“Manje Yiso Isikhathi Esamukeleka Ngokukhethekile”
“Bhekani! Manje yiso isikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile. Bhekani! Manje yilo usuku lwensindiso.”—2 KOR. 6:2.
1. Kungani ngaso sonke isikhathi kudingeka sazi okumelwe sikwenze?
“KUKHONA isikhathi esimisiwe sayo yonke into, yebo isikhathi sazo zonke izindaba phansi kwamazulu.” (UmSh. 3:1) USolomoni wayebhala ngokubaluleka kokuqonda isikhathi esifaneleka kakhulu sokwenza noma imuphi umsebenzi ozuzisayo—kungaba ukulima, ukuthatha uhambo, ibhizinisi noma ukuxoxa nabanye. Noma kunjalo, ngaso sonke isikhathi kudingeka siqonde nokuthi imuphi umsebenzi obaluleke kakhulu okumelwe siwenze. Ngamanye amazwi, imisebenzi yethu kumelwe siyihlele ngokubaluleka kwayo.
2. Sazi kanjani ukuthi lapho uJesu eshumayela, wayesiqonda kahle isikhathi ayephila kuso?
2 Lapho esemhlabeni, uJesu wayesiqonda kahle isikhathi ayephila kuso nalokho okwakudingeka akwenze. Njengoba kwakucacile engqondweni yakhe ukuthi iziphi izinto eziza kuqala kuye, wayazi ukuthi sasesiseduze isikhathi okwase kukudala silindelwe sokuba kugcwaliseke eziningi zeziprofetho eziphathelene noMesiya. (1 Pet. 1:11; IsAm. 19:10) Kwakunomsebenzi okwakudingeka awenze ukuze asize abantu bazi ukuthi wayenguMesiya othenjisiwe. Kwakudingeka anikeze ubufakazi obuphelele ngeqiniso loMbuso futhi abuthe labo ababeyoba izindlalifa kanye naye eMbusweni. Kwakudingeka abeke nesisekelo sebandla lobuKristu elaliyofeza umsebenzi wokushumayela nokwenza abafundi emhlabeni wonke.—Marku 1:15.
3. Ukuqaphela kukaJesu isikhathi kwazithinta kanjani izenzo zakhe?
3 Ukuqaphela kukaJesu isikhathi kwaba nethonya elihle ekuphileni kwakhe, kwamshukumisela ukuba ashisekele ukufeza intando kaYise. Watshela abafundi bakhe: “Ukuvuna kukhulu, kodwa izisebenzi zimbalwa. Ngakho-ke ncengani iNkosi yokuvuna ukuba ithumele izisebenzi ekuvuneni kwayo.” (Luka 10:2; Mal. 4:5, 6) UJesu waqale wakhetha abafundi abangu-12 wabe esekhetha abangu-70, wabanika iziyalezo eziqondile futhi wabathuma ukuba bamemezele lesi sigijimi esishukumisayo: “Umbuso wamazulu ususondele.” Sifunda lokhu ngoJesu: “Lapho eseqedile ukunika abafundi bakhe abayishumi nambili iziyalezo, wasuka lapho ukuze afundise futhi ashumayele emizini yakubo.”—Math. 10:5-7; 11:1; Luka 10:1.
