Max Lucado’s name appears regularly on the best-seller list of religious publications, and has for more than fifteen years. As popular as his books have become, he is a lightning rod for controversy among Christians. On the one hand Mr. Lucado identifies himself with churches of Christ and preaches for one of the largest congregations so called in the United States. On the other hand, he has thoroughly embraced, and been embraced by, those whose approach to Christianity is denominational in character.

This article isn’t a critique of Max Lucado’s writings. (If you want my opinion, ask me and I’ll be glad to tell you.) But I did have some thoughts on a statement he made in a recently published interview in a religious magazine (Christian Chronicle, July 2002). Here’s Max:

“I believe that baptism is essential for obedience. As far as I can tell there is no example of an unbaptized member of the New Testament church. In baptism the believer is identified with the righteous life of Jesus — buried with Him, risen with Him. Baptism is sacred…

“At the same time, I strongly resist any effort to trust the act of baptism to save. The work of salvation was finished when Christ said it was, on the cross. Baptism, nor any other work, adds to His completed service. My only contribution to my salvation is my own sin. The glory of redemption is not my baptism — but that a sinner like me could stand fearless and saved before a holy God.”

The statement to which I call the reader’s attention in the above quote is contained in the first sentence of the second paragraph: “I strongly resist any effort to trust the act of baptism to save.” Note carefully the words Mr. Lucado uses here. He does not say, “The Bible does not teach that baptism is necessary to save.” That’s good, because such an assertion would be patently and demonstrably false. Jesus Christ Himself said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16). Peter the apostle wrote that in the days of Noah, “a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism” (1 Peter 3:20-21). We could cite other passages to make the point, but these two clearly prove the New Testament teaches that baptism saves.

But what Mr. Lucado does say is curious — not that the Bible doesn’t teach that baptism saves, but that he himself “strongly resists” any effort to trust baptism to save. I can’t help but wonder: why would that be? If God’s word says baptism saves, why would Max Lucado — why would anyone — want to contest the issue?

I can’t speak to Mr. Lucado’s motives, but I can address what he says. He states that “the work of salvation was finished when Christ said it was, on the cross.” Did Christ in fact say this? True, He said “it is finished” while on the cross (John 19:30), but by this He referred to the ordeal of His crucifixion. Jesus still had more “work” to do to accomplish our salvation; specifically, He had to rise again. The Scriptures affirm this plainly: “If Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:17). If Jesus had died on the cross but not been resurrected, His work would have been incomplete and insufficient.

Further, Max Lucado says, “My only contribution to my salvation is my own sin.” I’m sure not even Mr. Lucado himself believes this. If all we have to do to be saved is commit sin, then we should “continue in sin that grace may abound” (Romans 6:1). If this were so, everyone would be saved, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

But there are many things we must do to be saved. We must hear the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-2). We must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31). We must repent of our sins (Acts 3:19). We must confess with our mouths the name of Jesus (Romans 10:9-10). And, as we have already seen, we must be baptized (Mark 16:16; 1 Peter 3:21; Acts 2:38).

Jesus once told a zealous man named Saul of Tarsus, “It is hard for you to kick against the goads” (Acts 9:5). Saul had heard about salvation in Jesus Christ, but he had resisted it, even to the extent of “breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord” (Acts 9:1). Ultimately Saul stopped resisting and did what he was told to do: “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). I pray that those who, like Max Lucado, resist what the Bible says about salvation will stop resisting, and simply do (and rightly teach others) what the Lord requires.