Gcina Amehlo Akho Esemklomelweni
“Ngiphishekela emgomweni ukuze ngithole umklomelo.”—FIL. 3:14.
1. Umphostoli uPawulu wathenjiswa muphi umklomelo?
UMPHOSTOLI UPAWULU, owaziwa nangelithi uSawulu waseTarsu, wayevela emndenini owaziwayo. Wafunda inkolo yoyisemkhulu efundiswa umfundisi woMthetho odumile, uGamaliyeli. (IzE. 22:3) Singasho ukuthi uPawulu wayeyothola umsebenzi omuhle kakhulu, kodwa wayishiya inkolo yakubo, waba umKristu. Wabe esebheka phambili ekutholeni umklomelo wokuphila okuphakade awuthenjiswa—ukuba inkosi engasoze yafa nompristi eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Lowo Mbuso uyobusa umhlaba oyipharadesi.—Math. 6:10; IsAm. 7:4; 20:6.
2, 3. UPawulu wayewazisa kakhulu kangakanani umklomelo wokuphila ezulwini?
2 Ebonisa ukuthi wayewazisa kakhulu lo mklomelo, uPawulu wathi: “Noma yiziphi izinto ezaziyinzuzo kimi, lezi ngizishaye indiva ngenxa kaKristu. Phela, ngempela zonke izinto ngizishaya indiva ngenxa yenzuzo edlula zonke izinto, yolwazi ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yami. Ngenxa yakhe ngiye ngamukela ukulahlekelwa yizo zonke izinto futhi ngizibheka njengenqwaba yezibi.” (Fil. 3:7, 8) Izinto iningi labantu elizibheka njengezibalulekile—isikhundla, ingcebo, umsebenzi, isithunzi—uPawulu wazibheka njengezibi ngemva kokuba efunde iqiniso ngenjongo kaJehova ngesintu.
3 Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi kuqhubeke, into eyaba ebalulekile kuPawulu kwaba ulwazi oluyigugu ngoJehova nangoKristu, ulwazi uJesu akhuluma ngalo lapho ethandaza kuNkulunkulu: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okuphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo omthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.” (Joh. 17:3) Isifiso sakhe esiqotho sokuthola ukuphila okuphakade sibonakala emazwini akhe akweyabaseFilipi 3:14: “Ngiphishekela emgomweni ukuze ngithole umklomelo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu.” Yebo, amehlo akhe ayegxile emklomelweni wokuphila okuphakade emazulwini eyilungu likahulumeni woMbuso kaNkulunkulu.
Ukuphila Phakade Emhlabeni
4, 5. Izigidi zabantu abenza intando kaNkulunkulu namuhla zithenjiswa muphi umklomelo?
4 Uquqaba lwabantu abakhetha ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kufanele basebenzele ukuthola umklomelo wokuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. (IHu. 37:11, 29) UJesu waqinisekisa ukuthi leli themba liyofezeka. Wathi: “Bayajabula abanomoya omnene, ngoba bayokudla ifa lomhlaba.” (Math. 5:5) Njengoba iHubo 2:8 libonisa, uJesu uyindlalifa eyinhloko yomhlaba wethu, futhi uyobusa ezulwini nabangu-144 000. (Dan. 7:13, 14, 22, 27) Empeleni, abanjengezimvu bayothola “ifa” eliwumhlaba, baphile ngaphansi koMbuso ‘abawulungiselelwa kusukela ekusungulweni kwezwe.’ (Math. 25:34, 46) Siyaqiniseka ukuthi konke lokhu kuyofezeka ngoba uNkulunkulu okuthembisayo ‘akanakuwaqamba amanga.’ (Thithu 1:2) Singaqiniseka njengoJoshuwa ukuthi izithembiso zikaNkulunkulu ziyogcwaliseka. Watshela ama-Israyeli: “Akukho nelilodwa izwi kuwo wonke amazwi amahle uJehova uNkulunkulu wenu awakhulumile kini eliye laphutha. Agcwaliseke wonke kini. Akuphuthanga nezwi elilodwa kuwo.”—Josh. 23:14.
5 Ukuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu ngeke kufane nokuphila kwamanje okunganelisi. Kuyohluka kakhulu: ngeke kube khona izimpi, ubugebengu, ubumpofu, ukuntuleka kobulungisa, ukugula nokufa. Abantu bayoba imiqemane, baphile emhlabeni oguqulwe waba ipharadesi. Lokho kuphila kuyokwanelisa ngendlela esingakaze siyicabange. Yebo, usuku ngalunye luyosilethela injabulo enkulu. Yeka umklomelo omangalisayo!
