“BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION”
Acts 2:1-21
The Rev. Ms. Laurie A. McNeill
Montclair, New Jersey
May 15, 2005
This morning, four of our young people are claiming their need to be Christians, followers of
Christ. With their baptism and public professions of faith, they are affirming their acceptance of God’s
grace and place in their lives. We, the Church, confirm their claim as Christians.
While a public profession of faith for the first time is an important occasion in the Christian life,
we should be clear that we are united with Christ through the act of Baptism. When we are baptized,
we are incorporated into the body of Christ.
The baptism that will take place in a few moments presents us with an opportunity to revisit the
claims of our own baptisms.
Baptism is not just a simple initiation rite. Our baptism signifies the moment when we
acknowledge our new life Christ. The old life has gone; a new life has begun.
In his letter to the Romans, Paul actually speaks of baptism as a time of death and rebirth. Paul
writes that “we were buried with Christ...united with him in death...crucified with him.” (Romans 6:4-6)
While Paul informs us that baptism marks our death with Christ, he also instructs us that we are
“united with him in resurrection.” (Romans 6:5) “We have died with Christ...we shall also live with him.”
(Romans 6:8)
The act of baptism is the act of being united with Christ, being incorporated into his
body. Baptism is the seal, the authentication of our cleansing, our participation in Christ, our engrafting
into the body, and our commitment to faithful living. In the Middle Ages, kings would press their seal
into hot wax on a letter to authenticate its author. In modern times we use letterheads or our personal
handwriting to assure the source of a letter. Baptism authenticates us as one of God’s own.
In I Corinthians 12:13, Paul specifically identified Baptism as the act of becoming a member of
the church: “For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body, all were made to drink of one Spirit.”
Baptism is a resurrection experience. At baptism we say “goodbye” to our old selves
because we have become new persons. Our baptism means we will “walk in newness of life.” (verse
40 Paul speaks of this new life of the believer as “walking” by the Spirit, “the fruits of which are love,
joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:16)
When we are baptized we are dead to the power of sin over our lives; we rise to a new life
dominated by Christ. We are a resurrection people!
Baptism is our initiation into a new life in Christ. Baptism is a beginning. Baptism is when we
start to walk, walking by the Spirit.
Confirmation serves as an affirmation of our baptism.
Young people who make their confirmation say, “Yes, I am glad I am baptized.” Or for those
who have not been previously baptized they say, “Yes, I wish to be baptized as I make a profession of
faith.” With their public profession of faith, they become full members of the church.
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