--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and…" description: "\"The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and not righteousness.\" — Dallas Willard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dallas-willard-819_discipline_the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and_2360062.png" --- # The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and not righteousness. ![“The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and not righteousness.” quote by Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dallas-willard-819_discipline_the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and_2360062.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dallas-willard-819_discipline_the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and_2360062.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dallas-willard-819_discipline_the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and_2360062.png) > “The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and not righteousness.” [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual disciplines aim at gaining wisdom rather than merely following rules or external righteousness. **In simple terms:** Spiritual practices seek wisdom, not just rule‑following. Key Takeaway Prioritize inner wisdom over superficial compliance. Themes spirituality wisdom discipline inner growth Mood contemplative motivational reflective Type religious philosophical When to use this quote - daily meditation - ethical reflection - mindful living - community service Key Concepts mysticism ethical development personal transformation Questions to Reflect On - What disciplines foster true wisdom? - How to balance wisdom and righteousness? A Different Perspective Focusing only on wisdom may neglect necessary ethical standards. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Spiritual disciplines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-disciplines/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Man needs to be Saved from his own Wisdom as much as from his own Righteousness, for they produce one and the same corruption.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-law/man-needs-to-be-saved-from-his-own-wisdom-as-much-as-from-his-own/) [William Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-law/) > [The organized churches must become schools of spiritual discipline where Christians are taught how to own without treasuring (Matt. 6:21); how to possess without,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-organized-churches-must-become-schools-of-spiritual-discipline/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“The Gospel is true because it deprives men of all glory, wisdom, and righteousness and turns over all honor to the Creator alone. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-gospel-is-true-because-it-deprives-men-of-all-glory-wisdom-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“First, All the good that they have is in and through Christ; he is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. All the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/first-all-the-good-that-they-have-is-in-and-through-christ-he-is-made/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Scholarship has the same relationship to wisdom as righteousness has to holiness: it is cold and dry, it is loveless and knows nodeep feelings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/scholarship-has-the-same-relationship-to-wisdom-as-righteousness-has/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“The Disciplines of Christ-likeness The third side of our triangle is made up of spiritual disciplines. These are special activities, many engaged in by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-disciplines-of-christ-likeness-the-third-side-of-our-triangle-is/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [I find when most people are honest about their spiritual pilgrimage, they admit to the difficulty of maintaining the habit of a spiritual discipline.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-find-when-most-people-are-honest-about-their-spiritual-pilgrimage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I submit my tongue as an instrument of righteousness when I make it bless them that curse me and pray for them who persecute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/i-submit-my-tongue-as-an-instrument-of-righteousness-when-i-make-it/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [A man who would interpret the scriptures must have the spiritual discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-man-who-would-interpret-the-scriptures-must-have-the-spiritual/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“Fasting is not an option but an assumed practice for the serious-minded follower of Jesus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rohrmayer/fasting-is-not-an-option-but-an-assumed-practice-for-the-serious/) [Gary Rohrmayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rohrmayer/) > [A man's social and spiritual discipline must answer to his corporeal. He must lean on a friend who has a hard breast, as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-man-s-social-and-spiritual-discipline-must-answer-to-his-corporeal/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“As we mature in faith, our willingness is tested, expanded, and refined. We become more conscious of our limitations and turn to God. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-a-bakke/as-we-mature-in-faith-our-willingness-is-tested-expanded-and-refined/) Jeannette A. Bakke > [“Think of it this way, Mara. We don’t have the power to make the sun rise, but we can choose to be awake when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-garlough-brown/think-of-it-this-way-mara-we-don-t-have-the-power-to-make-the-sun/) [Sharon Garlough Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-garlough-brown/) > [Some people find the experience and practice of compassion as a spiritual discipline to be a more direct route to the transformation of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-borg/some-people-find-the-experience-and-practice-of-compassion-as-a/) [Marcus Borg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-borg/) ## More by Dallas Willard > [Today it is the skeptics who are the social conformists, though because of powerful intellectual propaganda they continue to enjoy thinking of themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/today-it-is-the-skeptics-who-are-the-social-conformists-though/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“While it is in one sense a result of God’s presence within us, the New Testament also describes a process involved in our “putting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/while-it-is-in-one-sense-a-result-of-god-s-presence-within-us-the-new/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > ["Spirituality" wrongly understood or pursued is a major source of human misery and rebellion against God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/spirituality-wrongly-understood-or-pursued-is-a-major-source-of-human/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Sabbath is a way of life (Heb 4:3; 9-11). It is simply "casting all your anxiety on Him," to find that in actual fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/sabbath-is-a-way-of-life-heb-4-3-9-11-it-is-simply-casting-all-your/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [In many cases, our need to wonder about or be told what God wants in a certain situation is nothing short of a clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/in-many-cases-our-need-to-wonder-about-or-be-told-what-god-wants-in-a/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [Discipline, strictly speaking, is activity carried on to prepare us indirectly for some activity other than itself. We do not practice the piano to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/discipline-strictly-speaking-is-activity-carried-on-to-prepare-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The Spirit makes Christ present to us and draws us toward his likeness. It is as we thus behold the “glory of the Lord”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spirit-makes-christ-present-to-us-and-draws-us-toward-his/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We are unceasing spiritual beings with an eternal destiny in God's great universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-are-unceasing-spiritual-beings-with-an-eternal-destiny-in-god-s/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We must understand that God does not "love" us without liking us - through gritted teeth - as "Christian" love is sometimes thought to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-must-understand-that-god-does-not-love-us-without-liking-us/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [We know we can't be spiritually transformed by just focusing on the will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/we-know-we-can-t-be-spiritually-transformed-by-just-focusing-on-the/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [To allow lust (or strong desires) to govern our life is to exalt our will over God's.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/to-allow-lust-or-strong-desires-to-govern-our-life-is-to-exalt-our/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [My central claim is that we become like Christ by doing one thing-by following Him in the overall style of life He chose for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/my-central-claim-is-that-we-become-like-christ-by-doing-one-thing-by/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“The aim of God in history is the creation of an all-inclusive community of loving persons, with Himself included in that community as its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-aim-of-god-in-history-is-the-creation-of-an-all-inclusive/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-greatest-issue-facing-the-world-today-with-all-its-heartbreaking/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [What we can do with these means (our own unassisted strength) is still very small compared to what we could do in acting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/what-we-can-do-with-these-means-our-own-unassisted-strength-is-still/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) [Explore all 357 Dallas Willard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) ## More Discipline quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/) [Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/) > [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/) W.J. Turner > [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/) [Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/exercise-teaches-you-the-pleasure-of-discipline/) [Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/) > [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/) Burne Hogarth > [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/) [Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/) > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/) [Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/) > [Stay in your seat come times of trouble. Its only people who jump off the roller coaster who get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/stay-in-your-seat-come-times-of-trouble-its-only-people-who-jump-off/) [Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/) [Browse all 5,597 Discipline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and not righteousness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dallas Willard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and-not-righteousness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Discipline" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and-not-righteousness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dallas-willard-819_discipline_the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and_2360062.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dallas-willard-819_discipline_the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and_2360062.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b58/dallas-willard-819_discipline_the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and_2360062.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and not righteousness.” — Dallas Willard", "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": "Dallas Willard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Spiritual disciplines are wisdom and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and-not-righteousness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/the-spiritual-disciplines-are-wisdom-and-not-righteousness/#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 } } ] } ```