Galatians 5:7-10

Galatians 5:7-10 - Daily Devotion - 23 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

7 You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth? 8 Such persuasion does not come from the One who calls you. 9 A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough. 10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be.

REFLECTIONS

Written by George Mihas

Paul says to the Galatian Christians: “You were running so well. Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?” (v7).

There are so many voices in the world today, and they all claim to have the truth. Jehovah’s Witnesses claim they have the ultimate truth. Muslims believe they have the truth. The Catholic and Orthodox churches believe they are the true church, so their doctrine is the truth.

What truth do we believe? As believers in Jesus Christ, we believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6). He is the Lord who died for us on the cross, God’s perfect sacrificial lamb who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29). We can't add to, or subtract from, what he did on the cross.

Paul also warns them with an analogy: “A little leaven works through the whole batch of dough” (v9). False doctrine spreads through the whole assembly, like yeast through bread. There are false doctrines people spread today like:

  • “Jesus was just a prophet.”

  • “Jesus is a created being – he is really the archangel Michael.”

  • “God wants you to be rich. If you give me more money, God will bless you.”

  • “You can't pray directly to God. You’re a sinner, so you need the help of the saints.”

… and so on.

The key truth God’s word tells us to hold onto, to protect us from false doctrine, is: We have been saved by grace through faith. It is God’s gift to us, “not by works, so that no one can boast” (Eph. 2:9). We can do nothing but embrace God’s mercy towards us and cling to the cross of Christ.

All praise to God!

Finally, Paul says: “I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is troubling you will bear the judgment, whoever he may be” (v10). There is a serious warning here to the one who distorts God’s Word and takes advantage of the flock: God will not be mocked. But if we stick to the Bible, we will not be swayed or confused or easily taken advantage of.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

George is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Galatians 5:1-6

Galatians 5:1-6 - Daily Devotion - 22 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.

2 Take notice: I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I testify to every man who gets himself circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been severed from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

5 But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the hope of righteousness. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. All that matters is faith, expressed through love.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Axel Abdala

This passage makes me think about how Paul would have felt, as someone who had spent his life completely devoted to obeying the Old Testament law – to then be so willing to consider all his efforts as meaningless! But Paul now knows that his freedom from the law is found in Jesus Christ. Because of Christ’s death and his work in Paul’s life, he now places his value in Jesus.

It’s not that God’s law was bad. It’s that no one can be justified by obeying the law (v4). Paul says you can’t even take just one part of the law (like circumcision) and make that necessary to be saved, because that means you are “obligated to obey the whole law” (v3). That’s an obligation we cannot meet.

The Old Testament law is good, but as Paul says in Romans 8:3, the law was powerless to justify people because it was “weakened by the flesh.” It couldn’t free us from the punishment for our sin. That means if you try to earn salvation by good works, you end up burdened by a “yoke of slavery” and your effort is meaningless.

But the good news is that Christ sets us free from that burden. As Paul continues in Romans 8:3, “what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering.” That means we can become God’s children through faith in Jesus. Trying to earn salvation would be like a child trying to earn the favour of a good and loving parent by never putting a foot wrong – they can’t do it, and they don’t need to anyway! They are loved already.

This reminds me that none of what I do brings me any closer to being right with God. If I try to earn salvation by my works, I am not depending on what Jesus has done for me. Instead, faith in Jesus is what has set me free from the burden of the law. Pray that God might help us to value the only thing that counts: “faith expressing itself through love” (v6).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Axel is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Galatians 4:28-31

Galatians 4:28-31 - Daily Devotion - 21 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

28 Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. 29 At that time, however, the son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now.

30 But what does the Scripture say? “Expel the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” 31 Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Val Dewan

I am the first of three sisters, and once when we were all young, a cheeky church uncle asked my dad who his favourite daughter was. Dad was diplomatic and said that he doesn’t choose favourites between his daughters. The church uncle might have been asking in jest, but in today’s passage we see that back in Genesis, there was a major difference between Ishmael and Isaac, the two sons of Abraham. It’s not that God shows favouritism, but Ishmael was the son born from Abraham and Sarah’s plan to try to make things happen by their own power and deeds, whereas Isaac was born purely as a gift of God’s grace and power.

From the previous verses, Paul has been using those two children as an analogy, and today he continues the analogy and ends with a clear directive. He refers to Ishmael as ‘the son born by the flesh’ and Isaac as ‘the son born by the Spirit.’ Ishmael represents those who reject Jesus and try to earn salvation through their works (the flesh), and Isaac represents those who have faith in Jesus alone. Only those born of the Spirit through faith in Jesus will receive the blessings from God’s promise.

