Ukuba Munye Esibophweni Esiphelele Sothando
‘Nihlanganiswe ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo othandweni.’—KOLOSE 2:2, NW.
1, 2. Iliphi ithonya elihlukanisayo elizwakalayo ikakhulukazi namuhla?
LALELA! Izwi elikhulu linanela kulo lonke izulu lithi: “Maye kuwe-mhlaba nakuwe-lulwandle, ngokuba uSathane wehlele kini enolaka olukhulu, azi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane!” (IsAmbulo 12:12) Njengoba unyaka ngamunye udlula, lesosigijimi siba usongo olubi ngokwandayo ezakhamuzini zomhlaba.
2 Sekuyisikhathi eside isitha sikaJehova esikhulu saziwa ngokuthi umphikisi (uSathane) nangokuthi umnyundeli (uDeveli). Kodwa manje lomkhohlisi uye wathatha enye indima esongela ngokungathi sína—uye waba unkulunkulu onolaka! Ngani? Ngoba uMikayeli nezingelosi zakhe bamxosha ezulwini empini eyaqala ezulwini ngo-1914. (IsAmbulo 12:7-9) UDeveli uyazi ukuthi unesikhathi esifushane kakhulu sokufakazela inselele yakhe yokuthi angachezukisa bonke abantu ekukhulekeleni uNkulunkulu. (Jobe 1:11; 2:4, 5) Njengoba engenakuphunyuka, yena namademoni akhe bafana nequlo lezinyosi elithukuthele elikhiphela ulaka lwalo oquqabeni lwesintu oluyaluzayo.—Isaya 57:20.
3. Uye waba yini umphumela wokonakala kukaSathane osukwini lwethu?
3 Lezizenzakalo, ezingabonakali emehlweni abantu, zibonisa ukuthi kungani manje kunokuwohloka okukuyo yonke indawo kokuziphatha phakathi kwesintu. Futhi zibonisa isizathu semizamo yomuntu yokuphamazela yokuchibiyela ukuhlukana kwezizwe ezingasoze nje zahlala ngokuvumelana. Amaqembu ezizwe nawezinhlanga ahlaselana ngonya, okwenza kube nezigidi zabantu ezingenamakhaya nezingondingasithebeni. Akumangalisi ukuthi ukungabi namthetho kwanda ngezinga elingakaze libonwe ngaphambili! Njengoba uJesu abikezela, ‘uthando lwesintu esiningi luyaphola.’ Nomaphi lapho ubheka khona, ukungavumelani nokungabi naluthando kuphawula isintu sanamuhla esiyaluzayo.—Mathewu 24:12.
4. Kungani abantu bakaNkulunkulu besengozini ngokukhethekile?
4 Uma kubhekwa isimo sezwe, umthandazo kaJesu ethandazela abalandeli bakhe uba nokubaluleka okujulile: “Angiceli ukuba ubasuse ezweni; kepha ngicela ukuba ubalonde [komubi, NW]. Abasibo abezwe, njengalokhu nami angisiye owezwe.” (Johane 17:15, 16) Namuhla, ‘omubi’ ukhiphela ulaka lwakhe ikakhulukazi kulabo “abagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu nabanobufakazi bukaJesu.” (IsAmbulo 12:17) Ukube kwakungekhona ukuthi uJehova wayenikeza oFakazi bakhe abathembekile ukunakekela kokuqapha nokothando, babeyoqothulwa. Ukuphila kwethu kuxhomeke ekusebenziseni kwethu ngokunenzuzo wonke amalungiselelo uNkulunkulu awenzela ukulondeka nenhlalakahle yethu engokomoya. Lokhu kuhilela ukuzikhandla kwethu ngokuvumelana nokusebenza kwamandla aKhe ngoKristu, njengoba umphostoli anxusa kweyabaseKolose 1:29.
5, 6. Umphostoli uPawulu wazizwa kanjani ngamaKristu aseKolose, futhi kungani umbhalo wesihloko sonyaka ka-1995 ufaneleka?
