--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Authentic spiritual authority is what…" description: "\"Authentic spiritual authority is what puts you in touch with reality.\" — John Ortberg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/john-ortberg-932_authentic_authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-pu_2349103.png" --- # Authentic spiritual authority is what puts you in touch… ![“Authentic spiritual authority is what puts you in touch with reality.” quote by John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/john-ortberg-932_authentic_authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-pu_2349103.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/john-ortberg-932_authentic_authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-pu_2349103.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/john-ortberg-932_authentic_authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-pu_2349103.png) > “Authentic spiritual authority is what puts you in touch with reality.” [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True spiritual authority connects you directly to reality, grounding belief in lived experience. **In simple terms:** Authority is real when it matches reality. Key Takeaway Seek authentic experiences over mere doctrine. Themes spiritual authority authenticity reality faith experience Mood thoughtful encouraging Type practical reflective When to use this quote - daily prayer - counseling - leadership training - personal reflection Key Concepts existential practical theology grounded belief Questions to Reflect On - What reality checks do you use for spiritual authority? - How does authenticity affect your faith journey? A Different Perspective May ignore institutional wisdom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authentic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authentic/) [Authentic Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authentic-spiritual-1173992/) [Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authority/) [Puts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/puts/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual Authority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-authority-1099115/) [Touch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/touch/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [Real spiritual authority has to do with the truth of the actual words being spoken, and the spirit of the person behind the words.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/real-spiritual-authority-has-to-do-with-the-truth-of-the-actual-words/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [There is only one way of attaining liberation and of obtaining the omniscience of enlightenment: following an authentic spiritual master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sogyal-rinpoche/there-is-only-one-way-of-attaining-liberation-and-of-obtaining-the/) [Sogyal Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sogyal-rinpoche/) > [“Authentic spiritual friendships: Most of what we know about ourselves, truth or falsehood, has been reflected back to us from others. It is vital…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-thomas-ashbrook/authentic-spiritual-friendships-most-of-what-we-know-about-ourselves/) [R. Thomas Ashbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-thomas-ashbrook/) > [“Spiritual principles, if true, are true for everyone. That is the yardstick that validates their authenticity. Authentic spiritual ideas also have the universal power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/spiritual-principles-if-true-are-true-for-everyone-that-is-the/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [The Truth must be told at all costs, no matter how unpopular it may be. The authentic spiritual leader, having freed himself of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-howard/the-truth-must-be-told-at-all-costs-no-matter-how-unpopular-it-may-be/) [Vernon Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-howard/) > [The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-dominant-characteristic-of-an-authentic-spiritual-life-is-the-2/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [The dominant characteristic of an authentic spiritual life is the gratitude that flows from trust — not only for all the gifts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/the-dominant-characteristic-of-an-authentic-spiritual-life-is-the/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [It takes spiritual authority to bless others. Many Christians say, "God bless you," but one clearly senses that although the words express a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/basilea-schlink/it-takes-spiritual-authority-to-bless-others-many-christians-say-god/) [Basilea Schlink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/basilea-schlink/) > [“So if we completely reject, not intellectually but actually, all so-called spiritual authority, all ceremonies, rituals and dogmas, it means that we stand alone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/so-if-we-completely-reject-not-intellectually-but-actually-all-so/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“The controversy over resurrection, then, proved critical in shaping the Christian movement into an institutional religion. All Christians agreed in principle that only Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-pagels/the-controversy-over-resurrection-then-proved-critical-in-shaping-the/) [Elaine Pagels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-pagels/) > [ “An “apostle” \[is\] one who is called and sent by Christ to have the spiritual authority, character, gifts and abilities to successfully reach and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cannistraci/an-apostle-is-one-who-is-called-and-sent-by-christ-to-have-the/) [David Cannistraci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cannistraci/) > [“A woman has never been able to become a priest—she cannot even be a deacon, nor yet a chorister—but a woman can with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigrid-undset/a-woman-has-never-been-able-to-become-a-priest-she-cannot-even-be-a/) [Sigrid Undset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigrid-undset/) > [“But herein also lies an irony, for there is more than one kind of power and one kind of authority. The power of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-talbott/but-herein-also-lies-an-irony-for-there-is-more-than-one-kind-of/) [Thomas Talbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-talbott/) > [“Hell, fears those who threaten its agenda through prayer, righteousness, and spiritual authority. Demons recognize true spiritual authority, not religious appearance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-greatest-of-all-romances-your-potters-call-henrietta-newton-martin/hell-fears-those-who-threaten-its-agenda-through-prayer-righteousness/) [The Greatest of All Romances- Your Potters Call Henrietta Newton Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-greatest-of-all-romances-your-potters-call-henrietta-newton-martin/) > [“Necessity demands that one should carefully examine who it is that comes to the position of spiritual authority; and coming solemnly to this point,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-gregory-i/necessity-demands-that-one-should-carefully-examine-who-it-is-that/) [Pope Gregory I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-gregory-i/) ## More by John Ortberg > [“What do we do in the dark night? We do nothing. We wait. We remember that we are not God. We hold on. