This post last updated February 2026
About this time of year, many Christians start asking: “What is Lent? Is it an official Christian holiday? Was it instituted in the Bible? What (if anything) is required of believers during Lent?”
If you’ve wondered that, you’re not alone. Let’s walk through it thoughtfully and biblically.
What is Lent?
Lent is a season in the church calendar that prepares people for Easter. In most Western traditions, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends Easter Sunday.
Ash Wednesday is named for the practice of placing ashes on the forehead as a sign of repentance to God.
Easter Sunday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day after his crucifixion.
Easter: Why the resurrection is important
Lent commemorates the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the wilderness before beginning of his public ministry. It’s commonly described as “40 days,” with Sundays typically not counted in that total.
The forty is meant to echo significant biblical patterns of testing and preparation, especially Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness before he began his public ministry and Israel’s 40 years wandering in the wilderness.
Temptations of Jesus: Dealing with doubt & despair
What is Ash Wednesday?
Ash Wednesday is the day that starts Lent in many Western traditions. Some churches place ashes on the forehead (often in the shape of a cross) as a sign of humility, mortality, and repentance.
That practice can be meaningful, but it’s important to understand what it is and what it isn’t:
- It is a tradition used to symbolize repentance.
- It is not a biblical command.
- It does not earn forgiveness or “extra credit” with God.
Is Lent in the Bible?
No. Lent, as a church-calendar season, is not commanded in Scripture. The Bible does not require Christians to observe Lent, keep Ash Wednesday, or fast for a specific forty-day period each year.
That said, the themes people often associate with Lent are deeply biblical:
- humility and repentance
- prayer
- self-control
- remembering the cross
- preparing to celebrate the resurrection
Those themes show up all over Scripture. What’s not in Scripture is the requirement to observe them on a particular schedule called “Lent.”
While many Christians from many denominations observe Lent, the choice of how and whether to observe Lent is typically left to the individual.
Should Christians Observe Lent?
A helpful way to say it is: You are free to observe Lent, and you are free not to.
If Lent helps you remember the cross, examine your heart honestly, and set your mind on Christ, then it can be time well spent. If Lent becomes a source of pride, pressure, or spiritual score-keeping, it’s missed its purpose.
Many Christians run into trouble here because Lent can quietly drift into the wrong motivations:
- “God will like me more if I do this.”
- “Real Christians give something up.”
- “I need to punish myself to prove I’m serious.”
That’s not the gospel. Jesus is not impressed by self-denial performed to earn favor. We obey and practice discipline because we are saved, not to get saved.
As Ray Stedman explained the wrong reasons to celebrate Lent: “We give up things because we want to win favor with God (we think). We celebrate Lent because we think it gives us additional stature in God’s sight. Even then we tend to give up things we are not doing anyhow, such as wearing overshoes in bed, or eating catsup on ice cream. Many years ago I gave up giving things for Lent and so have had no trouble with it since.”
How do Christians Observe Lent?
Practices vary from church to church but include:
- Many churches offer special services that focus on our need for a savior, the necessity of repentance and/or the work of Jesus Christ. For example, during Ash Wednesday services believers mark their foreheads with ash as a symbol of sorrow and mourning over their sin. Maundy Thursday services commemorate the Last Supper which is the last time Jesus celebrated passover with the apostles and Good Friday services commemorate Jesus’ death on the cross in our place.
- Some Christians choose to give up a habit or behavior during Lent in order to focus on their need for repentance. This self-denial could be as simple as foregoing chocolate or a disciplined program of fasting.
- Some Christians read a special devotional series or Scripture designed to further their understanding of the meaning of the cross and the resurrection.
What do expiation and propitiation mean?
Common Lent Questions & Quick Answers
Do I have to give something up for Lent?
No. Scripture does not command it. If you choose to abstain from something, the point should be to turn your attention toward Christ, not to prove your willpower.
Is fasting required during Lent?
No. Lent-fasting is a Christian tradition, not a command.
How to Give, Pray, and Fast Without Being a Hypocrite
Why Jesus Refused to Fast Like the Pharisees
If Lent isn’t required, why do so many Christians observe it?
Because traditions can be useful. A set season can act like a reminder on your calendar: slow down, reflect, remember the cross, prepare for Easter.
A Better Way: Training, not Earning
If you observe Lent, think of it less like paying a fee and more like training your attention. Lent can be a structured way to ask:
- Where am I drifting spiritually?
- What have I been using to avoid God (noise, numbing, busyness)?
- What does the cross tell me about grace, guilt, and forgiveness?
- What does the resurrection mean for my daily life?
Those are good questions in March, and they’re good questions in October too.
How to Know You’re Saved Without Doubting
Practical ways to observe Lent
If you want a simple approach that stays grounded, here are a few options.
1) Read something that helps you understand the cross. Choose a resource that explains why the cross matters, not just how to feel somber.
- For Adults: The Truth of the Cross by RC Sproul {Dr. Sproul explains the meaning of the cross from numerous angles, making it understandable for everyone. Available in hardcover, electronic and audio format.}
- For Children: The Donkey who carried a King by RC Sproul. {Dr Sproul teaches young believers the meaning of the events of Jesus’ Passion week. Available in hardcover, electronic format and audio CD.}
2) Choose one practice that makes space for prayer. Instead of “giving up chocolate,” consider giving up something that reliably steals your attention, like:
- 20 minutes of doom-scrolling at night
- constant background noise (podcasts/music)
- one streaming habit that numbs you
The goal is not self-punishment. The goal is space.
3) Pick one gospel-centered focus for the season. For example:
- Read one Gospel (Mark is short and direct).
- Read Isaiah 53 slowly.
- Read one Passion Week passage each day.
- Keep a short journal: What does this show me about Jesus? What would repentance look like today?
For Thought: 40 Things to Give up for Lent: The List by Phil Ressler:
The bottom line
Lent is not a biblical requirement. But reflecting on what Jesus did for us is always worthwhile.
If Lent helps you look steadily at the cross and celebrate Easter with clearer faith, use it.
If Lent turns into guilt, pride, or pressure, set it aside.
Time spent remembering Christ’s death and resurrection is never wasted, whether you do it in a Lent devotional, a regular Bible study, or a conversation over coffee.
Photo used here under Flickr Creative Commons.
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