Badala—Vikelani Enikuphathisiweyo
“Ziqapheleni nina nomhlambi wonke anibeké kuwo uMoya oNgcwele ukuba nibe-ngababonisi bokwalusa ibandla likaNkulunkulu azizuzele lona ngegazi lakhe.”—IZENZO 20:28.
1. Okuphathisiwe kobuKristu kuhilelani?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU uphathise labo abasenhlanganweni yakhe yasemhlabeni okuthile okubabazekayo. Kodwa kuyini okuphathiswayo? Kungokuthile kwenani eliphakeme okunikwa umuntu okumelwe alandise. Lokhu okuphathisiwe kobuKristu kuhlanganisa ‘nesibonelo samazwi aphilayo,’ iqiniso elidluliselwa ngemiBhalo futhi lidluliselwe ‘yinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo,’ ‘njengokudla ngesikhathi sakho.’ (2 Thimothewu 1:13, 14; Mathewu 24:45-47) Lokhu abakuphathisiwe kuhlanganisa nenkonzo ehlangene neqiniso, okumelwe lishunyayelwe ngaphakathi nangaphandle kwebandla. (2 Thimothewu 4:1-5) Abamemezeli boMbuso, kuhlanganise nabadala abamiswe ngomoya, kufanele babheke lokhu abakuphathisiwe njengokwenani eliphezulu.
2. Yini eyengeziwe abadala abaphathiswe yona, futhi yini uPetru ayisho ngayo?
2 Abadala abangamaKristu baphathiswe okwengeziwe—umthwalo wemfanelo wokwalusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Ngiyawancenga amalunga aphakathi kwenu mina engiyilunga kanye nawo, nofakazi wezinhlupheko zikaKristu, nomhlanganyeli wenkazimulo ezakwambulwa, ngithi: Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ophakathi kwenu, kungabi-ngokucindezelwa kodwa ngokwentando kaNkulunkulu, kungabi-ngenxa yenzuzo eyihlazo kodwa ngenhliziyo evumayo, kungabi-njengabazenza amakhosi phezu kwamabandla enabelwa wona, kodwa nibe-yizibonelo zomhlambi; kuyakuthi, nxa esebonakaliswa uMalusi omkhulu, niyakuzuza umqhele wenkazimulo ongabuniyo.”—1 Petru 5:1-4.
3. Abadala abangamaKristu kumelwe babe imithombo yani?
3 Abadala abangamaKristu kumelwe ‘babe indawo yokucashela umoya nesivikelo esivunguvungwini njengemifula yamanzi endaweni eyomileyo, njengomthunzi wedwala ezweni eliyethileyo.’ (Isaya 32:1, 2) Lokhu kusho ukuthi abadala kufanele babe imithombo yokulondeka, ukuthula, nokuzinza emhlambini wezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezinjengezimvu. Kudingeka “okuningi” kubadala, noma kubelusi abangaphansi, bomhlambi ngoba ‘baphathiswe okuningi.’ (Luka 12:48) Futhi ngokuqinisekile baphathiswe into eyigugu okumelwe ivikelwe.
Kungani Iphathiswe Wena?
4. Kungani kudingeka abadala abaningi kangaka?
4 Ukuba khona kwamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova angaphezu kwayizi-60 000 emhlabeni wonke kudinga izinkulungwane zamadoda afanelekayo ngokomoya ukuba anakekele umhlambi kaNkulunkulu. Kunabadala abaningi ezweni ngalinye, futhi lokhu kuyimbangela yokujabula. Emhlabeni wonke kunesilinganiso sabamemezeli boMbuso abacishe babe ngama-60 ebandleni ngalinye. Ngakho, kunomsebenzi omningi abadala okumelwe bawenze.—1 Korinte 15:58.
