Induduzo Evela KuNkulunkulu Wokuthula
“Duduzanani ngalawomazwi.”—1 THESALONIKA 4:18.
1. Ikuphi ukunxusa kukaPawulu okubonisa isithakazelo sakhe sokuthula?
UMPHOSTOLI uPawulu wayenesifiso esijulile sokuba ibandla lobuKristu lijabulele ukuthula. Ngakho, eziyi-13 zezincwadi zakhe, njengoba silondolozelwe zona emiBhalweni ephefumlelwe, ziqala ngokunxusela labo eziya kubo ukuthi kwangathi bangajabulela ukuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu ubhalela ibandla laseThesalonika elisacathula: “Makube-kini umusa nokuthula.” Ngasekuphetheni kwayo leyoncwadi efanayo, uyanxusa: “Kepha uNkulunkulu wokuthula, yena uqobo, makaningcwelise ngokupheleleyo, kulondolozwe umoya wenu wonke nomphefumulo nomzimba, kungabi-nacala ekufikeni kweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”—1 Thesalonika 1:1; 5:23.
2. (a) Luhlobo luni lokukhathalela uPawulu alubonisa ebandleni? (b) Abadala abangamaKristu namuhla bangasilandela kanjani isibonelo sikaPawulu?
2 UPawulu nabangane bakhe babengayekanga ‘ukusebenza ngokuzikhandla’ phakathi kwalabo ababesanda kukholwa. UPawulu wathi: “Saba-mnene phakathi kwenu njengokuba umdlezane ondla abantwana bakhe. Ngokunjalo lokhu besinilangazelele, sasifuna ukuninika kungesilo ivangeli likaNkulunkulu kuphela kepha nokuphila kwethu uqobo, ngokuba nase ningabathandekayo kithina.” Asikuzwa yini kulawomazwi ukukhathalela komuntu siqu, uthando loqobo, olujulile uPawulu ayenalo ngalelobandla? Ngempela, kuluhlobo lothando abadala abangamaKristu abalubonisayo emabandleni angaba yizi-50 000 oFakazi BakaJehova kuwo wonke umhlaba namuhla.—1 Thesalonika 2:7-9; Johane 13:34, 35; 15:12-14.
3. (a) UThimothewu wakwazi kanjani ukuzuzisa ibandla laseThesalonika? (b) Lokhu kufana nani namuhla?
3 UMlingi, uSathane, wayelethe usizi kulawomaKristu aseThesalonika. Ngakho uPawulu wawathumelela uThimothewu, ukuze ‘awaqinise, awavuse maqondana nokukholwa kwawo.’ UThimothewu wabuyela kuPawulu eAthene enombiko omuhle ngokwethembeka nothando lwawo. Wonke aduduzeka kakhulu ngokuzwa ngokholo nobuqotho bomunye nomunye, futhi aqhubeka enxusa uNkulunkulu ukuba awasize lapho kuntuleka khona. (1 Thesalonika 3:1, 2, 5-7, 10) Lokhu, futhi, kubonisa ilungiselelo elingokwasezulwini namuhla, njengoba ababonisi abajikelezayo bakha amabandla, ngisho nalapho oFakazi BakaJehova bekhonza ngaphansi kokuvinjelwa noma kokushushiswa okunzima.—Isaya 32:1, 2.
‘Ekubeni Khona Kwayo’
4, 5. (a) Ikuphi ukunxusa uPawulu akwenzayo lapha, futhi kungani kumelwe kusithakazelise ngokukhethekile manje? (b) Kungani usuku lwethu lubaluleke ngokukhethekile?
4 Umphostoli uPawulu uphetha lengxenye yencwadi yakhe ngalokhu kunxusa: “INkosi ininike ukwanda nokuchichima othandweni, omunye komunye nakubo bonke, njengokuba sinjalo kinina, ukuze iqinise izinhliziyo zenu, zingabi-nakusoleka ebungcweleni phambi kukaNkulunkulu noBaba wethu ekufikeni [“ekubeni khona,” NW] kweNkosi yethu uJesu kanye nabangcwele bakhe bonke.”—1 Thesalonika 2:12, 13.
5 UPawulu lapha wayebheke esikhathini eside esizayo, esikhathini ‘sokuba khona kukaJesu nesesiphelo sesimiso sezinto’ lapho “iNdodana yomuntu iza ngenkazimulo yayo nezingelosi zonke ezingcwele kanye nayo.” INkosi yethu yasezulwini yafika ngo-1914. Esesihlalweni sakhe sobukhosi esingabonakali esikhazimulayo, uJesu manje wahlulela izizwe nabantu bomhlaba, ehlukanisa abantu abathobekileyo, abanjengezimvu ngenjongo yokusinda “osizini olukhulu” nangenjongo yokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—Mathewu 24:3-21, qhathanisa neNW; 25:31-34, 41, 46.
