Philippians 3:2 “Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. 3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.”
The phrase, “evil workers”, is a further description of those he identified as “dogs”. To do “evil” is to do very bad things that cause severe harm and injury. These “evil workers” are those who “devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand” (Micah 2:1). Those in leadership positions who hate the “doctrine of Christ” (II John 1:9) often do “evil” things to remove it, to destroy the Lord’s Church, and to nullify or drive away the faithful Children of God. Many will disguise themselves as faithful followers of Christ, all the while they are subversively working to destroy the Lord’s Church. Our Lord issued these warnings, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” (Matthew 7:15) and “Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16). The Lord tells us that “Ye shall know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:16)! In countries where there is no freedom of religion; these “evil workers” use “the power of their hand” to block the practice of true Christianity, often imprisoning the faithful Children of God and even committing murder under the “power” of their “evil” laws. In countries where there is freedom of religion, they make and enforce laws that nullify Christian teachings for morality, integrity, prayer, and brotherly love; whereby, they entice and lead away our children and the “weak in the faith” (Romans 14:1). They are deceptively subtle, but their “evil” intent becomes obvious when Church attendance begins to decline, cohabitation becomes more popular than marriage, children are taught ungodly things, lives are destroyed with drugs and alcohol and immoral living, there is no respect for authority, men are no longer men, women are no longer women, and Biblical families are rare in society. This “evil” destroys lives, families, and countries! For a long while these “evil workers” seem to practice their “evil” with impunity; but, “behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch” (Malachi 4:1). The Psalmist wrote, “I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end. 18 Surely thou didst set them in slippery places: thou castedst them down into destruction. 19 How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.” (Psalm 73:17-19). At the present time, these “evil workers” are dreadfully emboldened to do their “evil”; but our defense is to, like the Psalmist, go “into the sanctuary of God”, the Church of Jesus Christ where the “doctrine of Christ” is clearly taught and practiced, even as “the heathen rage, and the people imagine vain things” (Acts 4:25).