Obani Ngempela Abanobizo Lwasezulwini?
UJEHOVA uyaluthanda uhlanga lwesintu. Phela, loluthando lukhulu kangangokuba wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, njengesihlengo ukuze ahlenge lokho ukhokho wethu uAdamu akulahla! Futhi kwakuyini lokho? Ukuphila kobuntu okuphakade, okuphelele nawo wonke amalungelo namathemba akho. (Johane 3:16) Isihlengo futhi sasiwukubonakaliswa kothando lukaJesu ngesintu.—Mathewu 20:28.
Uthando lwaphezulu luye lwabonakala ekuvulweni kwamathemba amabili avela kuNkulunkulu asekelwe enzuzweni yomhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo. (1 Johane 2:1, 2) Ngaphambi kokuba uJesu afe njengomuntu, ukuphela kwethemba elalivulekele labo abanokuvunyelwa kwaphezulu kwakungelokuphila epharadesi lasemhlabeni. (Luka 23:43) Nokho, ngemva kwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., uJehova wanika “umhlambi omncane” ithemba lasezulwini. (Luka 12:32) Kodwa yini eye yenzeka ezikhathini zamuva? Kusukela ngo-1931 isigijimi soMbuso siye saqondisa ukunakekela okwengeziwe “kwezinye izimvu,” futhi kusukela ngo-1935 kuqhubeke uNkulunkulu ubedonsela kuye “isixuku esikhulu” sabanjalo abanjengezimvu ngoKristu. (Johane 10:16; IsAmbulo 7:9) UNkulunkulu uye wafaka ithemba lokuphila okuphakade epharadesi lasemhlabeni enhliziyweni yabo. Bafuna ukudla ukudla okungenasici, babuse ngothando phezu kwezilwane, futhi bajabulele ubungane nabantu abalungileyo abakanye nabo phakade.
Abapristi Namakhosi Anesihawu
Njengoba uthando lwashukumisela uJesu ukuba anikele ngokuphila kwakhe njengesihlengo, ngokuqinisekile uyoba yiNkosi yasezulwini enesihawu. Nokho, uJesu ngeke abe yedwa ekuthuthukiseleni isintu ekupheleleni phakathi nokuBusa kwakhe kweMinyaka Eyinkulungwane. UJehova uye wenza ilungiselelo lamanye amakhosi anesihawu ezulwini. Yebo, “ayakuba-ngabapristi bakaNkulunkulu nabakaKristu, babuse kanye naye iminyaka eyinkulungwane.”—IsAmbulo 20:1-6.
Bangaki abanye ababusi uKristu ayoba nabo, futhi bakhethelwa kanjani ilungelo elinjalo elesabekayo? Nokho, umphostoli uJohane wabona abangu-144 000 eNtabeni yaseSiyoni yasezulwini beneWundlu, uJesu Kristu. Njengoba beye “bathengwa ebantwini,” bayokwazi ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukubhekana nezilingo, ukukhuthazelela ubunzima bokungapheleli, ukuhlupheka, nokufa njengabantu. (IsAmbulo 14:1-5; Jobe 14:1) Ngakho-ke, yeka abapristi abangamakhosi anesihawu abayoba yibo!
Ukufakaza Komoya
Abangu-144 000 ‘banokugcotshwa okuvela kongcwele,’ uJehova. (1 Johane 2:20) Kungukugcotshelwa ithemba lasezulwini. UNkulunkulu uye ‘wababeka uphawu lwakhe futhi wabapha isibambiso salokho okuzayo, okungukuthi, umoya, ezinhliziyweni zabo.’—2 Korinte 1:21, 22.
Yebo, labo abanobizo lwasezulwini banobufakazi bomoya kaNkulunkulu obabonakalisayo. Ngokuphathelene nalokhu, uPawulu wabhala kwabaseRoma 8:15-17: “Anamukeliswanga umoya wobugqila ukuba nibuye nesabe, kepha namukeliswa umoya wobuntwana esimemeza ngaye sithi: Aba, Baba! [Wo]na lowo[mo]ya ufakaza kanye nomoya wethu ukuthi singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Uma-ke singabantwana, siyizindlalifa futhi, izindlalifa zikaNkulunkulu, izindlalifa kanye noKristu, uma phela sihlupheka kanye naye, ukuze siphiwe inkazimulo futhi kanye naye.” Kungenxa yomoya kaNkulunkulu, noma amandla ayisiphekupheku, abagcotshiwe bememeza bethi, “Aba, Baba!”
