The presence of scoffers shouldn’t be surprising. After all, Peter explained to Christians of our day: “ . . . Remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires.” (2 Peter 3:2, 3, italics added).
As Christmas approaches, the world celebrates Christ’s birth. And yet mocking of the Savior’s blessed birth increases at the same time. Given its bevy of unbelievers, the media is largely to blame. On TV, in movies and on the Internet, Christ is mostly a cuss word. What’s worse, attacks on Christian beliefs also come one-on-one. For example, I recently overheard a conversation between an atheist and her young nephew, who attends a Christian school. The dialog went like this:
Aunt: “What are you studying in school?”
Nephew: “In religion, we’re studying about the birth of Jesus.”
Aunt: “Oh, the baby Jeee-zez. Do you like the baby Jeee-zez?”
Nephew: “Uh, yeah.”
Aunt: “Well, I hope you don’t become one of those e-van-GEL-icals . . . ”
Nephew: “It’s Jesus . . . it’s the Bible.”
The spiritually blind and hardhearted aunt thought nothing of attacking her nephew’s faith. She blatantly disrespected his beliefs surrounding God, Christ and Christmas, his family’s favorite time of the year. Well did the writer of Proverbs explain, “Judgments are prepared for scoffers, and blows for the back of fools” (Proverbs 19:29). The aunt probably deserves both.
Few Christians expect unbelievers to embrace the true meaning of Christmas. And most of us who rejoice in “the reason for the season” have encountered mockers of our faith. We’ll do so in the future. But penalties await those who scoff. Quoting Habakkuk 1:5, the apostle Paul warned all who mock the sacred work of God, “‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish, for I am going to do something in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you’” (Acts 13:41).
To be sure, scoffers will come and go, but they will perish eternally. On the other hand, all who endure trials of their faith and love the Lord have a magnificent promise. James wrote, “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (James 1:12). And Paul concluded, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV).
So let the scoffers mock. Their actions prove the Bible true. As for those of us who love the Lord, we'll pass on to enjoy that "which eye has not seen nor ear heard.”
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