“I fear lest by any means as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3).

Simplicity: (Def): (Gr): Haplotes from Haplous: Singleness, sincerity without self-seeking, clear, generosity

The Serpent, the Evil One is the master of subtilty and beguiling, who when approaching Eve ask the question: “Yea, has God said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” Notice the subtilty of omission.

What God actually said to Adam was:

“And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the Garden you may freely eat, but of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat thereof, you shall surely die'” (Genesis 2:16-17).

The simplicity of the commandment was clear with nothing more needing to be said. The simplicity of Christ is like that. Declarative instructions without exception, exemption, or exclusions.

The Serpent is not only subtle, beguiling and a tempter. The Devil is a liar. “You shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4b)) was a lie. The simplicity of Christ recognizes the lie and calls it out. Eve was beguiled with the reasonings of the Serpent and listened to them, and being deceived by them disobeyed the commandment of God and by Adam’s joining in transgressed the command and thereby sin entered the world.

The Serpent played upon the self-seeking of Eve for “when Eve saw that the Tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her, and he did eat” (Genesis 3:6).

The Apostle wrote:

“Our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have behaved ourselves in the world, and more abundantly toward you” (II Corinthians 1:12).

Behavior in the simplicity of Christ is the most sincere, pure, single hearted, God honoring behavior one can do and in which one can walk before God and man in this world. Behavior in the simplicity of Christ is self-sacrificing, self-effacing, humble, meek, lowly, with quiet confidence that always trusts in the Lord and lets God fight the battles. The simplicity of Christ submits to the wisdom of God and follows His simple and clear commands.

In his Epistle to the Romans, Paul shares concerning gifts and ministry, and states about our service in these things:

“Let him who exhorts, wait upon his exhortation; he that gives, let him do it with simplicity; he that rules with diligence, he that shows mercy with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:8).

The simplicity of Christ is a simplicity of service, even as He said: “The Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give His Life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). In the simplicity of His mission, Christ remained focused and true to His purpose for which He was sent of the Father.

“He that gives, let him do it with simplicity”. Let us do all thing in the simplicity of Christ with singleness of heart and purpose with no self-seeking, no selfish ambition, but simply for the glory of God.

In life, keep it simple. That is not only an axiom to follow with worldly wisdom, but is a truth bounded in the Scriptures by the wisdom of God.

The Apostle wrote to the Romans:

“For your obedience has come abroad unto all men. I am glad, therefore, on your behalf, but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good and simple (unmixed, harmless, innocent) concerning evil” (Romans 16:19).

Let us all commit ourselves with all humility and with quiet confidence to walk in the coming days, enduring all the schemes and temptations of the Evil One, and by the grace of God to walk in the simplicity of Christ our Lord.

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