End Time Scoffers

THE SAINTS REALITY

Regardless of whether we like it or not, the reality is that there’s a lot of false teaching out there today. These false teachers refuse to heed the word of God, repent and trust Christ. Peter describes these false teachers and their followers as last days scoffers ... (2 Peter 3:3) who willingly are ignorant ... (2 Peter 3:5) They have made a choice to be ignorant of the things of God go about scoffing the truth instead. Peter begins this chapter with instruction for the believer.

There Must Be Revival

Peter writes, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds ... (2 Peter 3:1a) The words stir up comes from “diegeiro” carries the idea of “awaken,” “rouse from sleep.” The analogy of sleep is often used in the sense of spiritual apathy. The term awake is often used of revival. The believer of days gone called revival a Spiritual awakening. Paul uses this terminology often. Writing to the Romans Paul said:

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. (Romans 13:11)

To the Thessalonians:

Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. (1 Thessalonians 5:6)

And to the Ephesians as well:

Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)

The call to awake is the need of the hour. We have never experienced such an indifference toward spiritual matters as we see today. Leonard Ravenhill said that the tragedy of day is that “Hell is burning while the Church sleeps.”

While God’s people sleep the enemy works. The parable of the Sower says, But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. (Matthew 13:25) That pretty much describes what is going on in our day. The devil is gaining a lot of ground while God’s people slumber.

There Must Be Righteousness

Peter further speaks of stirring up our pure minds (2 Peter 3:1b) Only God’s people can have pure minds. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled. (Titus 1:15) Salvation cleans us up, but there must be a continual cleansing of the heart and mind through the study of God’s Word. Jesus said, Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (John 15:3) God intends that we believers be a people of purity.

The word pure comes from the compound word “eilikrines.” The word “eile” means “sunlight” and “krino” means “to judge.” The idea is to be judged or tested by the sunlight. It is a word that comes from the pottery profession of Bible times. Pottery often developed cracks while being fired. Crooked merchants would fill the cracks with wax and paint over it. An soon as something hot was put in the pottery the wax would melt. In order to determine if a piece of pottery had been filled with wax the buyer would hold it up to the sunlight to examine it. If the piece had been cracked and filled, the sunlight would show it. The term “eilikrines” came to mean “without wax.” The same word is translated sincere in Philippians. That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; (Philippians 1:10) Some pottery dealers would stamp their products “sine cera” (“without wax”) as a pledge of quality. The Christian ought to be sincere. Peter is telling us that we need an unmixed, sincere, pure mind that will stand the test of the light of God’s word.

There Must Be Remembrance

... by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: (2 Peter 3:1c-2) We notice a great emphasis on remembering in this second epistle (2 Peter 1:12, 13, 15) One of the avenues of revival is the word of God. If we are not careful, even as God’s people, we can forget and lose sight of the fact that our hope is in God rather than surrounding circumstances. Peter uses two words to describe our relationship to the word of God.

First, we see the word remembrance which simply means to “recollect what you have heard.” Second, we are to be mindful. The word mindful carries the idea of setting the heart upon something. It is used here of fixing our heart upon the Word and applying it to our life. Paul said, For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5) Those who mind the things of the flesh are controlled and directed by the corrupt fallen nature. Their thoughts and affection are upon their own selfish interests. They seek their own gratification. They live for self. However, those who walk after the Spirit set their mind upon the word of God. They are concerned with His will for their lives. The priorities and principles of God are important to them. They are faithful in their Bible study, prayer, giving, attending Church, soul-winning, etc.