Avoiding False Equivalence in Preaching: God and Humanity

Preachers must be mindful of the language they use when illustrating spiritual truths, lest they inadvertently diminish the majesty of God by creating a false equivalence between the Creator and His creatures. Paul writes in Romans 8:28 that "all things work together for good" to those who love God, but even this promise does not imply that God's ways are directly comparable to human actions. When using analogies or examples, preachers should strive to maintain a clear distinction between the divine and human realms, acknowledging the infinite qualitative difference between God's nature and ours.

This truth addresses the heart of Reformed theology, which emphasizes the sovereignty and transcendence of God, and it matters because it helps to preserve the biblical tension between God's immanence and His transcendence. By avoiding false equivalencies, preachers can help their congregations to appreciate the awe-inspiring majesty of God, while also acknowledging His intimate involvement in human affairs.

A common misconception is that using relatable examples necessarily implies a false equivalence, but this is not necessarily the case, for a carefully crafted analogy can illuminate a biblical truth without diminishing God's glory, and it is here that the preacher's task requires great care and theological precision, lest they inadvertently create a false equivalence that undermines the very truth they seek to convey, and instead, they should point to the gospel, where God's glory and our salvation are forever intertwined.