All the female saints are like…
It’s not about men or women.
Nobody should ever hit anyone.
Nobody should ever rape anyone.
Nobody should ever murder anyone.
Nobody should ever beat anyone.
Nobody should ever threaten anyone.
Nobody should ever insult anyone.
Nobody should ever make anyone uncomfortable.
Nobody should ever touch anyone without their consent.
Nobody should ever steal from anyone.
Nobody should ever humiliate anyone.
Of course it isn’t awkward! This is one of my favorite subjects! lol. :)
No really, it is. I think the thing that makes purity so hard, is that we are taught that it must be an ‘in the dark’ type thing. Don’t talk about it. Don’t think about it. And certainly don’t ‘do it.’
Before I tell you the things that Ryan and I did to keep ourselves pure, let me first address the mentality of purity. I believe purity is a way to keep us forever running toward Jesus and his grace. Sometimes though, we focus on purity before we focus on God’s love and grace for us. You will never, ever stay pure if you focus on being pure. You will only ever stay pure if you focus on Jesus’ crazy, ridiculous, grace for your brokenness.
Ryan and I stayed pure before marriage, and it was the best choice I ever made, but I had to always be careful to stay focused on Jesus’ grace for me…not my purity. Purity was not a rule. (the Bible has a lot to say in the New Testament about rules and laws….they really didn’t do the job well…which is why Jesus’ grace had to step in).
Grace was the rule. Purity was the by product of this grace.
So my number one rule for being pure is this:
1. Know Jesus’ heart. Jesus adores you. He has so much grace for you. Live in that. Out of a heart of grace will come the purity you and your special one will need. By making rules and laws, you will only set yourself up for a heart of resentment toward each other. Why? Because you will never be perfectly pure…even thinking bad thoughts marks you as impure. But if you live in this crazy love that Christ has poured out for you, both of your hearts will have the strength to make it to marriage. (only Jesus’ grace can give this strength.)
So now, once you recognize that purity only comes from living in grace, I will give you some things Ryan and I used to help us stay pure. These things are not rules….they are ways we honored each other’s hearts. If one of us fell or attempted to do something that we shouldn’t, we didn’t beat ourselves up for it. We asked forgiveness and moved on. So don’t get caught up in rules. :)
1. Don’t go anywhere alone. (eek! That’s a hard one isn’t it?) But it’s true. Going alone places breeds temptation. I am going to be super up front and honest, but here is an example:
For 3-4 years of our relationship, my parents were awesome about being Ryan and my accountability partners. They asked us all the time if we were spiritually doing well and they did not allow us to go alone anywhere. But, when I turned 18, I became an adult and they trusted me to make the right decisions. We did. But one day, Ryan moved an hour away to an apartment. Me, being so naiive, told him I’d come visit him. We planned the whole day and it was going to be so exciting!
As soon as I got to his apartment, we started kissing. This quickly escalated into some touchy feely things it should not have. In a moment of reason, we both freaked out and decided we HAD to leave. So we went to Starbucks for 7 HOURS. Yes, that’s right. And every time I visited him, we would stay at that Starbucks for hours and hours. They began to give us funny looks. We then took every pre-caution to be with people/in public on our dates after that. (That lasted until we were married…now we can go everywhere alone! mwahaha ;)
Ryan and I are super trustworthy and responsible people, but the fact remains that we are so attracted to each other. It will naturally be incredibly hard for you to resist a physical urge. So put yourself in good situations. Group date. I used to bring my siblings with me all the time when Ry and I wanted to go to the movies. Don’t ride alone in the car (it’s a misnomer that nothing can happen when you are driving. Don’t even fall for that.) Don’t start talking about things that will escalate your desires. Etc.
2. Be honest. Sex is not a dark, dirty thing. Sex is a beautiful thing that should be kept in the light. Be honest with each other about what you can and cannot do. (Do this in public…or else it will turn into talking dirty…and for heaven’s sake, do not talk about this through texting or on the phone)
For instance, if Ryan kisses my neck….I will pretty much attack him. So Ryan knew that kissing my neck was off limits. Making out, touching each other in certain places, being alone in the dark, speaking about sex, necking, talking to late on the phone, etc. These were all things that we decided we would not do. We were not perfect. But our hearts were right and God blessed us with the ability to keep our bodies pure too.
3. Get accountability partner. I mentioned above that my parents held us accountable. My mom and dad have an amazing sex life, and so they have always been so open about sex with me. I believe that this honest and healthy view of sex has truly helped me to stay pure. Find people (it does not have to be your parents!!) who love you and who you can speak honestly to. They must be willing to ask the hard questions, even if it makes you uncomfortable.
4. Pursue Christ together. Seriously, if you both want to stay pure, worship Jesus together, talk about Jesus together, read about Jesus together. You will fall in love with each other even more when you first fall in love with Jesus. This will give you the vision and the focus and the desire to wait. It was so physically hard to stay pure….but I truly loved Ryan’s heart. I did not want to take something away from him that was not yet mine to take.
5. You will never be perfect. Stop making that the goal. Make a Christ centered relationship the goal. You will never, ever be perfectly pure. That is reserved for Jesus alone. If you have fallen, stop beating yourself up. Ask for forgiveness and move on. Satan would love to get you to wallow in your sin. I honestly think Satan uses purity more often than we think. He works in guilt, and feeling guilt over our lustful thoughts or our sinful actions is easy to stay in. Stop. Jesus died for it. Maybe you’ve had intercourse….maybe you’ve only thought lustful things. Either way, you’re impure. Let Jesus make you pure, not your actions. Pursue Christ together and let his grace permeate you. Only then will you be able to stay the course. (and FYI….if you’ve had sex…..you can still be pure. Abstaining from sex is not a qualification of purity. Jesus is.)
—————————— Thoughts after marriage:
Okay, so those were the things I did before I was married. But now, here are some thoughts coming from a married lady standpoint. Hopefully, this will encourage you.
Sex is so worth waiting for. When we first had sex after our wedding, I cried like a baby. (happy tears). It was the most beautiful, most pure, most spiritual thing I had ever done. Sex is (at least for me) such an emotional experience. Every confident thought and every insecurity is layed bare on the table for the one you love.
To have shared that with someone else would have exposed parts of me that I was never willing to share. Ryan has earned my heart, and I have earned his. He is the only one trustworthy enough to see all of my heart. I promise you. I promise you. I promise you. If you have not had sex, or if you have recommitted your heart to waiting, sex is worth everything. It’s worth the tears and the agony and the years and years of never being physically satisfied.
As a married woman, it is the most physically satisifying thing and the most emotionally beautiful thing. It has the ability to make me feel like the most special, most beautiful, most powerful lady ever made. Save this until you meet the man who has earned the right to bear your heart. Sex is much too powerful to give to anyone else. I literally thank Jesus every single day that somehow, miraculously he gave us the strength to wait six years. (and it was so stinkin worth it. It’s probably the best part of being married! :) )
As mentioned, I believe sex should be an open and honest topic. If you have questions, nothing is off limits. Message me off anon and I would love to share my heart with you.


I thought this would be an easier post.
In my dream life I do not want to change the family I was born into, except this time my parents have enough money to afford the 8 of us a decent life.
I go through school without anyone feeling pity for me because this time I can afford all the required paraphernalia. Both of my parents live to see me become the man they are so proud of. Before their time is up we have made enough memories I wont need to strain to describe a thing or two about my mother to anyone.
In my dream life, I am not hopping from one relative to the other, feeling guilty of overburdening their budget.
This would have been my life if someone had asked me to design what I wanted before I was even born.
No one asked me. I was born and raised into what I am now. So many things have shaped me, above all I see the hand of God. I am grateful. There was a time I yearned for a dream life of a decent job, a six-figure bank balance, wife and kids riding in our car to wherever the road and FOMO could take us. Yeh, there was a time I cared so much about conforming to the dictates of the world around me.
I am my own man now, confident of my own choices. My dream life is all about what gives me peace and content. My dream life is something Drake captured so well in the video of his song God’s plan . I want to have enough money so I can change someone’s life every day.
In my dream life, I am a humble man with enough possessions to help people anonymously.
This dream is not too far…
God willing someday I will make you smile, unfortunately, you may never know it was me. But when that happens remember to give all the Glory to Jehovah God.


ABOUT THE MANUAL
Our Lady of Triors Abbey
The manual represents the teaching of the Schola Saint Grégoire in LeMans, France. The Schola has been dispensing instruction in Gregorian Chant since its establishment in 1938. Laus in Ecclesia level 1, published in 2012, is the latest revision of its instruction manual for beginners. The second volume of Laus in Ecclesia appeared in French in 2016; the English translation will be published soon. Laus 3 has recently been published in French; the English translation is not expected to be published before 2028.
ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR
Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey
The translator is a monk of Clear Creek Abbey who has long been interested in Gregorian chant and the liturgy. The translation is from the French volume, Laus in Ecclesia, a review and updated version of the standard first level teaching of the Schola Saint Grégoire in LeMans, France. For more information on this school, see Excursus 8, 12 and 14 of the manual Laus in Ecclesia, Level One. Both the French and the English versions are full of color illustrations that clarify the teaching and beautify the pages.
Everything you need
Learn Gregorian Chant
The title of the series of three books announces clearly the spirit in which this course on Gregorian chant is conceived. Gregorian chant was made for the liturgy. This course is entirely aimed at training the faithful to sing competently and beautifully within the context of the Mass and the Divine Office.
- The instruction covers the various practical aspects of singing Gregorian chant.
- The exercises develop skills in solfeggio, rhythm, and reading chant notation. This is an important part of the training offered by Laus in Ecclesia. It is supplemented by audio files that can be streamed or downloaded from this website. The audio exercises are also available, upon request, on an audio CD.
- Written Assignment
- Laus is designed as a correspondence course.
- To get the most out of the instruction contained in the manual the student will want to do the exercises and the homework assignments and have them graded.
- An excursus at the end of every chapter gives background on various topics concerning Gregorian chant and its restoration in the Church.
Laus in Ecclesia is designed as a correspondence course.
To get the most out of the instruction contained in the manual you will want to do the exercises and the homework assignments and have them graded.
The full level one course comprises:
- the instruction contained in the level one manual
- video lessons (optional)
- audio samples to help with the exercises at the end of each chapter
- homework assignments (one assignment per chapter)
- $100 grading fees (payable by check) to have level one assignments graded.
- test to earn certificate
Frequently asked questions
The Church acknowledges Gregorian chant as especially suited to the Roman Liturgy: therefore, other things being equal, it should be given pride of place in liturgical services. Numerous are the testimonies that could be invoked in praise of this music. Pope Saint Pius X, in his Motu Proprio of 1903, referred to Gregorian chant as “the supreme model of Church Music.” One of the most celebrated composers of modern times, Olivier Messiaen, said the following: This Gregorian chant is an art which is both divine and human—divine because of its supernatural inspiration and that sweet and lovely odor of sanctity which breathes in all its melodies; and, at the same time, profoundly human by its musical structure and in the response it finds in simple, upright souls eager for the truth. (Dom Joseph Gajard, The Solesmes Method, 1951).
Send the electronic document to firstname.lastname@example.org. Send the work on paper by mail to:
Laus in Ecclesia Homework
280 Gooseberry Drive
Reno, NV 89523


As intimations from the book’s internal groundss point ( Col. 1:4. 23 ; 2:1 ) . the church at Colossae was non founded by the Apostle Paul. but instead the fruit of one of his associates’ labour – viz. . Epaphras. His words like “we heard of your religion. ” “the Gospel which you heard. ” and “for every bit many as have non seen my face in the flesh. ” indicate clearly that these people to whom he was composing were known by him merely through means other than himself. However. they are close to him since they are the consequence of Eparhras’ delivery of the Gospel in their topographic point (Aid to Bible Understanding1971 ) . Epaphras was Apostle Paul’s boy in the religion much like Timothy and Titus.
He had come to cognize the Lord through the sermon of Paul in Ephesus and finally carried the message with him back to Colossae and the consequence was the initiation of the church at that place. Like any male parent would experience of important achievements of his boy. the Apostle was exhilarated merely by reflecting on such achievement wrought by his boy in the religion ( Henry 1998 ) . Indeed. it’s rather a effort. To the eyes of a true apostle of Christ who have grasped the vision of the Lord of the crop. nil more and none else bears the grade of incontestable success than the reliable resignation of antecedently rebellious evildoers to the Lordship of Jesus ( Walvoord & A ; Zuck 1997 ) .
The church in Colossae is yet another landmark to the advancement of the Gospel and the promotion of the land of God as good. In Biblical position. this is true success. This missive. therefore. was Paul’s response to the study he received from Epaphras sing the religious status of the Colossians. The inside informations of the study. nevertheless. are non exhaustively positive.
Concurrently. the whole scenario was one of good chances. with respect to what they are already basking being in Christ. and the possibility of some of them being dragged off to spiritual bunk because of the presence of false instructors among them who actively prosecuting them into a sort of philosophies that sidetrack them from the right focal point. These false instructors are so elusive in their attack that caught the Colossians off guard. The presence of these cultic instructions in their thick brought them to a state of affairs that is really unsafe. and Paul had to compose to them a polemist on the basicss of the Person of Christ and what He achieved on the cross for them ( Duncan p. 1 “The Incomparable Christ” ) .
Historical & A ; Cultural Background
It is interesting to observe that Phrygians are one among the many peoples present in Jerusalem during the Feast of Pentecost at the clip when the promised Holy Spirit descended upon the first set of adherents in the upper room ( Acts 2:10 ) . These people were at that place at the really centre of God’s activity when He was mobilising His first set of missionaries to make the first of the mark geographic domains – Jerusalem. Earlier. Jesus pronounced that his adherents would go His informants in “Jerusalem. in all Judea and Samaria. and to the terminal of the Earth. ” At the threshold of this monolithic missional activity. a people who would finally go direct donees of an apostolic missive were present – witnessing a affecting presentation of the Gospel by Apostle Peter.
The metropolis of Colossae was one time known to be a great metropolis and was hailed by celebrated historic figures such as Alexander the Great and Herodotus. Both spoke. in their several times. of Colossae as “a great metropolis. ” However. at the clip of the authorship of the Apostle Paul of his missive to the Colossians. the metropolis was non every bit celebrated as Laodicea and Hierapolis ( Smith The Letter To The Colossians.New Testament Introduction) in comparing. However. along with these greater Phrygian metropoliss. Colossae was famed for its fabric industry. In the ancient universe. a assortment of fabric called “Colossinum” with its violet wool was one of the exquisite that it was really much valued. Therefore. Colossae was among the three of known centre of the fabric industry.
Geographically. it was positioned along the Bankss of the Lycus River. and was 160 kilometres travel to the east side of Ephesus. It’s easy to believe of a Christian adherent from Ephesus to hold gone to this nearby metropolis to widen the Gospel ; and so. it might hold been Epaphras who blazed the trail of evangelistic work at that place and likely since so keeping the reins of pastorate at that place. Since Colossae was in the parts of Phrygia which was itself portion of Greece. the population was of course Phrygians. Greeks. and considerable figure of Jews.
In his book. “The Antiquities of the Jews. ” Josephus Flavius recorded that during the reign of Antiochus the Great ( 223-187 B. C. ) . he banished into expatriate from Babylonia 2. 000 Judaic households and relocated them into the territories of Phrygia and Lydia ( Antiquities 12. 147-153 ) . The chance was high that the posterities of those Hebrews who immigrated there two centuries earlier. were without a uncertainty still populating in the same part. and in Colossae peculiarly were rooted and settled by the first century A. D.
The mixture of population in Colossae doubtless contributed to the trouble in finding resolutely what sort of doctrines or false instructions have crept into the family of Christians at Colossae. The mode through which the job is identified in the book makes bookmans conclude that it was syncretism. Because these false instructors have ne’er outrightly denied Christ in their instructions. if looked at the surface. they appear to be Christian instructors in the eyes of the new converts whose degree of apprehension of the Christian philosophies was at this clip non yet thorough strong.
False instructors used Christ merely as their launching station to convey these people into the true substance of their belief. For illustration. it would merely upset the Colossians if these instructors uncunningly had presented themselves as Gnostics. or Judaizers. or some heathen gurus propagating their paganistic doctrines ( Bauer et al. 1979 ) . Therefore. they stealthily conducted themselves among Christians and seemingly they have successfully injected some of the of import characteristics of their philosophies into the head among the scriptural truths which the Colossians were antecedently oriented to concentrate their heads on. viz. . the domination and sufficiency of Christ. Paul elaborated on the deductions of everything that the Person of Christ stood for.
From unveiling the olympian Person of Christ to the natural branchings of what it means he went on in scrupulous inside informations. The confusion that these false instructors created among the Colossian church was really unsafe that it threatens the really character of their individuality as Christians ( i. e. adherents who follow Christ’s instructions ) . And besides. it endangers the religious lives of the trusters at Colossae. Gospel truths will take to true godliness while half-truths or the Gospel assorted with other philosophical elements which are non found in Christ will ever take to the devastation of life in general.
Harmonizing to Paul. it’s non possible for them to pattern Jewish spiritual rites. and embrace paganistic beliefs and doctrines. and still retain the true nature of Christianity. As can be seen. the cultural background through which Colossians was written played a immense function on how Paul developed his subjects in the book. They could non hold escaped the applications of Paul’s instructions since he made everything clear to them. The construction of Gnosticism’s doctrine was based on presuppositions such as. God is the Supreme Being who is spirit and good in nature. He is the nameless Father. and out of the nucleus of His being flows a series of emanations/aeons or go-betweens. and the material universe is evil.
