Eph.5:9-10
9 For the fruit of the (Light) Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) 10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord
From My study – Taken from John MacArthur commentary on Ephesians
The three supreme characteristics, or fruit, of our walk as children of light are all goodness and righteousness and truth.
These are the tests of true faith, of a true saving relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. A “decision” for Christ, church membership, faithful attendance at worship services, being baptized, financial support of the Lord’s work, and many other such things are often used as evidence of salvation. The faithful Christian should do all of those things, but they are behaviors that are easily done in the flesh and are therefore unreliable in themselves as evidence. On the other hand, the three characteristics Paul mentions here are spiritual works that cannot be achieved in the flesh. The all reflects the perfection of the divine standard.
The first characteristic is all goodness (“all malice” in 4:31). A number of Greek words are translated “good” or “goodness” in the New Testament. Kalos denotes that which is intrinsically right, free from defects, beautiful, and honorable. Both John the Baptist and Jesus used the term for the “good fruit” without which a tree “is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matt. 3:10; 7:19). Paul uses the term when he tells Timothy that “everything created by God is good” (1 Tim. 4:4). It is also used of that which is morally good (see Gal. 4:18; 1 Tim. 5:10, 25; Titus 2:7, 14). Chrēstos, also often translated “good,” refers to that which is pleasant, useful, suitable, or worthy. Paul uses this word when he declares that “bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33).
But in the present passage Paul uses agathōsunē, which refers to moral excellence, to being good in both nature and effectiveness. Like agapē love, agathōsunē goodness finds its fullest and highest expression in that which is willingly and sacrificially done for others. Paul told the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 5:15) “Always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men,” In his next letter to that church the apostle prays “that our God may count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power” (2 Thess. 1:11). This goodness that is a fruit of light is also a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22).
The second result, or fruit, of our walk as children of light is righteousness and has to do first of all with our relationship to God. “To the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is reckoned as righteousness” (Rom. 4:5; cf. Eph. 4:24; Phil. 3:9). But righteousness also has to do with how we live. Those who are made righteous are commanded to live righteously, to present themselves (Rom. 6:13) “to God as those alive from the dead, and [their] members as instruments of righteousness to God” Because Christ has given us His own righteous nature, we are to “pursue righteousness” (1 Tim. 6:11). Because we know that Christ is righteous, John says, we also “know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him” (1 John 2:29).
The third fruit of the light is truth. Truth has to do with honesty, reliability, trustworthiness, and integrity—in contrast to the hypocritical, deceptive, and false ways of the old life of darkness.
We see therefore that goodness pertains primarily to our relationship with others, righteousness primarily to our relationship to God, and truth primarily to personal integrity. In those three things and in those three ways the fruit of the light consists.
Without that fruit there is no evidence of the life of God. “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing,” Jesus warned, “but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?” (Matt. 7:15–16). Every person bears fruit of some kind. Those who are darkness bear bad fruit, and those who are light bear good fruit. The person, therefore, who does not bear some fruit of righteousness in his life, has no claim on Christ. There is no such thing as a fruitless Christian. Where there is life, there is evidence of life, just as where there is death, there will be evidence of death. The child of light produces the fruit of the light and is called to increase in that production (Col. 1:10).
A Christian can fall into sin, and when he does the fruitfulness of his life suffers. Righteous fruit cannot flourish from sin. But the complete absence of any fruit of goodness and righteousness and truth proves the complete absence of salvation (2:10).
The Christian life, just as every other kind of life, is only healthy when it is growing. As far as the walk of the believer is concerned, the primary focus is to be a concern about continually trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. As we are obedient to what we know, our knowledge of the Lord and of His will increases and deepens. As we are faithful to the light, we are given more of this light.
Dokimazō (from which comes trying to learn) also carries the idea of proving or testing. As Christians learn and grow in goodness and righteousness and truth, they will give verification or evidence that they are who they claim to be, children of God and of light. The child of God will bear resemblance to the heavenly Father, who is his “light and … salvation” (Ps. 27:1).
Assurance of salvation cannot be reliably determined by what has happened in the past, no matter how dramatic or meaningful at the time. It can only be based with certainty on the evidence of present fruit being produced by a spiritual life (2 Pet. 1:5–11).
Because they are not carrying weapons, hand grenades, explosives, or other illegal items, most people have no fear of sending their luggage through an X–ray machine at the airport. In the same way, as Christians we should not be afraid to be scrutinized either under the light of God’s Word or under the critical eye of a world that is constantly looking for inconsistencies between our profession and our lifestyle. We should have nothing to hide.
Application questions
• Can a person fool himself into thinking that he is saved? What evidences are clear that a person is deceived?
• What is the difference in practicing righteousness and striving to do it? The fruit tree does not strain to produce fruit – it just produces because it is its nature to do so.
• As we submit and do what we know – more light is given. What does this lead to? (Christ likeness – and the operation of the Holy Spirit within Christ as seen in Scripture)