Template:OrdersandReligion

The Communion of the righteous

Orders and Religion

Colossians 2:5 For though I be absent in the flesh, yet am I with you in the spirit, joying and beholding your order, and the stedfastness of your faith in Christ.

Religious Orders are of an ancient tradition. The Essenes communities formed religious orders extensively at the time of Christ. But a congregation of ten Levites also did the same. The tens, hundreds and thousands was based on ten Elders, heads of families, choosing a Levite minister. Together they formed a core group.

Their freely chosen and tithed to Ministers who met the requirements for a Levite also gathered in groups of tens to form a congregation of Ministers of a nation. Their purpose was to unite the people through charitable service rather than like those men who call themselves Benefactors of other nations but exercise authority one over the other.

Because Religion was how you performed your duty to God and your fellow man these groups of Ministers may called Religious Orders. Those congregations of Ministers picked a Minister who also gathered together with other ministers to form a living Network of titular ministers of a nation.

That network of ministers serve the nation by providing an orderly and efficient system of welfare provided through their Daily ministration to the tents of the congregations in faith, hope and charity which might be called allegiance, through the Perfect law of liberty by Freewill offerings of the people, for the people, and by the people.

There are distinctive elements to their common brotherhood that made them the antithesis of communism. They structured their community in cell groups called twelve ‘men of holiness’, which included a titular leader or mebaqqerim. “In the council of the community there shall be twelve men and three priests.”

Leaders served their constituency rather than exercise authority one over the other. These groups like the apostles consisted of about ten families or family groups.

There leaders were accepted to their office by unanimous agreement of those they served as the best servant of servants. The order used this same principle in serving the congregations of the people. Together they formed a national network of charity and thanksgiving or Eucharist.

“The communities are wont, of their own accord and man by man, to bestow upon their Princes a certain number of beasts, or a certain portion of grain; a contribution which passes indeed for a mark of reverence and honour, but serves also to supply their necessities.”

The words 'of their own accord' is from the Latin 'ultro' meaning 'voluntarily'. “[O]ur modern reliance on government to make law and establish order is not the historical norm.”

Voluntary societies dependent upon natural charity bear the greatest fruit when liberty and virtue are faithfully and religiously practiced.

When the people look to entitlements from men who only call themselves benefactors they gradually go from freedom to tyranny and the governments are corrupted by a little power and then a lot.

Instead of pure religion which was the care of the needy of society unspotted by such worldly systems a religion of superstition is needed to tickle the ears of the people and justify their slothful conscience. If any one dares suggest a return to the ancient paths they are met with envy and contempt.

“Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways [from] the ancient paths, to walk in paths, [in] a way not cast up;” Jeremiah 18:15

Tacitus' description of Christians as “a class hated for their abominations" and who were convicted not for setting Nero's Rome on fire but for "hatred against mankind.”

The early Christians Church were accused by Rome of atheism. “Justin, when refuting the charge of atheism writes, “We reverence and worship the Father, and the Son, and the host of other good messengers (or angels), and the Prophetic Spirit,” And, “You call us atheistis: the charge is not true, for we not only believe in one God, who was sent by God.””

We may take another look at the Christian conflict with Rome and other nations that persecuted them.

Justin had written an Apology of Christian worship in 150 AD where he pointed out that Christians supported each other in a system of social welfare dependent on free will offerings through the Church ministers established by God and recognized by a body of believers. Their regeneration at Baptism made them eligible for the benefits of that holy system of Christ through His ministers, and at the same time got them cast out of the unrighteous system of Corban offered by the Pharisees. The Romans had their altars and temples but they had changed like those of the Pharisees. They were supported by imposed contributions called taxes to provide individual welfare.

The ancient altars were instruments of sacrifice and part of a system of on going community trust or the establishment of social bonds of love through the exercise liberty and daily charity.

What is a Religious Order?

What are the questions and answers concerning the ministry of Christ?Q and A

An order is a congregation or assembly of ordained ministers who come together in one accord. It usually is not much larger than 10 ordained ministers in ancient times, and their Family members. Like a congregation an order is to serves the needs of the ministers and their Families in the performance o their duty to God and their fellow man and is a part of an over all network of the kingdom binding the people in faith, hope, and charity in practical ways.

“A church or religious society may exist for all the purposes for which it was organized independently of any incorporation of the body . . . and, it is a matter of common knowledge that many do exist and are never incorporated.”