Ukuba Qotho Kukristu Nasencekwini Yakhe Ethembekileyo

“Inkosi yayo . . . iyoyimisa phezu kwakho konke okungokwayo.”—MATHEWU 24:45-47.

 1, 2. (a) ImiBhalo ithi ngubani uMholi wethu? (b) Yini ebonisa ukuthi uKristu ulihola ngempela ibandla lobuKristu?

“NINGAVUMI ukuba abantu banibize ‘ngabaholi’—ninomholi oyedwa kuphela, uKristu!” (Mathewu 23:10, The New Testament in Modern English) Ngala mazwi, uJesu wakwenza kwacaca kubalandeli bakhe ukuthi akekho umuntu emhlabeni owayeyoba umholi wabo. UMholi wabo oyedwa wayeyoba sezulwini—uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe. UJesu usinikwe uNkulunkulu lesi sikhundla. UJehova “[wamvusa] kwabafileyo futhi . . . wamenza inhloko phezu kwazo zonke izinto ebandleni, eliwumzimba wakhe.”—Efesu 1:20-23.

² Njengoba uKristu ‘eyinhloko phezu kwazo zonke izinto’ eziphathelene nebandla lobuKristu, unegunya kukho konke okwenzeka ebandleni. Akukho okwenzeka ebandleni okumphunyukayo. Uqaphelisisa isimo esingokomoya seqembu ngalinye lamaKristu, noma ibandla. Lokhu kubonakala ngokucacile esambulweni esanikwa umphostoli uJohane ekupheleni kwekhulu lokuqala C.E. Emabandleni ayisikhombisa, uJesu washo kahlanu ukuthi wayeyazi imisebenzi yawo, izinto ayenza kahle kuzo nalezo ayengenzi kahle kuzo, futhi wawanika iseluleko nesikhuthazo esifanelekayo. (IsAmbulo 2:2, 9, 13, 19; 3:1, 8, 15) Sinezizathu ezizwakalayo zokukholelwa ukuthi uKristu wayesazi nesimo esingokomoya samanye amabandla e-Asia Minor, ePalestina, eSiriya, eBhabhiloni, eGrisi, e-Italiya nakwezinye izindawo. (IzEnzo 1:8) Kuthiwani namuhla?

Inceku Ethembekileyo

 3. Kungani kufaneleka ukufanisa uKristu nenhloko nokufanisa ibandla lakhe nomzimba?

³ Ngemva kokuvuswa kwakhe nangaphambi nje kokunyukela kwakhe ezulwini kuYise, uJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Nginikwe lonke igunya ezulwini nasemhlabeni.” Wabuye wathi: “Bhekani! Nginani izinsuku zonke kuze kube isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Mathewu 28:18-20) Wayeyoqhubeka enabo njengeNhloko yabo yangempela. Ezincwadini azibhalela amaKristu ase-Efesu nawaseKolose, umphostoli uPawulu wafanisa ibandla lobuKristu ‘nomzimba,’ oNhloko yawo inguKristu. (Efesu 1:22, 23; Kolose 1:18) I-Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges ithi lesi singathekiso “asisikiseli kuphela ukuxhumana okubalulekile neNhloko, kodwa nokuthi amalungu enza intando yeNhloko. Angamathuluzi ayo.” UKristu uye wasebenzisa bani njengethuluzi lakhe elakhiwa abantu abaningi kusukela anikwa amandla oMbuso ngo-1914?—Daniyeli 7:13, 14.

 4. Njengoba kwabikezelwa esiprofethweni sikaMalaki, yini uJehova noKristu Jesu abayithola lapho bezohlola ithempeli elingokomoya?

