Baptism – Jack Hay

It is good to see a booklet like this one, designed to provide clear biblical counsel on this important subject. In eight short sections Jack Hay covers the topics of the command to baptize, the method to be used, the participants, the timing, the significance, and the practicalities. The audience for this booklet will be those who have made a profession of faith in Christ. The author makes no assumptions but clearly presents the need for the reality of faith, ‘It is crucial to be able to look back to that great decision that transforms the life and changes the destiny for eternity’. Equally, the booklet could be helpful to those who, brought up in different denominations, have not been taught the biblical pattern of baptism. The writer takes considerable space to refute the teaching of those who seek to perpetuate infant or household baptism.

Although the readers of this booklet may primarily be those who are in need of the basic teaching on the subject, the author takes time to deal with the teaching of Romans chapter 6, 1 Peter chapter 3, and Acts chapters 2 and 22. These, and others, occupy the six appendices at the close of the booklet.

Overall, this is a most helpful booklet that could be of great value to those seeking the truth of God in relation to this subject. With a wider audience in view, particularly those for whom English is not their first language, it might have been helpful to simplify some of the language used.