5. Ilungelo lokukhonza njengomdala lidluliselwa kumuntu ngasiphi isisekelo?
5 Uma ungumdala, kungani lelilungelo elibusisekile ladluliselwa kuwe? Ingoba wenze izinto ezithile, futhi unezimfanelo ezingokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, kumelwe ukuba watadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu ngenkuthalo. (Joshuwa 1:7, 8) Kumelwe ukuba wahlanganyela ngentshiseko enkonzweni yasensimini, futhi usiza abanye ukuba babe abamemezeli boMbuso. Ngemva kokuba ‘uhloliwe,’ wakhonza ngokwethembeka njengenceku ekhonzayo. ‘Wafisa’ noma wafuna ukufanelekela ukuba umdala, uqaphela ukuthi ukuba ngumbonisi ‘kuwumsebenzi omuhle.’ (1 Thimothewu 3:1, 10) NjengoThimothewu, ‘wawufakazelwa kahle ngabazalwane.’ (IzEnzo 16:2) Lapho utuswa njengomdala, ngokunokwenzeka wawusondele eminyakeni engama-30 noma ngaphezulu futhi wawunokuhlangenwe nakho ekuphileni. Ibandla lalikuhlonipha njengomzalwane ovuthiwe ngokomoya, ongenekayo okwaziyo ukunikeza iseluleko esingokomBhalo esiphumelelayo nonesifuba.—IzAga 25:9, 10.
Indlela Yokuvikela Okuphathisiwe
6, 7. UThimothewu wokuQala 4:13-15 unikeza siphi iseluleko ekusizeni indoda ukuba ivikele ekuphathisiwe njengomdala?
6 Yebo, uma ungumdala, kwakungezizathu ezinengqondo ukuthi wanikezwa ukwengamela kobuKristu. Futhi yeka ukuthi wazizwa unelungelo kanjani! Kodwa ungakuvikela kanjani okuphathisiwe?
7 Enye indlela yokuvikela okuphathisiwe njengomdala iwukuba nombono oqondile futhi ukhuthale ekunakekeleni imisebenzi yakho. Sonke sinezabelo zemithwalo yemfanelo eyahlukahlukene enhlanganweni kaJehova. Ngakho, gcina indawo yakho, futhi waneliswe ‘ukuba ngomncinyane.’ (Luka 9:46-48; qhathanisa nabAhluleli 7:21.) Wazise amalungelo akho, futhi ungabi ‘nesandla esinobudenge.’ (IzAga 10:4) Musa ukuma ndawonye, kodwa ngosizo lukaJehova, yenza intuthuko kuzo zonke izici zenkonzo. Ngempela, landela leseluleko esanikezwa uPawulu kuThimothewu: “Nakekela ukufunda, nokuyala, nokufundisa, ngize ngifike. Ungasidebeseli isiphiwo esikuwe, owasiphiwa ngezwi lokuprofetha nangokubekwa izandla ngamalunga. Nakekela lezizonto, ume kuzo, ukuze ukuqhubeka kwakho kuqhame kubo bonke.”—1 Thimothewu 4:13-15.
8. Yini eyosiza umdala ukuba anikeze iseluleko esinengqondo futhi adlulisele okuthile okucebisayo ngokomoya emihlanganweni?
8 Qiniseka ngokuthi ulondoloza isimiso esihle, esikhiqizayo sesifundo somuntu siqu. Njengomdala, ulindeleke ngokufanelekile ukuba unikeze iseluleko esingokomBhalo esinengqondo. Ukuze uzihlomisele lomthwalo wemfanelo, ingabe usuye walifunda iBhayibheli ngokuzindla, mhlawumbe izikhathi eziningi? (IzAga 15:28) Kuthiwani ngezabelo zakho zasesiteji? Zilungiselele kahle, ufuna usizo lukaJehova ngobuqotho ukuze udlulisele okuthile okucebisayo ngokomoya kulabo abakhona emihlanganweni yethu. Abadala ikakhulukazi kufanele ‘bakhulume okulungele ukwakha ukuze kubavezele umusa abezwayo.’—Efesu 4:29; Roma 1:11.
