“Balekani Ngendlela Yokuba Niwufumane”

KHAWUBE nomfanekiso ngqondweni wakho ukwibala lemidlalo elizaliswe ngabantu abanemincili. Abadlali bangena ebaleni. Isihlwele siyakhwaza njengoko kuvela amaqhawe aso. Kukho neejaji ukuze zibone ukuba umthetho uyalandelwa. Njengoko olu khuphiswano luqhubeka, abanye bayakhwaza ngenxa yempumelelo ukanti abanye bayakhala ngenxa yokudana. Iindwendwe zihlangatyezwa yintswahla yokuqhwatywa kwezandla!

Uze kwezemidlalo, kungekhona ezale mihla, kodwa kuleyo yayidlalwa kwiminyaka engama-2 000 eyadlulayo eIsthmus eKorinte. Qho emva kweminyaka emibini ukususela kwinkulungwane yesithandathu ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo ukusa kwinkulungwane yesine yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, kwakubakho iMidlalo edumileyo yaseIsthmus. Kangangeentsuku ezininzi esi siganeko sasithimba ingqalelo yabantu abaninzi baseGrisi. Le midlalo yayingelokhuphiswano nje lweembaleki. Abadlali babefuzisela ukulungela kwabo umkhosi. Abaphumeleleyo—ababenqulwa njengamaqhawe—babefumana izithsaba ezenziwe ngamagqabi omthi. Babenikwa izipho, yaye isixeko sasibanika umhlala-phantsi wobomi babo bonke.

Umpostile uPawulos wayeqhelene neMidlalo yaseIsthmus kufuphi neKorinte yaye wathelekisa ubomi bomKristu nokhuphiswano lweembaleki. Ngokuthetha ngeembaleki, abadlali bewrestling, nabadlali bamanqindi, wayicacisa kakuhle imivuzo yoqeqesho olufanelekileyo, imigudu eyaneleyo nonyamezelo. Kakade ke, namaKristu awayewabhalela ayeyazi le midlalo. Akuthandabuzeki ukuba abanye babekhe baphakathi kwesihlwele esingxolayo kwibala lemidlalo. Ngoko ke babeyiqonda kakuhle imizekeliso kaPawulos. Kuthekani ngathi namhlanje? Nathi siselugqatsweni—lobomi obungunaphakade. Sinokungenelwa njani ngokubhekisela kukaPawulos kolo khuphiswano?

‘Ukuthobela Imigaqo Yogqatso’

Abo babeza kungenela imidlalo yamandulo babebekelwa imigaqo engqongqo kakhulu. Umthunywa wayemisa mbaleki nganye phambi kwababukeli aze akhwaze athi: ‘Ngaba ukho nabani na onokumangalela le ndoda ngolwaphulo-mthetho? Ngaba ingumphangi okanye ingongendawo, yaye ngaba iqaqadekile okanye ayinasimilo?’ Ngokutsho kweArchaeologia Graeca, “akukho mntu owayesisaphuli-mthetho esidumileyo, okanye owayesenza izinto [ezifana] nezo, owayevunyelwa ukungenela ukhuphiswano.” Yaye lowo waphule imigaqo kule midlalo wayekhutshwa kolu khuphiswano.

Esi sibakala sisinceda siqonde oko uPawulos wakuthethayo: “Nabani na ongenela ezemidlalo, akathweswa sithsaba ngaphandle kokuba uthobela imigaqo.” (2 Timoti 2:5) Ngokufanayo, ukuze sibaleke kugqatso lobomi, simele senze oko kufunwa nguYehova, senze ngokuvisisana nemigaqo yakhe ephakamileyo yokuziphatha njengoko ibhalwe eBhayibhileni. Noko ke, iBhayibhile iyasilumkisa: “Intliziyo yomntu ityekele ebubini kwasebutsheni bakhe.” (Genesis 8:21) Ngaloo ndlela, nasemva kokungenela olu gqatso, simele sikuphaphele ukuqhubeka sibaleka ngokuvisisana nemigaqo ukuze sihlale simkholisa uYehova size sifumane ubomi obungunaphakade.

