Confirmation has played an important part in the Lutheran Church, for in confirmation young men and women demonstrate such knowledge of the Christian faith that they are able to examine themselves so as to prepare for Holy Communion. They also in their vows acknowledge that there is a cosmic battle for the immortal souls of humankind and that to be led away from faith in the true and living God, and in Christ as our Savior is to suffer eternal damnation.
The most important thing about confirmation is not the ceremony, but the instruction in the Christian faith. To prepare for confirmation, the students make a systematic study of the Bible, both subject-by-subject and historically. By this time they should have compared the teaching of Lutheran Church to the Holy Scriptures and so be assured that the teaching of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the church defined by our confessions, is the teaching of the Bible.
Our Savior Jesus Christ is the heart of our faith. The most important thing to know and believe is that He has had mercy on us poor sinners, that as a true man, born of a woman and under the law Himself, He has lived a perfect life in our place, has taken our sins upon Himself, suffered the wrath of God in death that we sinners deserve, and rose again from the dead to give us His innocence. This, above all, every Christian must learn and believe.
This faith and confidence comes to us through the Means of Grace, the gospel in word and sacrament. Without such means of grace, faith is not fed, but is lost. So every confirmand knows the importance of the Christian life of regular repentance, assurance of forgiveness, and prayer. Likewise, every confirmand knows the cost of separating from regular hearing of the Word and neglecting the Lord’s Supper. Those who neglect the gracious Word of God do so at their peril, and are without excuse.
Let us pray for our Confirmands, that they are faithful unto everlasting life. Let us pray for ourselves that we also endure in saving faith until life’s end.