⁴ Isiprofetho sikaMalaki sabikezela ukuthi uJehova, “iNkosi yeqiniso,” ehambisana “nesithunywa sesivumelwano,” iNdodana yakhe esanda kubekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi, uKristu Jesu, wayeyoza ezokwahlulela futhi ezohlola ‘ithempeli,’ noma indlu yokukhulekela engokomoya. “Isikhathi esimisiwe” sokuba kuqale ‘ukwahlulelwa kwendlu kaNkulunkulu’ kubonakala safika ngo-1918.a (Malaki 3:1; 1 Petru 4:17) Labo ababethi bamelela uNkulunkulu nokukhulekelwa kwakhe kweqiniso emhlabeni bahlolwa ngokufanele. Amasonto eLobukholwa okwase kungamakhulu eminyaka efundisa izimfundiso ezihlambalaza uNkulunkulu futhi engene shí eMpini Yezwe I eyabulala inqwaba yabantu, enqatshwa. Insali ethembekile yamaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya yavivinywa, yacwengisiswa ngokungathi ngomlilo, futhi yamukelwa, yaba kuJehova “abantu abaletha umnikelo wesipho ngokulunga.”—Malaki 3:3.

 5. Ngokuvumelana nesiprofetho sikaJesu ‘sokuba khona’ kwakhe, ubani owazibonakalisa ‘eyinceku’ ethembekileyo?

⁵ Ngokuvumelana nesiprofetho sikaMalaki, isibonakaliso esiyinhlanganisela uJesu asinika abafundi bakhe ukuze bakwazi ukubona isikhathi “sokuba khona [kwakhe] nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto” sasihlanganisa nokubona “inceku” eyakhiwa abantu abaningi. UJesu wathi: “Ngubani ngempela oyinceku ethembekileyo neqondayo emiswe inkosi yayo phezu kwabendlu yayo, ukuze ibanike ukudla kwabo ngesikhathi esifanele? Iyajabula leyo nceku okuyokuthi lapho inkosi yayo ifika iyithole yenza kanjalo. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, Iyoyimisa phezu kwakho konke okungokwayo.” (Mathewu 24:3, 45-47) ‘Lapho uKristu efika’ ezohlola “inceku” ngo-1918, wathola insali egcotshwe ngomoya yabafundi abathembekile eye yaqhubeka isebenzisa lo magazini nezinye izincwadi zeBhayibheli kusukela ngo-1879 ukuze inikeze “ukudla” okungokomoya “ngesikhathi esifanele.” Wayamukela ukuba ibe ithuluzi lakhe elakhiwa abantu abaningi, noma “inceku,” futhi ngo-1919 wayiphathisa umsebenzi wokwengamela konke okungokwakhe emhlabeni.

Ukwengamela Izinto ZikaKristu Emhlabeni

6, 7. (a) UJesu wasebenzisa liphi elinye igama lapho ekhuluma ‘ngenceku’ ethembekileyo? (b) Ukusebenzisa kukaJesu igama elithi “umphathi,” kusikiselani?

⁶ Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuba uJesu anikeze isiprofetho sakhe sesibonakaliso sokuba khona kwakhe, esihlanganisa nokuba khona ‘kwenceku’ eyayiyommelela emhlabeni, wakhuluma ngale “nceku” ngamagama athe ukuhluka kancane asikhanyisela ngemithwalo yemfanelo yayo. UJesu wathi: “Ubani ngempela ongumphathi othembekile, oqondayo, lowo inkosi yakhe eyommisa phezu kwezikhonzi zayo ukuba aqhubeke ezinika isilinganiso sazo sokudla ngesikhathi esifanele? Nginitshela iqiniso, Iyoyimisa phezu kwakho konke okungokwayo.”—Luka 12:42, 44.

⁷ Lapha inceku ibizwa ngokuthi umphathi, igama elihunyushwe egameni lesiGreki elisho “umqondisi wendlu noma wendawo.” Lo mphathi owakhiwa abantu abaningi wayengeke nje abe iqembu lezihlakaniphi elichaza amaphuzu athakazelisayo eBhayibhelini. Ngaphezu kokulungiselela ukudla okungokomoya okunomsoco “ngesikhathi esifanele,” “umphathi othembekile” wayeyomiswa phezu kwayo yonke indikimba yezikhonzi zikaKristu futhi abelwe ukuba aphathe zonke izinto zikaKristu emhlabeni, ‘konke okungokwakhe.’ Kwakuyohlanganisani?