4. UPawulu waba umlingisi kaJesu Kristu ngayiphi indlela?
4 UJesu wayeyisibonelo esiphelele sentshiseko nokuzinikela kubo bonke abalandeli bakhe. Umphostoli uPawulu wayebhekisela kulokhu lapho ekhuthaza akholwa nabo: “Yibani abalingisi bami, njengoba nje nami ngingumlingisi kaKristu.” (1 Kor. 11:1) UPawulu waba umlingisi kaKristu ngaziphi izindlela? Ngokuyinhloko, wakwenza ngokuzikhandla emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle. Ezincwadini uPawulu azibhalela amabandla, sithola amazwi anjengokuthi “ningavilaphi emsebenzini wenu,” “yibani izigqila zikaJehova,” “ngaso sonke isikhathi [nibe] nokuningi kokukwenza emsebenzini weNkosi” nathi “noma yini eniyenzayo, yenzeni ngomphefumulo wonke njengokungathi nenzela uJehova.” (Roma 12:11; 1 Kor. 15:58; Kol. 3:23) UPawulu akazange nanini ayikhohlwe indlela ahlangana ngayo neNkosi uJesu Kristu lapho eya eDamaseku namazwi kaJesu okumelwe ukuba wawatshelwa umfundi u-Ananiya: “Lo muntu uyisitsha sami esikhethiweyo ukuba aphathe igama lami ezizweni nasemakhosini nakubantwana bakwa-Israyeli.”—IzE. 9:15; Roma 1:1, 5; Gal. 1:16.
“Isikhathi Esamukeleka Ngokukhethekile”
5. Yini eyashukumisela uPawulu ukuba afeze inkonzo yakhe ngentshiseko?
5 Lapho sifunda incwadi yezEnzo, sivele sibone isibindi nentshiseko uPawulu ayibonisa enkonzweni yakhe. (IzE. 13:9, 10; 17:16, 17; 18:5) UPawulu wakuqaphela ukubaluleka kwesikhathi ayephila kuso. Wathi: “Bhekani! Manje yiso isikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile. Bhekani! Manje yilo usuku lwensindiso.” (2 Kor. 6:2) Emuva ngo-537 B.C.E., kwakuyisikhathi esamukelekayo kwababedingiselwe eBhabhiloni ukuba babuyele ezweni lenkaba yabo. (Isaya 49:8, 9) Kodwa ikuphi uPawulu ayebhekisele kukho lapha? Umongo uyasisiza ukuba sibone ukuthi wayecabanga ngani.
6, 7. Iliphi ilungelo elikhulu elinikezwe amaKristu agcotshiwe namuhla, futhi obani abasebenza nabagcotshiweyo?
6 Ekuqaleni kwencwadi yakhe, uPawulu wakhuluma ngelungelo elikhulu yena namaKristu agcotshiwe akanye nawo abanikwa lona. (Funda eyesi-2 Korinte 5:18-20.) Wachaza ukuthi uNkulunkulu wayebabizele injongo ekhethekile yokufeza “inkonzo yokubuyisana,” ukunxusa abantu ukuba ‘babuyisane noNkulunkulu.’ Lokho kwakusho ukubuyisela ubungane noma ubunye noNkulunkulu.
7 Kusukela ekuhlubukeni kwase-Edene, sonke isintu besilokhu sihlukanisiwe noma sidediselwe kude noJehova. (Roma 3:10, 23) Lokho kuhlukaniswa kuye kwafaka isintu sisonke ebumnyameni obungokomoya, okuholela ekuhluphekeni nasekufeni. UPawulu wabhala: “Siyazi ukuthi yonke indalo iyaqhubeka ibubula kanyekanye futhi isezinhlungwini kanyekanye kuze kube manje.” (Roma 8:22) Kodwa uNkulunkulu uye wathatha izinyathelo zokukhuthaza, empeleni, ‘zokuncenga’ abantu ukuba babuyele kuye noma babuyisane naye. Yileyo nkonzo uPawulu namaKristu agcotshiwe ayekanye nawo abaphathiswa yona ngaleso sikhathi. Leso ‘sikhathi esamukelekayo’ sasingaba “usuku lwensindiso” kulabo ababa nokholo kuJesu. Wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe kanye nabangane bawo ‘bezinye izimvu,’ abasebenza kanye nawo, bayaqhubeka bemema abantu ukuba bazuze kulesi “sikhathi esamukelekayo.”—Joh. 10:16.
