ISAHLUKO 20
Umsebenzi Wokunceda Abanye Uzukisa UYehova
1, 2. (a) Bubuphi ubunzima awayephila phantsi kwabo amaKristu akwaYuda? (b) Luluphi uthando awalufumanayo amaKristu akwaYuda?
KUMALUNGA nonyaka ka-46. Indlala ibhokile kwaYuda. Abalandeli bakaKristu abangamaYuda abanamali yokuhlawula amaxabiso antingileyo egcuntswana leenkozo ezazinkinkishwa ngelo xesha. Balambile yaye indlala ibhalwe ebusweni. Sekunjalo, isandla sikaYehova sele siza kubakhusela ngendlela abangazange bayibona abalandeli bakaKristu. Yintoni eza kwenzeka?
2 Ngenxa yendlela asokola ngayo amaKristu angamaYuda ahlala eYerusalem nakwaYuda, amaKristu akwa-Antiyokhwe yaseSiriya angamaYuda naweeNtlanga, aqokelela imali yokunceda la maKristu asokolayo. Akhetha abazalwana ababini, uBarnabas noSawule, ukuba bayise kubadala baseYerusalem. (Funda IZenzo 11:27-30; 12:25.) Yiba nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wendlela abavakalelwa ngayo abazalwana bakwaYuda lolu thando lwabazalwana bakwa-Antiyokhwe!
3. (a) Abantu bakaThixo abaphila kule mihla bawulandela njani umzekelo owamiselwa ngamaKristu akwa-Antiyokhwe? Nika umzekelo. (Funda nebhokisi ethi “Uncedo Olukhulu Lokuqala Olwanikelwa Kula Maxesha Ethu.”) (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esiza kuyihlolisisa kwesi sahluko?
3 Le yaba yingxelo yokuqala eyabhalwayo ngamaKristu ahlala kwelinye ilizwe awanceda amanye amaKristu. Namhlanje, senza kanye oko kwenziwa ngabazalwana bethu bakwa-Antiyokhwe. Xa sisiva ukuba amaKristu ahlala kwenye indawo antlithwe yintlekele okanye ayavavanywa, siyawanceda.a Ukuze siyiqonde indlela olo ncedo olufana ngayo neminye imisebenzi yamaKristu esiyenzayo, makhe sihlolisise le mibuzo mithathu: Kutheni siwujonga njengobulungiseleli lo msebenzi? Yintoni injongo yawo? Usinceda njani?
Isizathu Sokuba Umsebenzi Wokunceda Ube ‘Yinkonzo Engcwele’
4. UPawulos wawaxelela ntoni amaKristu aseKorinte ngobulungiseleli bamaKristu?
4 Kwileta yakhe yesibini awayeyibhalela abaseKorinte, uPawulos wathi amaKristu enza ubulungiseleli obuntlu-mbini. Nangona kuloo leta wayethetha namaKristu athanjisiweyo, namhlanje loo mazwi ayasebenza nakumaKristu ‘azezinye izimvu.’ (Yoh. 10:16) Obunye ubulungiseleli bethu ‘bubulungiseleli boxolelaniso,’ oko kukuthi, umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela nokufundisa. (2 Kor. 5:18-20; 1 Tim. 2:3-6) Ukanti obunye bobo sibenzela amanye amaKristu esikhonza nawo. Apha uPawulos wayebhekisela ngokukhethekileyo ‘kubulungiseleli bokunceda.’ (2 Kor. 8:4) Kwibinzana elithi “ubulungiseleli boxolelaniso” nelithi ‘ubulungiseleli bokunceda,’ igama elithi “ubulungiseleli” liguqulelwe kwigama lesiGrike elithi di·a·ko·niʹa. Kutheni kubalulekile nje oku?
5. Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba uPawulos athi umsebenzi wokunceda bubulungiseleli?
5 UPawulos wasebenzisa eli gama linye xa wayethetha ngokushumayela nokunceda abanye, edibanisa ubulungiseleli bokunceda nezinye iintlobo zobulungiseleli obabusenziwa libandla lamaKristu. Kamva wathi: ‘Kukho iintlobo ngeentlobo zobulungiseleli, ukanti inye yona iNkosi; kodwa benziwa ngumoya omnye ofanayo.’ (1 Kor. 12:4-6, 11) UPawulos wayefanisa iintlobo ezahlukahlukeneyo zobulungiseleli obenziwa ngamaKristu ‘nenkonzo engcwele.’b (Rom. 12:1, 6-8) Yiloo nto wacinga ukuba kwakufanelekile ukuba anikele ngenxalenye yexesha lakhe ukuze ‘alungiselele abo bangcwele’!—Rom. 15:25, 26.
