Ubaleka Njani Kugqatso Lobomi?
“Anazi na, ukuba abo babalekayo elugqatsweni, babaleka bonke okunene, kodwa ke mnye owamkelayo umvuzo? Balekani ngokunjalo ke, ukuze nizuze.”—1 KORINTE 9:24.
1. IBhayibhile ilifanisa nantoni ikhondo lethu lobuKristu?
IBHAYIBHILE ifanisa ukufuna kwethu ubomi obungunaphakade nogqatso. Ngasekupheleni kobomi bakhe, umpostile uPawulos wathi ngaye: “Umzamo omhle ndiwuzamile, ugqatso ndilufezile, ukholo ndilugcinile.” Wabongoza amaKristu awayekhonza kunye nawo ukuba enze okufanayo xa wathi: “Masithi nathi, siwubekile nxamnye wonke umthwalo, naso isono esinokusirhawula ngokusisulu, silubaleke ngomonde ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu.”—2 Timoti 4:7; Hebhere 12:1.
2. Sisiphi isiqalo esikhuthazayo esisibonayo kugqatso lobomi?
2 Le ndlela yokuthelekisa ifanelekile kuba ugqatso lunendawo oluqala kuyo, ubude obubekiweyo nendawo oluphela kuyo, okanye usukelo. Kunjalo ke nangenkqubo yethu yokuqhubekela phambili ngokomoya okusa ebomini. Njengoko sibonile, nyaka ngamnye amakhulu amawaka abantu aqalisa ngokuthembisayo kugqatso lobomi. Ngokomzekelo, kwiminyaka emihlanu edluleyo, ngabantu abasisi-1 336-429 abaye baqalisa ngokusesikweni kolu gqatso ngokuzahlulela nangobhaptizo lwamanzi. Isiqalo esikhulu kangaka sikhuthaza ngeyona ndlela ingathethekiyo. Noko ke, into ebalulekileyo kukuhlala elugqatsweni kude kufikwe entanjeni. Ngaba uyakwenza oku?
Ugqatso Lobomi
3, 4. (a) UPawulos wakubonakalisa njani ukubaluleka kokugcina isantya esifanelekileyo elugqatsweni? (b) Abanye baye basilela njani ukuthobela icebiso likaPawulos?
3 Ukuze abethelele ukubaluleka kokuhlala uselugqatsweni, uPawulos waluleka: “Anazi na, ukuba abo babalekayo elugqatsweni, babaleka bonke okunene, kodwa ke mnye owamkelayo umvuzo? Balekani ngokunjalo ke, ukuze nizuze.”—1 Korinte 9:24.
4 Liyinyaniso elokuba kwimidlalo yamandulo, ngumntu omnye kuphela owayenokufumana umvuzo. Noko ke, kugqatso lobomi, bonke abantu banokuwufumana umvuzo. Kuphela kufuneka uhlale uselugqatsweni kude kuse entanjeni! Okuvuyisayo kukuba abaninzi baye babaleka ngokuthembeka elugqatsweni kwada kwasa ekupheleni kobomi babo, njengoko wenzayo umpostile uPawulos. Yaye izigidi ziyaqhubeka zibaleka. Noko ke, bambi baye basilela ekutyhaleleni phambili okanye ekwenzeni uhambelo phambili ukusa entanjeni. Kunoko, bavumele ezinye izinto ukuba zibaphazamise ngokokude bawe elugqatsweni okanye bangalufanelekeli ngandlel’ ithile. (Galati 5:7) Oku kufanele kusinike sonke isizathu sokuhlolisisa indlela esibaleka ngayo kugqatso lobomi.
