Analogies Diminishing God's Sovereignty in Christian Theology

Analogies drawn from human experience or earthly kingdoms can diminish the theological understanding of God's sovereignty by implying limitations or characteristics that do not apply to the divine ^[1]. Early Christian writers, such as Tertullian, cautioned against comparing God's supreme authority to human rulers or earthly kingdoms, arguing that such comparisons wrongly assume human circumstances are comparable to divine ones ^[1].

One common pitfall is to imagine God's governance as analogous to human political structures, where multiple supreme powers might exist in distinct territories ^[1]. Tertullian refutes this, stating that such reasoning fails to grasp the unique nature of divine unity and omnipotence ^[1]. Similarly, the idea that God's actions can be judged by human standards of justice or fairness, particularly in the distribution of blessings or advantages, can undermine the concept of divine sovereignty ^[2]. Charles Hodge notes that it is "useless and irrational to argue against facts" when God demonstrably acts as a sovereign in dispensing favors, whether providential or religious ^[2]. This perspective asserts that God's sovereign choices, even if they appear unequal from a human viewpoint, are undeniable aspects of His nature ^[2].

Another area where analogies can diminish God's sovereignty is in understanding His providential care. Disregarding God's government implies a disbelief in His active rule over creation ^[4]. The concept of idolatry, for instance, diminishes God's unique sovereignty by attributing divine attributes—such as omnipresence, the ability to hear and answer prayer, and the power to help and save—to created beings or objects ^[3]. This practice makes these idols the "ground of confidence" and objects of religious affection, effectively replacing God with false deities ^[3]. The Church of Rome, according to Hodge, has fallen into such errors by ascribing divine attributes to saints and Mary, thereby diminishing God's unique role ^[3]. Idolatry is seen as defiling God's people, much like adultery, because it shifts allegiance and worship away from the one true sovereign God ^[10].

Furthermore, attempts to subject divine authority to human institutions or interpretations can also diminish God's sovereignty. While the Church has a role in guiding believers, its decisions are only to be obeyed if they align with Scripture and do not transcend the limits God has set for its action ^[5]. If the Church presumes to decide matters of pure science, political economy, or civil law, or declares something true that Scripture pronounces false, such decisions are to be disregarded ^[5]. This highlights that even ecclesiastical power is subordinate to God's ultimate authority and revealed word ^[7].

The biblical understanding of God's attributes, such as His absolute and infinite nature, also guards against diminishing His sovereignty through human analogies ^[9]. God's attributes are not merely human conceptions or reducible to causality; they are inherent to His essence ^[9]. To understand God's sovereignty fully requires acknowledging His unique divine majesty, as seen in passages like Philippians 2:6-8, which describes Christ, "who, although He was in the form of God, did not think it robbery that He should be equal with God," yet humbled Himself ^[6]. This demonstrates a divine prerogative and authority that transcends human comparison. The early church fathers, like Augustine, also emphasized the distinctness of the God of Israel, who subverts other deities, challenging those who would try to equate Him with pagan gods or reject His unique sovereignty ^[8].

Sources

Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 3: Tertullian — CHAP. IV..--DEFENCE OF THE DIVINE UNITY AGAINST OBJECTION. NO ANALOGY BETWEEN HUMAN POWERS AND GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY. THE OBJECTION OTHERWISE UNTENABLE, FOR WHY STOP AT TWO GODS? (part 1): But some one may contend that two great Supremes may exist, distinct and separate in their own departments; and may even adduce, as an example, the kingdoms of the world, which, though they are so many in number, are yet supreme in their several regions. Such a man will suppose that human circumstances are always comparable with divine ones. Now, if this mode of reasoning be at all toler”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 67: that they hear against the providence of God. This has already been shown. It is useless and irrational to argue against facts. It can avail 350 nothing to say that it is unjust in God to deal more favourably with one nation than with another, with one individual than with another, if in point of fact He acts as a sovereign in the distribution of his favours. That He does so act is undeniable so far as providential blessings and religious advantages are concerned. And this is all that Augustinianism asserts in regard to the dispensations ”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 38: is not merely that they are regarded as objects of reverence, but that the service rendered them involves the ascription of divine attributes. They are assumed to be everywhere present, able to hear and answer prayer, to help and to save. They become the ground of confidence to the people, and the objects of their religious affections. They are to them precisely what the gods of the heathen were to the Greeks and Romans. Such are some of the errors taught by the Church of Rome, and they prove that that Church instead of being infallible, ”
Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 10:11: As before, such conduct implies disbelief or disregard of God's government.”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 47: on his own responsibility. If the decision is within the limits to which God has confined the action of the Church, and in accordance with the Scriptures, it is to be obeyed. If it transcends those limits, or is contrary to the word of God, it is to be disregarded. If therefore the Church through any of its organs should assume to decide questions of pure science, or of political economy, or of civil law, such decisions would amount to nothing. Or, if it should declare that to be true which the Scriptures pronounce to be false; or that to”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CHAP. XXII.(3) ARGUMENT--THAT THE SAME DIVINE MAJESTY IS IN CHRIST, HE ONCE MORE ASSERTS BY OTHER SCRIPTURES. (part 1): But why, although we appear to hasten to another branch of the argument, should we pass over that passage in the apostle: "Who, although He was in the form of God, did not think it robbery that He should be equal with God; but emptied Himself, taking up the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men; and found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross. Whe”
Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), Article XXVIII. Of Ecclesiastical Power.: Article XXVIII. Of Ecclesiastical Power.”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 6: Augustine — Homilies on the Gospels — CHAP. XXXII.--A STATEMENT IN VINDICATION OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE APOSTLES AS OPPOSED TO IDOLATRY, IN THE WORDS OF THE PROPHECIES. (part 3): by the Christians: nay, we challenge them to recite any passages in which, if not Christ (for they wish to make Him out to have been a worshipper of their own gods), at least this God of Israel, who is allowed to be the subverter of other deities, is held up as a deity destined to be rejected and worthy of detestation. But never will they produce any such passage, unless, perchance, it be some fabrication o”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 1, section 1: Faith.—Our Knowledge not regulative 355 General Objections to Hamilton's Theory 359 Founded on a Wrong Definition of the Absolute and Infinite; on a Wrong Definition of knowledge.—Necessity of a Supernatural Revelation 364 CHAPTER V. THE NATURE AND ATTRIBUTES OF GOD. § 1. Definitions of God 366 § 2. Divine Attributes 368 Relation of the Attributes to the Essence of God.—The Divine Attributes do not differ merely in our Conceptions 371 The Divine Attributes cannot be resolved into mere Causality.—They differ virtualiter 373 § 3. Classificat”
Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 106:39: 106:39 Idolatry, like adultery, defiles God’s people (see Lev 18:24; Hos 5:3).”

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