Love is not Rude
Love is not Rude
Preached by apostle Aje Pelser at Harvester Reformational Church Cape Town August 2026
the definition of ‘rude’
Definitions
Being rude means someone lacks good manners.
Synonyms: Discourteous; Impolite; Disrespectful; Bad-mannered; Crude
To combat rudeness, decide to say: “Please and thank you to God and man.”
Rudeness is seen in competing and comparing with others.
Where ‘self’ is speaking it comes across as a “know-it-all.”
Rudeness sounds self-righteous
Knowledge does puff up being rude means we unnecessarily defend our rights.
A rude person will bite the hand that feeds them.
A rude person will not listen or pay attention or show respect.
Rudeness contravenes spiritual etiquette too. Some people do not use Jesus’ name to come to the Father.
At times, people who do exploits for God do not give God the glory.
Herod the King did not glorify God and was struck by an angel and eaten by worms. Acts 12:31
2Ti 2:23 But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
2Ti 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth,
2Ti 2:26 and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.
Reasons not to be rude:
- For the sake of ultimate repentance. We are to correct in humility with a spirit of gentleness. It gives people a chance to repent., if they don’t. then the Holy Spirit will have to convict them further and give them another opportunity further down the road. 1 Tim. 6:11; 2 Tim. 2:23.
- Love is intrinsically not rude. God is love. His character is full of respect. We have God’s DNA by faith, and we can access it through the Holy Spirit’s help daily.
- Respect breeds respect. Matt. 21:33-41 the parable of the wicked tenants. How do we respect the sent ones in our lives? Matt. 23:37-39 – desolation results from not receiving God’s sent ones in our lives with respect. This just not merely pertain to leaders, because God can speak to your through a child. How do you receive Christ in others?
Jesus said: ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ Matt. 25:37
- Reverential fear of God is celebrated. Acts. 2:42,3
- To teach others, we can’t afford to be rude.
- To offer the way of salvation and share the good news, rudeness must go and the love and respect of Jesus needs to shine through.
Instances where Christlikeness won the battle against rudeness:
Jesus said to Judas: “Friend, do you betray me with a kiss?”
Paul the apostle was struck in interrogation and corrected himself when speaking against the high priest.
1Ti 1:13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.
1Ti 1:16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
David did not speak against Saul the king, God’s anointed, even when Saul tried to kill him.
Stephen did not revile those stoning him to death but asked God to forgive them for they know not what they do.
Jesus did not revile or threaten his tormentors on the cross.
We are taught in spiritual warfare to not bringing a reviling accusation against the devil but to say: “The Lord rebuke you.”
Jud 1:9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”