Yiba Nesibindi!

“Yiba nesibindi futhi uthi: ‘UJehova ungumsizi wami.’”—HEBERU 13:6, NW.

 1. Yisiphi isibindi esaboniswa yilabo abafunda iqiniso likaNkulunkulu ekhulwini lokuqala C.E.?

KWAKUYIKHULU lokuqala leSikhathi sethu Esivamile. UMesiya okwase kuyisikhathi eside elindelwe wayesefikile. Wayebafundise kahle abafundi bakhe futhi wayeqalise umsebenzi obalulekile wokushumayela. Kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba abantu bezwe izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngakho, amadoda nabesifazane ababefundé iqiniso basimemezela ngesibindi lesosigijimi esimangalisayo.—Mathewu 28:19, 20.

 2. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bedinga isibindi namuhla?

² UMbuso awumiswanga ngalezozinsuku. Kodwa iNkosi Emisiwe, uJesu Kristu, yayiprofethile ngokuba khona kwayo kwangesikhathi esizayo okungabonakali emandleni oMbuso. Kwakuyophawulwa izinto ezinjengezimpi ezingakaze zibe khona, indlala, izifo eziwubhadane, ukuzamazama komhlaba, nokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle emhlabeni wonke. (Mathewu 24:3-14; Luka 21:10, 11) NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, sidinga isibindi ukuze sibhekane ngokuphumelelayo nalezizimo nokushushiswa esibhekana nakho. Ngakho-ke kuyoba okunenzuzo ukucabangela ukulandisa kweBhayibheli okuphathelene nabamemezeli boMbuso abanesibindi bekhulu lokuqala C.E.

Isibindi Sokulingisa UKristu

 3. Ubani onikeza isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuba nesibindi, futhi kwathiwani ngaye kumaHeberu 12:1-3?

³ UJesu Kristu usinikeza isibonelo esihle kakhulu sokuba nesibindi. Ngemva kokucaphuna ‘ifu elingaka’ lofakazi bakaJehova abanesibindi bangesikhathi sangaphambi kobuKristu, umphostoli uPawulu wagxila kuJesu ngokuthi: “Lokhu sinefu elingaka lawofakazi elisihaqileyo‚ masilahle konke okusindayo nesono esithandela kangaka kithi‚ sigijime ngokubekezela kulokhukuncintisana esikumiselweyo‚ sibhekile kuJesu‚ umqalisi nomphelelisi wokukholwa kwethu‚ owathi esikhundleni sentokozo ayibekelweyo wathwala [isigxobo sokuhlushwa, NW] engalinaki ihlazo‚ wahlala ngakwesokunene sesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu. Yebo‚ mqondeni yena owakhuthazela ephikwa kangaka yizoni‚ ukuze ningakhathali‚ niphele amandla emiphefumulweni yenu.”—Heberu 12:1-3.

 4. UJesu wasibonisa kanjani isibindi lapho elingwa uSathane?

⁴ Ngemva kokubhapathizwa kwakhe nezinsuku ezingu-40 zokuzindla, ukuthandaza, nokuzila ukudla ehlane, uJesu wamphikisa ngesibindi uSathane. Lapho eyengwa uDeveli ukuba aphendule amatshe abe izinkwa, uJesu wenqaba ngoba kwakungalungile ukwenza isimangaliso ngenjongo yokwanelisa isifiso somuntu siqu. UJesu wathi, “Kulotshiwe ukuthi: Akusinkwa sodwa umuntu ayakuphila ngaso kodwa ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu.” Lapho uSathane embekela inselele yokuba aziphonse phansi esiqongweni sethempeli, uJesu wenqaba ngoba kwakuyoba isono ukulinga uNkulunkulu ukuba amhlenge ekuzibulaleni okwakungenzeka. UKristu wathi, “Kulotshiwe futhi ukuthi: Ungayilingi iNkosi uNkulunkulu wakho.” USathane wamthembisa ukumnika yonke imibuso yezwe uma ‘ekhuleka,’ kodwa uJesu wayengeke ahlubuke futhi asekele inselele kaDeveli yokuthi abantu babengeke bahlale bethembekile kuNkulunkulu ngaphansi kokuvivinywa. Ngakho uJesu wathi: “Suka, Sathane, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Wokhuleka eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, umkhonze yena yedwa.” Ngalesosikhathi, uMlingi “eseqedé ukulinga konke wamuka kuye isikhathi.”—Mathewu 4:1-11; Luka 4:13.

