“Feza Ngokugcwele Inkonzo Yakho”
“Ngiyakunxusa phambi kukaNkulunkulu noKristu Jesu, oyokwahlulela abaphilayo nabafileyo, . . . feza inkonzo yakho ngokugcwele.”—2 THIMOTHEWU 4:1, 5, NW.
1. Babuyini ubuhlobo phakathi kukaPawulu noThimothewu?
LAPHO umphostoli uPawulu ebhala incwadi yakhe yesibili eya kuThimothewu, uPawulu wayeneminyaka engaba ngama-30 ejonge emgomweni wakhe njengesikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu. Wayethole izibusiso eziningi kuJehova. (2 Thimothewu 1:2) UPawulu wayekhethe uThimothewu ukuba asebenze naye emsebenzini wokujikeleza, bekhonza amabandla. Bajabulela okuhlangenwe nakho okunenzuzo eminyakeni eminingi bendawonye.—IzEnzo 16:1-5.
2. Abaluleke ngani amazwi kaPawulu kweye-2 Thimothewu 4:6-8?
2 Manje kwase kusondele isikhathi sokuba inkonzo kaPawulu iphele. Wabhala: “Ngokuba mina sengiyanikelwa, nesikhathi sokumuka kwami sesifikile. Ngikulwile ukulwa okuhle, ngiqedile ibanga, ngigcinile ukukholwa; sengibekelwe umqhele wokulunga eyakungipha wona ngalolosuku iNkosi, umahluleli olungileyo, kungeyimi ngedwa, kepha bonke abathandile ukubonakala kwayo.” (2 Thimothewu 4:6-8) Lokhu kwasikisela ukuthi ukufa kukaPawulu kwakuseduze kakhulu. Kuthiwa uPawulu wafa ngaphansi kokushushiswa uNero ngo-66 C.E. Lapho ebhekene nokufa, imiphi imicabango eyayingafika emqondweni kaPawulu? Mhlawumbe: Ingabe ngiyenze kahle inkonzo yami? Ingabe ngiyifeze ngokuphumelelayo inkonzo yami? Yebo, uPawulu wayengase asho ngokuqiniseka ukuthi wayeyifezile! Ukholo lwakhe lwaluqine kakhulu, futhi wayeqiniseka ukuthi wayeyothola umvuzo wobizo lwaphezulu. Yeka ukwaneliseka okumelwe ukuba wayenakho ngoba akazange asuke esabelweni sakhe!
3. Ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, yini enhle uPawulu ayenzela uThimothewu?
3 UPawulu wayesenesikhashana esasisasele sokwenza okuthile okuhle. Ngaphambi kokuba afe, yini enhle uPawulu ayengayenzela uThimothewu? Ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa wanikeza iseluleko esibalulekile. Sifunda imicabango yakhe namazwi encwadini yeSibili kuThimothewu. Lezi yizincwadi zakhe zokugcina emiBhalweni eziyinzuzo nakithi.
4. Isiphi iseluleko uPawulu asinikeza uThimothewu?
4 UThimothewu wayengakasiqedi isabelo sakhe enkonzweni, ngakho-ke uPawulu wabhala: “Ngiyaqinisa [ngiyakunxusa, NW] phambi kukaNkulunkulu noKristu Jesu, oyakwahlulela abaphilayo nabafileyo nangokubonakala kwakhe nombuso wakhe, ngithi: Shumayela izwi, uqinise, noma kuyisikhathi noma kungesiso; sola, ukhuze, uyale ngakho konke ukubekezela nokufundisa. Ngokuba kuyakuba-khona isikhathi abangayikuvuma ngaso isifundiso esiphilayo, kepha ngokwezinkanuko zabo bayakuzibuthela abafundisi njengokubatshwa kwezindlebe zabo, bafulathelise izindlebe zabo eqinisweni, baphambukele ezinganekwaneni. Kepha wena, qonda ezintweni zonke, ubekezele ekuhluphekeni, wenze umsebenzi womvangeli, ufeze ukukhonza [inkonzo, NW] kwakho.”—2 Thimothewu 4:1-5.