6. (a) Njengoko uPawulos watshoyo, kutheni umsebenzi wokunceda uyinxalenye yonqulo lwethu? (b) Chaza indlela umsebenzi wethu wokunceda abanye owenziwa ngayo ehlabathini lonke namhlanje. (Funda ibhokisi ethi “Xa Kusehla Intlekele!”)
6 UPawulos wanceda amaKristu aseKorinte abona isizathu sokuba umsebenzi wokunceda abanye ube yinxalenye yobulungiseleli babo nokunqula uYehova. Phawula le ndlela wayeqiqa ngayo: AmaKristu anceda amanye kuba ‘elulamela iindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu.’ (2 Kor. 9:13) Ngoko, anceda amanye kuba efuna ukusebenzisa iimfundiso zikaKristu. UPawulos wathi, imisebenzi ayenzela abazalwana bawo ibonisa ‘ububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo obugqwesileyo.’ (2 Kor. 9:14; 1 Pet. 4:10) Ithetha ngokunceda abazalwana bethu abasengxakini, iMboniselo kaDisemba 1, 1975, yathi: “Asimele siyithandabuze nakancinane into yokuba kuYehova uThixo nakuNyana wakhe uYesu Kristu le nkonzo ibaluleke ngokwenene.” Liyinene elokuba, umsebenzi wokunceda abanye yinxalenye ebalulekileyo yenkonzo engcwele.—Roma 12:1, 7; 2 Kor. 8:7; Heb. 13:16.
Eyona Njongo Yomsebenzi Wokunceda Abanye
7, 8. Yintoni injongo yethu yokuqala yobulungiseleli bethu bokunceda abanye? Cacisa.
7 Yintoni injongo yobulungiseleli bethu bokunceda abanye? UPawulos wawuphendula lo mbuzo kwileta yakhe yesibini awayeyibhalela abaseKorinte. (Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 9:11-15.) Kwezi vesi, uPawulos wabalaselisa iinjongo ezintathu ezibalulekileyo esizenzela “ubulungiseleli bale nkonzo kawonke-wonke,” oko kukuthi, umsebenzi wokunceda. Makhe sithethe ngayo ibe nye ngexesha.
8 Eyokuqala, ubulungiseleli bethu bokunceda abanye buzukisa uYehova. Phawula indlela uPawulos asoloko ebalathisela ngayo abazalwana bakhe kuYehova uThixo kwezi vesi zintlanu zikwesi sibhalo singasentla. Lo mpostile ubakhumbuza ukuba “bambulele uThixo” nokuba babe ‘neembonakaliso ezininzi zombulelo kuThixo.’ (Ivesi 11, 12) Uthi ukunceda amanye amaKristu ‘kuzukisa uThixo,’ yaye kubonisa umbulelo ‘kububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo obugqwesileyo.’ (Ivesi 13, 14) Uqukumbela ingxubusho yakhe yobulungiseleli bokunceda abanye ngokuthi: “Makubulelwe kuThixo.”—Ivesi 15;1 Pet. 4:11.
9. Umsebenzi wokunceda abanye unokuyitshintsha njani indlela abantu abacinga ngayo? Chaza umzekelo.
9 NjengoPawulos, namhlanje abakhonzi bakaThixo bajonga umsebenzi wokunceda abanye njengozukisa uYehova nohombisa imfundiso yakhe. (1 Kor. 10:31; Tito 2:10) Phofu ke, lo msebenzi usoloko unendima ebalulekileyo ekususeni ingcamango engafanelekanga abanayo abantu ngoYehova namaNgqina akhe. Ngokomzekelo: Kumnyango wendlu yalo, elinye ibhinqa elalihlala kummandla owantlithwa yinkanyamba lalinombhalo othi, “AmaNgqina KaYehova—Angangeni.” Ngenye imini, kwisitrato nje esiphambi kwesalo, labona abazalwana abakumsebenzi wokunceda amanye amaKristu belungisa indlu eyayonakaliswe yiloo nkanyamba. Iintsuku zalandelelana libukele aba basebenzi banobubele, laza ngeny’ imini laya kubabuza ukuba bangoobani. Lisakuva ukuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova, limangalisiwe lathi: “Bendikade ndinicingela ngenye indlela.” Lenza ntoni emva koko? Lawususa loo mbhalo.