Imiyalo Engeyenzuzo Yethu
6. Ikuphi ukunxusa kukaPawulu okumelwe sikulalele manje?
6 Ingabe usebenzela lowomgomo wokuphila okuphakade? Uma kunjalo, kumelwe ulalele lokho uPawulu akulobela abaseThesalonika: “Elokugcina-ke, bazalwane, siyaninxusa, siyaniyala ngeNkosi uJesu ukuba njengalokho nakwamukela kithi ukuthi nifanele ukuhamba nokumthokozisa kanjani uNkulunkulu, njengalokho nihamba kanjalo, manivame kakhulu kulokho. Ngokuba niyayazi imiyalo esaninika yona ngayo iNkosi uJesu.” (1 Thesalonika 4:1, 2) Iyini eminye ‘yemiyalo’ uPawulu ayigcizelelayo lapha?
7. (a) Imuphi ‘umyalo’ obalulekile onikezwayo lapha? (b) Lapho sesamukele umoya kaNkulunkulu, kungani kumelwe singalokothi siyekethise ekuqapheni kwethu?
7 ‘Umyalo’ wokuqala uphathelene nokuziphatha okuhle. UPawulu ngokungagungciyo uthi: “Lokhu kuyintando kaNkulunkulu, ukungcweliswa kwenu, ukuba nidede ebufebeni ukuba yilowo nalowo kini akwazi ukuhlala nomkakhe ngobungcwele nangokuhlonipha, kungabi-ngokushisa kwenkanuko njengabezizwe abangamazi uNkulunkulu.” Ngokujabulisayo, ‘siyamazi’ uNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, futhi sisebenzela ukuphila okuphakade. Yeka indlela obekungadabukisa ngayo uma besingavumela ukuba sidonselwe emuva obishini lwezwe lokuziphatha okubi! Ngokudabukisayo, abanye baye baphila iminyaka eminingi emakamu okuhlushwa nasemajele, noma basebenzisa isikhathi sokuphila kwabo enkonzweni yentshiseko yezithunywa zevangeli, kodwa kamuva bavumela uMlingi ukuba ababambe bengalindele ngokuziphatha. Lapho sesiwamukele umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu, kwangathi ‘singewudabukise’ ngokuziphatha okubi kobulili!—1 Thesalonika 4:3-8; Johane 17:3; 1 Korinte 10:12, 13; Efesu 4:30.
8, 9. (a) Luyini “uthando lobuzalwane”? (b) Singaluhlakulela kanjani uthando olunjalo, futhi kube nayiphi inzuzo?
8 ‘Umyalo’ olandelayo kaPawulu uqondene nephil·a·del·phiʹa, “uthando lobuzalwane.” (1 Thesalonika 4:9, 10) Lokhu kuwukubonakaliswa okukhethekile kothando olunezimiso, ia·gaʹpe, uPawulu alutusa ngokufudumele futhi lapha 1Thes 4 evesini 9, kanye 1Thes nasesahlukweni 3, amavesi 6 no-12. Iphil·a·del·phiʹa uthando olujule kakhulu, njengalolo ngokusobala olwalukhona phakathi kukaJesu noPetru, naphakathi kukaDavide noJonathani. (Johane 21:15-17; 1 Samuweli 20:17; 2 Samuweli 1:26) Lunganezelwa kua·gaʹpe ekwakheni ubungane obuseduze, njengoba, ngokwesibonelo, kubonakala enjabulweni elinganayo yokuhlangana oFakazi BakaJehova abaningi abayithola ndawonye enkonzweni yamaphayona nakweminye imisebenzi engokwasezulwini.
9 UPawulu uthi: “Nivame nokuvama kulokho.” Ngaso sonke isikhathi singalwandisa uthando lwethu lobuzalwane. Lemfanelo enhle ichichima ikakhulukazi uma abadala nezinceku ezikhonzayo behola enkonzweni yentshiseko yoMbuso. Uma bonke ebandleni beba matasatasa ‘ekufuneni kuqala uMbuso,’ ukushiyeka okubangelwa ukungapheleli kobuntu, ukungafani kobuntu, nezinkinga ezifanayo kuza kamuva. Masigcine ngaso sonke isikhathi amehlo ethu esemgomweni!—Mathewu 6:20, 21, 33; 2 Korinte 4:18.