 5. Yini engasisiza ukuba simelane nesilingo?

⁵ UJesu wazithoba kuJehova futhi wayemelene noSathane. Uma nathi ngokufanayo ‘sizithoba kuNkulunkulu kepha simelana noSathane, uyosibalekela.’ (Jakobe 4:7) NjengoJesu, singamelana nesilingo ngesibindi uma sisebenzisa imiBhalo, mhlawumbe size ngisho siyicaphune ngesikhathi silingelwa ukwenza isono. Kungenzeka yini sivumele isilingo sokweba uma ngalesosikhathi siphindaphinda umthetho kaNkulunkulu othi: “Ungebi”? Kungenzeka yini ukuba amaKristu amabili ahileleke ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili uma oyedwa wawo ngesibindi ecaphuna lamazwi: “Ungaphingi”?—Roma 13:8-10; Eksodusi 20:14, 15.

 6. UJesu waba kanjani umnqobi wezwe onesibindi?

⁶ NjengamaKristu azondwa yilelizwe, singawugwema umoya walo nokuziphatha kwalo okunesono. UJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe: “Ezweni niyakuba-lusizi‚ kepha yimani isibindi‚ mina ngilinqobile izwe.” (Johane 16:33) Walinqoba izwe ngokuba angafani nalo. Isibonelo sakhe njengomnqobi nomphumela wenkambo yakhe yokugcina ubuqotho kungasiqunga isibindi sokumlingisa ngokuhlala sihlukile futhi singangcolisiwe yilelizwe.—Johane 17:16.

Isibindi Sokuqhubeka Sishumayela

 7, 8. Yini eyosisiza ukuba siqhubeke sishumayela naphezu kokushushiswa?

⁷ UJesu nabafundi bakhe bathembela kuNkulunkulu ukuze bathole isibindi sokuqhubeka beshumayela naphezu kokushushiswa. UKristu wayifeza ngesibindi inkonzo yakhe naphezu kokushushiswa, futhi ngemva kwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., abalandeli bakhe ababeshushiswa baqhubeka bememezela izindaba ezinhle ngisho nakuba abaholi benkolo yobuJuda babezama ukubayekisa. (IzEnzo 4:18-20; 5:29) Abafundi bathandaza: “Nkosi‚ bheka ukusongela kwabo‚ unike izinceku zakho ukuba zikhulume izwi lakho ngaso sonke isibindi.” Futhi yini eyenzeka? “Kwathi sebekhulekile‚ kwazanyazanyiswa indawo lapho bebebuthene khona‚” kusho lokhu kulandisa, “bagcwaliswa bonke nguMoya oNgcwele‚ bakhuluma izwi likaNkulunkulu ngesibindi.”—IzEnzo 4:24-31.

⁸ Njengoba iningi labantu namuhla lingazamukeli izindaba ezinhle, ngokuvamile kudingeka isibindi ukuze siqhubeke sishumayela kubo. Izinceku zikaJehova zidinga isibindi esivela kuNkulunkulu ikakhulukazi lapho zishushiswa ukuze zinikeze ubufakazi obungashwampuluzi. (IzEnzo 2:40; 20:24) Ngakho ummemezeli woMbuso onesibindi uPawulu watshela isisebenzi esikanye naye esisesisha, nesingenakho okuhlangenwe nakho ukuthi: “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu akasiphanga umoya wobugwala‚ kepha owamandla‚ nowothando‚ nowokuzikhuza. Ngalokho ungabi-namahloni ngobufakazi ngeNkosi yethu nangami‚ isiboshwa sayo‚ kodwa hlanganyela ukuhluphekela ivangeli ngamandla kaNkulunkulu.” (2 Thimothewu 1:7, 8) Uma sithandazela isibindi, siyokwazi ukuqhubeka sishumayela, futhi ngisho nokushushiswa ngeke kusiphuce intokozo yethu njengabamemezeli boMbuso.—Mathewu 5:10-12.

