Umoya Uqobo Uyafakaza Lomoya Wethu

1-3. Yiziphi izinto ezenza ukuthi iPhentekhosti libe lilanga eliqakatheke kakhulu, njalo okwenzakala mhlalokho kwazigcwalisa njani iziphrofetho eziseMibhalweni? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

KWAKUNGESONTO ngabo-9 ekuseni. Ilanga leli laliqakatheke kakhulu ebantwini ababeseJerusalema ngoba kwakulilanga ledili futhi kulisabatha. Kungenzakala ukuthi basebeqedile ukwenza iminikelo yekuseni eyayisenziwa mihla yonke ethempelini. Kwaba lenjabulo ebantwini njengoba umphristi omkhulu wayeselungiselela ukunikela umnikelo wokuzunguzwa owawusenziwa ngezinkwa ezimbili ezilemvubelo eziphekwe ngezilimo zakuqala. (Levi. 23:15-20) Umnikelo lo wawutshengisa ukuthi sasesifikile isikhathi sokuvuna ingqoloyi. Konke lokhu kwenzakala mhla wePhentekhosti ngomnyaka ka-33 C.E.

² Ngesikhathi kusenzakala konke lokhu ethempelini, kulokunye okuqakatheke kakhulu okwasekuzakwenzeka, hatshi kulo ithempeli kodwa endlini ephezulu eyayiphakathi kweJerusalema. Iqembu lamaKhristu angu-120 lalithe gwaqa kuleyondlu, ‘likhuleka’ kokuphela. (ImiSeb. 1:13-15) Okwasekuzakwenzakala eqenjini leli kwakuhambelana lalokho okwakusenziwa ngumphristi omkhulu minyaka yonke ngelanga lePhentekhosti. Njalo kwagcwalisa isiphrofetho esakhulunywa ngumphrofethi uJoweli kusasele iminyaka engu-800 ukuthi ilanga lelo lifike. (Jow. 2:28-32; ImiSeb. 2:16-21) Kanti vele kuyini khonokho okuqakathekileyo okwasekuzakwenzakala?

³ Bala imiSebenzi 2:2-4. Mhlalokho umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu wathululelwa kulabo ababebuthene endlini ephezulu. (ImiSeb. 1:8) Baqalisa ukuphrofetha loba ukufakaza mayelana lezinto ezimangalisayo ababezibonile lababezizwile. Abantu bamangala baqala ukubabuthanela njalo umphostoli uPhetro wabachasisela ukuqakatheka kwalokho okwakusanda kwenzakala, wathi: ‘Phendukani libhaphathizwe lonke, ebizweni likaJesu Khristu ukuze lithethelelwe izono zenu. Lani lizakwamukela isipho somoya ongcwele.’ Balamukela ilizwi likaPhetro njalo langalelo kwabhaphathizwa abantu abangu-3 000 basebesamukela isipho somoya ongcwele.​—ImiSeb. 2:37, 38, 41.

 4. (a) Kungani kumele sizihluphe ngalokho okwenzakala ngePhentekhosti? (b) Kuyini okunye okuqakathekileyo okungabe kwenzakala eminyakeni eyadlulayo ngelanga elifananayo? (Khangela amabala asekucineni.)

⁴ Kungani iPhentekhosti elabakhona ngomnyaka ka-33 C.E. liqakathekile kithi? Okwenzakala ethempelini mhlalokho kayisikho okwenza liqakatheke. Kodwa okwenza liqakatheke yikuthi mhlalokho uJesu Khristu uMphristi omkhulu wagcwalisa isiphrofetho esimayelana lalokho okwakujayele ukwenziwa ngumphristi omkhulu ngePhentekhosti.^[1] Ngelanga lelo umphristi omkhulu wayenikela izinkwa ezimbili kuJehova ezazimela okuthile. Izinkwa lezi ezilemvubelo zazimela amaKhristu agcotshwe ngomoya ayethethwe ebantwini abalesono ukuze abe ngamadodana kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho yayisivulekile indlela yokuthi ezinye “izithelo zokuqala” ziyekuba ngamakhosi eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu, oyiwo ozaletha izibusiso ezinengi ebantwini abalalelayo. Izithelo lezo ngabagcotshiweyo abakhethwe phakathi kwethu. (Jak. 1:18; 1 Phet. 2:9) Kungelani lokuthi silethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini loJesu loba elokuphila emhlabeni olipharadayisi, okwenzakala ngelanga lelo kuqakathekile kithi sonke.