9. Ngokweyesi-2 Thimothewu 4:2, yini umdala okumelwe ayenze?
9 Njengomdala, lalela isiyalo sikaPawulu: “Shumayela izwi, uqinise, noma kuyisikhathi noma kungesiso; sola, ukhuze, uyale ngakho konke ukubekezela nokufundisa.” (2 Thimothewu 4:2) UPawulu wayekhathazekile ngokuhlubuka ngoba abathile ebandleni ‘babelwa ngamazwi,’ begxila ‘ekuphikisaneni kobuwula,’ futhi ‘bemelene neqiniso.’ (2 Thimothewu 2:14-18, 23-25; 3:8-13; 4:3, 4) Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ibandla lalibhekene nesikhathi esinezinkinga noma esihle, uThimothewu kwakufanele ‘ashumayele izwi.’ Lokhu kwakuyoqinisa akholwa nabo ukuba bamelane nokuhlubuka. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, abadala kumelwe bashumayele iZwi elingena lijule, noma isigijimi, sikaNkulunkulu, esifinyelela inhliziyo futhi esikhuthaza ukunamathela ezindinganisweni zikaJehova.—Heberu 4:12.
10. Kungani umdala kufanele asebenze njalo enkonzweni yasensimini namalungu omkhaya wakhe nabanye?
10 Ukuze akhulume ngegunya, umdala kumelwe aphile ngokuvumelana neZwi likaNkulunkulu. Kodwa akakuvikeli ngokuphelele akuphathisiweyo uma ‘eshumayela izwi’ esiteji ngaphakathi ebandleni kuphela. Emongweni ofanayo uPawulu wanxusa uThimothewu: “Wenze umsebenzi womvangeli.” Ukuze ‘ufeze inkonzo yakho ngokugcwele’ njengomdala, kumelwe ushumayele iZwi likaNkulunkulu “phambi kwabantu nakuzo izindlu ngezindlu.” (2 Thimothewu 4:5, NW; IzEnzo 20:20, 21) Ngakho, sebenza enkonzweni yasensimini namalungu omkhaya wakho. Lokhu kungaba nengxenye esibophweni esingokomoya phakathi kwakho nomkakho futhi kuyobazuzisa kakhulu abantwana bakho. Futhi, sebenzisa isikhathi esithile uhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela namanye amalungu ebandla. Lokhu kuqinisa izibopho ezingokomoya futhi kukhulisa uthando lobuzalwane. (Johane 13:34, 35) Yiqiniso, umdala kumelwe alwele ukulinganisela ekuhlukaniseni isikhathi esibalulekile phakathi komkhaya wakhe nebandla. Ukusebenzisa ukuqonda kuyomvimbela ukuba anikele isikhathi esiningi kokukodwa, kubangele ukunganakwa nengozi kokunye.
11. Kungani umdala kufanele asebenze kanzima ukuze athuthukise ikhono lakhe njengomfundisi?
11 Ukuze uvikele okuphathisiwe njengomdala, sebenza kanzima futhi ukuze uthuthukise ikhono lakho njengomfundisi. UPawulu wathi: “Ofundisayo, kube-sekufundiseni, oyalayo, ekuyaleni.” (Roma 12:7, 8) Njengoba umfundisi ema phambi kwabanye njengofundisayo, banelungelo lokulindela okuningi kuye. Uma umdala engenza iphutha ngokungathi sína ekufundiseni kwakhe futhi lokhu kubangele izinkinga kwakholwa nabo, ungena ekwahlulelweni uNkulunkulu. Yebo, abafundisi ‘bayakwamukeliswa ukwahlulelwa okukhulu.’ (Jakobe 3:1, 2; Mathewu 12:36, 37) Ngakho abadala badinga ukuba abafundi abakhuthele beZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi kumelwe balisebenzise ekuphileni. Khona-ke ukufundisa kwabo okungokomBhalo, okusekelwa ukusetshenziswa kumuntu siqu, kuyokwaziswa kakhulu yilabo akholwa nabo. Futhi kuyovikela ibandla emathonyeni angemahle, kuhlanganise nokuhlubuka.