Isibindi Sokuba Ngasohlangothini LukaJehova

 9, 10. (a) Yini amaJuda nabeZizwe bekhulu lokuqala abayenza ukuze babe abalandeli bakaKristu ababhapathiziwe? (b) Kungani kwakudingeka isibindi ukuze umuntu abe umKristu?

⁹ AmaJuda nabeZizwe abaningi bekhulu lokuqala ngesibindi balahla amasiko angasekelwe ngokombhalo ukuze babe abalandeli bakaKristu ababhapathiziwe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwePentekoste lika-33 C.E., “umumo wabafundi wakhula eJerusalema‚ nesixuku esikhulu sabapristi salalela inkolo.” (IzEnzo 6:7) LawomaJuda ayenesibindi sokugqashula izibopho ezingokwenkolo futhi amukele uJesu njengoMesiya.

¹⁰ Kusukela ngo-36 C.E., abeZizwe abaningi baba amakholwa. Lapho uKorneliyu, amalungu omkhaya wakhe, nabanye abangabeZizwe bezwa izindaba ezinhle, bazamukela masinyane, bathola umoya ongcwele, futhi ‘babhapathizwa egameni leNkosi.’ (IzEnzo 10:1-48) EFilipi umgciniziboshwa ongowabeZizwe nabendlu yakhe babamukela ngokushesha ubuKristu, futhi “wabhapathizwa khona-lapho, yena nabo bonke abakhe.” (IzEnzo 16:25-34) Kwakudingeka isibindi ukuze kuthathwe izinyathelo ezinjalo ngoba amaKristu ayeyidlanzana elishushiswayo nelingathandwa. Namanje kusenjalo. Kodwa uma ungakazinikezeli kuNkulunkulu futhi ubhapathizwe njengomunye woFakazi BakaJehova, ingabe akusona isikhathi sokuba uthathe lezinyathelo ezidinga isibindi?

Isibindi Emikhayeni Ehlukene Phakathi

11. Yiziphi izibonelo ezinhle zokuba nesibindi ezabekwa u-Evnike noThimothewu?

¹¹ U-Evnike nendodana yakhe uThimothewu babeka izibonelo ezinhle zokholo olunesibindi emkhayeni ohlukene phakathi ngokwenkolo. Nakuba u-Evnike ayenomyeni oyiqaba, wafundisa indodana yakhe “imibhalo engcwele” kusukela ebuntwaneni. (2 Thimothewu 3:14-17) Lapho eba ngumKristu, wabonakalisa “ukukholwa okungenakuzenzisa.” (2 Thimothewu 1:5) Waba nesibindi futhi sokugxilisa imfundo yobuKristu kuThimothewu kuyilapho ebonisa inhlonipho ngobunhloko bomyeni wakhe ongakholwa. Ngokuqinisekile, ukholo nesibindi sakhe kwavuzwa lapho indodana yakhe efundiswe kahle ikhethwa ukuba ihambe noPawulu ohambweni lwezithunywa zevangeli. Yeka indlela lokhu okungakhuthaza ngayo abazali abangamaKristu abazithola besezimweni ezifanayo!

