Imagination, as understood in the biblical context, refers to the faculty of forming mental images or concepts of what is not present to the senses. It is a powerful aspect of human cognition that can be used for both good and evil, depending on the orientation of the heart and mind.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, the term "imagination" is often associated with the inclination of the human heart, which can be prone to evil. Genesis 6:5 states, "Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was altogether evil all the time." Here, imagination is linked to the sinful nature of humanity, which led to the judgment of the flood.

Similarly, in Genesis 8:21 , after the flood, God acknowledges, "The intent of man’s heart is evil from his youth." This verse highlights the persistent nature of human imagination inclined towards evil, even from a young age.

The prophet Jeremiah also speaks to the deceitful nature of the heart and its imaginations. Jeremiah 17:9 declares, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" This suggests that the imagination, when not aligned with God's will, can lead to self-deception and sin.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, the focus shifts towards the transformation of the mind and the renewal of imagination through Christ. Romans 12:2 exhorts believers, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." This transformation involves aligning one's imagination with the will of God, allowing for creativity and thought that honor Him.

The Apostle Paul also addresses the role of imagination in spiritual warfare. In 2 Corinthians 10:5 , he writes, "We tear down arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Here, imagination is seen as a battleground where believers must actively engage in aligning their thoughts with the truth of God.

Imagination in Worship and Creativity

Imagination is not solely negative; it is also a gift from God that can be used for His glory. The Psalms often reflect the use of imagination in worship, as the psalmists creatively express their adoration and reverence for God. Psalm 19:1 states, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands." This verse invites believers to use their imagination to perceive the majesty of God's creation.

Furthermore, imagination plays a crucial role in the arts and creativity within the Christian tradition. It allows for the expression of divine truths through music, literature, and visual arts, reflecting the beauty and complexity of God's character.

Moral and Ethical Considerations

The Bible warns against the misuse of imagination, particularly when it leads to idolatry or immorality. In Romans 1:21 , Paul describes those who, "although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts." This futility in thinking is a result of imaginations that have turned away from God.

Believers are called to guard their hearts and minds, ensuring that their imaginations are submitted to the authority of Christ. Philippians 4:8 provides guidance: "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things." This verse encourages the cultivation of a sanctified imagination that reflects the virtues of the Christian faith.1 Chronicles 28:9
And you, Solomon my son, know you the God of your father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands all the imaginations of the thoughts: if you seek him, he will be found of you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.
Topicalbible.org

Matthew 5:28
But I say to you, That whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.
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2 Corinthians 10:3
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
Topicalbible.org

1 John 4:1
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
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Genesis 6:5
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.
Topicalbible.org

1. (n.) The imagine-making power of the mind; the power to create or reproduce ideally an object of sense previously perceived; the power to call up mental imagines.

2. (n.) The representative power; the power to reconstruct or recombine the materials furnished by direct apprehension; the complex faculty usually termed the plastic or creative power; the fancy.

3. (n.) The power to recombine the materials furnished by experience or memory, for the accomplishment of an elevated purpose; the power of conceiving and expressing the ideal.

4. (n.) A mental image formed by the action of the imagination as a faculty; a conception; a notion.

IMAGINATION

i-maj-i-na'-shun (yetser, sheriruth; dianoia): "Imagination" is the translation of yetser, properly "a shaping," hence, "a thought" (Genesis 6:5; Genesis 8:21 Deuteronomy 31:21 1 Chronicles 28:9; 1 Chronicles 29:18). In Isaiah 26:3 yetser is translated "mind" (King James Version margin "thought" or "imagination"), "whose mind is stayed on thee" (the Revised Version margin "or imagination"); in Psalm 103:14 it is "frame"; of sheriruth, "obstinacy," "stubbornness" (Deuteronomy 29:19 Jeremiah 3:17; Jeremiah 7:24; Jeremiah 9:14; Jeremiah 11:8; Jeremiah 13:10; Jeremiah 16:12; Jeremiah 18:12; Jeremiah 23:17); in Psalm 81:12 the King James Version it is, "lust," margin "hardness or imaginations"; 3 times of machashebheth, "thought" or "purpose" in the King James Version (Proverbs 6:18 Lamentations 3:60, 61); once of dianoia, "mind," "understanding" (Luke 1:51); of logismos, "reasoning" (2 Corinthians 10:5); and of dialogismos, "reasoning through" (Romans 1:21 the King James Version).