Gwema Izihibe
12. Isiphi iseluleko esake sakhishwa kulomagazini esiyosiza umdala ukuba agweme ukusebenzisa kabi ulimi?
12 Futhi, vikela okuphathisiwe njengomdala ngokugwema izihibe. Esinye salezi siwukusebenzisa kabi ulimi njengomfundisi. Isidingo sokuqapha ngokuqondene nalokhu sekuyisikhathi eside sigcizelelwa inhlangano kaJehova. Ngokwesibonelo, ekhophini yawo yesiNgisi kaMay 15, 1897, lomagazini wakhulumela uJakobe 3:1-13 wase uthi ngabadala ngokukhethekile: “Uma benolimi oluqephuzayo lungaba umzila wesibusiso esikhulu, luyisa abaningi eNkosini, iqiniso nendlela yokulunga; noma, ngakolunye uhlangothi, uma lonakaliswe iphutha, ulimi lungenza umonakalo ongenakulinganiswa—umonakalo okholweni, ekuziphatheni, nasemisebenzini emihle. Kuyiqiniso ngempela, ukuthi noma ubani osebenzisa isiphiwo sokufundisa uzenza atholakalele imithwalo yemfanelo eyengeziwe phambi kukaNkulunkulu nabantu. . . . Noma ubani oyoba umthombo okuphuma kuwo iZwi laphezulu, eliphethe isibusiso nokuqabuleka namandla, kufanele aqikelele ukuthi amanzi ababayo, izimfundiso ezingamanga ezingabangela isiqalekiso, umonakalo—ezihlazisa uNkulunkulu nezihlanekezela iZwi lakhe—azitholi kuye umzila wokuphunyiselwa. Ekukhetheni abaholi bemihlangano imfanelo ‘yolimi,’ njengoba ishiwo lapha akufanele inganakwa. Abanolimi oluhlabayo akufanele bakhethwe, kodwa kufanele kube kuphela abathobekile, abalinganiselayo ekukhulumeni, ababamba izindimi zabo ‘ngamatomu’ nabakulwela ngokucophelela ‘ukukhuluma njengezitsha zikaNkulunkulu.’” Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuba umdala asebenzise ulimi lwakhe ngokufanele!
13. Abadala badinga ukusebenzisa kuphi ukuqapha ngokuqondene nokuzijabulisa?
13 Ukuzijabulisa ngokweqile nakho kuyisihibe okumelwe sigwenywe. Ukuzijabulisa kufanele kuqabule futhi kwakhe, kungamkhathazi futhi kumphambukise umKristu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ababonisi kumelwe babe ‘abazikhuzayo.’ (1 Thimothewu 3:2) Uma ukuzikhuza kubusa lokho okwenzayo ngokuqondene nokuzijabulisa, lokhu kuyonivikela wena nomkhaya wakho futhi kuyonikeza isibonelo esihle ebandleni. Ngeke ubeke isibonelo esihle uma,ngaso sonke isikhathi, uhamba ukuze uyozijabulisa ngezimpela-sonto kuyilapho okholwa nabo bematasa ngenkuthalo enkonzweni yasensimini. Izindaba ezinhle kumelwe zishunyayelwe, futhi abadala kufanele bahole kulomsebenzi njengabamemezeli boMbuso abashisekayo.—Marku 13:10; Thithu 2:14.
14. (a) Iziphi izibonelo ezingokomBhalo eziqokomisa isidingo sokuba abadala baqaphele ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili? (b) Isiphi iseluleko esiphindaphindwayo abadala okungafanele bangasinaki esiqondene nokusiza odadewabo abangokomoya?
