The Christ Plus Gospel
“Beware of Dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision” (Philippians 3:2).
The Apostle Paul is warning the church at Philippi to guard against the teachings of the Judaizers. His reference to them as “dogs” was an insult of the highest order. Paul saw them as an existential threat to the church of his day. The Judaizers professed faith in Christ, but insisted that the Law be kept as well. Paul’s Gospel was one of Grace with the Law excluded.
These were evil workers that sought to rob the church of the liberty that Christ provided through His sacrificial death at Calvary. They did not acknowledge the fact that faith in the Cross alone was what was required for our Salvation. They believed that the Law must be kept along with faith in Christ. Paul knew that if the Judaizers had their way, the church would lose its way and the Gospel he fought so hard to have established in the churches would be perverted. The Judaizers taught that works must be added to faith in Christ for right standing with God.
Paul warned about these “evil workers” by referencing to them as the “concision.” He was talking about their teaching that circumcision was necessary for Salvation. They insisted that the Law of Moses including dietary rules and rituals must be adhered to. It was a Christ plus approach to Salvation which Paul addressed in Galatians with the following strong condemnation of this false way.
“But, 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” (Galatians 1:8).
There is nothing more dangerous than the preaching of a false gospel. We are saved by Grace alone and works of the Law have no part in the Gospel. It was a Law gospel the Judaizers were peddling and it was totally in opposition to the true Gospel of Grace. Paul knew that souls were at stake here. He knew that if those in the church accepted this false Gospel it would bankrupt their faith.
The church today must also watch out for false doctrine brought into the church by false teachers. Everything we hear must be measured by the Word of God. Anything that would add to the Gospel of Grace must be rejected. Our faith is most precious to us. By it we are saved, sanctified, and by it we are made partakers of the Divine Nature. We must fight the good fight of (the) faith in the Salvation plan that the Lord has provided. Again, it is faith in Christ and Him crucified alone.
Any deviation from the true Gospel will cost the person their soul. The Father sent His Son to die on the Cross so that our sins would be forgiven and we would spend eternity with Him. He only requires that we place our faith in His Son’s sacrificial death to be saved. That’s it, we are not to add anything to faith in Christ crucified. Could we ever believe that our works are required by God for Salvation or Sanctification? When we read in the Gospels of all the Lord suffered (scourging and beating, the crown of thorns, the humiliation, and the crucifixion) for us, can we ever say it wasn’t enough – that we need to add to it. I think not. Our Salvation was “finished” at the Cross. We are complete in Him.
“Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the Law: for by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified” (Galatians 2:16).
Prayer Changes Things
“For the eyes of the Lord are on the Righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers…” (1 Peter 3:12).
The Lord hears our prayers and is faithful to answer.
Always Remember,
God Loves You!
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Here I Am, Lord – Tom Quinn Ministries – tqministries.com 2026