5. Ngaba uPawulos wayethelekisa ugqatso lobomi nomdlalo wokhuphiswano? Cacisa.
5 Nanku umbuzo onokubuzwa: Wayecinga ngantoni uPawulos xa wathi “mnye owamkelayo umvuzo”? Njengoko kuphawuliwe naphambilana, wayengathethi ukuba phakathi kwabo bonke abaqalise kugqatso lobomi, ngumntu omnye kuphela oya kufumana umvuzo wobomi obungunaphakade. Ngokucacileyo oko akunakuba njalo, kuba ngokuphindaphindiweyo, wakwenza kwacaca ukuba kukuthanda kukaThixo ukuba zonke iindidi zabantu zifanele zisindiswe. (Roma 5:18; 1 Timoti 2:3, 4; 4:10; Tito 2:11) Wayengathethi ukuba ugqatso lobomi lukhuphiswano athi kulo umntu ngamnye olungeneleleyo azame ukoyisa bonke abanye. AmaKorinte ayesazi kakuhle ukuba umoya onjalo wokhuphiswano wawukho phakathi kwabathabathi-nxaxheba kwiMidlalo YaseIsthmus, ekuthiwa yayixatyiswa ngakumbi kuneMidlalo YeeOlimpiki ngelo xesha. Ngoko, uPawulos wayenantoni engqondweni?
6. Umongo uveza ntoni ngengxubusho kaPawulos ngembaleki nogqatso?
6 Ekucaphuleni kwakhe umzekeliso wembaleki, ngokusisiseko uPawulos wayexubusha ngamathemba akhe osindiso. Kwiindinyana ezandulela leyo, uchaze indlela awasebenza nzima nawazibhokoxa ngayo ngeendlela ezininzi. (1 Korinte 9:19-22) Wandula ke, kwindinyana 23, wathi: “Oko ke ndakwenza ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo, ukuze ndibe lidlelane nabo ngazo.” Wayesazi ukuba usindiso lwakhe lwalungaqinisekiswanga kuba nje wayenyulelwe ukuba ngumpostile okanye kuba wayechithe iminyaka emininzi eshumayela kwabanye. Ukuze abe nesabelo kwiintsikelelo zeendaba ezilungileyo, ufanele aqhubeke enze konke okusemandleni akhe ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo. Ufanele abaleke enosukelo olupheleleyo lokuphumelela, ezibhokoxa ngamandla kanye ngokungathi ebebaleka kugqatso lweenyawo kwiMidlalo YaseIsthmus, apho ‘emnye kuphela ofumana umvuzo.’—1 Korinte 9:24a.
7. Yintoni efunekayo ukuze ‘ubaleke ngokunjalo ukuze uzuze’?
7 Kuninzi esinokukufunda koku. Nangona wonk’ ubani ongenelela olu gqatso efuna ukuphumelela, kuphela ngabo kugqitywe ngokupheleleyo ukuba baphumelele abanalo naliphi na ithemba lokuphumelela. Ngenxa yoko, asifanele sizive sanelisekile kuba nje singenelele olu gqatso. Asifanele sivakalelwe kukuba zonke izinto ziya kusihambela lula kuba ‘sisenyanisweni.’ Sisenokuba negama lokuba ngamaKristu, kodwa ngaba sinayo indlela yokungqina ukuba singamaKristu? Ngokomzekelo, ngaba siyazenza izinto esazi ukuba umKristu ufanele azenze—ukuya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, ukuba nesabelo kwinkonzo yasentsimini, njalo njalo? Ukuba kunjalo, oko kuyancomeka, ibe sifanele sizame ukuzingisa kwimikhwa encomeka ngolo hlobo. Noko ke, ngaba kunokwenzeka ukuba singenelwe ngakumbi koko sikwenzayo? Ngokomzekelo, ngaba sisoloko sikulungele ukunikela okuthile kwiintlanganiso? Ngaba siyazama ukukusebenzisa esikufundayo kubomi bethu? Ngaba sinikela ingqalelo ekuphuculeni ubuchule bethu khon’ ukuze sinikele ubungqina obucokisekileyo phezu kwazo nje iziphazamiso esidibana nazo entsimini? Ngaba sikulungele ukwamkela ucelo mngeni lokubuyela kwabanomdla size siqhube izifundo zeBhayibhile zamakhaya? UPawulos wabongoza: “Balekani ngokunjalo ke, ukuze nizuze.”—1 Korinte 9:24b.
Bonakalisa Ukuzeyisa Ezintweni Zonke
8. Yintoni esenokuba yaqhubela uPawulos ukuba abongoze amaKristu awayekhonza nawo ukuba ‘abe ziingcathu ezintweni zonke’?