Eyona nto isincedayo ukuba senjenjalo kukuba nothando ngoThixo. (Marko 12:29-31) Uthando olunjalo luya kusinceda sifune ukumkholisa uYehova size senze ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kwakhe.—1 Yohane 5:3.

“Sibothule Bonke Ubunzima”

Kwimidlalo yamandulo, iimbaleki zazingasindwa ziimpahla okanye izixhobo. Incwadi ethi The Life of the Greeks and Romans ithi: “Kugqatso lokubaleka, . . . aba bakhuphisanayo babedla ngokubaleka behamba ze.” Ukunganxibi mpahla kwakusenza iimbaleki zibe namendu, zibaleke ngokulula nangobuchule. Zazingaziqobi amandla ngobunzima obungeyomfuneko. Kuyabonakala ukuba uPawulos wayecinga ngoku xa wabhalela amaKristu angamaHebhere: “Masithi nathi sibothule bonke ubunzima . . . , yaye masilubaleke ngonyamezelo ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu.”—Hebhere 12:1.

Hlobo luni lobunzima olunokusithintela kugqatso lobomi? Olunye inokuba ngumnqweno wokuqokelela izinto eziphathekayo ezingeyomfuneko okanye ukuphila ubomi obukumgangatho ophezulu. Abanye banokukhangela kubutyebi ukuze banqabiseke okanye babubone njengomthombo wolonwabo. “Ubunzima” obusinda ngolo hlobo bunokwenza imbaleki ithob’ isantya de ekugqibeleni, uThixo angabaluleki kangako kuyo. (Luka 12:16-21) Ubomi obungunaphakade bunokubonakala bulithemba elikude. Umntu usenokuqiqa ngelithi, ‘ihlabathi elitsha liya kufika ngenye imini, kodwa okwangoku sinokuzixhakamfula izinto zeli hlabathi.’ (1 Timoti 6:17-19) Imbono enjalo ngezinto eziphathekayo inokumphazamisa ngokulula ubani kugqatso lobomi okanye imthintele ukuba angaluqali kwaukuluqala.

KwiNtshumayelo yaseNtabeni, uYesu wathi: “Akukho bani unokukhonza iinkosi ezimbini; kuba usenokuyithiya enye aze ayithande enye, okanye anamathele kwenye aze ayidele enye. Aninakukhonza uThixo nobuTyebi.” Waza ke emva kokuchaza indlela uYehova azinyamekela ngayo iimfuno zezilwanyana nezityalo nokuthi abantu baxabiseke ngakumbi kunazo, wabongoza esithi: “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. Qhubekani, ke ngoko, nifuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bakhe, yaye zonke ezinye izinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.”—Mateyu 6:24-33.

“Masilubaleke Ngonyamezelo”

Ugqatso lweembaleki zamandulo lwalungengomganyana nje omfutshane lonke. Olunye ugqatso, olwalubizwa ngokuba yidoʹli·khos, lwaluba ziikhilomitha ezine. Lwalufuna amandla nonyamezelo. Ngokutsho kwembali, ngowama-328 B.C.E., imbaleki egama linguAgeas, emva kokuphumelela kolu gqatso, yabaleka yaya kwisixeko sakowayo, eArgos, iye kuchaza ngoloyiso lwayo. Ngaloo mini, yabaleka malunga neekhilomitha ezili-110!

Ugqatso lwamaKristu nalo lungumgama omde ofuna unyamezelo. Ukuze simkholise uYehova size sifumane ibhaso lobomi obungunaphakade sifanele sinyamezele kolu gqatso de kube sekupheleni. UPawulos wabaleka ngolo hlobo kolu gqatso. Ngasekupheleni kobomi bakhe, wakwazi ukuthi: “Ndiwulwile umlo omhle, ugqatso ndilubaleke kwada kwesa ekugqibeleni, ukholo ndilugcinile. Ngoko ke ndibekelwe isithsaba sobulungisa.” (2 Timoti 4:7, 8) NjengoPawulos, sifanele sibaleke ‘kude kuse ekugqibeleni.’ Ukuba siyayeka ukunyamezela ngenxa nje yokuba olu gqatso lulude kunokuba sasilindele ekuqaleni, asisokuze siwufumane umvuzo wethu. (Hebhere 11:6) Hayi indlela ekuya kuba buhlungu ngayo oko, ekubeni sisondele kangaka esiphelweni!