12. UThimothewu waba luhlobo luni lomuntu, futhi obani manje abazibonakalisa benjengaye?

¹² Nakuba uThimothewu ayehlala emkhayeni ohlukene phakathi ngokwenkolo, wabamukela ngesibindi ubuKristu futhi waba umuntu ongokomoya uPawulu ayengathi ngaye: “Kepha ngiyethemba eNkosini uJesu ukuthuma uThimothewu kini [baseFilipi] masinyane‚ ukuze nami ngename nxa sengazi izindaba zenu. Ngokuba anginamuntu onenhliziyo enjengeyakhe‚ onganakekela izindaba zenu ngobuqotho. . . . Kepha niyakwazi ukuthembeka kwakhe ukuthi ukhonzile kanye nami ngenxa yevangeli njengomntwana kuyise.” (Filipi 2:19-22) Namuhla, iningi labafana namantombazane emakhaya ahlukene phakathi ngokwenkolo lemukela ubuKristu beqiniso ngesibindi. NjengoThimothewu baziveza befanelekile, futhi yeka indlela esijabula ngayo ngokuthi bayingxenye yenhlangano kaJehova!

Isibindi ‘Sokudela Ukuphila Kwethu’

13. U-Akwila noPrisila basibonisa ngayiphi indlela isibindi?

¹³ U-Akwila nomkakhe, uPrisila (Priska), babeka isibonelo ‘ngokudela ukuphila kwabo’ ngesibindi ngenxa yabakholwa nabo. Bamukela uPawulu emzini wabo, basebenza naye ekwenzeni amatende, futhi bamsiza ekwakheni ibandla elisha eKorinte. (IzEnzo 18:1-4) Phakathi nobungane babo obathatha iminyaka engu-15, baze ngisho babeka ukuphila kwabo engozini ngenxa yakhe ngendlela engashiwongo. Babehlala eRoma ngesikhathi etshela amaKristu alapho ukuthi: “Khonzani koPriska noAkwila‚ izisebenzi ezikanye nami kuKristu Jesu‚ abadela ukuphila kwabo ngenxa yokuphila kwami‚ engibabongayo‚ kungeyimi ngedwa‚ kodwa namabandla onke abezizwe.”—Roma 16:3, 4.

14. Ngokudela ukuphila kwabo ngenxa kaPawulu, u-Akwila noPriska babenza ngokuvumelana namuphi umyalo?

¹⁴ Ngokudela ukuphila kwabo ngenxa kaPawulu, u-Akwila noPriska benza ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJesu: “Ngininika umyalo omusha wokuba nithandane; njengalokho nginithandile‚ nani nithandane.” (Johane 13:34) Lomyalo ‘wawumusha’ ngomqondo wokuthi wawudlulela ngalé kwemfuneko yoMthetho kaMose yokuba umuntu athande umakhelwane wakhe njengoba ezithanda yena. (Levitikusi 19:18) Wawufuna uthando lokuzidela olwaluzohilela nokunikela ngokuphila komuntu ngenxa yabanye, njengoba kwenza uJesu. Umbhali uTertullian wekhulu lesibili nelesithathu C.E. wacaphuna amazwi abantu bezwe ngokuphathelene namaKristu lapho ebhala: “Bathi, ‘bheka nje indlela abathandana ngayo . . . nokuthi bakulungele kanjani ukufela omunye nomunye.’” (Apology, isahluko XXXIX, 7) Ikakhulukazi phakathi nokushushiswa kwangathi singazizwa sinesibopho sokubonisa uthando lobuzalwane ngokufaka ukuphila kwethu engozini ngesibindi ukuze sigweme ukuveza esikholwa nabo ngenjongo yokuba baphathwe ngonya noma babulawe isitha.—1 Johane 3:16.

Isibindi Siletha Intokozo

15, 16. Njengoba kuboniswe kuzEnzo isahluko 16, isibindi nentokozo kungahlanganiswa kanjani?

¹⁵ UPawulu noSila banikeza ubufakazi bokuthi ukubonisa isibindi naphezu kokuvivinywa kungaletha intokozo. Ngomyalo wezinduna zomuzi waseFilipi, bashaywa phambi komphakathi ngezinduku futhi baphonswa etilongweni. Nokho, abazange bathithibale ngendlela edabukisayo ngenxa yokwesaba. Naphezu kwezimo zabo ezazivivinya, babesenesibindi esivela kuNkulunkulu nentokozo esiyilethayo kumaKristu athembekile.

