“Balekani Ngendlela Yokuba Niwufumane”

“Balekani ngendlela yokuba niwufumane.”—1 KOR. 9:24.

1, 2. (a) Wasebenzisa ntoni uPawulos ukukhuthaza amaKristu angamaHebhere? (b) Babongozwa ukuba benze ntoni abakhonzi bakaThixo?

KWINCWADI yakhe awayibhalela amaHebhere, umpostile uPawulos wasebenzisa umzekeliso onamandla ukuze akhuthaze amanye amaKristu. Wawakhumbuza ukuba akawodwa kolu gqatso lobomi. Ayengqongwe ‘lilifu elikhulu lamangqina,’ elalilugqibe ngempumelelo ugqatso. Ukwazi izenzo zokholo nemigudu yezo mbaleki kwakuya kuwomeleza amaKristu angamaHebhere ukuba atyhalele phambili nokuze angoyisakali elugqatsweni.

² Kwinqaku elandulela eli, sixubushe ngekhondo lobomi labantu abaliqela abayinxalenye ‘yelifu elikhulu lamangqina.’ Bonke babonisa ukuba bancedwa kukuba nokholo olungagungqiyo ukuze bahlale benyanisekile kuThixo, ngokungathi bebetyhalela phambili ngokuzimisela ukuya kufika entanjeni. Sinokufunda okuthile kwimpumelelo yabo. Njengoko kuphawuliwe kwelo nqaku, uPawulos wabongoza abazalwana bakhe kuquka nathi, esithi: “Masithi nathi sibothule bonke ubunzima nesono esisithandela ngokulula, yaye masilubaleke ngonyamezelo ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu.”—Heb. 12:1.

 3. Yayiyintoni ingongoma yesiluleko sikaPawulos xa wabhekisela kwiimbaleki zamaGrike?

³ Ngokuphathelele ugqatso lokubaleka ngeenyawo, olusesinye sezihlandlo ezithandwayo ziimbaleki, incwadi ethi Backgrounds of Early Christianity isixelela ukuba “amaGrike ayeqhelisela aze akhuphisane elugqatsweni ehamba ze.”a Kwiimeko ezinjalo, iimbaleki zazikhulula zilahle kude nabuphi na ubunzima okanye uxanduva olwaluza kuzisinda endleleni. Nangona singenakuzincoma ngelo hlazo lazo nokungafaneleki, zazibaleka ngaloo ndlela zinenjongo enye yokufumana umvuzo. UPawulos wayesithi ukuze zifumane umvuzo kugqatso lobomi, kubalulekile ukuba iimbaleki zisuse naziphi na iziphazamiso. Esi yayisisiluleko esiphilileyo kumaKristu amandulo, yaye sisenjalo nakuthi namhlanje. Bubuphi ubunzima okanye uxanduva olunokusenza singawufumani umvuzo kugqatso lobomi?

‘Masibothule Bonke Ubunzima’

 4. Yintoni eyayixakekise abantu bemihla kaNowa?

⁴ UPawulos waluleka ngelithi ‘masibothule bonke ubunzima.’ Oko kuquka yonke into esenokusiphazamisa singanikeli ngqalelo ipheleleyo size singenzi konke okusemandleni ethu kolu gqatso silubalekayo. Ziintoni ezisenokuba bubunzima? Xa sicinga ngoNowa—omnye wemizekelo awathetha ngayo uPawulos—sikhumbula amazwi kaYesu athi: “Kanye njengoko kwenzekayo ngemihla kaNowa, kuya kuba njalo nangemihla yoNyana womntu.” (Luka 17:26) UYesu wayengathethi ngentshabalalo eyayiza kufika; kodwa wayethetha ngendlela abantu ababephila ngayo. (Funda uMateyu 24:37-39.) Uninzi lwabantu bemihla kaNowa aluzange lubonise mdla kuThixo, singasathethi ke ngokuzama ukumkholisa. Yintoni eyayibaphazamisa? Kwakungekho nto itheni. Babesidla, besela yaye betshata—izinto eziqhelekileyo zobomi. Njengoko uYesu watshoyo, eyona ngxaki yayikukuba “abazange banikele ngqalelo.”

