Ukuphilisa—Ingabe Kuvela KuNkulunkulu?

LENDODA yayisigule iminyaka engama-38. UJesu wabuza, “Uyathanda ukusinda na?” Uma wawuyilendoda, wawungeke uphendule ngentshiseko ngokuthi, yebo? UJesu wayitshela “Sukuma, uthabathe uhlaka lwakho, uhambe.” Waba yini umphumela walawomazwi? “Wayesephila masinyane lowomuntu, wathabatha uhlaka lwakhe, wahamba.”—Johane 5:5-9.

Lesisenzo sokuphilisa kwaphezulu sasingesinye seziningi uJesu azenza phakathi nenkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni. (Mathewu 11:4, 5) Abaphilisi namuhla bathi uNkulunkulu usakwenza ukuphilisa okunjalo, futhi basekelwa ubufakazi bezinkulungwane ezithi ziye zasindiswa yibo.

Umehluko Obalulekile

Ukuhlola iBhayibheli kwembula umehluko omningi obalulekile phakathi kokwelapha okubikwa eBhayibhelini nalokho okubikwa abaphilisi namuhla. Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu nabafundi bakhe, babengafuni-nkokhelo ngokwelapha kwabo. UJesu wafundisa: “Namukelisiwe ngesihle, yiphani ngesihle.” (Mathewu 10:8) Ngaleyondlela balandela isibonelo esabekwa uElisha, owanqaba isipho esasivela endodeni ebizwa ngokuthi uNahamani eyalashwa uchoko uElisha. (2 AmaKhosi 5:1, 14-16) Ngakho-ke, lapho abaphilisi befuna inkokhelo ngomsebenzi wabo, beqa lesibonelo esingokomBhalo sesikhathi esidlule.

Futhi kumelwe kuphawulwe ukuthi ukuphilisa okwenziwa ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli kwakwenzeka ngaso lesosikhathi noma kwenziwe esikhathini esifushane. Lapho umphostoli uPetru ebona indoda “eyisishosha kwasesiswini sikanina,” watshela lendoda: “Egameni likaJesu Kristu waseNazaretha, hamba.” Indaba iyembula: “Kwaqina masinyane izinyawo [zesishosha] namaqakala, egxuma, wema, wahamba.” (IzEnzo 3:1-8) Zifundele ngokwakho ezinye izibonelo kuzEnzo 5:15, 16 no-14:8-10.

Nokho, ukwelapha kwanamuhla kwabaphilisi, ngokuvamile kuthatha izinsuku, amasonto, ngisho nezinyanga ukuba kusebenze! Futhi, okuphawulekayo iqiniso lokuthi abaphilisi bathambekele ekugxileni ekuguleni okuphathelene nokusebenza kwezitho, njengobumpumputhe, ukukhubazeka noma ukungezwa—izifo ngezinye izikhathi ezinezisekelo ezingokwengqondo. Udokotela ohlinzayo uPaul Brand uyaphawula: “Lapho ukukhubazeka kwezitho zomzimba kungasenakwelashwa—ukulahlekelwa imilenze, amehlo, noma izimbotshana zoboya—izimangaliso azivamile ukwenzeka.” Nokho, uJesu welapha “izifo zonke nokugula konke,” kuhlanganise nobuthaka bezitho zomzimba, njengesandla esishwabene.—Mathewu 9:35; Marku 3:3-5.

‘Untula Ukholo!’

Ngokudabukisayo, abantu abaningi abagula kakhulu baya ‘emihlanganweni yenkolo yabaphilisi’ babuyele emakhaya sebegula kakhulu kunakuqala. Abaphilisi babeka izaba zokwehluleka okunjalo ngokuthi, ‘Bantula ukholo!’ Nokho, lokhu kuwumgunyathi. Kunjengoba uDr. William Nolen ephawula: “Ngokungafani nodokotela ongokomthetho, umphilisi othembele emandleni angabonakali akalivumi icala lapho ukwelapha kwakhe kwehluleka. Kumelwe ngivume ukuthi ngingathanda ukuphendukela kulesisaba uma ngihlangana nesiguli engingenakuselapha.”

Akekho noyedwa kubaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu, uJesu noma abafundi bakaJesu okwake kwadingeka ukuba abeke isaba sokuthi isiguli aselaphekanga ngoba sintula ukholo. Iqiniso, ukuntuleka kokholo kungenzeka kwanciphisa inani labantu abeza ukuba bazophulukiswa. Kodwa kulabo abeza, ukwelashwa okuphelele kwakwenziwa njalo kubo!—Marku 6:5, 6.