8 Ekuphileni kwakhe, uPawulos wayebone abaninzi abaye bathob’ isantya, baphuma ekhondweni, okanye bayeka kugqatso lobomi. (1 Timoti 1:19, 20; Hebhere 2:1) Kungoko wawakhuthaza ngokuphindaphindiweyo amaKristu awayekhonza nawo ukuba ayekukhuphiswano olunzima noluqhubekayo. (Efese 6:12; 1 Timoti 6:12) Wasebenzisa umzekeliso wembaleki waza wongezelela okungakumbi esithi: “Bonke abantu abazamayo, baba ziingcathu [“babonakalisa ukuzeyisa,” NW] ezintweni zonke.” (1 Korinte 9:25a) Xa wayethetha oku, uPawulos wayebhekisela kokuthile amaKristu aseKorinte awayeqhelene nako, uqheliselo olungqongqo olwalusenziwa ngabathabathi-nxaxheba kwiMidlalo YaseIsthmus.
9, 10. (a) Enye incwadi ibachaza njani abathabathi-nxaxheba kwiMidlalo YaseIsthmus? (b) Yintoni efanele iphawulwe ngokukhethekileyo ngale ngcaciso?
9 Nantsi ingcaciso ecacileyo yomthabathi-nxaxheba esenza umthambo:
“Uyazithoba ngolwaneliseko ngaphandle kokukhalaza kwimithetho nemiqathango yoqeqesho lwakhe lweenyanga ezilishumi, abeya kuthi ngaphandle kwalo angalungeneli ukhuphiswano. . . . Unamabhongo ngobunzima, ukudinwa nokuncama kwakhe ezinye izinto okwethutyana, ibe ukugqala kulilungelo ukuphepha ngenyameko nayiphi na into enokuthi ngowona mlinganiselo umncinane iliphelise ithuba lakhe lokuphumelela. Uyawabona amanye amadoda eyekelela ekutyeni kakhulu, ephumla ngoxa yena edinwe okwenja, uwabona engqengqe ebhafini, onwabile; kodwa akawamoneli nakancinane, kuba intliziyo yakhe isemvuzweni, ibe kufuneka enze umthambo onzima. Uyazi ukuba uya kuphulukana namathuba akhe ukuba ngayo nayiphi na indlela okanye ngaso nasiphi na isihlandlo unokuyekelela kuqeqesho olungqongqo.”—IThe Expositor’s Bible, uMqulu V, iphepha 674.
10 Okubangel’ umdla ngokukhethekileyo kukubona ukuba ubani ophantsi koqeqesho “ukugqala kulilungelo” ukulandela inkqubo engqongqo ngolo hlobo yokungazicingeli. Enyanisweni, ‘akabi nawo nakancinane umona’ ngobulula nobutofotofo abona abanye bebunandipha. Ngaba sinokufunda okuthile koku? Eneneni, sinako.
11. Yiyiphi imbono engafanelekanga esifanele sizilinde nxamnye nayo ngoxa sikugqatso lobomi?
11 Khumbula amazwi kaYesu athi “libanzi isango, iphangalele nendlela esa entshabalalweni; baninzi ke abangena ngalo. Ngokuba limxinwa isango, icuthene nendlela, esa ebomini; bambalwa ke abalifumanayo.” (Mateyu 7:13, 14) Njengoko uzama ukuhamba ‘kwindlela ecutheneyo,’ ngaba uba nomona ngenkululeko nobutofotofo ababonakala bebunandipha abo bakwenye indlela? Ngaba uvakalelwa kukuba uyaphoswa zizinto ezithile abanye abazenzayo, ezisenokungabonakali zimbi kangako zona ngokunokwazo? Kulula ngathi ukuba sivakalelwe ngolu hlobo ukuba siyasilela ukugcina engqondweni isizathu sokuba sithabathe eli khondo. UPawulos wathi: “Bona abo ke okunene benzela ukuze bazuze isithsaba esinokonakala; kodwa thina, esingenakonakala.”—1 Korinte 9:25b.
12. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uzuko nodumo abantu abaye balufumana lunjengesithsaba esibunayo esasizuzwa kwiMidlalo YaseIsthmus?
