Has God confirmed you week 28, 2012

“Yes I have been confirmed. It was a glorious service. My parents were there; even my godparents made it for the occasion. I’d been itching for my first communion…” Lovely, lovely, but has God himself confirmed you? “It is like you are teaching a new doctrine. I know the apostles Peter and John went to Samaria for confirmation. I know some people teach that after salvation you must be sanctified. Which other confirmation are you speaking of?” There is nothing new in God confirming people: He shall also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ 1Cor 1:8(MKJV).
God has been in the business of confirmation for a long time. When you were being confirmed you affirmed the faith expressed by your parents and sponsors at your baptism as your own not so? “Yes.” You remember the promise first came to Abraham when he was still in his father’s house. When he demonstrated his faith God confirmed him. Abraham pleased God by putting his son Isaac on the altar to sacrifice him. Now you see how Abraham's faith and deeds worked together. He proved that his faith was real by what he did. Jas 2:21-22(CEV). As you were examined before confirmation by the bishop so shall God examine you so as to confirm you from above.
“I agree he demonstrated his faith but I see no confirmation here.” Don’t you? For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: Heb 6: 16, 17(KJV). By taking an oath God confirmed Abraham. At the time of this confirmation God said "Now I know that you honor and obey God, because you have not kept back your only son ..." Gen 22:12(GNB). “Now I know” implies God needed to find out. The courts of heaven required proof of faith.
“I am ready to give proof by my obedience, will God now confirm me?” Amen; but note God’s confirmation means a period of suffering and harassment comes first: after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you 1Pt 5:10(ESV). “I will surely overcome the incident.” O, it’s not a once for all occasion as the confirmation service. 1Cor 1:8 is in the present continuous tense. As tests come in cycles He will keep giving you strength, keep confirming you, to the very end.