10, 11. (a) Nguwuphi umzekelo obonisa ukuba sinceda abanye ukuze sifeze injongo yesibini? (b) Yiyiphi incwadi enceda abazalwana noodade abakumsebenzi wokunceda abanye? (Funda ibhokisi ethi “Esinye Isixhobo Sokunceda Abo Banceda Abanye Ngexesha Lentlekele.”)
10 Eyesibini, ‘sinceda amanye amaKristu kwiintswelo zawo.’ (2 Kor. 9:12a) Sisoloko sifuna ukunceda ngamaxesha ongxamiseko ukuze sibanike isiqabu abazalwana noodadewethu. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba amalungu ebandla lamaKristu ‘angumzimba omnye,’ yaye ‘ukuba ilungu elinye liyabandezeleka, onke amanye amalungu abandezeleka kunye nalo.’ (1 Kor. 12:20, 26) Ngenxa yoko, uthando nobubele bubangela ukuba xa kukho ummandla ontlithwe yintlekele, abazalwana noodade abaninzi bashiye yonke into, bathathe izixhobo zabo, baze baye kunceda amanye amaKristu alapho. (Yak. 2:15, 16) Ngokomzekelo, ngo-2011, emva kokuba iJapan intlithwe yitsunami, iofisi yesebe laseMerika yathumela ileta kwiiKomiti Zokwakha Zenqila eziseMerika, ibuza enoba bangafumaneka kusini na “abazalwana abambalwa abafanelekayo” abanokunceda xa kusakhiwa kwakhona iiHolo zoBukumkani eJapan. Benzani abazalwana? Kwiiveki nje ezimbalwa, kwangena izicelo zokuya kunceda ezisuka kumatsha-ntliziyo aphantse abeyi-600—awavumayo ukuzibhatalela kwinqwelo-moya! Iofisi yesebe laseMerika yathi: “Simangaliswe yindlela abazalwana abasabele ngayo.” Xa omnye umzalwana waseJapan wabuza umzalwana osuka kwelinye ilizwe isizathu sokuba eze kunceda, wathi: “Abazalwana bethu baseJapan bayinxalenye ‘yomzimba wethu.’ Siyavakalelwa yintlungu abakuyo.” Ngenxa yothando lokuzincama abanalo, maxa wambi abazalwana abakumsebenzi wokunceda abanye bade babeke ubomi babo esichengeni ukuze bancede abazalwana babo.c—1 Yoh. 3:16.
11 Nabantu abangengomaNgqina bawuxabisa ngokwenene umsebenzi wethu wokunceda abanye. Ngokomzekelo, ngo-2013 emva kokuba iphondo laseArkansas, eMerika lintlithwe yintlekele, elinye iphephandaba lathi: “Indlela elungelelaniswe kakuhle ngayo intlangano yamaNgqina kaYehova yenza kube lula ngawo ukuthumela amatsha-ntliziyo xa kukho intlekele.” Kunjengokuba umpostile uPawulos watshoyo, ‘sinceda abazalwana bethu kwiintswelo zabo.’
12-14. (a) Kutheni kubalulekile nje ukuba sifeze injongo yesithathu yomsebenzi wethu wokunceda? (b) Ngawaphi amazwi abonisa ukubaluleka kokuqhubeka usenza imisebenzi yobuthixo?
