Topical Encyclopedia
The term "confirm" in the biblical context often refers to the act of establishing, strengthening, or validating something, whether it be a covenant, a promise, or the faith of believers. This concept is woven throughout Scripture, highlighting God's faithfulness and the believer's call to steadfastness.
Old Testament UsageIn the Old Testament, the idea of confirmation is frequently associated with God's covenants and promises. For instance, in
Deuteronomy 27:26, the people of Israel are called to confirm the words of the law by obeying them: "Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them." This underscores the importance of not only hearing but also acting upon God's commandments.
The Psalms also reflect this theme, as seen in
Psalm 119:28, where the psalmist seeks strength and confirmation from God: "My soul melts with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word." Here, the plea is for God to confirm His word by providing the strength needed to endure trials.
New Testament UsageIn the New Testament, the concept of confirmation is often linked to the strengthening of faith and the establishment of believers in their spiritual journey. In
Acts 14:22, Paul and Barnabas are described as "strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith," which illustrates the role of confirmation in the early church's mission to fortify believers.
The Apostle Paul frequently speaks of confirmation in his epistles. In
1 Corinthians 1:8, he assures the believers that God "will also confirm you to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." This promise of confirmation is a testament to God's sustaining power and His commitment to preserving His people until the return of Christ.
In
2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Paul writes, "Now it is God who establishes both us and you in Christ. He anointed us, placed His seal on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a pledge of what is to come." This passage highlights the Trinitarian work of confirmation, where the Father, through the Son and by the Holy Spirit, establishes and secures the believer's position in Christ.
Theological ImplicationsTheologically, the concept of confirmation underscores the reliability and faithfulness of God. It assures believers that God's promises are sure and that He will fulfill what He has spoken. This assurance is not only a source of comfort but also a call to perseverance and faithfulness in the Christian life.
Furthermore, confirmation is seen as a divine act that involves both God's initiative and the believer's response. While God is the one who confirms and strengthens, believers are called to actively participate by holding fast to their faith and living in obedience to God's word.
Practical ApplicationIn practical terms, the call to confirm one's faith is a call to spiritual maturity. Believers are encouraged to seek God's strength through prayer, study of Scripture, and fellowship with other believers. The church plays a vital role in this process, providing teaching, encouragement, and accountability to help individuals grow in their faith.
In summary, the biblical concept of confirmation is a multifaceted theme that encompasses God's faithfulness, the believer's perseverance, and the communal aspect of strengthening one another in the faith. Through God's grace, believers are assured of their standing in Christ and are called to live out their faith with confidence and steadfastness.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. t.) To make firm or firmer; to add strength to; to establish; as, health is confirmed by exercise.
2. (v. t.) To strengthen in judgment or purpose.
3. (v. t.) To give new assurance of the truth of; to render certain; to verify; to corroborate; as, to confirm a rumor.
4. (v. t.) To render valid by formal assent; to complete by a necessary sanction; to ratify; as, to confirm the appointment of an official; the Senate confirms a treaty.
5. (v. t.) To administer the rite of confirmation to. See Confirmation, 3.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
CONFIRM; CONFIRMATIONkon-furm, konfer-ma'-shun: In the Old Testament represented by several Hebrew words, generally with reference to an increase of external strength, as "c. the feeble knees" (Isaiah 35:3); "c. the kingdom" (2 Kings 15:19); "c. inheritance" (Psalm 68:9). In the New Testament, this external, objective sense is expressed by bebaioo, as inMark 16:20Romans 15:8. The strengthening of mind, purpose, conviction, i.e. the inner or subjective sense (Acts 14:22;Acts 15:32, 41) corresponds to episterizo. Used also of ratifying or making valid (kuroo) a covenant (Galatians 3:15). The noun is used in the second sense (Hebrews 6:16Philippians 1:7). Confirmation, the rite, in some denominations, of admission to the full communion of the church, which the Roman church has elevated to the place of a sacrament, has only ecclesiastical, but no Scriptural, authority. It is grounded, however, in the Scriptural precedent of the laying on of hands after baptism.
