The Triune God: Our Model for Life To be posted at

What is the the Nature of Ultimate Reality? God = One Being in Three Persons The physical universe? Me? The Triune Mystery of God

Why address the Trinity in a talk on Christian counseling? The triune God is worthy The Trinity has established its own way to heal the soul in Christ It distinguishes Xn counseling from other kinds (modern and theistic) Theology is necessary to Xn counseling, like neuroscience It is good for our souls

God is Three Persons What is a person ? Mature persons are rational communicators; self- aware; able to evaluate, plan, imagine, and make choices for which they are responsible, virtuous to some degree, and engaged in loving relations with others.

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are each a perfect person, with infinite, optimal capacities perfectly rational communicators and evaluators, omniscient, completely self-aware, thoroughly responsible for their actions, and perfectly virtuous and loving. God is Three Persons

There is an absolute unity of Father, Son, & Holy Spirit They are equal in their divine nature, understanding, values, mutual love, purposes, and actions Each has his own personal glory or beauty God is One Being

God is love (1Jn 4:8,16) And now, glorify me together with yourself, Father, with the glory which I ever had with you before the world was (Jn 17:5) For you loved me before the foundation of the world (Jn 17:24) For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing (Jn 5:20) The Mutual Glory and Love of Father and Son Where is the Spirit?

Christ said, believe [my] works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father (Jo. 10:38) Perichoresis Perichoresis is the mutually indwelling of the persons of the Trinity within each other Perichoresis is one way the 3 Persons are 1 Being

Relations Among the Trinity The Persons are unified with respect to creation, judgment, and redemption: one plan The Persons have different roles/missions with respect to creation, judgment, and redemption according to the plan

The Missions of God The Unified Mission : the self-glorification of the triune God Their Individual Missions Initiator/SourceRedeemerActualizer Altogether they have a special kind of social glory or beauty

Human Life Drawn into the Trinity, by the Trinity God became a human being The Son: the Trinitarian Bridge to Humanity God became the human sacrificial mediator (1Ti 2:5); he became sin for us, suffering the punishment due to sin, on our behalf (Ro 3:25; 1Jn 2:2; 2Co 5:21)

The Spirit: the Trinitarian Helper Who Realizes the Divine Life in H umans Humans are brought into Divine Glory The glory which you have given me, I have given to them; that they may be one, just as we are one; I in them, and you in me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that you sent me, and loved them, even as you loved me (Jn 17:22-23). Human Life Drawn into the Trinity, by the Trinity

Brought into the Divine Love If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with him (Jn 14:23) Believers are now in the Beloved (Eph 1:6) Human Life Drawn into the Trinity, by the Trinity Brought into the Divine Perichoresis that they may all be one; even as you Father are in me and I in you that they also may be in us (Jn 17:21) How?Abiding

Our Goal: To Become Signs of the Trinity Vigorous Persons with Healthy Individuality Vigorous Relationships in Healthy Communion Interdependent Persons-in-Communion

Obstacles: Sin and Growing Up with Corrupted Images of God We grow up with flawed image-bearers As creatures: We have created limitations and begin life with unmet needs We are born in sin

Developmental Trajectory of Becoming Signs of God 1. Childhood We start out dependent 2. Adolescence/Early Adulthood We develop independence 3. Mature Adulthood We learn how to become interdependent and perichoretic with others

Psychospiritual Blessings of the Teachings on the Trinity The Holy Love of the Triune God is the Driving Force in Christian Soul Care The New Self is Alive in Relation with the Triune God

Psychospiritual Blessings of the Teachings on the Trinity An Intersubjective Relationship With the Triune God Heals the Soul We have to take in the form of God Worship, meditative prayer, and the Lords Supper How?

Everyone Has a Mission/Calling that is Part of the Missions of the Triune God Relationship with Other Believers Can Heal the Soul Human-Human Perichoresis Hierarchical Relations Are Trinitarian Psychospiritual Blessings of the Teachings on the Trinity

Strategies for Promoting Maturing Personhood Promoting self-awareness and reflection Taking responsibility for decisions, sins Promoting the love of God and others properly Individuation, being distinct, creative

Listening, empathy, loving others Strategies for Promoting Mature Relationality Entering into others, w/out losing oneself How? Being able to challenge others in love