Proverbs 1:22. “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge?
Yesterday we outlined three types of fools that the book of Proverbs warns us not to become: the simple fool, the classic fool, the scoffing fool.
Have you ever been mocked? Have you ever been disdained for your faith? If you have, then you have met the scoffer. The scoffer does not fear God, listen to God, care about what God cares about, and they definitely do not obey God. We live in a world full of scoffers. And sadly, the world we live in actually loves scoffers. Many “cool” characters in movies and television are scoffers (can you think of one). Often the scoffer is smart, convincing, dynamic, and even funny. But ultimately they see God, Christ, and the gospel as foolishness, unable to see that they themselves are the real fools.
Romans 1:22-23. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Can a Christian be a scoffer?
Of course, in Christ we are not scoffers by identity, but a Christian sure can scoff. They can think, act, and talk like a scoffer (often in Church business meetings). The scoffing Christian pursues their own agenda until they win. Others aren’t first, they are. They forsake the mind of Christ, the mindset of unity, peace, and submission.
Are you a practicing scoffer? Maybe you scoff at scoffers, becoming what you hate. Maybe you’re a verbal bully. Maybe you have to win every argument, use sarcasm to make your point, or openly (or secretly) mock others who are not like you. Maybe you are actively resisting Christ and his will.
If you are, repent! Do it now.
The path of the scoffer is a dangerous one, but one that Jesus died for. There is forgiveness at the foot of the cross, and there is victory over scoffing in the indwelling life of Jesus. He is gentle and lowly. He is humble and compassionate. He is submissive to God’s will in all things. And he is alive in you.
You: Do you scoff at others? At God? In what ways are you likely to act like a scoffer?
You in Christ: How does your position in Christ allow you to be gentle instead of snarky? Submissive instead of argumentative? Encouraging instead of mocking?
Christ in you: Is there a relationship where your scoffing needs to be replaced with gentleness and humility? How can you repent and start over in this relationship?
Pray: Father, you hate scoffing, scorning, and snarkiness, yet, those things often characterize my mind and speech. I know in Christ I’m forgiven, but help me to let his gentleness be mine, knowing that in him I don’t have to win every argument or resist your plan for me. Amen.
To Live is Christ 