Beware Of The Dogs
By Pastor Tony Butler
If you were to come up to a fence gate with a
sign that says, “Beware of the Dogs,” and there were four Doberman Pincers snarling
on the other side, would you open the gate and go into that yard? The answer to the question is obvious; you
would not enter that yard. There is,
however, a yard that many will enter into, even though there are vicious dogs,
and a “Beware of the Dogs” sign in place.
The Apostle Paul put up such a sign in Philippians 3:1: “Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the
Lord. To write the same things to you,
to me, indeed is not grievous, but for you, it is safe. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware
of the concision. 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” Paul was talking about were
false teachers, who believed that Jesus was the Messiah, but taught that
salvation was not by faith in Jesus, Alone.
They were teaching that each person had to be circumcised to be
saved. They were saying what so many
false teachers say today, declaring that what Jesus did for us on the cross is
not sufficient to save, that the works of sinful man are also required. Paul could not agree less and had tremendous
disputes with these dogs. Acts 15:1,2 “And
certain men which came down from Judea
taught the brethren, and said, except you be circumcised after the manner
of Moses, you cannot be saved. When,
therefore, Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them.”
When one adds works to the gospel of Christ, it
becomes a false gospel that is cursed of God.
The people who preach and teach it are cursed, as well. Gal. 1:6-8 “I marvel that you are so
soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another
gospel: Which is not another; but there
be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. Though we, or an angel from heaven, preach
any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be
accursed.”
Beloved, God has strong words for those that
would dare teach that the work of Jesus on the cross is not sufficient to save
a person. Yet many in our day still
teach that it is “Jesus plus,” Jesus plus Baptism, Jesus plus the Ten
Commandments, Jesus plus whatever religious rules a group states, but the Bible
teaches that it is JESUS PLUS NOTHING.
One merely places his or her faith in what Jesus did for them on the
cross, and receives His salvation as a gift.
The Bible says in Ephesians 2:8,9 “For by grace are you saved
through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works,
lest any man should boast.” If a
man is trusting in any work of his own hand to get to heaven, he will never be
able to do enough. For righteousness
comes not by the work of man, but by faith in the work of God. II Corinthians 5:21 “For He (God) has
made Him (Jesus) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin, that we might be made the
righteousness of God in Him.”
Works are commanded of God, but never are they to be done to get saved;
they are to be done because we are already saved (Ephesians 2:10).
Beware of those evil dogs, and don’t go in their
back yard. They are not servants of God,
but messengers of Satan. II Corinthians
11:14, 15 “And no marvel; for Satan, himself, is transformed into an
angel of light. There, it is no great
thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;
whose end shall be according to their works.” On the outward, they are kind, loving, and
good people, but God measures a man differently than we do. God sees the false teacher that would pervert
His gospel as an evil worker sowing the lies of Satan. Those that put their trust in their perverted
gospel will be accursed by God. Hear the
names that God calls false teachers that oppose His Truth: snakes – hypocrite – blind guides – whited
walls full of dead men’s bones – evil workers – fools – clouds that hold no
water – brute beasts – liars – filthy dreamers, children of Satan.
Anyone who speaks like that today in our politically correct
society is seen as intolerable, unreasonable, and narrow. Well, narrow is the way, and few there are
that will walk its path. Let God be true
and every man a liar. God has called us
to grace in His Son. We are fully
accepted by Him when we trust in Him, Alone, for our salvation. Don’t be fooled by Satan’s ministers. Stay out of their yard by heeding God’s warning,
“Beware of the dogs.”