Saturday, March 5, 2016

A Short Didactic


Sunday School, Bible Class, Confirmation, Vacation Bible School: Why didn't the early Church think these up? Because they learned liturgically and were - literally - recipients of the body and blood of Christ.

You see, a disciple is not just a recipient of so much accumulated information, but has one's entire life and being joined to a crucified and risen Christ by way of Baptism, Bread from Heaven, The Lord's Supper, Absolution, Christ Himself.

True enough, instruction attends to this relationship, but it is not parceled out into so many classes and levels of knowledge. It is imparted through preaching, teaching, and sacraments administered by Christ through His called and ordained servants. It is imparted fully and completely.

Wherever there is clear and pure preaching and sacraments, the Holy Spirit is calling, gathering, enlightening, and sanctifying the Christian Church on earth. It's been that way from the beginning and it will continue till the end of time as we know it.

It takes place in many forms, including Sunday School, Bible Class, Confirmation, and Vacation Bible School. But it does *not* take place independently. You can't "be your own man" and be a Christian at the same time.

Just like life itself, this eternal life is handed down, meted out, imparted, and given fully on the one hand, but apprehended weakly until such time as what has been hidden is revealed. Christians call it "the resurrection of the body and the life of the world to come."

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