Keeping Our Baptism/Confirmation Vows

For every Christian believer, there was a day when life changed—a day in which each was transformed from an enemy of God dead in his or her sins into a living, believing child of God’s family. On that day of Baptism, or later in affirming the covenant of Baptism in Confirmation, each was asked, “Will you, by the grace of God, continue steadfast in this covenant of your Baptism, even to the end?” The sponsor, and later you, answered, “Yes, I will.”
So, how are you doing with that promise? If you are like many other Christians, you might feel a bit guilty about how faithfully you have kept that promise—maybe even a bit worried. So many times, we fall short of perfect holiness before God. Actually, we are continually short of perfect holiness in our thoughts, words, and deeds. Some of you may look at your life and realize that you have pretty much abandoned the faith that you vowed to keep. Perhaps you may even be embarrassed by how long it has been since you testified to your faith with worship in God’s house and how long it has been since you tasted the body and blood of your Lord in His Supper. Have you spent time daily in your Bible and prayer since you repeated your Baptism/Confirmation vow? Does the rest of the world around you see that you are one of God’s children in faith? Are you truly living your vow?
We all have to admit that we fail. However, the main covenant of Baptism is not our vow, but the vow of God above. Baptism is never about what we do. We come to Baptism as unwashed, filthy sinners covered in the stench of death, and there is nothing you or I can do to change that. There is nothing we can do to make ourselves acceptable to God. But God is merciful. For your benefit, He sent His Son, Jesus, to rescue you from the muck of sin that made you God’s enemy. Jesus lived and died on your behalf. On the cross, Jesus took the awful condemnation and death you had earned so that His Father could justly declare you forgiven.
Dear friends, in your Baptism, God made a covenant with you that all of your sins are forgiven and remembered no more because Jesus took them all away on Calvary. Your merciful Father in heaven planned this from the beginning. He wanted you to be returned to Him as a clean and holy child. Therefore, when God claimed you as His own child in Baptism, He also credited you with the perfect holiness Jesus lived on your behalf.
All of this is why Christians are concerned with continuing steadfast in the Sacrament of Baptism, because in Baptism we receive God’s covenant promise that He has forgiven our sins and blessed us with an inheritance of salvation and eternal life. Thereafter, in repentance, we return to God’s covenant and receive His repeated assurance that we are forgiven.
Just like the father celebrated at the prodigal son’s return home, God is ever ready and willing to welcome you with open arms, ready to rejoice with the whole company of heaven for each and every sinner that repents.
If you are unsure where you stand with God today, return to your Baptism. Return to worship and repent of your neglect of God’s covenant and receive again His promise that all your sins are forgiven for Jesus’ sake. Come and hear the Gospel in Word and Sacrament through which the Holy Spirit reassures you that the Lord has forgiven you, has washed you clean of all impurity, and has made you His own dear child with an inheritance of joy and peace in His heavenly home.
Mike Muehlenhardt is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Klamath Falls, Oregon.