“Ukujonga Emgomweni”
“Ngikhohlwa okungasemuva, ngizelulela kokungaphambili, ngijonge emgomweni.”—FILIPI 3:13, 14.
1, 2. (a) USawulu waseTarsu wasemukela kanjani isabelo senkonzo, futhi sasiyini? (b) Wasabela kanjani kulesisabelo?
LAPHO uSawulu waseTarsu eya eDamaseku ehlose ukushushisa amaKristu, kwabaneka umbani nxazonke uvela ezulwini, wezwa izwi lithi: “Sawulu, Sawulu, ungizingelelani na? . . . Wayesethi: Ungubani, Nkosi? Yathi: Mina nginguJesu omzingela wena; kodwa vuka ungene emzini, uzakutshelwa lokhu omelwe ukukwenza.”—IzEnzo 9:3-6.
2 Kungani uJesu ehlisela uSawulu waseTarsu isehlakalo esinjena? UJesu wakuchaza kumfundi uAnaniya: “Lo [uSawulu] uyisitsha sami esikhethiweyo sokuphatha igama lami phambi kwabezizwe, namakhosi, nabantwana bakwaIsrayeli.” UAnaniya ngokulalela wahamba, wabeka izandla kuSawulu futhi wathi: “INkosi uJesu eyabonakala kuwe endleleni oze ngayo, ingithumile ukuba ubuye ubone, ugcwaliswe ngoMoya oNgcwele.” (IzEnzo 9:15, 17) Ngokushesha lapho evuleka amehlo wabhapathizwa, waqalisa ukuhlanganyela nebandla lobuKristu eDamaseku. Manje, njengesikhonzi esibhapathiziwe esingumKristu, ngokushesha waba matasa emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle ngoJesu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, phakathi kwamaJuda.—IzEnzo 9:20-22.
3, 4. (a) UPawulu wayibheka kanjani inkonzo yakhe? (b) Isimo sikaPawulu sihluke kanjani kuleso esiboniswe yibandla lase-Efesu?
3 Lesikhonzi esishisekayo saziwa kangcono ngokuthi umphostoli uPawulu. Njalo wayekhuluma ngokuyazisa inkonzo yakhe nomusa ongafanele owaboniswa kuye. “Ngiyambonga owangenzela amandla, uKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu, ngokuba wathi ngikholekile, engimisa enkonzweni, noma kade ngingohlambalazayo, nozingelayo, nohluphayo; kodwa ngahawukelwa ngokuba ngakwenza ngokungazi, ngokungakholwa.” (1 Thimothewu 1:12-14) Yebo, wayazisa kakhulu inkonzo.—Roma 11:13; 2 Korinte 4:7.
4 Amazwi anjalo kaPawulu abonisa ukwazisa ayenakho ngenkonzo kuyo yonke inkambo yakhe. Akazange awele esimweni esake saba khona ebandleni lase-Efesu, uJesu athi kulo: “Nginalokhu ngawe ukuthi uluyekile uthando lwakho lwakuqala.” (IsAmbulo 2:4) Kunalokho, uPawulu wagcina umgomo wakhe uphambi kwakhe futhi wahlala enentshiseko efanayo nenkuthalo ngenkonzo ayenayo ezinsukwini zakuqala eDamaseku.
5. Ngemva kokuba sesikhonze uJehova iminyaka eminingi, singabakhuthaza kanjani abanye?
5 Ngemva kokuba isikhonzi esithembekile esingumKristu iminyaka eminingi, uPawulu wasebenzisa isizinda sakhe siqu nokuhlangenwe nakho ekukhuthazeni ezinye izikhonzi ebandleni laseFilipi ukuze zingapheli amandla. Ingabe awutholi ukuthi ngokuvamile kuthakazelisa kakhulu ukuzwa indlela othile afunda ngayo iqiniso futhi waba yisikhonzi? Ngakho-ke, ingabe uyabakhuthaza abanye ngokwesisekelo somlando wakho siqu neminyaka yenkonzo yokwethembeka njengesikhonzi esizinikezele esingumKristu?
