The message Paul preached was based on the centrality of the cross: ‘we preach Christ crucified… to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.’ (1 Cor 1:23-24) Later he says ‘I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified'(1 Cor 2:2) and in Gal 6:14 says ‘May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.‘ Clearly, the cross is hugely important to our salvation!
Louie Giglio speaks of how the cross is found everywhere, even in the protein laminin in our bodies:
The cross is so important because it is the means of our salvation. Its importance is found in the emphasis of all 4 gospels, with Jesus teaching clearly that His mission was to die for our sins (see Mark 8:31-32, Mark 9:31, Mark 10:32-34, John 7:30, John 17:1). The apostles too emphasised the importance of the cross in both their early preaching (see Acts 2:22-24, Acts 17:2-3) and in their letters (1 Pet 3:18, 1 John 2:2). The death of Christ gives us access to forgiveness of sins and a right relationship with God (see Eph 1:7, Rom 5:10), allowing us to become God’s children and joint heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17, Heb 9:15). The cross also demonstrates Christ’s supremacy over evil; death could not hold Him and the enemy was defeated (see Col 2:13-15).
As Christians, we need to constantly return to the amazing wonder and grace found at the cross. The cross insults our intelligence (it’s too simple, too ‘good to be true’, we reason), our ability (there is nothing left for us to do to gain salvation except receive Christ’s sacrifice by faith), and our ambition (we learn to glory in the cross rather than in our own achievements or abilities). Nonetheless, it is the power of God for our salvation and the gospel message we must constantly preach.