 5. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi ukugcotshwa kwamaKhristu akwenzakali ngendlela efananayo?

⁵ Aluba wawungomunye wabalandeli ababona lokho okwakunjengelangabi lomlilo kusehlela emakhanda enu, wawungasoze ulikhohlwe lelolanga. Wawungasoze uthandabuze lokuthi usugcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele, ikakhulu nxa wawusuphiwe lesipho sokukhuluma ngezindimi zakwamanye amazwe. (ImiSeb. 2:6-12) Kodwa bonke abagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele bagcotshwa ngendlela efanana leyabafundi bokuqala abangu-120 yini? Hatshi. Abanye ababeseJerusalema mhlalokho bagcotshwa ngesikhathi bebhaphathizwa. (ImiSeb. 2:38) Akuzange kube lokwakungathi ngamalangabi omlilo emakhanda abo. Kanti njalo kayisiwo wonke amaKhristu agcotshiweyo agcotshwa ngesikhathi ebhaphathizwa. AmaSamariya wona agcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele sekwedlule isikhathi ebhaphathiziwe. (ImiSeb. 8:14-17) Kwesinye njalo isenzakalo esingajayelekanga, uKhoneliya labendlu yakhe bagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele bengakabhaphathizwa.​—ImiSeb. 10:44-48.

 6. Kuyini okutholwa yibo bonke abagcotshiweyo, njalo kwenza baqiniseke ngani?

⁶ Kusegcekeni ukuthi abantu abalethemba lokuya ezulwini abagcotshwa ngendlela efananayo. Abanye bangakunanzelela masinyane abanye kube kulokhu kubacacela kancane kancane. Kodwa kungelani lokuthi bagcotshwe ngayiphi indlela, bonke balalokho okwachazwa ngumphostoli uPhawuli lapho esithi: “Selikholiwe kuye, labekwa uphawu, umoya ongcwele owathenjiswayo, oyisibambiso esiqinisela ilifa lethu.” (Efe. 1:13, 14) Ukusebenza komoya ongcwele ngendlela le eqakathekileyo kuba njengesibambiso salokho okuzayo. Kwenza umKhristu ogcotshiweyo aqiniseke ukuthi usekhethiwe sibili.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 1:21, 22; 5:5.

 7. Kuyini okumele kwenziwe ngumKhristu ngamunye ogcotshiweyo ukuze aphiwe umvuzo wakhe?

⁷ Kambe umKhristu angagcotshwa sekusitsho yini ukuthi uzawuthola umvuzo wokuya ezulwini? Hatshi. Okukhona yikuthi uyabe esekwazi ukuthi usekhethiwe. Kodwa ukuthi uyawuthola umvuzo wakhe loba hatshi kuya ngokuthi uzahlala ethembekile yini kuze kube sekucineni. UPhetro wakuchaza ngalindlela: “Ngakho-ke, bazalwane bami, tshisekelani kakhulu ukwenza ukubizwa lokukhethwa kwenu kuqiniseke. Ngoba uma lisenza lezizinto, kalizukuwa, njalo lizakwamukelwa ngokupheleleyo embusweni olaphakade weNkosi loMsindisi wethu uJesu Khristu.” (2 Phet. 1:10, 11) Ngakho umKhristu ngamunye ogcotshiweyo kumele abophe ziqine, athembeke ngoba nxa engenzanga njalo angakhutha ugatsha.​—Heb. 3:1; Isam. 2:10.

 8, 9. (a) Kungani kunzima ukuthi abanengi bazwisise ukuthi kwenzakalani nxa umuntu egcotshwa? (b) Umuntu ukwazi njani ukuthi uselethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini?

