Why Imagination is Worthless
In today’s culture, imagination is often encouraged in children and is seen as something we should strive to have as adults to keep a “childlike wonder.”
The problem with imagination is that it’s a lie. Imagination is defined as conceit, an unsolid opinion contrived in the mind. It starts with a lack of glorification and thanks to God and focuses the attention back on ourselves. The end result is mankind seeking to create some new truth or ignore God’s truth, rather than seeking His.
“[21] Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. [22] Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, [23] And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” – Rom 1:21-23
When mankind doesn’t give thanks to God, it leads to us trying to be our own gods. We conjure up in our imagination a false reality: one where we are in charge.
The result of the vanity that stems from imagining a false reality is the worshipping of men, women, sin, sex, objects, animals (Rom 1:20-32). Mankind cannot create truth or something better than what God has revealed through His word. It ultimately results in a distortion of truth and leads people astray.
In the Bible, imagination is always correlated with ungodliness and evil:
“[5] And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” – Genesis 6:5
“[20] And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. [21] And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.” – Genesis 8:20-21
“[3] For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: [4] (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) [5] Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” – 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
Modern-day examples include John Lennon’s famous song “Imagine” whereby believing in no Heaven or Hell, world peace is possible. This is a disastrous lie that will land you in Hell.
How about Disney’s film “Soul”? In this movie, various souls find meaning in their passion, are pre-incarnate before birth in the “great before”, and experience “the great beyond” after death. No heaven or hell, no faith or rejection of the gospel of Christ. This imagination captures the minds of millions of children across the world and parents inadvertently implant a false reality into the minds of impressionable children and themselves. In an imaginary world with romanticized expectations and few consequences, who needs Jesus Christ? Mickey Mouse seems like more fun!
The vain imaginations we subjugate ourselves to and develop through worldly music, entertainment, and pleasure-seeking will always leave us empty-handed and wanting more. Sin never satisfies and without God, mankind produces vanity, ignorance, and evil works (Ephesians 4:17-19).
What is the remedy for our default vanity and sinful condition? Faith in Christ and a clear understanding of God’s Grace. While vanity is a lack of substance, faith, on the contrary, has a substance as defined in Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That substance is the grace of Jesus Christ, the finished work on the cross while we didn’t deserve it (Rom 3:21-26).
Grace doesn’t just kill our old man, it kills sin and allows us to walk with a renewed mind. If we want to walk worthy of the calling we all have in Christ, we need to be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Rom 12:1-2) and combat the lies with truth.
Cast down your imaginations with the knowledge of God and live in reality (2Co 10:5). Don’t be deceived, God is not mocked and we will reap what we sow (Gal 6:7-8).