Reading Paul’s missive in the thick of a civilization that is so familiar with the Gnostic instructions. one would non lose the images he was utilizing and its deductions ( Shelley 1982 pp. 52-54 ) . To the things advocated by these Gnostics. like for case. that they needed “mediaries” to be able to tap to that particular wisdom which entirely could be received from God. Christ is the “wisdom of God. ” The protagonism of Jewish traditions which are besides present and rampant among these trusters were merely every bit attractive as all these Hellenistic doctrines in that it lay claim to the really roots of Christianity ( Gaebelien 1998 ) . To those who find the statements of Judaizers logically appealing. the Apostle would state: “They are but a shadow of things to come. ”
All of the legitimate patterns of the people of God as sanctioned by the Old Testament Scriptures were all types and merely a shoal of the existent thing ( Gill 2000 ) . They all pointed to Christ and when Jesus came all of them were done off with because the whole substance of those things is Christ. And Christ was manifested in the flesh. To the Gnostic who does non believe in the embodiment of the Christ in actual physical organic structure. Paul’s word is: “In Him ( Jesus ) dwells all the comprehensiveness of the Godheadbodily”( Col. 2:9 ) .
To those Judaic Christians who invariably were being “Judaized” by the Judaizers desiring them to integrate certain elements of their tradition. Paul’s message is: “You were circumcised by the Circumcision of Christ. ” He made it in the spirit “without custodies. ” “God has forgiven all your trespasses because Christ has wiped out everything that the righteous demands of the jurisprudence have been demanding from you. ” Christ neutralized all the criminative cogent evidence written in the Judaic canon that would declare Christians guilty. whether Jews or Gentiles. before the saloon of God’s justness ( Metzer 1975 ) . In Paul’s ain words. “He ( Christ ) has taken it out of the manner. holding nailed it to the cross” ( Col. 2:11-14 ) . The Colossians were reminded of the all sufficiency of Christ ( Wenham et al 1994 ) .
Overall Message of the Book
Since what is under onslaught is the really Person of Jesus Christ. and because this assault has far-reaching effects and of course hit the Colossians at different foreparts of their religion. Apostle Paul saw it necessary to concentrate his treatise on the Person and the work of Christ. For case. as it was the averment of certain instructors inside the church that the comprehensiveness of religious experience which until so had non been realized in their lives could be attained merely through means other than Christ ( e. g. worship of angels ) . Paul had to emphasize the sharpness and the exclusivity of the function of the 2nd Person of the Godhead in redemption and in procuring the comprehensiveness of experience of every truster in their relationship with God.
The completeness and the fullness of Christ’s Person and work have covered everything that the Colossians could of all time conceive of. There is no angel. no spiritual practice/rituals. and no tradition could of all time excel Christ. Christ is supremely leading. The Colossians. contrary to what these false instructors wanted them to be convinced of with their instructions. has the comprehensiveness already in Christ. They needed merely to recognize this through the clear amplifications of an Apostle. Epaphras discovered the significance of this function of Paul. hence he asked for his support. During this clip of the church’s history. Christ’s instructions were still significantly guarded by legitimate apostles.
In Colossians 1:1. Paul opened his missive with this salute:“Paul. an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. . . to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are in Colosse. . . . ”He has non yet by this clip visited the church at Colossae and hence has non known personally many of them. They might hold heard of him though through Epaphras. And so. his first words reflect the averment that what will follow are instructions coming from the 1 who has been sent straight and authorized by Jesus Christ himself. Paul said. “I am an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God. ” This debut stands in crisp contrast to the false instructors in their thick who go along professing to be religious elites who were toilets to God. and perchance. Jesus.
Therefore. the first few words of Paul are important and their force is carried through the full missive. It bears the grade of apostolicity and hence it is non merely an ordinary epistle. Paul was one of the privileged few in his clip. like Peter and the remainder of all the 12 reliable apostles. who had seen and were committee by Jesus personally. And at the clip of his authorship. there were many still populating apostles who could certify to his claim. although it was non necessary.
His apostleship was widely known among the first coevals of Christians. and at Colossae. Epaphras was at that place as direct consequence of Paul’s apostleship – and the Colossians the indirect merchandise of Paul’s committee. In puting forth really clearly the fact of his authorization. what he had to state to them in this missive were non sentiments or merely exalted conjectures coming from a individual who mustered plenty of his baronial ideas about Christ. His instructions were at that clip the standard instruction of true apostles of Jesus ( Clarke 2003 ) .
Another paganistic component in the instructions of these false instructors was the contention that insights into religious powers – diabolic powers – that could protect and screen the Colossians could be acquired through certain observations and rites. In peculiar. rites that were thought of as effectual in keeping the flesh from prosecuting even in legitimate usage of the organic structure in matrimony between hubby and married woman. and lawful ingestion of nutrient and usage of things were put frontward as necessary for superior spiritualty. Again. to conflict these cultic accents on the superficial visual aspect of spiritualty among the Colossians. the apostle Paul presses over and over once more the subject of Christ’s overall sufficiency.
The absolute distinction of Christ has overarching cosmic deductions. To cognize Christ is to cognize God. To cognize Christ is to cognize the Creator who non merely created the existence and all of the planets. but besides by His power hold these things together ( Col. 1:15-20 ) . If Christ is. as the Apostle’s Creed dependably declares. “very God of really God. ” so they have all good grounds to swear in Himentirely.
No spiritual leader should make bold to compare Him to angels nor to spiritual mediaries because He Himself is God.“He is the image of the unseeable God. the eldest over all creative activity. For by Him all things were created that are in Eden and that are on Earth. seeable and unseeable. whether thrones or rules or princedoms or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him”( Col. 1:15-16 ) .
Subjects of the Book
One of the pressure concerns that had earnestly affected the demeanour of the Colossians was their fright of the “stoicheia” – Greek word for “elementary rules. ” The beginning of the unorthodoxy that Paul was combating among the Christians in Colossae was the doctrine that had successfully sneaked into their consciousness. It was really unfortunate to see an apostolic fold being victimized by this philosophical bunk ( Balz & A ; Schneider 1990 ) . Paul would hold to state them in his missive of the arrant rubbishness of what they are entertaining in topographic point of Christ. They were playing with “philosophy” which amounts to “empty deception” because it comes from “the tradition of men” ( Col. 2:8 ) . In the ancient times.stoicheiaagencies many things. But fundamentally. it means. as it is translated in English. “elementary instructions. ”
These include the physical elements like Earth. H2O. fire. and air current. Besides. the ancient people would hold meant it to be “elemental liquors. ” These elemental liquors are believed to be those powerful existences that control nature. These are evil liquors and hence hostile in nature. They command the regard and commitment of human existences because they rule over the destiny of worlds. They can do “sicknesses. consequence a expletive. bring in hapless harvests. pestilences. temblors. and natural disasters” ( DeWaay “Colossian Heresy” p. 1 ) . The Colossians find this sort of learning so attractive. Their job nevertheless was that in this sort of odds and ends faith. they had already fallen into devotion from whence they had been delivered when they believed the Gospel.
In the first chapter of Colossians. Paul established the world of Jesus’ deity. Jesus Christ is the 1 who is genuinely in control of the “elemental spirits” because He is in fact the Creator of everything “seen and unobserved. ” In Colossians 2:15. Paul presented Christ as one who through His decease on the cross. “disarmed princedoms and powers. ” and by the power of His Resurrection. “He made a public spectacle of them. prevailing over them in it. ” The civilization where they happened to be populating in has much influence on their lives that they ne’er have suspected.
This sinister influence had been at that place all along and merely biding clip. and had found the juncture through the false instructors. It was observed that this belief in “elemental spirits” had been characteristic of ancient Pagans and Jews. It could be that some of the novices to the Colossian church were looking for aid in Christian faith to debar the enchantment ofstoicheiain their lives. This belief in “evil forces” in the air might even be their common background. They were brought up from this superstitious environment. Paul. therefore. had to remind them of what has transpired when they surrendered and have put their trust in Christ.
They “died with Christ from the basic rules of the world” ( Col. 2:20 ) . There’s the word “stoicheia” once more. The Colossians should hold wholly forsaken any hint of this paganistic reserve. If Christ regulations the existence. why fear the immoralities that these baleful liquors could bring down them? And if Christ is the Creator andforwhom all things were created. including “invisible elements. ” and all the religious hierarchy in the celestial spheres. so He must be Supreme and Sovereign. The Colossians did non hold to subject themselves to useless ordinances.
The apprehension of the Person of Christ is important to the constitution of the Christian’s religion. After this amplification of Paul on the stateliness of the Person of Jesus Christ in his epistle to the Colossians. there should be none any more room for any additives to the religion and pattern of the Christian life. Christ’s Person and His redemptional work are sufficient beginning of unshakeable assurance. Thinking about the Person of Christ. of who He truly is as portrayed by Paul in Colossians. how could perchance anyone who knows all these things refering Jesusaddto Him the doctrines of mere work forces? What is it there that advanced human existences can add to Christ?
