La Sierra University Church to Celebrate Ash Wednesday and the 40 Days of Lent

Scripture is to be the supreme authority for Seventh-day Adventists. We reject the idea of elevating the teachings of fallible man to the same level as God's word. Whenever Protestants and Catholics added to the Bible, misinterpreted God's word, or exalted man-made traditions, we used to disagree with them. However, it appears that we are equally guilty of doing the same, thanks to sixty years of ecumenism.

Ash Wednesday fell on February 14, 2024, which was also the first day of Lent. La Sierra University Church's female pastor of discipleship and nurture, Raewyn Orlich, announced on the church's website on February 14 that they would be observing the 40 Days of Lent, including Ash Wednesday.

The Adventist university church published the following:

• "This Valentine's Day is also Ash Wednesday. It's a day when many Christians from different traditions around the world will attend a service and receive ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross. The person administering the ashes may say, 'Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,' or 'Repent and believe in the Gospel'." [1]

• "Today reminds us of our inherent mortality. We are dust." [1]

• "Today reminds us of our brokenness. We are in need of repenting, or literally, 'turning'." [1]

• "Today reminds us that we are in need of some good news, a life-giving word from God." [1]

• "Over the next 40 days, during Lent, leading us through to four days with Jesus, community members will be sharing personal stories of when a word from God helped them go on." [1]

• "This may have come in the form of a Scripture. But God also speaks through the lyrics of songs, poems, the words that come from a friend or mentor. And sometimes, we hear a word or a phrase in our heart that feels like it comes as a gift from outside of ourselves." [1]

• "The Church landed on fasting for 40 days before Easter because of the 40 days and 40 nights Jesus spent in the wilderness after his baptism." [1]

Regrettably, Adventists are commemorating Ash Wednesday, a Roman Catholic feast day and a man-made festival. [2] There isn't a single word or hint concerning Ash Wednesday in the entire Bible. These celebrations are on an equal level with Sunday keeping, the immortality of the soul, and papal supremacy because Ash Wednesday is associated with Easter Sunday in Roman Catholic tradition.

Ash Wednesday, according to Catholic theology, is the first day that marks the beginning of Lent and takes place six and a half weeks before Easter Sunday. It is a celebration to prepare people for Easter Sunday. [2] Seventh-day Adventist churches are now submitting to these human traditions. We call out the other churches that teach Sunday sacredness and accuse them of embracing tradition. However, we are doing the same while claiming to defend the Holy Scriptures. We say we are the "People of the Book." Which book? The Holy Bible or the Catholic Catechism?

Rome's propaganda is being celebrated and pushed upon our people while far too many of our pastors and other leaders are sound asleep or remain silent. Roman Catholicism has no place in any of our churches. We cannot tell churches to stop keeping Sunday holy when our own people observe Ash Wednesday and Lent. Promoting Romanism only helps to heal her deadly wound.

We should be horrified when Catholic doctrine is introduced into Adventism. Why is this allowed to go on unchecked? Human teachings are a distraction from God's true mission for us at this time in history, which is to proclaim the Three Angels' Messages to the entire world. Ultimately, the Holy Scriptures are being replaced by Catholic traditions.

"But God will have a people upon the earth to maintain the Bible, and the Bible only, as the standard of all doctrines, and the basis of all reforms. The opinions of learned men, the deductions of science, the creeds or decisions of ecclesiastical councils, as numerous and discordant as are the churches which they represent, the voice of the majority,-not one or all of these should be regarded as evidence for or against any point of religious faith. Before accepting any doctrine or precept, we should demand a plain 'Thus saith the Lord' in its support'." (Great Controversy, p. 595).

Sources

[1] https://lasierra.church/40day1/

[2] https://www.usccb.org/prayer-worship/liturgical-year/lent

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This release was published on openPR.