Khonzani Ngokwethembeka Njenge“zisebenzi Zeqiniso Kanye Nabo”
“Wenza okuthembekile ngalokho okwenzele abazalwane . . . thina sifanele ukubamukela abanjalo, ukuze sibe-yizisebenzi zeqiniso kanye nabo.”—3 JOHANE 5-8.
1. Ukuze sithokozise uJehova, hlobo luni lokukhulekela okumelwe siluyise kuye?
UJEHOVA ufuna labo abayomkhonza “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:23, 24) Ukuze babe nokuvunyelwa kwakhe, ukukhulekela kwabo kumelwe kuvumelane nalokho uNkulunkulu azembule ngokwakhe ngakho nezinjongo zakhe. Futhi kumelwe banamathele kuyo yonke indikimba yezimfundiso zobuKristu ezigcizelela uJesu Kristu. Ukuqhubeka behamba kuleliqiniso kubalulekile ngokusindiswa.—Efesu 1:13, 14; 1 Johane 3:23.
2. Imiphi imibuzo ephakamayo, futhi siyokuthola kuphi ukuqondiswa okuwusizo?
2 OFakazi bakaJehova kumelwe baqhubeke behamba eqinisweni. Eqinisweni, kumelwe babambisane ngokugcwele “enkonzweni engcwele” ngokuthuthukisa ngokwethembeka izithakazelo zoMbuso njenge“zisebenzi zeqiniso ezibambisene.” (Roma 12:1; 3 Johane 5-8; Mathewu 6:33) Kodwa lokhu kungenzeka kanjani? Ukuqondisa okuwusizo kubonakala encwadini yesithathu ephefumlelwe yomphostoli uJohane.
Qhubekani Nihamba Eqinisweni
3. Isibopho sothando lobuKristu sikhanyiswa kanjani ngamazwi okuqala kaJohane weSithathu?
3 Isibopho sothando lobuKristu sitholakala emazwini okuqala omphostoli. Wabhala:
“Ilunga, (indoda endala) kuye uGayu othandekayo engimthanda ngeqiniso.” (3 Johane 1)
UJohane uzichaza njenge“ndoda endala,” ngokunokwenzeka ngenxa yeminyaka yakhe yobudala nezinga lokukhula okungokomoya. UGayu wayengumngane womKristu ayemthanda kakhulu owayehlala endaweni ethile engavezwanga. UJohane umbiza ngokuthi “othandekayo,” esebenzisa izwi elibonisa uthando elalijwayelekile kumaKristu akuqala.—Roma 16:5; 2 Petru 3:1; Juda 3.
4, 5. (a) UJohane wayemfiselani uGayu emthandazweni? (b) UGayu wayekusebenzisa kanjani ukuphila kwakhe?
4 UJohane wayenesizathu esihle sokuthanda uGayu, ngoba siyafunda:
“Sithandwa, kunakho konke [kukho konke, NW] ngikufisela ukuba ube-nenhlanhla nokuphila, njengokuba umphefumulo wakho unenhlanhla. Ngokuba ngathokoza lapho kufika abazalwane befakazela iqiniso lakho, njengoba uhamba eqinisweni.”—3 Johane 2-4.
5 Umphostoli wathandazela ukuba uGayu ‘abe-nenhlanhla kukho konke,’ kokubili ngokwenyama nangokomoya. Futhi uJohane wathandazela ukuba umngane wakhe abe ‘nempilo enhle.’ Lesifiso esijwayelekile sasingasho ukuthi uGayu wayegula ngalesosikhathi. (IzEnzo 15:29, NW) Ukusebenzisa kukaJohane lapha izwi elithi “umphefumulo” kubonisa ukuphila komuntu oqaphile kwangalesosikhathi. Futhi uGayu wayekusebenzisa kanjani ukuphila kwakhe? Ngokwethembeka enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu engcwele.
6, 7. (a) Yisiphi isizathu uJohane ayenaso ‘sokuthokoza kakhulu’? (b) NjengoGayu, bonke ofakazi bakaJehova abathembekile kumelwe benzeni ngokuphathelene “neqiniso”?