⁸ Izinceku zikaJehova ezinengi zikuthola kunzima ukuzwisisa ukuthi indaba le yokugcotshwa yenzakala njani. Kuyazwisiseka lokhu ngoba kakukaze kwenzakale kuzo. Phela uNkulunkulu wathi edala abantu wayehlose ukuthi baphile emhlabeni kuze nini lanini. (Gen. 1:28; Hubo. 37:29) Ngakho ukukhethwa kwabanye ukuthi bayekuba ngamakhosi labaphristi ezulwini luhlelo uJehova alwenzele abantu abalutshwana. Ukugcotshwa kwabo kwenza kube lontshintsho olukhulu endleleni abacabanga ngayo njalo lethemba abalalo liyantshintsha.​—Bala u-Efesu 1:18.

⁹ Kodwa umuntu ukwazi njani ukuthi usethole ithemba lokuya ezulwini kumbe ukuthi usekhethiwe? Impendulo isemazwini kaPhawuli awalobela amaKhristu aseRoma ‘ayebizelwe ukuba ngaba ngcwele.’ Wawatshela wathi: “Ngoba kalamukelanga umoya olenza libe yizigqili futhi zokwesaba, kodwa lamukela umoya wobudodana. Njalo siyamemeza ngawo sithi, ‘Abha, Baba.’ Umoya uqobo uyafakaza lomoya wethu ukuthi thina singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” (Rom. 1:7; 8:15, 16) Ngamazwi alula nje, uNkulunkulu usebenzisa umoya wakhe ongcwele ukuba acacisele lowomuntu ukuthi usekhethiwe ukuthi ayekuba yindlalifa yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu.​—1 Thes. 2:12.

10. Utshoni umbhalo ka-1 Johane 2:27 nxa usithi umKhristu ogcotshiweyo kadingi muntu wokumfundisa?

¹⁰ Abakhethwe nguNkulunkulu ukuthi baye ezulwini kabadingi kufakazelwa loba ukutshelwa ngomunye umuntu ukuthi bagcotshiwe loba hatshi. UJehova ubenza baqiniseke ezingqondweni lasezinhliziyweni zabo ukuthi babiziwe sibisibili. Umphostoli uJohane watshela amaKhristu la agcotshiweyo wathi: “Lina ligcotshiwe ngongcwele, njalo lonke liyalazi iqiniso.” Waseqhubeka wathi: “Lina, ukugcotshwa elakwamukela kuye, kuhlezi kukini, njalo kalisweli muntu wokulifundisa. Kodwa njengoba ukugcoba kwakhe kulifundisa izinto zonke, njalo njengoba ukugcoba lokho kuqotho, akusinkohliso—njengoba kulifundisile, hlalani likuye.” (1 Joh. 2:20, 27) Abagcotshiweyo bayakudinga ukufundiswa nguJehova njengathi sonke. Kodwa kabadingi muntu wokubatshela ukuthi ukugcotshwa kwabo kuqinisekile. Umoya ongcwele yiwo obenza bangathandabuzi ukuthi bagcotshiwe!

11, 12. UmKhristu ogcotshiweyo angazibuzani, kodwa kuyini angakuthandabuziyo?

¹¹ Nxa umoya ongcwele usunike umKhristu ubufakazi bokuthi usegcotshiwe lukhulu untshintsho olwenzakalayo kuye. UJesu wakhuluma ngontshintsho lolu olwenzakala emuntwini wathi ‘yikuzalwa futhi’ loba ukuzalwa kutsha.^[2] (Joh. 3:3, 5) Waqhubeka wathi: “Ungamangaliswa yikuthi kwami, ‘Limele lizalwe njalo.’ Umoya uphephetha loba kungaphi lapho othanda khona. Ungakuzwa ukuhuba kwawo, kodwa ungeke utsho ukuthi uvela ngaphi loba ukuthi uya ngaphi. Ngakho kunjalo emuntwini wonke ozelwe ngomoya.” (Joh. 3:7, 8) Kusegcekeni ukuthi kunzima ukumchasisela kuhle umuntu ongakaze agcotshwe ukuthi vele kwenzakala njani.