5. Kungani iseluleko sikaPawulu singesithakazelisa ngokukhethekile kithi?
5 Lesoseluleko esihle kumelwe ukuba samsiza kakhulu uThimothewu, kodwa ingabe nathi siyozuza kuso? Siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina” uPawulu abhala ngazo. Abantu abaningi namuhla ‘banokumesaba uNkulunkulu kodwa amandla akho bayawaphika.’ (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Abanjalo bathambekele ekulaleleni kuphela “abafundisi” abakitaza izindlebe zabo. Kodwa, ngaphandle kokushumayela izwi ebandleni, amaKristu eqiniso anesibopho sokushumayela kubantu bonke, efuna labo abayosabela ‘ezwini.’ Ngakho lesiseluleko sihlobene namuhla nofakazi bakaJehova abangamaKristu.
Indlela Yokufeza Inkonzo Ngokugcwele
6. (a) Kungani kumelwe ‘sishumayele izwi’? (b) Iziphi izinzuzo ezitholakala ngokunakekela indlela esenza ngayo inkonzo yethu?
6 Inkonzo inezingxenye ezihlukahlukene; kunezinto eziningi isikhonzi okumelwe sizenze. Okokuqala, uPawulu wathi, “shumayela izwi.” Leli yizwi uJehova akhethe ukulembulela izinceku zakhe. Liyizwi leqiniso uJesu akhuluma ngalo. UJehova wenza saziwe isigijimi sakhe ngesintu ngesikhathi asimisile, enza ukuba ofakazi bakhe emhlabeni bamelele uhlangothi lwakhe empikiswaneni. Inqubo kaJehova iwukunikeza isigijimi sesixwayiso ngaphambi kokuba athathe isinyathelo. (2 IziKronike 36:15, 16; Isaya 42:9; 43:12; Jona 3:2-4) Isigijimi sakhe siyophumela kokuhle kulabo abasilalelayo; bangase bathole isikhoselo. Labo abanganaki kumelwe babhekane nemiphumela lapho uJehova ethatha isinyathelo sokwehlisela isahlulelo sakhe. Kumelwe bazithwalele icala labo. (IzEnzo 20:20, 21, 26, 27) Kodwa, inkambo yokuhlakanipha ngesikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu yilena: “Ziqaphele wena kanye nesifundiso, ume kulezozinto; ngokuba ngokwenza lokho uyakuzisindisa wena nabakuzwayo.”—1 Thimothewu 4:16.
7. Kungani kuwumsebenzi ophuthumayo ngisho noma izimo zibonakala zingezinhle?
7 Umsebenzi wokushumayela wenziwa ngaphansi kwezimo ezihlukahlukene, kodwa kumelwe uqhubeke. “Noma kuyisikhathi noma kungesiso,” uPawulu wabhala. Isigijimi singasho ukuphila kubantu. Ngakho-ke kungakhathaliseki izimo isikhonzi esithembekile esizithola sikuzo, sibheka isigijimi njengesiphuthumayo futhi sifuna izindlela zokwenza izwi lizwakale, ngisho noma kuphakama ukuphikiswa komsebenzi wokushumayela. Lokhu singakubona ngokukhanyayo ngesibonelo sikaJesu nangomlando osencwadini yeBhayibheli yezEnzo.
8. (a) Yini engasiza isikhonzi ukuba sishumayele izwi? (b) Kungani ukusola kungaba yingxenye yenkonzo?
8 Ukuze sishumayele izwi, ngaphakathi noma ngaphandle kwebandla, isikhonzi kumelwe sijwayelane neZwi likaNkulunkulu, sibe umfundi walo. Kumelwe sizinikeze isikhathi sokutadisha, sokucabanga nokuzindla, sifuna ukuliqonda kahle. Ukushumayela kumelwe kusekelwe ekujwayelaneni nezimfundiso zeqiniso. UPawulu watshela uThithu ukuthi umbonisi kumelwe abe “obambelele ezwini elithembekileyo ngokwesifundiso, aze abenakho nokuyala ngesifundiso esiphilileyo nokwahlula abaphikayo.” (Thithu 1:9) IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisebenza njengendlela yokusola labo abaphambene nokufunwa uJehova, nokuyala owonayo ngokwenzuzo yakhe siqu. Konke lokhu kuyingxenye yokufeza inkonzo ngokugcwele.