The Revised Version (British and American) gives "stubbornness" in each instance where sheriruth is in the King James Version translated "imagination"; in Proverbs 6:18 the American Standard Revised Version has "purposes"; the Revised Version (British and American) has "devices" (Lamentations 3:60, 61) and "reasonings" (Romans 1:21), "imagination" for "conceit" (Proverbs 18:11), and (English Revised Version) for "device" (Lamentations 3:62).

"Imagination" is frequent in Apocrypha, e.g. Ecclesiasticus 22:18 (dianoema); 37:3 (enthumema, "wicked imagination"); 40:2 (dialogismos, the Revised Version (British and American) "expectation").

W. L. Walker

5325. phantasia -- imagination, show, display
... imagination, show, display. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: phantasia
Phonetic Spelling: (fan-tas-ee'-ah) Short Definition: show, display, pomp ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5325.htm - 6k

1271. dianoia -- the mind, disposition, thought
... thoughts (1), understanding (2). imagination, mind, understanding. From
dia and nous; deep thought, properly, the faculty (mind ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1271.htm - 8k

3053. logismos -- a reasoning, a thought
... imagination, thought. From logizomai; computation, ie (figuratively) reasoning
(conscience, conceit) -- imagination, thought. see GREEK logizomai. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3053.htm - 7k

1261. dialogismos -- a reasoning
... thinking (2). imagination, reasoning. From dialogizomai; discussion, ie (internal)
consideration (by implication, purpose), or (external ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1261.htm - 7k

3196. melos -- a member or limb (of the body)
... 3196 -- properly, a () belonging to the whole; (figuratively) any function of ,
such as "sanctified imagination" (Ro 6:13; Col 3:5; Js 4:1). 3196 () also ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3196.htm - 7k

4906. maskith -- a showpiece, figure, imagination
... 4905b, 4906. maskith. 4907 . a showpiece, figure, imagination. Transliteration:
maskith Phonetic Spelling: (mas-keeth') Short Definition: images. ...
/hebrew/4906.htm - 6k

3336. yetser -- a form, framing, purpose
... frame, thing framed, imagination, mind, work. From yatsar; a form; figuratively,
conception (ie Purpose) -- frame, thing framed, imagination, mind, work. ...
/hebrew/3336.htm - 6k

4284. machashabah -- thought, device
... 4), thoughts (19), ways (1). cunning work, curious work, imagination, invented,
means, purpose, thought. Or machashebeth {makh-ash ...
/hebrew/4284.htm - 6k

8307. sheriruth -- firmness, stubbornness
... imagination, lust. From sharar in the sense of twisted, ie Firm; obstinacy --
imagination, lust. see HEBREW sharar. 8306, 8307. sheriruth. 8308 . ...
/hebrew/8307.htm - 6k

3820. leb -- inner man, mind, will, heart
... 1), doing* (1), double heart (1), encouragingly* (1), heart (396), heart's (2),
hearts (40), Himself (1), himself (6), imagination (1), inspiration (2 ...
/hebrew/3820.htm - 7k

The Imagination.
... CHAPTER X. THE IMAGINATION. The ... brightness. Your imagination is the working bee
of this hive, which resounds with the humming of the senses. ...
/.../sainte-foi/serious hours of a young lady/chapter x the imagination.htm

