Mocking in the last days

God means well with us. Everything that we experience, see and hear will not impede our faith, but ultimately strengthen it. And we know that all things work out for our best (Romans 8:28). We also know that God will not give us more than we can handle. That we will still, as Christians, have to deal with ridicule and lack of understanding, is just a fact which is also nothing new in the history of mankind. We think of Noah, when he built the ark and was mocked and scorned from every side. Likewise, this will happen again (Luke 17:26) and Jesus as well as Christians will be mocked and ridiculed. We shouldn't be indifferent towards scorn and ridicule, but prayer and interventory prayer to God to strengthen ourselves and glorify His Name, is better than any argument. In this manner, even the mockery of those who are without understanding brings about in us the response and action to represent our faith (put it in practice) but also to better assess situations where a spoken word would be wasted (Matthew 7:6). Jesus had similar encounters. When He stood before Herod, who wanted to be “entertained” by Him, to ask questions stemming from base motives, Jesus did not answer (Luke 23:8-9). Peter wrote in his second letter, chapter 3, verses 3-4: “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?” Often people endeavor to ridicule that which secretly scares them and which they have no answers for. This doesn't necessarily mean that Christians should be able to explain or understand everything immediately, but they are not without understanding and are able to interpret spiritual things for spiritual people. Bible knowledge is however also necessary in order to seek and build upon our own faith.

Paul explained this to the Corinthians: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.” (1 Corinthians 2:12-15) The natural person has no understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:14) and also does not respect it. But, to understand and recognize the coherencies of the Bible, we need the Holy Spirit of God. If it was only dependent upon our intellect, most probably many more people would accept the Gospel, because if it is regarded logically, faith in the biblical God offers much more than any other religion, psychology or philosophy. Specifically: peace, love, purification, eternal life, joy, heavenly home etc. Who wouldn't want that? The Spirit of God reveals the truth and makes the Word living and acceptable. We should still use our minds to understand the biblical reports and letters as they are written. We should also be ready to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15) to anyone who ask us to account for the hope that is in us. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:6). Many mockers may be led to ponder upon this and there may be a chance that the seed of the Word of God, which we have given in a friendly manner, falls on fertile ground in its time.

Jörg Bauer