Week 3
Day 6
Listen: 
Baptism and Confession of Faith
Confession of Faith or Confirmation of Baptism
I will confess Thee with uprightness of heart, when I learn the judgments of Thy justice. (Psalm 119:7)
TCR 677:5 Infants are introduced by baptism into the Christian heaven, and angels are there assigned them by the Lord, to take care of them. Therefore, as soon as infants are baptized, angels are appointed over them, by whom they are kept in a state to receive faith in the Lord. But as they grow up, and begin to exercise self-control and be governed by their own reason, these guardian angels leave them, and they draw into association with themselves such spirits as make one with their life and faith.
AC 6047 The start must be made from truths of faith, in this way. First there must be learned the doctrinal things of the church, and then the Word must be examined to see whether these are true; for they are not true because the heads of the church have said so and their followers confirm it, because in this way the doctrinal things of all churches and religions would have to be called true, merely because they exist in the country, and men hold them from their birth; and in this way not only would the doctrinal things of Papists and also of Quakers be true, but also those of Jews and even of Mohammedans, because their leaders have said so and their followers confirm it.
This shows that the Word must be searched, and there it must be seen whether the doctrinal things are true. When this is done from the affection of truth, then the man is enlightened by the Lord so as to perceive, without knowing whence, what is true; and he is confirmed in it in accordance with the good in which he is. If these truths disagree with the doctrinal things [of his church], let him take heed not to disturb the church.
[3] Afterward, when he has been confirmed, and is thus in the affirmative from the Word that the doctrinal things are truths of faith, it is then allowable for him to confirm them by all the memory knowledges he possesses, of whatever name and nature. For then, because what is affirmative reigns universally, he accepts the memory-knowledges which agree, and rejects those which disagree, by reason of the fallacies they contain. For faith is strengthened by means of memory- knowledges, and therefore no one is forbidden to search the Scriptures from the affection of knowing whether the doctrinal things of the church within which he was born are true, for in no other way can he be enlightened. After doing this, no one is forbidden to fortify himself by means of memory-knowledges; but he may not do so before. This is the way, and the only way, of conjoining the truths of faith with memory-knowledges, not only with the memory- knowledges of the church, but also with any memory-knowledges whatever.
SD 3977 Concerning Things Confirmatory of the Knowledges of Faith. It was perceived that at first, the knowledges of faith cannot be confirmed in any other way than by sensual and natural truths, for man cannot believe without confirmations. But afterwards, when such knowledges are confirmed, then the Lord bestows upon him the gift of conscience, by which he is enabled to believe without further confirmations; he then rejects all ratiocinations. This sphere is angelic, in which evil spirits cannot be. But as long as one is in the state of their confirmation, and reasons with them in order to convince them of truth, then [such evil] spirits can be present.
SD 2955 Now while in the street and talking with spirits, it was given to perceive that there are five kinds of reception [of the Heavenly Doctrine]: First, [those] who wholly reject, who are in another persuasion, and who are enemies of the faith. These reject; for it cannot be received by them, since it [can] not penetrate their minds. Another class, who can receive these things as scientifics, and are delighted with them as scientifics, and as curious things. A third class, which receives intellectually, so that they receive with sufficient alacrity, but still remain [in respect to] life as before. A fourth class [receives] persuasively, so that it penetrates to the improvement of their lives; they recur to these in certain states, and make use of them. A fifth class, who receive with joy, and are confirmed.
Questions
- While there is no mention of a ritual of confession of faith or of confirmation of one’s baptism in the Heavenly Doctrine, we do find many places in the Old Testament, especially the Psalms, of confessing the power and goodness of the Lord. In fact, our familiar blessing before meals is rendered in the Heavenly Doctrine as “Confess the Lord, for He is good.”
- Should the New Church have the ritual of confession of faith as a confirmation of one’s baptism?
- If so, should this be a private or public service? Many of the Psalms indicate this confession is public. “I will confess Thee among the nations” (Ps 18:49), “to make the voice of confession to be heard” (Ps 26:7). “I will confess Thee in an assembly of many” (Ps 35:18). Or are these referring more to singing and praying together in church?
- As Holy Supper is called the second gate after baptism, should one’s confirmation in the Heavenly Doctrine be conjoined with the first taking of the Holy Supper, or is this first communion actually the confirmation itself?
- Does the teaching from the Arcana Coelestia 6047 mean that the Heavenly Doctrine should be compared to the Letter of the Word to see if it is true, or should a person affirm the Heavenly Doctrine as “doctrine drawn from the Word from the mouth of the Lord” (Invitation to the New Church 38), and question what his ministers and teachers say in this light?
- Does the teaching in Spiritual Diary 3977 seem to indicate that being confirmed, or taking on the promises of our baptism as our own, coincides with the beginning of a true conscience?
- When we look at the various ways the Heavenly Doctrine will be received, is it possible to progress from one level of acceptance to the next, as we read and gain a greater and greater understanding of these truths from heaven?
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