Ukujabula Ethembeni Lethu
“[Kunethemba] lokuphila okuphakade lokho uNkulunkulu ongenakuqamba amanga, akuthembisa ngaphambi kwezikhathi ezimi njalo.”—THITHU 1:2.
AKE SIBUKEZE
Sazi kanjani ukuthi kuba nenjabulo ezulwini lapho oyedwa kwabagcotshiwe elondoloza inkambo yokuphila yobuqotho?
Ukugcwaliseka kwethemba lezinye izimvu kuhlobene kanjani nokugcwaliseka kwelabagcotshiweyo?
Ukuze sibone ukugcwaliseka kwethemba lethu, iziphi ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’ okumelwe sizibonakalise?
1. Ithemba uJehova asinike lona lingasisiza kanjani ukuba sikhuthazele?
UJEHOVA ‘unguNkulunkulu onika ithemba.’ Washo kanjalo umphostoli uPawulu futhi wabe esenezela ngokuthi uJehova ‘angasigcwalisa ngenjabulo nangokuthula konke ngokukholwa kwethu, ukuze sichichime ithemba ngamandla omoya ongcwele.’ (Roma 15:13) Uma sichichima ithemba, siyokwazi ukukhuthazelela noma isiphi isimo esingase siphakame ngezinhliziyo ezigcwele injabulo nokuthula. Njengoba kunjalo ngamaKristu agcotshiwe, lelo themba liyoba ‘ihange lomphefumulo, eliqinisekile neliqinile’ nakwamanye amaKristu. (Heb. 6:18, 19) Ithemba lethu liyinto esingabambelela kuyo lapho sibhekene nezivunguvungu zokuphila, into eyosisiza ukuba singakhukhulekeli ekungabazeni noma ekuntuleni ukholo.—Funda amaHebheru 2:1; 6:11.
2. Imaphi amathemba amabili amaKristu anawo namuhla, futhi kungani “ezinye izimvu” zinesithakazelo ethembeni labagcotshiweyo?
2 AmaKristu aphila kulesi sikhathi sokuphela agxila kwelilodwa lalawa mathemba amabili. Insali ‘yomhlambi omncane’ yamaKristu agcotshiwe inethemba lokuphila okungenakufa ezulwini, njengamakhosi nabapristi kanye noKristu eMbusweni wakhe. (Luka 12:32; IsAm. 5:9, 10) “Isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu’ esiyidlula kude insali ngobuningi sinethemba lokuphila phakade epharadesi emhlabeni njengezikhonzi zoMbuso kaMesiya. (IsAm. 7:9, 10; Joh. 10:16) Ezinye izimvu kufanele zikhumbule njalo ukuthi insindiso yazo ixhomeke ekusekeleni ngenkuthalo ‘abafowabo’ bakaKristu abagcotshiwe abasesemhlabeni. (Math. 25:34-40) Abagcotshiweyo bayothola umvuzo wabo, kodwa nethemba lezinye izimvu liyogcwaliseka ngokuqinisekile. (Funda amaHebheru 11:39, 40.) Ake siqale ngokuhlola ithemba labagcotshiweyo.
‘ITHEMBA ELIPHILAYO’ LAMAKRISTU AGCOTSHIWE
3, 4. AmaKristu agcotshiwe ‘azalwa kanjani ngokusha ethembeni eliphilayo,’ futhi liyini lelo themba?
3 Umphostoli uPetru wabhala izincwadi ezimbili ebhalela amaKristu agcotshiwe, awabiza ngokuthi ‘abakhethiwe.’ (1 Pet. 1:1) Wanikeza imininingwane yethemba elimangalisayo elinikezwe umhlambi omncane. Encwadini yakhe yokuqala, wabhala: “Makabongwe uNkulunkulu noYise weNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, ngoba ngokwesihe sakhe esikhulu wasipha ukuzalwa okusha ethembeni eliphilayo ngokuvuka kukaJesu Kristu kwabafileyo, efeni elingenakonakala nelingangcolile nelingabuni. Ligcinelwe nina ezulwini, nina enilondwa ngamandla kaNkulunkulu ngokholo ngenjongo yensindiso elungele ukwambulwa enkathini yokugcina yesikhathi. Nijabula kakhulu ngaleli phuzu.”—1 Pet. 1:3-6.