10. Thina njengamaKristu ‘singahamba kanjani ngokufaneleyo’?
10 Lapha uPawulu uhlanganisa omunye ‘umyalo’—wokuba sikwenze umgomo wethu ukuphila ngokuthula, ukunaka okwethu, nokusebenza ngezandla zethu. Njengoba ngaleyondlela ‘sihamba ngokufaneleyo’ ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke, sibonisa kokubili uthando olunezimiso nothando lobuzalwane, zonke izidingo zethu ziyolungiselelwa.—1 Thesalonika 4:11, 12; Johane 13:35; Roma 12:10-12.
Ukududuzwa Yithemba Lovuko
11. (a) Kungani uPawulu manje eqala ukukhuluma ngovuko? (b) Leseluleko sikaPawulu kumelwe sisithinte kanjani?
11 Ngokulandelayo umphostoli ubhekisela ethembeni elihle lovuko. Kodwa kungani uPawulu ekhuluma ngalokhu? Wayefuna ukuqinisa abazalwane bakhe ukuba bakhuthazelele ukushushiswa okwakuza. Babesengozini yokulahlekelwa ukuphila kwabo. Kusobala ukuthi ngalesosikhathi abanye base belele ekufeni. Ababekholwa nabo babedinga induduzo. (1 Thesalonika 2:14-20) Becabanga ngokuthi “ukuba khona” kukaKristu kwakuseduze, babezibuza ukuthi kwakuyokwenzekani kulabo abasebefile kakade. Lokho manje uPawulu akulobayo akunikezi nje kuphela induduzo ngalabo abalahlekelwa abathandekayo babo abangamaKristu kodwa futhi nesikhuthazo sokukhuthazela kuze kufike “usuku” lukaJehova. Iseluleko sikaPawulu kumelwe sisisize sonke ukuba sibonise ukuqina ngokomoya njengoba siqhubeka simemezela izindaba ezinhle, silindele ukuphela kwalesimiso sezinto ngokuphelele.—2 Thesalonika 1:6-10.
12. Iyiphi induduzo yangempela esingaba nayo lapho othandekayo efa, futhi ingavela kumuphi umthombo?
12 UPawulu uthi: “Asithandi, bazalwane, ukuba ningabi-nakwazi ngabalalayo, ukuze ningadabuki njengabanye abangenalo ithemba.” (1 Thesalonika 4:13) Yeka induduzo nokuthula kwengqondo okutholakala ethembeni lovuko! Cishe eminyakeni eyisihlanu kamuva, uPawulu wenza isingeniso sencwadi yakhe yesibili eya kumaKristu aseKorinte sathi: “Makube-kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu naseNkosini uJesu Kristu. Makabongwe uNkulunkulu noYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, uYise wobubele, uNkulunkulu wenduduzo yonke, osiduduza osizini lwethu lonke, ukuze nathi sibe-namandla okududuza abasosizini, nolunjani, ngenduduzo esiduduzwa ngayo nathi nguNkulunkulu.”—2 Korinte 1:2-4.
13, 14. (a) Kungani uPawulu ayefuna ukuba amaKristu atshelwe ngalokho okushiwo ukufa? (b) ImiBhalo ibonisa ukuthi siyini isimo sabafileyo?
13 Umphostoli wayengafuni ukuba sibe abangazi ngesimo sabafileyo. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, kwakuyoba nokuhlubuka okukhulu phakathi kwamaKristu okuzisholo, kangangokuthi ayeyobuyela kumafilosofi aseBabiloni nawamaGreki. Izihlubuki ezinjalo zaziyokwamukela imfundiso kaPlato yokungafi komphefumulo—manje eyimfundiso eyisisekelo kuwo wonke umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. Lowomqondo oyindida ophathelene “nokuphila kwakamuva,” kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kuthiwa kusezulwini, esihlanzweni, noma endaweni yokuhlushwa kwaphakade, awuyinikezi induduzo yeqiniso. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukungafi kuyaphikisana nemfundiso yovuko, ngoba umuntu angavuselwa kanjani futhi ekuphileni uma umphefumulo ungafi?
14 Lapha uPawulu abhala “ngabalalayo.” Yebo, “abalalayo.” Umuntu olele akazi lutho futhi akakwazi ukwenza noma yimiphi imisebenzi. (Qhathanisa nomShumayeli 9:5, 10.) Kwake kwaba nesenzakalo phakathi kwenkonzo kaJesu lapho athi uLazaru ‘wayelele’ nokuthi yena, uJesu, ‘wayeyomvusa ebuthongweni.’ Lapho abafundi bakaKristu bengawaqondi lawomazwi, “uJesu wathi kubo ngokuchachileyo: ULazaru ufile.” Odadewabo kaLazaru, uMarta noMariya, baduduzwa yithemba lovuko, futhi uJesu wabalethela induduzo eyengeziwe. Kodwa yeka indlela okumelwe ukuba ukholo lwabo lwaqiniswa ngayo lapho uJesu evusa umngane wakhe, kakade owayesenezinsuku ezine efile, ebuthongweni babafileyo!—Johane 11:11-14, 21-25, 43-45.
