Review: "Max on Life"

I have enjoyed Max Lucado’s books for many years. He is very readable, Christ-centered, and like talking with an old friend. His latest book, Max on Life: Answers and Insights to Your Most Important Questions, is no exception. Lucado goes through 172 questions and answers, as well as an appendix which addresses the desires of would-be writers.

Over-all, Lucado’s answers are straightforward, good, and comprehendible.

Some are especially good, addressing issues and misunderstanding that I have found in my ministry:

Much like John Piper, Lucado explains that “God exists to showcase God” (29). God’s primary desire it to Glorify Himself, because He is Worthy. Our greatest joy is found in showing God to be Who He is.

Serious illness maybe God’s way of getting us to rely on Him (88). As difficult as it may be to understand (and I write this as someone with an incurable, chronic, and fatal disease), there are no simple answers for why x happens to y. It may be due to our sin. It may be to the fact of the Fall. It may be to bring glory to God. It may be to help us to mature in the faith.

The material world is good and will be restored to it’s pre-Fall state (217). Unlike what the churches taught that I grew up in, the Bible teaches that the Creation will be purified and restored, and we will live on the earth in the Kingdom; the material world will not be destroyed – we will not get wings and harps and float among the clouds.

Our job is to witness, not to convert (219). I have heard horrible and frightening stories about what God will do if we don’t get x to convert, but that is not what the Scripture tells us – we are called to proclaim the Gospel, conversion is God’s job.

After the appendix, there are very useful Scriptural and topical indexes.

However, I was troubled to find some serious errors (if I understand the Scripture correctly):

Lucado says that our salvation is based on our belief, not on grace alone (11). If salvation is based on our decision, then we are, in part, our own savior. I see the Bible teaching that God saves us through Jesus Alone by Grace Alone – our response of confession actually comes after God has regenerated us.

God can do anything (64). I don’t think Lucado actually believes this: Can God created a rock that is too heavy for Him to lift? Can God sin? There are things God cannot do – God cannot do anything that is contrary to His Nature. That does not make God less than God, it only defines His Nature.

Prayer gets God to change His Plans/Mind (77). There are passages of “condescension” where it says that God relents or changes His Mind, but if that is literally what has happened, then God is either evil or not Sovereign; a Sovereign God cannot be mistaken or shown a better way. These passages refer to our not getting the big picture, not to God’s insufficiencies.,

He persistently misapplies II Peter 3:9 (220-223). II Peter 3:9 says that “God is not willing that any perish.” But that does not mean that God wants everyone to be saved, otherwise, God would be a failure – God’s Will would be thwarted. In it’s context, the “any” that Peter is referring to are – go back one verse – “the beloved” – Christians – not everyone in the whole world, but those whom God has chosen/elect to save.

One final misgiving I have with this book is the amount of Scripture that is given in The Message and The Living Bible. Paraphrases may have a place, but not for quoting as what the Scripture says – they are not translations.

For all these reasons, and despite all the good in this book, I cannot recommend it for the average person. It might be useful for a pastor/le4ader to read through to cull out the good, but there is too much amiss that will mislead people to put this book in the hands of the laity.

[This review appears on Amazon.com and my blog. I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishing Group for this review.]