Aspies, who stay loyal to their true nature, don’t practice and/or like trickery, deceit, lying, telling and keeping secrets, being told half truths, studying the weaknesses of others who are trusting them, or anything else that’s training for competition in social politics. This is one reason why neurotypicals, generally speaking, quickly outgrow being naïve and are much less gullible. NTs, compared to Aspies, are not simple [guileless, harmless, innocent, unsuspecting].
No other time in history have good words and fair speeches been as deceptive as they are now! Mankind has had many years to refine this sinful craft to perfection for this Great Tribulation period we’re in.
Romans 16:18, “For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly [self-desires]; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
What happens when an Aspie loves to serve the Lord Jesus Christ? The outcome isn’t necessarily as would be suspected. God’s plan far exceeds what any humanistic psychology can come up with. How can that be?
1 Corinthians 1:26:28, “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:”
Why would God’s ways not be as man’s ways? [Isaiah 55:8, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.]
1 Corinthians 1:29, “That no flesh should glory in his [God's] presence.”
Can the hearts of the simple avoid being deceived by good words and fair speeches? Only if they are quickened spiritually [regenerated].
1 Corinthians 2:15, “But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.
An Aspie left in his unregenerate state is not unlike an unsaved NT when it comes to discerning [understanding/judging] a child of God. No unsaved soul (regardless of his neurostructure) is equipped to judge someone who has God’s Holy Spirit abiding within. It doesn’t matter if that spiritually saved individual is a NT or an Aspie, he is unable to be judged because…
1 Corinthians 2:14, “…the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Before I became saved, I was very naïve and gullible. Since I’ll probably always be relatively naïve [simple, harmless, guileless] compared to others my age, in order to protect myself from being gullible, I must not ignore God’s Spirit when He is nudging me. I used to be at the ideal end of the spectrum for being deceived by good words and fair speeches, but now when I trust and apply my spiritual gift of discernment, I’m at the opposite end— enabling me to see others being deceived.
It’s a blessing and a curse. I’m protected, but I’m also frustrated because I can’t save those who are deceived.¹ It’s like watching a movie and wanting to get the victim’s attention to save him, but when you’re not the screenwriter, all you can do is pray the author hasn’t destined him to doom.
¹Those who are deceived will not and cannot hear the truth. [Philippians 2:13, "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." John 6:44, "No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:"]
[Edit added 2.1.10 - the bible verses below were once linked to blueletterbible.org's site. The links were removed due to the site no longer being available.]
From the Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary on 1 Corinthians 2:14-16:
14. natural man–literally, “a man of animal soul.” As contrasted with the spiritual man, he is governed by the animal soul, which overbears his spirit, which latter is without the Spirit of God (Jud 1:19). So the animal (English Version, “natural”) body, or body led by the lower animal nature (including both the mere human fallen reason and heart), is contrasted with the Spirit-quickened body (1Cr 15:44-46). The carnal man (the man led by bodily appetites, and also by a self-exalting spirit, estranged from the divine life) is closely akin; so too the “earthly.” “Devilish,” or “demon-like”; “led by an evil spirit,” is the awful character of such a one, in its worst type (Jam 3:15).
receiveth not–though they are offered to him, and are “worthy of being received by all men” (1Ti 1:15).
they are foolishness unto him–whereas he seeks “wisdom” (1Cr 1:22).
neither can he–Not only does he not, but he cannot know them, and therefore has no wish to “receive” them (Rom 8:7).
15. He that is spiritual–literally, “the spiritual (man).” In 1Cr 2:14, it is “A [not 'the,' as English Version] natural man.” The spiritual is the man distinguished above his fellow men, as he in whom the Spirit rules. In the unregenerate, the spirit which ought to be the organ of the Holy Spirit (and which is so in the regenerate), is overridden by the animal soul, and is in abeyance, so that such a one is never called “spiritual.”
judgeth all things–and persons, by their true standard (compare 1Cr 6:2-4, 1Jo 4:1), in so far as he is spiritual. “Discerneth . . . is discerned,” would better accord with the translation of the same Greek (1Cr 2:14). Otherwise for “discerned,” in 1Cr 2:14, translate, “judged of,” to accord with the translation, “judgeth . . . is judged” in this fifteenth verse. He has a practical insight into the verities of the Gospel, though he is not infallible on all theoretical points. If an individual may have the Spirit without being infallible, why may not the Church have the Spirit, and yet not be infallible (a refutation of the plea of Rome for the Church’s infallibility, from Mat 28:20, Jhn 16:13)? As the believer and the Church have the Spirit, and are yet not therefore impeccable, so he and the Church have the Spirit, and yet are not infallible or impeccable. He and the Church are both infallible and impeccable, only in proportion to the degree in which they are led by the Spirit. The Spirit leads into all truth and holiness; but His influence on believers and on the Church is as yet partial. Jesus alone, who had the Spirit without measure (Jhn 3:34), is both infallible and impeccable. Scripture, because it was written by men, who while writing were infallibly inspired, is unmixed truth (Pro 28:5, 1Jo 2:27).
16. For–proof of 1Cr 2:15, that the spiritual man “is judged of no man.” In order to judge the spiritual man, the ordinary man must “know the mind of the Lord.” But “who of ordinary men knows” that?
that he may instruct him–that is, so as to be able to set Him right as His counselor (quoted from Isa 40:13, 14). So the Septuagint translates the Greek verb, which means to “prove,” in Act 9:22. Natural men who judge spiritual men, living according to the mind of God (“We have the mind of Christ”), are virtually wishing to instruct God, and bring Him to another mind, as counselors setting to right their KING.
we have the mind of Christ–in our degree of capability to apprehend it. Isa 40:13, 14 refers to JEHOVAH: therefore, as it is applied here to Christ, He is Jehovah.