Iqiniso, kwezinye izimo abantu ngokusobala ababentula ukholo babelashwa. Ngokwesibonelo, uNahamani induna yempi yaseAramu, wayengakholwa ngokugcwele ukuthi angelashwa uchoko lwakhe ngendlela umprofethi uElisha ayala ngayo. Kwaba kuphela ngemva kokwelashwa kwakhe lapho avuma khona: “Bheka, sengiyazi ukuthi akakho uNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke, kwaIsrayeli kuphela.” (2 AmaKhosi 5:11-13, 15) Ngaleyondlela isaba esilula sabaphulukisi asiphumeleli.

Ukuphilisa—Isipho Esesaphela

Kodwa akulona yini iqiniso ukuthi izipho eziyisimangaliso zokuphilisa zazijwayelekile phakathi kwamaKristu akuqala? (1 Korinte 12:9) Yebo, kodwa kwakunesizathu esihle sezimangaliso ezenzeka emuva ngalesosikhathi. Iminyaka eyinkulungwane nengxenye, isizwe sikaIsrayeli ongokwenyama sasingabantu abakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu; kodwa ekhulwini lokuqala leSikhathi sethu Esivamile, uIsrayeli wenqatshwa ngenxa yokuntula kwaso ukholo futhi isikhundla saso sathathwa ibandla elisha lobuKristu. LawomaKristu akuqala adinga usizo olungaphezu koluvamile lokuqinisa ukholo lwawo nokunika ubufakazi kwabanye abantu bokuthi babesekelwa uJehova uNkulunkulu.

Ngaleyondlela, izipho eziyisimangaliso, kuhlanganise nokuphilisa, zazinikwa ibandla elaliselisha lobuKristu. Lezi zasebenza ‘njengesibonakaliso’ kwabangakholwa nanjengento yokukhulisa ukholo lwabakholwayo. (1 Korinte 14:22) Nokho, cishe eminyakeni eyizinkulungwane ezimbili kamuva, ubuKristu abusebusha. (Qhathanisa 1 Korinte 13:9-13.) IBhayibheli kade laqedwa futhi lisakazwa ngezigidi. Ngakho amaKristu eqiniso namuhla angabaqondisa kalula abangakholwayo emakhasini alo esekela lokho akufundisayo. Izibonakaliso eziyisimangaliso azisadingeki.

UPawulu waqhubeka wabonisa ukuthi izipho ezingaphezu kwamandla emvelo ‘zaziyakukhawuka.’ (1 Korinte 13:8) Izipho ezinjalo zazidluliswa kuphela abaphostoli bakaKristu Jesu ngokuqondile noma lapho bekhona. (IzEnzo 8:18-20; 10:44-46; 19:6) Ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli, izibonakaliso eziyisimangaliso zanqamuka.

ICyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature kaMcClintock noStrong (umqulu VI, ikhasi 320) iphawula ukuthi “Kuyinkulumo engenakuphikiswa ukuthi phakathi nekhulu lokuqala leminyaka ngemva kokufa kwabaphostoli sizwa kancane noma asizwa nhlobo ngokusebenza kwezimangaliso ezenziwa amaKristu akuqala.”

Isizathu Sokuqaphela

UJesu Kristu waxwayisa ngokuthi kwakuzofika isikhathi lapho abaningi beyothi kuye: “Nkosi, Nkosi, asiprofethanga yini ngegama lakho, sakhipha amademoni ngegama lakho, senza imisebenzi eminingi yamandla ngegama lakho, na?” Nokho uJesu wayezobatshela: “Angizange nginazi, sukani kimi nina-benzi bokubi.” (Mathewu 7:22, 23) Khona-ke, yini ebangela babonakale bephumelela ekwenzeni “imisebenzi yamandla” uma kungewona umoya kaNkulunkulu?

Kwezinye izimo, umgunyathi osobala ubonakala uhilelekile. Ngokwesibonelo, iThe Herald, iphephandaba laseZimbabwe, labika ngabantu abathathu umphilisi owaziwayo abika ukuthi balashiwe. Leliphepha laveza lokhu njengomgunyathi: “Ingane eyodwa isalokhu ingezwa futhi ayikhulumi; enye ingane yayingesona isithulu noma isimungulu; nowesifazane, owayeyisithulu, namanje akezwa.”

Ngezinye izikhathi, ukuphilisa kubonakala kunemiphumela yobungcono kogulayo. Kwezinye izimo—ikakhulukazi lapho kuphela isikhathi eside ngaphambi kokuba ukwelapha kuzibonakalise—kubonakala sengathi ukuzelapha okungokwemvelo komzimba kuhilelekile. Encwadini iScience and the Paranormal, uDr. William Nolen uthi “iziguli ezingaba ngamaphesenti angama-80 eziza [kudokotela ongokomthetho] zinezifo ezingenamandla—okungukuthi, izifo ezizolulama kuzo ngokuzenzekelayo.” Ngakho-ke, ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, umphilisi angamane athathe udumo lokwelapha.

