Ukuba Isikhonzi Esimisiwe—Kuyindlela KaNkulunkulu!
NGOKUNOKWENZEKA isivakashi sasingavuswa isithakazelo—mhlawumbe ngisho sixakwe—ngesikuzwile. Isenzakalo sasiwumhlangano woFakazi BakaJehova. Abantu abase bezobhapathizwa babenikezwa inkulumo. Ngokumangalisayo, isikhulumi satshela laba ababezobhapathizwa: “Ukuba khona kwakho kuleliqembu labazobhapathizwa kubonisa isifiso sakho sokuba isikhonzi esimisiwe soMbuso.”
Kungenzeka ukuthi isivakashi sabuza: ‘Kungenzeka kanjani lokho?’ Ingabe ubhapathizo alulona yini olwabantu abasanda kwembulelwa ubuKristu—futhi olwabantwana? Ingabe akuthathi yini iminyaka eminingi yokuqeqeshwa nemfundo ebanzi ukuba ube isikhonzi esimisiwe?’ Mhlawumbe nawe ubungacabanga ngendlela efanayo. Kodwa lokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngempela ngobhapathizo nokumisa kungase kukumangalise.
Ngaphambi Kokuba Umuntu Abhapathizwe
Okokuqala, ubhapathizo alulona olwabantu abajwayelene kuphela nesigijimi sobuKristu. IBhayibheli, kuzEnzo 8:12, libonisa ukuthi abantu ekhulwini lokuqala babebhapathizwa ngemva kokuba ‘babe nokholo.’ Futhi uMathewu 28:19 ubonisa ukuthi umuntu kumelwe abe ‘umfundi’ kuqala ngaphambi kokuba abhapathizwe. Futhi umuntu uba kanjani ‘ikholwa,’ noma ‘umfundi,’ (‘ofundisiwe’)? Ngokutadisha iBhayibheli ngokunakekela! Ngalendlela, umuntu uzuza ulwazi oluqondile ngoJesu nangoJehova uNkulunkulu. (Johane 17:3) Kungemva kokuzuza lolulwazi kuphela lapho umfundi esesimweni sokucabangela ukubhapathizwa. Ekhulwini lokuqala, amaKristu amisiwe ayenikeza ababesanda kuphenduka imfundo enjalo.—IzEnzo 8:31, 35, 36.
Emabandleni oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla, ngokufanayo kwenziwa amalungiselelo okuba umuntu onesithakazelo ajabulele isifundo seBhayibheli sasekhaya samahhala. Umuntu onenhliziyo evumayo uqala kancane kancane ukwazisa lokho akufundayo. Ushukunyiselwa ukuba ahlanganyele nabanye ukholo lwakhe asanda kuluthola. (Roma 10:8-10) Uqala ukuya njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu, lapho ezuza khona enye imfundo yeBhayibheli eyengeziwe. (Heberu 10:24, 25) Futhi ngemva kwamasonto noma izinyanga kwenziwa lokhu, osanda kukholwa uba nesifiso sokulandela iseluleko seBhayibheli esikweyabaseRoma 12:1: “Ngakho ngiyanincenga, bazalwane, ngobubele bukaNkulunkulu ukuba ninikele imizimba yenu ibe ngumnikelo ophilileyo, ongcwele, othandeka kuNkulunkulu, kube-ngukukhonza kwenu kokuqonda.”
Nokho, ulwazi lulodwa alumenzi umuntu ukuba afanelekele ukwenza lokhu kuzinikezela. Umuntu kumelwe futhi aphenduke bese ‘eguquka.’ (IzEnzo 3:19) Kungani kumelwe enze kanjalo? Ngokusobala, abanye baye baba nezindlela zokuphila kokuziphatha okubi ngaphambi kokuba bazi izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu. Abanye bebethe shi eminakweni yobugovu. Kodwa ukuze bazinikele kuNkulunkulu ‘njengabangcwele, abathandekayo,’ kumelwe babonise ukuzisola ngenxa yezenzo ezinjalo zesikhathi esidlule. Kumelwe badabuke ngenxa yokuba besebenzise ukuphila kwabo, amandla, namakhono eminakweni engekho ngokombhalo. Ukudabuka okunjalo kumelwe futhi kuhambisane nesenzo esifanelekile ukuze ‘baguquke’ ngempela, noma bashintshe inkambo yabo yokuphila.
Ukuze basize osanda kukholwa ngokuqhubekayo, abadala abangamaKristu bahlela ukuhlangana naye futhi basebenzise isikhathi bebukeza izimfundiso eziyisisekelo zeBhayibheli. Lokhu, phakathi kokunye, kuqinisekisa abadala ukuthi lowo olindelwe ukuba abe umKristu uye wazuza ulwazi oluqondile ngezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Yebo, futhi ukubukeza kuba usizo kakhulu kumfundi. Uma kudingekile, ezinye izindaba ebezingaqondwa kahle ziyakhanyiswa.
