“Sihambe Ngawo Lowomkhondo”
“Kuphela ukuthi kwesesifinyelele kukho, sihambe ngawo lowomkhondo.”—FILIPI 3:16.
1, 2. (a) Kukanjani intsha eyisibonelo iwumthombo wesikhuthazo? (b) Nokho, imiphi imibuzo ngayo efika engqondweni?
LAPHO uAlisa esengaphezudlwana nje kweminyaka emibili, wajabulisa wonke umuntu ngokukwazi ukusho ngekhanda amagama azo zonke izincwadi ezingama-66 zeBhayibheli, ukusho amagama abaphostoli abayi-12, futhi achaze ngezandla izithelo eziyisishiyagalolunye zomoya kaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 10:2-4; Galathiya 5:22, 23) Ngesikhathi esesebangeni lesithathu esikoleni, wayeqhuba isifundo seBhayibheli masonto onke nentombazane esebangeni lokuqala, leyo kamuva, eyakwazi ukwenza umfowabo abe nesithakazelo eBhayibhelini. UAlisa nomngane wakhe omncane baye bazibekela umgomo. Babheke phambili ekusebenzeni ndawonye emsebenzini wokushumayela isikhathi esigcwele njengamaphayona akhethekile ngesikhathi esifanelekile.
2 Ngokuqinisekile, bekungaba yinjabulo kunoma ubani kithi ukwazi izingane ezinjengalezi, futhi cishe zikhona ozaziyo. Nokho, ngesikhathi esifanayo, siyazibuza: Ziyoba njani lapho sezikhulile? Ingabe ziyoqhubeka zithuthuka ngokomoya kuze kube yilapho zifinyelela umgomo wazo? Noma ingabe ziyophazanyiswa ezinye izinto futhi ziphambuke?
Ukuthuthuka Okuqhubekayo
3. Ubani odinga ukuthuthuka?
3 Ngokusobala intsha enjengalena idinga usizo olukhulu lokuthuthuka ngokomoya ngaphambi kokuba ifinyelele imigomo yayo. Kodwa ingabe abancane kuphela noma abasebasha abadinga ukuthuthuka? Eqinisweni, ingabe ukuthuthuka kudingeke kuphela kuze kube yilapho umuntu efinyelela ukuvuthwa okungokomoya noma efanelekela ilungelo elithile? Akunjalo. Cabangela umphostoli uPawulu. Kunokuba aneliseke ngalokho ayesekufinyelele, wathi encwadini yakhe kwabaseFilipi: “Kungesikho ukuthi sengibambile nokuthi sengiphelelisiwe, kepha ngijonga ukuba kumbe ngingakubamba yini lokho nami engabanjelwa khona nguKristu Jesu.”—Filipi 3:12.
4. Imuphi “umgomo” umphostoli uPawulu ayewuphokophelele?
4 Ngokusobala, uPawulu wayengakhulumi ngokufinyelela ukuvuthwa, ngoba akukho kungabaza ngokuthi kakade wayesengumKristu ovuthiwe. Nokho wathi ‘wayejonge’ kokuthile lokho ‘ayengakakubambi.’ Kwakuyini lokho? UPawulu waqhubeka echaza: “Ngijonge emgomweni, emklomelweni wokubizwa okukhulu kwaphezulu nguNkulunkulu kuJesu Kristu.” (Filipi 3:14) Umgomo ayewuphokophelele wawungekhona nje ukuvuthwa kobuKristu noma ukufanelekela isikhundla esithile, kodwa kwakungokuthile okungaphezulu. Ngaye kanye namaKristu akanye nawo agcotshiwe, ‘kwakuwukubizwa kwaphezulu,’ ithemba lokuphila ezulwini ngovuko.
5. (a) Kungani ukukhula okuqhubekayo kudingekile? (b) ‘Ukukhohlwa okungasemuva’ kungahlanganisani?
