Five times in the letters to New Testament Christians, instruction is given to “Greet one another,” “all the brethren,” with a “holy kiss” or “a kiss of love” (Rom. 16:16; 1 Cor. 16:20; 2 Cor. 13:12; 1 Thess. 5:26; 1 Pet. 5:14). In addition to those five, twenty-one other times Christians are instructed to “Greet” specified brethren. That’s 26 times where Christians are told to “Greet, Greet, Greet” one another.
Now, as you read through these instructions, it is interesting to see that there are no qualifications or conditions placed upon fulfilling this command to “Greet.” There is no verse that says to wait for others to greet you first. There is no verse that says to complain when others don’t seek you out to greet you. There is no verse that says to only greet those who you know, or who you like, or who you expect will be pleasant toward you.
Brothers and sisters, do we “greet” one another? Truly? Can we increase and improve in this area?