Scoffers and Mockers again- how to respond?

Have you been mocked for being Christian? For quoting the bible, or reading the bible in public? For praying in public before a meal? For your stance against sin? If you haven't, then be prepared, the bible says it's coming, even to those living the most reclusive or apathetic life. You will be mocked and your faith will be scoffed at. The question is, how will you handle it?

End-Time Scoffers Prophesied

There is an increasing number of scholars and writers openly challenging fundamental teachings of the Bible. This should come as no surprise to those who know Scripture. God said that "scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts" (2 Peter 3:1–6).

The Bible states that "in the last days men will have a form of godliness but denying its power" and will deny that "all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God" (2 Timothy 3:1–17).

We see this more and more, people say that the bible was written by men with finite minds and their own agendas. I hear this a lot. Be prepared for someone to say this to you.

In addition, Paul predicted that "the time will come when… they will have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables" (2 Timothy 4:1–5). New age mythology is replacing fundamental truths, and anyone who dares rebuke this new age push is said to be "intolerant" while at the same time those who promote it are exactly intolerant of Christianity or its public espousal by anyone, anywhere, anytime.

Mockery is nothing new though. Solomon recognized this evil in his day. In our day, it continues to be a cultural and personal problem. Some people, Christians included, make mockery a main mode of discourse and a primary stance in life. They can hardly talk without adding a snide aside to every sentence. This is very wrong. Followers of Jesus are taught not to mock others, but to let our speech be with grace always, seasoned with salt (Colossians 4:6). Our speech should be a blessing to others (1 Peter 3:8-12).

Brothers and sisters, be prepared for mocking and be ready to reply with grace and love. I urge readiness ahead of time because initially coming across a person who is snidely mocking disrupts the conversational flow. If you are unprepared, emotions tend to take over and replies have less tendency to be of loving grace seasoned with salt!

How will you reply to a scoffer? Do you have one area in the bible in which you are interested? Say, young earth defense, or creationism, or the resurrection? Study in that area and prepare to be a good Christian apologist to those who scoff at what they will see as dubious claims of Christianity in the face of all their hard 'science.'

And remember that the bible has much to say about mockers. After reading how God sees them, we need be less concerned with our own hurt feelings, knowing their pain in being without Jesus. Above all remember the scoffing and mocking that Jesus endured as they stripped Him, thrust a crown of thorns on His head, and mocked Him all the way to the cross. Even as he hung dying, the jeering voices were among the last He heard before it was finished.

Psalm 1:1
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

Proverbs 1:22
How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?

Proverbs 24:9
The schemes of folly are sin, and men detest a mocker.

Comments

  1. Amen. Mockers abound. In the church, out of the church, in the seminaries and Bible colleges, on the news, on the internet, everywhere. Time is short,

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    1. Oh I know in church people don't even know their destination they're concerned with church programs,
      fun events, singing some songs, and going home. Its just social clubs.
      They aren't being warned what is coming. I get mocked
      a lot...daily many times.

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    2. Probably because the common man does enjoy been told he's going to hell. Maybe if you god was more forgiving... you know, like he is supposed to be...

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    3. He is forgiving. Have you acknowledged your sins, believed everything Jesus taught, believed in his death and resurrection, and asked for forgiveness?

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  2. Good read..I almost flipped my lid on a scofferer right now but after reading this I need to let it go. Praise Jesus

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    1. Amen, It is difficult, but take the high road. You will be better off for it. God Bless

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  3. I was openly mocked and laughed at as I quietly prayed and worshipped before services in the church, by long time church workers. I was mocked for praying, as though I had done something wrong.

    Yes, we must pray and put it in God's hand.

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    1. Yup, God is good, its good you were praying.

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  4. Even self professed Christians today will mock you and accuse you of judging them if you try to point out behaviour that is contrary to Scripture.

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    1. you know satan's favourite to attack a christian is
      to say we are "judging" he loves that one as it makes
      us mad. People who hate God, type up judging scriptures
      against us..how ironic using the Word when they hate
      the Word ! Jeannie

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    2. The irony is why they use it. If they can make the Word say what they want why should they listen to your interpretation?

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    3. There is only one meaning to the Word. When God sent the Spirit to breathe it into men, who were the instruments of His writing, God had only one meaning in mind.

      We can't make the word say what it doesn't say. Or we shouldn't, anyway. We proclaim it (not "use" it) because it is God speaking to us! (me, you, all of us).

      So what part or portion do you have trouble interpreting? I'll see if I can help.

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  5. I'm not mocking or scoffing. Just stating that you have no evidence for much of what you claim.

