Abadala Abangamakhristu ‘Basebenza Lathi Ukuze Sithokoze’
“Sisebenza lani ukuze lithokoze.” —2 KOR. 1:24.
NGOMNYAKA ka-55 C.E umphostoli uPhawuli wayesethekwini leTrowa kodwa wayeqhubeka ecabanga ngeKhorinte. Ekuqaleni komnyaka lo wayezwe ubuhlungu ngesikhathi etshelwa ukuthi kwakulezingxabano phakathi kwabazalwane bakuleyo ndawo. Yikho njengobaba olothando wayebabhalele incwadi ebaqondisa. (1 Kor. 1:11; 4:15) UPhawuli waphinda wathuma uThithusi ayesebenza laye kubo njalo wahlela ukuthi aphenduke eTrowa azomtshela ukuthi wayebathole benjani. Khathesi uPhawuli wayeselindele uThithusi ngabomvu eTrowa futhi elangazelela ukuzwa ukuthi abaseKhorinte babeqhuba njani. Kodwa uPhawuli wadana kakhulu ngoba uThithusi kazange aphenduke. Manje wayesezakwenzani? Wasuka waya eMakhedoniya ngomkhumbi futhi wajabula kakhulu ngesikhathi behlangana khona. UThithusi wamlandisela ukuthi abazalwane beKhorinte babeyamukele kuhle incwadi kaPhawuli lokuthi babekufisa kakhulu ukumbona. UPhawuli wathi esizwa umbiko lo omuhle kangaka, ‘intokozo yakhe yengezelelwa.’—2 Kor. 2:12, 13; 7:5-9.
2. (a) UPhawuli wathini kwabaseKhorinte mayelana lokholo kanye lentokozo? (b) Yiphi imibuzo esizaxoxa ngayo?
2 Masinyane nje ngemva kwalokho, uPhawuli wabhalela abaseKhorinte incwadi yesibili. Wabatshela wathi: “Kangitsho ukuthi singababusi bokholo lwenu kodwa sisebenza lani ukuze lithokoze ngoba limi ngokholo lwenu.” (2 Kor. 1:24) Wayesitshoni uPhawuli ngamazwi la? Amazwi la angabasiza njani abadala abangamaKhristu namuhla?
UKHOLO LWETHU LENTOKOZO YETHU
3. (a) UPhawuli wayesitshoni ngesikhathi ebhala amazwi athi: “limi . . . ngokholo lwenu”? (b) Abadala basilingisela njani isibonelo sikaPhawuli namuhla?
3 UPhawuli wakhuluma ngezinto ezimbili eziqakathekileyo ekukhonzeni kwethu—ukholo lentokozo. Khumbula ukuthi wabhala ngokholo, wathi : “Kangitsho ukuthi singababusi bokholo lwenu, . . . ngoba limi ngokholo lwenu.” Ngamazwi la, uPhawuli wavuma ukuthi abazalwane beKhorinte babeme baqina, hatshi ngenxa yakhe kumbe omunye umuntu, kodwa ngenxa yokholo abalalo kuNkulunkulu. Yikho uPhawuli wabona kungelasidingo sokubusa phezu kokholo lwabafowabo futhi kazange abe lesifiso sokwenza njalo. Wayeqiniseka ukuthi bangamaKhristu alokholo oluqinileyo lokuthi balesifiso sokwenza okulungileyo zikhathi zonke. (2 Kor. 2:3) Namuhla, abadala balingisela isibonelo sikaPhawuli ngokuthemba ukholo lwabafowabo kanye lezizathu zabo zokukhonza uNkulunkulu. (2 Thes. 3:4) Abadala kabazifakeli eyabo imithetho enzima ebandleni kodwa balandela izimiso eziseBhayibhilini kanye lokuqondisa kwenhlanganiso kaJehova. Lanamuhla, abadala kabasiwo makhosi phezu kokholo lwabafowabo.—1 Pet. 5:2, 3.