False instructors of Paul’s twenty-four hours would state that if one wanted to be freed from the rule and powers of darkness. even if he or she has Christ already. at that place needed to be certain things to be added. To this. Paul would come back: “Christ has saved us from the powers of darkness and there’s nil to be added. He is adequate and we are complete in Him. ” To look for “fullness” someplace else and other than Christ is to doubt His Person. All things consist in Him and in Him all the comprehensiveness dwells. In Christ we received salvation and the forgiveness of our wickednesss.
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Balz. Horst and Schneider. Gerhard. 1990.Exegetic Dictionary of the New Testament. 2 Volumes. Grand Rapids. Myocardial infarction: Eerdmans. ( EDNT ) .
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Beveridge. WilliamA Short History of the Westminster Assembly.Revised. edited. and introduced by J. Ligon Duncan III. Greenville: Reformed Academic Press. 1993.
Clarke. Adam.Commentary on the Bible.Electronic E-Sword Files. E-Sword right of first publication 2000 – 2003 by Rick Meyers. World Wide Web. e-sword. cyberspace
Duncan. Ligon.Christology. Soteriology. and Eschatology. Orlando: RTS Media Ministries. 1993. [ with attach toing audio tapes ] . Ligon Duncan III. Greenville: A Press. 19911. 19932. 19943.
Cunningham. WilliamAn Introduction to Theological Surveies. Edited and introduced by J. Ligon Duncan III. Greenville: A Press. 19911. 19932. 19943.
DeWaay “Colossian Heresy” p. 1. Retrieved March 20. 2008 & lt ; hypertext transfer protocol: //cicministry. org/commentary/issue71. htm & gt ;
Douglas. J. D. and Comfort. Phillip.The New Commentary of the Whole Bible: New Testament: Based on the Authoritative Commentary by Jamieson. Fausset. and Brown. Electronic Measure Files. Cedar Rapids. IA: Parsons Technology ( JFB ) .
Gaebelien. Frank. editor. 1998.The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Electronic Measure Files. Grand Rapids. Myocardial infarction: Zondervan. ( EBC ) .
Gill. John.Exposition of the Entire Bible. Electronic E-Sword Files. E-Sword right of first publication 2000 – 2003 by Rick Meyers. World Wide Web. e-sword. cyberspace
Henry. Matthew. 1998.Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible. Electronic Measure Files. Cedar Rapids. IA: Parsons Technology.
Metzger. Bruce M. 1975.A Textual Commentary on the Grecian New Testament. 3rd Edition. Stuttgart. Germany: United Bible Societies.
The Holy Bible. New King James Version. Power BibleCD Version 3. 3 Copyright 1999. 2000. 2001 Phil Lindner. Online Publishing. Inc.
Shelley. Bruce. Church History in apparent linguistic communication. 1982 pp. 52-54.
Walvoord. John and Zuck. Roy. 1997.The Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament.Electronic STEP Files. Cedar Rapids. IA: Parsons Technology. ( BKC ) .
Wenham. G. J. . Motyer. J. A. . Carson. D. A. and France. R. T. 1994.New Bible Commentary: twenty-first Century Edition. Downer’s Grove. Illinois: Intervarsity Press. ( NBC ) .


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I am sure one can go much deeper than this. There is I notice a link to another resource at the bottom of Ken Matto's essay. But indeed research will show that much of this, if not almost all of it, started with Scofield and his bible. This particular essay just kind of touches the surface. But what it does do is show a little bit of the deception and dishonesty of the man and who backed him up in his work.
The fact that so many Christians interpret Genesis 12:3 in the way mentioned here sadly shows just how few people, Christian or otherwise, can properly read in context. Or else, choose not to in order to support their own preconceived notions and beliefs.
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.(Genesis 12:3)
It sadly really does seem that many Christians have become terrified of Scofield's notion and interpretation of this verse.
“and curse him that curseth thee” This was a warning literally fulfilled in the history of Israel’s persecutions.It has invariably fared ill with the people who have persecuted the Jew-well with those who protected him.For a nation to commit the sin of anti-Semitism brings inevitable Judgment.The future will remarkably prove this principle.”
And I will add, with all the cries of anti-Semitism over every slight, a certain group of people that we know from Revelation 2:9 and 3:9 have taken full advantage of this, have they not? They have mastered this more than other people have with false cries and accusations of racism.
The fact is, Matto's interpretation is plain and correct. God was addressing Abram, not Israel as a nation or even the patriarchs of the 12 tribes who also had not been born yet. More to the point, when God actually changed Abram's name to Abraham, what does Abraham mean? As you likely know it means father of many nations. As a matter of fact, before Sarah bare Isaac, and even closer to this revelation from the Lord of Genesis 12:3, Abraham bare a son with Sarah's handmaid Hagar, from whence would Ishmael, the father of the Arab nations and peoples. Indeed, even as we know today the Islamic/Arabic people consider Abraham to be a "father" of theirs. For that matter, we know that after the death of Sarah, Abraham took another wife in Keturah,
Genesis 25:1Then again Abraham took a wife, and her name was Keturah.
2 And she bare him Zimran, and Jokshan, and Medan, and Midian, and Ishbak, and Shuah.
3 And Jokshan begat Sheba, and Dedan. And the sons of Dedan were Asshurim, and Letushim, and Leummim.
4 And the sons of Midian; Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abidah, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah.
The point I am at least trying to make is that if one wants to interpret Genesis 12:3 as being the people, the children, the nations that would come from Abraham, which children and which nations are we not supposed to curse? Based on events since 9-11, I'm pretty sure there are a lot of Christians perfectly fine with cursing Arabic peoples. Or so it would seem anyway.
Of course, it is true that there is a spiritual side, that there is a futuristic and prophetic side, and there is even a particular side, child or seed line that we can narrow things down to.
Genesis 21:12 And God said unto Abraham, Let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman; in all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice; for in Isaac shall thy seed be called.
So yes, in Issac would ultimately come the promise. But again let's examine that a bit deeper, shall we?
Hebrews 11:17 By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had received the promises offered up his only begotten son,
18 Of whom it was said, That in Isaac shall thy seed be called:
19 Accounting that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead; from whence also he received him in a figure.
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
Yes, even Esau received a blessing. It wasn't necessarily much of one but it was one nonetheless. But let's look specifically at Jacob blessing the sons of Joseph. Who were those sons?
Genesis 48:11 And Israel said unto Joseph, I had not thought to see thy face: and, lo, God hath shewed me also thy seed.
12 And Joseph brought them out from between his knees, and he bowed himself with his face to the earth.
13 And Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand toward Israel's left hand, and Manasseh in his left hand toward Israel's right hand, and brought them near unto him.
14 And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim's head, who was the younger, and his left hand upon Manasseh's head, guiding his hands wittingly; for Manasseh was the firstborn.
15 And he blessed Joseph, and said, God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day,
16 The Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads; and let my name be named on them, and the name of my fathers Abraham and Isaac; and let them grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth.
Wait a minute, hold the phone here. This is the father of all 12 patriarchs, the son of Isaac, the grandson of Abraham, giving his blessing on who? On Judah and the "Jews"? Judah certainly received a blessing and in receiving the scepter to rule it would not be insignificant. But who are these that Jacob/Israel passed the birthright blessing on to, the blessing some would say of Genesis 12:3? Ephraim and Manasseh, the sons of Joseph. I happen to believe that through history and the documentation of E. Raymond Capt's Abrahamic Covenant that it can be pretty well documented that Britain or the UK and even its commonwealth of nations make up Ephraim and that their "brother" Manasseh is the United States of America. These two nations have been bound as brothers for a long time and these two nations have been two of the most blessed by God in our lifetimes.
But sadly along the way and through the migrations we have allowed ourselves to lose our identities and even our birthright blessing as the tares seek to steal it.
This is also why it becomes very appropriate that Paul would quote both Isaiah and Hosea in Romans 9.
Romans 9:26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.
27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved:
28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth.
29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.
30 What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.
31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness.
32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Here Paul even says that the Gentiles obtain righteousness while Israel has not obtained it. Why? Because they are tied up in the doctrines of man and in legalist jargon and tradition. So it's okay, for some of them who mean well in that nation we call Israel today, who aren't evil, to have a soft heart toward them, to plant seeds and to hope and pray that they won't trip over that Rock who is Christ or be offended but come to believe. But it is also reality that as given in Jeremiah 24 that you have the bad figs in that same location. It is those same bad figs that cause almost all of the problems that we see today and almost all of the problems that we've seen in the past. That's wherever they may be not necessarily just in Israel. But it will be Israel that becomes spiritual Babylon and Sodom. It will be Israel and Jerusalem that becomes a putrid city and location when Satan is there as Antichrist doing his thing and deceiving the world with a one world government and specifically a one world religion. It is those bad figs as well that are setting up for all of this to transpire right there in "the holy land". It's holy when God is there. It's holy when His way rules supreme. But when that isn't the case, it's nothing but an abomination. Which is what they aim to make it with their Zionist agenda.
