1Co 16:19  The churches of Asia salute you. Aquila and Priscilla salute you much in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.
1Co 16:20  All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.
1Co 16:21  The salutation of me Paul with mine own hand.
1Co 16:22  If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
1Co 16:23  The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
1Co 16:24  My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In the closing verses of this letter, we are again reminded that there is no universal church on this earth. There are local churches. Many of them are nothing more than social clubs. Paul was not addressing the false religions with these words. God does not recognize false religions. They will be destroyed one day. There were some true churches in Paul’s day. There are a few true churches today. Most are not worthy wasting time in.
Aquila and Priscilla were faithful servants of God as well. They were mentioned in Acts 18 and Romans 16. In Acts 18 we read of their help to the apostle Paul and also of their help to Apollos. They were well versed in the Scriptures and they helped Apollos to clear up some of his doctrine. Apollos was willing to receive their help. They were true saints who demonstrated the love of God in their lives.
We see as well that they had a church in their house. This was not because they were rebels who did not want to attend a true local church. Not every place had a building that could be set up for a church. Sometimes a person would offer their house as the location where the church would meet.
There is nothing wrong with a house church if it is set up properly. There is a church we know of that met in the pastor’s house for a number of years. They could not afford to build a building and there was nothing to rent in their area, so they met in their house for a time. During church time, the house was a church. A true church needs to have a pastor and it needs to be organized as a true church should be. The Word of God should always be the main focus of a true church service. A true church provides true fellowship for those who are saved. It is also a place where lost people can learn the truth and can observe how true saints interact with each other. Lost people need to be reminded of their need to repent and be saved. There should be a level of discomfort for lost people in a true church. They should be under the convicting work of the Holy Spirit because they are lost and need to be saved. The music and the teaching should not be for entertainment purposes. It should all be for the glory of God.
In verse 20 we see that the churches communicated with each other. It could be that as Paul and others would travel from place to place, they would mention other churches they had visited. It is encouraging to know there are other like-minded churches that love the Lord and want to serve Him faithfully.
The custom of greeting one another with an holy kiss was an Eastern custom. It was called an holy kiss in that nothing sensual was designed in this form of greeting. It is not a command that true saints must greet one another in this manner. I have witnessed certain cultures use this method of greeting in Canada. As long as it is used as a holy kiss there would be nothing wrong with it. Based on what we read in the Bible elsewhere, it would seem to me that it would be men greeting men this way and women greeting women. The kiss would be on the cheek. In Canada we generally shake hands in a sense of welcoming and greeting one another, along with appropriate words. The government tried to ban this well accepted method of greeting. Of course people need to be mindful of the importance of washing hands after using the washroom, etc. Cleanliness is always a good practice. There are people who have never learned how to use a tissue to wipe their noses properly and they use their fingers and this also is a way to spread a virus. There is a need for basic hygiene training. Saints have a desire for proper presentation.
Paul encouraged the saints with the fact that this was an authentic letter from God through him. In Galatians 4:15 the apostle Paul spoke of having difficulties with his eyes. Thus he would dictate some of his letters. It should be noted as well that the Charismatic heresy of having enough faith so that you do not get sick, does not hold any truth in it. The apostle Paul walked by faith. He exercised true faith more than most do today. Yet he had eye trouble. Obviously he did not believe the lie that a born again Christian should not have health problems. In our fallen world we will have health problems. Doctors and nurses have their place. Sadly many doctors and nurses are lost and trained in evolution and thus they often approach a health problem in a wrong manner. The patient needs to be well informed and also ask questions regarding what they will accept into their body.
In verse 22 Paul was directed to warn the unbelievers. Those who do not love the Lord Jesus Christ, were accursed. Again we see what true love is. It does not tolerate the rejection of the truth. It does not allow lost people to throw cold water on the truth. People can choose to remain in darkness. They cannot choose to disrupt the work of God just because they do not like the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verse 23, we see that Paul again reminded the people of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Living by God’s grace is such a blessing. It is the help that we need to function properly as God’s people.
The apostle Paul loved the saints. Everything he had written in this letter was due to his love for God and for them. Some of the things he had to say were not easy to receive. They were necessary words. Those who would not want to hear them would take offence. Those who received them would be blessed and be led to repent, confess their sin and get on track with where they should be.
Today is the Lord’s day once again. We are now in the last month of 2024. This has been a busy year. Many things have happened in the Middle East. The U.S. held their elections and Lord willing a new government will be put in place early next year. That government will not be the “saviour” many are hoping for. Canada is still in a mess and it is getting worse. In the midst of all this, we still have the privilege of attending a true local church. Make sure you pray for your pastor and attend the services faithfully. If you are saved and called upon to serve in your good, local church, do so with a willing heart and mind. If you are lost, there is no better time than today for you to be saved. Talk to the pastor or some other godly person and trust in the true God alone for your salvation. Don’t let someone lead you in a prayer. Ask someone to explain the Gospel of Christ to you and the Holy Spirit will guide you to pray if you are listening to the Word of God. You will not pray in some babble. You may pray in German or Spanish or some other language you are more familiar with, but it will not be some worthless noise. A good church will be a great help to you.
Pastor Bartel