...About the Traditions of Men

In dealing with tradition, we need to understand how something becomes a tradition in the negative sense. When God installed His ways inside of the Old Covenant with the children of Israel, they broke their covenant with Him. As a result God changed His laws. It would have remained the same if they had been found without fault. In the breaking of the Old Covenant, God installed a New Covenant, which also becomes a new way.

We may ask ourselves how much of the Old Covenant is still alive or did God destroy all of it? The scripture says it was disannulled, which means that everything was done away with. Christ was the fulfillment of the Law, therefore, everything from Genesis to Malachi was fulfilled in Christ. Since the way has changed, if it is rejected there is no covering for our sins; therefore, with God’s new covenant came a new way.

When God changes a way of doing something, to hold fast to the former will not have the same effect as it once might have had due to the changes that the Lord made. Furthermore, the old way is no longer recognized by God as righteous or holy once He has installed the new way. Neither is the old way sanctioned by God but truly becomes man’s way. Henceforth, the definition of tradition is man’s way of doing things.

Isaiah 29:13

Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men . . .

Tradition is also a way of doing things that does not reflect a righteous disposition of the heart. It is a routine or ritual. It is performed because we were trained to do so. It is comfortable and it somehow benefits us. Henceforth, those performing these routines become complacent and take on the mindset, “This is the way things should be done.” Tradition moves the heart far from God. When God changes the way and we do not make the transition, then our heart does not move with God.

The tradition we speak of here is man’s established ways, doctrines and mindsets that negate the purpose and mind of God and make the Word of God of no effect. Many leaders refuse to embrace the Word of God and choose rather to hold fast to their beliefs, doctrines and ways. These all serve to alienate God’s people. There can never be unity of the faith as long as the traditions of men rule the house of God.

In some instances the sons have made idols of the fathers. This idolatry can become so powerful until the sons will not hear God. This is not to say that everything the fathers or elders have said and done is wrong. It is time, however, to look at everything the Word of God has come to change; especially that which becomes a stumbling block to souls and the establishing of God’s covenant in the earth.

When we make a doctrine out of the way we do things, we condemn all who do not do them our way. Notice I said, “Our way”. This is a way that is contrary to God’s instructions. In actuality, it keeps people from coming to God. Tradition has its own laws, rules, regulations, ordinances and does what it wants to do; thus these ways are worshiped more than God.

Because we have the Truth we cannot be presumptuous to think we have overcome tradition. Tradition can still exist in our inner workings. The messages we are receiving here at Bible Teachers are so anti-tradition that it too will restrict the way we operate in the open. However, if all restrictions were taken away, would we entertain adverse mindsets or would we realize that there is a residue of tradition left in some of us.

God has chosen our ministry as one of those He will use to carry His Word to His people. The Truth must be exalted by a demonstration of power. It cannot be exalted in Word only. This power is going to come from those walking steadfast in the Truth never wavering. If we are not baptized in the message God has given then we, too, shall fall.

THE STRENGTH OF TRADITION

The strength of tradition is the control of the saints. This is where its power lies. It is designed to exalt men in their control of God’s heritage. Their messages take the focus off of God and put it on flesh and are designed for us not to consider the commandments of God. However, the leader can do no wrong; therefore, we should obey him as if he has God’s sanctioning. Therefore, anyone who says anything contrary to what the leader says becomes the enemy and must be destroyed.

Tradition fears truth. Anything spoken that may even question or remotely sound as if it is questioning the leader causes that leader to immediately go on the defense. He has to protect his position and his influence. His defense means he is ready to fight. Tradition does not want God’s people to hear anything other than what it says. The leaders really believe they can successfully stand between God and His people.

Churches that operate under the traditions of men have trained the members to worship leadership. Supporters of the traditions of men say obey your leader whether right or wrong. This is justified by saying that God demands submission to His leaders. Members must do what they are told; and if it is wrong, do it anyway, pray to God and He will deal with His leader. The member will be all right because he obeyed his leader; therefore, the member is not held accountable for doing what he had been told to do, even if it was sin.

This is nothing less than a lie. The scripture says that the servant who knew his master’s will and does not do it will be beaten with many stripes (St. Luke 12:47). Jesus is our Master. If we have the Holy Ghost living on the inside and He tells us not to do a thing, it would be better for us to obey Him than our leader who has no heaven or hell to put us in.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF TRADITION

I. OBSESSED WITH AUTHORITY AND CONTROL

A. Obsession blinds

It keeps leaders from seeing, acknowledging and respecting God in others.

Obsession with control over the people of God will cause leaders not to see they have forsaken righteous judgment and council regarding the actions of others.