8, 9. Yikuphi ‘okungokukaKristu’ inceku emiswe ukuba ikuphathe?

⁸ Imithwalo yemfanelo yenceku ihlanganisa ukuqondisa izakhiwo ezisetshenziswa abalandeli bakaKristu ukuze bafeze imisebenzi yabo yobuKristu, njengendlunkulu yomhlaba wonke namahhovisi amagatsha oFakazi BakaJehova, kanye nezindawo zabo zokukhulekela—amaHholo OMbuso namaHholo OMhlangano—emhlabeni wonke. Okubaluleke nakakhulu ukuthi inceku ibuye ihlele izimiso ezakhayo ngokomoya zokutadisha iBhayibheli emihlanganweni yebandla yamasonto onke nasemihlanganweni emikhulu nemincane eba khona njalo ngezikhathi ezithile. Kule mibuthano, kudluliselwa ukwaziswa okuphathelene nokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho zeBhayibheli, kunikezwe nesiqondiso esifike ngesikhathi sendlela izimiso zeBhayibheli ezingasetshenziswa ngayo ekuphileni kwansuku zonke.

⁹ Imithwalo yemfanelo yomphathi ihlanganisa nokuqondisa umsebenzi obaluleke kunayo yonke wokushumayela “lezi zindaba ezinhle zombuso” nokwenza “abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi.” Lokhu kuhilela ukufundisa abantu ukuba bagcine zonke izinto uKristu, iNhloko yebandla, ayala ukuba zenziwe kulesi sikhathi sokuphela. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; IsAmbulo 12:17) Ukushumayela nokufundisa kuye kwaveza “isixuku esikhulu” sabangane abaqotho bensali egcotshiwe. Ngokungangabazeki, lezi “zinto ezifiselekayo zazo zonke izizwe” kumelwe zibalwe phakathi kwalokho ‘okungokukaKristu’ okuyigugu okunakekelwa inceku ethembekileyo.—IsAmbulo 7:9; Hagayi 2:7.

INdikimba Ebusayo Engabameleli

10. Iyiphi indikimba eyayenza izinqumo ekhulwini lokuqala, futhi kwaba namuphi umphumela emabandleni?

¹⁰ Kusobala ukuthi imithwalo yemfanelo engathí sina yenceku ethembekileyo yayiyohlanganisa nokwenza izinqumo eziningi. Ebandleni lamaKristu okuqala, abaphostoli namadoda amadala eJerusalema babengabameleli, benzela lonke ibandla lamaKristu izinqumo. (IzEnzo 15:1, 2) Izinqumo zale ndikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala zadluliselwa emabandleni ngezincwadi nangabameleli abajikelezayo. AmaKristu okuqala akujabulela ukuthola lesi siqondiso esicacile, futhi ukuzimisela kwawo ukubambisana nendikimba ebusayo kwaletha ukuthula nobunye.—IzEnzo 15:22-31; 16:4, 5; Filipi 2:2.

11. Obani uKristu abasebenzisayo namuhla ukuba baqondise ibandla lakhe, futhi kufanele silibheke kanjani leli qembu lamaKristu agcotshiwe?

¹¹ Njengasezikhathini zamaKristu okuqala, iqembu elincane lababonisi abagcotshwe ngomoya lakha iNdikimba Ebusayo yabalandeli bakaKristu emhlabeni namuhla. Esebenzisa ‘isandla sakhe sokunene’ samandla, uKristu, iNhloko yebandla, uqondisa la madoda athembekile njengoba eqondisa umsebenzi woMbuso. (IsAmbulo 1:16, 20) Endabeni yakhe yokuphila, u-Albert Schroeder, owaba ilungu leNdikimba Ebusayo isikhathi eside nosanda kuqeda inkambo yakhe yasemhlabeni, wabhala: “INdikimba Ebusayo ihlangana njalo ngoLwesithathu, ivula umhlangano ngomthandazo icela isiqondiso somoya kaJehova. Kwenziwa umzamo wangempela ukuze kubonwe ukuthi zonke izindaba ezisingathwayo nazo zonke izinqumo ezenziwayo zivumelana neZwi likaNkulunkulu iBhayibheli.”b Singathembela kulawo maKristu agcotshiwe athembekile. Ngokuphathelene nawo ikakhulukazi, kufanele silalele umyalo womphostoli uPawulu: “Lalelani abaholayo phakathi kwenu futhi nizithobe, ngoba baqapha imiphefumulo yenu.”—Hebheru 13:17.

