Max Lucado is a popular author and preacher at the Oak Hills Church of Christ in San Antonio, Texas. In recent years some have questioned his view of baptism. Following are two excerpts from an interview with him in the July issue of The Christian Chronicle and my brief response.
What do you teach and believe regarding central beliefs such as baptism? -- "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. We've baptized over a hundred souls a year at Oak Hills for several years.
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."
Is there a denominational preacher who would disagree with any of that? The question is not whether baptism is essential to obedience; it is whether it is essential to salvation, that is, a condition that man must meet in order to be saved. The New Testament plainly affirms that it is (Mk. 16:16; Acts 2:38).
No one argues that baptism saves by itself, nor that the glory of redemption is in baptism. Yet baptism saves us - 1 Peter 3:21 says so. Romans 6:3 explains that baptism is into Jesus' death: it is the point at which we receive the benefits of His atonement.
If Jesus' statement 'it is finished" (Jn. 19:30) rules out baptism having anything to do with salvation by making it a work which adds to Jesus' completed service, it rules out faith and repentance on the same grounds. If the only thing we "contribute" to salvation is sin, then salvation is wholly a matter of God's doing; we are completely passive. That makes you wonder why everyone will not be saved, since God wants all to be saved (1 Tim. 2:4) and does not show partiality (Acts 10:34). It makes you wonder why Max Lucado preaches to sinners, if their salvation was already completed 2,000 years ago. Folks, this is the old Calvinistic theory.
What was finished when Jesus went to the cross was the work God gave Him to do on earth (cf. Jn. 17:4). He had more work to do in heaven relating to our salvation (Heb. 8-10), and we, too, have some things we must do (Acts 2:36-38; 16:30-31).
Of course there is no such thing as an unbaptized member of the New Testament church: we are baptized into one body (2 Cor. 12:13), the church (Col. 1:18). And since the church or body is the saved (Eph. 5:23), there is no such thing as an unbaptized saved person under the New Testament, either, which brings us to the next question in the interview.
How is this vision of baptism different than how baptism has been used by our (restoration) movement? Does accepting a Christian before baptism pose difficulties in teaching baptism? How does Oak Hills implement this? -- "We have discovered that if we preach Jesus, baptism is not an issue. In the teaching position paper that we give to all prospective members we explain this: once a person admits sin and trusts Christ for salvation, a step must be taken to proclaim to heaven and earth that he/she is a follower of Christ. Baptism is that step. Baptism is the initial and immediate step of obedience and worship by one who has declared his/her faith to others. With the exception of the thief on the cross, Scripture provides us no example of an unbaptized heavenbound soul.
The thief, however, is a wonderful exception. His conversion forces us to trust the work of Christ and not the work of baptism. Remarkable, isn't it, that the first one to accept the invitation of the crucified Christ has no creed, confirmation, christening or catechism? He never went to church, gave an offering, was never baptized. He said only one prayer. But that prayer is enough to remind us that though our doctrine be air-tight and dogma dead-center, in the end it is Christ who saves.
Does his baptism-less conversion minimize the role of baptism? Quite the contrary, it places it in proper perspective. We are the thief and deserve heaven no more than he. The very act of baptism, a passive plunge into the water, celebrates our utter reliance on our dear Savior."
Admit sin, trust Christ for salvation, then be baptized to show the world you are a follower of Christ - that is exactly what Billy Graham preaches, along with just about every denominational preacher around.
What Bible verse says baptism is the first step of obedience and worship one should take after being saved? Peter said be baptized "for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38). Ananias told Saul it was to wash away sins (Acts 22:16). Nowhere in the New Testament was anyone told that the purpose of baptism was to proclaim to heaven and earth that you are a follower of Christ.
The suggestion that we either trust the work of Christ or the work of baptism creates a false dilemma. It is in baptism that we make our appeal for God's cleansing through Jesus' atonement (1 Pet. 3:18-21). It is through baptism that we contact the blood of Christ (Rom. 6:3). Indeed, we are baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:4; Gal. 3:27). If we are saved prior to baptism we are saved out of Christ. That is nonsense (Col. 1:13-14).
Remarkable, isn't it, that the only case of conversion referred to is one that occurred before Jesus' death, before the New Testament went into effect (Heb. 9:17)? None in the book of Acts fits the theory.
The thief is clearly not our pattern for salvation. He could not believe what Paul said we must: 'if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved" (Rom. 10:9). How could the thief believe God raised Jesus? He died before it happened! For the same reason, he could not have been baptized in the likeness of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection as we must be (Rom. 6:3-11). Besides, baptism in Jesus' name was not commanded until Jesus took His place ruling at God's right hand. Just ten days after His ascension to the Father, the apostles began to preach salvation in Him, requiring faith, repentance, confession, and baptism (Acts 2; etc.).
Conclusion
It is sad that a speaker and writer with Max Lucado's appeal will not preach the truth. (It is also a warning that the sign Church of Christ does not guarantee the accuracy of what you hear therein.) Where he stands is evidenced not only by these statements but by other authors he recommends - Swindoll, MacArthur, Stott - all denominational preachers, none of whom preach the truth about salvation. He says that with choices like these, modern Christian readers "are kids in a candy store. Eat up." Beware, folks: this candy store is full of poison.
