Max Lucado gets our Skull and Crossbones Award for his belief in the damnable heresy of eternal security. Max Lucado too is a grace changer. Here is what he said:
I believe that if a person is genuinely saved they're eternally saved, and that the work of the Holy Spirit -- Ephesians 1:13, -- When you believed you were sealed with the Spirit' -- that sealing is effective and eternal. If a person is genuinely saved, then nobody can snatch them out of the Father's hands. That's a discovery that I have made in the last decade or so that I don't think I embraced early on. But when you discover that salvation belongs to the Lord and doesn't belong to you, that is good news. (Max Lucado Transcends Church of Christ Beliefs, May 9, 2005 by Michael Foust)
Max Lucado, like many others, is confused about the seal of the Holy Spirit. He reads into it something that is not there and by doing so has allowed for an unscriptural image of a Christian. Nowhere in the Bible does it say that seal cannot be broken. Furthermore, Paul, who wrote of the Holy Spirit's seal, did not teach that meant a believer was eternally secure even if he would become a backslider as the prodigal son did. Ponder carefully what Paul wrote to those saved by grace and sealed with the Holy Spirit:
For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person -- such a man is an idolater -- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them. (Eph 5:5-7)
See also 1 Cor. 9:27; 1 Tim. 1:19,20; Rom. 8:13; Gal. 5:19-21; etc. Max Lucado also stumbles over John 10:28, apparently not recognizing the context shows that promise of not being snatched from God's hand is only for those who continue to follow Jesus, which is never how the eternal security people use it. The Max Lucado type often misuses John 10:28 to dangerously imply such a promise is even for those who wander off into lust, drunkenness, theft, adultery, hate, murder, greed, witchcraft, atheism, Mormonism, Catholicism, etc. Salvation assurance does exist, but not the kind that Max Lucado teaches. Again, the context of John 10:28 includes verse 27, where Jesus describes those who will never perish and never get plucked from God's hand, that is, those who continue to follow Jesus:
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. (John 10:27,28)To argue that salvation does not belong to the Christian is both strange and unscriptural. Ponder these verses which show otherwise:
And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. (Rom 13:11)
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed -- not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence -- continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, (Phil 2:12)
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation (1 Pet 2:2)Most surprising is, the very Scripture Max Lucado referred to (Eph. 1:13) counters his idea that salvation doesn't belong to the Christian!
And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, (Eph 1:13)Max Lucado deserves the Skull And Crossbones Award for teaching like this. [For much more related information, please consider getting our 801 page book refuting the perseverance of the saints entitled, "The Believer's Conditional Security." There is MUCH in it that can help you better understand this salvation related subject. The Believer's Conditional Security book is the most exhaustive and comprehensive refutation to eternal security ever written.] Remember Gal. 6:8,9 is a SALVATION passage not a rewards passage and Max Lucado is a scripture distorter!
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