But Paul also reminds us of Ishmael’s hostility towards Isaac, which is also an analogy for the present: ‘The son born by the flesh persecuted the son born by the Spirit. It is the same now’ (v 29). This helped me to understand that there cannot be a way for these two opposing sides to be in fellowship with one another. Those who are free – Christians who have faith in Jesus – will be persecuted by people who are slaves to the law and reject Jesus. In verse 30, Paul quotes the words of Scripture from Genesis 21:10 – ‘Expel the slave woman and her son’ – as an instruction to no longer live under the law or continue having a legalistic worldview. There is no share in Christ’s inheritance if we live under the slavery of the law.

This is an ongoing encouragement for me to truly trust in God’s promises and be free to live as God’s child, not a child of the law. Praise God because He is our Heavenly Father who delights and favours His children, and let’s keep trusting in His promise through Jesus.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Val is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Galatians 4:21-27

Galatians 4:21-27 - Daily Devotion - 20 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

21 Tell me, you who want to be under the law, do you not understand what the law says? 22 For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23 His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born through the promise.

24 These things serve as illustrations, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children into slavery: This is Hagar. 25 Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present-day Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. 27 For it is written:

“Rejoice, O barren woman,
who bears no children;
break forth and cry aloud,
you who have never travailed;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”

REFLECTIONS

Written by Omar Dewan

Do you like rules?

I like rules, because they provide me with 'guardrails' of what to do and what not to do. Rules usually come from other people’s experience and wisdom for general wellbeing – someone must have pushed the boundaries too far and suffered consequences for it.

But there’s a risk that I hold so tightly to rules about the right way of doing things that I judge others who don’t do things by the same rules. If those rules don’t actually apply to them like I think they do, then my disapproval is entirely unfair.

This risk is greater when I think about the Christian faith. I know that Jesus has fulfilled the Old Testament law by living a sinless life and defeating death through his resurrection. The Old Testament law exposes our sin – but by believing in Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we have been declared righteous. We are not bound by the Law, but we still learn things from the Law about how to live in a way that honours God. However, I have been guilty in the past of being legalistic and negatively judging others who don’t appear to have every ‘Christian’ thing or habit ticked off.

This Galatians passage today is a great reminder that we, as Christians, are not bound and condemned by the Old Testament law in the same way Israel were under the old covenant through Moses. The children of Israel under the law of Moses were like Hagar: enslaved under rules that condemned them. But just like Sarah was a free woman, we are free because we call Jesus our Lord and Saviour – free from the burden of the Law, and righteous.

Let’s praise God for the fact that we are no longer bound by the Old Testament law, because Jesus has fulfilled it perfectly by living a sinless life, even to death on a cross – and, even though we are unworthy and have no chance of meeting all of the rules, we are considered ‘free’ from its consequences and can enjoy a loving relationship with the most holy God.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Omar is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Galatians 4:17-20

Galatians 4:17-20 - Daily Devotion - 18 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

Apologies that our devotions have been delayed the last few days. This is Saturday’s devotion, and it will be followed soon by today’s.

—

17 Those people are zealous for you, but not in a good way. Instead, they want to isolate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18 Nevertheless, it is good to be zealous if it serves a noble purpose—at any time, and not only when I am with you.

19 My children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20 how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Bethany Rowlands

I love a good bargain. In our family we get pretty excited when Weetbix is on sale. But some things that sound like a good deal are really just about promoting the company (post about our produce for your chance to win!), and the customer gets nothing out of it. The Galatian church thought they were getting a good deal: ‘Christ plus good works.’ So the church threw themselves right in! But those who were teaching this were looking for the church to praise them, not Jesus.

I once lived this way too. I knew what it looked like to be a Christian: go to church, be kind and friendly to everyone, read the Bible. So I tried hard to do those things – zealously! I bought the idea that I needed to be a good person to be good enough for God. Start with Jesus, then keep a bunch of rules and you’ll be right. But you see where the logic goes wrong? This is no longer even ‘Christ plus,’ because it is no longer about Christ. Without realising it I was trying to be saved by what I did. I’d missed Jesus’ free salvation. Buying into ‘Christ plus good works’ is worse than a bargain you get nothing out of, because it takes you away from the gospel.

