Every Christian should own a copy of John Stott's
The Cross of Christ. Just sayin.'
"The Bible takes sin seriously because it takes humanity seriously. As we have seen, Christians do not deny the fact--in some circumstances--of diminished responsibility, but we affirm that diminished responsibility always entails diminished humanity. To say that somebody 'is not responsible for his actions' is to demean him or her as a human being. It is part of the glory of being human that we are held responsible for our actions. Then, when we also acknowledge our sin and guilt, we receive God's forgiveness, enter into the joy of his salvation, and so become yet more completely human and healthy. What is unhealthy is every wallowing in guilt which does not lead to confession, repentance, faith in Jesus Christ, and so forgiveness."
--John R.W. Stott, The Cross of Christ
"Nobody can reach God by his own wisdom or his own morality. Only at the cross can God be known. And this is doubly offensive to men and women of culture. They resent the exclusiveness of the Christian claim, and even more the humiliation implicit in it. Christ from the cross seems to say to us, "I am here because of you. If it were not for your sin and pride, I would not be here. And if you could have saved yourself, I would not be here either.' The Christian pilgrimage begins with bowed head and bent knee; there is no way into he kingdom of God except by the exaltation of those who have humbled themselves."
