What is chrismation, and is it biblical?

Chrismation: Its Practice and Biblical Evaluation from a Baptist Theological Perspective

Chrismation is a sacrament observed in the Orthodox Church, often performed immediately after baptism. It is seen as the moment when the Holy Spirit comes upon the individual, marking the completion of the initiation into the Christian faith. While it may seem akin to confirmation in the Roman Catholic Church or other traditions, chrismation carries unique theological implications, particularly in the Orthodox view of sacramental grace. This discussion will define chrismation, outline its theological claims, and evaluate its biblical basis through a Baptist theological lens, emphasizing the sufficiency of Scripture and salvation by grace through faith.

The Practice of Chrismation

Chrismation involves anointing an individual’s body with a consecrated oil mixture known as holy chrism or myrrh. The ritual is typically performed immediately following baptism, which in the Orthodox Church usually occurs in infancy. For adult converts, chrismation follows baptism and serves as a rite of initiation into the Orthodox faith.

The Orthodox Church teaches that chrismation symbolizes the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the baptized individual. However, it is not merely symbolic. According to Orthodox theology, chrismation is sacramental; it is a means by which the Holy Spirit is conferred. The Orthodox Church describes it as receiving the “seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” (referencing Acts 2:38). The Orthodox Church in America explains it this way:

“Through chrismation, we receive the ‘power from on high’ (Acts 1:8; Acts 2:1–4), the gift of the Spirit of God, in order to live the new life received in baptism. He is anointed, just as Christ the Messiah is the Anointed One of God. Thus, through chrismation, we become a ‘christ,’ a person upon whom the Holy Spirit dwells, as long as we cooperate with His inspiration.”

The Orthodox view makes chrismation instrumental, meaning the Spirit’s indwelling is not simply commemorated but actually conveyed through the rite.

Biblical Evaluation of Chrismation

A proper evaluation of chrismation must be rooted in Scripture, the sole authority for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16–17). From a Baptist theological perspective, the teachings and practices surrounding chrismation raise significant concerns because they conflict with biblical principles regarding the Holy Spirit, salvation, and grace.

1. Chrismation Is Absent from Scripture

Nowhere in the Bible is chrismation or any similar ritual commanded, modeled, or even mentioned. While oil anointing was used in the Old Testament to consecrate kings, priests, and prophets (e.g., 1 Samuel 16:13), the New Testament does not prescribe or describe such an anointing as a means of receiving the Holy Spirit. Instead, the New Testament consistently teaches that the Holy Spirit is given to believers at the moment of faith.

• Ephesians 1:13–14 states, “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” (NKJV).
  Here, the "seal" of the Holy Spirit comes through faith in Christ, not through a physical ritual.

• Acts 10:44–47 records that the Holy Spirit came upon Cornelius and his household as they believed Peter’s preaching. This happened before they were baptized, let alone chrismated. This passage demonstrates that the Spirit’s indwelling is not tied to any external rite but is a direct act of God in response to faith.

2. The Holy Spirit Is Given at Salvation

Scripture repeatedly teaches that the Holy Spirit is given to all believers at the moment of their salvation, and this is not mediated through a sacrament or rite.

• Romans 8:9: “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (NKJV).
  This verse implies that every true believer already has the Holy Spirit. To suggest that the Spirit’s indwelling comes later or through a ritual contradicts this clear teaching.

• 1 Corinthians 6:19: “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” (NKJV).
  Believers are indwelt by the Spirit because of their faith in Christ, not because of external ceremonies.

3. Grace Cannot Be Mediated through Human Rituals

One of the core principles of Baptist theology is that salvation and all its benefits, including the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, are received by grace through faith and not by works or rituals. Chrismation, as understood by the Orthodox Church, adds a human-mediated element to what Scripture portrays as a divine act of grace.

• Ephesians 2:8–9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast” (NKJV).
  If salvation, including the gift of the Holy Spirit, is entirely by grace, then no rite, sacrament, or work can contribute to it.

• Titus 3:5–6: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior” (NKJV).
  The renewing work of the Holy Spirit is described as part of God’s mercy, not as something facilitated through a physical act.

Conclusion

While chrismation may serve as a meaningful tradition within the Orthodox Church, it lacks biblical support and conflicts with the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture. The New Testament clearly teaches that the Holy Spirit is given to all who believe in Christ (John 7:38–39; Galatians 3:2) and that this gift is a direct act of God, not mediated by human rituals. As Baptists, we uphold that salvation and the Spirit’s indwelling come by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone—without the addition of sacramental works.

Chrismation, as a practice, might symbolize an important truth—the Spirit’s role in the believer’s life—but to view it as a necessary means of receiving the Holy Spirit undermines the biblical teaching of salvation as a free gift, accessible through faith apart from any external rites. Ephesians 1:13 reminds us that it is in Christ, through faith, that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, to the glory of God alone.