A HOLY KISS: GREETING AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP
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.
A Holy (Not Ordinary) Act
Paul’s instructions emphasize the holiness of the act of
greeting, i.e. he does not instruct believers to merely greet one another with
a kiss but with a holy kiss,[1] meaning
an act set apart and ordained by God in holiness. The act of greeting one
another in the name of the Lord is a holy act; it is set apart. When Christians
move beyond understanding greeting one another in worship to be a meager kind
gesture and to a place of understanding it to be a sacred act of worship, by
necessitation, the attitude changes. The foundation of the act of sacred
greeting (the kiss of peace) is not kindness but unity in Christ. Called and
covenanted by God himself, the church possesses the unique unity and holiness
that cannot exist apart from Jesus; the church has been given the sole right to
commune with triune God; thus, the kiss of peace is a holy and set apart act
which symbolizes such unity and holiness.
The Church’s Holy Calling
Scripture refers to the people of God as a chosen race, a
royal priesthood, a chosen nation, a people for God’s own possession who are
called to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus Christ (1 Pet 2:9). The key here
is that the church is called and set apart by God. Greeting one another with a
kiss of peace then symbolizes this truth. A lack of understanding about the
holy calling of God’s people has surely contributed to the diminishing of the
kiss of peace. While the common form of greeting in western culture does not
usually include kissing, greeting one another as an act of worship is yielded
from a proper understanding of identity in Christ. We are chosen, called, and
set apart; therefore, greeting one another as such a people recognizes and
symbolizes this unique character. The church’s calling is holy; so also is the act
of greeting in worship.
The Intentionality of Realizing the Holy Kiss
When the foundation of holiness is realized by God’s
people, greeting as an act of worship becomes more intentional, i.e. greeting
in any form (shaking hands, hugging, first-bumps, etc.) becomes more than
merely catching up on the previous week. Paul assures God’s people that the
peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard their hearts and
minds (Phil 4:7). When we greet one another with a holy (set apart) kiss (or
other gesture), we are expressing our unity and love in the peace of Christ.
Thus, it is not uncommon for some local churches to pass the peace of Christ.
When a church is instructed to pass the peace, the act then is intentional and
employed as an act of worship. Such an act is focused on God’s glory rather
than human individuals. If churches and individuals view greeting as an
ordinary hello instead of a sacred act of worship, the depth and richness of
worshiping God through the kiss of peace will not manifest. God’s people should
be intentional about the attitude of greeting and, thus, the mode in which they
greet one another, for it certainly is worship.
The Historic Act of Passing the Peace
Liturgies throughout the centuries have included some
form of greeting, passing the peace, or the kiss of peace. In fact, in early
ecclesiastical contexts, the act was literally a kiss. A common form of
greeting in New Testament and early church eras, kissing expressed not only
brotherly love and devotion but was also utilized when the Holy Spirit played a
significant role.[2]
There were various forms of kissing, e.g. rubbing noses;[3]
nonetheless, the intent was to present an intimate expression. Even breathing
was a form of kissing in the New Testament period.[4] Jesus said
to his disciples, “Peace be with you,” and then breathed on them saying,
“Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-23). The breathing here might be
considered a form of kissing and, thus, a holy kiss of peace.
For these reasons, although the form of greeting has
certainly been adapted to the culture over the years, liturgies through the
centuries have included the kiss of peace. God has used such richness in
corporate worship. I am personally reminded of a situation where a man was
convicted through the liturgy during the kiss of peace. The man had been
unfaithful to his wife so during the kiss of peace, he could not, with a clean
conscience, say to her, “May the peace of Christ dwell with you.” The Holy
Spirit used the sacred act of passing the peace among a holy people to convict
him. When we realize that we are acting in holiness through greeting one
another, our hearts cannot help but be renewed and concurrently convicted, for
only in right standing with God can Christians truly be conduits of the peace
of Christ.
The
kiss of peace has been present in the church for centuries; it was not an act
derived from modern innovations to reach people or make them feel welcome in
worship gatherings. Indeed, the kiss of peace has been used as an act of
worship through the church’s history. We also should faithfully heed the
biblical instructions to greet one another with a holy kiss.
A Modern Context but the Same Concept
In a modern context, kissing is usually not the common
manner to greet one another. Viewing Paul’s instructions in a contextual light,
we can adapt our mode of greeting to a handshake, fist-bump, hug, or another
action. The context might be different; nevertheless, the concept is the same.
We are the people of God set apart for his good works and his glory. The
church, therefore, should not greet one another in corporate worship as anyone
else would on a daily basis. We do not greet one another to simply offer an
empty hello; rather, we greet in the peace of Christ with one another’s best
interest at heart. While the context has changed, the concept has not. We
participate in a holy act, not an ordinary one.
Do Not Diminish the Kiss of Peace
Vital to the church is the unity and peace in Christ,
which we possess because of him and not apart from him. Without a proper
understanding of identity, e.g. a holy and chosen people, the church cannot
fully understand the foundation of our weekly greetings. The purpose of
greeting is not to make people feel more comfortable or welcome but to worship
triune God. As a people set apart by Christ and found in his peace, we should
not diminish the act of greeting but should instead resolve to worship God
through it. With an intentionality toward holiness, the redeemed people of God are
given the governing responsibility of worship. In all acts then, including
greeting one another, may we worship our Lord and Savior in his peace, as the
bride of Christ, and with a fervent realization of what we do when we greet one
another in the name of the Lord.
