A Holy Kiss: Greeting as an Act of Worship - a podcast by Jonathan Michael Jones

One of the seemingly most despised
moments during a weekly worship gathering is the greeting time. I have personally
observed the woes of many who are opposed to greeting one another during
corporate worship and, in fact, used to be one of those people. Yet, my heart
and mind began to change on the issue when I realized the underpinning on which
such an act is built, namely the kiss of peace.

Paul instructs
believers to greet one another with a holy kiss (Rom 16:16). The significance
is not found in the act of kissing itself but rather in the adjective which
proceeds it: holy. Built upon the truth that God’s people are holy and set
apart, the weekly greeting should be viewed not as a regrettable act but as a
sacred act. More than a mere greeting, the act is sacred because the people of
God are sacred and called to holiness. When one’s attitude shifts from greeting
with a kiss to greeting with a holy kiss, the act becomes not merely a kind
gesture but an act of worship. To discuss how to approach the kiss of peace in
a modern context, I suggest five imperatives of which believers should be
mindful.

Further episodes of Act of Worship

Further podcasts by Jonathan Michael Jones

Website of Jonathan Michael Jones