Christian, Prepare To Be Mocked!

2 Peter 3:3-4

knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, "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."

Today's passage is a very specific prophecy that helps us as we determine how we interact with the ungodly people that we are bound to come across. Let's get to the meaning of some of the words that Peter uses here so we can see just what it is that he is warning us about.

In verse three:

Scoffers are simply people who mock. If you let people know your beliefs on sensitive topics like religion and politics, you are bound to get mocked for those beliefs. Just think about the things the bible teaches and how different those are to the modern way of thinking. For example, The bible teaches that the universe was created in seven days. If you stood up in a college biology class and explained your beliefs on this issue, you will be laughed right out of the room. If you want to get people really hot, try telling a non-Christian that they must believe in Jesus Christ in order to get to heaven. Even better yet, go ahead and tell them that if they don't have a relationship with Christ, then they will go to hell if they were to die tomorrow. Most people, even so-called Christians believe that they are good people and that there are many ways to get to God. Most Christians, according to polls taken, do not even believe in a literal hell. So basically, if you hold the bible as the perfect word of God, containing all truth, then you will find yourself the victim of the scoffers that are just waiting to find out what you believe so they can commence the scoffing.

Verse three concludes by saying that these people are following their own desires, or better translated; lusts. In my opinion, it's very possible that the people that mock Christians for their beliefs are covering up their own fears. What fears? Fears that the bible is true and the Christian is right! Most find it easier to soothe their own conscience by mocking the Christian rather that dealing with the potential life change that would result from believing the bible. People would rather follow after their own lusts (translated: do whatever they want to).

Verse four:

They will say, "Where is the promise of his coming?...

Peter is about to give Christians a very comforting message. Peter has lived a long life and has seen the martyrdom of almost all the apostles, including Paul. He is describing here, I would argue, one of the most difficult things a Christian has to deal with while living on the earth. The invisible spirit nature of God, coupled with the apparent cessation of signs and wonder type of miracles. Don't get bent out of shape by that statement. I'm talking about the parting-the-sea kind of miracles. One of the things atheists will argue, is the fact that God is invisible and there is no physical evidence of His presence. While this isn't a big problem for the Christian who sees the working hand of God in everything from creation to answered prayers. To a Christian, the fact that God is invisible makes us all the more eager to see Him in His glory one day. But there will be people that will come along and say, where is Jesus? They even might point to scripture that seems to indicate that the early apostles thought that Jesus was coming back very soon after he left. They will say, "things are happening by random chance." The actual truth: God is in complete control of everything and is actively involved in the workings of mankind.

Here's the deal,

We are in the "last days" right now. It's only for the fact of God's mercy that he hasn't brought all this to a close and initiate the kingdom. The fact is, God isn't through saving those that He intends to save. Christ is coming back when the Father wills it. It's been 2000 years. Has God forgotten about us? No way! 2000 years seems long to us, but in the scope of eternity, it's a blink.

The comforting message is coming up next...