The Rite of Confirmation stems from our Lord's command to His disciples and His Church recorded in St. Matthew's gospel, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen." ( Matthew 28:18-20)

Those who have been baptized into the Christian faith and have received its blessings of the forgiveness of sins, new life in Christ, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, saving faith, and the promise of life everlasting are subsequently taught the Christian faith, that the personal faith which the Holy Spirit has delivered through Baptism may be developed by the Scriptures, "which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).

So that the Baptized young Christian may "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18), each is formally taught the Six Chief Parts of the Christian faith as outlined with Scripture verses in Luther's Small Catechism. In addition, instruction in a number of key Bible verses is undertaken, along with an introduction to the Biblical heritage of God's people as contained in the Old and New Testament.  This instruction serves as merely the beginning foundation of the Christian faith, upon which the Lord continues to build through His Holy Word and precious Sacraments throughout our earthly lives.

The joy of the confirmand may be summed up in the words of the Holy Spirit through St. Paul, "Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him" (2 Corinthians 2:14).