Life After
T
Have I learned everything I need to know to get to heaven now that I’ve been confirmed? Yes, but that’s a bad question. Catechesis in the faith isn’t simply about getting all of the answers right. That would be like saying that the Christian faith is about doing good things or feeling a certain way. In confirmation, your pastor has taught you the building blocks of the Christian faith. Some of it you probably knew beforehand; some of it may have been totally new to you. But the point of confirmation is not to get you all of the right answers so that you can go to heaven.The Christian faith is not like a math quiz.“Well, I got a Cin Jesus. Not great, but I should still pass the pearly gates.” Rather, the Christian faith is a gift that God gives to you in His Word and Sacraments. Your pastor has taught you about the gift (Jesus) and the delivery of the gift (Word he gown is off, memory work is done, and your and Sacraments). But that 278 questions on the Christian faith have all been teaching is not over. It is answered.You’ve eaten the cake and thrown away only beginning.
the lapel rose. So now, young Christian, you are faced with questions.
H I G H E R T H I N G S __ 20
What’s next after confirmation? What is next for you when it comes to the Christian faith? Have you learned everything there is to know about God, and so now you can simply coast along, blithely unaware that the devil, the world, and your own sinful nature are warring against you every day? If you are like many who have finished confirmation and are trying to understand the next step, you may very well be in danger of forgetting the whole point of confirmation instruction.To that end, we at Higher Things have developed a little, uh, catechism, for those who are moving into the post-confirmation years.Tell us what you think!
Do I have to go to church now that I’ve been confirmed? No and yes.“Have to” implies a law that must be obeyed or else. That isn’t finally the point of going to church. Going to church is about receiving those gifts for forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation which our Lord continues to give to us by His Word and Spirit. I would suggest to you that if you believe that going to church is about obligation and LAW LAW LAW, then something is missing in your understanding. God draws you to church so that He may forgive your sins and give His gifts to you. If you don’t go to church, or don’t want to go to church, what you are saying is that you don’t want God to forgive your sins and bring you to heaven. Is that really what you want?
