In Paul’s letter to the Philippians, he wrote clearly that our default state as God’s children is joy! We are to rejoice in the Lord. That should remain our condition even when we receive warnings and admonitions such as those Paul shared with the Philippians, “For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe” (3:1).
One of those admonitions came in the very next verse. “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation!” (3:2). It seems obvious that in this case Paul is warning against the Jews, and more specifically against the error of the Judaizers, who felt that the Christian faith could be practiced only as a Jew or Jewish proselyte.
The word “dogs” here is used with derision. The Jew used it that way toward the Gentiles, but here Paul turns the table against them. Dogs were not beloved pets in the first century. The term was a sharp and negative name when associated with men (cf. Revelation 22:15).
Calling them evil workers, and associating their demand of circumcision to the Gentile with mutilation, completed Paul’s denunciation.
We too must “beware of dogs” today as Christians. Anyone who would disregard God’s will, and seeks to bring such error to other men deserves such a designation!