8. Yini eyenza isimemo sokubuyisana sibe esiphawulekayo?
8 Okwenza isimemo sokubuyisana siphawuleke nakakhulu ukuthi ngisho noma ufa lwalunxanye kuphela—ludalwe ukuhlubuka komuntu e-Edene—nguNkulunkulu owasithatha kuqala isinyathelo sokululungisa lolo fa. (1 Joh. 4:10, 19) Yini ayenza? UPawulu waphendula: “UNkulunkulu ngoKristu wayenza izwe libuyisane naye, engalibaleli iziphambeko zalo, futhi uliphathise thina izwi lokubuyisana.”—2 Kor. 5:19; Isaya 55:6.
9. Yini uPawulu ayenza ebonisa ukuthi wayesazisa isihe sikaNkulunkulu?
9 Ngokulungiselela umhlatshelo wesihlengo, uJehova wenza ukuba labo ababonisa ukholo bakwazi ukuthethelelwa iziphambeko zabo futhi babuyiselwe ebuhlotsheni noma ebunyeni naye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, wathumela izithunywa zakhe ukuba zinxuse abantu kuyo yonke indawo ukuba benze ukuthula naye lapho besengakwazi. (Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 2:3-6.) Eqonda intando kaNkulunkulu futhi eqaphela isikhathi ayephila kuso, uPawulu wazikhandla imini nobusuku ‘enkonzweni yokubuyisana.’ Intando kaJehova ayikashintshi. Usazivulile izandla zakhe nanamuhla. Amazwi kaPawulu athi “manje yiso isikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile” nathi “manje yilo usuku lwensindiso” asasebenza. Yeka ukuthi uJehova unguNkulunkulu onesihe nonozwela kangakanani!—Eks. 34:6, 7.
‘Ungalahlekelwa Injongo Yawo’
10. “Usuku lwensindiso” luye lwasho ukuthini kumaKristu agcotshiwe esikhathi esedlule nawamanje?
10 Abokuqala ukuzuza ekubonakalisweni kwalo musa ongafanelwe kwakuyilabo ‘abamunye noKristu.’ (2 Kor. 5:17, 18) Kubo, “usuku lwensindiso” lwaqala ngePhentekoste lika-33 C.E. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, laba baye baphathiswa umsebenzi wokumemezela “izwi lokubuyisana.” Namuhla, insali yamaKristu agcotshiwe isaqhubeka ‘nenkonzo yokubuyisana.’ Iyaqaphela ukuthi izingelosi ezine umphostoli uJohane azibona embonweni ongokwesiprofetho, “zibambé imimoya emine yomhlaba zayiqinisa, ukuze kungabikho moya ovunguzayo phezu komhlaba.” Ngakho, ‘kusewusuku lwensindiso nesikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile.’ (IsAm. 7:1-3) Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, kusukela ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, insali egcotshiwe ibilokhu izikhandla ngentshiseko emsebenzini ‘wenkonzo yokubuyisana’ kuze kufinyelele emajukujukwini omhlaba.
11, 12. Ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, amaKristu agcotshiwe abonisa kanjani ukuthi ayasiqaphela isikhathi ayephila kuso? (Bheka isithombe ekhasini 15.)
11 Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba kwaphawulwa encwadini ethi OFakazi BakaJehova—Abamemezeli BoMbuso KaNkulunkulu, ekuqaleni kwekhulu lama-20, “uC. T. Russell nabangane bakhe babekholelwa ngokuqinile ukuthi babesesikhathini sokuvuna nokuthi abantu babedinga ukuzwa iqiniso elikhululayo.” Benzani ngalokhu? Beqaphela ukuthi babesesikhathini sokuvuna, “isikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile,” laba bazalwane abazange nje baneliswe ukumemela abantu ezinkonzweni ezithile, into okwase kuyisikhathi eside abefundisi beLobukholwa beyenza. Kunalokho, lawo maKristu agcotshiwe aqala ukusebenzisa ezinye izindlela eziphumelelayo zokusakaza izindaba ezinhle. Ezinye zazo kwaba ukusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bamuva ngokuhlakanipha ekuthuthukiseni umsebenzi wawo.
