Al Mohler's latest blog post takes direct aim at one of the most common misunderstandings of the gospel... especially among those of us in the 'Bible belt' saturated with a cultural 'christianity'.

It's called Why Moralism Is Not the Gospel - And Why So Many Christians Think It Is. Mohler says:

Sadly, this false gospel is particularly attractive to those who believe themselves to be evangelicals motivated by a biblical impulse. Far too many believers and their churches succumb to the logic of moralism and reduce the Gospel to a message of moral improvement. In other words, we communicate to lost persons the message that what God desires for them and demands of them is to get their lives straight.

And about the witness of the church:

The deadly danger of moralism has been a constant temptation to the church and an ever-convenient substitute for the Gospel. Clearly, millions of our neighbors believe that moralism is our message. Nothing less than the boldest preaching of the Gospel will suffice to correct this impression and to lead sinners to salvation in Christ.

Hell will be highly populated with those who were "raised right." The citizens of heaven will be those who, by the sheer grace and mercy of God, are there solely because of the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

Satan will be pleased to populate hell with people who lived my a set of cultural do's and don't, always thinking they were pleasing God, be never understanding the message of salvation through Jesus.