5 Lokhu kusisiza ukuba sibone isizathu sokuqhubeka sikhula futhi sithuthuka ngokomoya kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kudala kangakanani siseqinisweni. Uma umuntu ubethuthuka kuze kube sezingeni lokucatshangelwa njengosevuthiwe, noma kuze kube sezingeni lokufanelekela ilungelo elithile elikhethekile, iyiphi inzuzo ehlala njalo ebiyokuba khona ngaye? Ukuvuthwa namalungelo akhethekile akusona isiqinisekiso sokuthi siyowufinyelela umgomo wethu wokugcina—ukuphila okuphakade. Kunalokho, kumelwe senze njengoba umphostoli uPawulu enza: ‘Wakhohlwa okungasemuva, wazelulela kokungaphambili.’ (Filipi 3:13) Akukhona nje kuphela ukuthi kumelwe sishiye ngemuva izinto ezingazuzisi okungenzeka sazenza ngaphambi kokuba sibe nolwazi lweqiniso, kodwa kumelwe futhi siqaphele ukuba singaneliseki ngalokho esesiye sakwenza kusukela ngalesosikhathi. Ngamanye amazwi, iseluleko singukuba singeneliseki ngalokho esesikufinyelele kodwa siqhubekele phambili ngokungayekethisi. Ingabe uyakwenza lokhu, noma ngesizathu esithile, uyadebesela?—Bheka eyoku-1 Korinte 9:26.
6. Ngokuqhathanisa eyabaseFilipi 3:12 no-3:15, yini engashiwo ngokuthuthuka?
6 Ecabangela lokhu, uPawulu waqhubeka: “Ngakho-ke thina sonke esiphelele masibe-nokuqonda okunjalo; kepha uma kokuthile niqonda ngokunye, nalokho uNkulunkulu uyakunambulela khona.” (Filipi 3:15) Ngaphambili, evesini le-12, uPawulu wabonisa ukuthi wayengazicabangeli ‘njengosephelelisiwe.’ Nokho lapha wathi “thina sonke esiphelele,” noma, ‘esivuthiwe.’ (NW) Lokhu akuphikisani. Kunalokho, kumane nje kuveza iphuzu lokuthi ngisho namaKristu avuthiwe anjengoPawulu kumelwe akhumbule ukuthi awakawufinyeleli umgomo wokugcina, futhi kumelwe aqhubeke ethuthuka ukuze awufinyelele. Yingakho akufingqa ngalendlela: “Kuphela ukuthi kwesesifinyelele kukho, sihambe ngawo lowomkhondo.”—Filipi 3:16.
“Ngawo Lowomkhondo” Wokuthuthuka
7. Imuphi “umkhondo” uPawulu aluleka amaKristu ukuba awulandele?
7 Lapho uPawulu ekhuthaza amaKristu ukuba ‘ahambe ngawo lowomkhondo,’ ingabe wayewatshela ukuba asebenze ngokungazikhandli futhi ame eqinile kuze kufike isikhathi ngawo sokwamukela umvuzo wawo? Ukwenza kanjalo kwakuyoba ukwenza njengenceku yomfanekiso kaJesu eyafihla ithalenta elilodwa eyayilinikezwe yinkosi yayo futhi yamane nje yalinda ukubuya kwenkosi yayo. (Mathewu 25:14-30) Ngisho nakuba inceku ingalilahlanga ithalenta, noma iyeke umsebenzi wayo, yabizwa ngokuthi ‘yimbi’ futhi yaxoshwa inkosi yayo. Ngokuqinisekile uPawulu wayengasitsheli nje ukuba sibambelele kulokho esesinakho ngenxa yokwesaba ukuthi singase silahlekelwe yikho. Wayekhuluma ngokuthuthuka. Ngokuthi ‘umkhondo’ uPawulu ngokusobala wayecabanga ngendlela emisiwe yokuqhubekela phambili, efana neyesosha elingamile ndawonye kodwa elimashayo.
8. Yini okumelwe sizikhathaze ngayo ngokuphathelene nenkonzo yethu kuNkulunkulu?
8 Iseluleko sikaPawulu kumelwe sisisize ukuba siqaphele ukubaluleka kokwenza umzamo oqhubekayo nowokuzikhandla ukuze siqhubeke, sithuthuke, sizenze sifaneleke enkonzweni kaJehova. “Kwesesifinyelele kukho,” kungakhathaliseki ukuthi singabadala, izinceku ezikhonzayo, amaphayona, noma abamemezeli, ukukhathalela kwethu okuyinhloko kumelwe kube ukuthuthukisa isimo futhi uma kunokwenzeka nobungako bomsebenzi wethu. Kumelwe siqaphele ukuba singabi nengqondo efana neyamaIsrayeli eyisayo osuku lukaMalaki ayecabanga ukuthi ayenganikela ngemihlatshelo ephansi kuJehova kodwa angajeziswa. Kodwa uJehova wazizwa kanjani ngakho? Wathi, “Niletha . . . nokuqhugayo, nokugulayo, niletha kanjalo umnikelo.” Khona-ke wanezela: “Bengiyakwamukela lokhu esandleni senu na?”—Malaki 1:13.