12 Ukuze lisakaze izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso, lelo qembu elincane lezikhonzi ezishisekayo lasebenzisa amapheshana, izimemo, omagazini nezincwadi. Lalungiselela nezintshumayelo nezihloko ezanyatheliswa ezinkulungwaneni zamaphephandaba. Lasakaza izinhlelo ezingokomBhalo emisakazweni yezwe neyamazwe ngamazwe. Lenza futhi lasebenzisa izinhlelo ezinezithombe ezinyakazayo ezihambisana nemisindo eqoshiwe, ngisho nangaphambi kokuba abamabhayisikobho benzele umphakathi lolu hlobo lwezithombe ezihambisana nomsindo. Waba yini umphumela walokhu kuphikelela ngentshiseko? Namuhla, kunabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyisikhombisa abaye basabela futhi bahlanganyela ekumemezeleni lesi sigijimi: “Buyisanani noNkulunkulu.” Ngempela, lezo zinceku zikaJehova zakuqala zaba izibonelo ezinhle zentshiseko naphezu kwezimo ezazizilinganisela.
13. Iyiphi injongo kaNkulunkulu okufanele siyithathe ngokungathí sina?
13 Amazwi kaPawulu athi “manje yiso isikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile” aseyiqiniso namanje. Thina esiye sanambitha umusa ongafanelwe kaJehova siyajabula ngokuthi siye sanikezwa ithuba lokuzwa futhi samukele isigijimi sokubuyisana. Kunokuzithela ngabandayo, siwathatha ngokungathí sina amazwi kaPawulu alandelayo: “Siyanincenga futhi ukuba ningawamukeli umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu bese nilahlekelwa injongo yawo.” (2 Kor. 6:1) Injongo yomusa kaNkulunkulu ongafanelwe iwukwenza “izwe libuyisane naye” ngoKristu.—2 Kor. 5:19.
14. Imaphi amathuba avulekayo emazweni amaningi?
14 Iningi labantu eliphuphuthekiswe uSathane, lisahlukanisiwe noNkulunkulu futhi alikayazi injongo yomusa wakhe ongafanelwe. (2 Kor. 4:3, 4; 1 Joh. 5:19) Nokho, izimo zezwe eziya ziba zimbi ziye zenza abaningi basabela lapho beboniswa ukuthi ukuhlukaniswa noNkulunkulu yikho okuyimbangela yobubi nokuhlupheka kwabantu. Ngisho nasemazweni lapho abantu abaningi bebengawunaki khona umsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, manje abaningi sebeyazamukela izindaba ezinhle futhi bathatha isinyathelo sokubuyisana noNkulunkulu. Khona-ke, ingabe siyaqaphela ukuthi lesi isikhathi sokuzikhandla ngentshiseko eyengeziwe ekuzwakaliseni lokhu kuncenga: “Buyisanani noNkulunkulu”?
15. Kunokushumayela isigijimi esizokwenza abantu bazizwe beneme, yini esifuna ukuba abantu kuyo yonke indawo bayazi?
15 Umsebenzi wethu awukona nje ukutshela abantu ukuthi uma bephendukela kuNkulunkulu, uyobasiza kuzo zonke izinkinga zabo futhi kuyobenza bazizwe ngcono. Yilokho kanye abaningi abakufunayo lapho beya emasontweni, futhi yilokho amasonto ajabulela ukubatshela kona ukuze abanelise. (2 Thim. 4:3, 4) Kodwa, lokho akuwona umgomo wenkonzo yethu. Izindaba ezinhle esizishumayelayo ezokuthi ngothando lwakhe, uJehova uzimisele ukuthethelela iziphambeko ngoKristu. Ngakho abantu bangakwazi ukuphuma kulesi simo sokuhlukaniswa noNkulunkulu futhi babuyisane naye. (Roma 5:10; 8:32) Nokho, “isikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile” sisondela ngokushesha ekupheleni.
