“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after 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 the creation” (II Peter 3:3,4).
Scoffers are nothing new. As a matter of fact, they have always been around and received much attention and condemnation from both Old and New Testament writers. While technically “the last days” occupy the period of time between the first and second comings of Christ, it does seem that scoffers have been growing in number and influence in the most recent century.
Speaking of the end times, Christ said that “many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24: l l ). Paul warned of them often, describing them as “men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith” (II Timothy 3:8; see also Acts 20:29–31; I Timothy 4:1,2; etc.).
In our text, Peter explains their creed: First, they deny the coming return of the Lord, and indeed His promise to return, attacking the character of God and His word. Next, they hold that for all things and for all time, even from before the beginning of the universe, natural processes have operated without supernatural input. Readers familiar with the work of ICR will recognize this creed as the impotent principle of uniformity—the basic, underlying assumption of evolution. These latter-day scoffers are none other than evolutionary humanists, who deny God’s grand work of creation and deny His ultimate return to bring His intent in creation to fruition.
But despite their scoffing and creed, He is the Creator (v.5)! He has intervened in natural history, especially at the time of the Flood (v.6), He will judge the ungodly (v.7) when the time is right (v.8). Until then, He offers personal salvation (v.9). “What manner of persons ought ye to be?” (v.11). JDM