 5. Yintoni enokusinceda silugqibe ngempumelelo ugqatso?

⁵ NjengoNowa nentsapho yakhe, sinomsebenzi omninzi esimele siwenze yonke imihla. Simele siziphilise size sinyamekele thina neentsapho zethu. Oko kunokusityela ixesha elininzi, amandla nezinto esinazo. Ingakumbi kula maxesha anoqoqosho oludodobeleyo, kunokuba lula ukuzixhalabisa ngezinto zobomi. NjengamaKristu azahluleleyo, sikwanazo neembopheleleko zenkonzo ezibalulekileyo. Siya entsimini, silungiselela size siye ezintlanganisweni zamaKristu, yaye someleza ulwalamano lwethu noThixo ngesifundo sobuqu nonqulo lwentsapho. Kuzo zonke izinto uNowa awayemele azenze enkonzweni kaThixo, “wenza kanye njengoko.” (Gen. 6:22) Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukungazisindi ngezinto ezininzi nokukuphepha ukuzithwalisa uxanduva kubalulekile ukuze silubaleke ugqatso lwamaKristu siye kufika entanjeni.

6, 7. Sisiphi isiluleko sikaYesu esifanele sihlale sicinga ngaso?

⁶ Wayethetha ukuthini uPawulos xa wathi masothule “bonke ubunzima”? Ewe kona, asinakuziphepha zonke iimbopheleleko esinazo. Kule nkalo, cinga ngamazwi kaYesu athi: “Musani ke ukuxhala nisithi, ‘Siza kudla ntoni na?’ okanye, ‘Siza kusela ntoni na?’ okanye, ‘Siza kunxiba ntoni na?’ Kuba zonke ezi zizinto iintlanga ezizisukela ngentumekelelo. Kuba uYihlo osemazulwini uyazi ukuba ziyimfuneko kuni zonke ezi zinto.” (Mat. 6:31, 32) Amazwi kaYesu abonisa ukuba nezinto ezigqalwa njengeziqhelekileyo njengokutya nempahla yokunxiba zinokuba luxanduva okanye isikhubekiso ukuba azibekwa kwindawo yazo efanelekileyo.

⁷ Nikela ingqalelo kula mazwi kaYesu: “UYihlo osemazulwini uyazi ukuba ziyimfuneko kuni zonke ezi zinto.” Oku kubonisa ukuba uBawo wethu wasezulwini, uYehova, uya kwenza inxalenye yakhe ukuze anyamekele iimfuno zethu. Ngokuqinisekileyo, “zonke ezi zinto” zinokwahluka kwizinto esidla ngokuzithanda okanye sizifune. Sekunjalo, sixelelwa ukuba singazixhalabisi ‘ngezinto iintlanga ezizisukela ngentumekelelo.’ Ngoba? Kamva uYesu wacebisa abaphulaphuli bakhe esithi: “Zilumkeleni ukuba iintliziyo zenu zingaze zisindwe kukuzingxala ngokutya nokusela kakhulu nangamaxhala obomi, ize ngequbuliso loo mini inifikele ngephanyazo.”—Luka 21:34, 35.

 8. Kutheni ngoku kulelona xesha ‘lokothula bonke ubunzima’?

⁸ Sekumbovu ukuba sifike entanjeni. Kunokuba lusizi gqitha ukuba sinokuzivumela sisindwe yimithwalo engeyomfuneko enokusiphazamisa xa kanye sifika esiphelweni! Ngoko ke, esi siluleko sikampostile uPawulos sesobulumko ngokwenene: “Uzinikelo lobuthixo kunye nokwanela, kuyinzuzo enkulu.” (1 Tim. 6:6) Ukusebenzisa isiluleko sikaPawulos kuya kuwaphucula gqitha amathuba esinawo okufumana umvuzo.

‘Isono Esisithandela Ngokulula’

9, 10. (a) Libhekisela entwenini ibinzana elithi ‘isono esisithandela ngokulula’? (b) Kunokwenzeka njani ukuba sithandeleke?

⁹ Ukongezelela kubo “bonke ubunzima,” uPawulos wakhankanya nokothula ‘isono esisithandela ngokulula.’ Inokuba yintoni leyo? Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “esisithandela ngokulula” livela kube kanye eBhayibhileni, kule ndinyana. Umphengululi uAlbert Barnes wathi: “Njengoko imbaleki ibiya kukulumkela ukuzithi wambu ngesambatho ebesiya kuyibhijela imilenze ngoxa ibaleka, size siyibalekise kakubi, ngoko kufanele kube njalo nangomKristu, ofanele yena ngokukhethekileyo azibekele kude izinto ezifana neso sambatho.” Yiyiphi indlela umKristu anokuthandeleka ngayo, nto leyo enokulwenza buthathaka ukholo lwakhe?