6. Sasiyini isizinda sikaPawulu njengomJuda?
6 UPawulu, encwadini yakhe kwabaseFilipi, wayengabhekisela ekuphileni kwakhe njengomJuda oshisekayo. Wathi: “Uma omunye umuntu ecabanga ukuthi unokwethemba enyameni, mina kakhulu; ngasokwa ngosuku lwesishiyagalombili ngingowohlanga lukaIsrayeli, owesizwe sakwaBenjamini, umHeberu wamaHeberu, ngokomthetho umFarisi; ngokokushisekela ngingowazingela ibandla, ngokokulunga okusemthethweni ngingongasolekiyo.”—Filipi 3:4-6.
7. Kungani uPawulu azishiya ngemuva lezozinto, futhi yini ayizuza ngokwenza kanjalo?
7 Ngesizinda esinjalo uPawulu wayengaba nezinto eziningi ezibonakalayo ngokuba phakathi kwamaJuda. Nokho, waqhubeka wathi: “Kanti-ke lokho okwakuyinzuzo kimi ngakushaya indiva ngenxa kaKristu. Yebo impela, konke ngikushaya indiva ngobukhulu bokumazi uKristu Jesu iNkosi yami, engilahlekelwe yikho konke ngenxa yakhe, ngikushaya izibi, ukuze ngizuze uKristu, . . . ukuze ngimazi yena, namandla okuvuka kwakhe, nokuhlanganyela ezinhluphekweni zakhe, ngimfuze ngokufa kwakhe uma mhlawumbe ngingaze ngifinyelele ekuvukeni kwabafileyo.” (Filipi 3:7-11) Lawo amazwi abonisa ukholo oluphelele kuKristu Jesu namalungiselelo enziwa uJehova uNkulunkulu. Ingabe unjengoPawulu ekugwemeni isifiso sokuqhama noma sezinzuzo ezibonakalayo ukuba sibuse ukuphila kwakho?
Isimo Sengqondo Esifanele
8. (a) Ngemva kokukhonza isikhathi eside enkonzweni, yini uPawulu ayisho ngomgomo wakhe? (b) Amazwi kaPawulu kweyoku-1 Korinte 9:24-27 angasebenza kanjani esimweni sethu?
8 Ngemva kokuba uPawulu esekhonze uNkulunkulu amashumi eminyaka, ingabe wayengaphela amandla ekuphishekeleni umgomo wakhe? Wabhalela abaseFilipi: “Bazalwane, angisho ukuthi mina uqobo sengikubambile; kepha kunye engikwenzayo: ngikhohlwa okungasemuva, ngizelulela kokungaphambili, ngijonge emgomeni, emklomelweni wokubizwa okukhulu kwaphezulu nguNkulunkulu kuJesu Kristu.” (Filipi 3:13, 14) Kakade wayesenze umbhalo omuhle enkonzweni yobuKristu futhi wayebekezelele izinto eziningi, futhi kwakuyilapho esejele eRoma lapho ebhalela abaseFilipi lamazwi, kodwa inkonzo yakhe yayingakafiki ekupheleni. Uma ayezothola umklomelo otholwa yilabo abakhonza ebandleni lobuKristu lekhulu lokuqala, okungukuthi “ukubizwa okukhulu kwaphezulu nguNkulunkulu kuJesu Kristu,” khona-ke kwakumelwe aqhubeke ephishekela umgomo wakhe. Lona umbono ofanelekile wawo wonke amaKristu avuthiwe, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lawo lekusasa liwukuphila ezulwini noma emhlabeni. Ngamunye wethu wenza kahle ngokuhlola isimo sakhe siqu nendlela yakhe yokucabanga ukuze abone ukuthi uyayazisa ngempela inkonzo esiyinikezwe ngaphansi kwelungiselelo likaNkulunkulu.
9. Singaba nasiphi isimo sengqondo sokuvuthwa?
9 UPawulu uchaza umbono womKristu ovuthiwe, ngokuthi: “Ngakho-ke thina sonke esiphelele masibe-nokuqonda okunjalo; kepha uma kokuthile nikuqonda ngokunye, nalokho uNkulunkulu uyakunambulela khona.” (Filipi 3:15) Isimo somKristu ovuthiwe siholela empumelelweni. Lokhu kuhilela ukulandela ezinyathelweni zikaKristu Jesu, owafeza ngokuphumelelayo inkonzo yakhe ayabelwe emhlabeni. UJesu wakwazi ukuthandaza kuYise: “Ngikukhazimulisile emhlabeni, ngifeze umsebenzi ongiphe wona ukuba ngiwenze. Manje-ke ngikhazimulise wena-Baba kuwe uqobo ngenkazimulo ebenginayo ngikuwe, izwe lingakabikho.”—Johane 17:4, 5.
