“…knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts…”
Peter presents the attack of these scoffers against Christianity in verses three and four.
knowing this first:
Invariably, what God commands us to know, we do not understand (2 Pe 1:20). We are to prioritize understanding the nature of scoffers in the last days. To protect ourselves against apostasy, we need to know some things.
that scoffers will come in the last days
In this context, scoffers are apostate teachers who deny the Lord Jesus (2 Pe 2:1) and his Second Coming in this verse. The “last days” are the period of time before the Second Advent of the Lord Jesus. This is the “last days” of the church before Jesus comes back for the church.
walking according to their own lusts
“Walking” means to go from one place to another. Evidently, these false teachers will be very evangelistic with their false doctrine, going from place to place with their heresy.
The scoffers of the “last days” will especially attack Christianity. They will attack it by drawing the church into “lusts” or immorality. Lusts of varying sorts are powerful motivations toward one’s beliefs. There is a close connection between their apostasy and their immoral living. This kind of life is generated from their viewpoint and assumptions about reality.
PRINCIPLE:
False teachers try to intimidate Christians from their convictions.
APPLICATION:
False teachers will come with ridicule. They will mock those who hold to truth and deride the biblical truth. By this, they hope to intimidate Christians.
Others will attempt to lure Christians away from the faith by appealing to immorality.
