Amasiko Okuzila—Uwabheka Kanjani?
KUWO WONKE umlando, ukufa kuye kwaba okuhlangenwe nakho kwesintu okuvamile. Kodwa ukujwayelana nakho isikhathi eside akuzange kunciphise umphumela olimazayo ukufa okunawo kwabafelwe. Ulwazi lokuthi omunye obeyingxenye yokuphila kwakho akasekho lubangela usizi olujulile noluhlala isikhathi eside, nomuzwa obuhlungu wokulahlekelwa.
Inkolo kumelwe idambise ubuhlungu obubangelwa ukufa, kodwa ngokuvamile yenza okuphambene. Kwamanye amazwe ubuhlungu obulethwa ukufa kwabafelwe buguqulwa bube ukwesaba lapho betshelwa ukuthi abazali babo nezihlobo ezifile manje bangamadlozi aphindiselayo okumelwe kushwelezwe kuwo ngemigidingo efanele yokuzila. Ngaphandle kwalokho bayohlupha abaphilayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, lapho umkhaya wamaKristu ufelwe, kungase kube nezinqumo okumelwe ubhekane nazo ngokuphathelene namasiko endawo, njengokugqoka izingubo ezikhethekile nokuhlanganyela emigidingweni abanye abangase bayilindele.
UJehova uNkulunkulu uye wathembisa ukuthi ngolunye usuku uyosusa okuhlangenwe nakho okubuhlungu kokufa emkhayeni wesintu. (IsAmbulo 21:4) Futhi okwamanje uye wasinikeza iZwi lakhe, iBhayibheli, ‘njengokukhanya endleleni yethu.’ (IHubo 119:105) Noma nini uma singabaza ngento efanele esingayenza, iBhayibheli lisibonisa indlela uNkulunkulu afuna senze ngayo. (Isaya 30:21) Ake sicabangele ukuqondisa elikunikezayo ngalesosikhathi esidabukisa kakhulu, lapho omunye oyisihlobo sethu efa.
Ukulila Kufanelekile
Njengoba sekuphawuliwe kakade, kungokwemvelo ukuzizwa sidabuke ngokujulile lapho othile esimthandayo efa. Kodwa amaKristu ayazi ukuthi kuyoba khona uvuko. Ngakho-ke, awanalo usizi olungenathemba, olungenakuzibamba ngokuvamile oluboniswa abangenathemba. (1 Thesalonika 4:13) Ukufa ngokuyinhloko akusho ukwehlukana phakade, nakuba kusho ukwehlukana okwesikhashana.
Kanjalo, uAbrahama ‘wamlilela uSara wamkhalela’ lapho efa. (Genesise 23:2) Ulsaka, indodana yakhe, wayedinga ‘ukududuzwa emva kokufa kukanina.’ (Genesise 24:67) Ukudabuka kwabangane nezihlobo zikaLazaru owayefile kwakukukhulu kangangokuthi uJesu ngokwakhe “wakhala izinyembezi.” (Johane 11:35) Kuyisenzo sothando ngabangane bomkhaya ofelwe ukuba bavakashe futhi baduduze phakathi nesikhathi esicindezela kanjalo.—Johane 11:31.
Nokho, uyoqaphela ukuthi ezindabeni ezingokomBhalo zokulila nezokududuza abafelwe, ukushweleza kwabafileyo akuphathwa. Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zazazi ukuthi abafileyo balele, abezwa. (Johane 11:11-14; UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Abafileyo abahlupheki ekuphileni okungemva kokufa, futhi ababi amadlozi aphindiselayo, ayingozi. (IHubo 146:3, 4) Ngakho-ke, abantu bakaNkulunkulu babengenakulingisa izizwe ezazibazungezile ngezenzo ezibonisa umbono ophambene ngabafileyo.—Duteronomi 14:1; 18:10-12.
Nanamuhla, lapho sicabangela imikhuba evame ukwenziwa ngenxa ‘yokuhlonipha abafileyo,’ kumelwe sihlole okushiwo yilowomkhuba okwamanje. Ingabe manje uhlangene nemfundiso ephambene noma ukukholelwa ezeni okuthile? Uma kunjalo, ingabe umKristu kumelwe awalandele?—Roma 13:12-14.
Ayini Amasiko Okuzila?
Phakathi kwabanye abantu emhlabeni, abafelokazi nabafelwa kufanele bagqoke izingubo ezikhethekile futhi bahlale esimweni sokuzila, inkululeko yabo ivinjelwe ngemithetho eminingi, unyaka wonke. Ingabe lelisiko liyafanelana nezinkolelo zobuKristu?
