Baptism: My Adoption into God’s Family

By Gaylin R. Schmeling

Baptism is a word known even to most non-Christians, but how deep is your understanding? What is a sacrament? Why is baptism so important? What do we receive from God when we are baptized? Is baptism a requirement for salvation? Why does the mode of baptism (sprinkling versus immersion) vary among different Christians? Which is right? Can infants believe? Should infants be baptized? What are the differences in baptismal teachings between the Catholic, Lutheran and Reformed churches?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? Have you ever been challenged on your beliefs and not known how to answer? God answers all of these questions in the Bible. Baptism: My Adoption into God’s Family by Gaylin Schmeling points you to the parts of the Bible that addresses baptism. He explains in detail the history and theology that may not be immediately evident to a lay person.

The book is split into the following four sections:

• The scriptural basis for the sacrament
• The blessings of the sacrament
• The meaning of the sacrament for daily life
• The sacrament in church history

Each section contains a wealth of information and, true to the nature of the People’s Bible Teaching series, all the concepts and terminology are thoroughly explained. One thing you can expect from this series is lots of scriptural references to back up every point. Whether you have some of the questions listed above or you are just looking to increase your knowledge about the sacrament, I highly recommend reading this book.