So what’s the solution? Listen to the gospel again and again. I called myself a Christian my whole life, but one day I woke my husband up at 1am, saying, “I think I finally get grace! I can’t be good enough for God. That’s why Jesus died for me!” And that changed everything. It is so freeing to not have to be good enough. I didn’t need to look like a good, enthusiastic Christian. All I needed to do was know I needed saving and trust that Jesus’ death was enough.

Good works do come from trusting Jesus. Knowing God is pleased with us because of Jesus, we can then get zealous about loving God and loving others. But pray we don’t ever replace Jesus. Pray we don’t get so enthusiastic about other things that sound good, that we stop trusting in Jesus alone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bethany is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Galatians 4:13-16

Galatians 4:13-16 - Daily Devotion - 17 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

13 You know that it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you. 14 And although my illness was a trial to you, you did not despise or reject me. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus Himself. 15 What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16 Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

REFLECTIONS

Written by Vivian Abdala

When I think about the circumstances or situations I'm currently going through in life, I often wonder if others would even want to know about them. During conversations with friends and family, I sometimes find myself hesitating before I speak.

“Does this person really need to hear this part of my life?”

“Is this too much for them?”

“Am I talking about church too often?”

“Do I sound too intense or overly religious?”

“Am I just too much?”

Paul’s letter to the Galatians reminds me of times when you meet someone who you get along with, you click and become friends. They want to know more about you, they ask questions with eager interest and take you into their inner circle. However, when something switches, perhaps a conversation where your views don’t align, they begin to retreat and stay distant.

That’s how I imagine Paul must have felt. At first, the Galatians welcomed him as though he were an angel of God. They showed deep affection and love to him. Yet now, they're being drawn to other teachings, and Paul finds himself treated like an enemy. In verse 16 he asks, “Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?” How can someone you would have once torn your eyes out for become someone you no longer want to associate with?

I reflect on this often, especially when I share that I’m a Christian. There are times when people immediately pull away. It’s a hard truth: sharing Jesus can sometimes cost us relationships. Friends I thought would be part of key moments in my life have disappeared simply because of my faith.

These verses may not feel especially comforting at first, but remember what Paul said just a few lines earlier in Galatians 4:7: “So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” That reminds me that even when others pull away, God never will. People may distance themselves when they learn about our faith, but isn’t it amazing to know that God will never forsake us? We are His children, and He has made us heirs.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Vivian is a member of our Bossley Park Morning congregation.

Galatians 4:8-12

Galatians 4:8-12 - Daily Devotion - 16 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

8 Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you know God, or rather are known by God, how is it that you are turning back to those weak and worthless principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10 You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11 I fear for you, that my efforts for you may have been in vain. 12 I beg you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Gus Cameron

I was at a conference last weekend and the person giving the main Bible talks was a well-known pastor in Sydney. I’ve met him a few times over the years, so I know him, but I wasn’t sure if he’d remember me because he’s the kind of person who meets lots of people. But then when we passed each other in the crowed he said, “Hi Gus!”

It’s one thing to know someone, but it’s much more special to be known by them. As I read today’s passage, I was struck by how Paul can say that we are known by God – God knows each and every one of us! He knows us like a father knows his precious child, we are his sons and daughters.

If he knows us like that, how can we possibly forget him? Paul’s question is: can we serve other gods? Other worthless gods that do not and cannot know us, or love us? Serving other gods is slavery because they will never give us anything good, and they cannot care about us. If we serve an idol like so many shopkeepers in Cabramatta, we’ll be giving it our time and money, but never know if it will help us. If we serve the god of money, we’ll only ever want more and never have enough. But if we serve the one true and living God, we’ll have the eternal blessing of being his child.

Let’s never forget how good it is to be known by God. Pray that he’d help us by his Spirit to never turn back to worthless gods.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gus is one of our Assistant MInisters.

Galatians 4:1-7

Galatians 4:1-7 - Daily Devotion - 15 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he is the owner of everything. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the date set by his father.

3 So also, when we were children, we were enslaved under the basic principles of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive our adoption as sons. 6 And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, you are also an heir through God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

One of the best consequences of the gospel that I’ve come to appreciate more the older I get and longer I am a Christian, is that when we become Christians, God adopts us as his very own children. Today’s passage highlights how that is possible. Paul says that because God sent his very own Son, born under the law, when we accept Jesus as our Lord and choose to belong to Him, he redeems us from the law so that we may receive adoption as sons.