Ukubonisa Inhlonipho Efanele Ngenceku Ethembekileyo

12, 13. Iziphi izizathu ezingokomBhalo ezikhona zokubonisa inhlonipho ngesigaba senceku?

¹² Isizathu esiyinhloko sokubonisa inhlonipho efanele ngesigaba senceku ethembekileyo siwukuthi uma senza kanjalo, empeleni sibonisa inhlonipho eNkosini, uJesu Kristu. UPawulu wabhala lokhu ngabagcotshiwe: “Lowo owabizwa engokhululekile uyisigqila sikaKristu. Nathengwa ngentengo.” (1 Korinte 7:22, 23; Efesu 6:6) Ngakho-ke, lapho sizithoba ngobuqotho esiqondisweni senceku ethembekileyo naseNdikimbeni yayo Ebusayo, sizithoba kuKristu, iNkosi yenceku. Ukubonisa kwethu inhlonipho efanele ngethuluzi uKristu alisebenzisayo ukuba liphathe okungokwakhe emhlabeni kungenye indlela ‘esivuma’ ngayo “obala ukuthi uJesu Kristu uyiNkosi kube inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu uBaba.”—Filipi 2:11.

¹³ Esinye isizathu esingokomBhalo sokubonisa inhlonipho ngenceku ethembekileyo siwukuthi amaKristu agcotshiwe emhlabeni abizwa ngokomfanekiso ngokuthi ‘ayithempeli’ uJehova ahlala kulo “ngomoya.” Ngenxa yalokho, ‘angcwele.’ (1 Korinte 3:16, 17; Efesu 2:19-22) Yilesi sigaba sethempeli elingcwele uJesu asiphathise okungokwakhe emhlabeni, okusho ukuthi kunamalungelo nemithwalo yemfanelo ethile ebandleni lobuKristu ephathiswe kuphela le nceku eyakhiwa abantu abaningi. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, bonke ebandleni bakubheka njengesibopho sabo esingcwele ukulandela nokusekela isiqondiso esivela encekwini ethembekileyo naseNdikimbeni yayo Ebusayo. Yebo, “ezinye izimvu” zikubheka njengelungelo langempela ukusiza isigaba senceku ekunakekeleni izinto zeNkosi.—Johane 10:16.

Ukuyisekela Ngobuqotho

14. Njengoba u-Isaya aprofetha, ezinye izimvu zihamba kanjani ngemva kwesigaba senceku egcotshiwe futhi zikhonza kanjani ‘njengezisebenzi ezingakhokhelwa’?

¹⁴ Ukuzithoba ngentobeko kwezinye izimvu emalungwini agcotshiwe ka-Israyeli ongokomoya kwabikezelwa esiprofethweni sika-Isaya: “Yilokhu uJehova akushilo: ‘Izisebenzi ezingakhokhelwa zaseGibhithe nabathengisi baseTopiya namaSabheya, abantu abade, bayofika nokufika kuwe, futhi bayoba ngabakho. Bayohamba ngemva kwakho; bayoza beboshiwe, futhi bayokukhothamela. Bayothandaza kuwe, bathi, “Impela uNkulunkulu usebunyeni nawe, futhi akekho omunye; akekho omunye uNkulunkulu.”’” (Isaya 45:14) Ngokomfanekiso, ezinye izimvu namuhla zihamba ngemva kwesigaba senceku egcotshiwe neNdikimba yaso Ebusayo, zilandela ubuholi baso. ‘Njengezisebenzi ezingakhokhelwa,’ ezinye izimvu zisebenzisa ngokuzithandela amandla azo nezinto zazo ekusekeleni umsebenzi wokushumayela emhlabeni wonke uKristu awabele abalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe emhlabeni.—IzEnzo 1:8; IsAmbulo 12:17.