4 Inani elilinganiselwe lamaKristu akhethwe uJehova ukuba ahlanganyele noKristu kuhulumeni woMbuso wasezulwini ‘lizalwa ngokusha’ njengamadodana kaNkulunkulu azelwe ngomoya. La maKristu agcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele ukuze abe amakhosi nabapristi kanye noKristu. (IsAm. 20:6) UPetru uthi lokhu “kuzalwa okusha” kuwanika ‘ithemba eliphilayo’ alibiza ngokuthi ‘ifa elingenakonakala nelingangcolile nelingabuni’ aligcinelwe “ezulwini.” Shono abagcotshiwe ‘bejabula kakhulu’ ngethemba labo eliphilayo! Nokho, ukugcwaliseka kwalelo themba kuxhomeke ekwethembekeni kwawo.
5, 6. Kungani amaKristu agcotshiwe kumelwe enze okusemandleni awo ukuze aqinisekise ubizo lwawo lwasezulwini?
5 Encwadini yakhe yesibili, uPetru wakhuthaza amaKristu agcotshiwe ukuba ‘enze okusemandleni awo ukuze aziqinisekisele ukubizwa nokukhethwa kwawo.’ (2 Pet. 1:10) Kumelwe azikhandle ukuze ahlakulele izimfanelo zobuKristu ezinjengokholo, ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, uthando lobuzalwane nothando. UPetru wathi: “Uma lezi zinto zikhona kini futhi zichichima, ziyonivimbela ningabi abangasebenzi noma abangatheli.”—Funda eyesi-2 Petru 1:5-8.
6 Esigijimini esasiya kubadala abagcotshwe ngomoya bebandla lekhulu lokuqala laseFiladelfiya, e-Asia Minor, uKristu ovusiwe wathi: “Ngenxa yokuthi uligcinile izwi lokukhuthazela kwami, nami ngiyokugcina ukuba ungangeni ehoreni lokuvivinywa, eliyofika phezu komhlaba wonke owakhiwe, ukuze kuvivinywe abahlala emhlabeni. Ngiyeza masinyane. Qhubeka ubambelele ngokuqinile kulokho onakho, ukuze kungabikho muntu othatha umqhele wakho.” (IsAm. 3:10, 11) Uma umKristu ogcotshiwe engathembeki, ngeke awuthole “umqhele wenkazimulo ongenakubuna” owathenjiswa abakhethiwe abahlala bethembekile kuze kube sekufeni.—1 Pet. 5:4; IsAm. 2:10.
UKUNGENA EMBUSWENI
7. Iliphi ithemba elimangalisayo uJude akhuluma ngalo encwadini yakhe?
7 Cishe ngo-65 C.E., umfowabo kaJesu ngamzali munye, uJude, wabhalela amaKristu agcotshiwe ayekanye nawo, awabiza ngokuthi “ababiziweyo.” (Jude 1; qhathanisa namaHebheru 3:1.) Wayehlose ukuwabhalela incwadi egxile ethembeni elikhazimulayo lensindiso amaKristu abizelwe eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini ‘alihlanganyelayo.’ (Jude 3) Nakuba ayenezinye izindaba eziphuthumayo okwakudingeka akhulume ngazo, esiphethweni sencwadi yakhe emfushane, wabhekisela ethembeni elimangalisayo elihlanganyelwa amaKristu agcotshiwe: “Kulowo okwaziyo ukuniqapha ukuba ningakhubeki nokunimisa ningenasici phambi kwenkazimulo yakhe ngenjabulo enkulu, kowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu uMsindisi wethu ngoJesu Kristu iNkosi yethu, makube inkazimulo, ubukhulu obubabazekayo, amandla negunya kuze kube kulo lonke iphakade elidlule namanje nakulo lonke iphakade.”—Jude 24, 25.
8. Ngokuvumelana noJude 24, yini ebonisa ukuthi kuba nenjabulo ezulwini lapho omunye wabagcotshiweyo ezibonakalise eqotho?
8 Ngokuqinisekile, umKristu ngamunye ogcotshiwe othembekile ufuna ukuqapha ukuba angakhubekeli ekubhujisweni. Ithemba labagcotshiweyo elisekelwe eBhayibhelini liwukuthi uJesu Kristu uzobavusa kwabafileyo, abenze bavele phambi kukaNkulunkulu beyizidalwa zomoya eziphelele kube nenjabulo enkulu. Lapho omunye wabo efa ethembekile, usuke enethemba eliqinisekile ‘lokuvuswa ngomzimba womoya,’ ‘enokungonakali enkazimulweni.’ (1 Kor. 15:42-44) Uma kuba “nenjabulo” enkulu “ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esiphendukayo,” cabanga ngenjabulo eba khona emagcekeni asezulwini lapho oyedwa wabafowabo bakaKristu abazelwe ngomoya eqeda inkambo yakhe ngokwethembeka. (Luka 15:7) UJehova nezidalwa zomoya ezithembekile bayojabula nogcotshiwe oyobe ethola umvuzo wakhe ‘ngenjabulo enkulu.’—Funda eyoku-1 Johane 3:2.