6, 7. (a) UJesu wakubonisa kanjani lokho esingakulindela ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu? (b) Abantu abafileyo bayosinikwa kanjani isiqalo esisha?
6 Ngesikhathi uJesu elapha emhlabeni, umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu wamnika amandla okubonisa uhlobo lwezinto ezimangalisayo eziyokwenzeka emhlabeni wonke ezweni elisha. Ngokwesibonelo, watshela umuntu okwase kuyiminyaka engu-38 egogekile ukuba asukume ahambe. IBhayibheli lithi lo muntu wakwenza ngempela lokho. (Funda uJohane 5:5-9.) Ngesinye isikhathi, uJesu wahlangana ‘nomuntu owayeyimpumputhe kusukela azalwa’ futhi wamphulukisa. Kamuva, lapho lo muntu owayeyimpumputhe ebuzwa ngomuntu owayemphulukisile, waphendula: “Kusukela kudala akukaze kuzwakale ukuthi ukhona owavula amehlo omuntu owazalwa eyimpumputhe. Ukube lo muntu ubengaveli kuNkulunkulu, ubengeke enze lutho nhlobo.” (Joh. 9:1, 6, 7, 32, 33) UJesu wakwazi ukwenza zonke lezi zinto ngoba uNkulunkulu wayemnika amandla. Kuzo zonke izindawo azihamba, “waphulukisa ababedinga ukwelashwa.”—Luka 9:11.
7 UJesu akagcinanga ngokuphulukisa abagulayo, kodwa wanikwa namandla okuvusa abafileyo. Isibonelo salokhu esentombazane eneminyaka engu-12 eyashona futhi lokho kwabangela abazali bayo usizi olukhulu. Kodwa uJesu wathi: “Ntombazane, ngithi kuwe, Vuka!” Nempela yavuka! Cabanga nje ukuthi bazizwa kanjani abazali bale ntombazanyana nabanye ababelapho! (Funda uMarku 5:38-42.) Ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu kuyoba ‘nenjabulo enkulu’ lapho kuvuswa izigidigidi zabafileyo, ngoba iBhayibheli lithi “kuyoba khona uvuko lwabalungile nabangalungile.” (IzE. 24:15; Joh. 5:28, 29) Laba bantu bayonikwa isiqalo esisha ekuphileni benethemba lokuphila kuze kube phakade.
8, 9. (a) Phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, yini eyokwenzeka esonweni esasithola ku-Adamu? (b) Abafileyo bayokwahlulelwa ngasiphi isisekelo?
8 Abavusiwe bangazibeka ethubeni lokuthola ukuphila okuphakade. Ngeke bahlulelwe ngokwezono abazenza besaphila. (Roma 6:7) Phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane, njengoba abantu beyothola izinzuzo zomhlatshelo wesihlengo, izikhonzi zoMbuso ezilalelayo ziyobuyiselwa kancane kancane ekupheleleni, ekugcineni zingabe zisahlushwa imiphumela yesono ezasithola ku-Adamu. (Roma 8:21) “Empeleni [uJehova] uyokugwinya ukufa kuze kube phakade, iNkosi EnguMbusi uJehova ngokuqinisekile iyosula izinyembezi ebusweni bonke.” (Isaya 25:8) IZwi likaNkulunkulu libuye lithi ‘imiqulu iyovulwa,’ okubonisa ukuthi abayobe bephila ngaleso sikhathi bayothola ulwazi olusha. (IsAm. 20:12) Njengoba umhlaba uyobe uguqulwa uba ipharadesi, “abakhileyo ezweni elikhiqizayo ngokuqinisekile bayofunda ukulunga.”—Isaya 26:9.
9 Abavusiwe bayokwahlulelwa, hhayi ngesisekelo sesono abasithola ku-Adamu, kodwa ngokwalokho bona ngokwabo abakhetha ukukwenza. IsAmbulo 20:12 sithi: “Abafileyo bahlulelwa ngokwalezo zinto ezazilotshwe emiqulwini ngokwezenzo zabo,” okungukuthi, izenzo zabo zangemva kokuvuswa. Yeka ukuthi uJehova uyisibonelo esihle kanjani sobulungisa, isihe nothando! Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinto ezibuhlungu zesikhathi esidlule zezwe elidala “ngeke zikhunjulwe, futhi ngeke zifike enhliziyweni.” (Isaya 65:17) Njengoba kuyobe sekunolwazi olusha nokuphila okugcwele izinto ezinhle zodwa, abantu ngeke besacindezelwa izinto ezimbi zesikhathi esidlule. Bayovele bazikhohlwe zonke lezo zinto. (IsAm. 21:4) Kuyokwenzeka okufanayo ‘nasesixukwini esikhulu’ esiyosinda e-Armagedoni.—IsAm. 7:9, 10, 14.
