Expert: John Fields - 11/18/2009

Question
QUESTION: does the church you attend obey Rom 16:16 and greet one another with a "holy kiss"?

thanks

ANSWER: Yes we do by the Spirit of that request. We hug, shake hands and sometimes do give kisses. But is Paul giving us a command to kiss people who would be EXTREMELY uncomfortable to either give or receive them? I consider it a request because thinking of this as a command to be obeyed, like a law, seems out of order according to the context. Paul is telling others to be greeting lots of people for him. In the midst of this he says "Greet one another with a holy kiss." According to my understanding this was the cultural norm of the day, like our hug or our handshake. To make it into a literal universal command takes it out of the context as a request of the show of love between loved ones. It would be somewhat similar to me saying "give everyone a hug for me." Do I want lots of hugs being given out? Sure. Do I expect every person to be hugged? No I don't.

Paul says in another place to lift holy hands in prayer. Does that mean this is the exclusive posture for prayer or that Paul wants them to think of different ways a praying person can be prayerful and reverent to God? Lifting holy hands is an expression of adoration to our awesome God as is getting down on our knees or laying face down, or sitting with our heads bowed, or lifting up our eyes to Him. Any will do for the other.

Paul tells Timothy to take a little wine for his stomach sake. This is not a command to be obeyed but a suggestion of kindness for a loved one he wants to help find relief.

Jesus told His disciples to wash one another's feet. In our culture where we don't do this are we doing wrong by not doing so? Not if we see a principle to be obeyed instead. Every time I do something to show others they are more important to me than myself and that I love them enough to humble myself I put this principle into practice regardless of how it is expressed.

Context is our friend when we want to see the difference between love and law.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: ernie

thanks for the reply, i agree that the conntext of this text defines what is ment by meeting each other with a "holy kiss".

would you also say that the use of the term "church of Christ" in this context was also a term that was used by Paul as a general term and not ment to be binding every local assembly of Christians to go by that specific name since many other terms were used to describe the church besides coC?

Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood

1 Timothy 3:15
But if I tarry long , that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Hebrews 12:23
To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect ,

1 Corinthians 12:27
Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Ephesians 4:12
For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  

thanks
s  

Answer
Yes I would. The church was never meant to adopt an exclusive name. So who is the church? Christ's church are those who have been purchased out of the world by His blood sacrifice after having come to Him in obedience in having been baptized after belief in Him. The ONE body of Christ includes ANY who have been scripturally cleansed by Him when they are baptized. ANY group which teaches that the Gospel should be followed according to how it is defined biblically, practicing baptism according to the way it is intended, are a part of the Lord's church. Also, any individual who finds and follows this truth, though they are not a part of a group which practices this truth themselves, has become a part of the one church. Even so, that person would need to leave the group which is not practicing biblical truth and find a group which is preaching the true Gospel of Jesus (which includes baptism for cleansing from sins). The church is not defined by perfect adherence to law, if it was, the church could not exist since nobody can keep law well enough. Once a part of the one church, each follower should seek to follow the truth as best as can be done with a group of like minded people.

In my observation, I've not seen any other group which comes closer to biblical obedience than the churches of Christ (so named).