Gospel alone

Glen Scrivener reminds Christians that the Gospel is not a good idea. Here's a (rather lengthy) sample:

We all love the phrase: ‘The Gospel is not good advice, it’s good news.’ Or at least, we should love it. It’s an essential reminder that we don’t preach a moral ladder to Jesus. Instead we announce that He has come down.

But I am worried about a similar error in our evangelism. It’s thinking that the Gospel is a good idea - even the best idea. The crowning ‘world view’ among ‘world views’.

In reality this is precisely the ‘good advice’ problem transposed to epistemology. Where ‘good advice’ preaching proclaims a moral ladder to Jesus, ‘good idea’ preaching proclaims a reasoned ladder to Jesus.

Both approaches are just as opposed to the good news as each other. One is moral pelagianism, the other is intellectual pelagianism.

Good point.

Update: John Schroeder offers related thoughts here.