second Peter 3:3 knowing this first that there shall come in the last days scoffers walking after their own lusts Peter's warning is striking and Urgent he calls us to understand a truth that is vital for these times scoffers will come this prophecy was not just for the early church it resonates even more deeply today as we look at the state of the world we can see the rise of scoffers as an undeniable sign that the last days are upon us the behavior of scoffers reveals much about their spiritual condition and their presence is a reminder
of both the darkness of the human heart and the hope of Christ's return scoffers are not simply those who disagree with Christianity or question its teachings they are defined by an attitude of dogmatic pride and contemptuous mockery they reject the truth of God's word not with reasoned arguments but with arrogant derision the Bible describes them as individuals who walk after their own lusts driven by sinful desires that Harden their hearts against God this is not a passive state of disbelief it is an an active Rebellion against the Creator in Proverbs we see the character of
the scoffer laid bare Proverbs 21:4 ESV says scoffer is the name of the Arrogant hauy man who acts with arrogant Pride this verse highlights the defining trait of the scoffer arrogance a scoffer is someone who is utterly convinced of their own rightness unwilling to entertain the possibility of being wrong they lack the humility to say I could be wrong or I may need to reconsider their pride blinds them to the truth and makes them resistant to change this resistance to reason is likened in the Bible to the inability of a drunkard to think clearly Proverbs
chap 20:1 says wine is a mocker strong drink is Raging and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise the comparison is apt because a scoffer like a drunk person is closed off to wisdom and reason have you ever tried to reason with someone who is intoxicated it is a fruitless effort similarly attempting to engage with a scoffer often leads to frustration because their pride renders them unteachable scoffers do not stop at rejecting truth they actively belittle those who hold to it they mock with disdain and contempt not just disagreeing with Christians but ridiculing them this
mockery is particularly directed toward the central figure of our faith Jesus Christ who embodies love Grace and Truth it is ironic that scoffers Harbor such hatred for a message built on loving God and loving one's neighbor the teachings of Jesus which call for forgiveness and loving even one's enemies stand in stark contrast to the venomous ridicule of the scoffer I remember an experience that vividly Illustrated the mindset of a scoffer I worked at a job where my colleagues often shared what they did over the weekend when it was my turn I mentioned that I had
gone to church the action of one colleague was immediate and disdainful he sneered and asked you believe in that stuff in that magic man from that day on he mockingly referred to me as the Magic Man it didn't matter that I had done nothing to provoke such a response simply mentioning church was enough to trigger his contempt that is the heart of a scoffer an instinctive rejection of any anything connected to Faith the world is full of people like that colleague scoffers ridicule faith not because they have a rational objection but because they are walking
after their own lusts their mockery is rooted in their sinful desires they reject God because they do not want to submit to his authority the Bible makes it clear that scoffers are not following someone else's Cravings they are following their own they prioritize their own Pleasures passions and desires above everything else to them the gospel is an unwelcome reminder of their need for repentance and change when someone lives for their own desires they naturally resist any message that calls for self-denial the gospel demands that we take up our cross and follow Christ a call that
stands in direct opposition to the lifestyle of a scoffer as a result they lash out at Christians mocking them as a way to justify their own Rebellion this is why scoffers often seem so hostile and aggressive they're trying to silence the voice of conviction that God's truth brings the phrase walking according to their own lusts speaks to a life dominated by sinful appetites and the rejection of any moral Authority outside of of oneself scoffers prioritize pleasure comfort and personal gratification Above All Else viewing the call to Holiness as a threat to their autonomy they see
submission to Jesus Christ not as Liberation but as bondage because it Demands a surrender of their will to God's will in their hearts they know that the gospel confronts their sin but rather than repent they Harden their hearts choosing Rebellion over repentance this Rebellion is not merely a passive decision it is often aggressive and intentional scoffers mock God and his followers because they cannot bear the weight of conviction the gospel shines a light on their darkness and rather than step into the light they attempt to extinguish it by mocking Christians they seek to delegitimize the
faith hoping to escape the discomfort of accountability to God this is why scoffers are often most vocal when confronted with truth it exposes The Emptiness of their Pursuits furthermore scoffers reject the lordship of Christ because it directly challenges their belief that they are the ultimate authority over their lives they want to live without boundaries indulging every whim without consequence the idea of a holy and righteous God who will judge their actions is intolerable to them their scoffing then becomes a defense mechanism an attempt to Shield themselves from the reality of God's sovereignty and the truth
of his coming judgment in essence the moral problem at the heart of scoffing is a desire to remain the captain of one's own soul they view God as an obstacle to their freedom not understanding that true Freedom comes only through Christ their hostility is not only toward Christians but ultimately toward God himself who lovingly calls them to repentance Peter's prophecy reminds us that this behavior is not random it is a sign of the last days scoffers will rise up and their presence will become increasingly apparent as we approach the return of Christ this is further
emphasized in Jude 1:8 which says they said to you in the last time there will be scoffers following their own ungodly passions these scoffers are not random they are a fulfillment of Prophecy a reminder that God's word is true and his plan is unfolding one of the most striking aspects of scoffing is its connection to unbelief about the return of Christ Peter continues in 2 Peter 3:4 saying where is the promise of his coming for ever since the fathers fell asleep all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation scoffers dismiss the
promise of Jesus's return as a myth arguing that nothing has changed and that the world will continue as it always has their skepticism reveals their spiritual blindness and their refusal to acknowledge God's sovereignty for believers the rise of scoffers can be disheartening but it should also be encouraging their very presence is a sign that the Lord's return is near as their mockery intensifies it points to the Fulfillment of Prophecy and The Nearness of Christ's coming this should strengthen our faith and remind us that our hope is not in this world but in the promises of
God how then should we respond to scoffers first we must remember that their mockery is not truly directed at us but at Christ Jesus warned us in John 15:18 if the world hates you know that it has hated me before it hated you there re rejection of us is a reflection of their rejection of him understanding this can help us respond with Grace rather than anger second we must remain steadfast in our faith the rise of scoffers is a test of endurance for believers it challenges us to hold fast to the truth even when the
world mocks Us in 1 Corinthians 15:58 Paul encourages us therefore my beloved brothers be steadfast immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain the ridicule of scoffers should not deter us from living out our faith or sharing the gospel finally we must respond to scoffers with love and humility Romans 12: 21 says do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good it is not our job to argue with scoffers or to retaliate against their insults instead we are called to reflect the
character of Christ demonstrating his love even to those who mock us our response can serve as a powerful witness to the transforming power of the Gospel though scoffers may seem powerful and intimidate ating they are ultimately powerless against the truth of God's word their mockery cannot change the reality of Christ's return or the certainty of his victory Philippians 2: 10-1 declares at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on Earth and under the Earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father one day
even the scoffers will bow before him as we live in these last days the rise of scoffers should not cause us to lose heart instead it should remind us of the urgency of the gospel and the importance of remaining faithful every insult every sneer and every mocking word is a reminder that the Lord is coming soon let us hold fast to our faith proclaim the truth boldly and look forward to the day when we will see our savior face to face in Revelation 22:2 we are given a promise and a prayer he who testifies to
these things says surely I am coming soon amen come Lord Jesus may this be the hope that sustains us as we navigate a world filled with scoffers knowing that our labor is not in vain and our savior is on his way sh