10. (a) Kuyoba njani ukuphila ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu? (b) Yini ongayenza engakusiza ukuba ugcine amehlo akho esemklomelweni?
10 Ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu abantu ngeke bagule noma bafe. “Akekho ohlala khona oyothi: ‘Ngiyagula.’” (Isaya 33:24) Usuku ngalunye, abahlala emhlabeni omusha bayovuka beyimiqemane, bejabule futhi belangazelela usuku olulandelayo olumnandi. Bayojabulela umsebenzi owanelisayo kanye nobudlelwane nezinye izakhamuzi zezwe elisha ezibakhathalela ngempela. Ukuphila okunjalo kuwumklomelo omangalisa ngempela! Sisikisela ukuba uvule iBhayibheli lakho ufunde iziprofetho eziku-Isaya 33:24 naku-35:5-7. Zama ukuzibona zenzeka kuwe lezo zinto. Lokho kuzokusiza ukuba ugcine amehlo akho esemklomelweni.
Ukungagxili Emklomelweni
11. Chaza isiqalo esihle sokubusa kukaSolomoni.
11 Lapho sesazi ngomklomelo esingase siwuthole, kufanele sisebenze kanzima ukuze sigcine amehlo ethu egxile kuwo ngoba kungenzeka angagxili. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uSolomoni eba inkosi yakwa-Israyeli wasendulo, wacela uNkulunkulu ngokuthobeka ukuba amuphe ukuqonda nekhono lokwahlukanisa phakathi kokuhle nokubi ukuze akwazi ukwahlulela abantu baKhe ngendlela efanele. (Funda eyoku-1 AmaKhosi 3:6-12.) Ngakho, iBhayibheli lithi, “uNkulunkulu waqhubeka enika uSolomoni ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda ngesilinganiso esikhulu.” Yebo, “ukuhlakanipha kukaSolomoni kwakukukhulu kunokuhlakanipha kwabo bonke abaseMpumalanga nakho konke ukuhlakanipha kwaseGibhithe.”—1 AmaKh. 4:29-32.
12. Isiphi isixwayiso uJehova asinikeza labo ababeyoba amakhosi akwa-Israyeli?
12 Ekuqaleni, uJehova wayexwayise ngokuthi noma ubani oba inkosi ‘akufanele azandisele amahhashi’ nangokuthi ‘akufanele azandisele abafazi, ukuze inhliziyo yakhe ingaphambuki.’ (Dut. 17:14-17) Ukwandisa amahhashi kwakuyobonisa ukuthi inkosi ithembele emabuthweni ayo ukuze isizwe sivikeleke kunokuthembela kuJehova, uMvikeli. Ukuba nabafazi abaningi nakho kwakuyoba ingozi ngoba abanye babo yayingase ibathathe ezizweni zamaqaba ezingomakhelwane ezazisenkolweni yamanga, futhi babengase bayiphambukise ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso.
13. USolomoni wehluleka kanjani ukulalela izixwayiso zikaNkulunkulu?
13 USolomoni akazange azilalele lezi zixwayiso. Kunalokho, wenza khona kanye lokho uJehova ayethe amakhosi akufanele akwenze. Waba nenqwaba yamahhashi nabagibeli bawo. (1 AmaKh. 4:26) Waba nanabafazi abangu-700 nezancinza ezingu-300, abaningi babo bengabezizwe zamaqaba ezingomakhelwane. Labo bafazi ‘bayichezukisa inhliziyo yakhe ukuba ilandele abanye onkulunkulu; futhi inhliziyo yakhe ayizange ibe ephelele kuJehova.’ USolomoni wahlanganyela ekukhulekeleni kwamanga okunyanyekayo abafazi bakhe bezinye izizwe ababemfake kukho. Ngenxa yalokho, uJehova wathi ‘uzowuhlwitha umbuso’ kuye.—1 AmaKh. 11:1-6, 11.
14. Ukungalaleli kukaSolomoni nokwesizwe kwaholelaphi?
14 USolomoni wayeka ukugxila elungelweni eliyigugu ayenalo lokumelela uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Le nkosi yangena shi ekukhulekeleni kwamanga. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, sonke isizwe saba izihlubuki, okwaholela ekubhujisweni kwaso ngo-607 B.C.E. AmaJuda agcina ekubuyisele ukukhulekela kweqiniso kodwa emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, kwadingeka ukuba uJesu athi: “Niyophucwa umbuso kaNkulunkulu unikwe isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.” Kwenzeka lokho kanye. UJesu wathi: “Bhekani! Indlu yenu ishiywa nani.” (Math. 21:43; 23:37, 38) Ngenxa yokungathembeki, lesi sizwe salahlekelwa ilungelo elikhulu lokumelela uNkulunkulu weqiniso. Ngo-70 C.E., amabutho amaRoma abhubhisa iJerusalema nethempeli, futhi amaJuda amaningi ayesele aba yizigqila.