Belonging to Jesus means God the Father adopts and treats us just like his Son, and in that adoption, there are so many graces poured out to us.  We get to call God ‘Father’ and have a relationship with him where we experience his love and comfort and protective influence.  We inherit an eternal family: brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, children, and more. And, as in today’s passage, we are reminded that we become heirs to an inheritance – and inheritance that, as it says in verse 1, means we will be the owner of everything, because we will be united to Jesus, the true heir of all things.

I can’t really fathom what being a future heir and having this inheritance with Christ means. The Bible tells us that there will be a new creation, a new earth. And along with that, new bodies, no death, and the never-ending presence of God himself.  We don’t have all that yet – we are still bound to this world, full of corruption, sin, and death. So one day I anticipate there will be this magnificent revelation of what 'inheritance’ really means. But I can experience adoption today in relationship with God the Father, through hearing from his word and in prayer.  And I can also experience adoption today in relationship with his eternal family, in fellowship with all the brothers and sisters, fathers, mothers, and children who belong to Jesus. 

I appreciate this experience more and more the older I get. Deepening my relationship with God, getting to know him, seeing his love and Spirit at work, sharing life, trials and events with brothers and sisters – these are all hugely satisfying experiences, and they create in me a deep-seated joy that carries me through the ups and downs of life. And for that, I am so very thankful.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Galatians 3:26-29

Galatians 3:26-29 - Daily Devotion - 14 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Nathan Ting

In a way, today’s passage brings back memories of a parachute game that I used to love playing. It involved a circle of kids standing around the edge of a large colourful cloth parachute. We would all lift it up at the same time, duck under it, and pull it back down over us. It was a fairly silly and meaningless way to pass the time, but every time I played it, I recall being surrounded by delighted giggles as we were all completely enveloped by this great piece of cloth. I’m sure a lot of the kids around me would have wanted to stay covered by the parachute had we been allowed to.

Though I’m no longer as captivated by colourful cloths (although they can still be quite fun), I’m glad that I can instead envelop myself with something far greater – with Christ himself. Paul says in verse 27, “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” I’m glad that by accepting Christ, I have the opportunity to clothe myself daily with him.

Practically speaking, this might not always be so easy while we still live in a broken world full of sin, but it is an encouragement to be able to strive towards Christ-likeness and to have Jesus as our motivator for all that we think, say and do. It’s doubly good that we’re able to do this together, striving alongside one another, for we are all one in Christ (v28). We all share in the same Spirit and have a common goal.

Praise God that the good news of the gospel is for everyone in the world to hear and accept! Spend some time now praying that you would remember this gift of righteousness and that you would continue to clothe yourself with Christ.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nathan is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Galatians 3:19-25

Galatians 3:19-25 - Daily Devotion - 13 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

19 Why then was the law given? It was added because of transgressions, until the arrival of the seed to whom the promise referred. It was administered through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, then, opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come from the law. 22 But the Scripture pronounces all things confined by sin, so that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe.

23 Before this faith came, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

God’s commands are good. The Old Testament law of Moses is good (Romans 7:12). It shows us things about God and his character. But it can’t “impart life” and it can’t make us right with God (v 21).

For Israel in the Old Testament, the law was like staying in protective custody while you’re waiting for your beautiful new house to finish being built. A friend of mine is in a similar situation – well, they’re actually staying in his mother-in-law’s place, so I’d better be careful with the comparison. But it would be crazy for them to stay cooped up there when their house was finished – that wouldn’t be the freedom they’re wanting. And now that Christ has come, it would be crazy for us to go back to the demands of the law as the thing that we think will save us.

In fact, God’s law in the Bible is designed to show that we’re all, by nature, locked up in sin (v 22). But that means it is also meant to point us to Christ. When we read about all the demands on Israel, the need for endless sacrifices, how even unintentional sins cut them off from God and needed purification rituals and offerings … when we read that, the law is taking us by the hand and leading us to Jesus, and to the beautiful gospel message: “that by faith in Jesus Christ the promise might be given to those who believe” (v. 22).

Rest today in the relief that we don’t have the crushing burden of God’s law hanging over us, because Jesus has come to bring us real life and certain hope.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

Galatians 3:15-18

Galatians 3:15-18 - Daily Devotion - 11 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

15 Brothers, let me put this in human terms. Even a human covenant, once it is ratified, cannot be canceled or amended. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say, “and to seeds,” meaning many, but “and to your seed,” meaning One, who is Christ.