9. Iseluleko sikaPawulu kwabaseRoma 12:6-8, no-11 sihlobene kanjani nokuthuthuka?
9 Ngokuphambene, kumelwe sithathe inkonzo yethu kuNkulunkulu ngokungathi sína. Njengoba uPawulu akhumbuza abaseRoma, kungakhathaliseki ilungelo lenkonzo esingase silinikezwe, kumelwe sikwenze, “ngenkuthalo” futhi ‘ekukhuthaleni singenqeni.’ (Roma 12:6-8, 11) Ukwenqena kusho ukuzilazila ngokungenanjongo, kokungayi phambili kunoma yimuphi umgomo okhethekile. Ngokuthakazelisayo, igama lesiGreki elisetshenziswe lapha ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “ubuvila, [obunjengobebhele],” incazelo efaneleka kahle kakhulu. Umbiko ubonisa ukuthi, nakuba likwazi ukuhamba ngokushesha, isikhathi esingaphezu kwamahora ayi-168 elinye ibhele lalala futhi langanyakaza ngokuphelele amahora ayi-139—amaphesenti angama-83 esikhathi! Akumangalisi ukuthi selulekwa ukuba “singavilaphi” kodwa ‘sivuthe emoyeni’ futhi “sikhonze iNkosi!” Yini engasisiza ukuba senze lokhu?
10. Kungani kumelwe sibe nesithakazelo esikhulu eselulekweni sikaPawulu kuThimothewu ku-1 Thimothewu 4:12-16?
10 Kweyoku-1 Thimothewu 4:12-16 umphostoli uPawulu wakhuluma ngokuningilizayo ngezinto uThimothewu okwakumelwe azenze ukuze ukuthuthuka kwakhe ‘kuqhame kubo bonke.’ Ngalesosikhathi, umfundi uThimothewu wayengaseyona ingane noma imfundamakhwela. Empeleni, ngalesosikhathi wayesebenze eduze noPawulu iminyaka engaphezu kwe-10 futhi wayenikezwe umthwalo wemfanelo omkhulu negunya lokuqondisa ebandleni lobuKristu, ngokungangabazeki ngenxa yentuthuko ayeseyenzile kakade kuze kube kulelozinga. Nokho, uPawulu wamnikeza uThimothewu iseluleko esinjalo. Ngokusobala, sonke kusibonisa isidingo sokunakekela lokho uPawulu akusho.
Yiba Yisibonelo ngezwi nangenkambo
11, 12. (a) Iyiphi indawo yokuqala okumelwe siyinakekele ekuthuthukeni? (b) Kungani ibaluleke ngokwengeziwe kunokuthuthuka ngolwazi noma ngekhono?
11 Okokuqala, 1Thim 4 evesini le-12, uPawulu wathi: “Makungabikho-muntu odelela ubusha bakho, kepha yiba-yisibonelo kwabakholwayo ngezwi, nangenkambo, nangothando, nangokukholwa, nangokuhlanzeka.” Loluhide lusikhumbuza ‘ngezithelo zomoya,’ lezo uPawulu aziningiliza kwabaseGalathiya 5:22, 23. Ubani ongaphika ukuthi sonke sidinga ukuveza lezithelo ngokwesilinganiso esikhulu ekuphileni kwethu? Abaningi bethu benza umzamo omkhulu wokufunda nokusho ngekhanda izithelo zomoya eziyisishiyagalolunye, kanye nokufundisa izingane nabasebasha ukuba benze okufanayo. Kodwa ingabe senza okungenani umzamo onjengalowo ukuze sizihlakulele? UPawulu waveza iphuzu lokuthi labo abavuthiwe kumelwe babe yisibonelo kulokhu. Ngokuqinisekile, lena enye yezindawo ekuphileni kwethu leyo sonke esingathuthuka kalula kuyo.