¹⁰ UmKristu akanakuphelelwa lukholo ngosuku nje olunye. Oko kunokwenzeka ngokuthe ngcembe, kanti engaqondanga. Ngaphambilana kwincwadi yakhe, uPawulos walumkisa ngengozi ‘yokukhukuliseka’ neyokuba “nentliziyo engendawo eswele ukholo.” (Heb. 2:1; 3:12) Xa imilenze yembaleki ithandelwa sisambatho sayo, isenokungakwazi ukukuphepha ukuwa. Maninzi amathuba okuba imbaleki ithandeleke ngokulula xa iyibetha ngoyaba ingozi yokunxiba impahla ethile ngoxa ibaleka. Yintoni enokubangela ukuba iyibethe ngoyaba loo ngozi? Mhlawumbi ukungakhathali okanye ukuzithemba ngokugqith’ emgceni okanye ukuphazanyiswa yinto ethile. Sifunda ntoni kwisiluleko sikaPawulos?

11. Yintoni enokusibangela ukuba siphelelwe lukholo?

¹¹ Sifanele sihlale sikhumbula ukuba ukuphelelwa lukholo kunokuba ngumphumo wento ethathe ixesha isenzeka. Ngokuphathelele ‘isono esisithandela ngokulula,’ omnye umphengululi uphawula ukuba “sisono esinokusibambisa ngokulula, ngenxa yeemeko esikuzo, indlela esiyiyo, nabantu esinxulumana nabo.” Ingongoma kukuba imeko esiphila kuyo, ubuthathaka esinabo nabantu esinxulumana nabo banokuba nempembelelo enamandla kuthi. Zonke ezo zinto zinokulwenza buthathaka ukholo lwethu okanye ziluphelise.—Mat. 13:3-9.

12. Ziziphi izinto esifanele sizikhumbule ukuze singaphelelwa lukholo?

¹² Ukutyhubela iminyaka, ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi belisoloko lisikhumbuza ukuba sizilumkele izinto esizibukelayo nesiziphulaphulayo, oko kukuthi, izinto esibeka iintliziyo neengqondo zethu kuzo. Siye salunyukiswa ngengozi yokusukela imali nezinto eziphathekayo. Sinokukhukuliswa bubukhazikhazi bezinto zokuzonwabisa nezinto eziphathekayo ezintsha nezingaphele ndawo. Kungaba yimpazamo enkulu ukucinga ukuba eso siluleko singqongqo ngokugqithiseleyo okanye sibhekisela kuphela kwabanye abantu, ngoxa thina kusenokwenzeka ukuba sisesichengeni sezo ngozi. Ihlabathi likaSathana libeka izinto esingenakuziqonda neziyinkohliso kwindlela yethu. Ukungakhathali, ukuzithemba ngokugqith’ emgceni neziphazamiso ziye zabawisa abanye abantu, yaye izinto ezinjalo zinokulichaphazela ithemba lethu lokufumana umvuzo wobomi.—1 Yoh. 2:15-17.

13. Sinokuzikhusela njani kwiimpembelelo eziyingozi?

¹³ Yonke imihla, siphila nabantu abakhuthaza usukelo, nendlela yokucinga yehlabathi esikulo. (Funda eyabase-Efese 2:1, 2.) Nangona kunjalo, umlinganiselo esichaphazeleka ngawo uxhomekeka ubukhulu becala kuthi, kwindlela esisabela ngayo kwezo mpembelelo. ‘Umoya’ uPawulos awathetha ngawo ungumbandela wokufa nokuphila. Sifanele ngalo lonke ixesha silumke ukuba singaminxeki okanye sife isiqaqa, size ngaloo ndlela singalugqibi ugqatso. Yintoni enokusinceda sihlale elugqatsweni de siye kufika entanjeni? UYesu uyimbaleki egqibeleleyo esikhokelayo. (Heb. 12:2) Sinawo nomzekelo kaPawulos, kuba naye wazibala phakathi kweembaleki ezikugqatso lwamaKristu waza wabongoza amanye amakholwa ukuba amxelise.—1 Kor. 11:1; Fil. 3:14.

‘Ninokuwufumana’—Njani?

14. UPawulos wayijonga njani inxalenye awayenayo elugqatsweni?

¹⁴ UPawulos wayeyijonga njani inxalenye awayenayo elugqatsweni? Kwincwadi yakhe yokugqibela eyayisiya kubadala base-Efese, wathi: “Andiwugqali njengothandekayo kum umphefumlo wam, ukuba nje kuphela ndinokuligqiba ikhondo lam nobulungiseleli endabamkelayo beNkosi uYesu.” (IZe. 20:24) Wayekulungele ukuncama yonke into, kuquka nobomi bakhe, ukuze alugqibe ugqatso. UPawulos wayevakalelwa kukuba yonke imigudu nokusebenza kwakhe nzima ngokuphathelele iindaba ezilungileyo kwakunokuba lilize ukuba wayenokungalugqibi ugqatso. Sekunjalo, akazange azingomb’ isifuba ngelithi akukho nto iya kumbangela ukuba angaluphumeleli ugqatso. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 3:12, 13.) Kuphela kungasekupheleni kobomi bakhe, awathi ngomlinganiselo othile wokuzithemba: “Ndiwulwile umlo omhle, ugqatso ndilubaleke kwada kwasa ekugqibeleni, ukholo ndilugcinile.”—2 Tim. 4:7.