12 Eyesithathu, sinceda abazalwana abaxhwalekileyo bakhonze uThixo ngendlela abebemkhonza ngayo ngaphambi kwentlekele. Kutheni kubalulekile nje oku? UPawulos uthi abo bafumana uncedo baya kuba ‘neembonakaliso ezininzi zombulelo kuThixo.’ (2 Kor. 9:12b) Yiyiphi enye indlela ebhetele abanokumbulela ngayo uYehova abo baxhwalekileyo ngaphandle kokukhawuleza baphinde bamkhonze ngendlela abebesenza ngayo ngaphambili? (Fil. 1:10) Ngo-1945 iMboniselo yathi: “UPawulos wavuma ukuba . . . kuqokelelwe iminikelo ngenxa yokuba yayinceda . . . abazalwana abangamaKristu abasweleyo ukuba bafumane izinto eziphathekayo baze babe namandla okwenza umsebenzi wokungqinela uYehova ngaphandle kweziphazamiso.” Sinenjongo efanayo nathi namhlanje. Xa bephinda beshumayela, abazalwana bethu abomelezi abamelwane babo abaxhwalekileyo nje kuphela, kodwa nabo bayomelela.—Funda eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 1:3, 4.
13 Khawuve oko kwathethwa ngabo bafumana uncedo, baza baphindela kumsebenzi wokushumayela owabomelezayo. Omnye umzalwana wathi: “Intsapho yethu yancedwa kukuya entsimini. Kwasinika isiqabu kwiinkxwaleko esasinazo njengoko sasizama ukuthuthuzela abanye.” Omnye udade wathi: “Ukucinga ngezinto zobuthixo kuphela kwandenza andayisa so ingxaki endandikuyo. Kwandenza ndaziva ndikhuselekile.” Ukanti omnye udade yena uthi: “Ngoxa sasingenawo amandla okulungisa izinto ezininzi, ukuya entsimini kwabangela mna nentsapho yam siyiqonde into elisiphathele yona ikamva. Ukuthetha nabanye ngethemba esinalo lehlabathi elitsha kwasenza saqiniseka ukuba zonke izinto ziza kwenziwa ntsha.”
14 Ukuya ezintlanganisweni ngomnye umsebenzi wobuthixo ekufuneka abazalwana bethu ababandezelekileyo bawenze bengalibazisanga. Funda ngoko kwenzeka kudade Kiyoko, owayesele esondele kwiminyaka eyi-60. Emva kokuba itsunami imphuce yonke into awayenayo ngaphandle kweempahla nezihlangu awayezinxibile, wayengazi ukuba uza kuphila njani. Omnye umdala wamxelela ukuba baza kuqhuba iintlanganiso zeveki nganye emotweni yakhe. UKiyoko uyabalisa: “Lo mdala kunye nenkosikazi yakhe, mna nomnye udade, sahlala emotweni. Saqhuba iintlanganiso ngendlela nje elula, yaye ngendlela engummangaliso zonke iinkumbulo zetsunami zathi shwaka engqondweni yam. Ndaba noxolo lwengqondo. Ezo ntlanganiso zandibonisa amandla ezinawo iintlanganiso zamaKristu.” Ethetha ngeentlanganiso awaya kuzo emva kwentlekele, omnye udade wathi: “Zandinceda ndakwazi ukunyamezela!”—Roma 1:11, 12; 12:12.
Ubulungiseleli Bokunceda Abanye Bubangela Iingenelo Zikanaphakade
15, 16. (a) Ziziphi iingenelo ezaziza kufunyanwa ngamaKristu aseKorinte nakwezinye iindawo xa esenza umsebenzi wokunceda abanye? (b) Thina singenelwa njani ngokwenza lo msebenzi namhlanje?
15 Ethetha ngobulungiseleli bokunceda abanye, uPawulos wathetha nangeengenelo ezaziza kufunyanwa ngabaseKorinte kunye namanye amaKristu ngenxa yokuba esenza lo msebenzi. Wathi: “Bayanikhungela, [amaKristu angamaYuda aseYerusalem awayencediwe] benilangazelela ngenxa yobubele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo obugqwesileyo kuni.” (2 Kor. 9:14) Ububele bamaKristu aseKorinte babangela ukuba amaKristu angamaYuda athandazele abo bazalwana baseKorinte, kuquka abeeNtlanga, yaye atsho abathanda kakhulu.
