Two great quotes on the importance of looking to the Cross

"You can only keep the rottenness of sin and the kindness of God in mind if you fix your eyes on the cross. What shows Gods hatred of sin more than the cross? what shows God's love to you more than the cross? if you want to know exactly what sin deserves, you have to understand the cross. if you want to know how infinitely deep the rot of sin reaches, you have to think through all the implications of the cross. If you want to know how far God was willing to go to rescue you from sin, you have to see his precious Son hanging on the cross for you. " -Kris Lundgaard (paraphrasing John Owen), The Enemy Within: Straight Talk About the Power and Defeat of Sin

"Would I know how exceedingly sinful and abominable sin is in the sight of God? Where shall I see that most fully brought out? Shall I turn to the history of the flood, and read how sin drowned the world? Shall I go to the shore of the Dead Sea, and mark what sin brought on Sodom and Gomorrah? Shall I turn to the wandering Jews, and observe how sin has scattered them over the face of the earth? No: I can find a clearer proof still, I look at what happened on Calvary. There I see that sin is so black and damnable that nothing but the blood of God's own Son can wash it away; there I see that sin has so separated me from my holy Maker that all the angels in heaven could never have made peace between us: nothing could reconcile us, short of the death of Christ. Ah, if I listened to the wretched talk of proud men I might sometimes fancy sin was not so very sinful; but I cannot think little of sin when I look at Calvary." -JC Ryle, Sermon entitled "Calvary"