Umvuzo

Abaphumeleleyo kukhuphiswano lweembaleki lwamandulo lwamaGrike babenikwa izithsaba ezenziwe ngamagqabi emithi yaye zazihonjiswa ngeentyatyambo. KwiMidlalo kaPythian, abaphumeleleyo babefumana isithsaba selaurel. KwiMidlalo yeOlimpiki babefumana izithsaba zamagqabi asendle omnquma, ngoxa kwiMidlalo yaseIsthmus babenikwa izithsaba ezenziwe ngompayina. Omnye umphengululi weBhayibhile uthi: “Ukuze kuvuselelwe ihlombe kwaba bakhuphisanayo, ebudeni bokhuphiswano kwakubekwa izithsaba, imivuzo yoloyiso, namasebe osundu, phezu kwesixhaso esinemilenze emithathu, okanye phezu kwetafile, kwibala lemidlalo, phambi kwaba bakhuphisanayo.” Kulowo uphumeleleyo, ukunxiba isithsaba kwakuluphawu lwentlonelo enkulu. Xa ebuyela ekhaya, wayengena esixekweni ekhwele inqwelo yoloyiso.

Enoku engqondweni, uPawulos wabuza abaseKorinte ababeza kufunda incwadi yakhe: “Anazi na ukuba iimbaleki elugqatsweni zibaleka zonke, kodwa inye kuphela eyamkela umvuzo? Balekani ngendlela yokuba niwufumane. . . . Kambe ke, bona benjenjalo ukuze bafumane isithsaba esinokonakala, kodwa thina eso singenakonakala.” (1 Korinte 9:24, 25; 1 Petros 1:3, 4) Onjani wona umahluko! Ngokungafaniyo nezithsaba zemidlalo yamandulo ezaziphelelwa, umvuzo wabo babaleka kugqatso lobomi kude kuse ekugqibeleni awusayi kuze wonakale.

Ngokuphathelele esi sithsaba sihle ngakumbi, umpostile uPetros wabhala: “Uya kuthi ke akubonakaliswa umalusi oyintloko, namkele isithsaba esingambatshiyo sozuko.” (1 Petros 5:4) Ngaba kukho mvuzo onokufunyanwa kweli hlabathi unokuthelekiswa nokungafi, umvuzo wobomi obungenakonakala kuzuko lwasezulwini noKristu?

Namhlanje, inkoliso yeembaleki ezingamaKristu azithanjiswanga nguThixo ukuze zibe ngoonyana bakhe bokomoya yaye azinathemba lasezulwini. Azibaleki ngenjongo yokufumana umvuzo wokungafi. Noko ke, uThixo ukwabeke phambi kwazo umvuzo ongenakuthelekiswa nanto. Bubomi obungunaphakade emfezekweni kwihlabathi eliyiparadesi phantsi koBukumkani bamazulu. Nokuba imbaleki engumKristu ikhangele kuwuphi na umvuzo, ifanele ibaleke ngozimiselo nangamandla amakhulu ukudlula nayiphi na imbaleki ekukhuphiswano lweembaleki. Ngoba? Kuba umvuzo awusayi kuze uphelelwe: “Into awasithembisa yona, bubomi obungunaphakade.”—1 Yohane 2:25.

Xa kubekwe loo mvuzo ungenakuthelekiswa nanto phambi kwembaleki engumKristu, ifanele izijonge njani izihendo zeli hlabathi? Ifanele izijonge ngendlela awazijonga ngayo uPawulos, owathi: “Ndikwazigqala zonke izinto ziyilahleko ngenxa yexabiso eligqwesileyo lolwazi olungoKristu Yesu iNkosi yam. Ngenxa yakhe ndiye ndalahlekelwa zizinto zonke yaye ndizigqala njengenkunkuma eninzi.” Evisisana noku, hayi indlela awabaleka ngamandla ngayo uPawulos! “Bazalwana, andizigqali njengosele ekuzuzile; kodwa kukho into enye ngako: Ndiyazilibala izinto ezingasemva ndize ndolulele kwizinto ezingaphambili, ndisukela umvuzo.” (Filipi 3:8, 13, 14) UPawulos wabaleka ejolise amehlo akhe emvuzweni. Nathi sifanele senjenjalo.

