TO
CHURCHMEN. HAVE YOU BEEN CONFIRMED?
‘NOT
yet; but the clergyman has called upon me, to ask me if I was confirmed. And when I told him, 'I had not,' he said,
'It was my duty to receive confirmation.'
What
is confirmation?
'It
is a taking upon ourselves the promises made for us by our godfathers and
godmothers at our baptism.'
Do
you read anything about 'godfathers' and 'godmothers' in Scripture?
‘No,
I can't say I ever did,'
Did
you agree that they should promise for you?
'How
could I, when I was an infant?'
Do
you think that God is pleased with the observance of religious ordinances which
he has not commanded?
‘I
don't know. But why should he not?'
What
did Jesus say to the Jews about religiously washing their hands before meals? "In vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men." Mark 7: 7.
But
what promise did they make for you?
The
Catechism says-
"They did promise and vow three things in my name. First, that I should renounce the devil and
all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and ALL THE SINFUL LUSTS OF THE FLESH.
"Secondly, that I should believe all the
articles of the Christian faith.
"And, Thirdly, that I should KEEP GOD'S HOLY WILL AND
COMMANDMENTS, AND WALK IN THE SAME ALL THE DAYS OF MY LIFE."
These
are solemn promises indeed. Why are you
to observe them?
‘In
order that I may have eternal life: for so the Baptismal service says'-
"Dearly beloved, ye have brought this child here to be baptized, ye have prayed that our Lord Jesus Christ would
vouchsafe to receive him, to release him of his sins, to sanctify him with the
Holy Ghost, to give him the kingdom of heaven, and everlasting life. Ye have
heard also that our Lord Jesus Christ hath promised in his gospel to grant all
these things that ye have prayed for: which promise he, for his part, will most
surely keep and perform. Wherefore,
after this promise made by Christ, this infant must also faithfully for his
part promise by you that are his sureties (until he come of age to take it upon
himself) that he will renounce the devil and all his works, and constantly
believe God's holy word, and obediently keep his Commandments."
You
make an agreement with God then, that he shall give you eternal life, if you
are obedient in all things!
‘Certainly;
the Prayer-book shows it.'
And is THAT the way you hope to get to
heaven? Why, friend, this is NOT THE GOSPEL; THIS IS THE LAW!
No one ever was, or ever will be, saved
by their obedience. All are sinners. One sin earns the CURSE of God! One sin scatters all hope of blessing!
"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one
point, he in guilty of all." James 2:
10.
"For as many as are of the works of the law are under the
curse; for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which
are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the
sight of God, is evident: for ‘The just shall live by
faith.' And the law is not of faith; but
the man that doeth them shall live in them." Gal. 3: 10-12.
You
think to earn or buy eternal life. God testifies, that
it is his gift.
"For the wages of sin is death; but the GIFT OF GOD IS
ETERNAL LIFE, through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6: 23.
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
And I GIVE UNTO THEM ETERNAL LIFE." John
10: 27, 28.
You
think to deserve it by your own works. God says, that it
is only to be had by another's work.
"Therefore by the deeds
of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law
is the knowledge of sin."
Rom. 3: 20.
"Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ
Jesus." Rom. 3: 24.
You
see, then, the Prayer-book way to heaven is very different
from the Bible way.
‘They're
not only different, but opposite! Did
you say, that everyone who attempted to be saved by
his obedience, was under the CURSE?'
Yes! God says so. Gal.
3: 10. He says,
too, that everyone who preaches that way of salvation is accursed.
"But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other
gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed. As we said
before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than
that ye have received, let him be accursed." Gal. 1: 8, 9.
‘How,
then, can any Gospel-minister uphold the Prayer-book?'
They
must answer that!
But a word with yourself! What do you think of yourself? Are you one of God's elect people?
'I
don't know; how should I be able to tell?'
Have
you the forgiveness of all your sins?
‘I
fear not.'
Are
you a child of God?
‘I
am afraid not.'
Then,
friend, how can you acknowledge, use, or teach the Church Catechism? For that tells you, you are "the child of God." Answer 2. It says, "that the Holy Ghost
sanctifies you and all the elect people of God."
And
how can you go to confirmation? For, in
that service, the bishop says of all that are confirmed-
"Almighty and everlasting God, who hast vouchsafed to regenerate
these thy servants by water and the Holy
Ghost, and hast given unto them forgiveness of all their sins."
When
he lays his hands on the head of each separately, he says, "Defend, 0 Lord, this thy
child." If
you are not God's child, nor forgiven, nor renewed by the Holy Spirit, will you
take part in a ceremony in which the bishop will tell God untruths about
you?
‘That
would not be right.'
And
then think of the promises you are called upon to make! Do you mean to give up dances and plays? Will you never sing a worldly song? Never take a hand of cards? Do you mean never to have a game at billiards,
or go to a horse race, or to see the riders in a circus?
'I
mean to enjoy life while I can.'
But
your baptismal vow engages, that you will give up
"THE POYPS AND VANITY OF THIS WICKED WORLD."
If you mean to enjoy them, you go
before God with a falsehood. Pray
refrain!
-------
‘BUT
I AM A BELIEVER. I am forgiven! Why should not I be confirmed?'
You
see that the pledge you give is the Law, and not the Gospel. Can you keep it? Ought you to try
and keep it, as the way to eternal life?
'No!
I don't rest on any such foundation. My
hope is in the obedience and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ.'
Then
do not publicly profess in confirmation what you secretly deny! If you are the child of God by faith in Christ
Jesus, you will sin fearfully in being confirmed. IT IS PUTTING OFF CHRIST'S
RIGHTEOUSNESS TO PUT ON YOUR OWN! How
solemnly the Holy Spirit threatens those who, after faith in Christ, received
circumcision!
"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ
shall profit you nothing. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever
of you are justified by the law: YE ARE FALLEN FROM
GRACE." Gal. 5: 2, 4.
Confirmation
is worse than circumcision. It is a plain and open declaration of what
circumcision only silently affirmed - that a man intended to be justified
by obedience to the law.
‘But
what shall I say when the clergyman asks me, Why I am not going to be
confirmed?'
Tell
him you have four reasons against it -
1.
‘I ought not to take part in a service, where the bishop is directed to
utter solemn falsehoods to God.'
He
is required to say, that God has converted the confirmed, forgiven all their
sins, and that they are his servants.
2.
‘I ought not to join in a service, where the congregation is directed to
utter solemn falsehoods to God.'
Persons
confirmed promise God, that they will abstain from all
fleshly lusts, all pomps and vanities of this wicked
world. All that is required of persons
in order to be confirmed is, that they should be able to "say the Creed, the
Lord's Prayer, the ten commandments," and the Catechism. Does the ability to repeat these things make a
man a child of God, and willing to overcome the world, the flesh, and the
devil?
3.
‘I ought not to make a promise which would be sinful, being full of
unbelief. The offering of my future obedience to God, instead of
the past sufferings and death of his Son, would be so.'
4.
‘I ought not to lead others astray. I do so, if I
go to confirmation.' For it leads others to think, that our obedience to God,
and not the merits of Jesus Christ, is the way to be saved
‘I
see! You are right. But the Prayer-book says -
"And there shall none be admitted to the Holy Communion, until
such time as he be confirmed, or be ready and desirous to be confirmed."
If,
then, I see confirmation to be wrong, I can never, according to its rules, be
permitted to be a member of the Church of England.'
You will not, I hope, do what is
sinful in order to gain a place at the communion-rails.
‘No!
but what am I to do?'
Be
immersed into Christ as a believer.
"For ye are all the
children of God by faith in Christ
Jesus. For
as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Gal. 3: 26, 27.
Believer
of the Establishment, you take your place at its communion-rails ‘on the ground
of your confirmation promises.’ Dare you
stand by them?
Have
done with Your PROMISES TO GOD! Rest
on GOD'S PROMISES TO YOU!