“Vuthani Emoyeni”
16. Yini eyasiza uPawulu ukuba abe nesibindi nentshiseko?
16 Khona-ke, singayihlakulela futhi siyilondoloze kanjani intshiseko yethu ngokukhulekela kweqiniso? Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye banamahloni noma mhlawumbe bayizithuli ngokwemvelo futhi bangase bakuthole kunzima ukubonisa intshiseko yabo noma ubungane. Nokho, kuhle ukukhumbula ukuthi intshiseko ayikona ukubonisa umzwelo noma ukwesasa kuphela; futhi ayixhomekile ebuntwini bomuntu. UPawulu wabonisa isihluthulelo sayo lapho enxusa amaKristu ayekanye nawo: “Vuthani emoyeni.” (Roma 12:11) Umoya kaJehova waba nendima esemqoka ekunikeni lo mphostoli isibindi namandla okukhuthazela emsebenzini wokushumayela. Kusukela ekubizweni kwakhe nguJesu kwaze kwaba sekuboshweni kwakhe kokugcina nokufel’ ukholo eRoma—inkathi engaphezu kweminyaka engu-30—intshiseko kaPawulu ayizange ifekele. Ngaso sonke isikhathi wayethembela kuNkulunkulu, owamnika amandla ayewadinga ngomoya wakhe. Wathi: “Nginamandla azo zonke izinto ngenxa yalowo ongipha amandla.” (Fil. 4:13) Yeka ukuthi isibonelo sakhe singasizuzisa kanjani!
17. ‘Singavutha kanjani emoyeni’?
17 Igama elihunyushwe ngokuthi “vutha” ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “ukubila.” (Kingdom Interlinear) Ukuze igedlela liqhubeke libila, kudingeka ukuba umlilo walo unganciphi. Ngokufanayo, ukuze ‘sivuthe emoyeni,’ kudingeka siwuthole njalo umoya kaNkulunkulu. Indlela yokuwuthola iwukusebenzisa wonke amalungiselelo kaJehova okusiqinisa ngokomoya. Lokho kusho ukukuthatha ngokungathí sina ukukhulekela komkhaya nokwebandla—ukuba njalo nesifundo somuntu siqu nesomkhaya, ukuthandaza nokuhlanganyela namanye amaKristu. Lokho kuyosisiza ukuba sithole “umlilo” oyosigcina ‘sibila’ kanjalo siqhubeke ‘sivutha emoyeni.’—Funda izEnzo 4:20; 18:25.
18. NjengamaKristu azinikezele, imuphi umgomo okufanele sigxile kuwo?
18 Umuntu ozinikezele yilowo ogxile ngokuphelele emgomweni futhi ongathikanyezwa noma adikibaliswe kalula ukuba ayeke ukuphishekela lowo mgomo. NjengamaKristu azinikezele, umgomo wethu uwukwenza noma yini uJehova afuna ukuba siyenze, njengoba nje noJesu enza. (Heb. 10:7) Namuhla, intando kaJehova iwukuba abantu abaningi ngangokunokwenzeka babuyisane naye. Ngakho-ke, masizikhandle ngentshiseko—silingise uJesu noPawulu—kulo msebenzi obaluleke kakhulu, yebo, ophuthumayo okumelwe wenziwe namuhla.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
• Yayiyini ‘inkonzo yokubuyisana’ eyaphathiswa uPawulu namanye amaKristu agcotshiwe?
• Insali egcotshiwe iye yasisebenzisa kahle kanjani “isikhathi esamukeleka ngokukhethekile”?
• Izikhonzi ezingamaKristu ‘zingavutha kanjani emoyeni’?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UPawulu akazange nanini ayikhohlwe indlela ahlangana ngayo neNkosi uJesu Kristu