¹⁶ Cishe phakathi kwamabili, uPawulu noSila babethandaza futhi bedumisa uNkulunkulu ngamahubo. Ngokungazelele, ukuzamazama komhlaba kwanyakazisa itilongo, kwagqashula izibopho zabo, futhi kwavula iminyango. Umgciniziboshwa owayethukile nomkhaya wakhe banikezwa ubufakazi besibindi okwaholela ekubhapathizweni kwabo njengezinceku zikaJehova. Yena ngokwakhe “wathokoza kanye nendlu yakhe yonke ngokukholwa nguNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 16:16-34) Yeka ukuthi lokhu kumelwe ukuba kwabalethela intokozo kanjani oPawulu noSila! Njengoba sesicabangele lezi kanye nezinye izibonelo ezingokomBhalo zokuba nesibindi, singahlala kanjani sinesibindi njengezinceku zikaJehova?

Qhubeka Unesibindi

17. Njengoba kuboniswe kuyiHubo 27, ukuthembela kuJehova kuhlobene kanjani nesibindi?

¹⁷ Ukuthembela kuJehova kuyosisiza ukuba sihlale sinesibindi. UDavide wahlabelela: “[Thembela, NW] kuJehova, uqine, inhliziyo yakho ime isibindi; yebo, [thembela, NW] kuJehova.” (IHubo 27:14) IHubo 27 libonisa ukuthi uDavide wancika kuJehova ‘njengenqaba’ yokuphila kwakhe. (Ivesi 1) Ukubona kwakhe indlela uNkulunkulu asingatha ngayo izitha zikaDavide esikhathini esidlule kwamnikeza isibindi. (Amavesi 2, 3) Esinye isici sasiwukwazisa ngendawo kaJehova yokukhulekela. (Ivesi 4) Ukuthembela osizweni lukaJehova, isivikelo, nokukhulula kwakhe nakho kwakha isibindi sikaDavide. (Amavesi 5-10) Okwaba wusizo futhi, kwakuwukufunda ngokuqhubekayo izimiso zendlela kaJehova yokulunga. (Ivesi 11) Umthandazo oqotho wokukhululwa ezitheni zakhe, kanye nokholo nethemba, kwasiza uDavide ukuba abe nesibindi. (Amavesi 12-14) Nathi singasakha ngezindlela ezifanayo isibindi sethu, ngaleyondlela sibonise ukuthi ngempela ‘[sithembela, NW] kuJehova.’

18. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi ukuhlangana njalo nabakhulekeli bakaJehova esikanye nabo kungasisiza ukuba sihlale sinesibindi? (b) Imihlangano yobuKristu inayiphi indima ekwakheni isibindi?

¹⁸ Ukuhlangana njalo nabakhulekeli bakaJehova esikanye nabo kungasisiza ukuba sihlale sinesibindi. Lapho uPawulu edlulisela icala kuKesari futhi ephikelele eRoma, ayekholwa nabo bamhlangabeza e-Aphiyo Foru naseTresi Thaberne. Ukulandisa kuthi, “UPawulu ebabona wabonga uNkulunkulu‚ wema isibindi.” (IzEnzo 28:15) Njengoba siba khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu, silalela iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Masiqaphelane‚ ukuze kuvuswe uthando nemisebenzi emihle‚ singakuyeki ukuhlangana kwethu njengomkhuba wabanye‚ kepha masivuselelane‚ ikakhulu njengokuba nibona usuku lusondela.” (Heberu 10:24, 25) Kusho ukuthini ukukhuthazana? Ukukhuthaza kusho “ukushukumisa ngesibindi, ngomoya, noma ngethemba.” (Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary) Singenza okuningi ukuze sishukumise amanye amaKristu ngesibindi, futhi isikhuthazo sabo naso singakha lemfanelo kithi.