5 Nakuba kungenzeka ukuthi uPawulu wayengakaze ababone ubuso nobuso abafowabo baseKolose, wayebathanda. Wabatshela: “Ngifisa sengathi ningaqonda ukuthi kujule kangakanani ukukhathazeka kwami ngani.” (Kolose 2:1, The New Testament in Modern English, ka-J. B. Phillips) Njengoba abalandeli bakaJesu bengeyona ingxenye yezwe, ‘omubi’ uyoqhubeka ezama ukwephula ubunye babazalwane ngokutshala umoya wezwe phakathi kwabo. Izindaba u-Ephafra aziletha zivela eKolose zabonisa ukuthi lokhu kwakwenzeka ngezinga elithile.
6 Okunye kokukhathalela okuyinhloko uPawulu ayenakho ngabafowabo abangamaKristu kungafushaniswa ngalamazwi: ‘Nihlanganiswe ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo othandweni.’ Amazwi akhe anencazelo ekhethekile namuhla, ezweni eligcwele ukwehlukana nokungabi naluthando. Uma silalela iseluleko sikaPawulu, siyojabulela ukukhathalela kukaJehova. Siyozwa futhi namandla omoya wakhe ekuphileni kwethu, esisiza ukuba simelane nokucindezela kwezwe. Yeka ukuthi lesiseluleko sihlakaniphe kangakanani! Ngakho, eyabaseKolose 2:2 iyoba umbhalo wesihloko sethu sonyaka ka-1995.
7. Ikuphi ukuvumelana okufanele kutholakale phakathi kwamaKristu eqiniso?
7 Encwadini yangaphambili eyayiya kwabaseKorinte, lomphostoli wenza umfanekiso ngomzimba womuntu. Wabhala ukuthi ‘kufanele kungabikho ukwahlukana’ ebandleni lamaKristu agcotshiwe kodwa ukuthi “izitho zonke zinakekelane ngokufanayo.” (1 Korinte 12:12, 24, 25) Yeka umfanekiso omuhle kangaka! Izitho zethu zithembele kwesinye nesinye, ngasinye sihlanganiswe nomzimba wethu uwonke. Kungokufanayo nangenhlangano yethu yabazalwane yomhlaba wonke, eyakhiwe abagcotshiwe nezigidi ezinethemba lokuphila emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Akumelwe sizehlukanise nendikimba yamaKristu esikanye nawo ukuze siziphilele ngokwethu! Njengoba usebenza ngoKristu Jesu, umoya kaNkulunkulu ugelezela kithi ngobuningi ngokuhlangana kwethu nabafowethu.
Ukuvumelana Kuhlangene Nolwazi
8, 9. (a) Yini ebalulekile ekubeni kwethu nengxenye ekuvumelaneni ebandleni? (b) Uye waluzuza kanjani ulwazi ngokuphathelene noKristu?
8 Elinye lamaphuzu kaPawulu ayisihluthulelo laliwukuthi ukuvumelana kobuKristu kuhlangene nolwazi, ikakhulukazi oluphathelene noKristu. UPawulu wabhala ukuthi amaKristu kufanele ‘[ahlanganiswe ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo othandweni] abe nengcebo yonke yokwazi okuphelele, azisise imfihlakalo kaNkulunkulu enguKristu.’ (Kolose 2:2) Siye sazuza ulwazi—amaqiniso—kusukela saqala ukufunda iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Njengengxenye yokuzuza ukuqonda indlela amaningi alamaqiniso afaneleka ngayo enjongweni kaNkulunkulu, sibona indima kaJesu ebalulekile. “Okufihlwé kuye amagugu [ingcebo, NW] onke okuhlakanipha [nawokwazi].”—Kolose 2:3.
