The Command to Kiss - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and
majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Thessalonians 5:26,

"Greet all God's people with a holy kiss."

We read about kissing in the Scriptures. Kissing is associated with
greeting one another as well as expressing relationship. In Romans
16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20; 2 Corinthians 13:12 and 1 Thessalonians
5:26, we are told to greet one another with a "holy kiss." Peter tells
us to greet one another with a "kiss of love." 1 Peter 5:14. And, we
read of the Ephesian elders who embraced and kissed Paul in their
grief over the news they would never see him again (in this life), and
to send him on his way to Jerusalem, Acts 20:37.

Those who have studied this point out the kissing here was men with
men, women with women, and men with women within the fellowship.

Over the years I have heard of differing activities found in Scripture
that have been focused on as proving one is "in the faith" or at least
a "member in good standing." I have seen lists concocted that purport
the contents must be scrupulously followed or fulfilled (in the
"lister's" understanding of "how to") if one is to have any hope in
eternal life, let alone a good standing within the fellowship. I'm
sure you have run into these things as well.

For instance, baptism must follow certain guidelines in order to
qualify the "baptized" for eternal life. Not settling for that, others
have verbal formulas which must be recited in order for the required
ordinance to be "legitimate."

I think we are all too familiar with our charismatic brothers and
sisters who insist we must all be speaking in tongues. Hey, they did
it in the New Testament, didn't they?

Mass, the Lord's Supper, Communion, the Agape Feast, whether
considered as a sacrament or an ordinance is understood by many to
have to be done in certain ways, else, it just may not be "legit".
Almost always the Scriptures are pointed to as the grounds for
whichever position, even when the interpretations conflict.

I think you get my point here. Many things may be done in the church
today due to how something is perceived in the Scriptures. Oftentimes,
things done differently become the "distinctives" that set one group
apart from others, and in some cases, at odds, with other groups. I'm
sure we have all seen these things. And I am sure we have all
scratched our heads in wonderment over both the direction and the
tenacity with which some groups promote their "distinctives."

I have to say, though, I have never run into a kissing fellowship.
There is an abundance of distinctives regarding baptism, communion,
the "charismatic gifts", elder rule, etc. One might think, with the
same logic and the same approach, some groups might adopt kissing as
the demonstrable manifestation that one is "in the faith, in good
standing."

Of course, kissing, in our culture, is a bit different from the
kissing we read of in Scripture. In our society, kissing is typically
reserved for either romance or expressions of affection within the
immediate family. I'm certain there are exceptions, but the practice
of kissing in Paul's day is not quite the same as ours today. It is an
interesting subject to take up when attempting to understand cultural
issues in Scripture as they apply to the church in our culture today.

Why no kissing in our churches? If it was "good enough for Paul",
shouldn't it be good enough for us? And, isn't the literary formula
that tells us to kiss one another couched the same way as what many
consider as "commands" when speaking of other things?

I know I'm being a bit of a smart aleck here. But I think it helpful
to consider these kinds of things as we insist others follow us. Maybe
we might not be on as firm a ground as we assume... And, truthfully,
given our culture, I would not suggest we begin kissing each other as
was practiced in Paul's day.

After all, what might the neighbors think?

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!

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