6 Kubafowabo abangokomoya ababese-Efesu, uJohane wayezwe izindaba ezikhuthazayo ezambangela ukuba ‘athokoze kakhulu.’ Umphostoli wayengase ajabule ngoba umngane wakhe uGayu wayeqhuba kahle ngokomoya futhi ebambelele eqinisweni. (IzAga 15:30; 25:25) “Abazalwane” kungenzeka babeyingxenye yebandla uGayu ayehlanganyela kulo noma labo ababesuka e-Efesu beyovakashela lelobandla, noma ngisho mhlawumbe babenencwadi yokuqala umphostoli ayeyibhalele lona.—3 Johane 9.
7 Labazalwane ‘bafakazela iqiniso uGayu ayenalo.’ Wayelamukele ngokugcwele iqiniso ngokuphathelene noKristu futhi wayezivumelanise nezimfuneko zikaJehova. UGayu waye“hamba eqinisweni,” ngokwethembeka enamathela kuyo yonke indikimba yezimfundiso zobuKristu. Ngempela, bonke ofakazi bakaJehova abathembekile akumelwe nje kuphela babe‘seqinisweni’ kodwa kumelwe bahambe kulo njengendlela yokuphila. AmaKristu athembekile ngaso sonke isikhathi azivumelanisa ne“qiniso,” emelana nokuhlubuka futhi ngenkuthalo akhonza uNkulunkulu “ngenhliziyo epheleleyo.”—2 Johane 1-4; Isaya 38:2, 3.
8. Kungani uJohane ayengabheka uGayu njengomunye ‘wabantwana’ bakhe?
8 UJohane wathi wayengenasizathu esinye sokujabula ngaphandle kokuzwa ukuthi “abantwana” bakhe babehamba ‘ngeqiniso,’ noma, “bephila ngokuvumelana neqiniso.” (The New English Bible) Ngokunokwenzeka umphostoli waba ngubaba kaGayu ngokomoya ngenxa yokumsiza ukuba azuze ulwazi oluqondile lwemiBhalo. (Qhathanisa naboku-1 Korinte 4:14-17.) Kodwa ngisho noma uJohane ayemfundise iqiniso lomngane othandekayo, ukuguga kukamphostoli, izinga lokukhula kwakhe kobuKristu nothando lobubaba konke kwenza kwafaneleka ukuba umphostoli abheke uGayu ngokunokwenzeka owayemusha kunaye njengomunye wa“bantwana” bakhe.
“Izisebenzi Zeqiniso Kanye Nabo”
9. Ngokuka-3 Johane 5-8, uGayu wayekhuthazwa ukuba abenzeleni abazalwane abathile?
9 UGayu wayeyifeza kahle imithwalo yakhe yemfanelo yobuKristu, futhi uJohane wamncoma ethi:
“Sithandwa, wenza okuthembekileyo ngalokho okwenzele abazalwane nokuba bengabafo [abafokazi] abafakazele uthando lwakho phambi kwebandla; uzakwenza kahle, uma ubaphelekezela ngokufanele uNkulunkulu; ngokuba ngenxa yeGama baphuma bengathathi-lutho kwabezizwe. Ngalokho-ke thina sifanele ukubamukela abanjalo, ukuze sibe-yizisebenzi zeqiniso kanye nabo.”—3 Johane 5-8.
10. Yimuphi “umsebenzi othembekile” uGayu ayewenza, futhi oFakazi BakaJehova benza kanjani namuhla ngokufanayo?
10 UGayu wayenza “umsebenzi wokwethembeka,” ngokwamukela abazalwane abajikelezayo. (New World Translation) Lokho kwakuphawuleka ikakhulukazi njengoba babe“ngabafokazi”—abantu ababengaziwa kumaKristu abamukelayo. OFakazi BakaJehova namuhla benza “umsebenzi wokwethembeka” ofanayo lapho bamukela amakholwa akanye nabo afana nababonisi abajikelezayo abathunyelwe iWatch Tower Bible and Tract Society.—Roma 12:13.
11. Abazalwane abajikelezayo babengafakazelani ngokuphathelene noGayu?
11 UGayu othandekayo ngokuqinisekile wayebonisa uthando olunesimiso, futhi abazalwane abajikelezayo bafakazela lokhu “phambi kwebandla,” mhlawumbe emhlanganweni wamaKristu e-Efesu. (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 14:27.) Babengase bafakazele ukuthi uGayu wayebaphathe kahle. Wayebonakalise uthando ngezivakashi, ngaleyondlela ebonakalisa isici esidala kakhulu sabantu abesaba uNkulunkulu.—Genesise 18:1-8; Mathewu 25:34, 35, 40.
12. (a) AmaKristu ajikelezayo kwakumelwe aphelezelwe kanjani? (b) Labazalwane babephumele lapho ngegama likabani? (c) Yimuphi umehluko okhona phakathi kwendlela abazalwane abathembekile nabayizihlubuki okumelwe baphathwe ngayo?
12 Umphostoli wanxusa uGayu ukuba aphelezele amaKristu ajikelezayo “ngokufanele uNkulunkulu,” ayezikhandla ngokwawo enkonzweni yakhe. Kwakumelwe alungiselelwe izinto ezifana nokudla nezimali zohambo lwawo. (Thithu 3:13) Labazalwane kumelwe basizwe ngoba babethunyelwe lapho ngenxa “yeGama,” ngokombhalo wesiGreki. Lapha uJohane ngokusobala wayebhekisele egameni likaNkulunkulu elingenakulinganiswa nalutho, uJehova, njengoba wanxusa ukuba baphelezelwe “ngokufanele uNkulunkulu.” (Qhathanisa ne-New World Translation; Kingdom Interlinear Translation; RS.) Nakuba abafundisi abayizihlubuki abajikelezayo kwakungamelwe bamukelwe, labazalwane abahambelayo abathembekile kwakumelwe baphathwe njengoFakazi bakaJehova abathembekile nabeNdodana yakhe.—Isaya 43:10-12; IzEnzo 1:6-8; 2 Johane 9-11.
13. (a) Iqiniso lokuthi amaKristu ajikelezayo aye“ngathathi-lutho kwabezizwe” lalisho ukuthini? (b) Khona-ke abanye babengaba “izisebenzi zeqiniso kanye nabo” kanjani?
13 AmaKristu asebenza kanzima ajikelezayo aye“ngathathi-lutho kwabezizwe.” Njengomphostoli uPawulu, ngokusobala wayefuna ukuba “ivangeli lingabizi lutho” ngokungagidlabezi umthwalo wezimali kulabo ayeshumayela kubona iqiniso. (1 Korinte 9:18; 2 Korinte 11:7; 1 Thesalonika 2:9) Njengoba labazalwane babephumele lapho ngenxa yegama likaJehova futhi bememezela “izindaba ezinhle” kwabeZizwe ngaphandle kokwamukela ukusekelwa ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo kubona, amaKristu ayekanye nabo aye“fanele ukubamukela abanjalo [abashumayela ngevangeli].” Ngokubasiza, labakhulekeli bakaJehova abamukela izihambi babefeza indima ebalulekile ekuthuthukiseni ubuKristu. Ngaleyondlela bazibonakalisa beyi“zisebenzi zeqiniso kanye nabo.” Umoya ofanayo ushukumisa oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla.
Ukusekela Kokwethembeka Naphezu Kokuphikiswa
14. Ikuphi ukuphikiswa okwavela phakathi ebandleni uGayu ayehlanganyela kulo?
14 UGayu wayekhonza ngokwethembeka njenge‘sisebenzi seqiniso kanye nabo.’ Kodwa ukuphikiswa kwaba khona, ngoba uJohane uthi:
“Ngalobela ibandla okuthile, kodwa uDiyotrefe othanda ukuba abe-mkhulu [othanda izindawo eziphambili NW] akasamukeli thina. Ngalokho uma ngiza, ngiyakumkhumbuza imisebenzi yakhe ayenzayo, esihleba ngamazwi amabi; futhi enganelisiwe nayilokho akabamukeli abazalwane yena, nabavumayo uyabenqabela, abakhiphe ebandleni.”—3 Johane 9, 10.