12 Umntu owayephumelele kugqatso kwiMidlalo YaseIsthmus wayefumana isithsaba seentyatyambo zompayina okhula eIsthmus okanye zesinye isityalo esifana nawo, esasithi mhlawumbi kwiintsukwana okanye kwiiveki ezimbalwa sibune. Kambe ke, iimbaleki zazingangeneli ukhuphiswano ukuze zifumane isithsaba esonakalayo kodwa ukuze zifumane uzuko, imbeko nodumo oluhamba naso. Enye incwadi ibonisa ukuba xa ophumeleleyo wayebuyela ekhaya, wayesamkelwa njengegorha eloyisayo. Ngokufuthi kwakudilizwa iindonga zesixeko ukuze umngcelele wakhe udlule, yaye wayesenzelwa imifanekiso eqingqiweyo ukubonakalisa imbeko kuye. Noko ke, phezu kwako konke oku, uzuko lwakhe lwaluseloluphelayo. Namhlanje, bambalwa abantu abasawakhumbulayo loo magorha, ibe ngokwenene inkoliso yabantu ayisawakhathalele. Abo bancama ixesha, amandla, impilo kwanolonwabo lwentsapho ukuze bazuze igunya, udumo nobutyebi ehlabathini, kodwa abangenabo ubutyebi kuThixo, baya kufumanisa ukuba “isithsaba” sabo sezinto eziphathekayo, njengobomi babo, siyadlula.—Mateyu 6:19, 20; Luka 12:16-21.
13. Indlela yobomi yomntu okugqatso lobomi yahluke njani kuleyo yembaleki eqhelekileyo?
13 Abathabathi-nxaxheba kugqatso lweembaleki basenokukulungela ukwamkela iimfuno ezingqongqo zoqheliselo, njengezo zichazwe ngasentla, kodwa okwethutyana elilinganiselweyo. Yakuba nje imidlalo iphelile, babuyela kwindlela eqhelekileyo yobomi. Ngamathub’ athile basenako ukufuna ukuziqeqesha ukuze balondoloze ubuchule babo, kodwa abasalilandeli ikhondo elinye lokuzincama, ubuncinane bade beve ngokhuphiswano olulandelayo. Akunjalo ngabo bakugqatso lobomi. Kubo uqheliselo nokuzincama kufanele kube yindlela yabo yobomi.—1 Timoti 6:6-8.
14, 15. Kutheni umntu onenxaxheba elugqatsweni lobomi efanele ngokuqhubekayo aqhelisele ukuzeyisa?
14 UYesu Kristu wathi kwingqungquthela yabafundi bakhe nabanye: “Osukuba ethanda ukundilandela, makazincame [okanye, “ufanele athi, ‘Hayi’ kuye siqu,” Charles B. Williams], awuthwale [umthi wakhe wentuthumbo, NW], andilandele ke [ngokuqhubekayo, NW].” (Marko 8:34) Xa sisamkela esi simemo, simele sikulungele ukwenjenjalo “ngokuqhubekayo,” kungekuba kukho umvuzo othile okhethekileyo ekuzincameni, kodwa kungenxa yokuba ukungasebenzisi ingqondo ithuba nje elinye, ukuphosa nje kube kanye ekwenzeni ugwebo olulungileyo, kunokukuchitha konke oko kuye kwakhiwa, kude konakalise nempilo yethu yaphakade. Ngokuqhelekileyo inkqubela yokomoya yenziwa ngesantya esiphantsi, kodwa hayi indlela enokonakaliswa ngokukhawuleza ngayo ukuba asiqhubeki siyilinda!
