16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; 20 idolatry and sorcery; hatred, discord, jealousy, and rage; rivalries, divisions, factions, 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Annie Davies

When I read verses 19-21, with its list of the acts of the flesh, some things seem crazy – I would never do those as a Christian! Like sexual immorality, debauchery and sorcery. And yet there are other things in the list that I can struggle with sometimes, like discord, jealousy and envy. And those don’t seem that bad or serious, particularly compared to the other things listed. But Paul is very clear: “those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God”. I was struck and rebuked when I read that! When I am envious of what God has given other people, that is an act of the flesh … it’s sin, and sin puts people outside of God’s kingdom! I am reminded that God really is holy, and even something that is a “small sin” in my eyes – something everyone probably struggles with – is utterly offensive to God. And if I practice those things, if I give my life over to that way of life, I will not be part of God’s kingdom.

But verse 16 fills me with such a wave of hope and encouragement. Walking by the Spirit is about living by faith in Jesus, who gives us the gift of his Spirit to both cleanse us from the guilt of sin and give us a new heart and a new way to live. I am so thankful that because of what Christ has done for me, God has given his Spirit to dwell in me. He helps me not do the acts of the flesh. It is so amazing that it is not my efforts to try harder, but rather God is at work in me by his Spirit to help me walk by his Spirit. Trusting in Christ truly does set us free! It is all his work that keeps forgiving my sin, keeps me walking by the Spirit, and ensures that I can inherit the kingdom of God and be part of his people.

This reminds me to pray. When I am struggling with things that are acts of the flesh, only God can help me. So I should depend on him in prayer, that he may continue his work in me. If anything from the list has struck you, why don’t you join me in praying for God’s help that we will walk by the Spirit.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Annie is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

11 Now, brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those who are agitating you, I wish they would proceed to emasculate themselves!

13 For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you keep on biting and devouring one another, watch out, or you will be consumed by one another.

REFLECTIONS

Written by Adam Davies

“Why stop at circumcision, just keep cutting things off down there…” Gosh, Paul, is that really what you’re saying in verse 12? Whoever these people insisting on circumcision are, they must be really leading people into something terrible!

But I guess that’s been Paul’s point in this chapter, right? If Paul was really still preaching circumcision, then the cross would be done away with and pointless. If we have been set free from the slavery of relying on works for salvation, to wholly relying on God’s grace through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, and then we try to insist on something else being essential for our salvation, that makes the cross pointless, and we go back to slavery of works which cannot save. If verse 12 is anything to go by, Paul seems pretty serious about this!

Maybe it caused the Galatians to fight with each other about whether circumcision counted for anything, and the arguments were tearing them apart. Even with those who realised they had everything in Christ and that circumcision counted for nothing, maybe they weren’t using their freedom to care for and serve each other but seemed to be hurting each other! I wonder if it can be hard for us as well, when we’re trying to encourage people to let go of things they are relying on to get into God’s good books and instead to wholly trust in Christ for salvation. I wonder if I am ever high and mighty about it when chatting to someone who is scared about letting go of an unhelpful or ungodly tradition, instead of gently loving and leading them towards the truth of Christ? I pray that I can both be firm about salvation by grace through faith alone, and yet can correct and encourage people in a way that uses my freedom in love and service of others.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Adam is a member of our Fairfield Morning congregation.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.