Gullible Women
“But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.” — II Timothy 3:1-9 NKJV
The Lord just brought the phrase “gullible women” to mind. I was put in mind of the women I see running from room to room on Clubhouse, live to live, minister to minister. The more they seek knowledge, the more bound they become. And the more they submit to men who are bound, the more bound they become. Whether it’s regarding relationships/marriage or spiritual matters or another issue, far too many of our mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters are being caught up in this soulish and spiritual foolishness.
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Now, we know that men are NOT excluded from deception. In the above passage, the Apostle Paul is speaking of men and women. Even though he starts off addressing ”men,” it is done in the context of huMANity; not of male humans. He does not specifically address women until verse 6.
That said, it is interesting to note that he began the passage by specially stating:
“For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud…”
And from my perspective, it is usually pride that seems to be the foothold of male spiritual deception. Whether that’s “religion is just for women,” “I don’t need to pray; my wife prays,” “Nobody can tell me anything,” “No woman can teach me anything,” or something that caters to their skin colour and ethnicity.
But this post isn’t about men. It’s about women. 🙃
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So let’s discuss these gullible women.
Gullible - easily duped or cheated (Merriam-Webster).
Synonyms: dewy-eyed, easy, exploitable, naive (or naïve), susceptible, trusting, unwary, wide-eyed (Merriam-Webster).
Now please note, the apostle Paul did NOT say that ALL women were gullible. “Gullible” is a qualifier; an adjective; a description of a specific type of woman he was admonishing his spiritual son, Timothy, about.
Some other translations say:
“silly women” (KJV, MEV, NCV, TLB, YLT)
“spiritually-dwarfed women” (AMP)
“immature women” (CEB)
“weak-willed women” (CJB)
“weak women” (ESV, NASB, NET, TLV)
“simple women” (GNV)
“idle women” (HCSB)
“foolish women” (ISV, NLV)
“needy women” (MSG)
“vulnerable women” (NLT)
So the overwhelming synonyms used interchangeably are “silly women” and “weak” women.
Silly - exhibiting or indicative of a lack of common sense or sound judgment; weak in intellect; playfully lighthearted and amusing; trifoliate, frivolous; being stunned or dazed (Merriam-Webster).
Weak - lacking strength: such as: deficient in physical vigor: feeble, debilitated; not able to sustain or exert much weight, pressure, or strain; not able to resist external force or withstand attack; easily upset or nauseated; mentally or intellectually deficient; not firmly decided: vacillating; resulting from or indicating lack of judgment or discernment; not able to withstand temptation or persuasion; not factually grounded or logically presented; not able to function properly; lacking skill or proficiency; indicative of a lack of skill or aptitude; wanting in vigor of expression or effect; deficient in the usual or required ingredients: dilute; lacking normal intensity or potency; not having or exerting authority or political power; ineffective, impotent (Merriam-Webster).
A few cross-references for verse 6 include:
“For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” — Jude 1:4 NKJV
“For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.” — Titus 3:3 NKJV
“But she who lives in pleasure is dead while she lives.” — I Timothy 5:6 NKJV
BibleRef.com provides this commentary:
In verses 2–5 Paul described the traits of evil people. He clearly taught Timothy to avoid those who claim to know God yet live in sinful ways. What Paul describes is a smaller group, within the previous category of wicked ones. Some, but not all, of these false teachers are involved in additional evil actions. Paul's description here suggests a con-man or swindler. He uses the Greek word aichmalōtizontes, which implies a “leading away,” or a “taking captive.” This implies one who turns a certain way of thinking into something else.
This probably involved scam artists and other thieves. It may have also meant those who physically seduced women. The idea of a false teacher taking advantage of women in their own homes would have been repulsive to Timothy and other believers.
These men are certainly targeting those who are vulnerable. The second half of this verse is constructed in Greek to show that the traits are about the same “weak women” Paul mentions. Such women are noted as having three concerns, two of which are listed in this verse. First, they were “burdened with sins.” In other words, they had other sinful actions in their lives in addition to the problems brought upon them by false teachers. Second, these women were “led astray by various passions.” These were likely not only referring to sexual passions, but to "various" areas of life in which weaknesses occurred.
I have heard of women who join churches and become members; spiritual daughters…and then side pieces. The pastor is committing spiritual incest! The prophet has an entire harem with the women legally changing their names to his last name and calling him “Jesus.” SACRILEGE!!! BLASPHEMY!!! The men who do these things are absolute WOLVES! PREDATORS. But how did YOU get caught up, sis?!
I have heard of women with pure intentions being taken in—if only momentarily—by false apostles, false prophets, and false teachers only to horrifyingly discover that those men now had access to astral-project into their bedrooms and torment their bodies! And while it is not always as dramatic—or innocent—as that, there are many who throw their money at those who have an extensive vocabulary, yet a perverse spirit; a Fivefold title, yet a familiar who answers to them. You get the idea. And these false leaders are male and female alike.
Many women get caught up in the cult of “cute”; a cute hubby/family paired with lifestyle marketing draws in many an unsuspecting victim. Most of us like nice, attractive things and there’s nothing wrong with that. The Bible doesn’t shy away from mentioning attraction. HOWEVER, when attraction skews our discernment, we have a problem! And it is just that—(Y)OUR problem. If we are commonly taken in by these false and perverted advertisers, then we have to take a long, hard look in the mirror and examine our hearts. Ask the Lord to examine your heart and show you your blindspots as well as the root of your perverse inclinations. Why are YOUR ears itching?
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. — II Timothy 4;3-4 NKJV
Time to deal with our own ugly issues that cause us to run after people and things that pretend to be of God, but aren’t; that aren’t of God, but we say they are. Help your daughters, Lord, in Jesus’ name!
We cannot afford to be gullible anymore.
And I want to be clear: this post is NOT to humiliate or condemn anyone. God will judge those who have done the beguiling. Yet we need to examine ourselves. We need to take on the posture of mourning, wailing women with convicted hearts. We must allow godly sorrow to produce repentance.
For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. — II Corinthians 7:10 ESV