9 Ingabe ileyondlela ozizwa ngayo ngoJesu nendima yakhe enjongweni kaNkulunkulu? Abaningi kweLobukholwa bayashesha ukukhuluma ngoJesu, bethi bamamukele futhi basindisiwe. Kodwa ingabe bayamazi ngempela? Lutho, ngoba abaningi bakholelwa emfundisweni kaZiqu-zintathu engeyona engokombhalo. Akukhona nje ukuthi wazi iqiniso ngokuphathelene nalokhu kodwa cishe unolwazi olubanzi lwalokho uJesu akusho nakwenza. Izigidi ziye zasizwa kulokhu ngesifundo esifundisayo zisebenzisa incwadi ethi UMuntu Omkhulu Kunabo Bonke Owake Waphila. Kodwa kudingeka siqhubeke sijulisa ulwazi lwethu ngoJesu nezindlela zakhe.
10. Ulwazi olufihliwe lutholakala kanjani kithi?
10 Inkulumo ethi ‘yonke ingcebo yokuhlakanipha neyokwazi ifihlwé’ kuJesu ayisho ukuthi ulwazi olunjalo asinakuluqonda. Kunalokho, lunjengemayini evulekileyo. Akudingekile ukuba sifune endaweni enkulu singazi ukuthi sizoqalaphi ukumba. Kakade sesiyazi—ulwazi lweqiniso luqala ngalokho iBhayibheli elikwembulayo ngoJesu Kristu. Njengoba siya siyiqaphela ngokugcwele indima kaJesu ekufezeni injongo kaJehova, sizuza ingcebo yokuhlakanipha kweqiniso nolwazi oluqondile. Ngakho esikudingayo ukuba siqhubeke simba ngokujulile, sivumbulule amagugu noma izinto eziyigugu ezengeziwe ezitholakala kulomthombo esesiye samba kuwo kakade.—IzAga 2:1-5.
11. Singalwandisa kanjani ulwazi lwethu nokuhlakanipha ngokuzindla ngoJesu? (Bonisa ngoJesu egeza izinyawo zabafundi, noma usebenzise ezinye izibonelo.)
11 Ngokwesibonelo, singase sazi ukuthi uJesu wageza izinyawo zabaphostoli bakhe. (Johane 13:1-20) Nokho, ingabe siye sazindla ngesifundo ayesifundisa nesimo sengqondo asibonisa? Uma senza kanjalo, singase sivumbulule ingcebo yokuhlakanipha esenza sikwazi—yebo, esishukumisela—ukuba siguqule indlela esisebenzelana ngayo nomzalwane noma udade onobuntu osekuyisikhathi eside busicasula. Noma lapho sinikezwa isabelo esingasithandisisi kahle, singase sisabele ngendlela ehlukile ngemva kokuqonda ngokugcwele uJohane 13:14, 15. Kungaleyondlela ulwazi nokuhlakanipha okusithinta ngayo. Ungase ube yini umphumela kwabanye lapho siqhubeka senza ngokuvumelana nolwazi olwandisiwe oluphathelene noKristu? Cishe umhlambi ‘uyohlanganiswa ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo othandweni ngokwengeziwe.’a
Ukuphazamiseka Kungakonakalisa Ukuvumelana
12. Kudingeka siqaphe ngokuphathelene naluphi ulwazi?
12 Uma ulwazi oluqondile lusisiza ekubeni ‘abahlanganiswe ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo othandweni,’ yini ebangelwa yilokho “okuthiwa ukwazi kungesikho”? Kungokuphambene—ukuphikisana, ukungezwani, nokuphambuka okholweni. Ngakho kumelwe simelane nolwazi olunjalo olungesilo, njengoba uPawulu axwayisa uThimothewu. (1 Thimothewu 6:20, 21) UPawulu wabhala futhi: “Ngikusho lokhu, ukuze kungabikho-muntu onikhohlisa ngamazwi okuyenga. Xwayani funa kube-khona onithumbayo ngokuhlakanipha nangenkohliso eyize njengokwemvelo yabantu, njengezifundiso zokucathula kwezwe, kungenjengokukaKristu.”—Kolose 2:4, 8.
13, 14. (a) Kungani abazalwane baseKolose babesengozini ngokuphathelene nolwazi? (b) Kungani abanye namuhla bengase babe nomuzwa wokuthi abekho engozini efanayo?
