Imagination

I suspect we all well know that we can get carried away, so to speak, with our imaginations. Children playing seem to be able to imagine all sorts of things, but as we grow older our imaginations remain active with many different thoughts. An honest evaluation of them will likely show their ties to evil or pride, lacking a display of faith in our God.

We are responsible to know what God has revealed, learning and putting it into practice by obedience. This is the only way in which we give Him honor and glory; all else fails to do so. The Word of God is not too hard to understand. Gospel passages are for all – saved and unsaved alike. Other portions can only be rightly grasped by believers who are living in a manner where God’s Spirit can freely teach. What He reveals will be in accordance with God’s Word – all of it.

In today’s Christian world many teachings sound good but have a wrong basis or emphasis. Others are simply wrong, being a mixture of God’s Word and man’s imaginations. We must follow the instructions of Paul in such matters, as he wrote: “...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 Cor. 10:5 KJV). This responsibility begins with us by self-evaluation. We must look at the Word of God, which is that “mirror ourselves to see,” as one Bible chorus says.

We believers are a people greatly blessed, privileged to have the full Word of God and being indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Thinking of this, we are brought low in humble adoration, for only the work of the Lord Jesus, through His death in our place and His resurrection, could bring to pass what we enjoy today. To Him be praise and glory!

By Paul Alberts