When we meet for morning worship, that encouraging handshake or warm hug is much appreciated after a week of dealing with worldly, selfish people. Our society seems to have less patience and courtesy than it used to. It is refreshing to come to worship services and be greeted by brothers and sisters in Christ. How should Christians greet one another? Does the Bible have anything to say about our greetings? Yes it does. At the end of 2 Corinthians, Paul tells the church “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” Christians are to be cordial and respectful to everyone, but when we are greeting a fellow member of the church it is special. This greeting should be done in a holy way. The kiss was a common greeting in biblical times, a sign of respect and sincere concern. It is still customary in the Middle East, Mediterranean, Southern and Eastern Europe and Latin America to greet with a kiss. The Italians are famous for their double-cheek kisses. These certain parts of the world do not think of it as a sexual gesture. To them it is no different than a handshake, but in the United States if a man greeted another man with a kiss, it would not likely be thought of in a holy manner. If Christian men and women who are not married greeted before church services with a kiss, it would undoubtedly be considered inappropriate. As American Christians we struggle with how to handle this verse. And it’s not just one verse. This command is also in Romans 16:16, 1 Corinthians 16:20; and 1 Thessalonians 5:26. Then to top it off, Peter ends his first letter with “Greet one another with a kiss of love.” Five times the Bible commands Christians to greet Christians with a kiss. What did God expect first century brethren to do and how do we fulfill this command to greet one another in a special way? In next week’s Corner we will discuss this further.