Martin Luther, in his description of the theology of glory speaks of the different ladders that we vainly try to climb to reach God. Here is a link that you can take a look at that goes into some detail about Luther's theology of glory and the cross:
http://www.opc.org/new_horizons/NH05/10b.html
We have our own personal Jesus when we look at Jesus as a means to an end---the end is our personal fulfillment and happiness. In our culture happiness and fulfillment have become our Gods, and we invent a "Jesus genie" to meet all our wants and needs.
When we take the "cross out of Christianity" we then invent our own way to
reach God---and in our culture it becomes---our moral striving, mystic spirituality, or rational reasoning.
The cross brings us to our knees before a holy and righteous God. The cross tells us that we need a mediator before we can approach God. The cross tells us that we are sinners and in need of a savior. The Cross cuts pride out of the heart of man. The cross is God's way of salvation.
The cross was the only message that the Apostles preached---
" but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles... (1 Corinthians 1:23).
Listen to these forceful words of Jesus---
"I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the
gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber (John 10:1).
This one verse is the blinking red light to all who would attempt to reach God on their own terms. You have no say in the matter, you can only reach God through the cross (enter the sheep pen by the gate), for if you try any other method (climbs up some other way), Jesus says you are a thief and a robber.
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