RCCG Sunday School Student manual For Sunday 16Th July 2023

MEMORY VERSE: “Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts”. –2Peter 3:3

11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

12 These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots;

13 Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.

14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

15 To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.

16 These are murmurers, complainers, walking after theirown lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.

17 But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;

18 How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

Scoffer, in Greek, is ‘empaiktes‘ and it simply translates to a mocker. A scoffer mocks sin, Christ, twists God’s word for selfish gains, opposes the gospel and the things of God. The Bible uses scornful and scoffer interchangeably which all means mocker. Believers are warned to be careful and be on guard.

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There are some peculiar traits that characterise scoffers. They deny the truths of Scripture and entice others to go along with their error (Jude 4). They refuse to believe the word of the Lord and despise God’s ministers (2Corinthians 36:16). They question the second coming of the Lord Jesus, pointing out the lapse of time and mock those who still wait and yearn for Jesus’ appearance (2Peter 3:4). They follow ungodly desires and cause divisions (2Peter 3:3; Jude 18-19). They have a form of godliness but deny it’s power (2Timothy 3:5). They present lofty-sounding ideas to lead people astray (2Peter 2:1). They incite violent acts (Proverbs 29:8). They are proud leaders who make the judgement of God light (Isaiah 28:14-15).

The proliferation of scoffers is a sign of the last days (2Peter 3:3). However, it is critically important that believers:

1. Take seriously the commands to study and meditate on God’s word (Psalm 1:1-2; Joshua 1:8).

2. Remain in Christ spotless and blameless (2Peter 3:14; Ephesians 5:27).

3. Continue to look for the appearance of the Lord (Titus 2:13).

4. Weigh every teaching with the word of God (Acts 17:11).

5. Know that God is never slack concerning His promises (2Peter 3:9)

6. Be established in their holy faith (Jude 20) and remain steadfast to the end (1Corinthians 16:13; 1Timothy 6:12).

7. Try all spirits (1John 4:1) and grow in grace (2Peter 3:18).

Beware of scoffers and refuse to be one (Psalm 1:1).

1. Who is a scoffer and what are his/her characteristics?

2. What should be the disposition of believers to scoffers?