Is Jesus Really Coming Again?
According to an article in the English Standard newspaper on 4 March 1966, John Lennon of the Beetles said:
“Christianity will go. It will vanish and sink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right and will be proved right. We’re more popular than Jesus now. I don’t know which will go first – rock’n’roll or Christianity. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.”
There's nothing new about scoffing at God. We saw scoffers at the tower of Babel in the Bible. During Noah's time, there were scoffers. At the Garden of Eden, the Serpent scoffed at God. The Pharisees, King Herod Antipas, and even one of the thieves on the cross mocked and scoffed at Jesus.
The Bible says:
knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. – 2 Peter 3:3
They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” – Jude 18
Scoffers mock Christ, ridicule God's things, and oppose the gospel. A scoffer denies Scripture's truths and entices others to do the same. The proliferation of scoffers is a sign of the last days. Several factors may be contributing to the rise of scoffers in our world today. People can scoff at everything once thought honourable because of the media, the internet, and other technology. Others can instantly approve of mockery on social media, empowering scoffers.
This new world without moral boundaries is producing scoffers instead of thinkers. Since the Creator God can't be proved by man's understanding, many try to use science to say God doesn't exist. The rejection of Scripture has left us without a moral compass, leaving us unable to tell what's right and wrong, good or bad. In fact, anyone who uses Christian moral values to justify right from wrong is a prime target for scoffers.
Here are some ways people are scoffing at God. Those who say we evolved from a lower lifeform scoff at God who created man in His own image. Those who claim gender can be fluid scoff at God's creation of two distinct genders: man and woman. Those who support same-sex marriages scoff at God for instituting marriage as one man and one woman for life. Pro-choice supporters who support abortion scoff at God's value of life.
The reason they scoff is in 2 Peter 3:3: "Scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts." They don't want to live for God. Fulfilling their own pleasure is all they care about.
Most people say they doubt the Bible, but when they probe their hearts, they admit they don't want their lifestyles disturbed. Feeding on flesh is more appealing to them. The Bible says to anticipate Jesus' return, but unbelievers say the promise was made from the beginning, but He hasn't shown up, so they scoff (2 Peter 3:5). People forget that God flooded the earth in judgment of man's sin and set a rainbow in the sky as His promise that it wouldn't flood again. As the Bible says: "Don't forget this one thing, with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." "The Lord is patient toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should repent" (2 Peter 3:8-9).
Christ delays His coming so more people can get saved. It's only a loving God who wants to spare mankind from eternal judgment that's so patient.
Heavenly Father,
By Your hand, we were all created to give You glory in all the days of our lives. Even though we don't know what lies ahead, Jesus warned us that life will be tough this side of heaven. We know we have an enemy set out to destroy us. May we operate in the power of Your Holy Spirit, discern lies from the enemy, and remember the truths of Your Word with boldness and fearlessness. Spirit of God, stir conviction in our souls like never before. Encourage us, mentor us, and coach us on how to assert our faith peacefully in a world that scoffs at you, and is hostile to those who love you. May we persevere and run the race marked out for us to the end. We'll keep going until the tape breaks.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.