15. (a) Liqiniswa kanjani ithemba lethu ovukweni? (b) Singasizwa kanjani ukuba siduduzeke ekufeni kothandekayo?
15 Lesosimangaliso, kanye neminye imisebenzi kaJesu yokuvusa abafileyo, futhi ngokuvelele ukuvusa kukaJehova uJesu ngokwakhe—zonke lezenzakalo eziqinisekile ziqinisekisa ithemba lethu elimangalisayo lovuko. (Luka 7:11-17; 8:49-56; 1 Korinte 15:3-8) Yiqiniso, ukufa kuletha usizi nezinyembezi, futhi kunzima ukujwayela ukungabi bikho kothandekayo. Kodwa yeka induduzo namandla esiwathola ngesiqinisekiso sokuthi iNkosi Ebusayo uJehova “[i]yakugwinya ukufa kuze kube-phakade; . . . iyakwesula izinyembezi ebusweni bonke”! (Isaya 25:8; IsAmbulo 21:4) Elinye lamakhambi angcono kakhulu osizi liwukuzigcina simatasa enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu wokuthula, sinikeza abanye ithemba loMbuso eliduduzayo thina ngokwethu esibonga kangaka ngokulamukela.—Qhathanisa nezEnzo 20:35.
Umyalo Wovuko
16, 17. (a) Siyochithwa kanjani “isitha sokugcina”? (b) Yimuphi umyalo wovuko uPawulu awuchazayo manje?
16 Sinokholo oluqinile ngokuthi uKristu, “ulibo” lovuko futhi manje esesihlalweni sobukhosi ngakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu emazulwini, uyofeza izinjongo zikaJehova ezikhazimulayo zoMbuso. (Heberu 6:17, 18; 10:12, 13) Njengoba uPawulu esho kwenye incwadi: “[UJesu Kristu] umelwe ukubusa, aze [uNkulunkulu] abeke izitha zonke phansi kwezinyawo zakhe.” Kanjani? Ngokwengxenye, ngovuko nokususwa kwemiphumela yokufa kuka-Adamu. Umphostoli wayekade ekuchaza ngalendlela: “Lokhu ukufa kweza ngomuntu, ukuvuka kwabafileyo nakho kweza ngomuntu. Ngokuba njengalokhu kuAdamu bonke bayafa, ngokunjalo futhi kuKristu bonke bayakuphiliswa. Kepha yilowo nalowo ngesigaba sakhe: uKristu kuqala, besekuba-ngabangabakaKristu ekufikeni [“ekubeni khona,” NW] kwakhe.” (1 Korinte 15:20-26) Kungokwaloluhlelo lovuko uPawulu abhekisela kulo ngokulandelayo encwadini yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseThesalonika, ethi:
17 “Uma sikholwa ukuthi uJesu wafa, wavuka, ngokunjalo-ke uNkulunkulu uyakubaletha nabaleleyo kuJesu kanye naye. Ngokuba lokho sikusho kini ngezwi leNkosi ukuthi thina, esisekhona sisasele kuze kube-sekufikeni [“sekubeni khona,” NW] kweNkosi, asiyikubandulela nempela abaleleyo, ngokuba iNkosi uqobo iyakwehla ezulwini ngezwi lenhlokomo, ngephimbo lengelosi enkulu nangecilongo likaNkulunkulu, nabafileyo kuKristu [“ebunyeni noKristu,” NW] bayakuvuka kuqala.”—1 Thesalonika 4:14-16.
18. Abagcotshiweyo ‘ababelele’ bavuswa nini?
18 Ngemva kuka-1914, phakathi ‘nokuba khona’ kukaJesu emandleni oMbuso, yena, njengengelosi enkulu, ukhipha umyalo waphezulu ngalabo ‘abasebunyeni noKristu’ ukuba bahlangane. Endabeni yabagcotshiweyo abanjalo “abaleleyo,” lenhlabamkhosi enjengeyecilongo idinga ukuba bavuselwe emazulwini ngokomoya. INqabayokulinda kade yawuveza umbono wokuthi loluvuko lwamaKristu agcotshiwe kwabafileyo lwaqala ngonyaka ka-1918.