13 AmaKristu aseKolose ayezungezwe ithonya eliyenga ngokuyingozi lalokho eqinisweni okwakuthiwa ukwazi kungesikho. Abantu abaningi eKolose nasezindaweni eziseduze babewazisa kakhulu amafilosofi amaGreki. Kwakunalabo futhi ababephendulela abantu ebuJudeni ababefuna ukuba amaKristu agcine uMthetho kaMose, njengezinsuku zemikhosi yawo nezimfuneko zokudla. (Kolose 2:11, 16, 17) UPawulu wayengamelene nokuzuza kwabafowabo ulwazi lweqiniso, kodwa kwakudingeka baqaphele ukuba kungabikho-muntu owayeyobathumba njengenyamazane, esebenzisa izimpikiswano ezihungayo ukuze abaqinisekise ukuba bamukele umbono womuntu ngokuphathelene nokuphila nezenzo. Ungaqonda ukuthi uma abanye ebandleni bevumela ukucabanga nezinqumo zabo kuqondiswe imiqondo nezindlela ezinjalo ezingezona ezingokombhalo ngokuphila, kuyokwenza ukuba kungabi nakuvumelana nothando phakathi kwamalungu ebandla.
14 ‘Yebo,’ ungase ucabange, ‘ngiyayibona ingozi abaseKolose ababebhekene nayo, kodwa mina angibhekene nengozi yokuthonywa imiqondo yamaGreki, njengaleyo yomphefumulo ongafi noma unkulunkulu onguziqu-zintathu; futhi angiyiboni ingozi yokuyengwa amaholide obuqaba enkolo yamanga engayishiya.’ Kuyancomeka. Kuhle ukuqiniseka ngokuphakama kweqiniso eliyisisekelo elambulwe ngoJesu nelitholakala emiBhalweni. Nokho, kungenzeka yini ukuthi sisengozini yamanye amafilosofi noma imibono yabantu edlangile namuhla?
15, 16. Isiphi isimo sengqondo ekuphileni esingase sithonye ukucabanga komKristu?
15 Esinye isimo sengqondo esinjalo osekuyisikhathi eside sikhona yilesi: “Siphi manje isithembiso sokuza kwakhe? Obaba sebabekwa ekuphumuleni kwabo, kodwa namanje konke kusaqhubeka njengoba bekulokhu kunjalo.” (2 Petru 3:4, The New English Bible) Lowomuzwa ungase uvezwe ngamanye amazwi, kodwa abonisa isimo sengqondo esifanayo. Ngokwesibonelo, omunye angase acabange, ‘Lapho ngifunda iqiniso okokuqala emashumini eminyaka adlule, ukuphela kwase “kuseduze kakhulu.” Kodwa namanje akukafiki, futhi ukhona yini owaziyo ukuthi kuyofika nini?’ Kuyavunywa, akekho umuntu owaziyo ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini. Nokho, phawula umbono uJesu asinxusa ukuba sibe nawo: “Qaphelani, nilinde, ngokuba anisazi isikhathi ukuthi siyakuba-nini.”—Marku 13:32, 33.
16 Yeka ukuthi kungaba ingozi kangakanani ukwamukela umbono wokuthi kufanele sizihlelele ukuphila kokunethezeka ‘nokuvamile,’ njengoba singazi ukuthi ukuphela kuyofika nini! Lesosimo sengqondo singabonakaliswa ngalokhu kucabanga, ‘Nami ngingase ngithathe izinyathelo eziyongivumela mina (noma izingane zami) ukuba ngibe nomsebenzi ohloniphekile okhokhela kahle kakhulu futhi oyongenza ngikwazi ukujabulela ukuphila okunethezekile. Yebo, ngizoba khona emihlanganweni yobuKristu futhi ngihlanganyele emsebenzini wokushumayela, kodwa asikho isizathu sokuba ngizikhandle noma ngenze ukuzidela okukhulu.’—Mathewu 24:38-42.