15. UDiyotrefe wayenamuphi umbono, futhi kuthiwani uma ozishaya umKristu kungenzeka afane naye namuhla?
15 UJohane ‘wayelobele ibandla okuthile’ ngaphambili, kodwa uDiyotrefe ozithwalayo akamukelanga lutho oluvela kumphostoli ngenhlonipho. Eqinisweni, uDiyotrefe ogabadelayo ‘othanda indawo ephambili’ kulabo ayekholwa nabo; wayefuna “ukuba ngumholi wabo.” (An American Translation) Ngakho-ke lomuntu oqhoshile wayengavumelani noJesu Kristu, owatshela abafundi baKhe; “Nina nonke ningabazalelwane . . . ningabizwa ngokuthi abaholi ngokuba munye umholi wenu, uKristu.” (Mathewu 23:8-12) Yebo, njengoba “ukuzidla kwamehlo nokuziqhenya kwenhliziyo . . . kuyisono” futhi ‘uJehova uyamazi ozidlayo ekude,’ noma imuphi ozishaya umKristu ofana noDiyotrefe namuhla akanabo ubuhlobo obuseduze noNkulunkulu.—IzAga 21:4; IHubo 138:6.
16. (a) UDiyotrefe wayeziphatha kanjani ngokuphathalene nomphostoli uJohane? (b) Kulokhu, yisiphi isifundo esikhona kumaKristu eminyaka yekhulu lamashumi lama-20?
16 Ngokungemukeli lutho oluvela kuJohane ngenhlonipho, uDiyotrefe wayehlubuka ngokumelene negunya elinikezwe uNkulunkulu. Yingakho, uma umphostoli owayeguga ayengeza ebandleni waye“yokhumbuza” uDiyotrefe izenzo ezimbi, ngokufanayo nalokho ayekusho. UDiyotrefe waye“hleba” uJohane “ngamazwi amabi,” ngaleyondlela enyundela omunye wabaphostoli oyitshe eliyisisekelo seJerusalema Elisha lasezulwini. (IsAmbulo 21:2, 14) Ngokuqinisekile wayengenakwenza lokho bese engajeziswa! Futhi namuhla abazishaya amaKristu ngeke balindele ukuphunyula esahlulelweni esinzima sikaNkulunkulu uma ngokungaphenduki benyundela abakholwa kanye nabo futhi bedelela igunya elimiswe ngokwaphezulu.—Levitikusi 19:16; Juda 8-13.
17. Iliphi elinye icala elibi uDiyotrefe ayenalo?
17 Futhi uDiyotrefe wenqaba ukubamukela ngomusa abazalwane abakhuthele abajikelezayo. Eqinisweni, wayezama ukuvimbela abanye ababefisa ukwamukela abashumayeli bevangeli ababehambele. Okubi ngokungaphezulu, uDiyotrefe wayezama ukubakhipha ebandleni ngokubasusa ekuhlanganyeleni ngokungafanelekile labo ababebonisa umusa nothando. Kodwa naphezu kwakho konke lokhukuphikiswa amaKristu athembekile awazange ayekiswe ekusekeleni umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso.
Lingisa Okuhle
18. Ngokowesi-3 Johane 11, 12, uJohane wamtshelani uGayu, futhi kungani?
18 Uma uDiyotrefe engazange aguquke, kungenzeka yena ngokwakhe ekugcineni waxoshwa ebandleni. Nokho, abathembekile kumelwe benze lokho uJohane akutshela uGayu:
“Sithandwa, ungalandeli okubi kodwa okuhle. Owenza okuhle ungokaNkulunkulu; owenza okubi akambonanga uNkulunkulu. UDemetriyu ufakazelwa yibo bonke nayilo iqiniso uqobo lwalo; nathi-ke siyafakaza ngaye, wazi nawe ukuthi ukufakaza kwethu kuqinisile.”—3 Johane 11, 12.