10. Yini eyengeziwe engase ishiwo ngesimo sengqondo sikaKristu esiyisibonelo ngasenkonzweni kaJehova?
10 Ukuze sithokozise uJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi ngalendlela sithole umklomelo wokuphila okuphakade, kumelwe sibe nesimo sengqondo esifana nesaboniswa uKristu Jesu. Ngokwazi lokhu, uPawulu wanxusa: “Mawube-kini lowomqondo owawukhona nakuKristu Jesu owathi enesimo sikaNkulunkulu, akaze asho ukuthi kuyinto yokuphangwa ukulingana noNkulunkulu, kepha wazidela ethabatha isimo senceku, enziwe ngomfanekiso wabantu; wathi efunyenwe enjengomuntu ngesimilo, wazithobisa, elalela kwaze kwaba-sekufeni, yebo, ekufeni (esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa, NW). Ngalokho-ke uNkulunkulu wamphakamisa kakhulu, wamnika igama eliphezu kwamagama onke.” (Filipi 2:5-9) Yeka isimo esimangalisayo uJesu ayenaso! Ingabe singamlingisa? Ukufuna ngokuzithoba ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu ngaso sonke isikhathi kuholela ezibusisweni. Uma isabelo senziwa, kuba nemiphumela emihle.
11. Yini okumelwe yenziwe yilabo abaqinile futhi abavuthiwe ngokomoya?
11 Ngenxa yalokho uPawulu akubhala, abanye ebandleni laseFilipi ngokusobala kwakusadingeka bazame ukufinyelela isimo esivuthiwe sobuKristu. UPawulu wathatha isinyathelo kuqala sokubakhuthaza nokubasiza. Emabandleni amaningi namuhla, kukhona labo abaqinile okholweni nalabo abanobuthakathaka obuthile. Abaqinileyo, njengoPawulu, kumelwe bakhuthaze abanye. UKristu Jesu wenza okuningi kokukhuthaza labo ababenezidingo ezingokomoya, ebeka isibonelo sokuba amaKristu asilandele. “Kepha thina esinamandla sifanele ukuthwala ubuthakathaka babangenamandla, singazithokozisi thina. Yilowo nalowo kithi makathokozise umakhelwane, kube-kuhle, aze akheke. Kepha uNkulunkulu wokubekezela nowenduduzo makaniphe nibe-nokuqonda kunye phakathi kwenu ngokukaKristu Jesu, ukuze nganhliziyonye nidumise ngamlomo munye uNkulunkulu uYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”—Roma 15:1, 2, 5, 6.
12. Simelwe sibe namuphi umbono ngomklomelo uNkulunkulu ayowunikeza?
12 UPawulu, ekuqiniseni ukholo lwabaseRoma, wabonisa ukuthi “isipho somusa sikaNkulunkulu singukuphila okuphakade kuKristu Jesu iNkosi yethu.” (Roma 6:23) Phakathi nenkonzo yakhe uJesu, naye, washo okuningi ngokuphila okuphakade. Kuwumvuzo omangalisayo uNkulunkulu awunikeza izinceku zakhe. UNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba izinceku zakhe zihlale zibheke umklomelo, ngoba lokhu kuzishukumisela ekubeni zithembeke. Uma senza kanjalo sibonisa ukholo oluqinile ezithembisweni zakhe. Emihlanganweni yethu yobuKristu sinesikhathi sokukhuluma njalo ngomvuzo uJehova awunikeza abathembekileyo.
