What Happens When Tradition Meets Truth?

Chapter 1

The true mindset of tradition may not be revealed until it encounters truth. The story of the man who was blind from birth is a good illustration of what happens when tradition meets truth. From it we can extract valuable precepts concerning the mind of tradition.

John 9:13-16

13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. St.

Tradition will not believe even when the result is evident. Traditional leaders will quickly label one "not of God" because that person operates in a different manner, regardless of the works of Christ that they see that cannot be done except God be with the individual. I have found that this is the major problem with some leaders today. They are not open for change or correction. Their heart is unchangeable concerning their doctrines and their organizational policies.

John 14:9-12

9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. St.

They do not regard the move of the Holy Ghost, even in the midst of them. They will look upon what they know to be the works of God and deny the presence of God. They simply refuse to acknowledge that God is working with the individual He has set in their midst. To do so would impose upon their doctrine; and they just might not be able to reconcile what the Spirit of God is doing with the word that they preach.

Traditional leaders will never be able to do the works that Christ did; neither will they ever perform the “greater” works. Why? Because they refuse to believe in the things they see Christ doing today through those who are not of their fold. This unbelief has the same effect today as it did in the day Jesus walked the earth.

He is still walking and working through those He has chosen. The works on display in such cases are things that men or women could not do without a move of God working with them. This is what will judge the traditionalist. He must give an account of the rejection of the work of the Holy Ghost which he personally entertained. Such work is the visitation of God in his life.

This is where they miss the opportunity to get back on course with God. Because they are so closed to anything that challenges their doctrines, they will not even inquire of God as to the reason He is doing what is being done through the individual they encounter. Why is this so? Because, the doctrine that is being challenged is no longer about fulfilling the righteousness of God. It is about maintaining control of their way of doing things. Even the people were knowledgeable enough to know that God had to be working with Christ in the case of the blind man, thus causing division in the house. If the leaders themselves had inquired of God with a pure heart, perhaps He would have enlightened them concerning the true meaning of the Sabbath.

Matthew 12:11-12

11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. St.

St. Mark 2:27-28

27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

TRADITION RULES BY INTIMIDATION

St. John 9:17-22

17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

In this scenario, if anyone openly endorsed the truth, they would be put out of the church. This operation is typical in churches and organizations today. Leaders of such organizations will not even consider sitting down with the membership with an open heart to hear and explain the acts of God the membership has been exposed to. Instead, it will intimidate the members into silence concerning such acts. They reject what they see to be God, and demand that their congregations reject it. This is evil. Listen to the way these leaders interrogated and tried to intimidate the very recipient of the move of God.

TRADITION RULES WITH INIQUITY

St. John 9:23-24

23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

This man was blessed by the works of Christ. However, that did not matter at all. They insisted that the blind man see Christ as a sinner. Why? What was His sin? He was used by God in a way that they were never used. Thus jealousy and iniquity breeds in the hearts of leaders entertaining God in such a way. That iniquity is passed on to the congregation and planted in the hearts of the people of God. The people are actually led into a spirit of hatred for anyone doing the works of God in a manner different than the organizational doctrine states. God is a God of love. He is a God who seeks to win those who oppose Him through love and kindness, not intimidation, hatred and iniquity. These are the tactics of the devil. THEY ARE USED TO PROTECT THE WILL AND WAY OF MAN. THEY SERVE TO DESTROY THE UNITY OF THE FAITH.

TRADITION REJECTS KNOWN TRUTH

Out of the mouth of two or more witnesses every word shall be established. The testimony of the man who was healed, along with that of friends and family means nothing to the traditional leader when his doctrine is at stake. His doctrine is the cornerstone of his organization. He cannot afford to allow any one to challenge it. He must put down all resistance at any cost, even to the forsaking of known and proven truth.

St. John 9:25-28

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

That last statement reminds me of something a leader said once. “I know God called that man to preach, I don’t know who called the woman.” This statement was made after the same leader had entertained truth that proceeded out of the mouth of a woman preaching under the power and anointing of the Holy Ghost. But to admit that God is using the woman in such a way would be to question the validity of his own doctrine.

St. John 9:29-33

29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

TRADITION MAKES WAR IN THE BODY

St.John 9:34

34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

This man had entertained God. He preached the truth to the religious leaders in such a way that they could not deny that what he was saying was written in the law. Since they could not disprove the truth, they had to rid themselves of the truth bearer. He became a threat to the organization and the mindsets that had been built in the people.

St. Mark 3:1-6

1 And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.

2 And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.

3 And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.

4 And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or tokill? But they held their peace.

5 And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.

6 And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

This is so cruel; because the people of God will remain in captivity until God either delivers or removes such leaders from the Body.

TRADITION IS WILLINGLY BLIND

St. John 35-41

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

Because of the hardness of their hearts, tradition closes its eyes to the presence of God operating in those who are from a different sect. Therefore, their sin will remain, because they openly reject known and proven truth. They will not accept what they see to be God operating in those they have denied. Therefore, sin remaineth.