What does the Bible means when we read about the simple minded? I want to begin with a clearer understanding of simple-mindedness with a quote from Signs of Being Simple-Minded:
“Understanding what it means to be simpleminded involves recognizing certain characteristics and their implications for how individuals perceive, process information, and interact with the world. While the term “simple-minded” can carry different connotations depending on context, it generally refers to a style of thinking characterized by a lack of complexity, or depth in one’s reasoning and understanding.”
There’s a common saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Why is that such a “big deal?” Well, a young man in Provers 7 failed to plan: “While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain, I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense. He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman, strolling down the path by her house. It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell. The woman approached him, seductively dressed and sly of heart” (Proverbs 7:6–10 NLT).
He may not have intended to get into trouble. He may not have planned to do anything wrong, but his approach is not one of foreseeing dangers and avoiding them. And thus, he is called simple and devoid of understanding (Proverbs 7:7).
Many of the passages in scripture that use this word, “simple,” in this context, come from the root word that means, “An open door.” It’s the idea of someone having a mind like an open door through which everything comes in and goes out. This person doesn’t know what to keep in or what to throw out. What is right and wrong, Such a person is simple-minded. This young man from Proverbs 7 is open to all impressions.
In Romans 16, Paul is warning the simple minded within the churches: “17Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil” (Romans 16:17-19).
Paul uses the word simple on two different sides of the coin in that same verse. Paul’s admonition to the church was to avoid being simple minded or unskillful in evil actions and intentions being perpetrated towards them, while remaining wise, simple, skillful in the good things of God, or that simple faith so they could avoid being of the mindset that would open the door to deception.
Think back to Eve in the Garden of Eden. Why was Eve near that tree? I doubt that God forced them to live under the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But why was she in that part of town, so to speak? When she was there, then the flattering words started: “Oh, you can be just like God. Just take a bite.”
There is a lesson in Romans regarding divisions and offenses. Theological ideas, doctrines, and philosophies are marketed in the same way as other products. Maybe not with the glitziness, but some of the same methods are used to get us to question and possibly even quit believing plain truths. We can be tempted to believe what another person has decided is the truth. The proponents of these ideas usually put the priority in the best light. They make grand promises of how this truth is going to change your life for the better. They produce examples and sometimes testimonials about how certain things are so much better.
It’s difficult to discern because there’s some truth to it, but there’s truth and error mixed together. Throughout Church history, there have been numerous clever and logical arguments to try to convince the faithful followers of Christ over to different ideas and doctrines. These men had impressive resumes. They were all very good salesman and many were deceived. And this practice hasn’t stopped.
People still promote new ideas that don’t promote unity in the church. There are ideas that entice with “special privileged knowledge,” of dates, or times, or seasons. These almost always promote division through flattery and deceit.
Considering all this, if our approach is not one of striving to keep ourselves unspotted from the world and avoiding these false doctrines and teachers and divisions, then are we not simply planning to fail? We need to constantly strive to discern what is false and what is truth. So, what is the primary antidote? How can we prevent from being deceived? We can find the answer in many scriptures that talk about the simple minded: “My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; … bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of you heart” (Proverbs 7:1-3 ESV).
Keeping God’s commandments is a solution. What are the commandments though? Love towards God and man. In one sense it’s a simple answer, but it’s also the truth. If we highly esteem God’s instructions in the letter and spiritual intent of the law, if we fear God and keep His commandments, we’ll have wisdom and understanding that this young man in Proverbs 7 lacks:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;” (Psalm 19:7). Also, “The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130).
The word of God offers incredible wisdom. This negative connotation is of a simple being with a mind that has an open door. It doesn’t know what to keep or what to throw away. But it says that even the simple-minded can become wise by reading and applying God’s word. Success or failure in a Christian life mainly depends upon how much of God’s word becomes a part of our mind and heart, and how obedient we are to it.
And what does that mean? It’s not just studying. Wisdom in Scripture is always acting in righteousness. It’s not just about what we know. It’s about what we do.
Scripture states that “knowledge puffs up.” Some knowledge is true, but it puffs up. It’s not about knowledge, it’s about what we do with it. If we want to be going from simple to wise, we will need to embrace God’s guidance and act on it. That is how to plan ahead. It is how to be prepared for every wind of doctrine. We must measure ourselves against the spiritual intent of the law. That is planning to succeed.
So, the action for any godly community is to study God’s word and avoid, as much as possible, conflicting and off tangent philosophies and ideas. They are frequently designed to confuse and destroy even the strong. And if it’s designed to destroy the strong, think how the simple will fair. Knowing and living God’s word will help protect us from being led astray.
We all must remember to be simple, having that childlike faith towards God, while at the same time never being simpleminded, having a mind open to deception.
Staff