Inkonzo Yethu Naphezu Kobunzima
13. Iyiphi ingxenye efezwa yimiBhalo ekubeni kwethu nombono ofanele wengqondo?
13 Ukugcina kwethu umbono ofanele noma isimo sengqondo esifanele, kuyoba yigugu njengoba siqhubeka nenkonzo yethu kulezinsuku zokugcina. Nakuba abanye bengase balahlekelwe uthando ababenalo ekuqaleni, kwangathi kungaba yisinqumo sethu ukuba kungabi njalo ngathi. ImiBhalo ngokwayo iwusizo ekufezeni lokhu. (Roma 15:4) Ngokuyifunda kwethu sizuza ithemba. Ingabe uyambonga uJehova ngokujulile ngenxa yemiBhalo, ngezinto eziningi ezibhalwe kuyo ngezinceku ezithembekile zikaJehova njengomphostoli uPawulu?
14. UPawulu wasigcina kanjani isimo sakhe esiqondile naphezu kobunzima?
14 Yini ebesingayenza uma besingahlangabezana nalokho okushiwo uPawulu kweye-2 Korinte 11:23-28? Kungani uPawulu engaphelanga amandla? Kungoba umqondo wakhe wawusemgomweni. Singase sihlangabezane nezinto ezifanayo. Nokho kumelwe siqhubeke sibheke emgomweni wethu womklomelo uNkulunkulu asithembise wona. Lapho uPawulu ebhalela abaseFilipi, wabonisa ukucabanga kwakhe okuhle ngokusho ukuthi wayesezibophweni zasejele ngenxa yokulwela izindaba ezinhle. (Filipi 1:7, 16) Wayesiqonda isizathu sokuba lapho. Lokho kubalulekile uma sehlelwa uvivinyo olunjalo. Ngokungaphezulu, siyazi ukuthi uJehova angasisebenzisa ekunikezeni ubufakazi bokumdumisa.
15. (a) Kungani ibandla laseFilipi lalidinga isikhuthazo, futhi yini uPawulu abatshela yona ukuze abakhe? (b) Ibandla laseRoma lasabela kanjani ekuboshweni kukaPawulu?
15 AbaseFilipi babenovivinyo oluthile olufana nalolo uPawulu abhekana nalo eRoma. Wabhala: “Nikukho khona lokhokulwa enakubona kimina, nakalokhu nizwa ukuthi kukimina.” (Filipi 1:30) Kulezizimo uPawulu wabhala ngokubakhuthaza. Wathi izindaba ezinhle sezaziwa nangabalindi basendlunkulu yoMbuso waseRoma. Ngokusobala isigijimi sobuKristu sasiye sangena nasendlunkulu yombuso, abanye lapho baba amaKristu azinikezele. Ibandla eRoma lalisabela kahle kulesisimo, alidumalanga, lidangale noma lesabe ngenxa yokuthi uPawulu wayesejele. Esikhundleni salokho lalimatasa emsebenzini uJehova ayefuna wenziwe, okubonisa isibindi esikhulu sokukhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngokungesabi.—Filipi 1:12-14; 4:22.
16. Yini ngokukhethekile okudingeka siyenze uma kuphakama ukuphikiswa?
16 Lapho kuphakama ukuphikiswa, kunezinzuzo ezinkulu ekulondolozeni ubunye bebandla lobuKristu. UPawulu wagcizelela ubunye nobumbano. (Filipi 1:27–2:4) Izikhathi ezinjalo zifuna sikhulume amazwi okholo komunye nomunye, ukuze singayeki ukuphishekela umgomo. Kuyisikhathi sokuba nesimo sothando nesokuthobeka nokwenza okuhle kwabanye, ukunakekela izithakazelo zomunye nomunye.—Qhathanisa eyabaseFilipi 2:19-21.
Ukunqoba Iziphazamiso
17. Kungani kungamelwe siyeke ukuphishekela umgomo wethu uma kuphakama izinkinga zempilo?
17 Umngane omkhulu kamphostoli uPawulu kwakunguEphafrodithu. Wacishe wafa ngenxa yomsebenzi weNkosi, kodwa akukho bufakazi bokuthi inkinga yempilo yakhe yambangela ukuba alahlekelwe umbono womgomo owawuphambi kwakhe. (Filipi 2:25-30) Kweye-2 Korinte 12:7, uPawulu ukhuluma ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe siqu ‘kweva enyameni,’ ngokunokwenzeka ebhekisela ebunzimeni obuthile ngamehlo akhe. Wathandazela ukuba kusuke kuye, kodwa isicelo sakhe asifezwanga. Nokho, ukukhumbula umgomo wakhe kwamsiza uPawulu ukuba aqhubeke ewuphishekela naphezu kwanoma ibuphi ubuhlungu obungokwenyama. Nakuba ayenobuthakathaka, wathola indlela yokuphumelela ngosizo lukaKristu Jesu.—2 Korinte 12:9.
