By David J. Stewart
July
2012 | Updated October 2016
I
like Max Lucado as a speaker. He's really great at writing and a gifted
orator. However, he's also a perfect example of the dangers of ecumenism.
Max Lucado desperately tries to HIDE what he believes about the doctrine of
Christ.
I walked into a local Christian bookstore not too long ago and there it was
in my face—a giant life-sized image of Max Lucado with that big cheesy smile
on his face! Next to the big advertisement were hundreds of his books
stacked high.
I kindly mentioned to the Southern Baptist lady
(who owns the store with her husband) that Max Lucado is a Church of Christ
minister who believes a corrupt plan of salvation. (He changed the name of
his church years ago to hide his religious affiliation.) When I mentioned
that Max Lucado was a false prophet, it was like I dropped a bomb in her
Christian bookstore. I was only being honest and I couldn't have been
friendlier about it. She put on a fake smile and smiled until I walked out
the door and then I heard the door aggressively lock behind me. I told her
the truth and she was offended. What was she supposed to do with her giant
pile of Max Lucado books? Throw them away? Yes, throw them all away!!! I'd
burn them and have a nice hotdog cookout... don't forget the ketchup and
mustard please (oh, and lots of grilled onions).
I was recently startled while
researching the Jehovah's Witnesses cult at Watchtower.org, to find that
JW's believe in Lordship
Salvation. Check it out and you'll discover that JW's believe faith is
not enough to be saved. They require works as well. This is exactly what
John MacArthur, Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron and Paul Washer teach. Likewise,
Max Lucado teaches numerous heresies. He perverts the meaning of repentance
unto salvation. He perverts the Gospel message. He perverts the plan of
salvation by adding works. Well, see for yourself...
In Max Lucado's booklet “The John
3:16 Promise” (adapted from his book “John 3:16: The Numbers Of Hope”),
he states on page 57:
“'Christ
will live in you as you open the door and invite him in' (Eph. 3:17
MSG). Say yes to him. Your prayer needs no eloquence, just honesty.
Father,
I believe you love this world. You gave your one and only Son so I
can live forever with you. Apart from you, I die. With you I live. I
choose life. I choose you.
If you
aren't sure you've told him, you haven't. We can't get on board and not
know it. No stowaways permitted. Christ followers go public with their
belief. We turn from bad behavior to good (repentance). We stop
following our passions and salute our new captain (confession). We
publicly demonstrate our devotion (baptism).”
SOURCE: “The
John 3:16 Promise”, by Max Lucado; adapted from his book, “John 3:16:
The Numbers Of Hope”; Thomas Nelson Publishers, ISBN: 978-0-8499-1919-0
There are numerous problems with
Max Lucado's plan of salvation as you just read:
-
Lucado never mentions the
DEATH, BURIAL and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ. 1st Corinthians 15:1-4
defines the Gospel as Christ's death, burial and resurrection three days
later. This is the good news that brings salvation if you receive it as
payment for your sins.
-
In Max Lucado's sinner's
prayer, the Gospel is not mentioned. My friend, faith in Jesus is not
the Gospel. Salvation is not a sinner's prayer. The Gospel is not making
a commitment to Christ, nor is it forsaking the world nor amending one's
ways. Ye must be born again! (John 3:5)
-
Max Lucado says “NO STOWAWAYS
PERMITTED,” which he explains by saying, “Christ followers go public
with their belief.” This is a false Gospel. Lucado is ADDING
requirements to salvation that the Bible does not add. There is no
mandate in the Scriptures to confess Christ before others to be saved.
The Bible says that many of the chief rulers and people believed on Him,
but secretly for fear of the Jews (John 12:42). Joseph of
Arimathaea was a secret Christian for fear of the Jews (John 19:38).
Confession is NOT a requirement for salvation. Max Lucado is a false
prophet!!! Peter was scared and denied Christ, cursing the name of Jesus
and then he quit the ministry.
-
Max Lucado has an incorrect
understanding of what it means to repent.
Mr. Lucado errantly teaches
that repentance is “turning from bad behavior to good.” That's not what
repentance concerning salvation means. Mark 1:15, “And saying, The
time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and
believe the gospel.” The word “repent” in Mark 1:15 is the Greek
word metanoeo and means “to think differently.” Hence, Biblical
repentance is to think differently and believe the Gospel. Repentance is
a change of mind, not a change of life. The object of repenting is
believing the Gospel, not changing one's lifestyle.
-
Max Lucado says to be saved
“we stop following our passions and salute our new captain.” This again
is a false understanding of what it means to repent.
-
Lucado says to be saved “we
publickly demonstrate our devotion (baptism).” Church Of Christ require
water baptism for salvation. Max Lucado says that water baptism is not
required for salvation in his statement of faith, but then writes his
books like it is required. Max Lucado says no stowaways are permitted
and then he lists all the requirements to be a legitimate passenger. Max
Lucado is teaching self-righteousness and a false plan of salvation.