15 Ngokubhekele phaya, uPawulos wabongoza ukuba sifanele siqhelisele ukuzeyisa “ezintweni zonke,” oko kukuthi, kuzo zonke iinkalo zobomi sifanele senjenjalo ngamaxesha onke. Oku kusengqiqweni gqitha kuba ukuba umntu oqeqeshwayo uzifica okanye uzingxala ngezinto ezinqwenelekayo zobomi, kuya kumnceda ngantoni ukuba buhlungu nokudinwa komzimba akunyamezelayo? Ngokufanayo kugqatso lwethu lobomi, sifanele siqhelisele ukuzeyisa ezintweni zonke. Umntu unokuzeyisa kwizinto ezinjengokunxila nohenyuzo, kodwa ukuxabiseka koku kuyaphela ukuba uba nomsindo nochuku. Kodwa kuthekani ukuba uzeka kade umsindo yaye ulungile kwabanye, kodwa ufihla izono ezithile ezinzulu kubomi bakhe? Ukuze ukuzeyisa kube yingenelo ngokuzeleyo, kumelwe kubonakaliswe “kwinto yonke.”—Thelekisa uYakobi 2:10, 11.
Baleka ‘Ungangi Akuqondi’
16. Kuthetha ntoni ukubaleka ‘ngokungangi akuqondi’?
16 Ebona imigudu enzima efunekayo ukuze umntu aphumelele kugqatso lobomi, uPawulos waqhubeka esithi: “Mna ke ngoko ndenjenjalo ukubaleka, ndingangi andiqondi; ndenjenjalo ukugalela ngenqindi, ndingangi ndibetha umoya.” (1 Korinte 9:26) Igama elithi ‘ukungaqondi’ ngokoqobo lithetha ‘ngokungabonakaliyo’ (Kingdom Interlinear), “ungaqwalaselwanga, ungaphawulwanga” (Lange’s Commentary). Ngenxa yoko, ukubaleka ‘ngokungangi akuqondi’ kuthetha ukuba kumntu wonke obukeleyo kufanele kucace mhlophe apho imbaleki iya khona. IThe Anchor Bible iguqulela eli gama ngokuthi “ukungabaleki usenza amagosogoso endleleni.” Ukuba ubona imikhondo yeenyawo ezimbini ejikajikayo isehla inyuka elunxwemeni, usajongile njalo ubone isenza isangqa apha naphaya, ize iphathe kubuya umva, kunganzima ukuba ucinge ukuba loo mntu ebebaleka kwaukubaleka, kungasathethwa ke ngokuba ebezazi kakuhle apho ebesiya khona. Kodwa ukuba ububona imikhondo yeenyawo ezimbini eyenza umgca omde othe tse, umkhondo ngamnye wonyawo ungaphambi komnye yaye yonke inezithuba ezilinganayo phakathi kwayo, ubunokugqiba kwelokuba loo mikhondo yeyomntu owazi kakuhle apho aya khona.
17. (a) UPawulos wabonisa njani ukuba wayengabaleki ‘ngokunga akaqondi’? (b) Sinokumxelisa njani uPawulos kule nkalo?
17 Ubomi bukaPawulos bubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba wayengabaleki ‘ngokunga akaqondi.’ Wayenobungqina obucacileyo bokungqina ukuba wayengumlungiseleli nompostile ongumKristu. Wayenosukelo olunye kuphela, yaye wazibhokoxa ngamandla kubo bonke ubomi bakhe ukuze aluzuze. Akazange akhutshwe ecaleni ludumo, amandla, ubutyebi okanye ubunewunewu, nangona mhlawumbi wayenokufumana nayiphi na into kwezi. (IZenzo 20:24; 1 Korinte 9:2; 2 Korinte 3:2, 3; Filipi 3:8, 13, 14) Njengoko ukhangela emva kubomi bakho, luhlobo olunjani lomkhondo olubonayo? Ngaba ubona umgca othe tse nobonakala ngokucacileyo apho uya khona okanye lowo uhla unyuka ngaphandle kwenjongo? Ngaba bukho ubungqina bokuba uthabath’ inxaxheba kugqatso lobomi? Khumbula, sikolu gqatso, ingekuko kuba sikhapha abayayo, ngokungathi kunjalo, kodwa sikulo ukuze sifike entanjeni.
18. (a) Yintoni enokufaniswa ‘nokubetha kwethu umoya’? (b) Kutheni elo ilikhondo eliyingozi ukulilandela?
