3D Relationships

A three dimensional understanding of God leads to a three dimensional relationship with God. By stretching our knowledge of God beyond a one dimensional acquaintance to a three dimensional relationship it changes the way we interact with God and with each other.

One practical implication of a three dimensional view of God is in our prayer lives.  A one dimensional prayer life, while maybe sincere, is like communicating with someone we know little about.  A three dimensional prayer life enables us to communicate with God in the fullness of the Trinity; praying to the Father, in the Spirit, through the Son (Lecture notes 3.1).  The Apostle Paul engaged in a Trinitarian prayer life reflecting his intimate relationship with God:  “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith” (Ephesians 3:14-17).

Another implication of the Trinity is in our understanding of Salvation.  We are reconciled through Christ to a right relationship with our Creator God and empowered to live in that relationship by the Holy Spirit.  We can connect with God as the Source of life as Father, the Saviour of life as Jesus, and the Sustainer of life as the Spirit. 

Finally, our ability to interact in human relationships is deepened as we see ourselves and each other through this three dimensional lens.  Relationship is at the heart of the Trinity and the degree to which we engage with the triune God will impact the depth of human relationships as we move closer to being restored to a right image of God.  It has been said, “the extent that I am moving towards relationship, I am moving towards true personhood, but when I move towards individualism, I am stepping outside of what it means to be a person” (Lecture notes 4.2).  Individualism is the outworking of a one dimensional view of God, whereas, community is the outworking of engaging with God in all three dimensions.