Leon Morris on the cross

In the modern world this [the cross] is not always understood as clearly as it might be. Today it is not uncommon to be told that the essence of Christianity is to be found on the Sermon on the Mount, in Jesus' ethical teachings generally, in the idea of liberation, in the thought that God came near to his creation in the idea of liberation in the incarnation, in "peace on earth", in brotherly love, in newness of life, or the like. I do not wish to denigrate such ideas. Christianity is a profound religion and its teaching has many aspects. But if we are to be true to the New Testament we must see the cross at the very heart of it all. These other suggestions may have truth in them, but that truth arises from the fact that the cross brings about many changes. New Testament Christianity centers on the cross. (Morris, Leon. The Cross of Jesus. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. 1998. p2)