Moralism occurs whenever the fundamental message of a sermon is "be good; do good" (or some specific thereof). Whenever the fundamental purpose of the sermon is to improve the behavior of others, so that Christ in his redemptive office is either denied or largely overlooked, the sermon is moralistic. Such moralism is so common in American pulpits that when in ordinary conversation one individual attempts to correct another's behavior, it its not uncommon to hear the reply: "Oh, so you're going to preach at me now, are you?" People have obviously come to associate preaching with moral improvement (or moral scolding); they do not associate preaching with a proclamation of the fitness of Christ's person and the adequacy of his work to save the uttermost those who come God through him.
T. David Gordon
Why Johnny Can't Preach
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