At the end of our Divine Service experience lies a powerful moment often taken for granted—the 'Final Benediction'. This was highlighted by Chief Apostle Jean-Luc Schneider during his address at the District Apostle Meeting 2024 in Accra, Ghana. Presented here is a segment from his address. Join us as we explore the meaning and implications of these words in this two-part series.

The importance of this element of the liturgy is not always well understood. The publication of the “Liturgy of the New Apostolic Church” online via the Church website “nak.org” gives us an opportunity to discuss the final benediction.

The final benediction is pronounced over the congregation with the words recorded in 2 Corinthians 13: 14:

“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all!”

More than a formula—a blessing!

The officiant pronounces these words to mark the end of the act of worship. The wording of the verse suggests a wish. One might be tempted to think that the officiant is merely wishing for grace, love, and communion to accompany the believers, just as he might wish them a safe journey home.

In reality, it is much more than that. When pronounced by a minister mandated by God for this purpose, these words constitute a true blessing. They are filled with divine power, and they impart a spiritual benefit to the listener.

In this blessing, God promises the hearers that His grace, love, and fellowship will accompany them in their daily lives. And because God does everything He says He will do, the congregation has the assurance that this will indeed be the case. This promise is given to all who hear it. But, as with every blessing, its effect will depend on the faith and conduct of the one who receives it.

Therefore, the final blessing is both a promise and an exhortation from God.

A Trinitarian blessing

The passage in 2 Corinthians 13: 14 makes clear reference to the Trinity. Let us recall here that God is both one and triune. Each of the divine persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is true God. The divine persons are distinct from each other but are only one God.

It is in this context that the final benediction must be understood. It is God the One, God the Almighty, and God the Perfect One, who is speaking. The actions of God are always the actions of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Grace, love, and communion are therefore not linked respectively to each of the divine persons, but are common to all three.

The grace of Jesus Christ

With these words, God reminds us of the grace he has given us in Jesus Christ: He has chosen us and made us His children, joint heirs of His glory (Ephesians 1: 3–14). He has forgiven us our sins. Moreover, it is to His grace, rather than our merits, that we owe what we possess.

By concluding our encounter with Him with this blessing, God guarantees that

• we will remain His children, no matter what happens—He will never call our election into question;
• we will always be able to count on Christ to defend us against the accusations of the evil one (Romans 8: 34);
• we can hope in His grace—it is this grace that will allow us to attain the perfection required to enter into His kingdom (1 Peter 1: 13).

However, this guarantee only applies to those who adopt a behaviour that is pleasing to God. God encourages us to

• remain humble before God, as we depend entirely on His grace, and before others, as we are all sinners;
• behave ourselves like true children of God who are called to inherit His glory;
• use the gifts we have received from Him in the service of others (1 Peter 4: 10).

The final benediction is far more than a closing ritual; it is a divine assurance of God’s grace, love, and fellowship that accompanies us daily. In the next part of this series, we will delve deeper into God’s love, exploring how it is expressed in the final blessing and what it calls us to embody in return.