Extremists in Everything

Adrian Warnock writes:

"Why shouldn't we have churches that are every bit as concerned about doctrinal accuracy and knowledge as John MacArthur, that love relational intimacy with Jesus as much as John Arnott, see miraculous healings that are every bit as dynamic as the ones the tele- evangelists claim to have seen, are as full of vision and purpose as Rick Warren, as skilled in leadership as Bill Hybels, as humble and committed to spiritual maturity as C.J. Mahaney, as relevant to practical life as the author of any self-help book you can think of, that impact social needs in the model of Shaftsbury, tackle political issues like Wilberforce, preach with both the passion for souls of Spurgeon and the passion for God's glory of John Piper, that hear from God as clearly as any modern prophet, are as aggressively missional as Mark Driscoll, have the apostolic drive of Terry Virgo, and yet somehow still feel as comforting as my wife's homemade apple crumble with custard?"

Amen, brother.

Tim Keller on the Church

Tony Reinke quotes Tim Keller:

“A central message of the Bible is that we can only have a relationship with God by sheer grace. Our moral efforts are too feeble and falsely motivated to ever merit salvation. Jesus, through his death and resurrection, has provided salvation for us, which we receive as a gift. All churches believe this in one form or another. Growth in character and change in behavior occur in a gradual process after a person becomes a Christian. The mistaken belief that a person must ‘clean up’ his or her own life in order to merit God’s presence is not Christianity. This means, though, that the church will be filled with immature and broken people who still have a long way to go emotionally, morally, and spiritually. As the saying has it: ‘The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints.’"--From The Reason for God

Holy Kissing in the 21st Century

Greet one another with a holy kiss.--Romans 16:16

Does this sound a little strange to you?  It sure does to me.  A "holy kiss"?  What is a "holy kiss" and why would we ever use them?  This verse caught my attention (perhaps not for the right reasons) as I was reading Romans 16 a few minutes ago.  I have never greeted someone with a holy kiss--and unless I'm mistaken, none of my friends have either.  After reflecting on the fact that a youth pastor who spoke on this verse would be very popular, I decided to do some quick research on one of my favorite web sites: DesiringGod.org.  John Piper's excellent sermon on Romans 16 not only explains what this holy kiss was, but also applies this verse to modern times.

Is the holy kiss simply a cultural phenomenon, completely irrelevant to modern Christians?  It might seem that way.  Indeed, the Gospels contain several references to kissing as a common greeting of the 1st century--similar to a modern-day handshake or a hug.  So, it would not have seemed strange to Paul's hearers to hear, "kiss each other".  In our culture, we simply don't do this.  [Note: kissing is still used as a greeting in other cultures, just not in American culture.]

But, one could also argue that there is a way modern American Christians can apply this verse to their lives.  The motive for the holy kiss was simply to tangibly display the love which Christians held for each other.  Jesus exhorted his disciples to love each other in John 15:12-17.  The holy kiss was a way for Christians to say to each other, "I love you like a brother."  I think this is the key to applying this verse to our lives.  The kiss is not the important element; brotherly affection--being displayed through tangible actions--is the key.  We can apply this verse by trying to find ways to show our love for other Christians.  Whether it's giving them a big hug when we greet them at church, praying for them, helping them when they're in a tight spot, or a thousand other things, we can display our love for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ--in effect, we can give each other holy kisses.