This sermon emphasizes the importance of truly knowing God in a deep and intimate way, rather than just having superficial knowledge. It highlights that knowing God as infinitely valuable, beautiful, and satisfying is crucial for overcoming sin's dominion in our lives. The speaker challenges the idea that academic knowledge alone is sufficient, pointing out that even those with theological expertise can struggle with sin if they lack a personal, intimate knowledge of God's character and love.

I would just ask you, look around in life, in your church, look around, how many Christians do you see bent with all their powers to know God more and more? More truly, more clearly, more sweetly? Or do you see thousands fighting graduate school sins with grammar school knowledge of God? To which some of you would say, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, there are as many PhDs in theology who commit adultery as less educated people. To which I would say, probably more. Why is it that people with PhDs in theology commit adultery? They don't know God. You can read theology 10 hours a day, 40 years long, and not know God as beautiful, all satisfying, highest treasure of your life. Who cares about knowing God the way the devil knows God? He hates everybody. Knowledge of God helps him hate people. We're talking about knowing God here in First Thessalonians. They don't know God, they don't know God really as who He is, infinitely valuable, infinitely beautiful, infinitely satisfying, why your soul was made. There are more pleasures in His right hand, more eternal joys in His presence than you could have in 10,000 sexual trysts. The question is, do you know that? Because if you know that, sin will have lost its dominion in your life.