[Philippians 3:2 KJV] “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.“
In Philippians 3:2, Paul warns the Philippian church to beware of “dogs, evil workers, and the concision.” He uses strong language here to emphasize the danger of these people.
- Dogs were considered unclean animals in the ancient world. They were associated with scavenging and disease. In this context, Paul is using the word “dogs” to refer to people who are spiritually unclean. They are like scavengers, picking at the bones of dead religious traditions. They are also like disease-carrying animals, spreading false teaching and leading people astray.
- Evil workers are those who do harm to others. They are motivated by self-interest and have no regard for the truth. They are like wolves in sheep’s clothing, appearing to be good but inwardly they are full of greed and malice.
- The concision is a derogatory term for those who practice circumcision as a way of earning salvation. Paul believed that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by works of the law. He saw the Judaizers as evil workers who were trying to lead people away from the true gospel.
Paul’s warning to the Philippians is still relevant today. There are many people who would lead us astray from the true gospel. They may be well-intentioned, but they are misguided. We need to be discerning and beware of those who would try to add to or take away from the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Here are some practical ways to heed Paul’s warning:
- Study the Bible for yourself. Don’t rely on others to tell you what the Bible says. Read it for yourself and let the Holy Spirit speak to you.
- Beware of false teachers. There are many false teachers in the world today. They may be charismatic and persuasive, but they are not teaching the truth. Be careful who you listen to.
- Stay connected to a healthy church. A good church will help you to grow in your faith and to be discerning of false teaching.
- Pray for wisdom. Ask God to give you wisdom to discern truth from error.
We live in a time when it is more important than ever to be discerning of false teaching. Paul’s warning to the Philippians is a timely reminder to beware of those who would lead us astray.
Stay blessed