4. (a) UPhawuli wayesitshoni ngesikhathi esithi: “Sisebenza lani ukuze lithokoze”? (b) Abadala bamlingisela njani uPhawuli namuhla?
4 UPhawuli waphinda wathi: “Sisebenza lani ukuze lithokoze.” Ngamazwi la uPhawuli wayesitsho yena labangane bakhe abaseduze ayesebenza labo. Kungani sisitsho njalo? Encwadini efananayo, uPhawuli wakhumbuza abaseKhorinte ngabangane bakhe ababili, wathi: “uJesu . . . watshunyayelwa kini kusetshenziswa mina loSilivanu loThimothi.” (2 Kor. 1:19) Ngazo zonke izikhathi nxa uPhawuli wayesebenzisa amabala athi “izisebenzi kanye lami” ezincwadini zakhe, wayesitsho abangane bakhe abaseduze, njengo-Apholo, u-Akhwila, uPrisca, uThimothi labanye. (Rom. 16:3, 21; 1 Kor. 3:6-9; 2 Kor. 8:23) Yikho, ngokuthi: “Sisebenza lani ukuze lithokoze,” uPhawuli wayeqinisekisa abaseKhorinte ukuthi yena layesebenza labo babezimisele ukwenza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bathokozise abantu bonke ebandleni. Abadala abangamaKhristu balesifiso esifanayo lanamuhla. Bafuna ukwenza konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bancedise abafowabo ukuthi “bakhonze uJehova ngenjabulo.”—Hubo. 100:2; Flp. 1:25.
5. Sizaxoxa ngempendulo zawuphi umbuzo njalo kuyini okumele sicabange ngakho?
5 Esikhathini esisanda kwedlula, iqembu labafowethu labodadewethu abatshisekayo abahlala endaweni ezitshiyeneyo labuzwa umbuzo othi, “Yiwaphi amazwi loba izinto ezenziwa ngumdala ezenza wathokoza kakhulu?” Njengoba sixoxa ngezimpendulo zababeseqenjini leli, nanzelela ukuthi impendulo zabo zihambelana njani lendlela wena obungaphendula ngayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, sonke kasicabangeni ngendlela esingancedisa ngayo ukuze kube lentokozo ebandleni lethu. *
“LIBINGELELE LOPHESISI ESIMTHANDAYO”
6, 7. (a) Yiphi indlela abadala abangalingisela ngayo uJesu, uPhawuli kanye lezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu? (b) Kungani ukukhumbula amabizo abafowethu kungangezelela intokozo yabo?
6 Abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi bathi intokozo yabo iyanda nxa abadala betshengisa ukuthi balendaba labo. Indlela ejayelekileyo abadala abakwenza ngayo lokhu yikulingisela isibonelo sikaDavida, u-Elihu loJesu ngokwakhe. (Bala u-2 Samuyeli 9:6; uJobe 33:1; uLukha 19:5.) Izinceku zikaJehova lezi zatshengisa ukuthi zilendaba sibili labanye abantu ngokubabiza ngamabizo abo. UPhawuli laye wakubona ukuqakatheka kokukhumbula kanye lokusebenzisa amabizo alabo esikholwa labo. Waphetha eyinye yezincwadi zakhe ngokubingelela abazalwane abedlula 25 ngamabizo abo, kuhlanganise loPhesisi, udade ongumKhristu uPhawuli athi ngaye: “Libingelele loPhesisi esimthandayo.”—Rom. 16:3-15.
7 Abanye abadala kubathwalisa amagabha avuzayo ukukhumbula amabizo. Lanxa kunjalo, nxa besenza umzamo wokuwakhumbula kuyabe kufana lokuthi bathi kwabakholwa labo, ‘Uqakathelike kimi.’ (Eks. 33:17) Abadala bangenza abazalwane bathokoze nxa bengakhumbula amabizo abo futhi bawasebenzise nxa bebaqamba eSifundweni seNqabayokulinda loba kweminye nje imihlangano.—Qathanisa loJohane 10:3.
