Prayer: Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2nd Timothy 2:15, NKJV).
Lord, as Your children, we are always learning and growing. Protect us from those who would bend and twist Your words and Your thoughts for deception, profit, or just out of ignorance. Keep us from those who would take Your word out of context to change or disrupt the meaning. Direct us through the power of Your Spirit to correctly interpret the words of Your truth in the Bible so that we might know clearly Your expectations for our lives. Amen.
Main Scripture:
Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:2-3).
Associated Scriptures:
And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:12-14).
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God (Romans 2:28-29, NKJV).
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them (Matthew 7:15-16).
Correlative Quotes:
If we want to know which heresies abound today, we should examine the teachings and beliefs that cause division in the church.[1] – Amos Yong
To live happily, stay far away from alternative forms of religious teaching that are contrary to the Bible.[2]
The apostle's description is fitting. Are dogs unclean and filthy? So are the false teachers.[3] John MacArthur
Study:
INTRODUCTION
If Jesus isn’t really like us, then we are excused from being like him. Yet that is what 1 John tells us is the evidence of lives anointed by the Spirit, discerning truth from falsehood by the evidence of God’s love in and among us—that “in this world we are like Jesus” (4:17), conformed to the truly human, gloriously cruciform image of the Son.[4] Cherith Fee Nordling
False doctrines, false teachers, and the inaccurate interpretation of His word have always been with us. Those who would misinterpret God’s word in light of Jesus’ actions and teachings began shortly after his ascension.
Although the Philippian church had not experienced false teachers as had other church in Europe and Asia, it was only a matter of time until it became a reality for them.
“BEWARE” IS A STAUNCH WARNING.
It is used three times in this verse for effect. The Philippians are warned to keep a watchful eye always. Three is the number of man so it is not inconsequential that Paul uses this warning with its hyperbole to hide the true identity of the perpetrators. “Dogs” were considered to be unclean animals by the Jews. “Wild dogs” were scavengers and had no owner or handler to control them. They were vicious due to their constant hunger and would attack and eat anything [5]
The use of the word “dogs” is Paul’s way of describing the innate evil of those who try to deceive or confuse new or young converts. They have these three characteristics: they were devious in their actions, street smart, and Looking for unexpected prey
Paul is using this analogy to describe the false teachers, heretics or apostates, who were out to destroy Christianity. They boasted in their knowledge of the gospel. They were perverted and dedicated to their own gain. They taught atonement through works rather than the mercy and grace of God through the shed blood of Christ.
2 Peter 2:1 expands on this thought when it says, “But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.”
EVIL WORKERS
“Evil Workers” were deceitful workers whose goal was personal aggrandizement. Their interest was to “fill their own belly” according to Romans 16:18. They were unwilling or unable to “rightly divide the word of truth (2Timothy 2:15).” Their goal was self-glorification, self-promotion, and personal gain.
The word “mutilation” refers to physical circumcision. Physical circumcision in the Jewish faith is a fulfillment of the Circumcision Covenant made with God with Israel. Today as in the past, it is part of the ritual of becoming a Jew.[6] Physical Circumcision today has no real spiritual value. Spiritual circumcision means that when we are redeemed, the old nature is severed, and we become new.
Salvation by grace is through the death of Christ not through a physical act of our own or others. Teaching that we must follow the law of God without concern for a completely spiritual relationship with Him is apostasy. The Jews trusted in a rite rather than righteousness.
In Vs 3 Paul says that we are the “true” circumcision. We rejoice in the completed work of Christ upon the cross. We have confidence in the resurrection and we have no confidence in any action of the flesh.
Summary Statement:
Those who would bend God’s word to offer us security outside of God, those who would twist God’s word to take advantage of some depraved personal need, or those who would use God’s word for their own advantage, financial or otherwise are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They want only to glorify themselves and not God and His Word.
God’s word says to ignore them and use those who can be trusted to help you discern the truth in God’s word. Use God’s word “rightly divided” to direct your life and its decisions.
Lesson within the Lesson:
How do we recognize heretics?
How should we respond to their teaching?
Give an example of someone that is guilty of heresy and how you determined it.
What is the best guard against heresy and how do we implement it in or lives?
[1] Amos Yong, Which False Teaching are Christians Most likely to Believe in?, Christianity Today, April 15, 2012
[2] The Life Application Commentary Series Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 by the Livingstone Corporation. Produced with permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.
[3] The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2007.
[4] Cherith Fee Nordling, Which False Teachings Are Evangelical Christians Most Tempted to Believe In?, Christianity Today, APRIL 15, 2015, christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/april/
[5] The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Copyright © Moody Press and John MacArthur, Jr., 1983-2007.
[6] Judaism 101, jewfaq.org/birth.htm
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