The Damnable MSG
Bible Max Lucado Quotes From
I was glad to be sitting down when
I glanced through the MSG version of the Bible.
The Message: The Bible in Contemporary
Language was created by
Eugene H. Peterson and published in segments
from 1993 to 2002. It is a non literal translation, tending towards
paraphrase, of the original languages of the Bible.
SOURCE:
The Message
(Bible) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Here's John 3:16 in the MSG Bible.
(By the way “MSG” also stands for “Monosodium Glutamate,” a food
preservative that gives a lot of people headaches. Well, the MSG Bible will
send you to Hell).
Here's some shocking comparisons
between the MSG verses the inspired and precious King James Bible Bible. The
street jingo, hip hop, Ebonics, “Get down and go daddy, yo hubba bubba”
language of the MSG is irreverent to God (not to mention as heretical as can
be)...
ISAIAH 7:14 - Can you
believe how Satan has butchered the Bible? Notice that the MSG version
attacks the virgin birth in Isaiah 7:14. Instead of saying that a virgin
shall conceive, the MSG says that a woman who is a virgin will get pregnant.
THAT'S WHAT ANY VIRGIN WHO HAS SEX DOES! There's a 100% difference between a
virgin conceiving verses a virgin getting pregnant. Notice how subtle the
wording is. They butchered Matthew 1:23 (which quotes Isaiah 7:14) the same.
There's a big difference between a virgin conceiving verses a virgin getting
pregnant. The reader is not led to believe in the virgin birth of Christ by
the poor wording of the MSG version.
ROMANS 10:13 - Notice how
the Devil butchers Romans 10:13 in the MSG. Instead of trusting upon the
Lord Jesus, now it's just asking God for help. Instead of being saved, now
it's just getting help. How lame. They've taken away salvation.
ACTS 2:38 - The MSG version
has butchered Acts 2:28 teaching the heresy of Baptismal Regeneration. The
word “for” in the King James Bible is the Greek word eis and means “a
primary preposition; to or into (indicating the point reached or entered),
of place, time”; hence, the Bible commands us to repent and be baptized
because your sins have ALREADY been forgiven. You've already reached the
point of salvation; therefore, now you ought to be water baptized because
your sins are already forgiven in Christ.
MATTHEW 7:21-23 - The MSG
version perverts the Scriptures, teaching that the way of salvation is
“serious obedience.” In sharp contrast, the King James Bible teaches in John
6:40 that God's will to be saved is TO BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!
Serious obedience is a matter of discipleship, not salvation. Eternal life
is a free gift, which is freely received without any obligation.
ACTS 16:30-31 - Instead of
being saved, now it's just living the life you were meant to live.
JOHN 1:12 - Notice that the
MSG version adds the requirement of doing what he said to be saved. The King
James Bible simply says to receive the Lord, but the MSG version says you
must also do what he said (implying works salvation). Also, notice that the
phrase “to them that believe on His name” is removed completely.
GENESIS 1:1-2 - This is
just weird how the MSG version renders the Scripture passage. They added the
word “bottomless.” No where does the Bible say that the world was
bottomless!
JOHN 3:16 - The MSG version
totally denies the Biblical teaching of eternal life. They says that those
who believe on Christ can have a whole and lasting life. What? Any unsaved
heathen can live a whole and lasting life. Look at Playboy founder Hugh
Hefner, who has lived one of the most fulfilling, pleasurable and
trouble-free lives in history. Hugh is 86-years old in 2012 and shacking -up
with three sisters, having sex with all of them. He's a filthy rich
multi-millionaire. In fact, he has hundreds-of-millions. Hefner was dating 7
women at one time, but Hebrews 13:4
warns “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but
whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” ...
“Hefner
then began to move an ever-changing coterie of young women into the
mansion, even dating up to seven girls at once, among them, Brande
Roderick, Izabella St. James, Tina Marie Jordan, Holly Madison, Bridget
Marquardt, and Kendra Wilkinson. The reality television series The
Girls Next Door depicted the lives of Madison, Wilkinson and
Marquardt at the Playboy Mansion.”
SOURCE:
Hugh Hefner -
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ecclesiastes 8:12, “Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his days be prolonged, yet
surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear
before him.”
My friend, the precious King James
Bible promises us EVERLASTING LIFE. The way the MSG is written subtly speaks
only of this earthly life. Words are powerful and the arrangement of words
is critical to meaning. The MSG version rearranges words in such a way that
the Bible is no longer appears divine, but humanistic and manmade.
