"Thus says the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom." (Jeremiah 9:23)
Why not? Because "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain." (1 Corinthians 3:20)
The result of men's boasting of their own wisdom, and trusting to it, is set forth in: "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. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and to four-footed beasts, and to creeping things." (Romans 1:21-23)
The verb from which the noun rendered "imaginations" is derived, is the one that is translated "to reason," so that the word, as suggested in the margin of 2 Corinthians 10:5, might well be rendered "reasonings," instead of "imaginations." That is to say, the so-called reasonings of men who leave God out of the account, are only vain imaginations.
How true this is may be clearly seen from a few short extracts from one of the latest and really most scientific works on the subject of botany. It is a work which confines itself largely to statements of actually observed facts, without venturing much in the way of theory, and therein it is truly scientific. What we quote is from the introduction.
Ever Seeking, Never Finding
Even though the ultimate sources of vital phenomena remain unrevealed, the desire to represent all processes as effects, and to demonstrate the causes of such effects--a desire which is at the very root of modern research--finds at least partial gratification in tracing a phenomenon back to its approximate cause.
In the mere act of linking ascertained facts together, and in the creation of ideas involving interdependence among the phenomena observed, there lies an irresistible charm which is a continual stimulus to fresh investigation. Even though we be sure that we shall never be able to fathom the truth completely, we shall still go on seeking to approach it.
The more imaginative an investigator, the more keenly is he goaded to discovery by this craving for an explanation of things, and for a solution of the mute riddle which is presented to us by the forms of plants. It is impossible to overrate the value and efficiency of the transcendent gift of imagination when applied to questions of Natural History.
The Bible student will, on reading this, at once involuntarily think of men who are `"Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth," (2 Timothy 3:7) which was the case with those described in Romans 1:21-23; but we will pass on to note the author's own statement as to the real value of this "transcendent gift of imagination."
Conjecture Upon Conjecture
After mentioning certain objects of research, he says: "In all these and similar investigations imagination plays a predominant part. Experiment itself is really a result of the exercise of that faculty. Every experiment is a question addressed to nature. But each interrogation must be preceded by a conjecture as to the probable state of the case; and the object of the experiment is to decide which of the preliminary hypotheses is the right one, or at least which of them approaches nearest to the true solution."
The History of Theories
Everyone of our theories has its history. In the first place a few puzzling facts are observed, and gradually others come to be associated with them. A general survey of the phenomena in question suggests the existence of a definite uniformity underlying them; and attempts are made to grasp the nature of such uniformity and to define it in words.
Whilst the question thus raised is in suspense, botanists strive with more or less success to answer it, until a master mind appears. He collates the observed facts, gathers from them the law of their harmony, generalizes it, and announces the solution of the enigma.
But observations continue to multiply; scientific instruments become more delicate, and some of the newly-observed facts will not adapt themselves to the scheme of the earlier generalization. At first they are held to be exceptions to the rule. By degrees, however, these exceptions accumulate; the law has lost its universality and must undergo expansion, or else it has become quite obsolete, and must be replaced by another.
So it has been in all past times, and so it will be in the future. Only a narrow mind is capable of claiming infallibility and permanence for the ideas which the present age lays down as laws of nature.
Master or Tinker
To be always traveling towards a place and never getting there is highly unsatisfactory; but to have no hope of ever getting there is most discouraging. From the foregoing it would seem that many great thinkers are at the best only tinkers. An architect who built houses that would fall down almost as soon as he had finished them, would hardly be called a master builder; so a mind that frames a law that is not even expected to be permanent cannot be called a master mind.
There is only one master mind in the universe, and that is the mind of God. Imagining is not thinking. So-called ideas which are the product of imagination, are not ideas at all; they are only shadows. Only God can create ideas. When men are willing to acknowledge this, then they will think to some purpose, for their thoughts will be God's thoughts.
"The counsel of the Lord stands for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations." (Psalm 33:11)
Truth Not Uncertainty
Jesus said: "If you continue in my word, then are you my disciples indeed; And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)
He himself is the truth, because He is the fullness of the God of truth. (Colossians 1:19; 2:9) It is possible for men to know the truth. (John 8:32) The Holy Spirit is given in order "that we may know the things that are freely given to us of God." (1 Corinthians 2:12)
Is it not a most humiliating confession, to be obliged to say that the work of even a "master mind" in science must necessarily in a few years, or even months, be thrown aside, that no one can be sure that any theory he advances is the truth? Can there be any more humiliating confession than the acknowledgment that one has no hope of reaching the object which he is seeking? and to be obliged to say that the foundation which he has laid for his followers to build upon is not a foundation, but only a weak, floating raft that will soon go to pieces? Is not that in reality a confession that one knows nothing?
How much better, then, to make that confession to God, and at the same time to confess Him, and to accept His thought, that we may be sure of our ground. He has laid in Zion a tried stone, a sure foundation, and whoever believes shall not be confounded. (1 Peter 2:6; Isaiah 28:16)
When each experiment is preceded by conjecture, then it is evident that one has only conjecture by which to test his work. True it is stated that: "The object of the experiment is to decide which of the preliminary hypotheses is the right one, or at least which of them approaches nearest to the true solution."