17, 18. Imuphi umbono uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe abasinxusa ukuba sibe nawo?
17 Nokho, akunakuphikwa ukuthi uJesu nabaphostoli bakhe bakutusa ukuba siphile sinomuzwa wokuphuthuma ngokuphathelene nokushunyayelwa kwezindaba ezinhle, ukuzikhandla nokuzimisela ukuzidela. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngisho lokhu kodwa, bazalwane, ukuthi isikhathi sesinciphile; ngakho emva kwalokhu abanabafazi mababe-njengabangenabo, . . . nabathengayo babe-njengabangenanto, nabasebenzisa lelizwe babe-njengabangalisebenzisi, ngokuba isimo salelizwe siyadlula.”—1 Korinte 7:29-31; Luka 13:23, 24; Filipi 3:13-15; Kolose 1:29; 1 Thimothewu 4:10; 2 Thimothewu 2:4; IsAmbulo 22:20.
18 Engasikiseli nakancane ukuba senze ukuphila okunethezekile kube umgomo wethu, uPawulu wabhala ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa: “Asilethanga-lutho ezweni; kusobala ukuthi singemuke nalutho futhi; kepha uma sinokudla nezambatho, asaneliswe yikho. . . . Yilwa ukulwa okuhle kokukholwa, ubambelele ekuphileni okuphakade owabizelwa kukho, wavuma ukuvuma okuhle phambi kofakazi abaningi.”—1 Thimothewu 6:7-12.
19. Ibandla lithinteka kanjani lapho labo abakulo bamukela umbono wokuphila uJesu awukhuthaza?
19 Lapho ibandla lakhiwe amaKristu ashisekayo alwela ngamandla ‘ukwenza ukuvuma okuhle kwasobala,’ ukuvumelana kuyozenzakalela. Awakuvumeli ukunqotshwa yilesisimo sengqondo, ‘Unempahla eningi ebekelelwe iminyaka eminingi; phumula, udle, uphuze, ujabule.’ (Luka 12:19) Kunalokho, amunye emzamweni ofanayo, ezimisele ukuzidela ukuze ahlanganyele ngokugcwele ngangokunokwenzeka kulomsebenzi ongasayikuphinde wenziwe.—Qhathanisa neyabaseFilipi 1:27, 28.
Sidinga Ukuqaphela Amazwi Okuyenga
20. Isiphi esinye isici amaKristu angase adukiswe kuso?
20 Yiqiniso, kukhona ezinye izindlela amaKristu angase ‘adukiswe ngazo ngamazwi okuyenga’ noma ngezinkohliso eziyize eziphazamisa ukuba ‘abahlanganiswe ngokuvumelanayo othandweni.’ Ihhovisi legatsha le-Watch Tower Society eJalimane labhala: “Esinye isenzakalo saholela empikiswaneni, abamemezeli ngisho nabadala bethatha uhlangothi endabeni ephathelene nezinhlobo zokwelapha ezisetshenziswa umzalwane othile.” Lanezela: “Ngenxa yezindlela eziningi ezihlukahlukene ezisetshenziswayo nenani elikhulu leziguli, lesi isici okuphikiswana kakhulu ngaso, futhi uma izindlela zokwelapha zinokusikisela kokukhulekelwa kwemimoya, zingase zibe ingozi.”—Efesu 6:12.
21. UmKristu angalahlekelwa kanjani umbono ofanele namuhla?
21 AmaKristu afuna ukuhlala ephilile futhi enempilo ukuze akhulekele uNkulunkulu. Nakuba kunjalo, kulesisimiso sezinto sibhekene nokuguga nokugula okubangelwa ukungapheleli. Kunokuba sigcizelele izinkinga ezingokwempilo, kufanele sigxile ekhambini langempela, elilungiselelwe thina nabanye. (1 Thimothewu 4:16) Lelokhambi ligxile kuKristu, nanjengoba iseluleko sikaPawulu esasiya kwabaseKolose sasigxile kuye. Kodwa khumbula, uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi abanye bangase beze “ngamazwi okuyenga” besusa ukunaka kwethu kuKristu, mhlawumbe bekuqondisa ezindleleni zokuxilonga, ukwelapha, noma ukudla.—Kolose 2:2-4.
