ASSUMPTIONS WITH REGARD TO DOCTRINES OF FAITH
Sometimes, people see happenings in others’ (your) life and directly establish their own assumptions correlating with doctrines ( or concepts) of other’s faith, which they are not fully aware of, or with their beliefs or doctrines of their faith. These assumptions may turn us aside from the right path. Further, these could be formed into new doctrines that sidetrack the believers. The same could be a source and an opportunity for false teachers too. But, the validity of these assumptions and interpretations thereof can be proved in the light of Word of God. Hence, it is better for us to verify them with the word of God.
For more clarity, read this verse – And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. John 9:2-3. – The disciples asked our Lord one such doubt. They had an assumption to establish a relation with the blindness of a man (happenings in others’ life) and its relationship with sin (doctrines of faith). The disciples did a good thing as they brought their doubt before the Lord and He clarified them. His word is the truth which will eliminate the sprouts of false doctrines and doubts.
Disciples asked our Lord two things-
(1) Was the man’s sin itself the reason for his disability? This assumption would mean that a man who was born blind could even sin before his birth or there was another birth before this present birth. This idea of correlating the doctrine or concept of sin with present disability of that man would give a different meaning. But the Bible says –And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment. Hebrews 9:27. From the above verse it is clear that a man cannot have multiple births on the earth or rebirth on the Earth. Also, the Bible never proclaims Karma doctrine (according to which people will receive their blessings or curses in the present life on the earth for their deeds in their previous birth).
(2) His parent’s sin was the reason for his blindness?: In this instance, our Lord clarified that parent’s of this blind man were not the cause of his disability. Had it been the cause, as the Word of God applies to all people equally, the reason for disability of all the people would be sin of their parents. From this it may be understood that a direct link cannot be drawn for the disability owing to parent’s sin. From other verses – Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne their iniquities. Lamentations 5:17. There is a probability that fathers’ sins may have an effect on their children life but it need not be a cause for their birth with disability.
In other instance from the Bible the same could be observed: And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand. And when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, yet vengeance suffereth not to live. And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm. Howbeit they looked when he should have swollen, or fallen down dead suddenly : but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god. Acts 28:3-6.
When the viper came and caught the hand of Paul, immediately the barbarians (no difference between them and us if we too make such assumptions) made an assumption that St Paul was a murderer. In their opinion, those who did the deeds of evil could not escape from the punishment and they would receive the fruits of their deeds on the earth itself. Therefore, they thought the vengeance (their doctrines of faith) came to God Servant Paul to kill him. Later on, when there was no harm to him, they changed their minds (assumptions). They looked at the incident or happening from their doctrines of faith or beliefs. Can such assumption be valid though appears to be true?
Therefore, let us (a) bring all our assumptions or doubts before the presence of the Lord as the disciples did with regard to the blind man. (b) Try to avoid see things from our beliefs but to see them in the light of Word of God. (C) Always meditate the word of God and verify every teaching as our predecessors did it to avoid all false teachings and assumptions. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so. Acts 17:11