Ubhapathizo ngokuvamile lwenziwa ngesikhathi semihlangano emikhulu noma emincane yoFakazi BakaJehova. Ngezenzakalo ezinjalo, labo abazobhapathizwa banikezwa inkulumo eqondene nabo. Bakhunjuzwa ukuthi ukubhapathizwa akukhona nje ukujoyina inkolo entsha. UJesu wathi: “Uma umuntu ethanda ukuza emva kwami, makazidele, athabathe isiphambano sakhe, angilandele.”—Mathewu 16:24.
Abangenela ubhapathizo bakhunjuzwa ngokuqhubekayo ngokubaluleka okujulile kobhapathizo. Umbhalo weyoku-1 Petru 3:21 othi: “Enisindiswa ngawo manje nani ngokomfanekiso, okungukuthi ngombhapathizo, kungesikho ukususa insila yenyama kepha ukucela kuNkulunkulu unembeza omuhle, ngokuvuka kukaJesu Kristu,” ngokuvamile uyafundwa. Lapha, uPetru ufanisa ubhapathizo nokuhlangenwe nakho kukaNowa kokudlula emanzini kaZamcolo. Nakuba lawomanzi ayebulala ezakhamuzini zomhlaba ezimbi, abonakala esindisa ukuphila kuNowa njengoba ayemntantisa ngomkhumbi. Ngokufanayo, ubhapathizo ‘lusindisa’ amaKristu kulelizwe elibi. Lapho othile, ngesisekelo sokholo lwakhe ezinzuzweni zokufa nokuvuka kukaJesu Kristu, ebhapathizwa, umuntu onjalo ngandlelathile usesimweni ‘sokusindiswa’ phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Akasabhekwa njengoyingxenye yalesisizukulwane esibi esimiselwe ukubhujiswa.—Bheka izEnzo 2:40.
Ngakho-ke, ukubhapathizwa akusona isinyathelo okumelwe sithathwe ngenxa yokuthatheka kwemizwelo, njengoba lokho kwenzeka ngokuvamile emihlanganweni yenkolo yemvuselelo. Okuqokomisa lokhu iphuzu lokuthi ngaphambi kokuba abafundi abasha bacwiliswe ngokoqobo, isikhonzi esengamele ubhapathizo sibabuza imibuzo emibili ethinta inhliziyo. Izimpendulo zabo ezivumayo ‘ziwukuvunywa kwasobala’ kokholo lwabo esihlengweni nokweqiniso lokuthi baye bazinikela kuJehova ngokungagodli. (Roma 10:9, 10, NW) Manje balungele ubhapathizo lwamanzi.
Ukumiswa Njengezikhonzi ZoMbuso
Ukucwiliswa ngokuphelele emanzini kuwuphawu olufanelekayo lokuzinikezela kwabo kuNkulunkulu. Besengaphansi kwamanzi, kunjengokungathi baye bafa endleleni yabo yokuphila yakuqala. Lapho bephuma emanzini, kunjengokungathi manje sebephila enkambweni entsha yokuzinikela ngokwabo enkonzweni eya kuNkulunkulu.—Qhathanisa namaRoma 6:2-4.
Nokho, ukumiswa kuhlangana kanjani nesenzo sobhapathizo? Phawula lokho iCyclopædia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (1877), kaM’Clintock noStrong, Umqulu VII, ikhasi 411, ekushoyo: “Ukumiswa kubonisa ukukhethwa komuntu esikhundleni senkonzo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ihambisana nemikhosi noma ayihambisani nayo.” (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi asikho isidingo somkhosi onemicikilisho noma isitifiketi sokumiswa ukuba ube isikhonzi esingumKristu.
Kodwa ingabe iBhayibheli liyakufundisa lokhu? Cabangela uJesu Kristu. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayeyisikhonzi sokuqala sikaNkulunkulu. Nokho, ingabe waba nomkhosi wokumiswa onemicikilisho ngaphambi kokuba aqale umsebenzi wakhe wokushumayela? Ingabe wayenesitifiketi esasimphawula njengesikhonzi? Lutho neze. Kwakungemva kokumane nje abhapathizwe emanzini lapho uNkulunkulu abonisa khona ukwamukela kwakhe uJesu njengeNdodana yakhe futhi wammisa njengesikhonzi saKhe.—Marku 1:9-11; Luka 4:18-21.