17 What I mean is this: The law that came 430 years later does not revoke the covenant previously established by God, so as to nullify the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God freely granted it to Abraham through a promise.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Merry Chau

When I turned 18 and got a job working at an ice cream store, I was pretty excited to sign myself up to my first phone contract. When I told my parents, they weren’t so impressed. I think part of this was because of the abiding nature of contracts – they cannot be cancelled or amended. Once I had signed those papers, they knew it could not be taken back. This passage tells us that God made a covenant with Abraham that cannot be cancelled or amended. But in this case, that is very good news, because this covenant was a promise to bring everlasting blessing to the Gentiles (back in verse 14).

Human contracts usually have some sort of expiry date – maybe when someone is deceased, or when enough time has passed that the contract becomes void. In verse 17, we see that neither time nor the law are a factor when it comes to God’s covenant – it cannot be nullified.

Verse 16 tells us that the promise was made to Abraham, and through him to Christ. It was received in faith and not by law.  It is not dependent on us for the promise to be kept – even in our sin, even when 430 years and beyond passes, God remains faithful and true to his everlasting promise, through his mercy and grace.

Sometimes when I read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, I’m tempted to think that the stories no longer apply to me. But I’m reminded here that God’s everlasting covenant to Abraham at the start of the Bible still has significance for me now. It gives me great assurance that whether we are Jew or Gentile, even in our sin, and at whatever time has passed, when we are united with Christ through faith we have become heirs of this promise.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Merry is part of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Galatians 3:10-14

Galatians 3:10-14 - Daily Devotion - 10 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

10 All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” 11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law, however, is not based on faith; on the contrary, “The man who does these things will live by them.”

13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing promised to Abraham would come to the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Rebecca Lin

When I read this passage, the language of “curse” always stands out to me because it feels like such a strong and confronting word.  But it is a reminder to me of the reality of our sin and the seriousness of thinking that we might be able to redeem ourselves in part by doing good works.

There are always consequences for breaking the rules. In a game, you might miss a turn. At school, you might get a detention. On the road, you might get a fine. In more serious cases of law-breaking, you could even end up in jail. These are temporary consequences, debts you can usually pay off.  But when we inevitably break God’s law and fail to live His way, the consequence is permanent. It is death and eternal separation from God. No matter what good deeds we may try to do to make up for our rebellion against God, we will never pay off our debt. Verse 11 reminds us that “no one is justified by the law”. That’s why Galatians 3:10 rightly says that everyone who relies on works of the law is under a curse.

In light of this, I am greatly comforted that in God’s kindness and mercy, our salvation is not reliant on our ability to follow the law or anything we do at all. It relies completely on Jesus’ work. Verse 13 tells us that Christ is the one who has redeemed us from the curse of the law, which he did by dying on the cross. By doing this, he has made us righteous before God, debts forgiven, relationship restored. Spend some time reflecting and praising God for the undeserved gift of grace he has given us in sending Jesus to die to rescue us from the curse of the law.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Rebecca is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Galatians 3:1-9

Galatians 3:1-9 - Daily Devotion - 9 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?

3 Are you so foolish? After starting in the Spirit, are you now finishing in the flesh? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing, if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God lavish His Spirit on you and work miracles among you because you practice the law, or because you hear and believe?

6 So also, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” 7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are sons of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and foretold the gospel to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

As a new Christian, I remember the time it really started to hit home to me that God the Father would give up his very own Son to death in order to purchase my life into his wonderful eternal family. It was very moving – that anyone might do something for me was hard to fathom, let alone God himself. This was completely amazing on another level. The wonder of this has never been lost on me, and I have been helpfully reminded throughout the years through fellowship with my brothers and sisters in Christ and listening to sermons preached faithfully on the Bible.

The Galatians had heard this gospel too. But what started off well in faithfulness, looks like it's finishing off poorly in faithlessness – or at least, this is what the apostle Paul is warning them about. Not only had they heard and believed the gospel, but they had also been lavished with God's Spirit and experienced miracles among them. But now, a kind of faithlessness has set in – a type of works-based religion, instead of faith based on God's grace in Christ alone. And that works-based religion is a danger to their relationship with God.

I have to ask myself based on today’s passage: Am I so foolish? Or do I know, in the depths of my heart, that Christ was crucified for me, to cover all my sins and bring me forgiveness for all time, no matter what my life circumstance may be? Because to receive this gift, to be right with God, and to continue to benefit from this gift, my response today only needs to be in faith: Yes, I believe. And my response tomorrow only needs to be in faith: Yes, I believe. And my response every day just needs to be in faith: Yes, I believe. So let's remind one another regularly of the truth of this gospel, lest we too start to forget that there are no works that our hands need to accomplish to be right with God. God has done every work necessary to make the way back to him through his Son, Jesus Christ, and his death on the cross.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Galatians 2:17-21

Galatians 2:17-21 - Daily Devotion - 8 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

17 But if, while we seek to be justified in Christ, we ourselves are found to be sinners, does that make Christ a minister of sin? Certainly not! 18 If I rebuild what I have already torn down, I prove myself to be a lawbreaker.

