In all goodness

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), - Ephesians 5v8-9


There can be no doubt that we must live a whole different life that we lived. So different in fact that God compares it to light and darkness. The old life and the new life are literally as different as night and day.

Before salvation we walked in all those sins listed previously. That was our nature; we walked as children of darkness. Now we are to walk as children of light. Paul summarises that “walk as children of light” with this – “The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.”

I only want to look at one little aspect this morning. We read and study a lot about righteousness and truth, but we rarely have a Bible study on what it means to be “good.” Those who truly walk in the light are going to be good. Goodness is part of our new nature. Goodness is not comparative here as in “good, better, best,” but in the very nature of being a good man. It is possible to be great (in the eyes of men) without being truly good.

There is a little word here just before “goodness” and that is “all.” We are charged to walk in “all goodness.” If I could step aside from myself and examine my own life I wonder how much “goodness” there is to be seen.

I want to try and watch me and see how much true “goodness” there is to be seen.