Ubufakazi obuyinhloko bokuthi umuntu uye wagcotshelwa ubizo lwaphezulu umoya, noma umuzwa onamandla, wokuba indodana. (Galathiya 4:6, 7) Umuntu onjalo uqiniseka ngokuphelele ukuthi uNkulunkulu uye wamzalela ekubeni yindodana engokomoya njengomunye wabangu-144 000 abahlanganyela njengezindlalifa zoMbuso wasezulwini. Angakufakazela ukuthi ithemba lakhe lasezulwini alisona isifiso asihlakulele yena noma into esengqondweni yakhe; kunalokho, livela kuJehova ngenxa yokusebenza komoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu kuye.—1 Petru 1:3, 4.
Ngaphansi kwethonya lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, umoya, noma isimo sengqondo esibusayo, salabo abagcotshiwe sisebenza njengamandla ashukumisayo. Ubashukumisela ukuba basabele ngokuqondile kulokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikushoyo ngethemba lasezulwini. Basabela ngendlela eqondile futhi ekusebenzelaneni kukaJehova nabo ngomoya ongcwele. Ngaleyondlela, bayaqiniseka ukuthi bangabantwana bakaNkulunkulu abangokomoya nezindlalifa.
Lapho abagcotshiwe befunda lokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikushoyo ngabantwana bakhe abangokomoya nethemba lasezulwini, ukuthambekela kwabo okuzenzekelayo kuwukuthi ezinhliziyweni zabo, ‘Yimina lowo!’ Yebo, basabela ngenjabulo lapho iZwi likaYise lithembisa umvuzo wasezulwini. Bathi, ‘Yimina lowo!’ lapho befunda ukuthi: “Bathandekayo, manje singabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” (1 Johane 3:2) Futhi lapho abagcotshiwe befunda ukuthi uNkulunkulu uye wazala abantu ‘ukuze babe-ngabokuqala bezidalwa zakhe,’ ukuthambekela kwabo okungokwengqondo kuwukusabela ngokuthi, ‘Yebo, wangizalela yona leyonjongo.’ (Jakobe 1:18) Bayazi ukuthi baye ‘babhapathizelwa kuKristu Jesu’ nasekufeni kwakhe. (Roma 6:3) Ngakho bakholelwa ngokuqinile ekutheni bayingxenye yomzimba kaKristu ongokomoya futhi banethemba lokufa ukufa okunjengokwakhe futhi bavuselwe ekuphileni kwasezulwini.
Ukuze bazuze uMbuso wasezulwini njengefa, abagcotshiwe kumelwe ‘bakhuthalele kakhulu ukwenza kuqiniseke ukubizwa nokukhethwa kwabo.’ (2 Petru 1:5-11) Bahamba ngokholo futhi bahlala bekhula ngokomoya, njengoba kunjalo nangalabo abanamathemba asemhlabeni. Ngakho-ke, yini enye esasele ekufakazeni komoya?
Isizathu Sokuba Bahlanganyele Ezifanekiselweni
AmaKristu agcotshiwe awafuni ukuya ezulwini ngenxa yokungeneliseki ngokuphila kwasemhlabeni kosuku lwanamuhla. (Qhathanisa noJuda 3, 4, 16.) Kunalokho, umoya ongcwele ufakazelana nomoya wawo ukuthi angabantwana bakaNkulunkulu. Ayaqiniseka futhi ukuthi aye angeniswa esivumelwaneni esisha. Abahlanganyelayo kulesivumelwano nguJehova uNkulunkulu noIsrayeli ongokomoya. (Jeremiya 31:31-34; Galathiya 6:15, 16; Heberu 12:22-24) Lesivumelwano, esenziwa sasebenza ngegazi likaJesu elachitheka, sithathela igama likaJehova isizwe futhi senza lamaKristu agcotshiwe abe ingxenye ‘yembewu’ ka-Abrahama. (Galathiya 3:26-29, qhathanisa neNW; IzEnzo 15:14.) Isivumelwano esisha sihlala sisebenza kuze kube yilapho wonke amaIsrayeli angokomoya esevuselwe ekuphileni kokungafi ezulwini.