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/what-do-we-do-in-the-dark-night-we-do-nothing-we-wait-we-remember/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [If we are serious about loving God, we must begin with people, all people. And especially we must learn to love those that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/if-we-are-serious-about-loving-god-we-must-begin-with-people-all/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The greatest bloodbaths in the history of the human race were recorded in the twentieth century in countries that sought to eliminate God, worship,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-greatest-bloodbaths-in-the-history-of-the-human-race-were/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [There is no way for a human being to come to God that does not involve surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/there-is-no-way-for-a-human-being-to-come-to-god-that-does-not/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Will you keep going when you don't know why? When you can't get any answers that would make the pain go away, will you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/will-you-keep-going-when-you-don-t-know-why-when-you-can-t-get-any/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Death is the prerequisite to resurrection, the new life God intends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/death-is-the-prerequisite-to-resurrection-the-new-life-god-intends/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [From ancient times, the core idea of the soul is the soul is the capacity to integrate different functions into a single being or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/from-ancient-times-the-core-idea-of-the-soul-is-the-soul-is-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/hurry-is-the-great-enemy-of-spiritual-life-in-our-day-you-must/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [In reality, each thought we have carries with it a little spiritual power, a tug toward or away from God. No thought is purely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/in-reality-each-thought-we-have-carries-with-it-a-little-spiritual/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [The miracle of Sunday is that a dead man lives. The miracle of Saturday is that the eternal Son of God lies dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-miracle-of-sunday-is-that-a-dead-man-lives-the-miracle-of/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [“The most important thing about you,” Dallas would often say, “is not the things that you achieve; it is the person that you become.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/the-most-important-thing-about-you-dallas-would-often-say-is-not-the/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/jesus-had-a-universal-concern-for-those-who-suffered-that-transcended/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [God is a God of endless opportunities to do good; the God of the open door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/god-is-a-god-of-endless-opportunities-to-do-good-the-god-of-the-open/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [One of the most painful aspects of suffering is the loneliness of it. Others may offer support or empathy, but no one can walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/one-of-the-most-painful-aspects-of-suffering-is-the-loneliness-of-it/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) [Explore all 325 John Ortberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) ## More Authentic quotes > [“RIGHT Do you do what feels right or what is seen right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-downer/right-do-you-do-what-feels-right-or-what-is-seen-right/) [Kitty Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-downer/) > [When somebody comes across as authentic and genuine and sweet, people just want to spend time with that person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-holmes/when-somebody-comes-across-as-authentic-and-genuine-and-sweet-people/) [Pete Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-holmes/) > [Anything that I ever do is from the heart and authentic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-carlisle/anything-that-i-ever-do-is-from-the-heart-and-authentic/) [Belinda Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-carlisle/) > [Being authentic can be a good thing in that often people who are fixated on that are also fixated on having very high standards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-meyer/being-authentic-can-be-a-good-thing-in-that-often-people-who-are/) [Edgar Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-meyer/) > [“REMEMBER Do you live your life according to how you want to remember it or how you will be remembered?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-downer/remember-do-you-live-your-life-according-to-how-you-want-to-remember/) [Kitty Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-downer/) > [I've put my days of fantasy behind me and make authentic realistic films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-bhatt/i-ve-put-my-days-of-fantasy-behind-me-and-make-authentic-realistic/) [Vikram Bhatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-bhatt/) > [I think as long as you're authentic, people will relate to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-woodson/i-think-as-long-as-you-re-authentic-people-will-relate-to-that/) [Charles Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-woodson/) > [I had always wanted to expand to beauty, but I knew I wanted to be able to translate my design aesthetic in an authentic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-ronson/i-had-always-wanted-to-expand-to-beauty-but-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be/) [Charlotte Ronson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-ronson/) > [“But now? Being a sellout is the authentic thing. When”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-hill/but-now-being-a-sellout-is-the-authentic-thing-when/) [Nathan Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-hill/) > [“The biggest mistake people make when trying to be authentic is just that: they try. They see these role models of what an "authentic"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vironika-tugaleva/the-biggest-mistake-people-make-when-trying-to-be-authentic-is-just/) [Vironika Tugaleva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vironika-tugaleva/) > [“Some days I like to wander to old and warn our places, forests ripped apart by man and streams that carry stagnant water where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rowe/some-days-i-like-to-wander-to-old-and-warn-our-places-forests-ripped/) [Nikki Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rowe/) > [Christie led the way - with a bulldozer. The governor is blunt, brash, and self-consciously authentic, the antithesis to what turns off today's voters:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-fournier/christie-led-the-way-with-a-bulldozer-the-governor-is-blunt-brash-and/) [Ron Fournier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-fournier/) > [“Show up authentically and synergy will meet you there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/show-up-authentically-and-synergy-will-meet-you-there/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Disturb reality, defy gravity, be authentic and above all... be happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-gonzalez/disturb-reality-defy-gravity-be-authentic-and-above-all-be-happy/) [Joaquin Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-gonzalez/) > [We have to express ourselves in the most true and authentic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-lee-yang/we-have-to-express-ourselves-in-the-most-true-and-authentic-way/) [Eugene Lee Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-lee-yang/) [Browse all 784 Authentic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authentic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Authentic spiritual authority is what puts you in touch with reality.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ortberg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-puts-you-in-touch-with-reality/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Authentic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-puts-you-in-touch-with-reality/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/john-ortberg-932_authentic_authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-pu_2349103.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/john-ortberg-932_authentic_authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-pu_2349103.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0de/john-ortberg-932_authentic_authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-pu_2349103.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Authentic spiritual authority is what puts you in touch with reality.” — John Ortberg", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Ortberg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Authentic spiritual authority is what puts...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-puts-you-in-touch-with-reality/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/authentic-spiritual-authority-is-what-puts-you-in-touch-with-reality/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```