19. Kunini futhi kanjani labo abaseleyo ‘beyohlwithwa emafwini,’ futhi ngayiphi injongo?
19 Nokho, kuthiwani ngamaKristu agcotshiwe asasele emhlabeni, manje ayiqembu elehlayo labangaphansi kwezi-10 000? Lawa, ngokufanayo, kumelwe aqede inkambo yokuphila kwawo kwasemhlabeni ngokwethembeka. Njengokungathi wayenawo phakathi nokuba khona kukaKristu, uPawulu uyabhala: “Khona thina, esisekhona sisasele siyakuhlwithwa kanye nabo emafwini, sihlangabeze iNkosi emoyeni; kanjalo-ke siyakuba-nayo iNkosi njalo.” (1 Thesalonika 4:17; qhathanisa nesAmbulo 1:10.) Ngakho, ngesikhathi esifanele, zonke izi-144 000 ziyovuswa ukuba zikhonze njengabapristi namakhosi eNtabeni yaseSiyoni esezulwini neWundlu, uJesu Kristu. “Lokhu kungukuvuka kokuqala.” (IsAmbulo 14:1, 4; 20:4, 5) Kodwa izinkulungwane zezigidi zesintu ezisemathuneni zilindeleni?
20, 21. (a) Yini engaphambi kwezinkulungwane zezigidi zesintu esisemathuneni? (b) Iliphi iqembu okungeke kudingeke ukuba life liphele emhlabeni, futhi ngani? (c) Uma abantu abathile kuleliqembu befa, iliphi ithemba elijabulisayo elikhona ngabo?
20 Nakuba uPawulu engazithinti ngokuthe ngqó encwadini yakhe yokuqala eyayiya kwabaseThesalonika, isAmbulo 20:12 sisiqinisekisa ngokuthi “abafileyo, abakhulu nabancane,” bayovuswa ukuba bame phambi kwesihlalo sikaNkulunkulu sokwahlulela. (Bheka futhi uJohane 5:28, 29.) Nokho, namuhla “isixuku esikhulu” esiyizigidi kakade sesiye sahlangana phambi kwalesosihlalo sobukhosi. Njengeqembu, lesi siyosindiswa sidlule “osizini olukhulu” olusondelayo. Siluswa yiWundlu futhi siyiswa “emithonjeni yamanzi okuphila,” ukuze singabe sisafa emhlabeni. Kodwa ngenxa yokuguga noma izenzakalo ezingalindelekile, abanye baso bangase bafe phakathi ‘nokuba khona’ kweNkosi. (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14, 17; UmShumayeli 9:11) Kuthiwani ngalaba?
21 Ithemba elijabulisayo lokuvuka kuqala lingaphambi kwazo zonke “ezinye izimvu” ezinjalo. (Johane 10:16) Ukholo lwazo nemisebenzi, enjengaleyo ka-Abrahama wasendulo, kakade sekuzilethe esimweni sobungane noNkulunkulu. Njengalawomadoda nabesifazane bokholo abachazwe kumaHeberu isahluko 11, lezi “ezinye izimvu” zosuku lwanamuhla ziye zakhuthazelela ukulingwa. Futhi, ngokunengqondo ziyothola “ukuvuka okuhle,” ngokungangabazeki inkathi yangemva kweArmagedoni isanda kuqala. (Heberu 11:35; Jakobe 2:23) Ngempela, ngamunye okuye kwathi ngokholo, ‘wadla inyama kaJesu waphuza negazi lakhe’ uyohlanganyela ekugcwalisekeni kwesithembiso sakhe: “Unokuphila okuphakade; mina ngiyakumvusa ngomuhla wokuphela.”—Johane 6:54; Roma 5:18, 21; 6:23.
22. Singaduduzana kanjani?
22 Ngemva kokuxoxa ngethemba elikhazimulayo lovuko, uPawulu uyayala: “Duduzanani ngalawomazwi.” (1 Thesalonika 4:18) Khona-ke uxoxa ngezinye izindaba ezibalulekile ngokuqondene ‘nokuba khona kweNkosi yethu uJesu.’ (1 Thesalonika 5:23) Ziyini? Bheka isihloko esithi “Ukuthula Okuvela KuNkulunkulu—Nini?”
Ekubukezeni—
◻ Yikuphi ukunxusa uPawulu akwenzela amaKristu?
◻ Yimiphi “imiyalo” umphostoli ayinikezayo ngenxa yenzuzo yethu?
◻ IZwi likaNkulunkulu lisiduduza kanjani ngokuqondene nabafileyo?
◻ Imuphi umyalo wovuko uPawulu awuchazayo?