Ukuyala Kuyadingeka
9. Kungani ukuyala kobuKristu kudingeka?
9 Ngezinye izikhathi kuyadingeka ukukhumbuza labo okungenzeka abenzi yonke into okumelwe bayenze noma abantula ukwazisa nentshiseko ekukhulekeleni uJehova. Bakwazisa kakhulu ukuyala kobuKristu labo abathanda uJehova. Bayakujabulela ukuzwa lokho uJehova akushoyo futhi bakubheka njengokudla okungokomoya okucebile. (Isaya 55:3; Heberu 12:5, 6) Ngakho kuyinkonzo enhle ezisebenzini esikanye nazo—nakubantu abathanda ukukhulekela uJehova—ukubayala ngezwi likaNkulunkulu. UPawulu ngokwakhe wayala kaningi.—Roma 15:30; 16:17; 1 Korinte 1:10, 11; 1 Thimothewu 4:13; 6:11, 12; Heberu 10:24.
10. Kungani kudingeka ukubekezela ngokuqondene nokuyala?
10 Isikhonzi esizinikezele kumelwe futhi sazi indlela yokuhlakulela izithelo zomoya kaNkulunkulu. Kungase kudinge ukubekezela nokukhuthazela ukuzama ukuyala labo abangasabeli ngokushesha. Abanye bangase babonise nokuntula ukwazisa ngemizamo eyenziwe yokuyala nokukhuthaza. Nokho, kumelwe kwenziwe, ikakhulukazi yibo bonke abadala abangamaKristu. Kudingeka ikhono lokufundisa. Uma umuntu eqhubeka esebenzisa iZwi likaJehova, uyaqhubeka eba nekhono lokulisebenzisa. Uma umfundisi eqala ukwazi umfundi, kumelwe akwazi ukudlulisela ulwazi kuye. UPawulu uyichaza kahle indlela efanele kweyoku-1 Thesalonika 5:14: “Kepha siyaniyala, bazalwane, ukuba niluleke abangahambi ngomthetho, nithokozise abadanileyo, nisekele ababuthakathaka, nibabekezelele bonke.”
Zixwaye Izihlubuki
11. Yini okumelwe siyenze ngezihlubuki?
11 UPawulu wayefuna ukuba uThimothewu akwazi ukulondoloza ukulinganisela kwakhe, noma ukuqapha kuzo zonke izinto. Kwakungamelwe abe njengalabo abangahambisani nesifundiso esiphilayo nabangafuni ukulalela iqiniso. Isikhonzi seqiniso sikaNkulunkulu namuhla asikhathaleli ngokungafanele noma siphazamiseke emisebenzini yaso uma sithola ukuthi abanye bayahlubuka eZwini likaNkulunkulu nasesifundisweni salo esiphilayo. Siye saxwayiswa ngaphambili ukuthi kuyoba nezihlubuki nabantu abafuna nje ukukitazwa izindlebe zabo. Iseluleko esinjengesiku-2 Johane 9-11; 1 Korinte 5:11-13 nakweye-2 Thimothewu 3:5 asikuvumeli neze ukudlelana nalabo abahlubuka eqinisweni. Futhi asizithengi noma sizifunde izincwadi zabo. Kunabaningi abafuna ukuzwa iqiniso, futhi yilaba esiba nobudlelwano bobuKristu nabo.—1 Thimothewu 6:20, 21.
12. Kungani isikhonzi esingumKristu sithatha lokhu kuma okuqinile?
12 UPawulu waluleka: “Abantu ababi nabakhohlisi bazakuqhubekela phambili ebubini, bedukisa, bedukiswa.” (2 Thimothewu 3:13) Ngokwalesixwayiso sangaphambili, isikhonzi esingumKristu asihambisani nabantu abanjalo. Silandela iseluleko esihle somphostoli: “Kepha wena yima kulokho okufundile nowaqiniseka kukho, wazi ukuthi ukufundé kobani, nokuthi kusukela ebuntwaneni wazi imibhalo engcwele enamandla okukuhlakaniphisa, kube-yinsindiso ngokukholwa kuKristu Jesu. Yonke imibhalo iphefumlelwe nguNkulunkulu ilungele ukufundisa, nokusola, nokuqondisa, nokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu aphelele, apheleliselwe yonke imisebenzi emihle.” (2 Thimothewu 3:14-17) Ukutadisha njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu kuyisibusiso kulabo abafuna ukufeza inkonzo yabo.
