Salute one another with an holy kiss
renders the King James Version of the Bible. So what is the big deal
about kissing? After all it cannot be compared to fornication which we
all know God clearly frowns upon. It's all about two people who are
expressing love to each other.
So which one is the Bible talking about?
According to Wikipedia A kiss is a touch with the lips, usually to
express love or affection, or as part of a greeting. So when the Bible
talks about greeting one another with a holy kiss as rendered in Romans
16:16 and other similar verses in the Bible, it talks about using the
lips to greet one another in a manner that is devoid of any sexual
motive. The adjective 'holy' used is even suggestive of the fact that
even at that time there was the tendency to abuse a kiss into something
far from Holy.
Are Holy kisses possible in our day and age?
I remember when I went for missions in Swaziland, I was shown a national
calender which had the king's daughter's breast totally exposed. I
remember our host telling me and my wife that, he believed that a girl
wearing a swim suit at a beach was technically more naked than the
king's daughter. Culture plays a big role in our perception. I know that
in America and now in Nigeria when the word 'bomb' is mentioned, people
will run for their dear lives but I recall in Ghana years ago rather
set off from their homes to go and 'watch a bomb'. How amazing! So in a
country where all the kissing we have seen is passionate romantic
kissing in telenovelas and movies, we could have a bomb scare when we
try to liberalize a free range kissing greeting. That is my opinion
anyway especially when I see how some people have misused hugging in the
body of Christ.
Kissing is wrong because....
The kissing I am talking about here is French kissing which is lip to
lip and passionate in expression(like eyes closed). That one cannot be
said to be done without lusting. The official kiss on cheek and and hand
can be innocent depending once again on motive. Motive is everything
and that is what Jesus declared in Matthew 5:28. He said when we see and
desire, sin is already committed...really? Yes! I always ask those who
argue about by asking if you can French kiss your sister or brother and
feel good about it then you have the license to go on a kissing spree to
anyone you meet. In Christ, we are all brothers and sisters and that is
how we are to treat each other and nothing else. 1 Timothy 5:1,2
What do I do to stop this urge?
Lust is definitely a culprit in this. Lust is simply evil desire. The
opposite of evil desire is good desire which is defined as love. Love
proceeds from a relationship with God and its consequent expression of
that love for everyone including those friends of the opposite sex we
care so much about. Love is a fruit (evidence) of the Holy Spirit's work
inside us. We can never love with our flesh. An investment of our time
to know God in His word daily mixed with a quest to chase after His
righteousness perfects us in the process. Don't give up, you can
win....mwaa!(the holy type)