Verse by Verse Devotional on Philippians by Pastor Jack #139

Beware of the Evil Workers!

3:2 Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision.

Paul is speaking of the same group of men in all three of these bewares. And in each of the three Paul uses language that "turns the tables" on the Judaizers. He calls them dogs, which is the name commonly used by Jews to refer to the Gentiles in disgust (remember that the Judaizers were saying that no unclean Gentile could become a Christian - he had to become a clean Jew first). And now he calls them evil workers, apparently because they prided themselves on their works. In response to their glorification of works, Paul says that their works are evil. And finally he calls them "the false circumcision" who proudly called themselves "the circumcision."

Apart from the loving use of strong language, which we have already discussed, there are things we can learn from Paul’s reference to these men as "evil workers."

First, we can see that all work not done for the glory of God is evil, even if it looks good. Paul (quoting Psalm 14) says in Romans 3:12, "There is none who does good, there is not even one." This doesn’t mean that no one does anything which looks good. Certainly people feed their children and do all sorts of other things that appear good. And yet nothing is good and everything is evil in the eyes of God unless it is done unto Him. Many things that the Judaizers were doing must have appeared good, even from a Christian perspective, but because Paul knew they were preaching a false gospel and a false Christ, he called them evil workers. In spite of their claims they were not working for God but against God, which is the definition of evil.

Second, we can see that some who claim to be good are actually evil. These men were promoting themselves as messengers of Christ, and yet they were leading people away from Christ. We must be on guard against such men. Satan’s primary weapon is deception. He is the ultimate con man. Listen to what Paul says in 2Cor.11:13-15 about the Judaizers: "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds." And that man is a fool who is confident his own discernment skills are greater than Satan’s deception skills.

Third, those who teach that salvation is by works (which is what the Judaizers taught, whether they admitted it or not, since they taught that a person must keep the ceremonial law in order to be saved), are themselves workers of evil. Those who say that good works are what saves you are not performing good works themselves, because teaching salvation by works is an evil work. The Christian gospel teaches us that good works flow out of salvation, not vice versa. And teaching or even believing otherwise is an evil work.

Dear Father, I praise You that You have saved me purely by Your grace, in spite of my evil works. And I ask You to forgive me for all the good-looking works I have done which were actually evil because I was serving myself instead of You. Please help me, Lord, to beware of deceptive men, to be on guard against the devices of the devil. Help me not to rest in my own abilities to discern, but help me to always remember my vulnerability and cry out to You for protection. And, Lord, help Your people not to be led astray by those who preach a false gospel. Expose them for what they are, and give Your people wisdom and courage to reject and repudiate what is false and destructive.