Imagination in Prayer
... PART III. SOME ASPECTS OF THE WAY OF PRAYER XX. IMAGINATION IN PRAYER. "Lord,
teach us to pray.""Luke 11.i. "Full of eyes.""Revelation 4:8. ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/whyte/lord teach us to pray/xx imagination in prayer.htm

Concerning Imagination.
... Book II. Chapter XVII."Concerning Imagination. Imagination [1831] is a
faculty of the unreasoning part of the soul. It is through ...
/.../john/exposition of the orthodox faith/chapter xvii concerning imagination.htm

Imagination.
... Book II. Chapter LXI."Imagination. To this Simon answered: "Apply your
mind to those things which I am going to say, and cause ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter lxi imagination.htm

Whether an Angel Can Change Man's Imagination?
... THE ACTION OF THE ANGELS ON MAN (FOUR ARTICLES) Whether an angel can change
man's imagination? Objection 1: It would seem that an ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether an angel can change.htm

Fallacy of Imagination.
... Book II. Chapter LXV."Fallacy of Imagination. "In short, that you may receive
the faith of the matter; concerning Jerusalem, which ...
/.../unknown/recognitions of clement /chapter lxv fallacy of imagination.htm

The Imagination Also Adds Even to Things we have not Seen, those ...
... Book XI. Chapter 10."The Imagination Also Adds Even to Things We Have
Not Seen, Those Things Which We Have Seen Elsewhere. 17. ...
/.../augustine/on the holy trinity/chapter 10 the imagination also adds.htm

Peter's Experience of Imagination.
... Book II. Chapter LXII."Peter's Experience of Imagination. When Simon thus spoke,
Peter answered: [668] "Now listen patiently concerning ...
/.../recognitions of clement /chapter lxii peters experience of imagination.htm

Of the First Secondary Power, Imagination by Name; and of the ...
... HERE BEGINNETH THE FIVE AND SIXTIETH CHAPTER Of the first secondary power, Imagination
by name; and of the works and the obedience of it unto Reason, before ...
/.../anonymous/the cloud of unknowing/here beginneth the five and 5.htm

That a Man Shall not Take Ensample at the Bodily Ascension of ...
... HERE BEGINNETH THE NINE AND FIFTIETH CHAPTER That a man shall not take ensample
at the bodily ascension of Christ, for to strain his imagination upwards bodily ...
/.../anonymous/the cloud of unknowing/here beginneth the nine and 4.htm

Imagination (20 Occurrences)
... 4. (n.) A mental image formed by the action of the imagination as a faculty; a
conception; a notion. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. IMAGINATION. ...
/i/imagination.htm - 16k

Intent (37 Occurrences)
... Genesis 6:5 Yahweh 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. ...
/i/intent.htm - 20k

Imagery (5 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Fig.: Unreal show; imitation; appearance. 3. (n.) The work of the
imagination or fancy; false ideas; imaginary phantasms. ...
/i/imagery.htm - 10k

Inclination (3 Occurrences)
... Genesis 6:5 Yahweh 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. ...
/i/inclination.htm - 7k

Inclined (23 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 7:24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the
counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not ...
/i/inclined.htm - 14k

Conscience (36 Occurrences)
... Especially has the remorse of an evil conscience impressed the human imagination,
in such instances as Cain and Judas, Saul and Herod; and the poets, those ...
/c/conscience.htm - 37k

Strong (736 Occurrences)
... 8. (superl.) Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination;
striking or superior of the kind; powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a ...
/s/strong.htm - 44k

Imagine (24 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To form in the mind a notion or idea of; to form
a mental image of; to conceive; to produce by the imagination. ...
/i/imagine.htm - 14k

Purposes (67 Occurrences)
... that this song shall testify before them as a witness; for it shall not be forgotten
out of the mouths of their seed: for I know their imagination which they ...
/p/purposes.htm - 25k

Incline (38 Occurrences)
... Jeremiah 7:24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the
counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not ...
/i/incline.htm - 18k

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