The origin of ‘Confirmation’

A short text about so-called confirmation (it is a few teaching notes, but since someone asked for it I published it anyway):

Confirmation–the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Baptism of the Holy Spirit was early established as a necessary step in early Christianity. Later this became so-called confirmation, in the Orthodox Church ‘chrismation’. Already in early Christianity anointing with oil was used, and is so in many of the old churches. As noted, in early Christianity the combination baptism, Eucharist and ‘confirmation’ belonged together.

What is ‘confirmation’? In Lutheran tradition it has become a course in the Christian faith, finished through a solemn service. But the background is thoroughly ‘charismatic’: Acts 8:14–17

Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for it had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

This text is the background for what later was called confirmation:

• The apostles themselves came ‘down’ (since Jerusalem is always regarded ‘up’)
• They laid hands on the converts
• They received the Holy Spirit

What is the point with saying this?

• This was so important that the apostles themselves came to pray!
• The baptism in water was not considered enough: each believer needed to be baptised in the Holy Spirit
• This is evidence that conversion/baptism is one thing and the gift of the Spirit another thing
• In the oldest churches there are rituals, which preserve this doubleness: receiving Jesus/baptism and being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14–17 is read even at a Roman-Catholic confirmation!

In Lutheranism this has been lost due to a concentration on the learning aspect. But originally this has nothing with learning to do.

Other ways of describing this is the ‘down-payment’, arrabōn, and the seal, sfragis, of the Holy Spirit, who is a foretaste of the life in heaven:

2 Cor 1:22 and has both anointed us and marked us with his seal, giving us as pledge the Spirit in our hearts.

2 Cor 5:5 It is God who designed us for this very purpose, and he has given us the Spirit as a pledge.

Eph 1:13–14 In him you also, who have heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and have believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the pledge of our inheritance, for the freedom of the people whom God has taken for his own, for the praise of his glory

Hebrews is talking about: “the teaching about baptisms and the laying-on of hands, about the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgement (Heb 6:2),” probably about baptism in water, baptism in the Holy Spirit, the only two that are clearly spoken of in early Christianity.

The gift of the Holy Spirit as a separate gift is a necessary part of Apostolic Christianity and just as churches observe baptism, they should consider how they do to convey the Holy Spirit into the life of every convert.