Ngokuqondakalayo, umKristu oye walahlekelwa othandekayo wakhe angase agqoke futhi enze ngokuthobeke kakhudlwana okwesikhashana. (Qhathanisa neye-2 Samuweli 13:19; 2 AmaKhosi 6:30.) Kodwa lokhu kuhluke kakhulu nokugqoka, isikhathi eside, izingubo ezingqondweni zomphakathi ezihlangene nezinkolelo ezingezona ezeBhayibheli ngabafileyo. Lapho abafelokazi abangamaKristu beye benqaba ukulandela amasiko anjalo, ngezinye izikhathi baye basongelwa izihlobo nomakhelwane abathi bayokwehlelwa “yishwa” noma “umoya” womyeni ofile uyothukuthela ulethe inhlekelele kubona. Laba abakholelwa ezeni bangase besabe ukuthi ngeke line izulu, noma ukuthi kuyoba nesivuno esibi.
Omunye umfelokazi akazange awalandele lamasiko, ngakho indodana yakhe yathi: “Umoya kababa awunakulala ngokuthula.” Kwenye indawo, inkosi yesizwe yasongela ukuxosha zonke izinceku zikaJehova kuleyondawo! Abanye abantu bendawo bathukuthela kakhulu kangangokuba bacekela phansi indawo yamaKristu yokuhlangana yakuleyondawo ngemigxala nangezimbazo. Kwenye futhi indawo, umfelokazi ongumKristu wakhunyulwa waba nqunu futhi washaywa ngobudlova amaphoyisa esizwe ngemvubu.
Kungani labafelokazi abangamaKristu benqaba ukwenza lokho omakhelwane babo ababekulindele kubo? Mhlawumbe wena ngokwakho awuboni ngozi ekuhambisaneni namasiko endawo ukuze ‘ufaneleke.’ Futhi ngamanye amasiko, lokho ngempela kungase kube iqiniso. Kodwa umKristu angabhekwa kanjani uma ehlanganyela emasikweni aklanyelwe ukushweleza ‘emimoyeni yokhokho’? Khumbula, labo ababengenela imikhuba enjalo ngezikhathi zangaphambili babengavunyelwa ukuba bahlale beyingxenye yomphakathi wamaIsrayeli noma ibandla lakuqala lamaKristu.—Duteronomi 13:12-15; 18:9-13; 2 Korinte 6:14-18; 2 Johane 9, 10.
Cabangela ezinye zezizathu zalokhu. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokuhlanganyela emikhubeni enjalo yenkolo, umuntu uyobe esekela futhi eqinisweni ethuthukisa inkolo engeyona eyobuKristu. Uyobe ebonisa ukuthi enhliziyweni yakhe useyingxenye yenkolo yamanga.—IsAmbulo 18:4.
Kuwo wonke umhlaba, oFakazi BakaJehova bayaziwa ngokufundisa iBhayibheli. Elinye iqiniso leBhayibheli abaliqokomisayo elokuthi abafileyo abezwa, abahlupheki esihogweni noma bazule emhlabeni futhi abakwazi ukulimaza izizukulwane zabo. IBhayibheli lithi: “Kepha abafileyo abazi-lutho.” (UmShumayeli 9:5) Lemfundiso iye yaduduza amakhulu ezinkulungwane. Kanjalo, abantu emiphakathini eminingi ngokuvamile abawalindele lamaKristu ukuba ahlanganyele emasikweni aklanyelwe ukushweleza kwabafileyo.
Yini-ke engenzeka, uma amaKristu eqiniso, ngenxa yokucindezela kwezihlobo nomakhelwane, evuma ukulandela amasiko okuzila angewona awobuKristu? Ingabe omakhelwane bebengenakuphetha ngokuthi mhlawumbe lamaKristu awakukholelwa ngempela lokho akushumayelayo? Ukuthi mhlawumbe angenziwa alulahle ukholo lwawo kwezinye izinto? Akungatshazwa. Kanjalo, umsebenzi omningi omuhle ungachithwa, futhi abantu bangase bakhubeke.—Mathewu 18:6; 2 Korinte 6:3.
Ngakho-ke, abadala nabanye emabandleni oFakazi BakaJehova banikeza ukusekela okuningi ngangokunokwenzeka kulabo abasanda kufelwa. Banikeza noma ikuphi ukusekela okudingekayo ukuze babasize bamele iqiniso ngokuqinile naphezu kwanoma ikuphi ukucindezela kokulandela imikhuba engeyona eyobuKristu.—Qhathanisa neye-2 Korinte 1:3, 4.
Kuthiwani uma umKristu eqala ukulandela amasiko okuzila angewona awobuKristu naphezu kosizo olunjalo? Abadala bayothatha isinyathelo somusa. Umphostoli uPawulu weluleka: “Bazalwane, uma umuntu ehlelwa yisiphambeko, nina-bomoya mbuyiseni onjalo ngomoya wobumnene.” (Galathiya 6:1) Umfundi uJakobe uyanezela: “Bazalwane bami, uma omunye kini eduka eqinisweni, omunye ambuyise, yazini ukuthi obuyisile isoni ekudukeni kwendlela yaso uyakusindisa umphefumulo wakhe ekufeni, asibekele izono eziningi.”—Jakobe 5:19, 20.