9. Abagcotshiweyo abathembekile ‘baphiwa kanjani ngokucebile’ ukungena eMbusweni, futhi leli themba libathinta kanjani abagcotshiweyo abasesemhlabeni?
9 Ngomqondo ofanayo, uPetru wabhalela amaKristu agcotshiwe ukuthi uma eqinisekisa ukubizwa kwawo ngokuhlale ethembekile, “[ayophiwa] ngokucebile ukungena embusweni waphakade weNkosi noMsindisi wethu uJesu Kristu.” (2 Pet. 1:10, 11) ‘Ayophiwa ngokucebile’ ukungena emvuzweni wawo wasezulwini, izimfanelo zawo zobuKristu zikhazimula. Ukuthi ‘akuphiwa ngokucebile’ kungase futhi kusikisele izinga eliphakeme kakhulu lokubusiseka eliyojatshulelwa yila maKristu aye azikhandla emncintiswaneni wokuphila. Angabheka emuva enkambweni yawo yokwethembeka ngezinhliziyo ezigcwele ukwethaba nokubonga. Ngokungangabazeki, leli themba linikeza amaKristu agcotshiwe asesemhlabeni amandla ‘okubhukula izingqondo zawo ngenjongo yokuqhubeka nomsebenzi.’—1 Pet. 1:13.
‘ISISEKELO SETHEMBA’ LEZINYE IZIMVU
10, 11. (a) Ezinye izimvu zinaliphi ithemba? (b) Ukugcwaliseka kwethemba lasemhlabeni kuhlobene kanjani noKristu ‘nokwambulwa kwabantwana bakaNkulunkulu’?
10 Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ngethemba elikhazimulayo ‘lamadodana kaNkulunkulu’ azelwe ngomoya, ‘njengezindlalifa ezikanye’ noKristu. Wabe esekhuluma ngethemba elimangalisayo uJehova alinikeza inani elinganqunyiwe lezinye izimvu: “Indalo [engabantu] ilindele ngokulangazela okukhulu ukwambulwa kwabantwana bakaNkulunkulu [abagcotshiwe]. Ngoba indalo yabekwa ngaphansi kobuze, hhayi ngentando yayo siqu kodwa ngalowo owayibeka ngaphansi kwabo, ngesisekelo sethemba lokuthi indalo ngokwayo nayo iyokhululwa ekugqilazweni ukonakala ibe nenkululeko ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 8:14-21.
11 UJehova wanikeza isintu ‘isisekelo sethemba’ lapho ethembisa ukusikhulula ‘enyokeni yokuqala,’ uSathane uDeveli, ngokusebenzisa ‘inzalo’ ethenjisiwe. (IsAm. 12:9; Gen. 3:15) Ngokuyinhloko, le “nzalo” inguJesu Kristu. (Gal. 3:16) Ngokufa nokuvuka kwakhe, uJesu wanikeza isisekelo esiqinile sethemba lokuthi isintu siyokhululwa ebugqilini besono nokufa. Ukugcwaliseka kwalelo themba kuhlobene ‘nokwambulwa kwabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’ Abagcotshiwe abakhazinyulisiwe bayingxenye yesibili yale “nzalo.” ‘Bayokwambulwa’ lapho behlanganyela noKristu ekubhubhiseni isimiso sezinto esibi sikaSathane. (IsAm. 2:26, 27) Lokhu kuyoletha insindiso kwezinye izimvu eziphuma osizini olukhulu.—IsAm. 7:9, 10, 14.
12. Ukwambulwa kwabagcotshiweyo kuyoba naziphi izinzuzo ezikhazimulayo esintwini?
12 Yeka impumuzo ezotholwa “indalo” engabantu phakathi nokuBusa KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane! Ngaleso sikhathi, “abantwana bakaNkulunkulu” abakhazinyulisiwe ‘bayokwambulwa’ ngokwengeziwe lapho bekhonza njengabapristi kanye noKristu, bedlulisela izinzuzo zomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu esintwini. Njengezikhonzi zoMbuso wasezulwini, “indalo” engabantu iyoqala ukukhululeka emiphumeleni yesono nokufa. Kancane kancane abantu abalalelayo ‘bayokhululwa ekugqilazweni ukonakala.’ Uma behlala bethembekile kuJehova phakathi nayo yonke iMinyaka Eyinkulungwane naphakathi novivinyo lokugcina oluyoba khona ngemva kwayo, amagama abo ayobhalwa phakade ‘emqulwini wokuphila.’ Bayongena ‘enkululekweni ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.’ (IsAm. 20:7, 8, 11, 12) Yeka ithemba elikhazimulayo!