And again what of the people of Romans 9:26, the same people of Hosea 1:10 who are called "not my people" then are called sons of the living God in that same place? It's the same people, amongst others, that received that birthright blessing from Jacob/Israel. In other words, it's our people in this nation, in large part. But our people have allowed deception to take root in our very churches and in many cases never rooted out. As a result, they have been spiritually robbed and made second class "Gentiles" by the very enemies of God and the very children of Satan through Cain.
But what does God really think about Israel and the "Jews", and who is a Jew?
Romans 2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Romans 11 we also know speaks of Gentiles and the "ethnos" being grafted in as part of Israel through acceptance of, faith in, and obedience toward Jesus Christ.
That, my friends, is ultimately where the blessing lies. The blessing lies in Jesus Christ. It always has and it always will. If people could understand that very simple thing, Christians especially, that would eliminate so many of the problems when it comes to deception, when it comes to racism, and when it comes to allowing one's birthright, blessings, and heirship with Jesus Christ to be stolen away from them. Or at least to allow others to do so.
Don't allow wicked or even misguided men to rob you and confuse you with their traditions even right from the pulpit. Seek out the truth, rightly divide, and study to show yourself approved. Check everything, and everyone out. You may or may not agree with every word of this and that is fine. But always know where the true blessings and promises lie. It isn't in men. It isn't in churches. It isn't in traditions or doctrine. It is in the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ. The article is linked below.


Stephen Baldwin’s message has sparked speculation and concern among fans about the state of Hailey and Justin Bieber’s marriage. The video of Justin singing a worship song added to the mystery surrounding the couple’s relationship. Victor Marx’s plea for prayers for wisdom, protection, and a strong relationship with God for the young couple only added to the intrigue. The mention of Hailey’s mother and Victor’s wife praying for them highlighted the importance of spiritual support in times of difficulty. The challenges faced by celebrities in the public eye were also acknowledged, with Victor mentioning the spiritual warfare that they often encounter. Despite the lack of context provided by Stephen Baldwin, fans have expressed their worries and offered prayers for the couple. The couple’s representatives have not commented on the situation, leaving fans to wonder about the true state of Hailey and Justin’s marriage. Despite the rumors swirling around them, the couple has remained united, showing a united front to the public.


KENNON KEN | Twanga Maombi Reason To Praying Without Ceasing.
“Twanga Maombi” is the latest song from the multi-talented Gospel Artist, Producer, Actor Kennon ken. the song is inspired from the book of Mark 11:24 you will learn more about prayer. He is born again Christian and he believe prayer works, anything you need you ask God in prayer.
Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24
It’s all about praying without ceasing. The song is all about being persistent in prayer
The audio was produced at High Note Music, which turns out to be Kennon’s record label. He produced the Audio personally and the video was done by Director Tyson. He worked with Director Tyson Eyelink Montage where Ken is the Script Director and Marketing Manager.
Check out the visuals of the song and tell us what you think about it.


Those of you who are acquainted with me in real life know that a weird thing about me is that my father is a Catholic priest. (The Church makes rare--extremely rare--exceptions for married ministers of other faiths who convert to Catholicism. My father was previously a Lutheran minister.) Happy FATHER'S Day, am I right? Anyway, the thing about priests is, they love to frighten kids! Oh, and that thing on his nose is a Breathe-Right strip, which he is never seen without.


I have always found that Christmas is a natural time to reflect on life. It’s like a marker in the sand. This year seems particularly poignant in that way. Last Christmas I had just been diagnosed with cancer and all the treatment lay ahead of me. This Christmas the treatment is behind me and I am looking forward with fresh hope.
I am doing what might be called “summing up”. I think this is what the writer of the carol Oh little Town of Bethlehem was expressing when he penned the line “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight”. It’s a kind of summary lyric. It summarises so much of what life is about in these two opposites; hope and fear.
But what the writer of the carol does, and what we should do is recognise that we are not just reflecting on life from a human perspective, but also from a divine perspective. We don’t experience the hopes and fears of life in a godless universe, but rather we experience these things with a God who gives us hope and who at the same time also knows our pain.
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem in poverty and vulnerability He proved God’s total commitment to us, and His solidarity with us in our sufferings. He also brought hope that whatever we go through we will overcome in the end, because the baby in the manger IS the Lord of Life whom death could not hold and who was raised back to life for our salvation.
I’m really looking forward to Christmas this year, but not because I’ve nothing to worry about. That next scan in January, and the one after that (and the one after that…) will be enough to keep testing my nerves, but I am looking forward to Christmas because all those fears are put into a different perspective by Jesus and what He means to me, and He is the source of my ultimate hope.
God Bless you this Christmas as you reflect on what has happened through 2015 and become aware again of your hopes and fears. May you also know the difference that the birth of Christ in Bethlehem makes to all those aspirations and anxieties you carry, because “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight”.
Mark Wickenden, Minister


|Credit: San Josemaría Escrivá, the Founder of Opus Dei. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.
Attribution: Oficina de Información de la Prelatura del Opus Dei en España, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
Page URL: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Josemaria_Escriva.jpg
Opus Dei- formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, is an institution of the Catholic Church which teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. Opus Dei has around 85,000 members worldwide and about 500 members in the UK. Members are encouraged to promote their faith through their professional work and their everyday lives. Joining Opus Dei is a long process and takes over five years. A person’s commitment to joining has to be renewed each year before a lifelong commitment is possible. There are three types of members of Opus Dei: numeraries, associates and supernumeraries. I have summarised these on the next page.
“Prelature of the Holy Cross and the Work of God”, known as Opus Dei, was founded by Saint Josemaría Escrivá (see below, right) on 2nd October 1928. Opus Dei (“Work of God,” in Latin) is a hierarchical institution of the Catholic Church, a personal prelature. Its purpose is to contribute to the evangelising mission of the Church. Specifically, it educates people about the universal call to sanctity and the sanctifying value of everyday work.
Opus Dei (Latin for “the Work of God”) claims to be one of the most conservative orders in the Catholic church. Founded in Spain, Opus Dei is especially influential in Latin America because of the relationships it has cultivated in political and business circles. Members and sympathisers of Opus Dei hold high-level positions in various governments, which is claimed to be one of the main forces supporting conservative activities in the region. It vehemently opposes promoting and providing a wide range of sexual and reproductive health services. Opus Dei rejects the concept that sexual and reproductive rights are individual freedoms and calls people to actively fight against these ideas, which Opus Dei members do daily in many countries worldwide.
Opus Dei was featured in The da Vinci Code, the 2006 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard, written by Akiva Goldsman, and based on Dan Brown’s 2003 novel. The film stars Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno and Ian McKellen. The film financing company I was working for at the time helped put the finances together with support from a large number of British taxpayers.
Membership of Opus Dei
The information below is derived from Wikipedia and other sources, as stated. Opus Dei comprises several different types of those faithful to the Catholic Church. According to the Statutes of Opus Dei, the distinction derives from the degree to which they make themselves available for the official activities of the Prelature and for giving formation according to the spirit of Opus Dei. You can access the English translation of the 1982 Statutes of Opus Dei on the Odan website. There’s also a copy of these Statutes (The Code of Particular Law of Opus Dei) at: https://sites.google.com/a/realcatholiconline.org/the-opus-dei-guidebook/statutes-1/1982-opus-dei-statutes.
Opus Dei’s policy is to keep private the identity of their members. Accordingly, they do not publish the names of their members, nor do many Opus Dei members make their membership in the organisation public.
- Supernumeraries, the largest type of members, currently account for about 70% of the total membership of Opus Dei. Typically, the supernumeraries of the Opus Dei Prelature are married men and women who have secular careers and lead traditional family lives. Supernumeraries devote a portion of their day to prayer, attending regular meetings and participating in activities such as retreats. Due to their career and family obligations, supernumeraries are not as available to the organisation as the other types of members, but they typically contribute financially to Opus Dei, and they provide other assistance as their circumstances permit. Unlike other types of members, supernumeraries are not required to be celibate.
- Numeraries, the second largest type of members of Opus Dei, comprise about 20% of the total membership. Numeraries are celibate members who give themselves in “full availability” (plena disponibilitas) for the official undertakings of the Prelature. Because they are making themselves fully available to do whatever needs to be done for the undertakings of the Prelature, numeraries are expected to live in special centres run by Opus Dei, and the question of which particular centre a numerary will live in depends upon the regional needs. Both men and women may become numeraries in the Opus Dei prelature, although the centres are gender-segregated, with only minimal contact between male and female numeraries. Numeraries generally have jobs outside of Opus Dei, although some are asked to work internally full-time, and many modify the way that they go about pursuing their professional work goals to be available for the Prelature. According to Opus Dei’s 1982 statutes, potential numeraries ordinarily “ought to have a civil academic degree or professional equivalent, or be able, at least, to obtain one after the admission.”
