The Confirmation of the Sacraments
immovable foundation for the building of our hope. When all human things obtruding between God's grace and our faith are eliminated, and when our faith fastens on God's promises directly and immediately, then faith will be certain and unshakable. Then faith no longer rests on a subjective, changeable foundation but on an objective, abiding foundation. The unshakableness of the foundation is conveyed directly to the person who, rescued from life's shipwreck, plants both feet firmly on it in faith. When the plant of faith is allowed to take root in the ground of God's promises, it will naturally bear the fruit of certainty. The deeper and firmer the roots anchor themselves in this ground, the stronger and taller it will grow, and the richer will be its fruit.
The Confirmation of the Sacraments These promises are offered to us in two forms: audible and visible, as preaching and as sacrament. The sacraments are signs and seals of the word and are therefore subject to the word. Apart from the word they have no value whatsoever and stop being sacraments. They cannot, therefore, signify or convey grace that isn't already included in the word and presented through the word by way of faith. They also presuppose faith in that word. Anyone who doesn't accept that word in faith derives nothing from the sacraments, and by using them he only leaves himself all the more without excuse. Sacraments have been ordained only for believers, for they don't effect what isn't there, but only strengthen what is already there. They do so by their very essence, for they are bound to the word and signs and seals to confirm it.
The sacraments exercise this confirming and strengthening power in two ways. First, they seal for the believer the promises of God that He will be a God unto them and unto their seed. He remembers His