Ngaphezu kwalokho, labo ngokuqinisekile abanobizo lwasezulwini abakungabazi ukuthi nabo basesivumelwaneni soMbuso wasezulwini. UJesu wabhekisela kulesivumelwano esiphakathi kwakhe nabalandeli bakhe lapho ethi: “Nina-ke ningababekhuthazela nami ekulingweni kwami; nanjengokuba uBaba engimisele umbuso, nami nginimisela wona ukuba nidle, niphuze etafuleni lami embusweni wami; niyakuhlala ezihlalweni zobukhosi, nahlulele izizwe eziyishumi nambili zakwaIsrayeli.” (Luka 22:28-30) Lesivumelwano samiswa kubafundi bakaJesu ngokugcotshwa kwabo ngomoya ongcwele ngosuku lwePentekoste lika-33 C.E. Sihlala sisebenza phakathi kukaKristu namakhosi akanye naye kuze kube phakade.—IsAmbulo 22:5.
Labo abanobizo lwasezulwini bayaqiniseka ukuthi basesivumelwaneni esisha nasesivumelwaneni soMbuso. Ngakho-ke, bahlanganyela ngokufanelekile esinkweni nasewayinini okuyizifanekiselo ekukhunjulweni kwaminyaka yonke kweSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, noma eSikhumbuzweni sokufa kukaJesu Kristu. Isinkwa esingenamvubelo sifanekisela umzimba kaJesu wobuntu ongenasono, futhi iwayini lifanekisela igazi lakhe eliphelele elathululwa ekufeni futhi elenza isivumelwano esisha sisebenze.—1 Korinte 11:23-26.
Uma uJehova eye wahlakulela kuwe ithemba elingenakuphikwa lokuphila kwasezulwini, unengxenye kulokho. Wenza imikhuleko ebonakalisa lelothemba. Liyakusibekela, futhi awukwazi ukulikhipha kuwe. Unezinjongo ezijulile ezingokomoya. Kodwa uma wahlukene phakathi futhi ungaqiniseki, khona-ke ngokuqinisekile akufanele uhlanganyele ezifanekiselweni zeSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa.
Kungani Kunokucabangela Okuyiphutha?
Abanye bangase bahlanganyele ngephutha ezifanekiselweni zeSikhumbuzo ngoba abakuvumi ngempela ukuthi ukugcotshwa “akuyi ngentando nangokuzikhathaza komuntu, kodwa kuya [ngoNkulunkulu].” (Roma 9:16) Akukhona okomuntu ukunquma ukuthi angathanda yini ukungeniswa esivumelwaneni esisha futhi abe indlalifa kanye noKristu eMbusweni wasezulwini. Ukukhetha kukaJehova okubalulekile. KwaIsrayeli wasendulo, uNkulunkulu wakhetha labo ababeyokhonza njengabapristi bakhe, futhi wambulala uKora ngokufuna ngokugabadela ubupristi obabubekwe ngokwaphezulu emndenini ka-Aroni. (Eksodusi 28:1; Numeri 16:4-11, 31-35; 2 IziKronike 26:18; Heberu 5:4, 5) Ngokufanayo, kuyamdumaza uJehova uma umuntu eziveza njengomunye obiziwe ukuba abe phakathi kwamakhosi nabapristi basezulwini kuyilapho uNkulunkulu engazange amnikeze ubizo olunjalo.—Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Thimothewu 5:24, 25.