B. Obsession Exalts

Obsession causes a leader to place himself above the Word of God. Therefore, true repentance for the sin leaders commit against the saints becomes unnecessary. The leader’s obsession with control and authority will not allow him to admit his wrong. Before he or she would be honest and truthfully acknowledge the wrong, he will white wash the situation and encourage the saints to move on. Now this “move on” attitude is designed to take the focus off the leader’s sin and place it on the movement of the overall ministry. This is done very religiously, directing the saints to the goodness of God in their lives. This is idolatry and will be judged by God.

C. Obsession breeds fear

Leaders who are obsessed with authority and control live in constant fear of losing control and/or their position in their kingdom. They will do anything necessary to keep their subjects under control.

They feel threatened by any other influence in the lives of the people they pastor, including God’s influence. They will destroy that influence at any cost. Whoever carries such influence is considered the enemy and must be destroyed. Therefore, humiliation, dishonor and degradation of character are justified means of stamping out such an enemy.

The love of God is never allowed to become an issue. The ministry of reconciliation is never considered. The individual bringing influence is labeled as an agent of Satan. They refuse to see them as a soul who if they were wrong needs to be won over to the righteousness of God.

Righteous truth cannot be considered because too much is at stake. This individual has become a threat to the leader’s kingdom and his control. Therefore, they must be sacrificed on the “altar of doctrine.”

D. Obsession births jealousy

Jealousy is a resentment of the power of God operating in the life of another. The gifts and talents of others are treated as a threat and must be discredited at any cost. This is especially true when the gift or talent of another genders influence in others.

Because the focus of these leaders is the control of the people of God, they must not allow any ministering among the saints that is equal to or surpasses that which they do. Therefore, they will suppress that ministry or discredit the individual in the hearts of the people. They cannot afford for the people to have confidence in any other ministry in the church to the same degree as they have in the leader.

E. Obsession brings forth evil character

One of the ways this is displayed in some leaders is that they will bring to the forefront anything an individual does who may bring truth to the congregation. Any mistakes or even sin that a person commits is blown out of proportion and magnified to the congregation. Others in the congregation can do far worse than that individual, but others are not the threat. They do not have the level of Word that would make them a risk to the control of the leader’s kingdom.

II. IMMATURITY

A. Lack of wisdom and discerning

This can be unique in the sense that the leader may be quite astute in wisdom and discerning when teaching, preaching or counseling in matters pertaining to others. However, when he feels his authority or kingdom is threatened, he often panics and makes rash and unwise decisions.

B. Lack of character due to tunnel vision

The focus is always on achieving or maintaining the object of one’s lust. The leader is not open to allow anything to be taught that might take the focus off of him.

C. Childlike behavior

Temper tantrums are common occurrences. The leader must have his way in all things and will often act childlike in an effort to control his members.

WORKERS OF THE REFORMATION

It is good for us to truly understand the character of our God, for it is the measure by which we judge our own. We will start with the nature of our calling.

I Corinthians 1:23

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

To the Jews were committed the oracles of God. They were the keepers of the holy Word and God’s plan for man. Their prophets from Moses to Malachi spoke of the coming Messiah. They spoke of His attributes and His deeds. They proclaimed Him to be the Son of the Most High. He was to be Emmanuel (God with us). They also spoke of His forerunner, John the Baptist, who would go before Him as “the voice crying in the wilderness.” All these things were manifest in their sight and hearing. But they refused to accept Him as their Lord. Thus this man Jesus became a stumbling block to the nation.

The Lord explained to me that He had brought BTI into a revelation of Himself which has caused the hearts of His people to seek after Him. The Word He has taught us is contrary to the doctrines of men. Some church leaders have led the people of God into lust, greed and wantonness for the things of this world. Others have made merchandise of the congregations of the most high God.

Nevertheless, the Lord chose these men and women. And even though some of His leaders have turned from the truth to walk after the course of this world He still loves them. Therefore, He is reaching out one last time, by presenting to them Truth that will destroy the lust in them. This is the mercy and grace of God in their lives.

The most important lesson a minister can learn is one of ministerial integrity. Without integrity, there can be no manifestation of agape love. However, in order to possess this character trait, one must count the cost of obtaining such a prize. The Apostle Paul has given us a living example of such ministerial integrity in operation.

The Lord has entrusted His leaders with the revelation of His Word. It is given to us to know the hidden mysteries of the Word of God. Therefore, it is also required that the revelation of such Word be found operational in the life of the ministers of God.

To be faithful is to be trustworthy and reliable. This is a requirement of all ministers of the gospel. One must submit to the standard of the Word of God. Those who received the ministry of a leader should keep the character, mind and heart of God on display at all times. He must lead by example.

The Father must also be able to trust a leader with the revelation of His purpose. It is through such a revelation lived out in the life of His leaders, that God will move His church into the unity of the faith.