- Associates are faithful of Opus Dei who make themselves fully available to God and others in apostolic celibacy and stably take on at least one (sometimes more) apostolic assignment(s) from the Prelature in giving doctrinal and ascetical formation and/or coordinating activities. They differ from numeraries in not making themselves “fully” available to staff the official undertakings of the Prelature, instead giving themselves in additional social realities, such as through their profession or to their own families. Because of this difference in availability for the official activities of Opus Dei, unlike numeraries, the associates do not live in Opus Dei centres but maintain their own homes. Some of their family life (emotional and social support) comes from the centres of Opus Dei, some from other associates of Opus Dei, and some from their families and friends; the precise ratio of this distribution depends upon the circumstances of the individual associate.
- Numerary Assistants are a type of numerary in the Women’s Branch of Opus Dei. Their full availability for the Prelature is lived out as full availability for doing a specific kind of work, namely looking after the domestic needs of the conference centres and the residential centres of Opus Dei. Hence, they live in special centres run by Opus Dei and do not have jobs outside the centres.
- Priests of Opus Dei comprise about 2% of the membership. They always come from among the male numeraries and associates and have typically lived as lay members for several years before their ordination. At their ordination, they are incardinated into the Personal Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei, meaning the Prelate of Opus Dei becomes their bishop. Priests of Opus Dei observe the same disciplines as numerary and associate members, including living in Opus Dei centres. The Priestly Society of the Holy Cross is an integral part of Opus Dei and not a separate entity simply associated with Opus Dei. Part of the society is made up of the clergy of the Opus Dei prelature—members of the priesthood who fall under the jurisdiction of the Opus Dei prelature are automatically members of the Priestly Society. Other members of the society are traditional diocesan priests – clergy who remain under the jurisdiction of their diocesan bishop. Technically speaking, such diocesan priests have not “joined” Opus Dei membership, although they have joined a society that is closely affiliated with Opus Dei.
The Cooperators of Opus Dei are those who, although not considered members by Opus Dei, collaborate in some way with Opus Dei—usually through praying, charitable contributions, or by providing some other assistance. Cooperators are not required to be celibate or to adhere to any other special requirements. Indeed, cooperators are not required to be Roman Catholic, or even Christian in their beliefs. Cooperators may attend the educational and training activities provided by the Opus Dei. Many cooperators are relatives, friends, colleagues and neighbours of the members of Opus Dei. Religious communities as a whole can also become cooperators of Opus Dei. It is said that there are currently several hundred of these communities who pray for Opus Dei daily.
Membership Admission and Incorporation
To become a member of Opus Dei, one has to receive a divine calling or a vocation, a calling which requires practising the modes of the Opus Dei Prelature. For this purpose, the directors of Opus Dei will have to discern if someone does have the vocation before allowing them to be incorporated into the Prelature. Incorporation (induction) into Opus Dei is done through a contractual bond between the person who has the vocation and the Prelature.
Some key procedures need to be followed for someone to become a member of Opus Dei:
- Freedom: To join Opus Dei, a person must freely ask to do so, in the personal conviction of having received this divine vocation. He may find this out through his prayer and usually with the help of a spiritual director.
- Adulthood: Under canon law, no one may be juridically incorporated into the Prelature until they have reached 18 years of age. Nevertheless, from the age of 14 years and six months, a young person can show interest in the organisation and begin to participate in its activities: recollections, retreats, seminars, spiritual direction, and apostolate.
- Written request: The membership request must be made in writing.
- Acceptance by the Prelature: The request needs to have been accepted by the authorities of the Prelature, and admission is granted after a minimum of six months. After a period of at least a year, the interested person can be incorporated temporarily into the Prelature by means of a formal declaration of contractual nature. This is known as an oblation and is renewable annually.
Membership: Admission and Incorporation
Admission is granted after a minimum of six months (presumably from the date of application). After an additional period of at least one year since the moment of their admission, the person can be temporarily incorporated into the prelature (oblation) through a formal declaration of a contractual nature, which is renewable annually. After a minimum of five more years, the incorporation can become definitive. This step is called Fidelity, which ties to perpetuity to the member of the Opus Dei. If the member wishes to leave the prelature, they need a dispensation which only the Prelate can grant.
If anyone, before incorporation as a Numerary or Associate, is seen to lack suitability for that, they may be retained as a Supernumerary, as long as they have the requisite conditions.
Content of the Incorporation and Contract
- On the part of the Prelature: The Prelature is committed to providing the member with the formation in the Catholic Christian faith and in the spirit of the Work, as well as the necessary pastoral care from the priests of the prelature.
- On the part of the person to be incorporated: incorporation means the commitment to remain under the jurisdiction of the prelate in all that concerns the aim of the prelature: sanctity and apostolate in the middle of the world. He is also to observe the norms by which the prelature is governed and to fulfill the other obligations of its faithful.
In summary, all the faithful of the prelature commit themselves to seeking sanctity and to carrying out apostolate according to the spirit of Opus Dei. It involves, principally, growing in spiritual life through prayer, sacrifice, and receiving the sacraments; using the opportunities that the prelature provides for acquiring a deep knowledge of the doctrine of the Church and the spirit of Opus Dei; and taking part in the task of spreading the Word carried out by the prelature, according to the circumstances and situations of each person.
Cessation of the Bond and “Lawful” Departure
At the end of the contract term with the Prelature, the bond with the Prelature of Opus Dei ceases. It can also end earlier if the member requests so and is in agreement with the directors of the Opus Dei. If permission for departure is given, it is considered a “lawful departure” (“exitus legitimus” according to the currently applicable Latin version of Opus Statutes).
When someone leaves the prelature lawfully, there is a cessation or end of mutual rights and duties. Opus Dei does not return any goods or money received during membership.
Relevant Laws of Opus Dei:
|Number||Text of Law|
|29||“During temporary incorporation or when the definitive [incorporation] has already been made, for anyone to voluntarily leave the Praelature, he needs a dispensation which the Prelate alone can grant, after hearing from his own Council and Regional Commission”.|
|30 P1||“The faithful, either temporarily or finally incorporated into the Prelature, cannot be dismissed except for serious causes which, if it is a question of final incorporation, always ought to proceed from the fault of the faithful person, himself”.|
|30 P2||“Bad health is not a reason for dismissal unless it has certainly been established that it was deceitfully concealed or dissembled before temporary incorporation”.|
|34||“The person, who for whatever reason says farewell to the Prelature or is dismissed by it, can demand no recompense from it for services rendered to it, nor on account of what, whether by [his] industry or exercise of his own profession or by any title or manner might have been paid him”.|
In other words, no departing member of Opus Dei may receive any compensation of any kind for the contributions [presumably, financial] that they may have made to Opus Dei during their time in the organisation: this applies to all categories of membership. When someone leaves the Prelature unlawfully (i.e. without the permission of the Prelate), they are said to have committed a mortal sin.
The Holy Office and the Prelate of Opus Dei
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) is the oldest among the departments of the Roman Curia. Its seat is the Palace of the Holy Office in Rome. It was founded to defend the Catholic Church from heresy; today, it is the body responsible for promulgating and defending Catholic doctrine.
- the Dicastery was formerly called the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition;
- between 1908 and 1965, as the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office; and then
- until June 2022, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF; Latin: Congregatio pro Doctrina Fidei).
The Dicastery is still informally known as the Holy Office (Latin: Sanctum Officium).
A Prelate is a high-ranking member of the clergy, such as a cardinal, abbot, or bishop, who has authority over the lesser clergy. Both Catholic and Protestant religions have Prelates in their ranks. The Prelate of Opus Dei since 2017 is Fernando Ocáriz Braña – a Catholic Church priest – who is the fourth person to head Opus Dei since it was founded in 1928. He is widely published in philosophy and has been a consultor of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith since 1986.
Opus Dei Information Handbook 2020
The Information Handbook is a publication of the Information Office of Opus Dei and is published to help journalists and other media professionals. It contains a summary of the nature, history and organisation of the Opus Dei Prelature, an institution of the Roman Catholic Church. Heavily copyrighted, it is available online.
Pope Francis modifies Opus Dei’s relationship to Curia, highlighting its ‘charism’
Saying he wanted to highlight the spiritual gifts of Opus Dei and its contributions to the Catholic Church’s evangelising activities, the Catholic News Service reported on 22nd July 2022 that Pope Francis has said the Church will now work with and answer to the Dicastery for Clergy, rather than the Dicastery for Bishops:
“… In the apostolic letter ‘Ad Charisma Tuendum’ (‘For the protection of the charism’), released by the Vatican on July 22, Pope Francis also said the head of the personal prelature of Opus Dei ‘will not be made, nor will he be able to be made’ a bishop. Pope Francis said his decision was meant ‘to strengthen the conviction that, for the protection of the particular gift of the Spirit, a form of government based more on charism than on hierarchical authority is needed.”
