Supernatural Photosynthesis

For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true (Eph 5:9).

Plants love light.  They don’t just like it.  They LOVE it!  And that’s because of that very cool process God came up with that we call photosynthesis.  This is when a plant converts nutrients and light into energy.  Ultimately photosynthesis produces a fruit.  Here in his letter to the church at Ephesus, Paul describes the supernatural photosynthesis that God uses to produce fruit in the followers of Jesus.  “For the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true” (v9).  When the light of Christ shines in and on His followers, it produces fruit.  This process results in goodness, righteousness and truth.

Let’s back up one verse to get a better look at what’s going on here.  The apostle talks about the “before and after” of the believer.  “At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord” (Eph 5:8).  I used to be in the dark.  No light.  And no light means no growth.  No growth means no fruit.  But my situation has changed.  Radically.  Now I’m in the bright light of God.  It’s not something I’ve done.  It’s something Jesus has done in me.  And it’s a fact.  It’s a truth.  It’s a reality.  We simply need to remember that truth and then “walk as children of light” (Eph 5:8).  Walking as God’s kids in His light produces certain results.  Goodness.  Righteousness.  Truth.  That’s the amazing effect of divine photosynthesis.

Paul’s describing what it looks like to walk in the light as God’s children.  Your Bible probably has this verse wrapped by parentheses.  It’s almost like he’s stopped writing and is looking at you in the eye to tell you exactly what he means.  He uses the Greek word for  “fruit,” which is karpos.  It means an outcome, result, effect, consequence, reaped harvest or the produce of agriculture.  Think apple.  Orange.  Grapes.  Banana.  Tomato.  Potato.  Corn.  Wheat.  Healthy plants produce healthy fruit.  It’s the natural result of photosynthesis.

So what’s the consequence of God’s light on our lives?  The apostle lists three different kinds of fruit hanging on the vine.  “All that is good and right and true” (v9).  Let’s reach up and pluck the first one.  It’s agathosune.  We’re talking about goodness, excellence and kindness.  But we’re not simply talking about doing something that’s decent and average quality.  This good is the good that only God accomplishes.  A young successful power broker once asked Jesus, “What good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (Mt 19:16).  The radical Rabbi/Carpenter stopped this dude in his tracks by letting him know, “There is only One who is good” (Mt 19:17).  Only God is good.  True good can only come from the one true God.  The only way we can truly do godly good is when God is doing good in us and through us.  That requires His light.  And that’s supernatural photosynthesis.

The second piece of produce on the plant is what Paul calls “right” (Gr. dikaiosune).  This is integrity, righteousness and purity of life.  Correctness of thinking, feeling and acting.  In a very broad sense, this is the state of humanity as we ought to be.  Think of it as the condition that God requires from us.  And that standard is complete, total and perpetual perfection.  Think of a pitcher who pitches perfect games his entire career!  Only when we keep and maintain that impossible caliber can we be sure of salvation (Mt 5:20).  But here’s the amazing thing.  God not only sets this impossible standard but He keeps it for us.  Jesus lived that impossibly perfect life that I miserably failed to live.  He died the brutal death on a cross for my sin that I should have died.  He rose to a spectacular new life that I don’t deserve.  In a letter to his buddies in Corinth, Paul wrote, “For our sake He (God) made Him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Cor 5:21).  We trust in who Jesus is and what He’s done and as a result we receive His righteousness and perfection.  His right becomes our right.  This is God’s dynamic power to put us in a right relationship with Himself.  And that’s supernatural photosynthesis.

Take a look back at the branch and you’ll see a third fruit hanging there.  It’s what is “true” (Gr. aletheia).  This word describes what is objectively true in any situation.  Truth.  The way things actually are.  What is real.  What is legit.  God’s message can be trusted as the absolute truth (2Th 2:12).  Take it to the bank.  Lead pipe lock.  Jesus didn’t just say that He spoke the truth but that He is the personification of it.  “I am the Way, the Truth (Gr. aletheia) and the Life” (Jn 14:6).  The result of the Light of the World shining on and through my life is produces His truth.  Isn’t this supernatural photosynthesis a pretty cool deal?    

The “fruit of light” (v9) is a lot like another variety of divine produce, the “fruit of the Spirit.”  “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Gal 5:22-23).  I would say that this fruit produced by God’s Spirit is “good and right and true” (v9), wouldn’t you?  It comes as a result of hanging out with Jesus, or as He says, “Abide in Me” (Jn 15:1-11).  He’s the vine.  We’re the branches.  He’s the One responsible for producing fruit.  All we need to do is stay attached.  Stay close.  Abide.  Let His light shine on you.  Let His light shine in you.  Let His light shine through you.  When we do, then supernatural photosynthesis occurs.  

So what do you think?  Do you agree with me or am I way off base?  Drop a comment below and let's chat.