Owona Mzekelo Wethu Mhle

Kwimidlalo yamandulo, iintshatsheli zazinconywa nguye wonk’ ubani. Iimbongi zazibhala ngazo, yaye abakroli babesenza imifanekiso yabo eqingqiweyo. Umbhali-mbali uVěra Olivová uthi “zazizukiswa kwaye zidumile.” Kwakhona zaziyimizekelo kwisizukulwana esiselula seentshatsheli.

Ngubani “intshatsheli” emisela owona mzekelo omhle kumaKristu? UPawulos uphendula esithi: “Masilubaleke ngonyamezelo ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu, njengoko sikhangele ngenyameko kuMmeli Oyintloko noMgqibelelisi wokholo lwethu, uYesu. Ngenxa yovuyo olwalubekwe phambi kwakhe wasinyamezela isibonda sentuthumbo, elidela ihlazo, waza wahlala phantsi ngasekunene kwetrone kaThixo.” (Hebhere 12:1, 2) Ewe, ukuba sifuna ukoyisa kugqatso lwethu lobomi obungunaphakade, simele sikhangele ngenyameko kuMzekelo wethu, uYesu Kristu. Oku sinokukwenza ngokufunda rhoqo iingxelo zeVangeli size sicamngce ngeendlela esinokumxelisa ngazo. Ufundisiso olunjalo luya kusinceda siqonde ukuba uYesu Kristu wayemthobela uThixo yaye walubonisa ukholo lwakhe ngokunyamezela. Njengomvuzo wonyamezelo lwakhe, wazuza inkoliseko kaYehova uThixo namalungelo amaninzi angummangaliso.—Filipi 2:9-11.

Kakade ke, olona phawu lukaYesu lwalubalasele yayiluthando. “Akukho bani unothando olukhulu kunolu, lokuba uthile anikezele umphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yabahlobo bakhe.” (Yohane 15:13) Wachaza intsingiselo enzulu yegama elithi “uthando” ngokusixelela ukuba sithande kwaneentshaba zethu. (Mateyu 5:43-48) Kuba wayemthanda uYise wasezulwini, uYesu wayekuvuyela ukwenza ukuthanda kukaYise. (INdumiso 40:9, 10; IMizekeliso 27:11) Ukukhangela kuYesu njengoMzekelo wethu nalowo osimisela isantya kolu gqatso lunzima lobomi nako kuya kusishukumisela ukuba sithande uThixo nommelwane wethu size sifumane uvuyo lokwenene kwinkonzo yethu engcwele. (Mateyu 22:37-39; Yohane 13:34; 1 Petros 2:21) Khumbula ukuba uYesu akafuni senze into engenakwenzeka. Usiqinisekisa oku: “Ndithobekile ngentliziyo, kwaye niya kuyifumanela ukuhlaziyeka imiphefumlo yenu. Kuba idyokhwe yam yeyobubele nomthwalo wam ukhaphukhaphu.”—Mateyu 11:28-30.

NjengoYesu, sifanele sihlale sijonge emvuzweni ogcinelwe bonke abanyamezela kude kube sekupheleni. (Mateyu 24:13) Ukuba sithobela imigaqo yogqatso, ukuba sothula bonke ubunzima yaye ukuba sibaleka ngonyamezelo, sinokuqiniseka ukuba siya koyisa. Usukelo oluphambi kwethu lusinika amandla okuba siqhubeke! Luhlaziya amandla ethu ngenxa yokuba lusenza sivuye, uvuyo olwenza kube lula ukuhamba kwindlela ephambi kwethu.

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Ugqatso lomKristu lungumgama omde—lufuna unyamezelo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]

Ngokungafaniyo neembaleki ezinesithsaba, amaKristu anokukhangela phambili emvuzweni ongenakuphelelwa

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 31]

Umvuzo ngowabo bonke abanyamezela kude kube sekupheleni

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