18. UPawulu wakubonisa kanjani ukulinganisela okuhle maqondana nezinto ezibonakalayo?
18 Incwadi yabaseFilipi (4:11-13) ikhuluma futhi ngezidingo zokuphila. Ukuswela kungaba uvivinyo ngomKristu ngokuthi uzoyeka yini ukuphikelela emgomweni wakhe. Noma ingabe uyothatha isimo sokuvuthwa ngokubhekana nenkinga futhi abe eqhubeka ehlanganyela enkonzweni? (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 18:1-4.) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uPawulu wayenokuncane noma wayenokuningi, inkonzo yakhe yayiza kuqala. Uma ayenokwanele wayengasebenzisi ithuba ekuchitheni isikhathi esiningi efuna izinjabulo, kodwa waqhubeka ejonge emgomweni womklomelo.
19. Yini abaseFilipi 4:6, 7 abaseluleka ukuba siyenze uma sidinga usizo? Kunamuphi umphumela?
19 UPawulu akakhulumanga ngakho konke okungase kwehlele umKristu ekuphileni. Kodwa uma kuvela izinto ezingase ziphazamise inkonzo, njengamaKristu avuthiwe kumelwe siphendukele kuJehova ngomthandazo, inkambo enconywa kwabaseFilipi 4:6, 7. Khona-ke uJehova uyosinikeza ukuthula kwengqondo, asisize ukuba sicabange ngokukhanyayo futhi asisize ukuba sinqobe izinkinga njengoba siqhubeka siyizikhonzi zakhe ezithembekile. Umthandazo usisiza ukuba silondoloze ukholo lwethu futhi siqhubeke njalo siphikelele emgomweni wethu.
20. (a) Izibonelo zabantu abadala abathembekile eqinisweni zisikhuthaza kanjani? (b) Yini okumelwe siyenze? Ngani?
20 Baningi abasemabandleni namuhla abaye bakhonza uJehova iminyaka eminingi. Bonke baye badlula ovivinyweni lapho beqhubeka nenkonzo yabo. Kodwa uJehova uye wabasiza, ngakho bayaqhubeka bephikelele emgomweni womklomelo. Siyambonga uJehova ngokuthi nasezikhathini zanamuhla, njengasekhulwini lokuqala, kunabazalwane nodade abaye baba yizibonelo zokubekezela, zokwethembeka enkonzweni yabo yoMbuso nabagcina amehlo abo egxile emklomelweni. Labo abasebancane noma abasebasha ‘kuleNdlela’ bayozuza ngokuhlola umbhalo kamphostoli uPawulu noma wezinceku ezithembekile ebandleni lanamuhla, bebona indlela laba abaye basingatha ngayo izinkinga zabo. (IzEnzo 9:2; Heberu 13:7) Kwangathi ngamunye wethu angasebenzisa noma iliphi ithuba ukuba sikhuthazane ukuze sibekezele ngokwethembeka enkonzweni esiyithathile futhi ngobunye siqhubeke sijonge emgomweni uJehova awubeke ngaphambi kwethu. Ngokwenza kanjalo, sinethemba lokukhonza uJehova uNkulunkulu phakade ngobunye obujabulisayo nabathembekileyo.—Filipi 3:13-16.
Amaphuzu Okumelwe Siwakhumbule
□ Sasiyini isizinda sikaPawulu, futhi wasisebenzisa kanjani ukuba akhuthaze abazalwane bakhe?
□ Izibonelo zikaJesu noPawulu zisibonisani ngesimo esivuthiwe sobuKristu?
□ Singabubonisa kanjani ubunye bethu uma kuphakama ukuphikiswa?
□ Kungani kumelwe siqhubeke sijonge emgomweni wethu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UJesu Kristu wenza okuningi ukuze aqinise labo ababenezidingo ezingokomoya