Also, please note that the MSG
version contains all the same corruptions as the New International Version
(NIV) and a bunch more. The MSG is a paraphrase from Hell. John 3:16 removes
the word “begotten,” claiming that Jesus is God's one and only Son. That's a
lie! John 1:12 says that every believer is an adopted son of God. My friend,
if you have an MSG version, throw it in the garbage. Pour maple syrup all
over it so no one else picks it up to read. Rip it up! Burn it at a
barbecue! Get you a King James Bible, which are God's inspired Words!
Buyer Beware!
Remember, the best place to hide a
LIE is between two TRUTHS. Max Lucado is a gifted writer and eloquent in
speech, but the very fact that he dropped the mention of “Church of Christ”
from his church's name shows that he's being deceitful...
Max
Lucado will not come right out and make dogmatic statements about what he
believes concerning the Doctrine of Christ. The reason is to avoid conflicts
with ecumenical denominations. Read the preface to any modern corrupt Bible
in front and you'll discover that the intent of their translation is to
steer away from “sectarian bias.”
In other
words they invited all the different religious denominations and asked them
what to remove so they'd buy their new and improved Bible. It's all about
making money—marketing a product that will sell. It makes God's blood boil
when evil people butcher the Bible to make it more marketable to an apostate
generation of unbelievers. You can have a Bible assembled by unsaved
heathens and homosexuals if you want; but for me there's no other Bible than
the inspired King James Bible. Amen and Hallelujah!
You
cannot remain neutral in your beliefs without totally selling out, sinfully
compromising and joining the Devil. God commands us to take sides and not
remain lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16). There is no middle-ground. Apostates
like Max Lucado who attempt to straddle-the-fence are going to get splinters
in their rear-end. Max Lucado has wood sticking out his posterior area from
riding upon the fence for so long. Remember my friend, if you drive in the
centerlane of the highway you're going to cause accidents. God wants us hot
or cold, in or out, on or off according to Revelation 3:15-16.
Max
Lucado is pulling on the same rope as the Devil. Go view his website at
maxlucado.com and you'll find a bunch of lame articles promoting psychology
instead of doctrinal truth. Hundreds of religious groups and denominations
today support Mr. Lucado and purchase his books. Lucado is so wishy-washy
and sinfully compromised as a Bible teacher that the New World Order loves
him. Lucado rakes in millions of dollars each year from his book sales (and
has been for decades).
Anyone
can write dozens of books which employ Bible characters and stories, and yet
not touch upon the Doctrine of Christ. That's what I hate about The
Picture Bible for children. They don't teach the Godhead, neither
the virgin birth, neither the importance of the blood of Jesus, nor any of
the doctrines of Christ. The Doctrine of Christ is very important, for it is
the only thing which separates genuine Christianity from false religion.
Authors like Max Lucado exploit the Bible to make a buck, but they have no
sincere interest in teaching people the truth of God's Word. If they did
they would do so. No preacher becomes worldwide famous unless he is a dirty
compromiser!
God give
us more Billy Sundays and “THUS SAITH THE LORD!” type preachers like Isaiah
and John the Baptist!!!
Frankenstein Ministers
Today's
ministers are sadly resemblant of Dr. Frankenstein, who took body parts from
various dead corpses and assembled them into one zombie, calling it life.
Today's Modernists and liberal preachers take quotes from different dead
Bible perversions and assemble them into Frankenstein-like New York Times
Bestseller books, falsely claiming they'll change your life. I'm not
interested in body parts from different corrupt Bible versions. The parallel
is disturbingly accurate. Today's ministers are like Dr. Frankenstein,
trying to create life from the butchered dead. You can't take body parts
from dead Bibles and attempt to create spiritual life in a church
congregation.
The
bottom line is that you'll starve to death spiritually reading Max Lucado's
book; but worse, you'll be led into the sinful Ecumenical Movement that
yokes born-again evangelicals with unsaved Roman Catholics. God commanded
the prophet Balaam (see Numbers chapter 22) NOT to allow God's children to
yoke together with the Devil's children in the world. Balaam today is known
as the infamous “prophet for hire,” because in exchange for the good life he
disobeyed God and brought the righteous together with the heathen, thus
polluting the land with idolatry, wickedness and apostasy.
Any
unsaved Roman Catholic would feel at home reading one of Max Lucado's books,
or listening to a sermon preached by Mr. Lucado. Read the following sinner's
prayer that Max Lucado uses to lead a person to receive Christ...
“Father, I believe you
love this world. You gave your one and only Son so I can live forever
with you. Apart from you, I die. With you, I live. I choose life. I
choose you.”
SOURCE: “3:16—THE
NUMBERS OF HOPE,” by Pastor Max Lucado; Nelson Publishers, pg. 129, 2007
That's it? That's what a person needs to pray
to be saved? Well, first of all, no prayer can save a person. According to
1st Corinthians 15:1-4 we are saved by believing in our heart that Jesus
died, was buried and rose from the dead, and trusting upon that (THE GOSPEL)
as payment for our sins. Jesus paid it all! That's Biblical salvation. We
are saved by grace through faith PLUS NOTHING!
