William Gurnall writes in His Treatise, "Many Mock Righteousness," about the traits of the mocker and what God has in store for such people. While sincerity is the stamp of one who is truly seeking the LORD, mockery is the stamp of those who despise the LORD and His servants. What I perceive about mockers is that they are the twin of the hypocrite. The trouble for this brand of sinner is that they are soon discovered by their response to holiness. William Gurnall said, The very hint of holiness works up such a strong opposition inside the person that it causes him to vomit out the gall and bitterness of his spirit against it. - end quote
The Word of God also reveals a time when such ones will be discovered.
The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?
Isaiah 33:14
Many Mock Righteousness by William Gurnall
Some men are so far removed from being holy themselves that they ridicule those who are. These think the breastplate of righteousness is so foolish that they laughingly point to the saint that wears it in his daily behavior: "Look! There goes a holy brother, one of the pure ones!" But their mocking language does more than scorn the saint's holiness - it betrays the wickedness of their own hearts.
A further degree of ungodliness appears in mocking the holiness of another person rather than only harboring unholiness in oneself. How desperately wicked is that man who not only refuses partake in the divine nature himself but cannot bear the sight of others choosing to following the holiness of Christ. The very hint of holiness works up such a strong opposition inside the person it causes him to vomit out the bitterness and gall of his own spirit against it.
God reserves the chair for this kind of sinner and seats him above all his brethren in iniquity. Blessed is the man that walked not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful (Psalm 1:1). In this case the scorner is set as chairman at the counsel of sinners.
Some read the word scornful as "rhetorical mockers," for there indeed a devilish cleverness in some of these jeerers. Such scorners take pride in polishing the darts they shoot against the saints. The Septuagint translates the phrase as "the chair of the pestilent ones." As the plague is the most deadly of diseases, so is the spirit of scorning among sins.
Very few recover from this sin, for the Bible speaks of sinners almost synonymously with the dead. God warns us not to waste our healing balm of reproof - "reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee" (Proverbs 9:8).
All we can do is write, "Lord, have mercy" on his door - pray for him, but do not try to reason with him.
William Gurnall -- The Christian in Complete Armour
(read more from William Gurnall on the link above)
What does God say about the self righteous, racists, bigots, misogynists and all around callous jerks?
They are identified with the wicked. But as William Gurnall was a righteous servant of God who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ it does not apply to him. Read the fate of the wicked, and depart from evil now before you are destroyed, @WryCatcher. The end of evil doers (workers of iniquity) is destruction.
Psalm 37 King James Version (KJV)
37 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.
2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.
3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.
4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
5 Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.
7 Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.
9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.
10 For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.
11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
12 The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.
13 The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.
15 Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the Lord upholdeth the righteous.
18 The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.
19 They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
20 But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
22 For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.
23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.
24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the Lordupholdeth him with his hand.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
26 He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.
27 Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.
28 For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
31 The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
33 The Lord will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.
34 Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.
35 I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.
36 Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.
38 But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength in the time of trouble.
40 And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
King James Version (KJV)
Public Domain