Beware Of Dogs

Philippians 3:2-3 “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.
(3.) For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”

Beloved, Paul had in verse 1 told us to “rejoice in the Lord.” Beloved it is only in the Lord Jesus Christ that we as Christians can rejoice. It is when we step outside of Christ, (that is outside of our fellowship with Christ) that we become miserable. There is no happiness in the flesh outside of Christ. Beloved in this flesh nothing is good, therefore how could a Christian ever think we can enjoy being a Christian and enjoy living in the flesh? Paul said he was hung between staying here and being with Christ not because he enjoyed the flesh but rather of the work he had to do here. Paul loved his life here because of his work and his fellowship with his beloved brethren and no other reason. However with that all said he was also miserable because of the “dogs”, “evil workers”, and “the concision” Dogs were never referred to in the scriptures as a good thing. In fact to call someone a dog in the Old Testament was a very harsh name Isaiah 56:10 “His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” and this was a name often given to the Gentiles from the Jews. However as it has turned out over time the Jews (as people in general) are the ones who never knew the Saviour. They are the ones who rejected Jesus the most because He was one of them. A dog (as thought of in the east) is a very ignorant, lazy, and dumb animal because they have no master to lead them. However the tables have turned because at present the Jews have no master to lead them. If we remember in the Old Testament times the Master lead them and they rejected Him on every turn and bit His gracious hand. This is a Christian who refuses to follow his Master. They are as dumb as dogs, lazy, and love to slumber. We refer to Jews as dogs now because the refuse to accept a Master and follow Him, we refer to some Christians as dogs because they are lazy in refusing to work for the Lord and to serve Him in any way they can, they love to sleep and love to slumber. They are dumb because they follow evil workers instead of men of truth. Beloved Paul gave us so many warnings and signs and some are just as bad as the Jews were in the Old Testament and bite the hand of grace and refuse to follow their Master. These evil workers want to tell us what this world has to offer when it truly has no good in it. The “concision” were those that followed the old customs of circumcision or as we would recognize them today as those who follow acts of works or customs. Beloved works are not for salvation, but rather a result of salvation. We work because this is what the Lord commands of us. We work because we love the Lord and not because we require a reward for it. A true worker for the Lord is one who Loves the Lord and has a great desire that the Lord will use him/her in some way and desiring nothing in return. Evil workers are those who simply seek rewards and riches. They are not concerned about you or the Lord they only want you to reward their effort with your money. Beloved Paul said to beware of them! And worship the Lord in spirit not with outside acts. Let’s remember the Lord told us to go into a closet and pray because He wants to hear our hearts and not words to satisfy fleshly ears, this is the same with works, do them, but do them because of your faith and not so man can see them. Beloved I am living proof that God reward His faithful. Not because I am rich or am very prosperous but because when a need arises brethren rush to the rescue. I once heard a story of a young lady who while singing “if you are saved and you know it say Amen) and she could not sing it because she was not saved, however the Lord used that song to bring her to Christ. I wonder how many can sing “we’ll work till Jesus comes” and mean it.