Experiencing the Trinity Sermon #3

Relational Personhood

Do you know what a paradigm shift is?

God exists in ‘relational personhood.’ There is no ‘existence that is not relational.’ There is no ‘personhood’ outside of relationship.

What does that mean? and why is it important for us?

Gen 1:26 Let ‘us’ make humankind in ‘our’ image according to ‘our’ likeness.

We were created to ‘exist’ and ‘be’ like God. Living as ‘relational creatures.’

What is the definition of personhood?

Mark Shaw did a detailed study of John

4 Characteristics that delineate the relationship between Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
1. Full equality

1. Glad submission

2. Joyful intimacy

3. Mutual deference

Bottom line: if we are created in His image and likeness, we are to be like God living in complete relational Personhood. There is no existence outside of this.

Progression towards maturity

Dependence Independence Interdependence

Two unhealthy relational tendencies

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Relational clinginess Isolation

Two areas to practice relational personhood and learn to live with those 4 characteristics.

1. In our church community: small groups.
2. In our families and networks of friends.

Speaker: Richard Clinton