That which I experience through fantasy and imagination is, in a broader sense, no less real than that which I perceive through sight, hearing, taste, smell or touch. The error of modernist thinking is the belief that reality is limited to only that which is encountered through the five physical senses.
Imagination or fantasy is not evil per se. It is part of God’s good creation. Indeed, the Holy Spirit enables me to experience God through imagination and fantasy.
Jesus life on earth modeled God’s call that we live life seamlessly melding these perceptions as one reality. He did what He saw the Father doing and said what he heard the Father saying, as conveyed to Him through the Holy Spirit. Faith, hope and love can only flourish as I move to an experience of life beyond physical perception. I will not guard my heart against fantasy and imagination.
Indeed, I welcome fantasy and imagination. I do not fear it, just as I do not fear the world. Writing, television, photography, movies, music, the internet, bars, sports stadiums and buffets are not per se off limits for “good” Christians. That includes romance novels, and forces the question of what defines pornography. Religious laws against such things will not protect us, make us holy or keep us from sin, but they can limit our availability to God. Jesus saw this error in the pharisees; and the church, our church, remains susceptible to it. The issue is not where I go, but who is leading. Am I doing what I see the Father doing, am I even paying any attention to see what He is doing; or am I following my own way. It is when I am pursuing a way of my own imagination that I get lost and fall into sin.
I love your insightful comments, but don't entirely agree. Maybe it is more semantics than theology? You decide. You said, "I will not guard my heart against fantasy and imagination." I think that is a reckless statement. In my sermon, when I say, "Guard your heart against fantasy and imagination," I did not mean, "Do not allow for any fantasy or imagination." I also did not mean to insinuate that fantasy or imagination don't exist or have no relevance. What I meant was what I said: Post a guard. Be careful that the imagination and fantasy that is allowed entrance is friend and not foe. I was also not promoting a legalistic approach to life. A guarded door is not a closed door, but a watched door. Scripture says we are to take every thought captive. That is what I am talking about. Then, taking this conversation from the real of the theoretic and into the world of reality as it relates to marriages (which is, afterall, the context of the series), I see far too many unwatched, unmanned and unguarded hearts in the area of fantasy and imagination. The result is devastating.
Your emphasis on guarding and my emphasis on following run parallel. I could not agree more with your encoragement toward vigilance.
Thank you for your post. A little discussion goes far to enhance understanding, at least for me. This blog is a great help for that. Perhaps others will benefit too.
4 comments:
That which I experience through fantasy and imagination is, in a broader sense, no less real than that which I perceive through sight, hearing, taste, smell or touch. The error of modernist thinking is the belief that reality is limited to only that which is encountered through the five physical senses.
Imagination or fantasy is not evil per se. It is part of God’s good creation. Indeed, the Holy Spirit enables me to experience God through imagination and fantasy.
Jesus life on earth modeled God’s call that we live life seamlessly melding these perceptions as one reality. He did what He saw the Father doing and said what he heard the Father saying, as conveyed to Him through the Holy Spirit. Faith, hope and love can only flourish as I move to an experience of life beyond physical perception. I will not guard my heart against fantasy and imagination.
Indeed, I welcome fantasy and imagination. I do not fear it, just as I do not fear the world. Writing, television, photography, movies, music, the internet, bars, sports stadiums and buffets are not per se off limits for “good” Christians. That includes romance novels, and forces the question of what defines pornography. Religious laws against such things will not protect us, make us holy or keep us from sin, but they can limit our availability to God. Jesus saw this error in the pharisees; and the church, our church, remains susceptible to it. The issue is not where I go, but who is leading. Am I doing what I see the Father doing, am I even paying any attention to see what He is doing; or am I following my own way. It is when I am pursuing a way of my own imagination that I get lost and fall into sin.
I love your insightful comments, but don't entirely agree. Maybe it is more semantics than theology? You decide.
You said, "I will not guard my heart against fantasy and imagination." I think that is a reckless statement.
In my sermon, when I say, "Guard your heart against fantasy and imagination," I did not mean, "Do not allow for any fantasy or imagination." I also did not mean to insinuate that fantasy or imagination don't exist or have no relevance. What I meant was what I said: Post a guard. Be careful that the imagination and fantasy that is allowed entrance is friend and not foe.
I was also not promoting a legalistic approach to life. A guarded door is not a closed door, but a watched door. Scripture says we are to take every thought captive. That is what I am talking about.
Then, taking this conversation from the real of the theoretic and into the world of reality as it relates to marriages (which is, afterall, the context of the series), I see far too many unwatched, unmanned and unguarded hearts in the area of fantasy and imagination. The result is devastating.
Your emphasis on guarding and my emphasis on following run parallel. I could not agree more with your encoragement toward vigilance.
Thank you for your post. A little discussion goes far to enhance understanding, at least for me. This blog is a great help for that. Perhaps others will benefit too.
Max, I couldn't agree more. I always appreciate your insightful comments and the discussion generated.
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