The Catholic News Service also reported:
“… In his letter, issued “motu proprio,” or on his own initiative, Pope Francis said that when St. John Paul II established Opus Dei as the first personal prelature in 1982, he did so to safeguard its charism, particularly its contributions to the church’s evangelising mission by ‘spreading the call to holiness in the world, through the sanctification of work and family and social commitments.’
“… Unlike a diocese or territorial prelature, a personal prelature unites clergy and laity committed to the same missionary or apostolic work. It can have its own seminaries and priests, as Opus Dei does.”
“… Pope Francis noted that his new constitution on the Roman Curia gives the Dicastery for Clergy responsibility for relations with personal prelatures, ‘of which the only one so far erected is that of Opus Dei.’”
“… Msgr. Fernando Ocáriz, who was elected prelate of Opus Dei and approved by Pope Francis in 2017, said that while the first two prelates of Opus Dei were bishops, ‘the episcopal ordination of the prelate was not and is not necessary for the guidance of Opus Dei.’”
Criticisms and Rebuttals
Church and State is a news website and Network for Church Monitoring (N4CM) initiative, a non-profit organisation founded in 2011 in London. It addresses the world’s formidable challenges in the 21st century, including overpopulation, environmental sustainability, and social stability. Network for Church Monitoring’s commitment to women’s reproductive health, rights, and empowerment is critical of the Catholic Church’s opposition to population growth control. It says this about Opus Dei (in an article titled Opus Dei: Neofascism Within the Catholic Church, published on 19th February 2012, via Daily Kos:
“… And so courageous men that fought a military dictatorship and died in exile are forgotten while Escriva is the sainted founder of Opus Dei. Racist. Fascist. Holocaust Denier. Despite the fact that we know about his writings, his views, his pretension to political power, and his support of Franco, all of these facts surrounding the man have been referred to as “Black Myths.” Catholic authorities deny that any of this happened, and call anyone who dares point out indisputable facts “anti-catholic.” Just like those laws about birth control.”
“… [The founder of Opus Dei], Saint Escriva, has been accused by catholic priests who knew him of Holocaust Denial, and many recall statements by Escriva defending Hitler. Saint Escriva has said that Hitler couldn’t have killed 6 million Jews, and that ‘Hitler against the Jews’ really meant ‘Hitler against communism.’”
An earlier paper (2006), titled The Catholic Right: An Introduction To The Role Of Opus Dei, focused again on Opus Dei:
“… It is no accident that Opus Dei coalesced in Franco’s Spain. Even today, rumours and stories persist about its involvement with Francisco Franco’s forces from 1936 through 1939. This should be no surprise since Iberian Catholicism has constantly flirted with extremism. It was fanatical enough to produce the Spanish Inquisition whereby all dissent was brutally stifled. It built and controlled a global empire that lasted until 1898. The Spanish monarchy had applied its particular brand of Catholicism with continued zealous fervour in its New World colonies. Native Americans who refused to accept conversion were often maimed and brutally murdered.”
According to Church and State in a paper titled The Vatican: Opus Dei and the Extreme Right Wing, the Vatican is the only country in the world that denies having its own intelligence service. The Pope and all highly placed Catholics deny this and reject even the slightest espionage activity or connections of the Holy Throne with international intelligence. Inter alia, it cites:
“… In his book The Vatican Papers, the well-known Italian publicist Nino Lo Bello claims that the Vatican has the world’s most efficient and widespread spy network. This network is known as Sodalitium Pianum. Sodalitium Pianum was formed in 1909 by Pope Pius XII to monitor and report to the Holy Office any deviations from orthodoxy. At first, they were merely busy with the silencing of less orthodox theologians by prohibiting publications and by removing them from teaching positions.”
“… Some time ago, the Belgian parliament placed the Opus Dei on a list of ‘dangerous religious sects’, which it had to subsequently withdraw due to the uproar of Opus Dei numeraries and supernumeraries from around the world.”
Worth reading too is an article on ABC News titled Controversy Over Opus Dei, the central theme being:
“… Opus Dei’s central theme is that people can be holy in everyday life through prayer, discipline and generosity toward others. The group is unique in the church in that most of its members are lay persons, and many of them, called ‘numeraries’ and ‘associates’, make commitments of lifelong chastity.”
“… Numeraries contacted say they lead fulfilled, happy lives. Opus Dei’s national spokesman, Brian Finnerty, a numerary member himself, says the group respects the freedom of its members and potential members. He says members are free to choose whether or not to join and remain in Opus Dei and to submit to its practices, such as having their mail read by superiors and signing over their salaries.”
A Wikipedia website (Controversies about Opus Dei) provides what seems to be a balanced perspective taking both criticisms and the objections to critics into account.
Women represent 57% of the membership of the Opus Dei Prelature. Although Opus Dei and its supporters reject any suggestion their policies are inappropriate, the role of women in Opus Dei has not infrequently been a source of criticism for the organisation, such as:
- Unmarried male and female numeraries are segregated, with only limited contact between genders—male and female numeraries live in separate centres and attend separate classes and retreats. A criticism is that there are separate entrances for men and women, but this is not so: there are separate entrances to the men’s house and the women’s house, but men and women can enter either house through the appropriate entrance.
- Similarly, there is a sub-group of female numeraries in Opus Dei known as “assistants” who perform the cooking, cleaning, sewing, and other household tasks as their professional work and to serve the others (presumably males).
- Members emphasise that the numerary assistants clean both men’s and women’s centres, but critics argue that while women clean for men, men never clean for women.
Other negative commentary includes:
- Opus Dei is like a Cult.
- Critics accuse Opus Dei of being secretive and elitist, but members wholeheartedly reject this.
- Theologically conservative, Opus Dei accepts the teaching authority of the church without question and has long been the subject of controversy; it has been accused of secrecy, cultlike practices, and political ambitions.
- In The Secret World of Opus Dei, the author Michael Walsh thinks that Opus Dei is part of a vast financial and political conspiracy that is trying to take over the Church and secular governments.
- The Maria Auxiliadora Prayer Group aims to make known Opus Dei characteristics – starting with the idea that they believed deceit is a common practice in Opus Dei. They claim to have used serious and documented sources. They say ‘the sect works indeed as a secret lodge. Good-willed persons were attracted and suffered undesirable experiences. Christ is truth and not manipulating secret lodges.’
On the website of Saint Pius X (SSPX), in an exclusive English translation of an article appearing in Le Sel de la Terre (No. 11), Nicolas Dehan probes Opus Dei and its beatified founder, Josemaria Escriva de Balaguer. This ‘dossier’ concludes with a response from Opus Dei, Dehan’s counter-response, and a commentary regarding the approbation of Opus Dei by the Catholic Church. Worth reading. It’s available online at: https://sspx.org/en/opus-dei-a-strange-pastoral-phenomenon-josemaria-scriva
Italian journalist Vittorio Messori writes off any criticism of Opus Dei as coming from malcontents and unorthodox Catholics, ignoring the fact that many devout believers, including bishops, have voiced concern about the organisation’s recruiting methods, its treatment of women, and the use of spiritual direction as a means of mind control (see Maria del Carmen Tapia, Beyond the Threshold, p. 788). Messori’s uncritical approach serves only to reinforce the authoritarian image of Opus Dei and perhaps raises more questions than it answers.
Undeniably, Opus Dei has received a lot of bad press. First and foremost, it is not the nefarious secret society portrayed in The Da Vinci Code film. Originally, maybe the negativity came about because of the prominence of some of its members in Franco’s cabinet toward the end of his regime in Spain, maybe because it has also been accused of, inter alia, obsessive secrecy, an authoritarian ethos, being in bed with right-wing forces in Latin America, accumulating an enormous amount of wealth, and brainwashing its members – all of which allegations Opus Dei deny.
Many Catholics in Europe and the US regard Opus Dei as politically reactionary, extreme in its spiritual and worldly ambition, and devious. The group’s methods of “recruiting”, especially college students, have been criticised as overbearing or worse. There is even an organisation, the Opus Dei Awareness Network (ODAN), dedicated to exposing the group’s methods. But Opus Dei has admirers who see it as a defender of traditional moral values, especially of the family, as well as a providential source of evangelical enthusiasm, orthodoxy, and unquestioned loyalty to the Holy See in Rome. Chief amongst those admirers was John Paul II, who presided over the speedy canonisation of the movement’s founder. Critics, however, saw Escriva’s 2002 canonisation as a sign of the organisation’s egregiously amassed wealth and malign influence – critics say Escriva’s authoritarian temperament and sometimes violent behaviour were never fully investigated by the Church.
In judging Opus Dei, its methods and aims, its critics and admirers, one must not fall prey to what is known as the Rashomon Effect– where people give significantly different but equally believable details of the same event. It describes a situation where the people involved in the same incident give conflicting and contradictory interpretations or descriptions, yet everyone’s interpretation seems perfectly plausible, wherein lies confusion and dilemma.
