“…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 know (2 Pe 1:20). We are to put a priority on knowing 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 (2 Pe 2:3). The “last days” is 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.
The scoffers of the “last days” will especially attack Christianity. They will attack it by drawing the church into immorality. This is a powerful motivation. There is a close connection between their apostasy and their immoral living. This immoral living is generated from their viewpoint.
PRINCIPLE:
False teachers try to intimidate Christians from their convictions.
APPLICATION:
False teachers will come with ridicule. They will make fun of those who hold to truth and deride the doctrine of the church. By this, they hope to intimidate Christians.