12 Mhlawumbe, ngenye ingqondo, lezithelo zikhombisa ngisho nangokungaphezulu ukukhula kwethu okungokomoya kunolwazi namakhono, ngoba izithelo zomoya zivezwa umoya kaNkulunkulu, kanti ulwazi namakhono ngokuvamile kuhlobene namakhono emvelo nemfundo. Ababhali nabaFarisi bosuku lukaJesu babeyazi kahle imiBhalo, futhi babecophelela ekugcineni imininingwane eyinkimbinkimbi yoMthetho. Nokho, uJesu wabagxeka, ethi: “Maye kinina-babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi, ngokuba nithela okweshumi kwesinkuntshane, nokwentshungu, nokodonqa, niyeke okunzima komthetho: ukwahlulela nesihawu nokukholwa!” (Mathewu 23:23) Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ngathi ukuba siqhubeke sithuthuka ekuhlakuleleni lokhu “okunzima komthetho” ekuphileni kwethu!
Nakekela ukufunda, ukuyala, nokufundisa
13. Ababonisi abamisiwe bangazuza kanjani eselulekweni sikaPawulu ku-1 Thimothewu 4:13?
13 Ngokulandelayo, uPawulu waluleka uThimothewu ukuba ‘anakekele ukufunda, nokuyala, nokufundisa.’ (1 Thimothewu 4:13) Kwenye indawo ezincwadini zakhe, uPawulu wakhuluma kahle ngoThimothewu njengesikhonzi esihle nesithembekile. (Filipi 2:20-22; 2 Thimothewu 1:4, 5) Nokho weluleka uThimothewu ukuba aqhubeke enakekela lemithwalo yemfanelo edingekile yombonisi. Uma ungumbonisi omisiwe ebandleni, ingabe ‘uyazinakekela’ lezizinto? Ngokwesibonelo, ingabe ukuthatha ngokungathi sína ukusikisela okunikezwa Incwadi Yokuchasisa ISikole SeNkonzo EsingokwaseZulwini futhi usebenzele ekushiyekeni kwakho, noma ingabe unomuzwa wokuthi leseluleko singesabantu abaqalayo kuphela? Ingabe uyalitadisha iBhayibheli kanye nezincwadi zeNhlangano ngokunakekela ukuze “uyale ngakho konke ukubekezela nokufundisa”?—2 Thimothewu 4:2; Thithu 1:9.
Ungasidebeseli isiphiwo senkonzo
14. Singakubonisa kanjani ukuthuthuka enkonzweni yethu yasensimini?
14 Nakuba kungabambalwa kuphela abamiswayo ukuba bafundise ebandleni, wonke amaKristu athunywe uJesu Kristu ukuba ahlanganyele ekufakazeni ngoMbuso nasemsebenzini wokwenza abafundi. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20) Lokhu kuhlanganisa ukufundisa abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho iqiniso leBhayibheli, ukubayala ukuba benze ushintsho ekuphileni kwabo futhi bame ngasohlangothini lukaJehova. Ingabe ‘uyazimisela njalo’ ukuthuthukisa amakhono akho enkonzo? Ingabe ngokuqaphelisisa usebenzisa ukusikisela okunikezwa kuNkonzo Yethu YoMbuso naseMihlanganweni Yenkonzo yamasonto onke ukuze “wenze umsebenzi womvangeli, ufeze ukukhonza kwakho”?—2 Thimothewu 4:5.
15. Sasiyini “isipho,” sikaThimothewu futhi siyini namuhla?
15 Ngaphambili, uPawulu wayenikeze uThimothewu lesikhumbuzo: “Ungasidebeseli isiphiwo esikuwe, owasiphiwa ngezwi lokuprofetha nangokubekwa izandla ngamalunga.” (1 Thimothewu 4:14) Ngokukhanyayo, ngokusebenza komoya ongcwele, uThimothewu wayekhethiwe futhi ngalokho wamiselwa imisebenzi ekhethekile ebandleni lobuKristu. (1 Thimothewu 1:18; 2 Thimothewu 1:6) Ngokufanayo, namuhla kunabaningi enhlanganweni abaye bahlakulela amakhono anikezwa uNkulunkulu, okuphumela ekumisweni kwabo njengababonisi abajikelezayo, izithunywa zevangeli, amaphayona avamile noma akhethekile, abadala, njalonjalo. Ngisho nakuba kungekho-zwi lesiprofetho elikhethekile noma ukubekwa izandla okuhilelekile, iseluleko ‘sokungadebeseli isiphiwo esikuwe’ sisebenza ngamandla afanayo.