Okokugcina, iBhayibheli lixwayisa ngokuthi “uSathane uqobo uziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya” emzamweni wokukhohlisa. (2 Korinte 11:14) Kweyesi-2 Thesalonika 2:9, 10, uPawulu wachaza futhi: “Lowo okufika kwakhe kungokokusebenza kukaSathane ngawo onke amandla, nezibonakaliso, nezimangaliso zamanga, nangayo yonke inkohliso yokungalungi kwababhubhayo.” Ngakho qaphela! Ukuphilisa ngokujwayelekile kuhilela amandla obudemoni! UPawulu waxwayisa “angithandi ukuba nibe-nenhlanganyelo namademoni. Ningesiphuze isitsha seNkosi kanye nesitsha samademoni.”—1 Korinte 10:20, 21.

Lapho UmKristu Egula

Iqiniso, lapho umuntu egula, ukwelashwa ngokuyisimangaliso kungase kubonakale kuyinto ehehayo. Nokho, phawula ukuthi isisebenzi esasikanye nomphostoli uPawulu uEphafrodithu wagulela ukufa. (Filipi 2:25-27) Umngane kaPawulu oseduze uThimothewu ngokufanayo ‘wayenobuthakathaka obuvamileyo.’ (1 Thimothewu 5:23) Nokho, uPawulu akazange aphilise namunye walamadoda ngokuyisimangaliso. Futhi lapho uPawulu ngokwakhe edinga ukunakekelwa kokwelashwa, kungenzeka wasebenzisa uLuka, “inyanga ethandekayo,” owayehamba naye.—Kolose 4:14.

Ngokufanayo namuhla, umKristu ogulayo angafuna usizo lukadokotela ofanelekayo, egwema noma yikuphi ukuthintana nokwelapha okuphefumlelwe amademoni noma ukukhohlisa kwezokwelapha okuvame kakhulu emazweni amaningi namuhla. Angathandaza futhi, engathandazeli ukwelashwa okuyisimangaliso, kodwa ukuhlakanipha kokubhekana nokugula. (Jakobe 1:5) Futhi anganxusa uJehova ukuba ‘amphase ecansini egula.’—IHubo 41:3.

Yiqiniso, kungadumaza kakhulu lapho isayensi yezokwelapha yehluleka ukwelapha isifo esithile. Nokho, ngisho nalapho egula umKristu kumelwe alwele ukuba ‘aqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu,’ angavumeli ukukhathazeka kakhulu ngempilo kufiphaze ngokuphelele ukukhathalela izinto ezingokomoya. (Filipi 1:10, NW) Angaziqinisa ngethemba lokuphila ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu lapho “abakhé khona abayikusho ukuthi: Ngiyagula.”—Isaya 33:24; 65:17-19.

Ngempela, lelithemba lomhlaba omusha wokulunga lingelihle kakhulu kunamathemba angafezeki abaphilisi. Cabanga ngoPeter, indoda eyimpumputhe ehlala eAkumadan, eGhana. Uchithe iminyaka engama-26 emasontweni ahlukahlukene aphilisayo enamathemba okuthi ubumpumputhe bakhe babuzokwelashwa. Kodwa akekho umphulukisi owavula amehlo akhe. Khona-ke, ngesikhathi esaya esontweni eliphilisayo, wahanjelwa oFakazi BakaJehova.

OFakazi bachaza ngokusuka eBhayibhelini ukuthi ngaphansi koMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuyoba nokuphulukiswa okuphelele kwakho konke ukugula. Lokhu kwavula amehlo kaPeter okuqonda. Egcwele ukwazisa ngamaqiniso amahle eBhayibheli, waba ummemezeli wesikhathi esigcwele woMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi useye wakhonza kanjalo iminyaka engaphezu kwemithathu! Ubheka phambili esikhathini lapho, ngendlela engokoqobo, “amehlo ezimpumputhe ayakuvulwa, zivuleke nezindlebe zezithulu.”—Isaya 35:5, 6.

Ngosizo lweZwi likaNkulunkulu, izinkulungwane zabanye ngokufanayo ziye zazikhulula ephutheni lokuthembela kubaphilisi.

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Akuvamile ukuba abaphilisi belaphe abantu abanezinkinga zezitho zomzimba

[Izithombe ekhasini 7]

UmKristu ogulayo uthandazela amandla okubekezela. Futhi ubheka phambili emhlabeni omusha, lapho “abakhé khona abayikusho ukuthi: Ngiyagula”