Umuntu angase ngokungeyikho athathe ngokuthi unobizo lwasezulwini ngenxa yomzwelo onamandla osuka ezinkingeni ezinzima. Ukufa komlingane noma enye inhlekelele kungenza ukuba umuntu alahlekelwe isithakazelo sokuphila emhlabeni. Noma umngane oseduze angase athi ungowabagcotshiwe, futhi umuntu angase afise isabelo esifanayo. Izici ezinjalo zingase zimenze abe nomuzwa wokuthi ukuphila ezulwini kungokwakhe. Kodwa lena akuyona indlela kaNkulunkulu yokunika noma ubani umoya wokuba indodana. Kungabonisa ukuntula ukubonga ngenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngokuqondene nomhlaba uma umuntu engafisa ukuya ezulwini ngenxa yezimo ezingathandeki noma ukucindezeleka okungokomzwelo okuhlobene nokuphila kwasemhlabeni.
Imibono engokwenkolo umuntu ayekade enayo ingase futhi imbangele ukuba aphethe ngephutha ngokuthi unobizo lwasezulwini. Mhlawumbe wake wahlanganyela nenkolo yamanga ethile eyayiqokomisa ukuphila kwasezulwini njengokuwukuphela kwethemba labathembekile. Ngaleyondlela, umKristu kudingeka aqaphele ukuthonywa umzwelo nemibono eyiphutha yesikhathi esidlule.
Ukuhlola Ngokucophelela Kubalulekile
Iphuzu elibaluleke kakhulu lavezwa umphostoli uPawulu lapho ebhala: “Lowo odla lesisinkwa, aphuze lesisitsha seNkosi ngokungafanele, unecala lomzimba negazi leNkosi. Kodwa umuntu akazihlolisise, khona-ke akadle lesisinkwa, aphuze lesisitsha. Ngokuba odlayo aphuze uzidlela aziphuzele icala, uma engawahlukanisi umzimba weNkosi.” (1 Korinte 11:27-29) Ngaleyondlela, umKristu obhapathiziwe lowo eminyakeni yamuva oqale ukucabanga ukuthi uthole ubizo lwasezulwini kufanele acabangele lendaba ngokucophelela nangomthandazo.
Umuntu onjalo angase futhi azibuze: ‘Ingabe ngiye ngathonywa abanye ukuba ngibe nombono wokuphila kwasezulwini?’ Lokhu kungaba okungafanele, ngoba uNkulunkulu akabelanga-muntu ukuba afake abanye elungelweni elinjalo. Ukuthambekela ngasemaphusheni ngeke kube isibonakaliso sokugcotshwa uNkulunkulu, futhi akagcobi izindlalifa zoMbuso ngokuzenza ukuba zizwe amazwi anemibiko ephathelene nalokho.
Abanye bangase bazibuze: ‘Ngaphambi kokuba ngibe umKristu, ingabe ngangihileleke ekusebenziseni kabi imilaliso? Ingabe ngisebenzisa imithi ethinta imizwelo? Ingabe ngiye ngelashelwa izinkinga ezingokwengqondo noma ezingokomzwelo?’ Abanye baye bathi baqale balwisana nalokho ababecabanga ukuthi kwakuyithemba lasezulwini. Abanye baye bathi okwesikhathi esithile uNkulunkulu walithatha ithemba labo lasemhlabeni futhi ekugcineni wabanikeza elasezulwini. Kodwa inqubo enjalo iyaphikisana nezinqubo zaphezulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukholo alungabazi; luyaqiniseka.—Heberu 11:6.
Umuntu angase futhi azibuze: ‘Ingabe ngifuna ukuvelela? Ingabe ngilangazelela isikhundla segunya manje noma njengomunye wamakhosi nabapristi abakanye noKristu?’ Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E., ngenkathi kuphuma isimemezelo sikawonk’ uwonke sokungena eMbusweni wasezulwini, akuwona wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe ayenezikhundla zomthwalo wemfanelo njengamalungu endikimba ebusayo noma njengabadala noma izinceku ezikhonzayo. Iningi lalingabesifazane, futhi babengenalo igunya elikhethekile; futhi ukugcotshwa ngomoya akulethi ukuqondwa kweZwi likaNkulunkulu okungaphezu kokuvamile, ngoba uPawulu wakuthola kudingekile ukuba ayale futhi eluleke abagcotshiwe abathile. (1 Korinte 3:1-3; Heberu 5:11-14) Labo abanobizo lwasezulwini abazibheki njengabantu abavelele, futhi abadonseli ukunakekela ekubeni kwabo abagcotshiwe. Kunalokho, babonakalisa ukuzithoba okulindeleke ngokufanelekile kulabo ‘abanomqondo kaKristu.’ (1 Korinte 2:16) Bayaqaphela futhi ukuthi izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga kumelwe zifinyelelwe yiwo wonke amaKristu, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lawo lingelasezulwini noma lingelasemhlabeni.
