--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Imagination is a God-given gift; but if…" description: "\"Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Theref..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/d-a-carson-4044_dirt_imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-i_1555078.jpg" --- # Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by… ![“Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Therefore what feeds the imagination is of maximum importance in the pursuit of kingdom righteousness.” quote by D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/d-a-carson-4044_dirt_imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-i_1555078.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/d-a-carson-4044_dirt_imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-i_1555078.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/d-a-carson-4044_dirt_imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-i_1555078.jpg) > “Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Therefore what feeds the imagination is of maximum importance in the pursuit of kingdom righteousness.” [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Imagination is a divine gift but can be corrupted by sinful thoughts; feeding it properly is crucial for spiritual righteousness. **In simple terms:** Imagination must be guarded against sin. Key Takeaway Nurture pure imagination. Themes spirituality imagination morality Mood reflective hopeful Type theological advice When to use this quote - spiritual formation - creative expression - ethical decision making Key Concepts Theology of sin cognitive ethics Questions to Reflect On - What feeds your imagination positively? - How can you discern harmful imagination? A Different Perspective Human imagination is complex; not all thoughts are sinful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begins Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begins-imagination-2384109/) [Dirt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirt/) [Dirty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirty/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Feds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feds/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Imagination Feeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-feeds-5821817/) [Imagination God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-god-232512/) [Imagination Maximum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination-maximum-5821816/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Kingdoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdoms/) [Maximum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maximum/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sins not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins-not/) ## Related quotes > [Our responsibility begins with our imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/our-responsibility-begins-with-our-imagination/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Every action preformed in the world first begins in the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mathew-gubbler-criminal-minds/every-action-preformed-in-the-world-first-begins-in-the-imagination/) [Mathew Gubbler/ Criminal Minds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mathew-gubbler-criminal-minds/) > [“The mind of an adult begins in the imagination of a child.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-alexander/the-mind-of-an-adult-begins-in-the-imagination-of-a-child/) [Kwame Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-alexander/) > [We forget that what matters begins with the imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/we-forget-that-what-matters-begins-with-the-imagination/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [“I live in a thought world which is filled with creativity; inside my head there is creative imagination. Why? Because God, who is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/i-live-in-a-thought-world-which-is-filled-with-creativity-inside-my/) [Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/) > [“Imagination is God's gift to the dreamers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-wallace/imagination-is-god-s-gift-to-the-dreamers/) [T.R. Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-wallace/) > [“In the end idealism annoyed Bouvard. ‘I don’t want any more of it: the famous cogito is a bore. The ideas of things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/in-the-end-idealism-annoyed-bouvard-i-don-t-want-any-more-of-it-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [Everyone has his own imagination of God. It is best if everyone is left to his own imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazrat-inayat-khan/everyone-has-his-own-imagination-of-god-it-is-best-if-everyone-is/) [Hazrat Inayat Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazrat-inayat-khan/) > [Imagination is our ability to see inwardly and picture there that which has not yet appeared outwardly. Imagination is God's gift to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-curtis/imagination-is-our-ability-to-see-inwardly-and-picture-there-that/) [Donald Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-curtis/) > [What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/what-is-an-idol-it-is-anything-more-important-to-you-than-god/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Forever is longer than you know. Eternal is longer than Forever. God is more than you imagine. God is the energy you call imagination.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/forever-is-longer-than-you-know-eternal-is-longer-than-forever-god-is/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [“An idol,” wrote Tim Keller, “is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-john-cusick/an-idol-wrote-tim-keller-is-anything-more-important-to-you-than-god/) [Michael John Cusick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-john-cusick/) > [“The necessary unlikeness between the creator and the created holds within it the equally necessary likeness of the thing made to him who makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-necessary-unlikeness-between-the-creator-and-the-created-holds/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [My main point here is that if you are the child of God and God is a part of you, the in your imagination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/my-main-point-here-is-that-if-you-are-the-child-of-god-and-god-is-a/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [“Her mother said that three great powers kept the universe going. The first and the strongest was God. Each of the two additional powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/her-mother-said-that-three-great-powers-kept-the-universe-going-the/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) ## More by D. A. Carson > [Unchecked, the new tolerance will sooner or later put many people in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/unchecked-the-new-tolerance-will-sooner-or-later-put-many-people-in/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [God's wrath is not an implacable, blind rage. However emotional it may be, it is an entirely reasonable and willed response to offenses against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/god-s-wrath-is-not-an-implacable-blind-rage-however-emotional-it-may/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Others have questions about how it is that God and human beings can both be speaking through the one document such that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/others-have-questions-about-how-it-is-that-god-and-human-beings-can/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The New Testament writers did not invent a doctrine of Scripture they inherited it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-new-testament-writers-did-not-invent-a-doctrine-of-scripture-they/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The Bible is not interested in precisionism unless the context indicates that