Izibusiso Zokuhlanganyela NamaKristu
13. Ukusebenza enkonzweni noPawulu kwakuyinzuzo kanjani kuThimothewu, futhi singazuza kanjani?
13 Kwakuyisibusiso ngempela kuThimothewu ukusebenza noPawulu iminyaka eminingi, ukukwazi ukubheka indlela isikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu esithembekile nesivuthiwe esiziphatha ngayo. UPawulu wasebenzisa okuhlangenwe nakho kwabo njengesikhumbuzo esihle kuThimothewu: “Kepha wena walandela isifundiso sami nokuziphatha, nomgomo, nenkolo, nokubhekakade, nothando, nokubekezela, nokuzingelwa, nezinhlupheko ezangehlela eAntiyokiya naselkoniyu naseListra; ukuzingelwa okunje ngakhuthazela kukho, kepha iNkosi yangikhulula kukho konke. Yebo, bonke abathanda ukuhamba ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu kuKristu Jesu bayakuzingelwa.” (2 Thimothewu 3:10-12) Nakuba namuhla singathintene ngokuqondile noPawulu, umbhalo obanzi wezindlela zakhe otholakala eBhayibhelini ungasisiza nathi.
14. Kungani kumelwe sikulungele ukuhlupheka?
14 UPawulu wakhuluma ngokushushiswa kwakhe nokuhlupheka, futhi iseluleko sakhe esikhonzini esingumKristu siwukulungela ukuhlupheka. (2 Thimothewu 4:5) Ngokuvamile kuyadingeka ukudlula ekushushisweni okuthile ekufezeni ngokugcwele inkonzo yethu. Kuyilungelo ukugcina ubuqotho ngaphansi kovivinyo nokwenza inhliziyo kaJehova ijabule. (IzAga 27:11) Umphumela wobufakazi ungaba ukudunyiswa kukaJehova!
Umsebenzi Womvangeli
15. Kungani kumelwe kuhlanganyelwe ekushumayeleni ivangeli njengoba sifeza inkonzo yethu ngokugcwele?
15 Ukushumayela ivangeli kuthatha ingxenye enkulu yesikhathi sesikhonzi esithembekile esingumKristu. UJesu wathi: “Ivangeli limelwe ukushunyayelwa kuqala ezizweni zonke.” (Marku 13:10) Wakukhanyisa ukuthi ukuphela akunakufika kuze kube yilapho izindaba ezinhle sezishunyayelwe ngokwanele. UPawulu wayenelungelo lokuhlanganyela izindaba ezinhle namakholwa amaningi kuwo wonke uMbuso waseRoma. Lokho kwaphumela ekuqalisweni kwamabandla amasha nokumiswa kwababonisi. Nabo bahlanganyela nabafowabo abangamaKristu nodade emsebenzini wokushumayela ivangeli futhi ngalokho baqhubekisela umsebenzi wokushumayela nasezindaweni ezikude. Umsebenzi omningi wenziwa njengoba uPawulu achaza, ‘ngokufundisa phambi kwabantu nakuzo izindlu ngezindlu.’ (IzEnzo 20:20) Kwakunemiphumela emihle ngalesosikhathi, futhi kunemiphumela emihle kakhulu namuhla njengoba umsebenzi wobuKristu wenziwa emhlabeni wonke.—Johane 14:12.