Ukusho komuntu ukuthi unobizo lwasezulwini akumletheli izambulo ezikhethekile. UNkulunkulu unomzila wokukhulumisana anikeza ngawo ukudla okungokomoya enhlanganweni yakhe yasemhlabeni. (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngakho akekho okufanele acabange ukuthi ukuba umKristu ogcotshiwe kumnikeza ukuhlakanipha okuphakeme kunalokho ‘kwesixuku esikhulu’ esinethemba lasemhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 7:9) Ukugcotshwa ngomoya akubonakali ngokuba ngophumelelayo ekufakazeni, ekuphenduleni imibuzo engokomBhalo, noma ekunikezeni izinkulumo zeBhayibheli, ngoba namaKristu anethemba lasemhlabeni enza kahle kakhulu kulezici. Njengabagcotshiwe, nawo aphila ukuphila kobuKristu okuyisibonelo. Futhi-ke, uSamsoni nabanye bangezikhathi zangaphambi kobuKristu babenawo umoya kaNkulunkulu futhi babegcwele intshiseko nokuqonda. Nokho, akekho ‘kulelofu elingaka lawofakazi’ owayenethemba lasezulwini.—Heberu 11:32-38; 12:1; Eksodusi 35:30, 31; AbAhluleli 14:6, 19; 15:14; 1 Samuweli 16:13; Hezekeli 2:2.
Khumbula Ukuthi Ngubani Okhethayo
Uma esikholwa naye ebuza ngokuqondene nobizo lwasezulwini, umdala omisiwe noma omunye umKristu ovuthiwe angaxoxa naye ngalendaba. Kodwa umuntu ngeke amenzele omunye umuntu lesinqumo, futhi nguJehova onikeza ithemba lasezulwini. Umuntu onobizo lwasezulwini ngempela akadingi ukuba abuze amaKristu akanye nawo ukuthi unalo yini ithemba elinjalo. Abagcotshiwe sebeye ‘bazalwa kabusha kungengambewu ephelayo kodwa ngengapheliyo, ngezwi eliphilileyo nelimiyo likaNkulunkulu.’ (1 Petru 1:23) Ngomoya wakhe neZwi, uNkulunkulu ufaka “imbewu” eyenza umuntu abe “isidalwa esisha,” esinethemba lasezulwini. (2 Korinte 5:17) Yebo, uJehova okhethayo.
Ngakho-ke, lapho sitadisha iBhayibheli nabasanda kuhlanganyela, akukuhle ukusikisela ukuthi bazame ukunquma ukuthi banalo yini ubizo lwasezulwini. Kodwa kuthiwani uma umKristu ogcotshiwe eba ongathembekile futhi kudingeke athathelwe indawo? Khona-ke kuyoba okunengqondo ukuphetha ngokuthi uNkulunkulu uyonikeza lolobizo lwasezulwini kothile oye waba isibonelo ekunikeleni inkonzo yokwethembeka kuBaba wethu wasezulwini iminyaka eminingi kakhulu.
Namuhla, umfutho oyinhloko wesigijimi sikaNkulunkulu awukhona ukuba abantu babe amalungu omlobokazi kaKristu wasezulwini. Kunalokho, “u[m]oya nomlobokazi bathi: Woza!” Lesi isimemo sokuphila epharadesi lasemhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 22:1, 2, 17) Njengoba abagcotshiwe behola kulomsebenzi, babonisa ‘ukuthobeka’ futhi basebenzela ‘ukwenza kuqiniseke ukubizwa nokukhethwa kwabo.’—Efesu 4:1-3; 2 Petru 1:5-11.