¹² Asebekhethwe ukuthi bayephila ezulwini bangazibuza ukuthi: ‘Kungani kukhethwe mina? Yindaba kungakhethwanga omunye umuntu?’ Bangabona angani akubafanelanga lokhu. Kodwa kabathandabuzi ukuthi bakhethiwe. Bayathokoza futhi bayabonga ngakho. Bazizwa njengoPhetro owaphefumulelwa ukuba alobe lokhu: “Udumo kalube kuNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Khristu! Ngenxa yesihawu sakhe esikhulu usinike ukuzalwa kutsha ethembeni eliphilayo ngokuvuka kwabafileyo kukaJesu Khristu, kanye laselifeni elingeke libole, lonakale loba libune—eliligcinelweyo ezulwini.” (1 Phet. 1:3, 4) Nxa abagcotshiweyo bewabala amazwi la, kabathandabuzi ukuthi uYise osezulwini uyabe ekhuluma labo uqobo.

13. Yiluphi untshintsho olubakhona emuntwini ogcotshiweyo, njalo kuyini okubangela untshintsho lolu?

¹³ Ngesikhathi abagcotshiweyo bengakatholi ubufakazi bokuthi bagcotshwe ngomoya kaNkulunkulu babelethemba lokuphila emhlabeni. Babesilindele ngabomvu isikhathi lapho uJehova azasusa khona bonke ububi obusemhlabeni njalo babefuna ukuzijabulela izibusiso lezo ezizayo. Mhlawumbe basebezibona besamukela izihlobo zabo ezizavuswa. Babekhangelele phambili ekubeni lezindlu ezibiza bona lokudla izithelo ezivela ezihlahleni abayabe bezihlanyelile. (Isaya. 65:21-23) Pho kungani indlela abacabanga ngayo yantshintsha? Kayisikho ukuthi lacina libadaka ithemba lelo. Kabazange bantshintshiswe yikukhathazeka kumbe ukungahlaliseki okuthile. Kabazange bakhalale ukuhlala emhlabeni mhlawumbe ngenxa yokuthi bacabanga ukuthi bazacina bengasakukhwabithi ukuphila kuwo. Kayisikho ukuthi babefuna ukuyakholisa izinto ezisezulwini. Kodwa okwabenza bantshintsha yikuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu yiwo obakhethileyo futhi yiwo ontshintshe indlela abacabanga ngayo kanye lethemba labo.

14. Abagcotshiweyo bazizwa njani ngokuphila kwabo emhlabeni?

¹⁴ Kambe sesingathi abagcotshiweyo bayakufuna ukufa yini? UPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuba achasise indlela abazizwa ngayo. Wafanisa umzimba wabo wenyama ‘lethente.’ Wathi: “Nxa sisesekuleli ithente, siyabubula njalo siyasindwa, ngoba kasifisi ukwembulwa kodwa ukwembeswa ngekhaya lethu lasezulwini, ukuze okufayo kuginywe yikuphila.” (2 Khor. 5:4) Kayisikho ukuthi kabasakuthandi ukuphila emhlabeni, sebefuna ukufa masinyane. Kodwa bazimisele ukusebenzela uJehova enkonzweni yakhe nsuku zonke bendawonye labangane babo kanye lezihlobo zabo. Lanxa kunjalo, kukho konke abakwenzayo kabalikhohlwa ithemba labo lokuyaphila ezulwini.​—1 Khor. 15:53; 2 Phet. 1:4; 1 Joh. 3:2, 3; Isam. 20:6.