16 Ithetha ngoko kwathethwa nguPawulos ngeengenelo ezifunyanwa ngenxa yomsebenzi wokunceda kulo mhla wethu, iMboniselo kaDisemba 1, 1945, yathi: “Xa abantu abazinikele kuThixo abakwezinye iindawo benceda abanye abakhonza nabo, imele ukuba ibamanyanisa ngokwenene loo nto!” Kwenzeka kanye oko kwabo bakumsebenzi wokunceda abanye. Omnye umdala owayenceda kummandla owawunezikhukula uthi: “Umsebenzi wokunceda undenza ndisondele ngakumbi kubazalwana bam.” Omnye udade owayenombulelo ongazenzisiyo ngoncedo awalufumanayo uthi: “Ubuzalwana esinabo yeyona nto isenza sizive ngathi sikwiParadesi esemhlabeni.”—Funda IMizekeliso 17:17.
17. (a) Amazwi akuIsaya 41:13 asebenza njani kumsebenzi wokunceda abanye? (b) Chaza eminye imizekelo yendlela umsebenzi wokunceda omzukisa ngayo uYehova nendlela olomeleza ngayo umanyano lwethu. (Funda nebhokisi ethi “Amatsha-ntliziyo Asehlabathini Azisa Uncedo.”)
17 Xa abasebenzi abanceda abanye befika kwindawo yentlekele, ngendlela ekhethekileyo abazalwana bethu abaxhwalekileyo babona ukunyaniseka kwesithembiso sikaThixo esithi: “Kuba mna, Yehova uThixo wakho, ndibamba isandla sakho sasekunene, ndithi kuwe, ‘Musa ukoyika. Mna ngokwam ndiza kukunceda.’” (Isa. 41:13) Emva kokuba esinde kwintlekele, omnye udade wathi: “Ndathi ndakubona umonakalo ewenzileyo ndaziva ndingenathemba, kodwa uYehova waba nam. Andinamazwi okuyichaza indlela abandinceda ngayo abazalwana.” Emva kokuba ummandla wabo untlithwe yintlekele, abadala ababini babhala ileta esuka kwibandla labo ethi: “Iintliziyo zazingamahlwili ngenxa yoko kwenziwa yinyikima, kodwa uYehova wasinceda esebenzisa abazalwana bethu. Sasifundile ngomsebenzi wokunceda abanye, kodwa ngoku, siwubona usenziwa kuthi.”
Ngaba Unokufaka Isandla?
18. Yintoni onokuyenza xa ufuna ukufak’ isandla kumsebenzi wokunceda abanye? (Funda nebhokisi ethi “Wafumana Amathuba Okukhonza UThixo.”)
18 Ngaba uyafuna ukungcamla uvuyo olubangelwa ngumsebenzi wokunceda abanye? Ukuba uyafuna, ungalibali ukuba abantu abaza kunceda kulo msebenzi bakhethwa kubazalwana abakumsebenzi wokwakha iiHolo zoBukumkani. Ngoko cela ifomu kubadala bebandla lakho. Omnye umdala ekudala esenza lo msebenzi ucebisa oku: “Yiya kwindawo entlithwe yintlekele kuphela xa ucelwe yiKomiti Yokunceda Kwintlekele ukuba uye.” Ngaloo ndlela, umsebenzi wethu wokunceda uya kuqhubeka ngendlela elungeleleneyo.
19. Abasebenzi abanceda abanye bayibonisa njani into yokuba singabafundi bakaKristu bokwenyaniso?
19 Ngokwenene umsebenzi wokunceda abanye yindlela ebalaseleyo esibonisa ngayo ukuba sithobela umyalelo kaKristu wokuba ‘sithandane.’ Sikwabonisa nokuba singabafundi bakaKristu bokwenyaniso. (Yoh. 13:34, 35) Sisikelelwe ngokwenene namhlanje ngokuba nabasebenzi bokuzithandela abaninzi kangaka abazukisa uYehova ngokunceda abo babuxhasa ngokunyanisekileyo uBukumkani bukaThixo!
a Esi sahluko sithetha ngomsebenzi wokunceda abazalwana noodadewethu. Sekunjalo, kwiimeko ezininzi, sikwanceda nabantu abangengomaNgqina.—Gal. 6:10.
b Xa echaza “izicaka zolungiselelo” uPawulos wasebenzisa isininzi segama elithi di·aʹko·nos (ubulungiseleli).”—1 Tim. 3:12.
c Funda inqaku elithi “Ukunceda Intsapho Yethu Yamakholwa EBosnia,” kwiMboniselo kaNovemba 1, 1994, iphepha 23-27.