luke 9:23, which reads, "Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

Get Our Latest News for FREE

Subscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.

"So, essentially it's about self denial, carrying our cross and following Jesus. It is something that's done in a prayerful way, so that we can wholly renew ourselves in Christ," explains What's in the Bible.

Follow Michael Gryboski on Twitter or Facebook

Was this article helpful?

Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone.

By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount, you're helping to keep CP's articles free and accessible for everyone.

$25/month$50/quarter$100/yearOne-time

We’re sorry to hear that.

Hope you’ll give us another try and check out some other articles. Return to homepage.