"Beware of Dog" Philippians 3:1-7

Resound
August 21, 2011

Bryne Palmer

“Beware of Dog”

Philippians 3:1-7

The Pharisees were like old dogs who couldn’t and didn’t want to learn new tricks. Paul used to be one of them. –Romans 8:4- but Paul was an old dog who did learn a new trick.

1)      Beware VS. 1-2

Again Paul is telling then to rejoice because they already know it, it’s a safeguard, an anchor. –James 1:6- If we let our eye wander to things other than Christ we eventually drift over to it and before you know it you’re there. So beware of the people who try to drag you astray.

a)      Dogs

Dogs back then were more like the hyenas from the Lion King. They were dirty, honor-less, disgusting creatures. The dogs he’s referring to here are the Judaizers.

b)      Evil Workers

They try to drag you away

c)       False Circumcision

Circumcision was to be an outward sign that they were Jews (it was primarily the parent’s responsibility to make sure they stayed on the right path). –Deuteronomy 6:16- Jesus wanted it to be an inward thing, circumcise the heart (not the physical heart). But the Judaizers were telling people they had to be outwardly circumcised to be a Christian. But Paul is warning against them and their false teaching. Christ had already come to fulfill the law.
Gentiles were referred to as dogs. Christ has taken us dog as hyenas and brought us in and cleaned us up and made us His. This warning isn’t just for the Philippians it’s for all of us.

2)      Be Blameless VS. 3-6

As believers of Christ we’ve been circumcised in the spirit. –Galatians 5:5-6- All the bad things have been cut away. We have an inward change and it’s the inward change that matters.

Paul’s list of outward things: He’s…

·         Circumcised on the 8^th day (He’s like a pure bread dog)

·         Of the tribe of Benjamin (Israel’s favorite, good tribe)

·         Hebrew of Hebrews (A leader, top dog)

·         AS to the law; a Pharisee (a law settler and contender)

·         As to zeal a persecutor of the Church (part of what the Pharisees did)

·         As to righteousness which is in the law, found blameless (it’s been paid for)

Paul is saying is physical outward things could get you saved he’d be close to perfect, he really followed the law.

3)      Be Loved VS. 7

But he’s willing to trade all of that to follow Christ. It doesn’t matter what I can do, there’s nothing we can do to gain salvation. It’s not about what we can do for Jesus, it’s what He did for us.