Inter-Faith Series, Confirmation: What is Confirmation and how is it distinct from Baptism?

Question

Please confine your answer to the question.

Pastor Art
Read your Bible with an open heart and an open mind. There are numerous references to Confirmation in the Bible.

Answer 1

Pastor Art is wrong, of course, which doesn't surprise me since he is wrong about virtually everything regarding Catholicism.

Baptism, the Sacrament of supernatural regeneration:
Unless a person is baptized, none of the other six sacraments can be received. Only a baptized person can be confirmed. Only a baptized person can receive absolution in the Sacrament of Confession. Only a baptized person can receive the Sacrament of Matrimony. Only a baptized man can be validly ordained a priest.
Baptism first gives a person the supernatural life, whereas the other sacraments provide for the restoration, or growth, or healing, or communication of the supernatural life.

Baptism gives us a new life. Jesus Christ told us about Baptism during his conversation with Nicodemus. This Pharisee had just complimented Jesus. The Savior replied by saying, “No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is begotten from above.” To which Nicodemus objected, “How can a man be born again? Can he go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?” This was a perfect question to introduce Christ’s revealed teaching about Baptism. He said, “I solemnly assure you no one can enter the kingdom of God without being begotten of water and the Spirit.”

Confirmation: The biblical grounds for our faith in Confirmation are Christ’s promise to send the Holy Spirit on the apostles. Not surprisingly, it is the evangelist St. Luke who records the Savior’s promise. Just before His ascension, Jesus told His disciples, “I am sending down to you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city, then, until you are clothed with the power from on high” (Lk 24:49). On the same occasion, the Lord promised His followers, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses, not only in Jerusalem, but throughout Judea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
In the same context, we are told that converts to the faith were first baptized, and then the Apostles “laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (Acts 8:17).
Immediately we see that the basic reason why Christ instituted the Sacrament of Confirmation was that His followers would witness to Him, even to the ends of the earth. The original revealed Greek term for witnesses, as quoted by St. Luke, is “martyrs.” Jesus sent the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday to enable His disciples to be His martyrs until the end of time.

We define Confirmation as the sacrament of spiritual strengthening. More concretely, Confirmation strengthens the supernatural life we receive in Baptism. Confirmation increases our sanctifying grace in every way, but mainly in deepening our capacity to remain spiritually alive. It gives us the power of resistance, the ability to resist dangers, and the strength to become more Christ-like until the dawn of eternity.


The sacrament of confirmation is found in Bible passages such as Acts 8:14–17, 9:17, 19:6, and Hebrews 6:2, which speak of a laying on of hands for the purpose of bestowing the Holy Spirit.

We read: "Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment" (Heb. 6:1–2).

Notice how in this passage we are walked through the successive stages of the Christian journey—repentance, faith, baptism, confirmation, resurrection, and judgment. This passage encapsulates the Christian’s journey toward heaven and gives what theologians call the order of salvation or the ordo salutis. It well qualifies as "the elementary teachings" of the Christian faith.

Answer 2

They are both Sacraments. Although the Holy Spirit is at work in both Baptism and Confirmation, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given at the laying on of hands by a Bishop in Apostolic Succession...

Older Catholics will no-doubt remember Confirmation as the moment when their identity was changed: They "received the Holy Spirit" and became "soldiers of Christ." (This is from the ritual and ceremonial we Anglicans use in the Book of Common Prayer to this day.)

Today Confirmation is often defined as a sacrament of mature Christian commitment. It is the occasion when young people baptized as infants put their "personal signature" on their parents' decision.

That's somewhat correct...although Eastern Orthodox Confirm (they call it "Chrismate") infants right after they are baptized...and admit them to Holy Communion.

Personally - if it were MY choice - I'd opt for the Eastern Orthodox method.

Answer 3

As at work said, baptism, in some denominations, is a parent's intent to raise a child in the church, bringing them to church and teaching them about their faith, the Bible, etc. Confirmation then occurs when the child is old enough to understand and confirm the pledge their parents made. In my church growing up, this happened around 8th grade, and we learned about the denomination, sacraments of the church, and some of the major themes of the Bible.

Answer 4

in my opinion, no. Baptism introduces us into the Christian apostolate, no longer confirmation. confirmation is precisely what its call implies. this is the sacrament which makes company or strengthens the presents of grace that are first gained in Baptism. "The sacrament of confirmation confers a character. by ability of it the baptized proceed their direction of Christian initiation. they are enriched with the present of the Holy Spirit, and are greater heavily appropriate to the Church. they are made reliable and greater firmly obliged by ability of word and deed to witness to Christ and to unfold and shield the religion."

Answer 5

There is nothing in the Bible about "Confirmation".

Baptism is in the Bible, Confirmation is not.

Pastor Art

Answer 6

Baptism is supposed to be a symbol of your faith (or your parents, in case of a christening or dedication-- those demonstrate parents' intent to raise their child in the church); confirmation is a testing of your faith by church authorities, to be certain that you are 'doctrinally sound.'

Answer 7

Confirmation is "confirming" your baptism.