18 Efanisa oko nomnye umdlalo, ngokubhekele phaya uPawulos wathi: “Ndenjenjalo ukugalela ngenqindi, ndingangi ndibetha umoya.” (1 Korinte 9:26b) Kugqatso lwethu lobomi, sineentshaba ezininzi, kuquka uSathana, ihlabathi nokungafezeki kwethu. Njengembethi-manqindi yamandulo, sifanele sibe nokuzingqula phantsi ngenqindi elinamandla. Okuvuyisayo kukuba uYehova uThixo uyasiqeqesha yaye uyasinceda kulo mlo. Ulungiselela imiyalelo eseLizwini lakhe, kwiimpapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni nakwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. Noko ke, ukuba siyayifunda iBhayibhile neempapasho size siye kwiintlanganiso kodwa singakusebenzisi esikufundayo, ngaba asiziqobi nje amandla, ‘sibetha umoya’? Ukwenjenjalo kusibeka engozini enkulu. Sicinga ukuba sisemlweni size ngaloo ndlela sibe nemvakalelo ephosakeleyo yonqabiseko, kodwa asizoyisi iintshaba zethu. Kungoko umfundi uYakobi walulekayo: “Yibani ke ngabenzi belizwi, ningabi ngabaphulaphuli [kuphela], nizidephisela.” Kanye njengokuba ‘ukubetha umoya’ kungayi kuzenza nto iintshaba zethu, nokuba “ngabaphulaphuli kuphela” akuqinisekisi ukuba senza ukuthanda kukaThixo.—Yakobi 1:22; 1 Samuweli 15:22; Mateyu 7:24, 25.
19. Sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba asibi ngabalahlelwa phandle?
19 Ekugqibeleni, uPawulos wasixelela imfihlelo yokuphumelela kwakhe: “Ndisuka ndiwuqobe umzimba wam, ndiwuxinzelele phantsi, hleze ndithi, ndakuba ndizivakalisile iindaba ezilungileyo kwabanye, ndibe mna ndingumlahlelwa phandle.” (1 Korinte 9:27) NjengoPawulos, nathi sifanele sizuze ukuyilawula inyama yethu engafezekanga kunokuyivumela ukuba isilawule. Sifanele silulahle kude utyekelo, izilangazelelo neenkanuko zenyama. (Roma 8:5-8; Yakobi 1:14, 15) Ukwenjenjalo kunokuba buhlungu, ekubeni igama eliguqulelwe ngokuthi ‘ukuqoba’ ngokoqobo lithetha ‘ukuntlitha ngaphantsi kweliso’ (Kingdom Interlinear). Noko ke, ngaba akulunganga ngakumbi kusini na ukudumba iliso, ngokungathi kunjalo, uze uphile kunokunikezela kwiminqweno yenyama ebuthathaka uze ufe?—Thelekisa uMateyu 5:28, 29; 18:9; 1 Yohane 2:15-17.
20. Kutheni ngoku kungxamiseke ngokukhethekileyo ukuhlolisisa indlela esibaleka ngayo kugqatso lobomi?
20 Namhlanje, sisondele entanjeni yogqatso. Lisemnyango ixesha lokukhutshwa kwemivuzo. AmaKristu athanjisiweyo aya kufumana “umvuzo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaThixo kuKristu Yesu.” (Filipi 3:14) Abo besihlwele esikhulu baya kufumana ubomi obungunaphakade kwiparadisi esemhlabeni. Ngenxa yokuninzi okuphambi kwethu, masenze isigqibo, njengoko wenzayo uPawulos, sokuba ‘asiyi kuba ngabalahlelwa phandle.’ Wanga ngamnye wethu angawunikel’ ingqalelo umyalelo othi: ‘Balekani ngokunjalo ke, ukuze niwuzuze.’—1 Korinte 9:24, 27.
Uyakhumbula Na?
◻ Kutheni kufanelekile ukuthelekisa ubomi bomKristu nogqatso?
◻ Ugqatso lobomi lwahluke njani kugqatso lweenyawo?
◻ Kutheni sifanele siqhubeke siqhelisela ukuzeyisa ‘ezintweni zonke’?
◻ Umntu ubaleka njani ‘ngokungangi akaqondi’?
◻ Kutheni ‘ukubetha umoya’ kuyingozi nje?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Isithsaba seentyatyambo, kuquka uzuko nembeko intshatsheli eyifumanayo, siyabuna