Apparently Paul believes the old practice of circumcision is for the 'dogs'...the Jewish dogs that are mutilators of the flesh.
"Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh. Philippians 3:2-3
Just as we as Christians act as scouts on the world’s frontier helping people come to know Jesus Christ it is indeed the relationship and the faith in Jesus and His works that serves as the atonement for the person’s sins. When we or others find Christ (or He finds us/them) it is a righteousness that is imputed to us. This righteousness is gained only by faith. After the barrage at the “dogs” and the “cutting” remarks at them Paul turns to all of his pre-conversion works such as him being "of the people of Israel", "a Hebrew of Hebrews", "scrupulous in his attention to the Law" because he had "been a Pharisee", etc. All these things he now considers trash, or more literally poo-poo or offal/refuse.
As Paul alluded to in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Paul carries on the idea here in his letter to Philippi. It is the same idea written in a different manner with a different destination but in unity with the same sentiments to other churches. This is where we see the unity of purpose Paul tries to convey not just to one church but the church at large in many places. All members or different units of the same body driven forward by the same head: Jesus Christ.
Paul makes it clear that turning Torah or Scripture in any form into man-made laws that need to be observed, God’s people have turned them into human regulations totally missing the point of having them revealed to humans in the first place. They were revealed to assure that man is obedient to God not man and in a relationship with God that is sanctified or as Jeremiah (9:23-26) said, to understand and know God...thereby boasting in the Lord. Instead man resorts to legalism putting a fence around the Law / Torah which has the effect of putting a fence around God…to keep people away (not to contain or keep God in). This ends up damning many in the process that do not have the sense, the know-how or ability to realize they need to peek beyond or go around the fence to actually get to God.
You need do nothing but believe people! Believe in the work that Jesus did at Cross. Works do not increase your chances of getting to heaven and into the presence of the Most High. If anything, they probably work detrimentally and against you. All of your actions and works are but garbage that are a stink to God's nostrils. Do something useful and conducive to your salvation. Believe. Pray and come to a better understanding God through reading your Bible.
Please repeat after me...
Salvation is by faith not by works so that no one may boast
Salvation is by faith not by works so that no one may boast
Salvation is by faith not by works so that no one may boast
Salvation is by faith not by works so that no one may boast
[Repeat]
Continue as required until it sinks thru your skull.
Actually if you sing it along as a tune it is kinda catchy and becomes a brain worm.
♫ Salvation is by faith not by works so that no one may boast ♫
♫ Salvation is by faith not by works so that no one may boast ♫
♫ Salvation is by faith not by works so that no one may boast ♫
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