19 For through the law I died to the law so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God. For if righteousness comes through the law, Christ died for nothing.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

“… the Son of God, who loved ME and gave Himself up for ME.”

This is a very unusual statement – and it’s such a beautiful one. Almost every other time the New Testament writers talk about Jesus’ death on the cross, they talk about how Jesus died for a big group of people – for “the world” or “sinners” or “us.” Here, it’s personal. Individual: “for me.”

As I reflected on that, it occurred to me that this helps us with two struggles we might have. Sometimes we’re tempted to think, “But surely my good works contribute something to my salvation, don’t they? Otherwise you’re saying I’m no better than a serial killer.” But that’s Paul’s whole point here: If your good works could get you over the line, then why on earth did the Son of God have to die?Forget serial killers – your sin took the death of the perfect, eternal, God-become-flesh Son of God to fix. That should show you how enormous the problem of your sin was. If, knowing that, you put yourself back under God’s law as the basis for your salvation, you instantly condemn yourself (v 18).

But it also helps in those times when you struggle to believe that your sin could possibly be forgiven. “Jesus died for sinners, yes, but my sin is on another level of bad. There’s no way he could forgive me for that – especially when I keep falling into the same thing.” Well, say these words to yourself and let the Spirit sink them into your heart: “This life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

And if you’re wondering how that will help you to live for God now, remember the flipside of the cross: You died with Christ, so that Christ might live in you (v 20). When you put your trust in him, he joined himself to you like glue – so that your sin might be nailed to the cross with him, and so that he might be in you and with you every moment. Don’t worry about how you will manage to live for God. You won’t, by your own fleshly strength … but Christ will. So, in this sinful body as you wait for Christ’s return, keep trusting in him with peace, hope, and joy.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

Galatians 2:11-16

Galatians 2:11-16 - Daily Devotion - 7 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

11 When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned. 12 For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. 13 The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

14 When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

15 We who are Jews by birth and not Gentile “sinners” 16 know that a man is not justified by works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Paul Bogg

This passage tells me three things. First, if two of the most well-known Christians in history, Peter and Barnabas (so well known that our church is named after one of them!), could walk in a manner that is contrary to the truth of the gospel, then anyone can. It means that no matter how old or young you are, how mature in faith or knowledgeable you are about who Jesus is, it is possible to make decisions that are not in line with the truth of the gospel.

Secondly, making decisions that aren't in line with the truth of the gospel is redeemable. Although Peter stood to be condemned, a word of correction from Paul helped Peter see the reality of his actions in light of the truth of the gospel. Peter's actions don't end in condemnation – he continues to stand as a man saved by grace alone.

Lastly, if you are saved by the grace of the gospel of Jesus Christ and then go on living as though it is your good works that gets you right before God, that is always a very serious problem. It is doubly serious in this passage because of the potential impact Peter could have. Peter was a “capital A” Apostle of Jesus, and by his actions he had already led other Christians (such as Barnabas) into acting the same way. Paul's recognition of the seriousness of the matter caused him to confront Peter on the spot, in front of everyone else in the church.

So let's be reminded of the truth of the gospel today: we have been saved by grace alone, justified by faith in Christ, freed from needing to work for our salvation, so that we might live and eat together as one family in Christ. It’s so great that the gospel breaks all barriers – like Paul says a little further on in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Galatians 2:6-10

Galatians 2:6-10 - Daily Devotion - 6 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

In today’s passage, Paul will continue to recount the events from fourteen years earlier, when he had visited the church leaders in Jerusalem to discuss the issue of circumcision and the gospel.

6 But as for the highly esteemed—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not show favoritism —those leaders added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised. 8 For the One who was at work in Peter’s apostleship to the circumcised was also at work in my apostleship to the Gentiles.

9 And recognizing the grace that I had been given, James, Cephas, and John—those reputed to be pillars—gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised. 10 They only asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Mercy Saw

Two things stand out to me from today’s passage. Firstly, Paul emphasises that God is the one behind his mission. He points out that the church leaders who people esteemed as the “original” apostles had not added to or changed Paul’s message. Instead, Paul had received the gospel directly from God. The church leaders recognised that Paul’s gospel was the same as theirs, and his authority came from God entrusting him to preach the gospel to the uncircumcised Gentiles.