Max
Lucado is a prophet for hire, as is Billy Balaam (Graham), attempting to
unite different religions through watered-down, milquetoast, apostate
mumbo-jumbo sermonettes and shallow books that don't take a stand for the
doctrines of Christ (such as the virgin birth, Christ's deity, Godhead,
Jesus' literal blood sacrifice, bodily resurrection, sinless life, et
cetera).
Mr.
Lucado also horribly fails to explain what he believes about repentance unto
salvation, because it is clear that he is a Church of Christ minister,
still. The church may have changed their name, but Max Lucado has NEVER
renounced his Church of Christ beliefs and faith. The Church of Christ is
sincere, no doubt; but they are of the Devil and sincerely on their way to
Hell in a false plan of salvation. Salvation is by grace through faith PLUS
NOTHING!
Who is
that man behind the curtain? What does Max Lucado really believe? In order
to maintain international superstar status, Mr. Apostate must continue to
remain secretive and hide his true views of the doctrines of Christ. For to
take any stand means criticism from one or more groups. It's tragic that a
minister can wallow like a pig in apostasy, never take a stand on core
doctrinal issues, and people will give him more money for teaching vague but
widely accepted cute Bible stories. 2nd Timothy 4:3, “For the time will
come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears.” And so it
is with Max Lucado, Joel Osteen, Joyce Meyer, Pat Robertson, Benny Hinn and
other fakes on television and in the bookstores. Who next, the Antichrist?
You know, Christian books are priceless; but
Max Lucado's books in my opinion are dangerous, because they steer clear of
the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.
I knew a Church of Christ (COC) minister
years ago. We debated frequently over the Bible. The man DIDN'T believe in
either a literal heaven nor hell. He believed a wrong view of repentance
which teaches a 'change of lifestyle' to be saved; instead of simply a
'change of mind' as the Biblical Greek teaches in Mark 1:15.
The minister also denied a literal 1,000-year
reign of Christ during the Millennium. And of course he didn't believe in a
Rapture either. Church Of Christ, Churches Of Christ, United Churches Of
Christ, International Church Of Christ... they're are messed up!
Church Of Christ followers are
taught that you have to try really hard to stop committing sins to be saved,
as does Ray Comfort and Paul Washer. This is their false understanding of
what repentance really means. This is not Biblical repentance unto
salvation; but rather, self-righteousness of ther worst sort (deceitfully
repackaged as truth). Max Lucado is a wolf in sheep's clothing, wrapping his
false views on repentance, baptism and salvation in basic Christian
principles.
Satan's greatest weapon is to con
people into living the Christian life without ever being born again!
Salvation is not doing your best, it is having Christ's best put to your
account through receiving Him by faith. God will not save anyone who is
trying to be saved, He will only save those who are trusting to be saved.
No Book Can Substitute For THE BOOK!
Please don't misunderstand, no Book compares to
our beloved and inspired King James Bible. No book authored by man is
inspired. Only the Bible is INSPIRED (God-breathed). Literally, God made
sinful men holy in order to prepare them to be PENS to write His Words. God
is the divine Author. For a much better explanation on this subject please
read, HOW WE GOT GOD'S
WORD. No book ought to be compared nor elevated with the GOOD
BOOK!
Albeit, God has blessed us with the wisdom and
knowledge of Christian men who've diligently studied the Word of God. The
great DANGER is becoming dependent (reliant) upon books written by man
instead of doing our own homework and study. Many people are being led
astray these days by corrupt Bible-teachers that arrogantly pervert the
truth into a lie.
The big problem with contemporary corrupt
Bible-scholars is that they all use contemporary corrupt Bibles. I just
wrote an article exposing the
Holman Christian
Standard Bible (HCSB), which is published by the apostate Southern
Baptist Convention (SBC). It is based upon the same corrupt
Alexandrian Greek
manuscripts of Westcott and Hort as the New International Version and
Good [Bad] News For Modern Man. If you have a corrupt Bible
revision, then all the
fruit will be corrupt. The ONLY Bible that you can trust is the precious and
inspired KING JAMES BIBLE (often called the 1611 “AUTHORIZED VERSION”). The
most priceless Holy Book is our believed King James Bible. Only the King
James Bible faithfully uplifts, honors and exalts the Lord Jesus Christ, His
deity, virgin birth, sinless perfection, preeminence and the Godhead!
“I've
devoted my life to the distribution of books, Bibles and tracts and
anything that will help to further the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The reading of good Christian books is one of the best ways to challenge
and encourage Christians.”
—Larry
Harrison (Christian
Book Gallery)