22. Isiphi isimo sengqondo esilinganiselayo okufanele sibe naso ngokuqondene nezinkulumo eziningi eziphathelene nezindlela zokuxilonga nokwelapha?
22 Abantu embulungeni yonke bagidlabezwa ngezikhangiso nezincwadi zobufakazi bezinzuzo ngokuphathelene nazo zonke izinhlobo zokwelapha nezindlela zokuxilonga. Ezinye zazo zisetshenziswa kabanzi futhi ziyaqashelwa; ezinye zigxekwa kakhulu noma ziyasolwa.b Umuntu ngamunye unomthwalo wemfanelo wokunquma ukuthi yini ayoyenza ngokuphathelene nempilo yakhe. Kodwa labo abamukela iseluleko sikaPawulu esitholakala kweyabaseKolose 2:4, 8 bayothola isivikelo ekudukisweni “ngamazwi okuyenga” noma “ngenkohliso eyize” eholela abaningi ophathe, abathi ngokuntula ithemba loMbuso bafune inkululeko ngokushesha. Ngisho noma umKristu eqiniseka ukuthi ukwelapha okuthile kubonakala kulungile kuye, akufanele akukhuthaze ebuzalwaneni bobuKristu, ngoba kungase kube isihloko sengxoxo nempikiswano esakazekile. Ngaleyondlela angabonisa ukuthi ukuhlonipha kakhulu ukubaluleka kokuvumelana ebandleni.
23. Kungani thina ngokukhethekile sinesizathu sokujabula?
23 UPawulu wagcizelela ukuthi ukuvumelana kobuKristu kuyisisekelo senjabulo yangempela. Osukwini lwakhe inani lamabandla ngokuqinisekile lalilincane kunanamuhla. Kodwa wayengabhalela abaseKolose: “Noma ngingekho ngomzimba, nokho ngikhona kini ngomoya ngithokoza, ngibona inhlelo yenu nokuqina kokukholwa kwenu kuKristu.” (Kolose 2:5; bheka neyabaseKolose 3:14.) Yeka ukuthi sinesizathu esikhulu kangakanani sokujabula! Singase sibubone ubufakazi bangempela bokuvumelana, ukuhleleka okuhle, nokuqina kokholo ebandleni lakithi, okubonisa isimo esivamile sabantu bakaNkulunkulu emhlabeni wonke. Ngakho esikhathini esifushane esisele esimisweni sezinto samanje, kwangathi ngamunye wethu angazimisela ukuba ‘sihlanganiswe ndawonye ngokuvumelanayo othandweni.’
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Nakuba kunamathuba amaningi kakhulu, ezibonelweni ezilandelayo, bona ukuthi yini wena siqu ongayifunda ngokuphathelene noJesu enganikela ekubeni nokuvumelana ebandleni lakini: Mathewu 12:1-8; Luka 2:51, 52; 9:51-55; 10:20; Heberu 10:5-9.
b Bheka INqabayokulinda ka-June 15, 1983, amakhasi 21-9.
Uphawulile?
◻ Lithini itekisi lonyaka loFakazi BakaJehova lika-1995?
◻ Kungani amaKristu aseKolose kwakudingeka ahlanganiswe ngokuvumelanayo othandweni, futhi kungani kunjalo nakithi namuhla?
◻ Isiphi isimo sengqondo esiyenga ngokuyingozi ngokuphathelene nokuphila, amaKristu ngokukhethekile okufanele asixwaye namuhla?
◻ Kungani amaKristu kufanele aqaphe ukuze angadukiswa ngamazwi okuyenga ngokuphathelene nempilo nezindlela zokuxilonga?
[Izithombe ekhasini 17]
Ingabe amacebo akho ngokuphathelene nesikhathi esizayo agxile ekubeni khona kukaJesu?