15. Yisho izibonelo zamadoda angazange agxile kulokho okwakubaluleke
15 UJuda Iskariyothe wayengomunye wabaphostoli bakaJesu abangu-12. Wazizwa izimfundiso zikaJesu ezinhle kakhulu futhi wambona enza izimangaliso ngosizo lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu. Noma kunjalo, akazange ayiqaphe inhliziyo yakhe. Wayephathiswe ibhokisi lemali elinemali kaJesu neyabaphostoli abangu-12. Kodwa waba “isela . . . evame ukuthatha imali eyayifakwa kulo.” (Joh. 12:6) Ukuhaha kwamholela ekubeni agcine enze into eyinqaba. Yena nabapristi abakhulu abangabazenzisi bakha uzungu lokukhaphela uJesu ngezinhlamvu zesiliva ezingu-30. (Math. 26:14-16) Omunye umuntu ongazange agxile emklomelweni uDema, owayehamba nomphostoli uPawulu. UDema akazange ayiqaphe inhliziyo yakhe. UPawulu wathi: “UDema ungishiyile ngoba ethanda isimiso samanje sezinto.”—2 Thim. 4:10; funda izAga 4:23.
Isifundo Ngamunye Wethu Okufanele Asifunde
16, 17. (a) Kungakanani ukuphikiswa esibhekene nakho? (b) Yini engasisiza ukuba simelane nanoma yini uSathane asilinga ngayo?
16 Zonke izinceku zikaNkulunkulu kufanele zizindle ngezibonelo eziseBhayibhelini ngoba siyatshelwa: “Lezi zinto zaqhubeka zibehlela njengezibonelo, futhi zalotshelwa ukuba zibe yisixwayiso kithi esesifikelwe ukuphela kwezimiso zezinto.” (1 Kor. 10:11) Yithina esiphila ezinsukwini zokugcina zalesi simiso sezinto esibi.—2 Thim. 3:1, 13.
17 USathane uDeveli, “unkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto,” uyazi ukuthi usalelwe ‘isikhathi esifushane.’ (2 Kor. 4:4; IsAm. 12:12) Uzokwenza konke angakwenza ukuze alinge izinceku zikaJehova ukuba ziphule ubuqotho bazo njengamaKristu. USathane ulawula leli zwe, kuhlanganise nezindlela zalo zokusakaza inkulumo-ze. Kodwa abantu bakaJehova banokuthile okunamandla kakhulu—“amandla angaphezu kwavamile.” (2 Kor. 4:7) Singancika kula mandla avela kuNkulunkulu ukuba asisize simelane nanoma yini uSathane angase asilinge ngayo. Ngakho, sinxuswa ukuba sithandaze njalo, siqiniseka ukuthi uJehova “uyobanika umoya ongcwele labo abawucela kuye.”—Luka 11:13.
18. Kufanele sibe yini isimo sethu sengqondo ngaleli zwe?
18 Kusiqinisa idolo nokwazi ukuthi sonke isimiso sikaSathane sizoqedwa maduze, kodwa amaKristu eqiniso asinde. “Izwe liyadlula, kanjalo nesifiso salo, kodwa lowo owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube phakade.” (1 Joh. 2:17) Ngakho, yeka ukuthi kungaba ubuwula kanjani ngenceku kaNkulunkulu ukucabanga ukuthi lesi simiso sezinto sinokuthile okuyohlala kuyigugu ukudlula ubuhlobo bayo noJehova! Leli zwe elilawulwa uSathane lifana nomkhumbi ocwilayo. UJehova uye walungiselela “isikebhe sokusinda” esiyibandla lobuKristu ukuze izinceku zakhe ezithembekile zivikeleke. Njengoba zibheke ezweni elisha, ziyaqiniseka ngalesi sithembiso: “Abenzi bokubi bazonqunywa, kodwa abathemba uJehova yibo abayodla ifa lomhlaba.” (IHu. 37:9) Ngakho-ke, gcina amehlo akho egxile emklomelweni omangalisayo!
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
• UPawulu wayezizwa kanjani ngomklomelo ayewuthenjisiwe?
• Labo abayophila phakade emhlabeni bayohlulelwa ngasiphi isisekelo?
• Yini ewukuhlakanipha okufanele uyenze manje? Ngempela?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12, 13]
Lapho ufunda izindaba eziseBhayibhelini, uyazibona yini usuthola umklomelo?