Philippians 3:1-3 ESV
Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—

BEWARE OF THE DOGS.
This sign is a common sight at the gates of households that own dogs in our neighborhood. Though how tame a dog is, it has the tendency to bite when agitated. In other words, dogs can be dangerous. Rabid dogs are deadly. Thus, any passerby being bitten by it shouldn’t fault their owners when the warning sign is flashed on.

Dogs in the first century were noted for their wildness and aggressiveness in scavenging, devouring whatever food they could find. Similarly, false teachers are as dogs looking for their own interests. Unlike Jesus, they take advantage to whatever they can get from others. (see Matthew 7:6; 15:26, 27; Mark 7:27, 28; Luke 16:21; 2 Peter 2:22]

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.” [2 Cor 11:13,14] They distorted the gospel by adding the law as the requirement as the ‘circumcision party.’ It was too bad that an act of obedience of circumcision became a ‘mutilation of the flesh’.

Definitely, Paul declared that salvation is by faith not by following Jewish customs such as the circumcision. Far from an empty legalism, authentic followers of Jesus are marked by three things. First, their worship is focused on the Holy Spirit's work in their lives.

Secondly, they put their faith in Christ solely, not in the law. The law provided the knowledge of sin as a mirror so that it introduces at to the Messiah, who can cleanse us from sin. “So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.” [Gal 3:24] We take solace only to what Jesus has done, not on following the law.

Thirdly, they don’t stake their spiritual lives and eternity on either rituals observed or their own good deeds.[Titus 3:5,6] The assuring confidence of a believer isn’t whether he has been circumcised—or performed some other religious ritual—but whether he has received salvation through faith in Jesus alone.

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