19. ‘Ukulandela okuhle’ kwakusho ukuthini?
19 UGayu wayeyalwa ukuba ‘angalandeli okubi kodwa okuhle.’ Ukulandela okuhle kwakubizela ukuzonda izinto ezimbi futhi anamathele ngokukhuthala ezintweni ezinhle. (IHubo 97:10; Roma 12:9) Futhi yeka ukuthi lokhu kubaluleke kanjani, ngoba “owenza okuhle ungokaNkulunkulu”!—1 Johane 3:4-12.
20. Lapho besesemhlabeni, abakhulekeli bakaJehova ‘bambona’ kanjani?
20 Lapho eveza iphuzu elihlaba umxhwele, umphostoli wenezela: “Owenza okubi akambonanga uNkulunkulu.” Ngokuvuselwa kwabo ekuphileni kwasezulwini, amaKristu agcotshwe ngomoya athembekile angase alindele ukubona uNkulunkulu noKristu. Kodwa emhlabeni abakhulekeli bakaJehova ‘bayambona’ ngokubona izenzo zakhe abenzela zona. Labo ‘ababona uNkulunkulu’ benze njalo ‘ngamehlo enhliziyo.’ (Efesu 1:18; Eksodusi 33:20; Jobe 19:26) Ngokuqonda okuhilela kokubili inhliziyo nengqondo, labantu bafinyelela ekumazini uJehova futhi njengabakhulekeli bakhe abaziqondayo izimfanelo zakhe, njengothando lwakhe olungenakulinganiswa ngokunikela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ngenxa yesintu.—Johane 3:16.
21. (a) Wayengubani uDemetriyu? (b) UDemetriyu “wafakazelwa . . . nayilo iqiniso uqobo lwalo” kanjani?
21 UGayu wanxuswa ukuba ‘alandele okuhle,’ futhi uDemetriyu wayengumenzi wokuhle. Ngokunokwenzeka, uDemetriyu wayejikeleza nabazalwane ababehambele, mhlawumbe engumbonisi weqembu labashumayeli, noma izithunywa zevangeli. (Qhathanisa nabesi-2 Korinte 8:16-24.) Kungenzeka uGayu wayengamazi kahle uDemetriyu, uma kuwukuthi wayemazi, kodwa amanye amaKristu amkhulumela kahle, futhi waye“fakazelwa . . . nayilo iqiniso uqobo lwalo.” Lokho ababekholwa kanye nabo ababekusho ngoDemetriyu kwakusekelwa inkambo yakhe yokwesaba uNkulunkulu, ngoba wavumelanisa ukuphila kwakhe nezimfuneko zikaJehova futhi ‘wayephila ngeqiniso.’ Yingakho, “iqiniso,” ngamanye amazwi, lamkhulumela kahle uDemetriyu. Ngokufanayo nomphostoli uJohane, futhi uGayu wayazi ukuthi uqinisile. (Qhathanisa noJohane 19:35; 21:24.) Ngakho-ke naphezu kokuphikiswa uDiyotrefe, abashumayeli boMbuso abajikelezayo kufanele ukuthi bamukelwa kahle nguGayu nezinye izi“sebenzi zeqiniso kanye nabo.”
Uthando Luyabonakala Phakathi Kwezisebenzi Ezibambisene
22. Esikhundleni sokubhalela uGayu okwengeziwe, uJohane wayethemba ukwenzani?
22 Amazwi aphethayo kaJohane aya kuGayu anikeza ubufakazi obuningi bothando olwalukhona phakathi kwe“zisebenzi zeqiniso kanye nabo.” Wathi:
“Benginokuningi ebengiyakukulobela khona, kepha angithandi ukukulobela ngoyinki nosiba; kepha ngiyethemba ukukubona masinyane, sikhulume umlomo nomlomo. Ukuthula makube-kuwe. Abahlobo bayakhonza kuwe. Khonza kubo abahlobo ngamagama.” (3 Johane 13, 14)
Yebo, uJohane wayenokuningi angakusho kuGayu, kodwa wayengafisi ukukubhala phansi. Esikhundleni salokho, umphostoli ‘wayethemba ukubonana [noGayu] masinyane.’ Khona-ke babengaxoxa “umlomo nomlomo,” bajabulele ingxoxo “yenhliziyo nenhliziyo.”—Phillips.
