The Beauty of Unconscious Holiness
Wisdom is knowing what to do with what you know. Righteousness is the quality of being spontaneously good. That second definition comes from Dr. Bob Cook, a longtime pastor and radio preacher, whose words – though spoken decades ago – still resonate deeply with me today. It perfectly articulates what I long for in my walk with Christ. I want to be spontaneously good, not just someone who carefully calculates righteousness before acting. I want to be what I used to refer to as unconsciously holy – to have holiness as my default setting. The sad reality is, I’m not there yet.
That doesn’t mean I never act righteously. By God’s grace, I do the right thing often, maybe even most of the time. But more often than I would like to admit, I still have to think through the right course of action before taking it. Every now and then, a truly Christlike response flows from me naturally, but not nearly as often as I desire. Worse yet, I still find myself needing to ask for forgiveness far more than I ought – not because I shouldn’t seek forgiveness, but because I keep needing to. Sanctification, as Dr. Cook put it, is being holy without being sanctimonious. I love that description. The holiest people I’ve ever known exuded a quiet, humble joy. They never made a show of their goodness, yet their very presence radiated Christlikeness. I long for that, don’t you?
Christ, Our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption
Dr. Cook’s devotional that day focused on 1 Corinthians 1:30, which says, “And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” What a beautiful fourfold gift! Christ himself is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Not only has he provided these for us, but he continues to do so.
I mentioned earlier that wisdom isn’t merely knowledge but knowing what to do with it. The world is filled with intelligent people who lack wisdom – who know much but apply little. True wisdom begins with reverence for the Lord (Proverbs 9:10) and is shaped by walking closely with him. Righteousness, as Dr. Cook described, is being spontaneously good. It’s not merely choosing to do the right thing when faced with a decision, but becoming the kind of person who instinctively acts in accordance with God’s will. This is what I long for in my own life.
Sanctification, then, is the ongoing work of God in making us holy. It’s the lifelong process of transformation in which God conforms us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29). It isn’t something we achieve overnight, nor is it a one-time experience. It’s a daily, sometimes slow and painful, refining process. But here’s the good news: God is the one doing the work in us (Philippians 1:6). Finally, redemption, as Dr. Cook described it, is the “wrapping up of all of life and making it a continuing miracle for the glory of God.” That may not be the most technical theological definition, but I sure like it. Our lives, when yielded to Christ, become an ongoing testimony of his grace.
Does Sanctification Change Our Personality?
One of the most encouraging things Dr. Cook shared in that broadcast was that sanctification doesn’t necessarily mean a complete overhaul of our personality. The personality God gave us remains, but it grows and is enhanced as we’re conformed to Christ. This resonates deeply with me. I have no doubt that Martin Luther and John Wesley were among the most Christ-filled, Spirit-led, and sanctified individuals in church history, but I also suspect they were probably difficult to live with! Holiness doesn’t necessarily mean we all become the same kind of person – it means we become the Christlike version of who God uniquely made us to be.
That distinction matters because we sometimes have a preconceived idea of what a Christian is supposed to be like – usually shaped more by cultural expectations than biblical truth. But being a follower of Christ isn’t about fitting into a specific personality mold. It is about character. It is about a life marked by the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). It is about becoming a person whose values, priorities, and actions are shaped by the Gospel.
The Joy of the Spirit in a Sanctified Life
Even as I long for deeper holiness, I do not want to become rigid or joyless in the pursuit. Some of the godliest people I’ve ever known were also the most joyful. They carried an unmistakable lightness – not because life was easy, but because their hearts were so deeply anchored in Christ. Their holiness wasn’t forced or performative. It was real, overflowing from a heart captivated by God’s goodness.
That’s what I want. I want the joy of the Holy Spirit to pour out of me naturally. I want to keep my personality – so long as it’s sanctified. Of course, if my personality itself is part of the problem, then I want God to change that as well. I’ve seen him do that in the lives of others over the years. Some people are so radically transformed by the Spirit that even their temperament seems changed. But for many of us, sanctification isn’t about becoming a different person – it’s about becoming the Christ-centered version of the person we were made to be.