SeeHANDS, IMPOSITION, LAYING ON OF.
H. E. Jacobs
Greek
950. bebaioo -- toconfirm, secure... to
confirm, secure. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: bebaioo Phonetic Spelling:
(beb-ah-yo'-o) Short Definition: I
confirm, ratify Definition: I
confirm...1991. episterizo -- to make stronger
... stronger. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: episterizo Phonetic Spelling:
(ep-ee-stay-rid'-zo) Short Definition: I prop up, uphold,confirm Definition: I...
2964. kuroo -- to make valid
... to make valid. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: kuroo Phonetic Spelling:
(koo-ro'-o) Short Definition: I ratify,confirm Definition: I ratify,confirm...
4732. stereoo -- to make firm, strengthen
... firm, strengthen. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: stereoo Phonetic Spelling:
(ster-eh-o'-o) Short Definition: I strengthen,confirm, establish Definition...
3315. mesiteuo -- to interpose, mediate
...confirm. From mesites; to interpose (as arbiter), ie (by implication) to ratify
(as surety) --confirm. see GREEK mesites. (emesiteusen) -- 1 Occurrence....
1226. diabebaioomai -- to affirm confidently
... 1226 (from 1223 , "all the way through, thoroughly," which intensifies 950 ,
"make sure,confirm") -- properly, " assert"; " affirm" ()....
2901. krataioo -- to strengthen
... to strengthen. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: krataioo Phonetic Spelling:
(krat-ah-yo'-o) Short Definition: I strengthen,confirm, grow strong Definition...
4300. prokuroo -- to establish beforehand
...confirm before. From pro and kuroo; to ratify previously --confirm before. see
GREEK pro. see GREEK kuroo. (prokekuromenen) -- 1 Occurrence. 4299, 4300....
4741. sterizo -- to make fast, establish
... Word Origin akin to sterigx (support, prop) Definition to make fast, establish NASB
Word Usageconfirm (1), determined (1), establish (2), established (2...
793. asteriktos -- unstable, unsettled
... 793 (an adjective, derived from 1 "not" and 4741 "confirm") -- properly, not
established (unstable), describing someone who (literally) does not have a staff...
Strong's Hebrew
539. aman -- toconfirm, support... 538, 539. aman. 540 . to
confirm, support. Transliteration: aman Phonetic Spelling:
(aw-man') Short Definition: believe. Word Origin a prim.
...4390. male -- to be full, to fill
... accomplished (1), aloud (1), armed (1), become full (1), been completed (1), come
(1), complete (3), completed (9), completion (1),confirm (1), consecrate* (3...
6965. qum -- to arise, stand up, stand
... avail (1), brighter (1), build (1), carried (3), carry (4), caused (1), certainly
help (1), certainly help him to raise (1), come (2),confirm (13), confirmed...
3559. kun -- to be firm
... root Definition to be firm NASB Word Usage aim (1), appointed (1), carried (1),
certain (2), certainty (1),confirm (2), confirmed (1), consider (1), could (1...
2388. chazaq -- to be or grow firm or strong, strengthen
... aid, amend, catch, cleave,confirm, be constant, constrain,. A primitive root;
to fasten upon; hence, to seize, be strong (figuratively...
5975. amad -- to take one's stand, stand
... abide behind, appoint, arise, cease,confirm, continue, dwell, be employed,.
A primitive root; to stand, in various relations (literal...
1396. gabar -- to be strong, mighty
... exceed,confirm, be great, be mighty, prevail, put to more strength,
strengthen, be stronger,. A primitive root; to be strong; by...
553. amets -- to be stout, strong, bold, alert
...confirm, be courageous of good courage, steadfastly minded, strong, stronger,
establish, fortify, harden,. A primitive root; to be...
8627. teqan -- to be in order
... establish. (Aramaic) corresponding to taqan; to straighten up, ieConfirm -- establish.
see HEBREW taqan. 8626, 8627. teqan. 8628 . Strong's Numbers.