15. Kuyini okutshengisa ukuthi umuntu kagcotshwanga ngomoya ongcwele?

¹⁵ Mhlawumbe usuzibuza ukuthi wena ukhethiwe yini. Nxa ubona angani lawe ukhethiwe, cabangisisa ngemibuzo le eqakathekileyo. Ubona angathi uyatshiseka okwamagama yini emsebenzini wokutshumayela? Uyakuthanda yini ukufunda ‘izinto ezizikileyo zikaNkulunkulu’ eziseLizwini lakhe? (1 Khor. 2:10) Ukubonile yini ukuthi uJehova uyakubusisa kakhulu emsebenzini wokutshumayela? Uyakutshisekela yini ukwenza intando kaJehova? Uzizwa ulomlandu omkhulu yini wokunceda abanye ukuthi bafunde ngoJehova? Ulabo yini ubufakazi bokuthi uJehova ukuncedisile ngezindlela ezinengi empilweni yakho? Nxa kuyikuthi imibuzo yonke le uyiphendule ngoyebo, sekusitsho ukuthi ukhethiwe yini ukuyaphila ezulwini? Hatshi. Ngenxa yani? Ngoba zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezilethemba lokuphila emhlabeni lazo zingayiphendula ngendlela efananayo yonke imibuzo le njalo uJehova uzinika umoya ongcwele ofananayo oyiwo ozinika amandla. Iqiniso yikuthi nxa uthandabuza ukuthi ukhethiwe ukuyaphila ezulwini, kutsho ukuthi awukhethwanga. Labo abakhethwe nguJehova kabafaniseli ukuthi babiziwe! Bakwazi mhlophe lokhu!

16. Sikwazi njani ukuthi akusibo bonke abamukela umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu abakhethwa ukuthi bayephila ezulwini?

¹⁶ IMibhalo isitshela ngezibonelo ezinengi zamadoda ayelokholo futhi ayekhokhelwa ngumoya ongcwele kodwa ayengelalo ithemba lokuyaphila ezulwini. UJohane uMbhaphathizi wayengomunye wamadoda la. UJesu wamncoma kakhulu kodwa wasesitsho ukuthi wayengabalwanga kulabo abazabusa eMbusweni wezulu. (Mat. 11:10, 11) UDavida laye ngomunye owayekhokhelwa ngumoya kaNkulunkulu. (1 Sam. 16:13) Wayelokholo oluqinileyo sibili njalo waphefumulelwa ukuthi alobe izingxenye zeBhayibhili. (Mak. 12:36) Kodwa uPhetro watsho ngePhentekhosti ukuthi uDavida kazange ‘akhuphuke aye ezulwini.’ (ImiSeb. 2:34) Umoya ongcwele wasebenza kakhulu emadodeni la kodwa kawuzange uwanike ubufakazi bokuthi ayesekhethwe ukuthi ayephila ezulwini. Lokhu akutsho ukuthi ayengakufanelanga kumbe ukuthi kukhona ayesilela kukho yikho engakhethwanga. Kodwa kutsho ukuthi uJehova uzawavusa aphile emhlabeni oliPharadayisi.​—Joh. 5:28, 29; ImiSeb. 24:15.

17, 18. (a) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinengi zilaliphi ithemba? (b) Sizaxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo

¹⁷ Izinceku zikaJehova ezinengi kazilalo ithemba lokuyaphila ezulwini. Zilethemba elifanana lelikaDavida, uJohane uMbhaphathizi kanye lelamadoda labesifazana bakudala. Lazo njengo-Abhrahama zikulindele ngabomvu ukuba yizizalwane zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. (KumaHebheru 11:10) Ezinsukwini lezi zokucina kulabalutshwana kuphela abaseleyo abalethemba lokuyaphila ezulwini. (Isam. 12:17) Lokhu kutsho ukuthi inengi labangu-144 000 selathola umvuzo wokuya ezulwini.

¹⁸ Abalethemba lokuphila emhlabeni kumele bamphathe njani lowo othi ulethemba lokuya ezulwini? Kumele lenzeni nxa omunye ebandleni lenu angaqalisa ukudla isinkwa lokunatha iwayini eSidlweni seNkosi Sakusihlwa? Kumele likhathazeke yini ngokuthi inani labantu abadlayo eSikhumbuzweni lilokhu likhwela? Imibuzo le izaphendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.