The Salutation: God’s Greeting

Jeffrey Perry   -   July 15, 2024

Positioned early in the service, often following the Call to Worship and Prayer of Invocation, the Salutation is a moment where God speaks directly to His gathered people, affirming His covenantal relationship with them. It is not merely a courteous greeting but a powerful declaration of God’s grace and peace to His church. As articulated by Jonathan Cruse, immediately after out cry to God for blessing, God responds with a word of peace to us, a blessing, a word that says, “Everything is going to be okay. By my grace, I’m going to help you.”

 

Understanding the Salutation

The Salutation is God’s gracious word of welcome and blessing to His people. It typically takes the form of a scriptural greeting, often using the apostolic benedictions found in the New Testament. These greetings, ground the congregation in their identity in Christ and remind us of the promise that God does not forsake those who call on Him. He has called us to worship Him, and in doing so, he extends His peace to us.

 

Scriptural Foundations

The Salutation is rooted in the greetings of the apostles and the early church. These greetings are more than pleasantries; they are affirmations of the grace, peace, and presence of God with His people. They are God, through His Spirit assuring us of His grace and peace.

  • Romans 1:7: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
  • 1 Corinthians 1:3: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
  • 2 Thessalonians 1:2: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

These salutations  remind us that we come into God’s presence not as strangers but as beloved children, recipients of His grace and peace.

 

Theological Significance

The Salutation serves several key functions:

  1. Affirmation of Covenant: It affirms the covenantal relationship between God and His people. The repeated formula of “grace and peace” echoes the Old Testament blessings and underscores that in Christ, we are part of God’s covenant community. In the scriptures, God reaffirms that we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.
  2. Declaration of Grace: It declares God’s grace and peace to the congregation. This declaration sets the tone for the worship service, grounding it in the reality of God’s redemptive work through Christ. This is not a simply a request for God’s grace, not is in a questionable statement. In the salutation, God does not stutter, but declares His grace to His people.
  3. Reassurance of Presence: It reassures the congregation of God’s presence. As God greets His people, He confirms that He is with them, guiding, sustaining, and blessing their time of worship.
  4. Encouragement for Worship: It encourages the congregation to enter into worship with confidence and joy. The Salutation is a reminder that we approach God not in fear but in the assurance of His grace and peace.

 

A Practical Examples

Here is an example of a Salutation that might be used in a Reformed worship service:

Ruth 2:4: “The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.”

Psalms 118:26: “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.”

John 14:27: “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Romans 1:7: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 15:13: “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

1 Corinthians 1:3: “Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Galatians 1:3: “Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ.”

 

 

The Impact of the Salutation

As we hear the Salutation each Sunday, it is important to approach it with a sense of gratitude and reflection. This greeting is not a mere formality but a divine proclamation of God’s unwavering commitment to His people. It is an opportunity to be reminded of who we are in Christ and to be reassured of God’s loving presence with us.

Each week, as we hear these words, let us remember that they are not just words but a powerful declaration from our God. The Salutation is a moment of divine encouragement, a reaffirmation of the gospel’s promises, and an invitation to enter into worship with confidence and joy.

 

This post is part of our series: Liturgy, A Gospel Conversation