I confess that the foregoing is strong stuff, but are the criticisms fair? Whether yes or no, I express no opinion on the above, one way or the other. It would be best to read the articles and form your own views.
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Sources and Further Reading
- YouTube Video: Is Opus Dei a Catholic Cult, at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EXZF7XG_Ck
- Book: Opus Dei: The Truth About its Rituals, Secrets and Power, available at https://amzn.eu/d/dVKEZm0
- Book: The Founder of Opus Dei: The Life of Josemaría Escrivá, Volume I: The Early Years, by Andres Vazquez De Prada, published by Scepter Publishers, 18th April 2011, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Founder-Opus-Dei-Josemar%C3%ADa-Escriv%C3%A1-ebook/dp/B004X7FA1U/
- Book: The Founder of Opus Dei: The Life of Josemaría Escrivá, Volume II: God and Daring, by Andres Vazquez De Prada, published by Scepter Publishers, 19th April 2011, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Founder-Opus-Dei-Josemar%C3%ADa-Escriv%C3%A1-ebook/dp/B004XDWSDM/
- Book: The Founder of Opus Dei: The Life of Josemaría Escrivá, Volume III: The Divine Ways on Earth, by Andres Vazquez De Prada, published by Scepter Publishers, 18th April 2011, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Founder-Opus-Dei-Josemar%C3%ADa-Escriv%C3%A1-ebook/dp/B004X6ZD5Y/
- Book: Opus Dei: An Objective Look Behind the Myths and Reality of the Most Controversial Force in the Catholic Church, by John L. Allen, published by Doubleday Books, 1st November 2005, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Opus-Dei-History-Catholic-Institution-ebook/dp/B06XR2KRVQ/
- Book: Opus Dei: The Truth About its Rituals, Secrets and Power, by John L. Allen, published by Penguin, 4th May 2006, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Opus-Dei-Truth-Rituals-Secrets/dp/0141024658/
- Book:The Way: The Essential Classic of Opus Dei’s Founder, by Saint Escriv a de Bal, published by Image, 9th May 2006, available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Way-Essential-Classic-Opus-Founder/dp/0385518293/
- 1982 Statutes of Opus Dei – Latin and English (unauthorised translation).
- Dominique Le Tourneau (2002). What Is Opus Dei? Gracewing – a French scholar’s synthesis.
- Vittorio Messori (1997). Opus Dei, Leadership and Vision in Today’s Catholic Church. Regnery Publishing – an Italian journalist’s investigation.
- Giuseppe Romano (1995). Opus Dei: Who? How? Why?
- Alba House. a study of an Italian essayist.
- Jean-Jacques Thierry (1975). Opus Dei: A Close Up.
- Cortland Press -the first serious study on Opus Dei to be published, written by a French journalist.
 Updated July 2022. Opus Dei counts about 93,400 members, of whom about 2,300 are priests incarnated in the Prelature; another 2,000 priests are associated with Opus Dei but remain attached to their dioceses. Source: https://catholicphilly.com/2022/07/news/world-news/pope-modifies-opus-deis-relationship-to-curia-highlighting-its-charism/
 Explanation: A Personal Prelature is a canonical structure of the Catholic Church. which comprises a prelate, clergy and laity who undertake specific pastoral activities. Sources and further information: https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/251851/to-guard-the-charism-in-new-decree-pope-francis-makes-changes-to-opus-deiency.com and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_prelature- Wikipedia
 Statutes of Opus Dei 2.9
 Statutes of Opus Dei 2.8
 Statutes of Opus Dei 2.10
 Statutes of Opus Dei 2.10
 Statutes of Opus Dei 2.8 and 2.9
 Presumably by the person wishing to become a member.
 Source: Paper titled: The Vatican: Opus Dei and the Extreme Right Wing, at https://churchandstate.org.uk/2015/03/the-vatican-opus-dei-espionage-death-and-terrorism/
 Available at Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Vatican-Papers-Nino-Lo-Bello/dp/0450056694
 Source: Vecchi, Gian Guido. “Monsignor Fernando Ocáriz è il nuovo Prelato dell’Opus Dei”. corriere.it.
 Source: “Justina and David: As members of Opus Dei, the McCaffreys seek perfection — even in their wedding dresses”. ottawacitizen.com
 The book is available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-World-Opus-Dei/dp/0246125624/
 The book is available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beyond-Threshold-Life-Opus-Dei/dp/0826409377/
 Commentary: According to: Medium.com at: https://medium.com/@samazgor/the-rashomon-effect-a-well-known-problem-of-eyewitness-infidelity-2db42c06753e), the Rashomon Effect is a well-known problem of eyewitness infidelity. It is also known as the ‘Kurosawa Effect’. The Rashomon Effect is named after the popular 1950 film Rashomon, produced by Akira Kurosawa. In a similar vein, An Instance of the Fingerpost is a 1997 historical mystery novel by Iain Pears, the English art historian, novelist and journalist: A murder in 17th century Oxford is told from the contradictory points of view of four of the characters, all of whom are unreliable narrators.


3.6. How should God’s people live their daily lives?
Jumping ahead, the official Catholic Church will teach that souls that are basically okay but have some stain of sin on them need to be cleaned up before they are ready for God’s presence. This cleansing or purgation is called purgatory . It can be unpleasant if one has many sins to wash or burn away, but it is not as unpleasant as hell, and it is not permanent. Protestants reject this idea as not stated in scripture.
When Jesus does return in glory, all souls will return to their bodies and resurrect. The combined body + soul will be judged again. The outcome is the same, but the pleasure of union with God is more complete if it is experienced in body as well as soul. Similarly, hell with a body is even worse than hell without a body. Continue reading “3.6. How should God’s people live their daily lives?”


back to normal view
20 November 2016
- Today's Service – 11am Morning Wortship & Junior Church.
- Remembrance Sunday – The total retiring collection for Erskine last week was £302.42. Thanks for your generosity.
- Next Week's Service – Sunday 27th November, 11.00am, Morning Worship & Junior Church
- Midweek Service – Our midweek service takes place on Wednesday 23rd November, between 9.45am and 10.00 am.
- Coffee Break – This follows our midweek service between 10.00am and 11.30am. On duty this Wednesday are Sadie Swan, Sylvia Pacitti and Gwen Brougham.
- Pastoral Care – Stuart Crawford will cover all pastoral matters from today until 24th November. Call him on 07912 534280. For church matters contact Mary Morrison on (0141) 632 1659. Thanks.
- The Guild - The Guild meets tomorrow, Monday 21st November, at 2.30pm with a presentation on our project. 'Let's Stick Together'. All welcome.
- Backpack Appeal - Please support Junior Church efforts for Mary's Meals as per last week's information. There are boxes on the platform for donations. Many thanks.
- Attention Bookworms – For the November meeting there are two books available: No Way But Gentleness by Richard Hines, a memoir (now a film) of how Kes, his kestrel, changed his life, and The Night Book by Richard Madeley, described as 'an authentic thriller set in the Lake District'.
These will be discussed at our next meeting on Thursday 24th November at 2.00pm.
This is an open meeting and everyone interested will be made most welcome. Tea and coffee will be served.
- Bible Study – The Bible Study & Prayer Group's next topic for discussion is 'The Judgement of God' (based on Romans 2 ). It is on Tuesday 22nd November at 7.30pm and everyone is VERY welcome. Contact Murray Henderson on (0141) 423 8421 for further details.
- Daisy Chain Christmas Boxes – Once again we have the opportunity to brighten some child's Christmas. Selection boxes should be handed in at the Church no later than Sunday 4'" December. These will be taken to Crossreach at lnglefield Street for distribution. We gave very generously last year and our gifts - for about 100 children - were appreciated. Any queries, please contact Sylvia Pacitti.
- Monthly Worship – Service at Oakview Manor Care Home this Wednesday, 23rd November. All welcome.
- WFO Envelopes – The WFO envelope batches are available to be picked up by their respective Elders. Anyone in the congregation wishing to start using the envelopes should contact Murray Henderson either at Church or by phone on the above number. Thanks.
- Men's Group – A new men's group will start in the New Year. Meeting monthly from January to June, we have a variety of events planned. If you are interested or would like more information, speak to Stuart Crawford or email him at email@example.com
- Lodging House Mission – Please note that Lodging House Mission Christmas cards will be on sale today in the Hall. Thanks.
- The Way – The youth group meets tonight, Sunday, 20th November, at Sherbrooke St Gilberts Church hall for the usual games, activities and discussion.


Dr. Terry A. Webb, LPC, NCC, CCTP, CGP, is the Pastor of Christian Unity Baptist Church of Maple Heights, Ohio. He also has a Master of Arts in Clinical Counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary. He has a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership with an Emphasis on Behavioral Health from Grand Canyon University. His dissertation was entitled: How the Psychosocial Factors of Academic Preparedness and Self-Concept Influence Success for African American Males in a Community College. He is the Assistant Dean of Counseling, Psychological & Student Accessibility Services at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C®).