“UYISEBENZELE GADALALA INKOSI”
8. UPhawuli walingisela njani isibonelo sikaJehova loJesu?
8 UPhawuli waphinda watshengisa ukuthi ulendaba labanye ngokubancoma ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Le ngenye indlela esingengeza ngayo intokozo yabafowethu. Encwadini ayibhala ekhuluma ngesifiso sakhe sokusebenzela intokozo yabafowabo, uPhawuli waphinda wathi: “Ngiyazigqaja kakhulu ngani.” (2 Kor. 7:4) Ukunconywa okunjalo kumele ukuthi kwabajabulisa kakhulu abazalwane beKhorinte. UPhawuli wawancoma ngendlela efananayo amanye amabandla. (Rom. 1:8; Flp. 1:3-5; 1 Thes. 1:8) Ngemva kokukhuluma ngoPhesisi encwadini ayibhalela ibandla leRoma, uPhawuli waphinda wathi: “Uyisebenzele gadalala iNkosi.” (Rom. 16:12) Amazwi la kumele ukuthi amkhuthaza kakhulu udade lo othembekileyo! UPhawuli walingisela isibolelo sikaJehova loJesu ngokuncoma abanye.—Bala uMakho 1:9-11; uJohane 1:47; Sam. 2:2, 13, 19.
9. Kungani ukuncoma abanye kungangezelela intokozo ebandleni?
9 Abadala namuhla bayakubona ukuqakatheka kokutshengisa ngamazwi ukuthi bayabaqakathekisa abafowabo. (Zag. 3:27; 15:23) Nxa abadala besenza njalo, kufana lokuthi bayabe besithi: ‘Ngikubonile okuhle okwenzileyo. Ngilendaba lawe.’ Abazalwane bayakudinga sibili ukuzwa abadala bebatshela amazwi akhuthazayo. Udade oleminyaka engaphezu kwe-50 watsho amazwi ajayele ukukhulunywa ngabanengi, wathi: “Angijayelanga ukunconywa emsebenzini, abantu bakhona abalamusa futhi bahlala bencintisana. Yikho nxa umdala engincoma ngokuhle engikwenzileyo ebandleni, ngiyathokoza kakhulu futhi kuyangikhuthaza! Kungenza ngibone ukuthi uBaba osezulwini uyangithanda sibiIi.” Umzalwane okhulisa abantwana ababili eyedwa laye wayezizwa ngendlela efananayo. Esikhathini esisanda kwedlula utshelwe amazwi akhuthazayo ngumdala. Wezwa njani umzalwane lo ngemva kwalokho? Uthi: “Amazwi omdala angikhuthaza kakhulu!” Kuyabakhuthaza futhi kubenze bathokoze abazalwane nxa banganconywa ngumdala ngokusuka enhliziyweni. Lokhu kuzabanika amandla okuqhubeka behamba endleleni eya ekuphileni “futhi bangadinwa.”—Isaya. 40:31.“LELUSE IBANDLA LIKANKULUNKULU”
10, 11. (a) Abadala bangasilingisela njani isibonelo sikaNehemiya? (b) Kuyini okuzancedisa umdala ukuthi aphe isipho esivela kuNkulunkulu ngesikhathi esenza ukuhambela kokwalusa?
10 Yiphi indlela eqakatheke kakhulu abadala abangatshengisa ngayo ukuthi balendaba labafowabo futhi bengeze intokozo ebandleni? Ngokwenza umzamo wokuncedisa labo abadinga isikhuthazo. (Bala imiSebenzi 20:28.) Nxa abadala bangenza njalo bayabe belingisela isibonelo sabelusi bakudala. Ngokwesibonelo, nanzelela okwenziwa ngumkhokheli othembekileyo uNehemiya ngesikhathi ebona ukuthi abanye abafowabo abangamaJuda basebewile ekukhonzeni. IBhayibhili lithi wasukuma ngokuphangisa wabakhuthaza. (Neh. 4:14) Lanamuhla abadala bafuna ukwenza okufanayo. ‘Bayasukuma’ bancedise abazalwane ukuthi baqinise ukholo lwabo. Nxa izimo zivuma, abadala bayavakatshela abafowabo labodadewabo ukuze babakhuthaze futhi babaqinise. Ekuhambeleni kokwalusa lokhu, bafuna unika abafowabo “isipho esivela kuNkulunkulu.’’ (Rom. 1:11) Kuyini okuzanceda abadala ekwenzeni lokhu?
