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  KNOWING GOD BOTH INTIMATELY AND INTELLECTUALLY
  by Michael Morrow
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Summary: This sermon emphasizes that the purpose of Christ's sacrifice
was not merely to provide intellectual insights or doctrinal knowledge,
but to bring us into a personal relationship with God Himself. It
challenges the notion that intellectual understanding alone is
sufficient for salvation, highlighting the importance of being truly
brought to God through Christ's suffering and sacrifice.

Topics: "Personal Relationship with God", "The Purpose of Christ's Sacrifice"
Scripture References: John 14:6, 1 Peter 3:18, Ephesians 2:13, Hebrews 10:19, Romans 5:10

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DESCRIPTION
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This sermon emphasizes that the purpose of Christ's sacrifice was not
merely to provide intellectual insights or doctrinal knowledge, but to
bring us into a personal relationship with God Himself. It challenges
the notion that intellectual understanding alone is sufficient for
salvation, highlighting the importance of being truly brought to God
through Christ's suffering and sacrifice.

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CONTENT
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There are a lot of people who have gotten all excited about doctrine and
somehow they feel like they've seen something and they know something
that other people don't know and it gives them this puffed up feeling,
this exalted feeling, this sense of, I know something about God and I
have this insight into the truths of God. I want to tell you something.
The Word of God teaches that Christ did not die to give you great
insights and truths into the nature of God or just to give you doctrine.

Jesus Christ died to bring us to God Himself. I was with Brother Paul. I
went to hear Brother Washer preach on one occasion over in Bowling
Green, Kentucky.

And of course, as it always happens, I was talking to Brother Paul and
as it always happens, he was crowded, crowded around with young men,
young preachers. And they crowded up around him and one of them asked
him a question. And Brother Paul kind of smiled and deferred to me.

He said, this is an older pastor. I don't know why Paul thinks I'm an
older pastor, but anyway. He said, ask this man.

And so the boy asked me the question. I don't remember exactly what it
was. But I just felt the need when I finished saying what little bit I
said to ask him.

I said, tell me, tell me when you were saved. Tell me about your
salvation. This is what he said.

He said, well, I was raised in so-and-so church of Christ and I was
baptized at such a place. Now, let's get back to it. And I said, whoa,
whoa, whoa, wait a minute.

Tell me when you were saved. Well, he kind of stepped back and looked
offended. He said, I just told you I was raised in this certain church
of Christ and I was baptized at a certain, certain age.

Now, Brother Paul, about this doctrinal problem. And I'm going to tell
you something. There are multitudes of young men and women today who are
being taught and who think somehow in their mind that if they have an
intellectual grasp of the gospel, if they have an intellectual grasp of
the five points of Calvinism, and by the way, I consider myself a five-
pointer, so if what I said a while ago upset you, just don't get too
excited about it.

But I'm here to tell you that just because you have an intellectual
understanding of the gospel, don't mean you've gotten to the place where
God wants you to be yet. Jesus Christ suffered. Jesus Christ died.

Jesus Christ experienced the spittle and the scorn and the laughter of
men. And Jesus Christ was shamed and treated horribly to bring us to
God. That's the reason, to bring us to God.

All of these things, forgiveness of sin, redemption, reconciliation, all
of these things have to do with bringing us to God. Now, let me ask you
a question this morning. Have you ever been brought to God? That's the
question.

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Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/HvQ558xuP1I.mp4
Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/michael-morrow/knowing-god-both-intimately-and-intellectually/
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