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2 Peter 3:3-4, knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming?  For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation.”

When the last days began might depend on who you are reading at a particular time.  I believe it is safe to say that the last days began when Jesus Christ ascended into heaven as described in Acts 1 and will end when He returns to destroy the ungodly world system as described in Revelation 19:11-21.  Many in the first century, including Peter, expected Jesus to return in their lifetime.  As you read in the verses above, scoffers came to make fun of the promise of His coming; that caused God’s people to doubt whether Jesus’ promise to return was true.

There have always been scoffers who laugh and make fun of sin, the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, and that He is going to come back to destroy this world as we now know it. Consider how the return of Christ is laughed at today.  Consider the very large number of people trying to get anything biblical and godly removed from public display.  And, why are so many leaving the church to follow ungodly teaching, and scoffing at the return of Jesus Christ?  It seems logical that if people really believed in His return, the churches preaching true doctrine would be full.

However, look back at how Peter describes the scoffer, those – “walking after their own lusts”.  They are those people who do not know Jesus Christ as Savior and are doing the things that please themselves and their worldly desires.  Not only are they living this way, they attempt to shake the beliefs of those who are looking for His return.  Scoffers do not believe this promise and laugh at those who do. 

They not only laugh and mock but use subtle reasoning to defend their position: “For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation”.  For the new or weak Believer this might seem pretty solid reasoning.  The thinking is since “judgement” has not come upon them for their sin yet, it never will.  So, they continue living life as though nothing will happen to them.  Since the world continues to be sinful – since creation – scoffers see no reason to change their ways: they do not fear God!  They do not fear His judgment, nor His return because they do not believe in it.

Peter goes on in the next few verses to remind the readers of his letter that God has faithfully kept promise of judgment upon sin; he reminds us that by God’s word the heavens and earth were created and when mockers doubted that He would judge sin, He sent a flood.  God does keep His word and Peter reminds us that God has His timetable.  To God ‘one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day” (2 Peter 3:8).  God will keep His promise!

Why the delay?  Verse 9 answers that question; “The Lord is not slack concerning His Promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”  This delay in the return of Jesus Christ is His gift of mercy, God’s patience to grant salvation to as many as would accept the opportunity to repent and be saved.  It is a grace period for Believers to spread the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ.  It is our responsibility to live our life as the light of Christ and to tell of how He has changed our lives.

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