The Bible says:
“Beware of dogs.”
— Philippians 3: 2
We have all seen “beware of dog” signs. We know if we venture past that sign we risk being encountered by the dog or worse.
The dog mentioned in Scripture is an unclean animal. He eats garbage, dead animals, (Exodus 22: 31) human flesh, ( 1 Kings 14: 11) and blood. (1 Kings 22: 38).
They have filthy eating habits.
(Proverbs 26: 11; 2 Peter 2: 22) Jesus compares the Gentiles to them. (Matthew 15: 26) Besides the canine there are other dogs that we must beware of. The word “beware” means “to be on one’s guard: be wary of; be cautious.”
As we are wary and alert to the domesticated dog, lest they do us physical harm, we must be doubly alert of these other dogs, lest they cause us spiritual harm.
The “dogs” Paul is warning us about are false preachers and teachers. These “dogs” are in the church or in Christendom and doing great damage.
They are treacherous and deceitful. They may have many titles as long as one’s arm and dress in the finest robes as though he were an angel from heaven, because they lead men astray from the truth they are dogs.
They’re also called “wolves.” (Matthew 7: 15) There are still religious dogs; false preachers and teachers around in our day, beware of them.
There is the “dog” that is the male prostitute.
“There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel.
Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog (male prostitute), into the house of the Lord thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the Lord thy God.”
— Deuteronimy 23: 17, 18
The price of a dog is a figurative expression used to denote the gains of a sodomite by the dogike manner in which he debased himself.
There will be no dogs in Heaven. No, not even the best mannered canine will be there.
There will be no false preachers and teachers there. They will be in Hell with the many they turned from the truth.
“Blessed are they that do His (God’s) commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.”
— Revelations 22: 14, 15
James H. Cagle is a Ray City resident who pastored several churches for a total of 11 years.
Email him at pastorjameshcagle@