Kuhle ukukhumbula ukuthi uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe ‘akathandi ukuba kubhubhe namunye, kodwa ukuba bonke beze ekuphendukeni.’ (2 Petru 3:9) Okokuqala abadala bayozama ngokusemandleni ukubuyisa owonayo. Ezimweni eziningi ngokungangabazeki kuyotholakala ukuthi ukudabuka okunamandla okuhlangene nokwesaba omakhelwane kuye kwacindezela ofelweyo ukuba athathe isinyathelo esingalungile. Kwethenjwa ukuthi, ngosizo lomusa, olunesihe, kusukela lapho ‘uyokwenzela izinyawo zakhe izindlela eziqondileyo ukuba okuqhugayo kungaphinyazeki, kepha kunalokho kuphulukiswe.’—Heberu 12:13.
Nokho, uma umKristu elandela amasiko okuzila angewona awobuKristu futhi enqaba usizo lwamaKristu akanye naye, ephikelela ngenkambo engeyona eyobuKristu, khona-ke ekugcineni abadala kungase kufuneke ukuba bathathe isinyathelo ukuze baqiniseke ukuthi imikhuba enjalo ayididi ababukelayo noma ingenise imikhuba engalungile ebandleni lobuKristu. Noma ubani okhulekela okhokho bakhe akaseyena umKristu weqiniso, futhi kumelwe kuthathwe izinyathelo ukuze kuqinisekwe ukuthi bonke bayaliqaphela leliqiniso.—1 Korinte 5:13.
Izibusiso Zokwethembeka
AmaKristu amaningi aye athola ukuthi ukwethembeka kulendaba ebalulekile kuletha imiphumela emihle. UEdwina Apason, owesifazane ongumKristu eSuriname, ulandisa okuhlangenwe nakho kwakhe: “Ngesinye isikhathi, lapho ngiqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli, ngathola umbiko oshaqisayo. Indodana yami enkulu, eyayingeyena uFakazi yayidutshulwe yafa lapho ihlanganyela ekubhikisheni. Lokhu kulahlekelwa okubuhlungu kwaqalisa ukucindezela okukhulu, ngoba izihlobo zami zathi: ‘Uma ungawalandeli amasiko okuzila, awunayo imizwelo kamama ngendodana yakho.’ Isiko lalifuna ukuba ngigunde izinwele, ngishuqule ngeduku elimhlophe, ngigqoke inzilo izinyanga eziningi, ngihambe kancane ngamabomu, futhi ngikhulume kancane ngezwi eliphansi—konke lokhu ukuze ngibonise abantu ‘nemimoya yabafileyo’ ukuthi ngempela ngidabukile. Nokho, ukuba ngazenza lezizinto, ngempela ukushumayela kwami kwakuyoba yize, futhi ngangiyolahlekelwa unembeza wami ohlanzekile phambi kukaNkulunkulu.” Ngakho-ke, uEdwina akazange ahlehle.
Enye indoda yathi u-anti wayo ofile wayeyivakashela njalo ebusuku. Yini eyacabanga ukuthi uyayifuna? Yaphendula: “Ukuba enzelwe umhlatshelo ezansi osebeni lomfula.” Kuthiwani uma lomhlatshelo wawungenziwa? Kwakunosongo lokufa. Lapho esaphila, lo-anti wayengumuntu onothando kakhulu. Kodwa, ngemva kokufa, kucatshangelwa ukuthi wenza njengesidlova esinenhloso embi, esisongelayo. Ingabe lona ngempela kwakungaba umuntu ofanayo? Ngokubonisana nangokusetshenziswa kwemiBhalo, lendoda nabanye abanjengayo baye bakhululeka ekwesabeni abafileyo. Labantu baye bafunda ukuthi imibono, amazwi, nemingcwi kuwumsebenzi wezingelosi ezilahliwe, amademoni.—Qhathanisa neye-2 Korinte 11:3, 14; Efesu 6:12.
Izinceku zikaJehova ziyazi ukuthi uma zihlala endleleni azibekela yona, lokhu ekugcineni kuyoholela esibusisweni sokuphila okuphakade. (Isaya 30:21) USathane uzama njalo ukusebenzisa izindlela zobuqili ukuze azame ukuzikhuba futhi azenze ziphambuke kulendlela. (1 Petru 5:8, 9) Uyaqaphela ukuthi bangase bahlaseleke kalula lapho belilela ukufa kothandekayo. Nakuba kunjalo, amaKristu azimisele ukuthembeka kuJehova kuzo zonke izinto, naphezu kwanoma ikuphi ukucindezela. Kulokhu, njengakwezinye izindaba, ‘amelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.’ (IzEnzo 5:29) Kanjalo abonisa ukujula kokuzinikezela kwawo kuJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi angabheka phambili ekuwabusiseni kwakhe ngokuphila esimisweni sakhe esisha lapho ukufa nokukhala ‘kungasayikuba-khona.’—IsAmbulo 21:4.