14 Ukuziphatha okubi ngokobulili kungesinye isihibe okumelwe sigwenywe. Ukonakala kwezwe ngokokuziphatha kungathonya ngisho nomdala uma engamelani nezilingo ezisetshenziswa uSathane emizamweni yakhe yokwephula ubuqotho babantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 4:1-11; 6:9, 13) Khumbula ukuthi umprofethi uBalami, lapho ehluleka emizamweni yakhe yokuqalekisa amaIsrayeli, wacabanga ukuthi uJehova ngokwakhe wayeyowaqalekisa uma ayengayengwa ukuba ahileleke ekukhulekeleni kobulili. Ngakho uBalami wafundisa inkosi yakwaMowabi uBalaki “ukuphonsa isikhubekiso phambi kwabantwana bakwaIsrayeli sokuba badle okuhlatshelwe izithombe nokuba bafebe.” Ingabe basigwema lesosihibe? Cha, ngoba amaIsrayeli ayizi-24 000 abulawa yisishayo esivela kuJehova ngoba aba nobuhlobo bokuziphatha okubi nabesifazane bakwaMowabi futhi bakhothama konkulunkulu babo. (IsAmbulo 2:14; Numeri 25:1-9) Khumbula, futhi, ukuthi ngisho noDavide, ‘umuntu wenhliziyo yakhe [uNkulunkulu],’ wakhubeka wangena esihibeni sokuziphatha okubi ngokobulili. (1 Samuweli 13:14; 2 Samuweli 11:2-4) Khona-ke, njengomdala, lalela iseluleko esiphindaphindwayo ‘senceku ethembekile’ sokuba ungalokothi usize udadewenu ongokomoya ngasese kodwa ube nomunye umdala lapho unakekela lomthwalo wemfanelo.—Luka 12:42.
15. Umkhaya womdala ungamsiza kanjani ukuba agweme isihibe sokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo?
15 Ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo kungesinye isihibe umdala okumelwe asigweme. Yaneliswa izinto ozidingayo, wazi ukuthi uJehova uyokwenza amalungiselelo anele. (Mathewu 6:25-33; Heberu 13:5) Qeqesha umkhaya wakho ukuba wonge, ngoba ukusaphaza kuyisela lesikhathi nengcebo ebingasetshenziselwa ekusizeni umkhaya, nasekuhilelekeni enkonzweni yasensimini, ekuqiniseni ibandla, nasekuthuthukiseni izithakazelo zoMbuso. Umdala uyazuza ekubambisaneni komkhaya wakhe kulokhu futhi uyabonga lapho ungamcindezeli ngezinto ezingadingeki ngempela. Eqinisweni, “okuncane kanye nokumesaba uJehova kungcono kunengcebo eningi kanye nokukhathazeka.”—IzAga 15:16.
“Ziqapheleni”
16. Isiphi iseluleko uPawulu asinikeza ababonisi base-Efesu?
16 Ukuze abadala bavikele abakuphathisiwe, kumelwe basebenzise iseluleko sikaPawulu esasiya kubabonisi base-Efesu. Wabatshela: “Ziqapheleni nina nomhlambi wonke anibeké kuwo uMoya oNgcwele ukuba nibe-ngababonisi bokwalusa ibandla likaNkulunkulu azizuzele lona ngegazi lakhe. Mina ngiyazi ukuthi emva kokumuka kwami kuzakungena kini izimpisi ezihahayo zingawuhawukeli umhlambi, naphakathi kwenu kuzakuvuka amadoda akhuluma okudukisayo, ahunge abafundi ukubalandela. Ngakho lindani, nikhumbule ukuthi ngeminyaka emithathu ubusuku nemini angiyekanga ukuniluleka nonke ngabanye ngezinyembezi.”—IzEnzo 20:28-31.
17, 18. Isiphi iseluleko esakhishwa kulomagazini eminyakeni engaba ngama-80 edlule esisasebenza kubadala abangamaKristu?