15. UPawulos wazikhuthaza wathini ezinye iimbaleki elugqatsweni?

¹⁵ Ukongezelela, uPawulos wayenomnqweno onamandla wokubona amanye amaKristu eluphumelela ugqatso yaye engoyisakali endleleni. Ngokomzekelo, wabongoza amaKristu aseFilipi ukuba alusebenzele nzima usindiso lwawo. Kwakufuneka ahlale ‘ebambelele ngokuqinileyo kwilizwi lobomi.’ Waqhubeka wathi: “Ukuze ndibe nesizathu sokugcoba ngemini kaKristu, ngokuba ndingabalekelanga ilize okanye ndasebenza nzima ngokulilize.” (Fil. 2:16) Ngokufanayo, wabongoza amaKristu aseKorinte esithi: “Balekani ngendlela yokuba niwufumane [umvuzo].”—1 Kor. 9:24.

16. Kutheni usukelo, okanye umvuzo ufanele uhlale uthe thaa ezingqondweni zethu?

¹⁶ Ekuqaleni kogqatso olude, intambo ayibonakali. Sekunjalo, kulo lonke ugqatso, imbaleki itsolisa amehlo ayo entanjeni. Ikwenza nangakumbi oko xa isazi ukuba sele kumbovu ifikelele usukelo lwayo. Kufanele kube njalo nakugqatso lwethu. Usukelo, okanye umvuzo, ufanele ube yinto yenene kuthi. Loo nto iya kusinceda siwufumane.

17. Lubandakanyeke njani ukholo ekutsoliseni amehlo emvuzweni?

¹⁷ UPawulos wathi: “Ukholo lululindelo oluqinisekisiweyo lwezinto ezithenjiweyo, ubungqina obucacileyo bezinto zokwenene nangona zingabonwa.” (Heb. 11:1) UAbraham noSara babekulungele ukushiya ngasemva ubomi obutofotofo baze baphile njengabantu ‘basemzini nabemi bokwexeshana elizweni elo.’ Yintoni eyabancedayo? ‘Bayibona isekude inzaliseko yezithembiso zikaThixo .’ UMoses wakugatya ‘ukuziyolisa ngesono okwexeshana’ “nobuncwane baseYiputa.” Wayeluthatha phi ukholo namandla okwenza loo nto? ‘Wakhangela ngenyameko emvuzweni.’ (Heb. 11:8-13, 24-26) Kuyaqondakala ke ukuba uPawulos athi xa echaza ngamnye kwaba bantu, atshayelele ngebinzana elithi “ngokholo.” Ukholo lwawanceda ajonga ngaphaya kweemvavanyo nobunzima awayenabo aza abona oko uThixo wayewalungiselele kona.

18. Ngawaphi amanyathelo esinokuwathatha ukuze sothule ‘isono esisithandela ngokulula’?

¹⁸ Ngokucamngca ngamadoda nabafazi bokholo abachazwe kumaHebhere isahluko 11 nokuxelisa umzekelo wabo, sinokuhlakulela ukholo size sothule ‘isono esisithandela ngokulula.’ (Heb. 12:1) Kwakhona, ‘sinokunyamekelana, sivuselelane eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle’ ngokuhlanganisana nabantu abahlakulela ukholo olunjalo.—Heb. 10:24.

19. Uvakalelwa njani ngesibakala sokuba ufanele uhlale utsolise amehlo emvuzweni?

¹⁹ Sesisemgubasini wesiphelo sogqatso lwethu. Ngokungathi kunjalo sele siyibona intambo. Ngokholo nangoncedo lukaYehova, nathi ‘sinokothula bonke ubunzima nesono esisithandela ngokulula.’ Ewe, sinokubaleka ngendlela yokuba siwufumane umvuzo—iintsikelelo esizithenjiswe nguThixo noBawo wethu, uYehova.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Ngaba Uyakhumbula?

• Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekothuleni “bonke ubunzima”?

• Yintoni enokubangela umKristu aphelelwe lukholo?

• Kutheni sifanele sitsolise amehlo emvuzweni?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

Siyintoni ‘isono esisithandela ngokulula,’ yaye sinokusithandela njani?