Sixth Key
You must be breathed upon with prayer and then received into the Church of God with a holy Kiss. (John 20:22, Romans 16:16).
In St John 14 Jesus discourses to His disciples concerning His physical return to the Father. Sorrow fills their hearts as they imagined the hollowness of a life lived without Christ. But Jesus Christ comforts them:
[16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.[18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. St John 14:16-18.
To fill the emptiness that would have been, Christ promises to send another Comforter which is ‘the Spirit of Truth’ to abide with us forever. As hollow as a life lived without Jesus Christ is, so is a life without the Holy Ghost.
Yet before He sends Him to the disciples Christ performs a special act to the disciples by breathing on them to ‘receive ye the Holy Ghost’
Before the event at Jerusalem when the apostles were overcome with the Holy Ghost, Christ breathed on them:
[21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.[22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: St John 20:21-22.
Then Paul instructs all the churches of Christ to greet one another. The churches of Christ have among other things a way of greeting one another that identify them with Christ:
Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you. Romans 16:16.
Is this a new doctrine that the apostle Paul founded? Could this Paul who devoted his life to the gospel of Christ be teaching against Jesus Christ? Paul who says was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:16), is he speaking contrary to the doctrine of Jesus Christ? Paul answers these question saying:
If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; [4] He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, [5] Perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. 1 Timothy 6:3-5.
But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. [9] As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8-9.
Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines… Hebrews 13:9.
These scriptures show that Paul came preaching and teaching the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ. And Paul says he taught that which was revealed unto him by Jesus Christ:
But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
[12] For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:11-12.
Did this custom begin in the days of the apostle Paul? Can it be proved that our Lord Jesus Christ observed this practice?
While Christ was in Gethsemane praying, Judas came with a multitude of chief priests and elders of the people having given them a token on how to identify Jesus:
Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he: hold him fast.[49] And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, Hail, master; and kissed him. St Matthew 26:48-49.
Judas used this custom to betray the Lord. He took advantage of this good service, hiding his evil act in what was common among them hence Christ asks him this question: But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss? St Luke 22:48.
The apostles also, of which Paul and Peter are did this among themselves and taught others to do likewise. St Peter writes: Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen. 1 Peter 5:14.
This salutation is called brotherly love or a kiss of charity and it identifies those that are in Christ as the scriptures say.
When Jacob meets Rachael, he salutes her with a kiss, (Genesis 29:11.) And again when prophet Samuel ordained Saul to be king over Israel he kissed him, (Samuel 10:1).
David writes in the Psalms, Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalm 2:12. Continue to: Seventh Key