Enemies of Agape Love (Judgmental versus Loving)

Messages for September 2018: Our Month of Perfection

Message for Sunday 23rd September, 2018

Theme: Understanding and walking in the Love of God.

Topic: Enemies of Agape Love (Judgmental versus Loving)

Introduction: As I began to explore this great mystery of walking in love like never before, I’ve come to realize that one of the chief adversaries of walking in love is being judgmental. As a matter of fact, just as faith and hope are allies of love; being judgmental, fearfulness, insecurities, resentments and their likes; are allies of hatred which is the opposite of love. Hate is such a negative emotion that has the ability of creating discord and releasing envies and strives which are fertile grounds for releasing confusion and every evil work in relationships. This is so bad that people who would have contributed to building up each other to become the best that God wants them to become would end up tearing each other apart and destroying themselves. 

The antidote for self-destruction in this situation is for all involved; both the victim and the antagonists in the play to learn the law of love from God’s perspective and walk in it. Joseph understood and walked in this truth when he met his brothers who previously wanted him dead and sold him into slavery. As at the time they came together, they had all learned their lessons even though Joseph and his father suffered the most.  

What is the meaning of Judgmental?  From the background of what we already know as love, we need to understand the definition of judgmental so that we can be able to contrast it with love. I believe that we each need to juxtapose these insights with our persons and not look at others so that we can accurately assess where we are in the scheme of things as it relates to us as individuals not trying to see other people’s own. To be judgmental has the following definitions in the English dictionary: 

1. Being judgmental is having or displaying an overly critical point of view. To a judgmental person, every other person is incompetent but them even though if they will tell themselves the truth, they are also not perfect. A judgmental person is:

Fault finding: You cannot please a fault finding person and you cannot really have joy around them especially if they hold any position of authority over you. Persons like these holding leadership position will not go beyond the level of position in their leadership development. This is because from level 2 they have to develop friendship with and genuinely love the led even though wisdom demands that they maintain some boundaries with them lest they are misunderstood or abused.  

Critical: People like this make very poor company. You will have to be careful whatever you do around them lest they judge you harshly and write you off. I believe we ought to know how to praise a good work when we see one. Some work may not be that good but we should learn to recognize potential in others and help them to bring it out in love. This way, we can balance disciplining a poor performance in such a way that the protégée will get to understand that you are not being personal. I have also come to understand that if your protégées are not delivering in their service, you may want to take responsibility for matching them with the wrong assignment. In this case, the leader can find out if they had any personal issues that could have been the reason for their poor performance and see what they can do to help the best they can. This will help and I believe this is the love of God at work. Jn.15:12-13; Eph.4

Condemnatory: To do this is to write people off as never do goods. The best question one could ask ourselves and answer here is whether if we were in their shoes we would like to be forgiven or not. If yes, then love demands that we do to them as we would like to be treated. Truth is that everyone wants to be forgiven. To forgive is an act of kindness which is a fruit of the recreated human spirit. We are told to be tenderhearted forgiving one another. Rm.14:10-12; Ephesians 4:32 and Lk.6:31.

Disapproving: To approve or disapprove is a position that only God should take. If we find ourselves trying to ascend to that place, we have stepped out of love because we are now making idols or ourselves. Truth is none of us is really the standard; only the Lord Jesus Christ is. [Heb.12:1-2] This is why we are told to look up to Him. We are supposed to do to others as we would have them do to us. See Mt.7:1-5; 1Cor.13:4 

Disparaging: To be disparaging is to be expressing a low opinion of others. This is a kind of high mindedness and love is not proud. Being high minded makes you risk competing with God for His place. This is what cost Lucifer his throne. It is the place where you accommodate every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. 2Cor.10:4; Isa.14:12-16 and Eze.28:11-19

2. Tending to judge people too quickly and critically by a tendency to judge harshly and critically; not seeing anything good in what someone else does. A loving person on the other hand, is not in a hurry to judge. They try to find out the mind of God and address the matter from God’s perspective. If we all do this, I believe we would be able to see the struggles of the people and be able to show them compassion. This is why God’s correction of us never crushes us but helps to restore us to our place with Him because God will never despise a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Ps.34:18 and 51:17. 

3. On the other hand, our heavenly father would lovingly correct us in such a way that we could be restored back to him than being lost totally except you signed up for perdition. In Heb.12:6-12, we learn that God chastens those He loves. That if He does not chasten you, it means you are a bastard. If you are a bastard, then your case would be like that of Judas Iscariot who lost everything to money that he could not even use. His place was later given to another. Acts 1:20 

• When we love like God, we are kind, compassionate and blessed with a lot of understanding. We tend to find out from God about issues before acting in which case we would not do foolishly and step out of love. According to Kenneth E. Hagin of blessed memory, every step out of love is a step into sin. 

• The bulk of emotional crisis we face today are due largely to accommodating the toxic life style of not walking in love.  

Someone may be reading this blog and wondering whether this is a realistic lifestyle because all your life has been characterized by living badly and you are thinking there is no end to your torture for living this way. I have good news for your and they are two. First you can stop living this way and second, let me show you how. Please say the following prayer out loud in faith and you will be born again into God’s family and your will not be rated a bastard spiritually:

Heavenly Father,

Have mercy on me a sinner. Today, I believe that Jesus died for me and you raised Him from the dead for my Justification. I therefore declare that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Lord and from today, I renounce the fatherhood of Satan and embrace Jesus Christ as my Saviour and Lord. Thank you for this father in Jesus’ name! Amen. 

Congratulations! For more information and resources that would help you grow in this new life, please visit our website at www.kingdomheirsministries.org and our blogs at www.flourishinggirl.blogspot.com and follow us on twitter at alero_nanna and on face book on www.facebook.com/flourishinggirl www.facebook.com/khmii2015; www.facebook.com/thewellbeingcenter. Or www.facebook.com/kingdomjointheirsfamily email:  jointheirsfamily@gmail.com.