Romans 1:21 — 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.

Yesterday I wrote about taking thoughts captive. The foundation was the passage from 2 Corinthians 3-5. As well as talking about “taking thoughts captive” that passage also talks about “casting down imaginations”. That put the odd thought in my mind that the Bible doesn’t seem very impressed by “imagination”. I thought I’d see whether the scripture supported my impression.
The word used in Romans 1:21 is usually translated “thoughts” and is the root of our word “dialog”.
In 2 Corinthians 10:5 the word used means “argument”.
In Luke 1:51 the word in Mary’s song of praise is “mind”.
Acts 4:25, quoting Psalm 2 uses a word that can be translated as “practice”.
Vain thoughts, cast down imaginations, scattered minds, vain practices … so far I’d say my sense that the scripture writers didn’t think much of imagination might be well founded.
I looked further — at verses like Ephesians 3:20 for instance, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” — that word “think” has been translated as “imagine” sometimes — although it might also be translated as “understand”. However you take it, it’s clearly talking about or limits … we cannot imagine all that God can do.
I think the limited scope of our imagination is one reason why the Bible doesn’t think very highly of it. Why would you invent things — especially ideas — when you have access to the real thing, to God’s truth. That’s not to belittle the creative capability. Creativity is one of the ways in which we reflect God’s image, but it needs to be applied to the right things. All too often it’s applied to the wrong things and not to the Glory of God, and then, like the people Paul is talking about in Romans, the “imagineers” descend into darkness.
The descent into darkness is what I think of as the other risk of imagination. I believe this is what Jesus was talking about when He said “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:” (Matthew 15:18-19) Much that is sinful arises from our imagination … It’s the same thing that James was talking about when he said “but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” (James 1:14)
Imagination is a powerful capability — but often used for the wrong things, and in the wrong way. It is not an alternative to truth. Nor does it reach to the heights of God’s creativity!