17 Eminyakeni engaphezu kwengama-80 edlule, iWatch Tower (March 1, 1909) yacaphunela abadala leseluleko sikaPawulu esandulelayo yase ithi: “Abadala kuyo yonke indawo badinga ukulalela ngokukhethekile; ngoba kulo lonke uvivinyo abathandwa kakhulu nabavelele kakhulu baba nezinhlupheko novivinyo olunzima kakhulu. Ngakho [uJakobe] uyeluleka: ‘Ningabi-ngabafundisi abaningi, bazalwane bami, nazi ukuthi siyakwamukeliswa ukwahlulelwa okukhulu.’ Nathi, ngokufanayo, seluleka bonke abaDala abamsulwa, abangenabugovu ezinhliziyweni, ukuba bangabi nalutho ngaphandle kothando nezifiso ezinhle ngesintu, nokuba baqhubeke begcwala izithelo nomusa woMoya ongcwele, futhi benakekela umhlambi. Khumbulani, ukuthi umhlambi ungoweNkosi nokuthi ninomthwalo wemfanelo eNkosini nakuwo. Khumbulani, ukuthi kumelwe niqaphe imiphefumulo (izithakazelo) yawo njengabamelwe ukulandisa kuMalusi oMkhulu. Khumbulani, ukuthi into eyinhloko uThando, kubo bonke; futhi, nakuba ningazidebeseleli izimfundiso, nakelelani ngokukhethekile ukuthuthuka koMoya weNkosi phakathi kwamalungu ahlukahlukene oMzimba wayo, ukuze ngaleyondlela ‘afanelekele ifa labangcwele ekukhanyeni,’ futhi, ngokwentando yaPhezulu, angahlushwa aze akhubeke kulolusuku olubi, kodwa, esenze konke ame ephelele kuKristu, umzimba wakhe, amaLungu akhe, abaziDela Kanye Naye, iziNdlalifa kanye naye.”
18 Lawomazwi ayebhekiswe kubadala abagcotshwe ngomoya nabakholwa nabo ngokuvumelana nokuqonda kwenhlangano kaJehova nezimo zayo kulezozinsuku zasekuqaleni. Nokho, yeka ukuthi lesoseluleko sisebenza kahle kanjani namuhla! Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi amathemba abo angawasezulwini noma angawasemhlabeni, abadala abangamaKristu kumelwe baziqaphele bona, bavikele abakuphathisiwe, futhi bazinakekele ngothando izithakazelo zomhlambi kaNkulunkulu.
Injabulo Iba Umphumela Wokuvikela Okuphathisiwe
19, 20. Kungani kungashiwo ukuthi injabulo iba umphumela lapho abadala bevikela abakuphathisiwe?
19 Injabulo—eqinisweni, injabulo esekujuleni kwenhliziyo—iwumphumela wokuvikela okuphathisiwe njengomdala ongumKristu. Kukhona injabulo ekuwenzeni kahle umthwalo wemfanelo ongathi sína. Ngakho yiba ngoqaphile, oqotho, nokhuthele. Vikela okuphathisiwe njengomdala futhi ubheke phambili esikhathini lapho ungase usho, njengoba kwenza indoda eyayinophondo lukayinki lomlobi ukuthi: “Ngenzile njengokungiyala kwakho.”—Hezekeli 9:3, 4, 11.
20 Yebo, sebenza ngokwethembeka njengomdala ukuze kushiwo ngawe njengoba kwashiwo ngoNowa: “Wenze-njalo.” (Genesise 6:22) Ibandla lizuza ngezindlela eziningi enkonzweni enjalo yenkuthalo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, uJehova uyadunyiswa amabandla aqinile, akhuthele akhonzwa abadala abathembekile abavikela abakuphathisiwe. Eqinisweni, kudingeka okwengeziwe uma uzotshelwa ukuthi: “Kuhle-ke, nceku enhle.” (Luka 19:17) Njengomdala kumelwe futhi uphathe umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ngothando.
Ubungathini?
◻ Yini eyengeziwe abadala abangamaKristu abaphathiswe yona?
◻ Umdala angathatha ziphi izinyathelo eziqondile ukuze avikele akuphathisiwe?
◻ Ukuze avikele akuphathisiwe, iziphi izihibe umdala okumelwe azigweme?
◻ Kungani injabulo iwumphumela lapho abadala bevikela abakuphathisiwe?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Abadala abangamaKristu kufanele bafane “nesivikelo esivunguvungwini”
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Njengomdala, hlanganyela njalo enkonzweni yasensimini namalungu omkhaya wakho nabanye
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Uma ukuvikela okuphathisiwe njengomdala, ibandla liyozuza ngezindlela eziningi