16. Yini engasivikela ekubeni ngabadebeselela “isipho” sethu?
16 Ukudebesela okuthile, ngokwesichazamazwi, kusho ukukunikeza ukunakekela okuncane noma ukukuyeka kungenziwe ngenxa yokunganaki. Lapho okuthile kujwayeleka, kulula ukukudebeselela. Lokho kungenzeka uma siyeka ukuthuthuka, kodwa sithathe izabelo zethu kalula. Khona-ke, singazuza kulokho uPawulu akusho kwabaseKolose 3:23, 24: “Konke enikwenzayo kwenzeni ngenhliziyo, kungathi kwenzelwa iNkosi, qha abantu, nazi ukuthi niyakwamukela umvuzo wefa eNkosini. Khonzani iNkosi uKristu.”
Umzamo Oqhubekayo Uletha Izibusiso
17. Siyowubona kanjani kuphela umphumela wemizamo yethu?
17 Lapho sicabangisisa ngezinto ezichazwe ngenhla, singaqiniseka ukuthi ngeke sangena ogibeni lokunganaki noma lokuzenelisa. UPawulu wathi: “Nakekela lezozinto, ume kuzo, ukuze ukuqhubeka kwakho kuqhame kubo bonke.” (1 Thimothewu 4:15) Empeleni, “ukuqhubeka,” akukhona okwenjongo yokubukisa noma yokujabulisa abanye. Lapho thina, abancane nabadala, sikhula futhi sithuthuka ngokomoya, siletha injabulo nesikhuthazo kubo bonke esihlanganyela nabo, njengoba kwenza uAlisa nomngane wakhe abasebancane, abathintwe ekuqaleni kwalesihloko.
18. Isiphi isibusiso esiphindiwe esisilindele uma sisebenzisa iseluleko sikaPawulu ngenkuthalo?
18 Isibusiso esiphindiwe sisilindele uma sisebenzisa iseluleko sikaPawulu ngenkuthalo. UPawulu wathi: “Ziqaphele wena kanye nesifundiso, ume kulezozinto; ngokuba ngokwenza lokho uyakuzisindisa wena nabakuzwayo.” (1 Thimothewu 4:16) Yebo, ngokuzihlola njalo ukuthi senza lokho esikufundisa abanye ukuba bakwenze, okungukuthi, ukuthuthuka, ukukhula, kanye nokuqhubeka ngokomoya, siyogwema ingozi yokuba ‘saliwe.’ (1 Korinte 9:27) Kunalokho, ithemba elijabulisayo lokuphila oHlelweni Olusha oluthenjiswe uNkulunkulu liqinisekiselwe thina nalabo esinelungelo elijabulisayo lokubasiza. Khona-ke, ngenxa yokubusiswa kwethu nokwabanye, nokudunyiswa kukaJehova uNkulunkulu: “Sihambe ngawo lowomkhondo”!—Filipi 3:16.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ Imuphi “umgomo” wokugcina okumelwe sibe nawo engqondweni? Siwulandelela kanjani? (Filipi 3:12, 13)
◻ Imuphi “umkhondo” okumelwe sihambe ngawo? (Filipi 3:16)
◻ Kungani kumelwe siqhubeke sithuthuka ngezwi nangenkambo yobuKristu? (1 Thimothewu 4:12)
◻ Abadala izinceku ezikhonzayo, kanye nabanye bangawathuthukisa kanjani amakhono abo okufundisa? (1 Thimothewu 4:13)
◻ Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze singasidebeseleli “isiphiwo” esiphathiswe sona? (1 Thimothewu 4:14)
[Isithombe ekhasini 14]
UAlisa nesifundo sakhe seBhayibheli bazibekele umgomo wenkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele