| |
Confirmation
Confirmation, besides being one of the sacraments necessary for
salvation, also provides Catholics with other benefits, says the
Catechism:
| "Confirmation perfects Baptismal grace; it is the
sacrament which gives the Holy Spirit in order to root us
more deeply in the divine filiation, incorporate us more
firmly into Christ, strengthen our bond with the Church..."
Pg. 333, #1316 |
Supposedly, Confirmation incorporates Catholics more
firmly into Christ. But the Bible teaches no such
doctrine. According to God's Word, you are either in Christ or you are
not. Being more firmly incorporated into Christ is never taught:
| "Therefore if any man be in Christ,
he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold,
all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17 |
Once you are born into God's family, there is no person or thing that
can remove you from it:
| "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present,
nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord." Romans 8:38-39 |
A child of God does not need to be more firmly incorporated into
Christ:
| "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which
are in Christ Jesus, who walk not
after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Romans 8:1 "But
now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made
nigh by the blood of Christ." Ephesians 2:13 |
A Spiritual Imprint?
Another supposed benefit of Confirmation is that:
| "Confirmation, like Baptism, imprints a spiritual mark
or indelible character on the Christian's soul..." Pg. 333,
#1317 |
You can search the Bible, but you will not read about the imprinting
of spiritual marks on a Christian's souls. The Catechism tells us why:
| "The imposition of hands is rightly recognized by the
Catholic tradition as the origin
of the sacrament of Confirmation..." Pg. 326 #1288 |
Confirmation is not in the Bible because it's a tradition of men... a
life-long tradition that is to be performed up until the last moment of
a Catholic's life:
| "If a Christian is in danger of death, any priest should
give him Confirmation. Indeed, the Church desires that none
of her children, even the youngest, should depart this world
without having been perfected by the Holy Spirit with the
gift of Christ 's fullness." Pg. 332, #1314 |
The Real Purpose of Confirmation
The practical result is that this ritual brings people into deeper
bondage to the Catholic church. Surprisingly, the Catechism admits this:
| "For by the sacrament of Confirmation, [the baptized]
are more perfectly bound to the Church..."
Pg. 326 #1285 |
But why would anyone need or want to be bound to the rules of the
Catholic church, considering that Jesus came to set people free?
| "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be
free indeed." John 8:36
"Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made us free..." Galatians
5:1 |
Conclusion
Is the man-made Roman Catholic tradition of Confirmation necessary
for salvation?
- God's Holy Word emphatically states, "No!"
- The Catholic church disregards the Bible and insists that it is.
Who will you believe... the Word of God, or the commandments of men?
| "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines
the commandments of men." Matthew 15:9 |
|