11 Umdala kumele azinike isikhathi sokucabangisisa ngomuntu azamvakatshela engakenzi ukuhambela kokwalusa. Yibuphi ubunzima ahlangana labo? Yiphi imicijo engamnceda? Yiphi ivesi kumbe isibonelo esiseBhayibhilini esingasebenza esimeni sakhe? Ukuzibuza imibuzo enjalo kuzanceda umdala ukuthi abe lengxoxo ekhuthazayo engaphongulandisa nje. Umdala uyalalelisisa futhi avumele umfowabo loba udadewabo ukuthi atsho indlela azizwa ngayo ngesikhathi esenza ukuhambela lokhu. (Jak. 1:19) Omunye udadewethu wathi: “Kuyaduduza ukubona umdala ekulalele ngenhliziyo yonke.”—ULukha 8:18.
12. Ngobani abadinga ukukhuthazwa ebandleni futhi kungani?
12 Ukuhambela kokwalusa kunceda bani? UPhawuli walaya abadala abangamaKhristu wathi “zilindeni lina . . . lawo wonke umhlambi.” Wonke amalunga ebandla ayakudinga sibili ukukhuthazwa, kuhlanganisa labamemezeli kanye lamaphayona asebelesikhathi eside bekhonza ngokuthembeka. Kungani labo bedinga usizo lwabelusi abasebandleni? Ngoba ngezinye izikhathi amaKhristu la aqinileyo angaphela amandla ngenxa yenhlupho ahlangana lazo emhlabeni lo omubi kangaka. Asixoxeni ngokunye okwenzakala empilweni kaDavida ukuze sizwisise ukuthi kungani ngezinye izikhathi amaKhristu aqinileyo edinga usizo.“U-ABHISHAYI . . . WAMHLENGA”
13. (a) U-Ishibhi-Bhenobhi wamqila njani uDavida? (b) U-Abhishayi wamhlenga njani uDavida?
13 Ngemva kwesikhatshana nje uDavida egcotshwe ukuba yinkosi, wamelana ubuso ngobuso loGoliyathi, omunye weziqhwaga zamaRefayimi. UDavida wayibulala indoda le. (1 Sam. 17:4, 48-51; 1 Imilan. 20:5, 8) Ngemva kweminyaka, kwaphinda kwaba lempi phakathi kwama-Israyeli lamaFilisti, uDavida waphinda wamisana ubuso ngobuso lesinye isiqhwaga. Ibizo laso kwakungu-Ishibhi-Bhenobhi, laye wayengomunye wamaRefayimi. (2 Sam. 21:16; ftn.) Kodwa khathesi isiqhwaga lesi saphosa sambulala uDavida. Kungani? Ayisikho ukuthi uDavida wayeseligwala khathesi kodwa wayesephele amandla. IBhayibhili lithi: “[uDavida] wasedinwa.” U-Ishi-Bhenobhi wathi enanzelela ukuthi uDavida wayesediniwe, “wathi uzambulala.” Kodwa isiqhwaga lesi sathi singakamhlifizi uDavida, “u-Abhishayi indodana kaZeruyiya wamhlenga uDavida, wamchakazela phansi umFilisti lowo wambulala.” (2 Sam. 21:15-17) Waphuma emlonyeni wesilwane sibili! Kumele ukuthi uDavida wambonga kakhulu u-Abhishayi ngokuthi wayemvikelile futhi wamhlenga ekufeni! Singafundani esenzakalweni lesi?
14. (a) Kuyini okusinceda ukuthi simelane lezinhlupho ezinjengoGoliyathi? (b) Abadala bangawavuselela amandla lentokozo yabanye? Nika isibonelo.
14 Abantu bakaJehova emhlabeni wonke baqhubeka bemkhonza lanxa behlangana lobunzima obubangelwa nguSathane labantu ababi. Abanye bethu bake bahlangana lezinhlupho “ezinjengoGoliyathi” kodwa baqhubeka bethembele kuJehova futhi banqoba. Lanxa kunjalo, ukuhlala sisilwa lezinhlupho zomhlaba lo ngezinye izikhathi kungasitshiya sidiniwe futhi sidanile. Nxa sesibuthakathaka, sibasengozini yokuhlaselwa futhi kubalula ‘ukuwiselwa phansi’ yibunzima ebesingabunqoba ngabe besingadananga. Ngezikhathi ezinjalo, isikhuthazo esisiphiwa ngabadala singavuselela intokozo kanye lamandla ethu; njengoba kusenzakala kwabanengi bethu. Udadewethu oliphayona oleminyaka engaphezu kwe-60 wathi: “Kulesikhathi lapho engangingezwa kuhle khona futhi lokuya ekutshumayeleni kungiqeda amandla. Omunye umdala wakunanzelela lokhu futhi wabuya wazoxoxa lami. Saba lengxoxo ekhuthazayo kakhulu sikhuluma ngenye indaba eseBhayibhilini. Ngawasebenzisa wonke amacebo angipha wona futhi lokhu kwanginceda kakhulu.” Waqhubeka wathi: “Umdala lo watshengisa ukuthi ulothando sibili ngokunanzelela isimo sami langokungisiza!” Kuyajabulisa sibili ukwazi ukuthi silabadala abasikhangela ngothando futhi njengo-Abhishayi wakudala, labo bahlala bezimisele ‘ukusihlenga.’“NGIYALITHANDA . . . KAKHULU”
15, 16. (a) Kungani abazalwane babemthanda kakhulu uPhawuli? (b) Kungani lathi sibathanda kakhulu abadala abasebandleni lethu?
15 Ukuba ngumelusi ngumsebenzi onzima kakhulu. Ngezinye izikhathi abadala kabalali ubusuku bonke becabanga futhi bekhulekela umhlambi kaNkulunkulu kumbe bencedisa abanye abakholwa labo. (2 Kor. 11:27, 28) Lanxa kunjalo, abadala baqhubeka besenza umsebenzi wabo ngentokozo langenhliziyo yonke njengoba loPhawuli wenza. Wabhalela abaseKhorinte wathi: “Mina ngizathokoza ngokuzinikela lokusetshenziswa ngokupheleleyo ngenxa yenu.” (2 Kor. 12:15) UPhawuli wayebathanda sibili abazalwane yikho wazinikela ngokuphelelyo ukuze abaqinise. (Bala u-2 KwabaseKhorinte 2:4; Flp. 2:17; 1 Thes. 2:8) Yikho abazalwane babemthanda kakhulu uPhawuli!—Imiseb. 20:31-38.
16 Lathi njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu namuhla siyabathanda kakhulu abadala abangamaKhhristu njalo siyambonga uJehova emithandazweni yethu ngokusipha bona. Bangezelela intokozo yethu ngokutshengisa ukuthi balendaba lathi. Bayasikhuthaza ekuhambeleni kwabo kokwalusa. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuyasijabulisa ukwazi ukuthi bahlala bekulungele ukusihlenga nxa sesiphela amandla ngenxa yenhlupho zomhlaba lo. Ngeqiniso, abadala abanje ‘basebenza lathi ukuze sithokoze.’
^ Abafowethu labodadewethu laba baphinda babuzwa omunye umbuzo othi, “Yibuphi ubuntu obuthanda kakhulu ebadaleni bebandla?” Inengi labo lathi, “Ukuba lobungane.” Ubuntu lobu obuqakathekileyo sizaxoxa ngabo esihlokweni esilandelayo sebhuku leli.