23. (a) Ngokufisela uGayu ukuthula, yini uJohane ayifisela umngane wakhe ukuba ayijabulele? (b) Ekuphetheni uJohane weSithathu, umphostoli wabhekisela kwayekholwa kanye nabo kanjani?
23 Phakathi nalesosikhathi, uJohane ngokushiseka wayefisela uGayu ukuthula—ukuzotha okubangelwa ubuhlobo obuseduze noJehova, ukuthula okususa ixhala elingadingekile futhi kwenze ingqondo nenhliziyo kunethezeke. (Filipi 4:6, 7) Ekugcineni, lapho ephetha, umphostoli uthumelela uGayu imikhonzo ya“bahlobo,” ngaleyondlela ebhekisela kwayekholwa nabo ngendlela oFakazi BakaJehova abavamise ukwenza ngayo namuhla. (Qhathanisa noJohane 15:13, 14.) Futhi yeka ukuthi kwakufanele ukuba uJohane wayewazi kahle kangakanani amalungu ebandla lakuleyondawo kangangokuba wacela uGayu ukuba adlulise imikhonzo kuwona “ngamagama”!
Qhubekani Nikhonza Ngokwethembeka Njengezisebenzi Ezibambisene
24, 25. UJohane weSibili noweSithathu kumelwe bagcizelele siphi isidingo koFakazi BakaJehova, futhi lezincwadi kumelwe zisishukumisele ukwenzani?
24 Ngokuqinisekile, incwadi ephefumlelwe kaJohane yesibili neyesithathu iwahlaba umxhwele amaKristu anamuhla ngesidingo sokuthandana, ukumelana nokuhlubuka, ukunamathela eqinisweni nasekuthuthukiseni izithakazelo zokukhulekela kweqiniso. Yingakho, thina, njengoFakazi BakaJehova, sizimisele ukuhlala sithembekile eqinisweni elingokomBhalo njengoba sihlabelela udumo kuBaba wethu, simemezela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso futhi siveza indima ebalulekile kaJesu Kristu elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu ngesibusiso sesintu.
25 NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, sibhekana nokuvivinywa kokholo okuningi kule“zinsuku zokugcina.” (2 Thimothewu 3:1-5) Kodwa iseluleko esinengqondo somphostoli uJohane siyosisiza ukuba siqhubeke ‘sihamba eqinisweni’ njengendlela yethu yokuphila. Khona-ke, sengathi singalingisa okuhle, senze okusemandleni ethu ukuze sithuthukise izithakazelo zoMbuso futhi siqhubeke sikhonza ndawonye ngokwethembeka njenge“zisebenzi zeqiniso” ezibambisene—konke kuphumele ekudunyisweni kukaNkulunkulu omangalisayo weqiniso, uJehova.
Ungaphendula?
□ Yimuphi “umsebenzi wokwethembeka” uGayu ayewenzela ayekholwa kanye nabo?
□ Inkambo embi kaDiyotrefe ingasifundisani?
□ Thina-ke, njengoGayu, singakhonza kanjani ngokwethembeka njenge“zisebenzi zeqiniso” ezibambisene?
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
UGayu wenza “umsebenzi othembekile” ngokwamukela ngomusa abazalwane abavakashile
[Isithombe ekhasini 27]
OFakazi BakaJehova, bakhonza ndawonye ngokwethembeka njenge“zisebenzi zeqiniso” ezibambisene ngendlela efanayo neyabeminyaka yekhulu lokuqala