"knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts." Apostle Peter, when saying, "knowing this first..." was referring to the interpretation of prophecy relative to Jesus`s return, heaven, God-given promises, and godly standards.
A "scoffer" is someone who mocks, ridicules, or scorns the belief of others, and not only fiercely disagrees but MUST demonstrate how foolish any other belief or standard is that does not line-up with his/her own. "Walking after their own lusts", describes a perverted mindset. Get this: lust is not an emotion. Lust is a "drive." Lust is a self-centered sin-filled motivational system.
Here, the scoffer`s M.O. (mode of operation) is revealed. You see, to "Walk after..." in this context, is to present standards, rules, and principles for living in ways that are guided by lust, not God or godly standards. Satan knows that its impossible for someone with a perverted mindset to make sound decisions. Oh yes!, perversion does not only refer to sex; perversion improperly changes something good to something abnormal or evil. The prophet Isaiah provides vivid insight. (The Living Bible) translation makes it plain. Isaiah 5:18-20 "Woe to those who drag their sins behind them like a bullock on a rope. They even mock the Holy One of Israel and dare the Lord to punish them. "Hurry up and punish us, O Lord," they say. "We want to see what you can do! They say that what is right is wrong, and what is wrong is right; that black is white and white is black; bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter."
Let`s go deeper. Subsequently, to willingly ignore godly standards, the scoffer fails to examine his/her own fate as recorded in the bible. Genesis 6:5 " And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." Right now in America scoffers are ridiculing and mocking godly standards just as they laughed Noah to scorn. In the photo attached to this lesson, my intent here, is to capture the scoffers evil laughter, where when demonstrating how foolish any other belief or standard is that does not line-up with his/her own.
"Matthew 24:37 Jesus said, "But as the days of Noah, so shall also the coming of the Son of man." And so, although we can pray for those trapped, we can`t pray away what is happening because it`s written in the bible. Therefore, it must come to pass. The question, then, becomes "Where do you stand? Amen somebody!
