Spiritual But Not Religious? The Dangerous Lie About Knowing God

About this sermon

Can you be “spiritual but not religious” and truly know God? In this challenging Christian teaching, Father Nathan examines one of the defining spiritual attitudes of the modern age: the belief that we can pursue God entirely on our own terms. Beginning with Christ’s teaching that true worship must be “in spirit and in truth,” this talk explores the difference between knowing about God and actually knowing God. What happens when spirituality becomes a reflection of ourselves—our feelings, preferences, desires, and personal definition of truth? Drawing especially from 1 Corinthians 2, Romans 12, the Gospel of John, Genesis, and the words of Jesus Christ, Father Nathan explains why human reason, natural theology, intellectual study, and even knowledge of Scripture are not sufficient by themselves to produce intimate knowledge of God. “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God…” True knowledge of God is ultimately revelation. The Father reveals Himself through the Son, and the Holy Spirit opens the human heart and mind to receive divine truth. This is why Christianity cannot simply become an individualized spirituality built around “my truth.” Christianity calls us outside ourselves—into repentance, humility, Scripture, Holy Tradition, the Body of Christ, and a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. In this talk: • What “worship in spirit and truth” really means • The problem with “spiritual but not religious” Christianity • How spirituality can become self-worship • Why natural theology has limits • Why studying theology alone cannot make us know God • The difference between knowing about God and knowing God • Why Christianity is inherently communal • Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and the relational nature of God • 1 Corinthians 2 and supernatural wisdom • Why the natural man cannot understand spiritual things • How the Holy Spirit reveals God • Renewing the mind through prayer and Scripture • The importance of Holy Tradition and the Body of Christ • Why humility opens us to God • Why Christians must reject self-centered spirituality • How to worship God in spirit and in truth 00:00 Worshiping God in Spirit and Truth 00:46 A Warning Before We Begin 01:21 “Spiritual But Not Religious” 02:06 Is Modern Spirituality Really Self-Worship? 02:30 Shallow and Self-Affirming Spirituality 04:27 Making God in Our Own Image 04:39 The Contradictions of Modern Spirituality 05:40 When the Self Becomes an Idol 05:57 Why God Became Man 06:33 Why We Need Divine Revelation 07:00 The Limits of Natural Theology 07:29 Worshiping Creation Instead of the Creator 08:33 Can Psychology Fix Fallen Man? 09:38 Can Studying Theology Lead You to God? 10:05 Jesus, Scripture, and the Knowledge of God 10:30 God Is Beyond Human Knowledge 11:19 The Rejection of Organized Religion 12:00 God Is the Creator of Order 13:06 The Trinity and Relationship 13:26 God as the Source of Beauty, Goodness, and Truth 13:54 Why Religion Must Be Communal 14:56 St. Paul on the True Knowledge of God 15:31 The Spirit Searches the Deep Things of God 15:47 No One Knows the Father Except the Son 16:06 Knowing About God vs. Knowing God 16:21 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit 17:06 1 Corinthians 2: The Natural Man vs. the Spirit 17:46 The True Knowledge of God 18:11 We Must Learn About God on His Terms 18:28 “Be Transformed by the Renewing of Your Mind” 18:48 How to Renew Your Mind Every Day 19:08 Scripture and Holy Tradition 19:39 Receiving Wisdom From the Holy Spirit 20:01 Only the Holy Spirit Can Give This Wisdom 20:09 Personal Relationship and the Body of Christ 20:34 The Danger of Modern Paganism 21:03 What Actually Matters About Our Theology? 21:21 Humility Invites God Into Our Lives 21:39 God Is Attracted to Humility 21:51 Don’t Rely on Your Own Wisdom 22:20 The Martyr’s Walk 22:36 Download the Sensus Fidelium App #Catholic #CatholicFaith #HolySpirit #SpiritualButNotReligious #Christianity #JesusChrist #CatholicChurch #ChristianSpirituality #Bible #CatholicTeaching #Faith #Truth #ChristianLife #Scripture #SensusFidelium For more please visit https://www.youtube.com/@OurLadyofWisdomLV & say 3 Hail Marys for the priest Fr. Nathan has a podcast located here https://www.youtube.com/@UCOWSTYHkkrM5bZOvbvy0Taw 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴 🙏 Support Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/donate-support/ 📬 Join Our Free Catholic Newsletter https://sensusfidelium.com/newsletter/ 📺 Watch Ad-Free on Sensus Fidelium TV https://sensusfidelium.tv/ 📚 Shop Sensus Fidelium Press https://sensusfideliumpress.com/ 📣 Advertise on Sensus Fidelium https://sensusfidelium.com/advertise-with-sensus-fidelium/ 🎤 Invite Steve Cunningham to Speak https://sensusfidelium.com/speaking/ ⛪ Parish Formation & Consultation https://sensusfidelium.com/for-parishes/ ✝️ Support Faithful Catholic Businesses https://sensusfidelium.com/catholic-businesses/ 🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴🔴