UbuKristu Banamuhla—Buqotho Kangakanani?
PHAKATHI neMpi Yezwe II indoda engumDashi uHans van Meegeren yathengisa komunye umJalimane lokho okwakujongwe ukuba kube umsebenzi wokuqala odumile wekhulu le-17 womdwebi ongumDashi uJan Vermeer. Wabatshazwa njengomsebenzi wobungcweti. Ekupheleni kwempi uvan Meegeren waboshelwa ukuthengisa lomdwebo oyingcebo esitheni. Ake ucabangele ukumangala kwababemmangalele lapho evuma ukuthi wayelingise ngokungemthetho umsebenzi wobungcweti kaVermeer. Wakufakazela ngokudweba omunye “umsebenzi kaVermeer” ngenkathi esejele!
Lokhu kubonisani? Ukuthi isignesha noma igama alisho ngokuswelekileyo ukuthi okuthile kungokoqobo. Kungase kube ngamanga. Endabeni yomsebenzi wokudweba lokhu kuye kwatholwa ngokuhlolisisa ngokunakekela umsebenzi wobuciko nezinto ezisetshenziswayo uma ziqhathaniswa nezokuqala ezingokoqobo, ukuqhathanisa okudwetshiwe okungabazekayo nomsebenzi ongokoqobo.
Namuhla izigidi ezingamakhulu zabantu zisebenzisa igama noma isignesha yobuKristu. Mhlawumbe ungomunye wabo. Kodwa ungabonisa kanjani ukuthi ungumKristu ongokoqobo, into engokoqobo? Okokuqala, qhathanisa ukuziphatha kwakho nezinkolelo nomlando weBhayibheli wezimfundiso zikaJesu Kristu nabaphostoli bakhe. Okulandelayo, hlola indlela amaKristu akuqala asebenzisa ngayo lezozimfundiso. Okwesithathu, hlaziya olwakho siqu uhlobo lwenkolo ukuze ubone ukuthi luyafanelana yini nesibonelo esabekwa uKristu. Manje zibuze, ingabe inkolo yami inobuKristu beqiniso? Ingabe ngiphila njengomKristu?
Ukuze sikusize ekuzihloleni kwakho, make sibuyekeze izingxenye ezimbalwa eziyinhloko zokuziphatha ukuze sithole ukuthi buyini ubuKristu boqobo.
UKULWA: UJesu Kristu wathi: “Ngokuba bonke abaphatha inkemba bayakubhubha ngenkemba.”—Mathewu 26:52.
Umphostoli uPawulu waloba: “Ningaphindiseli-muntu okubi ngokubi; nakani okuhle phambi kwabantu bonke; uma kungenzeka, ngokwenu hlalisanani ngokuthula nabantu bonke.” “Uthando alwenzi okubi kumakhelwane.” (Roma 12:17, 18; 13:10) Futhi, wathi: “Ngokuba noma sihamba sisenyameni kasilwi ngokwenyama, ngokuba izikhali zethu zokulwa kasizo ezenyama.”—2 Korinte 10:3, 4.
UTertullian, umlobi ongumKristu owazalwa eminyakeni engaphezu kweyi-100 ngemva kokufa kukaKristu, uyasisiza ukuba sibone indlela amaKristu amaningi akuqala ayekubheka ngayo ukulwa nokuhlanganyela kukho: “Ngicabanga ukuthi okokuqala kumelwe sibuze ukuthi ukulwa kufanelekile yini kumaKristu. . . . Ingabe kuyobhekwa njengokugcina umthetho ukuphatha inkemba, lapho iNkosi ithi osebenzisa inkemba uyobhubha ngayo? Futhi ingabe indodana yokuthula iyohlanganyela ekulweni lapho kungayifanele ngisho nokuba imangale emthethweni?”
Uyini umlando weLobukholwa maqondana nokuba umenzi wokuthula nomgcini wokuthula? Inkolo owakhuliselwa kuyo imi kuphi kulendaba? Ake uzibuze: Iziphi izizwe ezaqalisa izimpi zezwe ezimbili nezabangela ukufa nokuhlupheka okukhulu kangaka kulelikhulu lamashumi amabili? Ingabe kwakungamaMoslem, amaHindu noma amaBuddha? Cha, zazibizwa ngokuthi izizwe zobuKristu zaseYurophu, zigqugquzelwa abefundisi nabezombangazwe abangamaKatolika namaProthestani. Ngakho-ke, yeka indlela okufaneleke ngayo ukukhulumela komsakazi oyiNgisi nomlobi uMalcolm Muggeridge, owaloba: “Ezimpini ezihlukahlukene zesikhathi sethu iSonto liye laqinisekisa ngokuthi uNkulunkulu ungasohlangothini lwethu, futhi liye lanikeza isibusiso salo esingafanelekile kunoma iziphi izindlela zokuhlanganyela kuzo ababusi nabezombangazwe abangase bazicabangele njengezifanele. . . . Esinye sezisho esihlakaniphile zomqalisi wenkolo yobuKristu sasiwukuthi umbuso waKhe wawungewona owalelizwe.”
UBUGEBENGU NOBULELESI: UKristu wafundisa: “Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.”—Mathewu 22:39.
Imuphi umuntu ovamile ofuna ukuphangwa, ukushaywa noma ukubulawa? Ngokwalesisisekelo akekho umKristu ongokoqobo ongenza into enjengaleyo kumakhelwane wakhe, ngoba uKristu wathi: “Nokungakanani enifuna ukuba abantu bakwenze kini, kwenzeni nani kanjalo kubo.”—Mathewu 7:12.
Umphostoli uPetru wayengathemelezi eselulekweni sakhe: “Makungabikho kini ohlupheka ngokuba engumbulali, noma eyisela, noma engowenzokubi.”—1 Petru 4:15.
UTertullian uthini ngokuziphatha kobuKristu osukwini lwakhe? “Ohlwini lwakho olude lwalabo ababekwe icala lobudlova obuningi obuhlukahlukene, ingabe ababulali, abakhuthuzi, noma imuphi umuntu onecala . . . lokuyenga, noma ukweba izingubo zababhukudi, igama lakhe liyabhalwa njengomKristu? . . . Ijele ngaso sonke isikhathi ligcwaliswa abantu besonto lakho . . . Awutholi-mKristu lapho, kuphela lowo othi ungonjalo; noma uma umuntu elapho njengokunye okuthile, akaseyena umKristu.”
Bunjani ubugebengu phakathi kwezizwe “zobuKristu?” Kunezinga elisabekayo lobugebengu, amajele agcwele nabantu abesaba ukuphumela emigwaqweni emadolobheni amaningi ngenxa yokusongelwa kokuba izisulu zezigebengu. Akulona yini iqiniso ukuthi eziningi zalezizigebengu nezelelesi ‘zisenegama lobuKristu’ njengoba kufakazelwa iqiniso lokuthi zamukela amaMisa? Ngisho amaMisa amakhulu aye enzelwa izigelekeqe ezidumile. Ngokusobala akukho senzo sokuqeqesha esithathwayo sokugcina abantu behlanzekile. Ingabe lobu ubufakazi bobuKristu beqiniso?
UKUKHISHWA KWEZISU: Nalapha futhi singasebenzisa isaga sikaJesu: “Ngaso sonke isikhathi phatha abanye ngendlela ofuna bakuphathe ngayo.”—Mathewu 7:12, “The New English Bible.”
Uyakufuna yini ukufa? Phakathi neMpi Yezwe II amaNazi abulala izigidigidi zezisulu emakamu awo okuhlupha. Lapho ubheka emuva wawungathanda yini ukuba omunye wazo? Njengalezo zisulu, imibungu ebulawa ngokukhishwa kwezisu ayinakuzikhethela okunye, futhi ifa ngamashumi ezigidi unyaka ngamunye. Kulesisimo kusebenza iseluleko sikamphostoli uPetru: “Makungabikho kini ohlupheka ngokuba engumbulali.”—1 Petru 4:15.
Maqondana nalokhu ukukhulumela kwamaKristu ekhulu lesibili, uTertulliana noAthenagoras, kwashaya emhloleni: “Njengoba endabeni yethu, ukubulala kwenqatshelwe ngokuphelele, asinakubulala ngisho nombungu osesiswini.” (Tertullian) “Futhi lapho sithi labobesifazane abasebenzisa imilaliso ukuze bakhiphe izisu bayabulala, futhi bayolandisa kuNkulunkulu ngenxa yokukhipha izisu, singazithethelela ngaziphi izimiso lapho sibulala?” (Athenagoras)
Kunamanani aphakamayo okukhishwa kwezisu emazweni amaningi “obuKristu” aseNtshonalanga. Ngokwesibonelo, inani elingokomthetho lokukhishwa kwezisu eU.S.A. ngo-1978 kuphela laliyi-1 157 776! ENetherlands naseFederal Republic yaseJalimane kwabalwa ukuthi amaphesenti angama-25 abakhulelweyo aphetha ngokukhipha izisu okungokomthetho noma okungemthetho. Inani lamaKatolika aseFrance ngamaphesenti angama-50. Lapho siqhathanisa izingcaphuno ezandulelayo ezivela kumaKristu akuqala namanani anjalo ethusayo, sifanele sibuze, Ingabe awanamuhla “amaKristu” akhipha izisu, namasonto avuna lesisenzo, awubuKristu ngempela?
UKUZIPHATHA KOBULILI: Umqalisi wobuKristu wathi: “Ngokuba ngaphakathi enhliziyweni yabantu kuphuma imicabango emibi, nobufebe, . . . nokuziphatha okubi. . . . Zonke lezozinto ezimbi . . . ziyamngcolisa umuntu.”—Marku 7:21, 22, NW.
Isithunywa sevangeli esingumKristu uPawulu siyavuma ukuthi izinto ezinjalo ziyamngcolisa umuntu, ngoba siyaloba: “Nazifebe, . . . naziphingi nazihlobongi, nabesilisa abalalanayo . . . abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.
Manje make siphindele ezenzweni zamaKristu ekhulu lesibili: “Sikude kakhulu nokuziphatha okubi kobulili, kangangokuba kumelene nomthetho phakathi kwethu ukuzitika ekubhekeni okuqhutshwa inkanuko.” (Athenagoras) “UmKristu uzibekela umngcele ngokwakhe ekuhlanganeni ngokobulili nowesifazane. . . . Indoda engumKristu ayinakwenza lutho komunye ngaphandle komkayo.” (Tertullian)
Ingabe eLobukholwa lanamuhla liye lalandela isibonelo sokuqala sobuKristu sokuziphatha? Ingabe ‘indlela yokuqhuba nezinto’ zisafana nenguqulo yakuqala? Maqondana nalokhu okucashunwe muva, uMaggeridge washukunyiselwa ekubeni alobe: “Ezindabeni ezinjengedivosi, ongqingili negagasi lokubizwa ngokuthi Ukuziphatha Okusha kukhula ngamandla ngokumelene nesimo sesiko lobuKristu; ikakhulukazi emalungwini aqhamile eSonto angakunaki okubi.”
KweLobukholwa ubufebe, ukuphinga nobungqingili kugcwele yonke indawo. Isivuno esiwumphumela sezifo zokubhajwa manje sifinyelela amanani asabisayo. Ingabe lokhu kubonisa ubuKristu boqobo? Noma kuwubufakazi bokuthi sisebenzelana nokulingisa kobuqili okungcolile?
UKUHILELEKA KWEZOMBANGAZWE: UKristu wathi ngabalandeli bakhe: “Abasibo abezwe, njengalokhu nami angisiye owezwe.” Wabuye futhi wathi kuPilatu: “Umbuso wami awusiwo owalelizwe . . . umbuso wami awusiwo owalapha.”—Johane 17:16; 18:36.
ERoma lasendulo isikhundla sezombangazwe nenkolo yombuso kwakuhlobene kakhulu. AmaKristu akuqala asabela kanjani kulesosimo? IEncyclopaedia Britannica iyachaza: “AmaKristu ekhulu lesithathu lokuqala amelana ngokwesinqumo nenkolo yombuso yaseRoma. AmaKristu ayezibheka ngokwawo njengezakhamuzi zomuzi wasezulwini ozayo nanjengabafokazi nezihambi emhlabeni . . . njengamalungu oMbuso kaNkulunkulu . . . owawuchitha izibopho zawo nalelizwe elidlulayo futhi kanjalo nohlelo lwalo lwezombangazwe.”
“UbuKristu” banamuhla bumi kuphi maqondana nezombangazwe? Buhlukene kusukela phansi kuya phezulu. Kukhona abefundisi abahlanganyela cishe nawo wonke amaqembu ezombangazwe akhona, kusukela kubapristi abangamaKatolika abasekela ubuKhomanisi eSpain naseLatin America kuya kubefundisi abangamaProthestani abakhonza ephalamende lamaNgisi nabaseqenjini lezombangazwe elibusayo eUnited States. Umbiko wabefundisi wokuzithoba okukhulu, ngaphandle kwabambalwa kakhulu ebuNazini nakubuFascist phakathi neminyaka yamuva engamashumi eJalimane, eItaly naseSpain kwaziwa kahle ngabantu abanolwazi.
Amaqembu eLobukholwa ahlukene futhi abathembekileyo bahlukene maqondana nokuthembeka okungokwezombangazwe. Umlobi ongumSpanishi wekhulu lamashumi amabili noyisazi uMiguel de Unamuno wayengaphosisi nakancane lapho ethi: “Lelizwe akulona elomKristu.” “UbuKristu buwukumelana nezombangazwe.” Ngokuphambene, umlobi wamaphephandaba oyiNgisi uAnthony Lejeune washukunyiselwa ekulobeni: “Ubupristi bezombangazwe budlangile. . . . Uma iSonto lingenakho okwengeziwe kokukunikela kunezwe, kungani kuyiwa eSontweni?”
Futhi, kuthiwani ngamagama okuthopha ababizwa ngawo abefundisi abaningi bamaSonto? UJesu watshela abafundi bakhe: “Nina maningabizwa ngokuthi Rabi; [“sikhulu sami; ongcwele wami”—usikhumbuza ngamagama anjengokuthi “Mfundisi,” “mfundisi ongcwele,” njll.], ngokuba munye umfundisi wenu, nina nonke ningabazalelwane. Ningabizi-muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo; ngokuba munye uyihlo, osezulwini.” (Mathewu 23:8, 9) Lokhu kwenza kube sobala ukuthi kwakungenakuba khona umehluko phakathi kwabefundisi nabantu abavamile ebuKristwini boqobo.
UKUSHUMAYELA “IZINDABA EZINHLE”: ENtshumayelweni yakhe yaseNtabeni uJesu wathi: “Nina ningukukhanya kwezwe. . . . Makukhanye ukukhanya kwenu phambi kwabantu ukuba babone imisebenzi yenu emihle, badumise uYihlo osezulwini.”—Mathewu 5:14-16.
Lesisikhuthazo sokukhanya ngezwi nangesenzo siphindwe emazwini omphostoli uPawulu: “Masinikele njalonjalo kuNkulunkulu ngaye [uJesu] umhlatshelo wokubonga, okungukuthi isithelo sezindebe ezivuma igama lakhe.” (Heberu 13:15) Ilungelo nomsebenzi wokushumayela “izindaba ezinhle” zobuKristu uyisibopho sabo bonke abalandeli bakaKristu.
Ingabe amaKristu akuqala njengendikimba ‘enza isimemezelo sasobala egameni lakhe’? Noma ingabe ngokushesha avinjelwa ukufa kwabaphostoli nokungena kwesigaba sabefundisi? Ingcaphuno elandelayo evela kwekaDr. Neander ethi History of the Christian Religion and Church During Three First Centuries kumelwe iwuphendule lowombuzo:
“UCelsus [wekhulu lesibili C.E.], umlobi wokuqala ngokumelene nobuKristu, ukwenza inhlekisa ukuthi, izisebenzi, abathungi bezicathulo, abalimi, abantu abangafundile nabahlekisayo, kumelwe babe abashumayeli abashisekayo beVangeli.”
Ake uzibuze manje lemibuzo ehlolayo: Ingabe inkolo yami ingikhuthaza futhi ingilungiselela ukushumayela ngentshiseko izinkolelo zami zobuKristu? Ingabe umoya wobuKristu bami ungishukumisela ukuya emakhaya abanye abantu ukuze ngithole labo abadinga ubuKristu bangempela? Uma kungenjalo, iyiphi inkolo yobuKristu ewugcina ngempela lowomyalo owanikezwa uKristu?—Mathewu 24:14; IzEnzo 1:8; 1 Korinte 9:16.
INGABE UNGUMKRISTU WOQOBO?
Kubalulekile ngomuntu ngamunye othi ungumKristu ukuwuphendula ngokuqondile lombuzo. Ngani? Ngoba ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu kuxhomeke kuwo. UbuKristu abuyona nje inkolelo noma igama, kodwa buyindlela yokuphila. Ingabe indlela yakho yokuphila ibonisa isibonelo sikaKristu? Ingabe isenzo sakho esingokwenkolo siyafanelana nemfanelo engokweBhayibheli yamaKristu akuqala esiye sayicabangela khona manje?
Umphostoli uPawulu uyasimema: “Ake nizivivinye, ukuze nibone ukuthi nilubambile yini uKholo. Zivivinyeni ngokwenu.” (2 Korinte 13:5, The Twentieth Century New Testament) Manje-ke, sikumema ukuba uhlole uhlu olufushane olulandelayo, ubuye ubheke imibhalo ecashuniwe eBhayibhelini lakho.
1. Ingabe uyahlanganyela ekwethembekeni okungokobuzwe noma okungokwezombangazwe okubangela ukwahlukana phakathi kwabathi bangamaKristu?—1 Korinte 1:10; Johane 18:36; Jakobe 1:27.
2. Uluchaza kanjani uthando lobuKristu?—1 Korinte 13:4-8.
3. Ingabe ngezenzo, uzama ukubonisa olweqiniso uthando lukamakhelwane? Kanjani?—Mathewu 22:39; Johane 13:34, 35.
4. Ingabe unomusa, umusa wothando futhi uyabathethelela abanye?—Efesu 4:31; Roma 12:10.
5. Ekuphileni kwakho kwansuku zonke, ingabe uyakugwema ukuqamba amanga, ukweba, ukukhohlisa nokusebenzisa ulimi olungcolile nolungalungile?—Efesu 5:3-5; 4:25-31.
6. Ingabe uthambekele ekucabangeni ukuthi ukuziphatha okubi kobulili kuyinto encane?—Marku 7:20-23.
7. Ingabe uthanda ukweqisa ekudleni nasekuphuzeni?—IzAga 23:20, 21; Efesu 5:18.
8. Ingabe uzama ukudlulisela ukholo lobuKristu kwabanye ngezwi nangesenzo?—Roma 10:9, 10; 1 Korinte 9:16.
Ufinyelela siphi isiphetho? Ingabe amaKristu eqiniso akhona ngempela namuhla? Ukhona yini omaziyo ozama ngentshiseko ukuphila njengoKristu futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo enze umzamo wokuxoxa ngezinkolelo zakhe zobuKristu nendlela yokuphila nomakhelwane bakhe? Ingabe inkolo yakho ifundisa futhi yenze ubuKristu beqiniso ngempela? Noma ingabe imane nje inegama elikhangayo noma isignesha?
Uma ungabazi ngokoqobo, sisikisela ukuba ubhekisise oFakazi BakaJehova endaweni yakini futhi ubone ukuthi abashiseki yini ngokukanembeza ngovumelana nezindinganiso zeBhayibheli eziphawulwe ngenhla. Uma ungazi ukuthi bakuphi, siyojabulela ukukusiza ukuze uthintane nabo.—Isaya 43:10-12; IzEnzo 11:26.
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 6]
KweLobukholwa namuhla, “igagasi lokuziphatha likhula ngamandla ngokumelene nesimo sesiko lobuKristu, ngokuvamile ngokunganaki kwamalungu esonto aqhamile”
[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 7]
Umlobi wamaphephandaba oyiNgisi uyaloba: “Ubupristi bezombangazwe budlangile . . . Uma iSonto lingenalutho olwengeziwe lokulunikela kunezwe, kungani kuyiwa esontweni?”