16. Ibuphi ubufakazi obubonisa ukuthi abaningi basebenzisa iseluleko sikaPawulu kweye-2 Thimothewu 4:5?
16 Ngokholo, abaningi basebenzisa amathuba okwandisa imisebenzi yabo emsebenzini wokushumayela ivangeli. Izinkulungwane ziye zangenela inkonzo yezithunywa zevangeli, futhi amakhulu ezinkulungwane ahlanganyela ezinhlotsheni ezithile zenkonzo yobuphayona. Emazweni angama-205 manje kunabangaphezu kwezi-2 650 000 abakhonza njengabashumayeli bevangeli emabandleni angaphezu kwezi-46 000, futhi amanani ayakhula. Lezizinto ezimangalisayo ziwubufakazi bokuthi izinceku zikaJehova ezizinikezele ziyakulalela ukuthunywa kwaphezulu futhi ‘zifeza ngokugcwele’ inkonzo yazo.
Ukufeza Umsebenzi
17. Yini uJehova afisela ukuyibona yenziwa yizinceku zakhe ngokuqondene nomsebenzi eziwabelwe namuhla?
17 UJehova uye wabela abagcotshiweyo bakhe inkonzo, futhi “isixuku esikhulu” sisebenza ngokubambisana nabo. Ngokwesiprofetho, kuHezekeli isahluko 9, umsebenzi ufaniswa nokubeka uphawu emabunzini alabo ababubula bekhala. Siyazi ngokwalesosiprofetho ukuthi isikhathi siyofika lapho indoda enophondo lukayinki iyothi: “Ngenzile njengokungiyala kwakho.” UJehova uyajabula uma izinceku zakhe zenza njengoba eziyala.—Hezekeli 9:4, 11; Genesise 6:22; 1 Korinte 4:2.
18, 19. Iziphi ezinye zezindlela ongase usebenzise ngazo manje iseluleko sikaPawulu esikweye-2 Thimothewu 4:1-5?
18 Njengoba sibheka izimo zezwe zenzeka ngokuvumelana neziprofetho ezimaqondana nalezinsuku zokugcina, asinakwenza ngenye indlela ngaphandle kokuba nomuzwa wokuphuthuma komsebenzi wokushumayela esiwabelwe. Kuhileleke ukuphila. Kwenziwa ukuvuna futhi uJehova uyakusheshisa ngesikhathi sakho. (Isaya 60:22) Ngakho-ke, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umthwalo wakho wemfanelo uyini njengenceku ezinikezele kaJehova, wenzele ukumjabulisa ngokugcwele. (Kolose 1:10; 3:23, 24) Khumbula umsebenzi onikezwe ukuba uwenze futhi uzame ukuwufeza ngokugcwele. Uma unakekela imisebenzi ethile eHholo LoMbuso, wenzisise lowomsebenzi. Uma wabelwe imisebenzi eqenjini leSifundo Sencwadi Sebandla, sebenza ngokubambisana nalo niyalane nikhuthaze futhi nikhuthazane. Uma uyiphayona noma isithunywa sevangeli, qiniseka ukuba usebenze kanzima ukuze uhlangabezane nemigomo yakho yenkonzo.—Roma 12:6-9.
19 Ungase futhi uzibuze, Kungenzeka yini ukuthi bengingenza okwengeziwe ekusizeni amanye amaKristu, ikakhulukazi abasha ekuhlanganyeleni nebandla, ukuze ngibakhe? Uma ingxenye yenkonzo yakho iwukuba umdala ebandleni, yazi isimo ‘somhlambi’ futhi unakekele kahle bonke abasebandleni. Nakekela ukuze kungabibikho opholayo noma ongathuthuki ngokuqondene nolwazi oluqondile lweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu. (2 Petru 1:5-8.) Ngaphezu kwakho konke, qaphela okwenzayo emsebenzini wokushumayela ivangeli ukuze “ufeze inkonzo yakho ngokugcwele.”
Uyakhumbula?
□ Sasiyini isimo sikaPawulu lapho ebhala eyesibili kuThimothewu?
□ Kungani kubalulekile ukushumayela izwi?
□ Kungani isiyalo sibalulekile?
□ Kumelwe kusetshenzelwane kanjani nabafundisi bamanga?
□ Kungani ukushumayela ivangeli kubaluleke kakhulu namuhla?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Incwadi yesibili kaPawulu kuThimothewu yamsiza ‘ukuba afeze ngokugcwele inkonzo yakhe’