Christianity vs. Moralism

If one is guilty they need gospel. If one is apathetic or indifferent they need law. Moralism, on the other hand, consists of watered-down imperatives designed not to expose sin, but give us principles for making ourselves better. Nothing is more poisonous to the soul than moralistic preaching, because like New Year’s resolutions they do not work and our failure to keep the rules only frustrates us. Christianity is a religion of rescue and redemption, and only secondarily a religion of morality and ethics. (-from Kim Riddlebarger's sermon on Galatians 5:16-26)