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 “dogs”, in this context, are those people who irrationally oppose the true Doctrine of Christ and are openly vicious toward those who are not pacted together with them, even towards those who would do them no harm. These “dogs” are mean spirited scavengers, they steal or forcibly take from others to gratify themselves (Philippians 3:19). They are immoral, dishonest, and deceitful; they “are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie” (Revelation 22:15). They seem to never learn from their gross errors; for, “The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.” (II Peter 2:22). They have no sense of moral decency or conscience (I Kings 14:11; 21:19). They are always making a lot of noise and stirring up trouble; they “make a noise like a dog, and go round about the city” (Psalms 59:14). There is no value in laboring with them; for, we are Commanded to “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs” (Matthew 7:6); for, “unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled” (Titus 1:15). They often “profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate” (Titus 1:16). Actually, they are “enemies of the cross of Christ” (Philippians 3:18); for, the Prophecy was filled: “dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalms 22:16) and the “dogs” are still in hateful pursuit of our Lord. Some of the “watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber” (Isaiah 56:10) and “they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter” (Isaiah 56:11). Trying to reason with them “is like one that taketh a dog by the ears” (Proverbs 26:17); for, they are madly vicious “Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (II Timothy 3:4). Thus, we are Commanded to “Beware of dogs”; that is, know where they are and avoid them if possible, but always have “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) at the ready!