But when one starts out without knowing where he is going, how can he possibly tell when he gets there? To make a lot of preliminary guesses (for an hypothesis is only a guess), and then to guess which of the guesses is the correct one, is labor spent to no profit. One can never arrive at any definite conclusion that way, and that is what is admitted.
Truth a Matter of Primary Revelation
But the truth may be known, and the lesson to be learned from this study is that we must know the truth to begin with. Truth is revealed by God in His Word. No man can by searching can find out God, (Job 11:7) and He alone is the truth. God must reveal himself to us, and then we know the truth; and this He has done even to babes. (Psalm 8:2)
The truth is most wonderfully simple. A little child can grasp it, because it has only to be believed to be known. When one knows the truth, then study may be carried on to eternity, and with positive certainty at every step. For we are to grow in the knowledge of the truth.
We are not to be studying all our lives to find out what the truth is, but we are to begin with the truth, and to spend all time and eternity as well in exploring it. The knowledge of the truth must precede all observation of phenomena or gathering of facts, if our work is to be to any real profit. Then every fact that is observed can at once be referred to its proper place in the building of God's truth.
Imagination is Idolatry
Imagination is not a gift of God. It is the perversion of God's gift. It is the result of refusing to let God himself direct the faculties which He has given us, and trying to direct them ourselves. One has no right to imagine anything. Imagination is but an ignis fatuus--Ignis fatuus: something deceptive or deluding. that leads men into a fog.
The 1st chapter of Romans tells what it does for men. They had the knowledge of God, that is, of the truth, for God had showed it unto them. But they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. They did not like to admit that they were not wise in themselves. So they proceeded to find out the truth by their own "reason."
But God is the only source of reason, and "reasoning" without Him is only vain imagination. They saw wisdom and power displayed in the things that are made, and which are growing. But they would not acknowledge that it was God's power and wisdom that were manifested there, for in that case they would have been obliged to acknowledge that it was only by His power and wisdom that they themselves lived and acted and thought.
This they would not do, for they professed themselves to be wise; they put themselves in the place of God. Then there was nothing left for them but to say that the things that were made were God, thus changing the truth of God into a lie. Instead of seeing God in everything, they imagined that everything was God, because they rejected the truth to begin with.
The truth is that God's power and Divinity are to be seen working in everything that is made; the lie is to say that the power and wisdom originate in the things that are made whether it be men or the grass of the field. When men substituted their own imaginations for pure reason, it naturally followed that they gave those imaginations visible form, and so image worship was the result.
Imagination is simply the forming of an image in one's own mind. The image that is formed is only the imagination of the heart made visible. To make images is idolatry, whether they be formed by the hands, or only retained in the heart. The work of the Gospel is to cast down imaginations: "Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5)
Imagination has no place in God's work. He deals in facts, not in fancies. The Gospel is a fact. There is no speculation about it. We have only to believe what is real, that which has been done and finished.
Think what heights of knowledge we all might have attained to, even in our short lives, and with our meager advantages, if we had never learned anything but the truth. We might not have been able to make much of a display, but we would have had something of solid value. One bag full of wheat is worth more than a thousand bags full of air.
That which made Jesus of Nazareth superior to all the men of His day was the fact that He held himself rigidly to the truth. Thank God that even though we have turned everyone to his own way, and have filled ourselves with winds of teaching, it is never too late to learn the truth. If we come to Jesus in humility, He will transform us by the renewing of our minds, (Romans 12:2) even giving us His own perfect mind. 2(1 Corinthians 2:16)
Jesus Christ the Source of Wisdom
Jesus Christ is "the wisdom of God," (1 Corinthians 1:24) and He is "of God made unto us wisdom as well as righteousness." (1 Corinthians 1:30)
God's Word is the only source of wisdom: "For the Lord gives wisdom; out of His mouth comes knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:6)
Now since imagination is the deadly foe of the truth and of wisdom, it is evident that in dealing with the Scriptures, above all things, every trace of imagination should be rigidly excluded. Nothing of self must be allowed any place. We must hold ourselves as nothing, not bringing to the study of the Word any preconceived ideas, or rather, what men are pleased to call ideas. We must be silent before the Lord, believing that every word of God is absolute truth, and allowing Him to fill us. Then there will be no mistakes. Then there will be no danger that we shall fall into error.
All who do this will see the truth, and will be "perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." (1 Corinthians 1:10)
Only in this course is there safety. In thus humbly submitting to be taught of God, not presuming to originate a single thought for ourselves, there are possibilities of almost infinite wisdom for the poorest and humblest souls. They who acknowledge God as the One who is all in all, have access to "all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:3) "Let no man deceive himself: if any man among you seems to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise." (1 Corinthians 3:18)--Present Truth, October 20, 1898.