This encourages me especially when thinking about sharing the gospel with others. Often when thinking about evangelism, we can esteem certain engaging big-name preachers or charismatic personalities who are good with words. I tend to look down on my own efforts and feel that they are small in comparison to those who seem more gifted. While we are not apostles and don’t have the same authority as they were given, we too have been entrusted with the gospel and the task to share this good news with those around us. We show God’s authority when we faithfully pass on the gospel to others, and can have confidence that God is the one at work by his grace through our efforts.

Secondly, the apostles were united in their mission of bringing the gospel to all people, circumcised or uncircumcised. They recognised that God’s gospel of grace welcomes in those who are far off and unites us all together as those receiving his forgiveness in Christ. This reminds me how radical it is that God’s promises to his chosen people in the Old Testament are now freely accessible to all who put our trust in Jesus. This also reminds us as Christians to keep basing our unity on belonging to Christ and our shared mission of going out to make disciples all of nations. This includes continuing to prioritise welcoming those who may seem like outsiders, and ensuring that our gospel message is backed by our practical love and care for those in need.

Let's give thanks to Jesus for the way his death has extended God’s salvation to Gentiles like us, and keep asking for his power to be at work in us as we share this good news.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mercy is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

Galatians 2:1-5

Galatians 2:1-5 - Daily Devotion - 4 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

1 Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, accompanied by Barnabas. I took Titus along also. 2 I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I spoke privately to those recognized as leaders, for fear that I was running or had already run in vain. 3 Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

4 This issue arose because some false brothers had come in under false pretenses to spy on our freedom in Christ Jesus, in order to enslave us. 5 We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Elise Le

I work among people who have all sorts of religious beliefs, and one of the more prominent religions in my workplace is Islam. Each year, many of my work colleagues observe Ramadan.

After work one night as I drove my friend home, I asked her a question about Ramadan. I asked, “Why do you fast? What does it all mean to you?”. She responded, “I’m not sure, I just do it because it’s a good thing to do and it pleases Allah. Allah sees my good deeds, and one day there is the hope that I can be in paradise because of it.” I then asked her, “How do you know that you’ll get to be in paradise?”, and she responded by saying, “You know what? I don’t actually know if I’ll really get to be in paradise, but I can try really hard to.” It was a conversation that made me quite sad. I was sad knowing that despite all her efforts in fasting and her prayers, she had no true hope that any of her efforts would earn her a place in paradise.

This passage reminded me of the great gospel message of grace, which so many people have not heard or don’t understand. We see in these few verses that Paul had met with the key leaders of the Christian church in Jerusalem to discuss the gospel that he was preaching. It seems some people within the church were saying that to be a Christian, you must be circumcised and follow the Old Testament law. Paul however wants to affirm the true gospel message, that we are freed because of Christ (vs 4), and are not required to keep the law to be saved.

How great is it that our salvation is found through faith in Christ and by God’s grace and mercy alone. After my conversation with my colleague, God opened the door for me to share about this grace that I have received through Christ. This idea of grace was foreign to her, since we live in a culture of needing to work or do things to receive a good reward. I wonder if you sometimes think in the same way, even as a Christian? Do you sometimes say to yourself, “God will only be pleased with me if I…”. It is so important to keep reminding ourselves that we can never add to our salvation, that we have been sanctified through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all (Hebrews 10:10).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elise is a member of our Fairfield Evening congregation.

Galatians 1:18-24

Galatians 1:18-24 - Daily Devotion - 3 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

18 Only after three years did I go up to Jerusalem to confer with Cephas, and I stayed with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother. 20 I assure you before God that what I am writing to you is no lie.

21 Later I went to the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 I was personally unknown, however, to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only heard the account: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Yuan Vongsavanh

When something amazing happens that brings you into a very exclusive group of people – say if you’ve just been accepted into the fellowship of medical surgeons (the last census reported 668 surgeons in NSW) or given the title of Kings Counsel as one of the top barristers in the Commonwealth countries (last report 382 in NSW) – people would expect you to immediately celebrate with your fellow cohort, share experiences, or at least attend the gala dinner.