Kuthiwani ngamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala? Awukho umbiko wanoma ikuphi ukumiswa kokubukisa kwalezikhonzi ezingamaKristu zakuqala. Umbhalo ogciniwe okuzEnzo ulandisa ngokuphindaphindiwe ngokwenziwa kobhapathizo olungenamicikilisho lwabakholwayo. Lokhu kwakulandelwa ukuhlanganyela kwabo ngentshiseko enkonzweni yasobala.—Bheka izEnzo 2:41-47; 8:36-39; 22:14-16.
Yibuphi ubufakazi bokumiswa kwazo izikhonzi ezinjalo ezazinabo? UPawulu kweyesi-2 Korinte 3:1-3 uthi: “Sesiqala futhi ukuzincoma na? Kumbe siyadinga yini njengabanye izincwadi zokusincoma eziza kini noma ezivela kini na? Nina niyincwadi yethu elotshwe ezinhliziyweni zethu, eyaziwa ifundwa ngabantu bonke, nibonakala ukuthi niyincwadi kaKristu eyenziwe ngokukhonza kwethu, ilotshiwe kungengoyinki kodwa ngoMoya kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, kungabi sezibhebheni zamatshe kodwa ezibhebheni eziyizinhliziyo zenyama.” Umphumela womoya kaNkulunkulu ezinhliziyweni zalaba abafundisiwe waveza ubuntu obusha bobuKristu, obabungafundwa yizo zonke izibukeli. Lobu kwakuwubufakazi obanele bokuthi uNkulunkulu ngempela wayemise labafundi abasha abahlanganyela ekufundiseni.
Ukuzikhandla Enkonzweni
Ngokufanayo namuhla, isikhonzi siqashelwa ngemisebenzi yaso. Sizimisele ‘ekuzikhandleni ngentshiseko’ enkonzweni yaso. (Luka 13:24, NW) Sibheka inkonzo yaso njengelungelo elihle elivela kuNkulunkulu. Asiyithathi kalula.—1 Thimothewu 1:12-16.
Ukushumayela ngoMbuso kuyisibopho esiyinhloko sezikhonzi ezinjalo. Yonke eminye iminako kumelwe ilinganiselwe ukuze zikwazi ‘ukufeza inkonzo yazo ngokugcwele.’ (2 Thimothewu 4:2, 5, NW) Yebo, kumelwe zinakekele izidingo zazo ezingokwenyama kanye nezemikhaya yazo. Nokho, ‘ziyeneliswa ukudla nezambatho.’ Azivumeli iminako yomuntu siqu noma izifiso zomuntu siqu ukuba kuziphazamise enkonzweni. (1 Thimothewu 5:8; 6:7, 8; Filipi 2:20-22) Ziqiniseka ‘ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu.’ (Filipi 1:10, NW) Zilwela ukugcina phambi kwazo isibonelo esihle sikaJesu Kristu, okuphila kwakhe kwakugxile ekushumayeleni ngoMbuso.—Luka 4:43; Johane 18:36, 37.
Nokho, lapho umuntu ebhapathizwa njengesikhonzi esimisiwe, eqinisweni usekuqaleni kwenkonzo yakhe eya kuNkulunkulu. Kuyiqiniso, uye wazuza ulwazi ngoKristu Jesu nangoJehova uNkulunkulu. Futhi uye wenza ushintsho olukhulu ekuphileni kwakhe ukuze inkonzo yakhe yobuKristu ingasolwa. (2 Korinte 6:3) UmKristu osanda kubhapathizwa usenokuningi okumelwe akwenze ukuze akhule. Ubhapathizo lwakhe, olubonakalisa ukumiswa kwakhe, lumane nje lungenye intuthuko ekukhuleni kwakhe njengomKristu. (Filipi 3:16) Ngakho-ke, isikhonzi esimisiwe ngasinye kumelwe siqhubeke sakha ukwazisa kwenhliziyo ngezinto ezingokomoya. Kumelwe sihlele isikhathi sesifundo somuntu siqu. Kumelwe sisebenzise ngokunenzuzo onke amalungiselelo ebandla okuhlangana ndawonye. Kumelwe sisebenzele ekuthuthukiseni izinga lemithandazo yaso, kuphumele ebuhlotsheni obuseduze ngokwengeziwe bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu.—Luka 6:45; 1 Thesalonika 5:11; 1 Petru 4:7.
Sinethemba lokuthi lemiqondo engokomBhalo iye yakusiza ukuba uqonde ukuthi kungani iziqu zaseyunivesithi zingeyona indingeko ngalabo abafisa ukukhonza njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu. OFakazi BakaJehova abangaphezu kwezigidi ezintathu bakhonza uNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka njengezikhonzi zakhe, bememezela amaqiniso ahlelwe eZwini lakhe. Kungani ungavumeli omunye wabo akusize ekuzuzeni ulwazi lweBhayibheli?
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NgokweBhayibheli, isikhonzi esingumKristu simiswa lapho sibhapathizwa