Library
ToConfirm what Has Been Said Above About Rewards and Punishments....
... by St. Ambrose, Bishop of Milan. Book I. Chapter XVI. Toconfirm what has
been said above about rewards and punishments? Toconfirm...
HereticsConfirm the Catholics in the Faith.
... Chapter XXXV."Hereticsconfirm the Catholics in the faith. And Trypho said,
"I believe, however, that many of those who say that...
Confirm the Hope Thy Word Allows
... VIII. SHORT HYMNS: BEFORE SERMON. Hymn 89Confirm the hope thy word allows. John
Newton 8,8,8,8.Confirm the hope thy word allows,. Behold us waiting to be fed;...
Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. Waiting for the Coming of Our...
... Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity. Waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who shall alsoconfirm you unto the end. Waiting...
On the Emperor's Return from the West, the Acacians Assemble at...
... Chapter XLI."On the Emperor's Return from the West, the Acacians assemble at
Constantinople, andconfirm the Creed of Ariminum, after making Some Additions...
Concerning Lucifer and Eusebius, Bishops of the West. Eusebius...
... Eusebius with Athanasius the Great and Other Bishops collect a Council at Alexandria,
andconfirm the Nicene Faith by defining the Consubstantiality of the...
The Partisans of Acacius Again do not Remain Quiet, but Strive to...
... Chapter XXIX."The Partisans of Acacius again do not remain Quiet, but strive to
abolish the Term "Consubstantial," and toconfirm the Heresy of Arius....
This Presupposed Truth and the Historical Accounts Mutually...
... IN GENERAL. Section 3. This presupposed Truth and the Historical Accounts
mutuallyconfirm and illustrate each other. But as man's...
Rom. xv. 8
... Rom. XV. 8. Rom. XV.8 "Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision
for the truth of God, toconfirm the promises made unto the fathers."....
Firm to the End.
... "Who also shallconfirm you unto the end.".... And last of all, a word as to the means
by which Christ willconfirm or strengthen you unto the end....
Thesaurus
Confirm (39 Occurrences)... 3. (vt) To give new assurance of the truth of; to render certain; to verify;
to corroborate; as, to
confirm a rumor.
...CONFIRM; CONFIRMATION.
...Joshua (211 Occurrences)
... it records, and in its many references to persons and places; and as in the latter
case the epistles of Paul (see Paley's Horae Paul.)confirm its historical...
Confirming (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) ofConfirm. Multi-Version
Concordance Confirming (10 Occurrences). Mark 16:20 They went...
Confirmation (3 Occurrences)
... and binding which was before voidable. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
CONFIRM; CONFIRMATION. kon-furm, konfer-ma'-shun: In the...
Verify (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To prove to be true or correct; to establish
the truth of; toconfirm; to substantiate. 2. (vt...
Numenius
... after his victory in the plain of Hazor (Galilee) over the princes of Demetrius
(1 Maccabees 12:1;) about 144 BC Their mission was toconfirm and renew the...
Seal (47 Occurrences)
... trap. 7. (vt) To set or affix a seal to; hence, to authenticate; toconfirm;
to ratify; to establish; as, to seal a deed. 8. (vt...
Sustain (28 Occurrences)
... 8. (vt) To prove; to establish by evidence; to corroborate orconfirm; to be conclusive
of; as, to sustain a charge, an accusation, or a proposition....
Protection (19 Occurrences)
... Daniel 9:27 And he shallconfirm a covenant with the many for one week; and in the
midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease...
Menahem (8 Occurrences)
... However short-sighted the policy, its immediate purpose was attained, which was
that the hand of the Assyrian king "might be with him toconfirm the kingdom in...
Resources
Does Egyptology confirm or deny the biblical record? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the relevance of the genealogies in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgHow do we decide which books belong in the Bible since the Bible does not say which books belong in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgConfirm: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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