Limitless Conformation
Confirmation is a public profession of faith and an important milestone in a person's spiritual journey.
It gives individuals an opportunity to personally affirm the Christian faith and commitments acknowledged at baptism.
Although confirmation is important, it is not a sacrament in The United Methodist Church.
It is a commitment to live as a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ.
Baptism initiates a person into the new covenant in Jesus Christ and membership in the Church.
Infants may be baptized before they can fully understand the meaning of faith and church membership.
Confirmation allows individuals to personally accept God's grace, profess their faith, and commit to Christian living.
The phrase “Remember your baptism and be thankful” refers not necessarily to remembering the baptismal event, but to remembering what God has done through baptism.
According to Paragraph 217 of The Book of Discipline, confirmands promise to:
Renounce wickedness, reject evil, and repent of sin.
Accept God's power and freedom to resist evil, injustice, and oppression.
Confess Jesus Christ as Savior, trust in His grace, and serve Him as Lord.
Remain faithful to Christ's Church and represent Christ in the world.
Remain loyal to Christ through The United Methodist Church and strengthen its ministries.
Participate faithfully through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.
Receive and profess the Christian faith as contained in the Old and New Testament Scriptures
Key elements include:
Profession of faith: Confirmands answer questions about their faith and commitment.
Remembrance of baptism: The pastor reminds them to remember their baptism and be thankful.
Laying on of hands: The pastor, sometimes accompanied by parents, sponsors, and others, prays for the confirmand and the work of the Holy Spirit.
Membership vows: Confirmands make the same membership commitments expected of other new members.
Congregational participation: The congregation renews its baptismal vows, professes its faith, and promises to support the confirmands in their spiritual journeys
There is no single required age that determines when a young person should be confirmed.
The key factor is readiness to understand and live out the responsibilities of professing membership.
Confirmation requires a degree of personal responsibility, spiritual understanding, and the ability to make meaningful commitments.
In the United States, around age 16 may be appropriate for some young people, although others may be ready earlier or later.
God's promise: God confirms the divine promise made to those who were too young to understand their baptism.
Personal response: Individuals accept God's grace and profess their own faith in Jesus Christ.
Church affirmation: The congregation recognizes and affirms the commitments made by the confirmands.
Confirmation marks the first public declaration of an individual's intention to live out the baptismal covenant.
It is not the completion of one's faith journey.
It represents a renewed commitment to Christian discipleship.
The congregation also renews its own commitment to faith and to supporting the newly confirmed members.