precision is particularly important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-bible-is-not-interested-in-precisionism-unless-the-context/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Effectiveness in teaching the Bible is purchased at the price of much study, some of it lonely, all of it tiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/effectiveness-in-teaching-the-bible-is-purchased-at-the-price-of-much/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Do you wish to see God's love? Look at the cross. Do you wish to see God's wrath? Look at the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/do-you-wish-to-see-god-s-love-look-at-the-cross-do-you-wish-to-see/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact that some people think that notions like authority of Scripture's is passé, while others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-focuses-on-the-fact-that-some/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Many of us in our praying are like nasty little boys who ring front door bells and run away before anyone answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/many-of-us-in-our-praying-are-like-nasty-little-boys-who-ring-front/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God's love, they cannot escape the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/christians-have-learned-that-when-there-seems-to-be-no-other-evidence/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Love the church because Jesus loves it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/love-the-church-because-jesus-loves-it/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > ["Biblical theology" refers to something more precise than theology that is faithful to the Bible. It might be helpful to draw a contrast: at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/biblical-theology-refers-to-something-more-precise-than-theology-that/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [We treat the Bible, not as if it's a magic book that has to be handled like a piece of abracadabra, make sure it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/we-treat-the-bible-not-as-if-it-s-a-magic-book-that-has-to-be-handled/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Most good evangelical Study Bibles have more in common than people sometimes realize. All of them are committed to explaining the Bible to lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/most-good-evangelical-study-bibles-have-more-in-common-than-people/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Not all Scripture is propositional, some of it is asking questions, some of it's rhetorical, but where Scripture is stating something, asserting something, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/not-all-scripture-is-propositional-some-of-it-is-asking-questions/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) [Explore all 117 D. A. Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## More Dirt quotes > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > ['Dirt Road Diaries,' in my mind, is a perfect country guy song. It speaks to the hard-working guy, and I'm excited for the fans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/dirt-road-diaries-in-my-mind-is-a-perfect-country-guy-song-it-speaks/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [I spent all my time in the clouds or the dirt and that is why I think I’m successful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-vaynerchuk/i-spent-all-my-time-in-the-clouds-or-the-dirt-and-that-is-why-i-think/) [Gary Vaynerchuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-vaynerchuk/) > [“A diamond's happy ending is on a crown, but its beauty was formed in dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-diamond-s-happy-ending-is-on-a-crown-but-its-beauty-was-formed-in/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [I love the little garden in the back of my family's brownstone in Brooklyn. Digging out there in the dirt is a joy for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siri-hustvedt/i-love-the-little-garden-in-the-back-of-my-family-s-brownstone-in/) [Siri Hustvedt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siri-hustvedt/) > [I dish the dirt out, and I can take it. But why should my mother and children have to take it? In 20 years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-clarkson/i-dish-the-dirt-out-and-i-can-take-it-but-why-should-my-mother-and/) [Jeremy Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-clarkson/) > [They only wanna do you dirt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-kingston/they-only-wanna-do-you-dirt/) [Sean Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-kingston/) > [Her father had taught her about hands. About a dog's paws. Whenever her father was alone with a dog in a house he would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/her-father-had-taught-her-about-hands-about-a-dog-s-paws-whenever-her/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [Truthfully, I love being in the jungle. I love it when the make-up artists come to set, they come equipped with dirt and sweat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evangeline-lilly/truthfully-i-love-being-in-the-jungle-i-love-it-when-the-make-up/) [Evangeline Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evangeline-lilly/) > [I grew up in the south, poor - on rock, dirt roads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-turner/i-grew-up-in-the-south-poor-on-rock-dirt-roads/) [Tina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-turner/) > [But we've all ended up giving body and soul to Africa, one way or another. Even Adah, who's becoming an expert in tropical epidemiology…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/but-we-ve-all-ended-up-giving-body-and-soul-to-africa-one-way-or/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [Texas is a hell hole, man. Dirt, cactus, lizards, dirt, cactus, the Bush family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-titus/texas-is-a-hell-hole-man-dirt-cactus-lizards-dirt-cactus-the-bush/) [Christopher Titus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-titus/) > [“Chapter One: The world is flat. I know it is, because for the last five hours the view has been exactly the same. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-p-dahlke/chapter-one-the-world-is-flat-i-know-it-is-because-for-the-last-five/) [R.P. Dahlke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-p-dahlke/) > [“ground where it smells like ice and metal and dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/ground-where-it-smells-like-ice-and-metal-and-dirt/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) [Browse all 991 Dirt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dirt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Therefore what feeds the imagination is of maximum importance in the pursuit of kingdom righteousness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D. A. Carson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-it-is-fed-dirt-by-the-eye-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dirt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-it-is-fed-dirt-by-the-eye-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/d-a-carson-4044_dirt_imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-i_1555078.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/d-a-carson-4044_dirt_imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-i_1555078.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2c/d-a-carson-4044_dirt_imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-i_1555078.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not least…” — D. A. Carson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "D. A. Carson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Imagination is a God-given gift; but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-it-is-fed-dirt-by-the-eye-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/imagination-is-a-god-given-gift-but-if-it-is-fed-dirt-by-the-eye-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```