Becoming Holy by Default
So how do we move toward that place where righteousness becomes our default? First, we must abide in Christ. Jesus said in John 15:5, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” We don’t become spontaneously good by sheer effort alone. It’s the fruit of walking closely with Jesus, filling our minds with his Word, and allowing his Spirit to shape us. Second, we must daily surrender ourselves to the Spirit’s work. Sanctification is a partnership – God does the transforming, but we must yield ourselves to him.
Finally, we must keep our eyes fixed on the ultimate goal. Sanctification isn’t moral perfection in our own strength but Christlikeness. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that we “are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” This is a lifelong process, one that will not be fully complete until we stand before Christ. But the more we behold him, the more we’re changed by him.
This means filling our hearts and minds with his Word, meditating on his truth, and letting it shape how we think, speak, and act. It means daily repentance – turning away from sin and toward God with humility. And it means embracing the joy of the Spirit, recognizing that sanctification isn’t about somber duty but about becoming who we were truly meant to be. As I mentioned, some of the holiest people I know are also the most joyful because they’ve learned that surrendering to Christ is not a loss – it’s the path to abundant life.
Holiness Without Hypocrisy
Dr. Cook’s phrase about being holy without being sanctimonious is one that sticks with me. There’s something deeply unattractive about a holiness that feels forced, prideful, or performative. Jesus had his harshest words for the Pharisees, not because they pursued holiness, but because they did so in a way that was self-exalting rather than God-glorifying (Matthew 23:27-28). True holiness isn’t about looking righteous in the eyes of others – it’s about becoming so deeply transformed by Christ that righteousness flows from us naturally.
I once heard someone say, “You don’t have to announce that a rose smells good – people just know.” That’s what true sanctification looks like. The godliest people I know don’t constantly tell you how godly they are. They simply walk with Jesus, and it radiates from them. That’s what I long for. I want righteousness to be my instinct, not just my intention. I want to be so shaped by Christ that I respond to life with wisdom, goodness, and grace – without having to overthink it.
Becoming Who We Were Meant to Be
I had originally thought that I coined the phrase unconscious holiness, but I later remembered I had first encountered it in My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. He described the kind of holiness that’s so deeply embedded in a person’s character that it is second nature. That’s what I want. I don’t want to just act righteously; I want to become righteous. Not self-righteous. Not outwardly pious. But truly, deeply, inwardly shaped by the Spirit of God.
This is the kind of holiness that Paul speaks of in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” The more we die to self, the more Christ’s life is made manifest in us. The more we yield to the Spirit, the more holiness becomes our natural response.
A Lifelong Pursuit
This isn’t an overnight transformation. It’s the work of a lifetime. And yet, it’s a work that God is faithful to complete. Philippians 1:6 reassures us: “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
So I press on. I seek to abide in Christ, to keep my heart open to the Spirit’s work, and to pursue righteousness not as an obligation but as my deepest joy. I know I’ll stumble. I know I’ll have days when I have to think long and hard before I act righteously. But I trust that, over time, God will shape me into the kind of person for whom holiness is the default, goodness is spontaneous, and joy is ever-present.
How about you? Do you long for righteousness to become second nature? Have you seen God transform your instincts and desires over time? I would love to hear how God is shaping you in this journey of sanctification. May we all grow in wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption – wrapped up in the continuing miracle of God’s grace.
Questions for Personal Reflection
- When you think about your own spiritual growth, do you see evidence of holiness becoming more natural in your life?
- Are there areas where you still find yourself struggling to respond with righteousness? How can you surrender those to God?
- How can you cultivate a life of holiness that is marked by joy, humility, and a genuine love for Christ?
Walking Points
- Take time this week to meditate on 1 Corinthians 1:30, reflecting on the fourfold gift Christ has given us – wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
- Ask God to shape your heart so that holiness becomes your natural instinct rather than something you have to force. Pray for a life that radiates his joy and goodness to those around you.
Thank you for joining me today. My hope is that you were encouraged and blessed by reflecting on this passage. You can discover more devotionals, Bible studies, and other resources by clicking here: Walking Points. If you found this study helpful, please consider sharing it with others and encouraging them to subscribe as well.
