Read, 2 Peter 3: 1-9
“Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3-4
What are some of the fears and unbeliefs that you have you heard people say about the Second Coming? How does scoffing put the item being scoffed at down, while lifting up the scoffer?
Peter lays it out, just read the Passage, all of 2nd Peter. He then cements his reprimand by showing his people the ultimate hope we have in Christ, that our life is all about Him-what He has done, and what He is yet to do. And, the big yet to do is His Second Coming.
Yet, in the mist of our great hope there will be great detractors who seek to derail us off His tracks by seeding our fears and unbelief. If a false teacher can’t get you to see a variant view of a skewed truth, others will turn and ridicule real truth. Thus, they will get you to laugh at the truth to demean it so you will not take it seriously. Scoffing puts the item being scoffed at down while it lifts up the scoffer. Pride is at the base of this, which is always the way Satan works.
They will say, “Do you really believe that?” “How can you take that seriously?” We are to see where their arguments come from, mainly faulty thinking and conniving agendas and conceit, causing us to forget God’s promises and even His past provisions.
Take a closer read at these verses. What is our hope and comfort? God is sovereign and in control! God’s mighty hand was in the environment and in humanity before the beginning of time, and continues today and on to eternity. He will judge the quick (alive) and the dead (Acts 10:42; 1 Peter 4:5; The Apostolic Creed).
God’s word refers to God’s ability and authority to command, create, and be Lord. By God’s word, the universe was created out of nothing. We were created and saved. In context, this also shows us that at the time of creation through today, all of history, that God is a God of involvement and action. He is not passive as the deists teach; there is no reason or need to doubt God! (Gen. 1:1-30; Psalm 33:6-9; Heb. 11:3).
We can rebuff scoffer with the Fruit of the Spirit and a gentle answer, then we can take comfort when they attack that God intervenes in history and in our lives. He will judge, as He demonstrated with the Flood (Gen 6-8).
We rest in “God’s divine Word” as in His utterance that creates and commands, that God is “all powerful.” He will repeat the judgments and we have the importance of God as the One who is in control and who will judge the wicked.
He made the universe; He made you for a plan and a purpose. You are no mistake; therefore, you are wanted and have a destiny. Thus, we are called to realize that and not let false teachers, scoffers, and/or connivers distract us from seeing Christ and applying His Lordship to our lives.