15. Isiprofetho sika-Isaya 61:5, 6 sibubikezela kanjani ubuhlobo obuphakathi kwezinye izimvu no-Israyeli ongokomoya?

¹⁵ Ezinye izimvu ziyakujabulela futhi ziyakwazisa ukukhonza uJehova ngaphansi kokwenganyelwa isigaba senceku neNdikimba yaso Ebusayo. Zibheka abagcotshiwe njengamalungu ‘ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’ (Galathiya 6:16) ‘Njengezihambi’ ezingokomfanekiso “nabezinye izizwe” abahlangene no-Israyeli ongokomoya, zikhonza ngenjabulo ‘njengabalimi’ “nabagcini-zivini” ngaphansi kwesiqondiso sabagcotshiwe, “abapristi bakaJehova” ababizwa nangokuthi “izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu.” (Isaya 61:5, 6) Zihlanganyela ngentshiseko ekushumayeleni lezi zindaba ezinhle zoMbuso nasekwenzeni abantu bazo zonke izizwe abafundi. Zilekelela isigaba senceku ngenhliziyo yonke ekwaluseni nasekondleni izimvu ezisanda kutholwa.

16. Yini eshukumisela ezinye izimvu ukuba ziyisekele ngobuqotho inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo?

¹⁶ Ezinye izimvu ziyaqaphela ukuthi ziye zazuza kakhulu emizamweni yenkuthalo yenceku ethembekileyo yokuzinika ukudla okungokomoya okulungiselelwa ngesikhathi. Zivuma ngokuthobeka ukuthi ukube bekungengenxa yenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo, ngabe kuncane noma akukho ezikwaziyo ngamaqiniso eBhayibheli ayigugu, anjengobukhosi bukaJehova, ukungcweliswa kwegama lakhe, uMbuso, amazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha, umphefumulo, isimo sabafileyo, ukuthi uJehova ungubani ngempela, iNdodana yakhe nomoya ongcwele. Zibonisa ukubonga nobuqotho bazo, ezinye izimvu zisekela ngothando ‘abafowabo’ bakaKristu abagcotshiwe emhlabeni phakathi nalesi sikhathi sokuphela.—Mathewu 25:40.

17. Yini iNdikimba Ebusayo eye yakuthola kudingeka ukuba kwenziwe, futhi sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Ngenxa yokuthi abagcotshiwe baya ngokuya bencipha, abakwazi ukuba khona kuwo wonke amabandla ukuze baqinisekise ukuthi izinto zikaKristu ziphathwa ngendlela efanele. Ngenxa yalokho, iNdikimba Ebusayo imisa amadoda ezinye izimvu ukuba abe ababonisi bamahhovisi amagatsha, bezigodi, bezifunda nabamabandla oFakazi BakaJehova. Ingabe isimo sethu sengqondo kulaba belusi abangaphansi kukaKristu sihlobene nobuqotho bethu kuKristu nasencekwini yakhe ethembekileyo? Sizoxoxa ngalokhu esihlokweni esilandelayo.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

Ake Sibukeze

• Ubani uMholi wethu, futhi yini ebonisa ukuthi uyazazi izimo ezikhona emabandleni?

• Lapho kuhlolwa ‘ithempeli,’ obani abatholakala bekhonza njengenceku ethembekileyo, futhi iziphi izinto abaphathiswa zona?

• Iziphi izizathu ezingokomBhalo ezisenza siyisekele ngobuqotho inceku ethembekileyo?

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

‘OkungokukaKristu’ okuqondiswa “umphathi” kuhlanganisa izakhiwo, izimiso ezingokomoya nomsebenzi wokushumayela

[Isithombe ekhasini 25]

Amalungu ezinye izimvu asekela isigaba senceku ethembekileyo ngokushumayela kwawo ngentshiseko