UKUGCINA ITHEMBA LETHU LIPHILA
13. Ithemba lethu lisekelwephi, futhi uKristu uyokwambulwa nini?
13 Izincwadi zikaPetru ezimbili eziphefumulelwe zinokuningi okusiza abagcotshiweyo nabezinye izimvu ukuba bagcine amathemba abo ephila. Wabonisa ukuthi ithemba labo alisekelwe emisebenzini yabo kodwa emseni ongafanelwe kaJehova. Wabhala: “Hlalani nisanguluké ngokuphelele; bekani ithemba lenu emseni ongafanelwe oyolethwa kini ekwambulweni kukaJesu Kristu.” (1 Pet. 1:13) UKristu uyokwambulwa lapho eza ngenjongo yokunika abalandeli bakhe abathembekile umvuzo wabo futhi akhiphe izahlulelo zikaJehova kulabo abangamesabi uNkulunkulu.—Funda eyesi-2 Thesalonika 1:6-10.
14, 15. (a) Ukuze sigcine ithemba lethu liphila, yini okumelwe sigxilise ukunaka kwethu kuyo? (b) Isiphi iseluleko uPetru asinikeza?
14 Ukuze sigcine ithemba lethu liphila, kumelwe sigxilise ukunaka nokuphila kwethu ‘osukwini lukaJehova’ oluzayo. Luyobhubhisa “amazulu” anamuhla noma imibuso yabantu, lubhubhise ‘nomhlaba’ owumphakathi wabantu ababi ‘nezakhi’ zawo. UPetru wabhala: “Yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo . . . , nilindele futhi nikukhumbula njalo ukufika kosuku lukaJehova, okuyothi ngalo amazulu ayobe esha ancibilike nezinto zawo njengoba ziyobe zishisa kakhulu zincibilike!”—2 Pet. 3:10-12.
15 ‘Amazulu nomhlaba’ okukhona manje kuyothathelwa indawo “amazulu amasha [uhulumeni woMbuso kaKristu] nomhlaba omusha [umphakathi omusha wasemhlabeni].” (2 Pet. 3:13) UPetru wabe esenikeza iseluleko esingagwegwesi, esisekelwe ‘ekulindeleni,’ noma ekuligcineni liphila ithemba lethu ngaleli zwe elisha elithenjisiwe: “Ngakho, bathandekayo, njengoba nilindele lezi zinto, yenzani konke okusemandleni enu ukuba ekugcineni anithole ningenabala, ningenasici futhi nisekuthuleni.”—2 Pet. 3:14.
UKUPHILA NGOKUVUMELANA NETHEMBA LETHU
16, 17. (a) Iziphi ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele nezenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’ okufanele sizibonakalise? (b) Ithemba lethu liyogcwaliseka kanjani?
16 Akumelwe sigcine ithemba lethu liphila kuphela kodwa kumelwe futhi siphile ngokuvumelana nalo. Kufanele sinake ukuthi siluhlobo luni lwabantu ngokomoya. ‘Izenzo zokuziphatha ezingcwele’ zihlanganisa ‘ukugcina ukuziphatha kwethu kukuhle phakathi kwezizwe,’ ngokuba nesimilo. (2 Pet. 3:11; 1 Pet. 2:12) Kumelwe ‘sibe nothando phakathi kwethu.’ Lokho kuhlanganisa ukwenza konke okusemandleni ukuze silondoloze ubunye nabafowethu emhlabeni wonke ngisho nanalabo abasebandleni lethu. (Joh. 13:35) ‘Izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’ ziyizenzo eziqinisekisa ubuhlobo bethu obuseduze noJehova. Lokhu kuhilela izinga lemithandazo yethu, kanye nokufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke, isifundo somuntu siqu esijulile, ukukhulekela komkhaya nokuhlanganyela ngentshiseko ekushumayeleni ‘izindaba ezinhle zombuso.’—Math. 24:14.
17 Ngamunye wethu ufuna ukuba uhlobo lomuntu uJehova alwamukelayo futhi azolusindisa lapho lesi simiso esibi ‘sincibilika.’ Ngaleyo ndlela siyobona ukugcwaliseka kwethemba lethu, “[ithemba] lokuphila okuphakade lokho uNkulunkulu ongenakuqamba amanga, akuthembisa ngaphambi kwezikhathi ezimi njalo.”—Thithu 1:2.
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
AmaKristu agcotshiweyo ‘azalwa ngokusha ethembeni eliphilayo’
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Gcina ithemba liphila emkhayeni wakho