The difference between a persecutor and a scoffer is that a persecutor attacks the Christian mind and being, while scoffers attack Christ and the Word of God.

If we do not have the Word of God in our lives, we will live our lives however we want. We must make sure that our mind is stayed on God’s Word, and not asleep, when we are confronted by scoffers. This is a warning to us as we are living in the last days when Christianity is mostly experience-based and a Christian’s life is not centred on the Word of God.

1 The drive and motive of scoffers (2 Pet 3:3)

Scoffers are motivated by the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. They will not anything come in their way in achieving their lust. They will not come to us as strangers, but they will be close to us and will do us a lot of favours. They scoff at Christ by scoffing at God’s Word, and will make us doubt God’s Word.

2 The target of scoffers (2 Pet 3:4)

The target of scoffers is the Word of God and their audience are the professing believers. They will target our walk with the Lord by using people close to us. Will we turn our backs on them and turn to Christ, or will we turn our backs on Christ? Scoffers deliberately reject God’s Word even though they are taught God’s Word. The Bible teaches about a global flood, scoffers deny it. The evidence around us attests to the truth from the Bible. Scoffers willingly reject the truth and deny that the world will ultimately be destroyed by fire.

3 The end of scoffers (2 Pet 3:7)

Scoffers will not escape God’s judgment and punishment. Our relationship with God is measured by our relationship with God’s Word. We must make sure of our salvation and our walk with the Lord by reading, studying, knowing and obeying the Word of God.