19. ImiBhalo nezincwadi zobuKristu kuhlobene kanjani nokuhlala kwethu sinesibindi?

¹⁹ Ukuze sihlale sinesibindi, kumelwe silitadishe njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi sisisebenzise iseluleko salo ekuphileni kwethu. (Duteronomi 31:9-12; Joshuwa 1:8) Isifundo sethu sasikhathi sonke kufanele sihlanganise izincwadi zobuKristu ezisekelwe emiBhalweni, ngoba iseluleko esinengqondo esinikezwe kanjalo siyosisiza ukuba sibhekane nokuvivinywa kokholo ngesibindi esivela kuNkulunkulu. Ekulandiseni kweBhayibheli, siyibonile indlela izinceku zikaJehova eziye zaba nesibindi ngayo ezimweni ezihlukahlukene. Okwamanje, singase singazi ukuthi ukwaziswa okunjalo kungasisiza kanjani, kodwa iZwi likaNkulunkulu linamandla, futhi esikufunda kulo kungasizuzisa ngaso sonke isikhathi. (Heberu 4:12) Ngokwesibonelo, uma ukwesaba umuntu kungase kuqale ukuthonya inkonzo yethu, singase sikhumbule indlela u-Enoshe aba nesibindi ngayo sokumemezela isigijimi sikaNkulunkulu kubantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu.—Juda 14, 15.

20. Kungani kungathiwa umthandazo ubalulekile uma sifuna ukuhlala sinesibindi njengezinceku zikaJehova?

²⁰ Ukuze sihlale sinesibindi njengezinceku zikaJehova, kumelwe siqinisele njalo ekukhulekeni. (Roma 12:12) UJesu wakukhuthazelela ngesibindi ukuvivinywa kwakhe ngoba ‘wanikela, ngemikhuleko, nokunxusa‚ nokudazuluka okukhulu‚ nezinyembezi kuyena onamandla okumsindisa ekufeni‚ wezwiwa ngenxa yokumesaba uNkulunkulu.’ (Heberu 5:7) Ngokuhlala siseduze noNkulunkulu ngomthandazo, ngeke sifane namagwala ezwe ayobhekana ‘nokufa kwesibili’ okungekho vuko kukho. (IsAmbulo 21:8) Isivikelo saphezulu nokuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu kungokwezinceku zakhe ezinesibindi.

21. Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova abathembekile bengaba nesibindi?

²¹ NjengoFakazi BakaJehova abathembekile, akudingeki sesabe amademoni nezitha ezingabantu, ngoba sinokusekela kukaNkulunkulu nesibonelo sikaJesu sokuba nesibindi njengomnqobi wezwe. Ukuhlangana nabantu bakaJehova okwakhayo ngokomoya nakho kuyasisiza ukuba sibe nesibindi. Isibindi sethu futhi sakhiwa ngesiqondiso neseluleko semiBhalo nezincwadi zobuKristu. Futhi ukulandisa kweBhayibheli kwezinceku zikaNkulunkulu zesikhathi esidlule kusisiza ukuba sihambe ezindleleni zakhe ngesibindi. Ngakho-ke, kulezinsuku zokugcina ezibucayi masiqhubekele phambili ngesibindi enkonzweni engcwele. Yebo, bonke abantu bakaJehova mababe nesibindi!

Ubungaphendula Kanjani?

◻ Isibonelo sikaJesu singasigcwalisa kanjani ngesibindi?

◻ Yini eyanikeza uJesu nabafundi bakhe isibindi sokuqhubeka beshumayela?

◻ Kungani amaJuda nabeZizwe babedinga isibindi ukuze babe ngasohlangothini lukaJehova?

◻ Yiziphi izibonelo zesibindi ezanikezwa u-Evnike noThimothewu?

◻ Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi isibindi siletha intokozo ngisho naphezu kokushushiswa?

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

NjengoJesu, singamelana nesilingo uma siyisebenzisa futhi siyicaphuna imiBhalo