    I'll point out when you aren't being rational or reasonable but don't take offence I'm just trying to help you realise there is an amazing reality you could be enjoying.

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    1. Anonymous, the earth is the evidence. Actually God sent three evidences: We know that God is real because He has revealed Himself to us in three ways: in creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ.

      Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/is-God-real.html#ixzz2eiN88GyK

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  6. I am not scoffing at religion, everyone has the right to believe in what they want.

    What I would like to know, is how do you know you have got it right? Why not follow Islam? Or Judaism? Or Buddhism for that matter?

    I am not knocking, just interested is all. And please no "Just believe" comments.

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    1. Hi Ade,

      I agree, 'just believe' doesn't help.

      Here's the problem: we're born with a sin-nature. That means our hearts are dead to wanting to do what is right before God. We are simply and only interested in gratifying our own wants and lusts. Lying, drinking, sex before or outside of marriage, gossip, and many other sins are deemed acceptable by society. Never mind lack of worshiping the one true God being alien to us.

      Therefore, going to heaven is out of the question. If we went there as we are, first, we'd blow up because God is so holy & we're so sinful. Second, what would make heaven so different from earth, if a bunch of lying, lusty, thieving humans were there?

      There's just no hope. We're too sinful to go to heaven. But yes there is hope after all!

      So here comes a Christian saying, "Repent! be sorry for your sins and ask Jesus to forgive them!" But the dead heart cannot do that. It's like shouting to a dead man lying on the street to get up and come to the hospital where the medics will revive him.

      The hope comes in where God sent Jesus to live the perfectly holy life He requires as entry to heaven. Jesus died, shedding His blood on the cross (God said without shedding of blood, there can be no forgiveness. I don't know why. That's just how God set it up.) God poured out all His wrath and anger over the world's sins onto Jesus, who took it.

      As God saw the holiness of Jesus's life of perfection, and His sacrificial death, God was pleased. On the third day Jesus was raised from the dead. Jesus spent more days on earth teaching disciples and proving who He is and then ascended to heaven. God then sent the Holy Spirit down to us. It's the Spirit who warms us to the Gospel, convicts us of our sins, and once we're a Christian, grows us in Christ's likeness.

      We can go to heaven under cover of JESUS'S life! God's wrath has been exhausted through Him. But Jesus is the only way. He is the only one God poured out his anger on. Picture a judge meting our the sentence for crimes, and he took all the world's crimes & put the sentence on one man. And all the people grabbed a-hold of the guy's coattails and scurried out the court under protection of the first guy. No one else lived perfectly holy in word, deed and thought. No one else satisfied God's wrath.

      The Holy Spirit is the energizer of life, it's the Spirit who revives us. It's like the Gospel is the key in the ignition and the Spirit turns the key and starts us up.

      The neat part is that once we believe the Gospel (which is the information I shared above, about Jesus's life and death and resurrection) THE LIGHTS COME ON! Once the heart is repented and God forgives us, He sends the Spirit to live inside us. He makes it all make sense. It's the Spirit who gives us our utter conviction that we're right, it is the Spirit who makes the bible make sense. It is the Spirit who gives us courage in the Muslim nations to stare at an executioner and pray for forgiveness for *him.*.

      First you have to repent, and believe and then God makes it make sense.

      Only Jesus came from God. Only Jesus performed miracles. Only Jesus was raised from the dead and ascended into heaven. Not Buddha, not Muhammad, not Sheva, Nor Aphrodite, not anyone else. Only Jesus. That's why Christianity.

      The problem is, the person who does not come to Jesus for forgiveness. They are not shielded from God's wrath for sin. When that person dies, God will still punish that person for their still-undealt with sins, forever in hell. Jesus is the only shield, the only way, the only escape from God's anger.

      Here is an essay titled "With all of the different religions, how can I know which one is correct?"
      http://www.gotquestions.org/correct-religion.html

      It's kind of long but here is another one

      Why are there so many religions?
      http://www.gotquestions.org/so-many-religions.html

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    2. Tiger-Cat Great. My mother was a stalwart at church, serving on the Women's Guild and organising the priest's 50th anniversary of his ordination.

      A few year's later we attended his funeral at the same church. By then she had been divorced and remarried. Out of approx. 700 parishioners, exactly three spoke to her. That was the day I left the Catholic religion and I will condemn those parishioners as judgemental until the day I die.

      Satan doesn't make me claim Christians are judgemental. 700 Christians do.

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    3. ANonymous, please don't lump Christians in with Catholics. Catholicism is a false religion as Islam, Buddhism and Mormonism is. Catholics are not Christians. More here on why they are not
      http://carm.org/roman-catholicism

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