THE MINDSET OF CHRIST IS THE STANDARD FOR MINISTRY.

It is an all self-sacrificing mentality. Paul displayed this mind. We too, must count the gain of all things but dung for the excellency of the knowledge and power of Christ (Philippians 3:8). Leaders are stewards or guardians and managers of the household of faith. If they are to encourage the people of God to embrace the walk of faith, then they must be willing to deny themselves at all times, for the sake of winning, restoring or delivering a soul.

II Corinthians 4:1-2

1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;

2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Everyone who serves in the faith must purge himself of all dishonesty found in things seen and unseen. The word dishonest refers to things that are shameful and void of “the truth.” Oftentimes, those who are crafty in the handling of the Word and the people of God are able to achieve their hidden or personal agendas while seemingly doing the righteous thing.

LUST DESTROYS ALL SENSE OF LOYALTY, COMMITMENT AND RIGHTEOUS REASONING.

It causes the love of many to wax cold; thus, making its captive, cold cunning and calculating. Lust destroys relationships with both God and man.

DISHONESTY IS A MANIFESTATION OF FEAR

Fear is a result of facing the possibility of either not obtaining or losing something.

FEAR, FEARFUL, FEARFULNESS

intimidation of adversaries; (b) "reverential fear," (1) of God, as a controlling motive of the life, in matters spiritual and moral, not a mere "fear" of His power and righteous retribution, but a wholesome dread of displeasing Him, a "fear" which banishes the terror that shrinks from His presence, <Rom. 8:15>,; and which influences the disposition and attitude of one whose circumstances are guided by trust in God, through the indwelling Spirit of God, <Acts

(from Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words)

(Copyright (C) 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

HONEST, HONESTY

kalos ^2570^, “good, admirable, becoming,” has also the ethical meaning of what is “fair, right, honorable, of such conduct as deserves esteem”; it is translated “honest”

Dishonesty is the opposite of that which is good, right, fair and honorable. Therefore, it is a description of a mindset and conduct that is bad, wrong, unfair and non-praiseworthy.

When tradition collides with Truth, these hidden things of dishonesty in the men and women of God will be exposed. This is the purpose for the collision. The traditions of men that oppose the purpose of God must be made manifest.

The apostolic mantle puts you in the spirit world and allows you to see what God is doing in the Spirit. God said to tell the people that it is time to go to Mount Carmel, because tradition has taken its stance and has declared that they will not move. God says He is calling out Elijahs, and He has set up situations to prove us on a smaller scale so we will have confidence on a larger scale.

When the prophets of Baal decided they were not going to change, they took their stance. They blamed all the trouble in Israel on one man. After God had strengthened His man, His man went to tradition and told them if they thought he was the trouble in Israel they were to meet him at Mount Carmel.

It is time for us to prove what real God is. The first visit to Mount Carmel must be purposed to save those who resist. The second visit is to remove the opposition.

God will allow those held captive by negative traditional mindsets to attack the truth to their fullest ability possible. Then He will let Truth answer. How does truth answer? Truth goes up to God. We must go up before the Master and ask God to change those hearts who have stated they are not going to move. Where is the victory? When those who are off-course submit to the way of God. The easy thing to do would be to destroy them, but the merciful thing to do is to invoke God’s mercy.

We must start a systematic intercession for tradition. If we do not, then there is no love in us. We cannot watch with iniquity. If we sit around and do nothing, it is the same as us waiting for God to bring them down. We must go to God and intercede that He would reveal the truth to them. We do not go to destroy them because they are still our sisters and brothers. If we call for God to cast them down, then we are in the same spirit they are. Anytime we wait for the demise of another then the love of the Father is not in us. We are supposed to be praying for restoration, forgiveness and mercy.

LEADERS ARE BEING CALLED TO REPENTANCE.

The collision with Truth is a confrontation with the righteousness of God. It is designed to reveal the mind of God and expose the mind of man. Confrontation is the catalyst for change.

WITHOUT CONFRONTATION THERE WILL BE NO CHANGE.

Men have become complacent in their doctrines, for they have prospered in their control of the people of God.

This is when confrontation with the traditions and doctrines of men is vital. Without it, men will never see themselves. They will have no measuring stick to indicate how far they have moved from the mind and heart of God.

However, the love of God is purposed to reach the hearts of the leaders of the flock. The Lord desires to deliver His men and women from the mindsets that have destroyed the love His people had for Him. He is reaching out to the leaders first. He is giving them a chance to see His standard demonstrated in the deeds of those He has groomed for this purpose. If all of the sons are out front, we will see the light. The gift of the apostle, teacher, evangelist, prophet, pastor is the power.

II Corinthians 4:7

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

Not of the outward man, but the power is of the inner man. This is the power of God.