Not Paul. After he was appointed by Jesus himself as the apostle to the Gentiles, he went straight to work. In yesterday’s passage, Paul recounted his amazing conversion story. In verse 17 he explained that he did not go straight back to Jerusalem to meet with the other apostles and recount how Jesus appeared to him in the most dramatic way. Instead, he went straight to Arabia and Damascus to do what God instructed him to do: preach Christ among the Gentiles (v16).  In verses 18-19, he says that he didn’t return to Jerusalem until 3 years later – only for 15 days, and he only saw 1 other apostle (James) before going on to other cities to keep preaching about Christ. Very few people in the “mother church” in Jerusalem knew him, but they had all heard the report about him: “The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy” (v23). God used Paul’s conversion story and his life to bring people to Himself.

Paul knew the task that he was given and the purpose of his life, and he went straight to the work that he was set apart for – heading into 5 cities in the short space of 6 verses. Paul is able to say at the end of the chapter that “they glorified God because of me”. Let’s pray that we too can see our purpose and mission as clearly as Paul and take action without distraction, so that others hear about Christ through us and God is glorified!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Yuan is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation.

Galatians 1:13-17

Galatians 1:13-17 - Daily Devotion - 2 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

13 For you have heard of my former way of life in Judaism, how severely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. 14 I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.

15 But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by His grace, was pleased 16 to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not rush to consult with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to the apostles who came before me, but I went into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Stephen Shead

It’s always encouraging hearing someone’s testimony about how God saved them and brought them to faith in Jesus. Whether it’s dramatic or ordinary, at the heart of every person’s story is the grace of God to an undeserving rebel. Paul’s conversion story is as dramatic as they come, but it was one of pure grace. It was all God’s initiative (if you’re hazy on the details, take a few minutes to read Acts 9:1-31).

But Paul’s conversion was also very different to yours and mine. The risen Lord Jesus appeared to him in glory, personally and directly, and set him aside for a unique task: to “preach Him among the Gentiles.” Paul’s conversion was also his appointment as Apostle to the Gentiles.

The reason Paul tells that story here is, again, to defend himself against the false teachers in Galatia. They were accusing Paul of teaching a muddled gospel that he heard second-hand. But Paul reminds them of what they already knew – that Paul received the gospel from Jesus himself on the road to Damascus.

But the way Paul describes how he came to understand the gospel is striking. He says God “was pleased to reveal His Son in me.” Paul didn’t just receive information, or a message, idea or truth. He received a Person. He came to see that God’s entire plan for the world is focused on his Son – and as Paul accepted that truth, he began to know Jesus personally.

That’s another way in which Paul’s conversion story is like every believer’s story. Whether you heard the gospel through your parents, a friend, Scripture classes, or just from reading the Bible, when you believed it, you didn’t just receive information. You received Christ himself. In fact, God not only reveals Christ to us; as Christ dwells in us, God starts to form us into little reflections of his Son. And that means that as you go about your life – at work or school or with your neighbours – and as you seek to share something about Jesus with them, God will do something beautiful: He will show them Jesus in you.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stephen is our senior minister.

Galatians 1:10-12

Galatians 1:10-12 - Daily Devotion - 1 October 2025
St Barnabas Anglican Church Fairfield & Bossley Park

10 Am I now seeking the approval of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ. 11 For I certify to you, brothers, that the gospel I preached was not devised by man.b 12 I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Amelia Lin

I think that a common experience for all of us is finding it hard to discern what is true with all the messages we get from the world, whether this comes from social media, our friends, our workplaces, pop culture, or even our family. Often, we want to believe the messages that sound nice and that the people closest to us believe. It seems that this is similar to what the Galatian Christians were experiencing.

Paul has just rebuked the Galatians for turning to other truths that undermine the gospel of Christ, and he has urged them to live in the grace of Christ. In today’s passage Paul continues to challenge them by asking some rhetorical questions. In verse 10, Paul asks whether the Galatians think he is seeking the approval of people or of God? This was probably one of the tactics of the false teachers – they tried to discredit Paul by saying he was a people-pleaser. But Paul assures them, in verse 11, that he is a servant of Christ, so he seeks only the approval of God. They can be sure of that because the gospel that Paul preaches was not made up by Paul or any other mere person. He received the gospel he preaches by revelation from Jesus Christ.

I am thankful that when it is hard to discern what it true, we can be sure of the truth of the gospel of Christ, as it has been revealed to us in God’s Word and by His Spirit. When we are confused by the different teachings of the world, we can come back to the Bible, which is not of human origin! I think this is also a challenge for us to make sure that we are not getting distracted by what other people say and try to convince us of, and instead be firm in our conviction of the truth of God’s Word.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amelia is a member of our Bossley Park morning congregation