Originally Posted by Wayne@purpose
A. Sorry for the delayed response. Before I respond to the request (establishment of a premise in regard to the matter of "help"), I would like to comment on one of your thoughts that were expressed above.

“If you want to increase your love of God then the most effective way is to know more about Him. And then take that knowledge and by faith put it into practice”. And the result will be seeing God working in you, through you and for you. And finally, this increases your knowledge (Grk: prognosko intimate knowledge) of God. (cf. Col 1:9,10).”

The word “If” here is unclear.
The "if" was in regard and contrast to what you wrote. grin It is not to be miscontrued as standing as some option which a believer can choose to do, although surely one must make an effort, due to the remnant influence of the old nature, and as enabled by the indwelling Spirit.

Originally Posted by Wayne@purpose
The words “take that knowledge and by faith put it into practice” is not clear. To be clearer, I would suggest replacing it with the following steps:
1. Accept “God’s expectations” in this area personally (Deut 6:5). This will provide knowledge for change.
2. Know “why” loving God is important. This will provide motivation for change
3. Take an “inventory” of your heart periodically. How much love is there? This will provide conviction for change.
4. “Pray daily” for a desire to “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” . (When praying keep in mind Mark 10:27 and James 4:2). This will provide the power for change,
5. Spend a good portion of you time in the Bible looking for just “two things”. Things that help you know God personally and things that help you know His will for you. This will provide you with a plan for change
6. Attempt to execute the plan being dependent on His grace and knowing it is His power that enables you.
Personally, and no offense intended, I much prefer how the inspired apostle Paul put it in the passage I referenced:

Colossians 1:9-10 (ASV) "For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray and make request for you, that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, to walk worthily of the Lord unto all pleasing, bearing fruit in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;"

Study (God's inspired written Word) to show thyself approved... depending upon the Holy Spirit to grant you understanding and wisdom (right application of the knowledge), thus applying this God-given knowledge in every facet of your life, with the sole desire to please God... and in so doing, you will be blessed with an increased intimate knowledge of God. The end result of increasing your knowledge of God through His inspired Word, putting it into practice as the Spirit grants wisdom in its application results in a life well-pleasing to God (bearing fruit), which then produces a greater love for God. The process is cyclical.

Originally Posted by Wayne@purpose
B. Now concerning establishment of a premise in regard to the matter of "help", I offer the following for consideration:

Webster’s definition of the word “help” is as follows: “To furnish with strength or means for the successful performance of any action or the attainment of any object.” The action we would like to perform here is “Obedience to God”. Obedience to God can also be referred to as “Doing God’s will” or “living for the Lord instead of living for self”. One of many verses that links love to obedience is 2 Cor 5:15 which says:

“For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf”. NASU ... [cut]
Sorry, but you lost me when you used a faulty translation and definition of the word sunechei (2Cor 5:14) [2 Corinthians 5:14 (ASV) "For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;"]. BAG (Bauer, Arndt and Gingrich), p. 797a has the primary meaning of this world as, "urge on, impel". A secondary meaning of "hold within bounds, control", i.e., to retrain in a negative sense. From the context of the passage, it seems more than clear to me that the meaning the Spirit through Paul intended is "to urge on" or "impel", which the vast majority of English translations render as "constrain(s)(eth)", which shows they too agreed with this understanding of the word.

Thanks for sharing nonetheless. bigglasses

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simul iustus et peccator

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