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Vows and Rule of the Order

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The Vows and Rule of the Order

Like apples of gold held in a setting of silver*, the three vows of the Order are held in a setting of Holy Resolution.

Our three vows are to
1.
Committment
2.
Service
3.
Obedience

Our Holy Resolution is found in the Latin motto, “Stabilitas Loci.”

The vow of stabilitas deals with a maintained and steady commitment of action, and not walking away. The term, "Stabilitas Loci" is to anchor a person’s commitment to an Avenue of ministry within the Order.
*Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.

Christ exhibits His commitment to us through His willful denial of divinity to bring deliverance and hope to humanity. (Phil. 2:5-8). Christ was willing to touch the untouchable, he is willing to stay with us when withdrawing would be easier and even justified.  Christ was determined to fulfill the will of God for our benefit, and is willing today to “never leave us or forsake us.”  His commitment pierces the darkness of hopelessness, and declares as the apostle Paul writes, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Rom. 8:38-39) 

Christ exhibited the heart of servanthood when, in John 13 we are told, that Christ knew that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God and was divine. Knowing His divinity and the glory he shared with the Father he girded himself with a towel, poured water in a bason, and began washing His disciples feet.  Christ left no room for self-importance, but emptied himself, and showed pure servanthood.  We see His example again, “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:8)

Christ exhibited obedience to the Father in His declaration, “not my will, but thy will be done.”  It was through His obedience the repentant may be made righteous.

The grace and power of God is released when temporal authority becomes obedient to the will of God. He will deliver even him that is not innocent: Yea, he shall be delivered through the cleanness of thy hands. (Job 22:30) Obedience is the outward demonstration of faith. Hebrews 13 gives illustrations of obedience worked through faith.

Christ exhibited, stabilitas loci. As the time of His crucifixion drew near, scripture tells us, that he set His face stedfastly to go to Jerusalem. He did not walk away from the temptation, the humiliation, the pain he knew would come.  Instead he held it all in contempt, and despising it all he embraced the purpose of His ministry, the redemption of us all.  Our vows are held in this steady Holy Resolution of action. We choose to not walk away. We choose to anchor ourselves to the Avenues of ministry with in the Order.

By coming to understand and follow these vows we become the Canonical Priesthood of Christ, living and proclaiming the message of our Heavenly Bishop, and fulfill the Rule and mission of the Order.
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