1. Khuyini ekufuze amaKrestu ayenze bona aqede umgijimo wokuphila?

AMAKRESTU asemgijimweni wokuphila. Yeke kufuze sigijime besifike entanjeni kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sineminyaka sisemgijimweni lo namkha sisand’ ukuthoma. Iseluleko umpostoli uPowula asinikela amaKrestu weFilipi singasikhuthaza bona siwuqede umgijimo lo. Amanye amalunga webandla leFilipeli besele aneminyaka alotjha uJehova nakafumana incwadi evela kuPowula. Bewagijima kuhle kodwana uPowula wawakhumbuza bona kufuze akghodlhelele emgijimweni lo. Yeke bekafuna amaKrestu lawo amlingise ngokuragela phambili ‘aphikelela emnqophweni wokufumana unongorwana.’—Flp. 3:14.

2. Kubayini iseluleko sakaPowula esiya ebandleni leFilipi safika ngesikhathi?

² Iseluleko uPowula asinikela amaKrestu weFilipi safika ngesikhathi. Kubayini? Ngombana besele kukade ibandlelo litlhoriswa. Koke lokhu kwathoma ngomnyaka wama-50 lokha uPowula noSilasi bamukela isimemo esivela kuZimu sokuthi ‘bayamele eMasedoniya.’ (IzE. 16:9) Nabafika endaweni le bafumana uLidiya ‘owabalalelako begodu uJehova wavula ihliziywakhe’ bona amukele iindaba ezimnandi. (IzE. 16:14) Wabhajadiswa kuhlanganise nabo boke ebebahlala emzinakhe. Nokho, uDeveli wathoma khonokho ukubanga imiraro. Amadoda wedorobheli arhudulela uPowula noSilasi ebabusini bendawo begodu abasola ngokubanga umguruguru. Umphumela waba kukuthi uPowula noSilasi babetjhwa, baphoswa ejele begodu ngemva kwesikhathi batjelwa ukuthi bakhambe edorobheneli. (IzE. 16:16-40) Kghani baphela amandla? Awa! Alo, amaKrestu webandla elitjha leFilipi enzani? Aba sibonelo esihle ngombana nawo akghodlhelela. Akunakuzaza ukuthi akhuthazwa sibonelo esihle sakaPowula noSilasi.

3. Khuyini uPowula ayilemuka, begodu ngimiphi imibuzo okuzokucocwa ngayo?

 ³ UPowula bekazimisele ukukghodlhelela. (2 Kor. 4:16) Nokho, bekazi ukuthi nakazakugijima umgijimo lo bekawuqede bekutlhogeka angawasusi amehlwakhe kunongorwana. Alo, isifundisani indaba kaPowula le? Ngiziphi iimbonelo zabantu abathembekileko esikhathini sethu ezitjengisa ukuthi singakghodlhelela naphezu kwemiraro? Ithemba lethu ngengomuso lingasisiza njani bona singapheli amandla?

4. UPowula wakghona njani ukuhlala amajadu emsebenzini kaJehova naphezu kobujamo bakhe?

⁴ Akhucabange ngobujamo bakaPowula nakatlolela beFilipi incwadi. Bekasibotjhwa esifumene isigwebo sokuhlala ngendlini. Yeke bekangakghoni ukuphuma ayokutjhumayela. Nanyana kunjalo, bekamajadu atjhumayeza abantu ebebazomvakatjhela begodu atlola neencwadi eziya emabandleni akude. Ngokufanako, amaKrestu amanengi angakghoni ukuphuma ayokutjhumayela ngebanga lokuluphala namkha ukugula asebenzisa woke amathuba bona atjhumayeze abantu abawavakatjhelako. Godu atjhumayeza abantu esingakghoni ukukhuluma nabo esimini ngokubatlolela iincwadi ezikhuthazako.

5. Ngokuya ngokwamezwi asemTlolweni webeFilipi 3:12-14, khuyini eyasiza uPowula bona angathikamezeki ekulotjheni uJehova?

⁵ UPowula akhenge avumele izinto ezihle namkha ezimbi azenzako bona zimthikameze ekulotjheni uJehova. Wabe wathi kuqakathekile ‘ukukhohlwa izinto ezingemva nawuzakuphikelela phambili ezintweni ezisezako,’ okutjho ukuqeda umgijimo. (Funda kwebeFilipi 3:12-14.) Ngiziphi izinto ebezingathikameza uPowula? Kokuthoma, ngaphambi kokuba mKrestu uPowula bekadumile esitjhabeni samaJuda ngombana bekaphumelele. Nanyana kunjalo, waqala izintwezo “njengeenzibi ezinengi.” (Flp. 3:3-8) Kwesibili, ngitjho nanyana bekungenzeka uzizwa amlandu ngebanga lokuthi wahlungaphaza amaKrestu, akhenge ayivumele imizwa leyo bona imkhandele ekulotjheni uJehova. Kwesithathu, akhenge acabange ukuthi izinto ezihle azenzele uJehova bezanele nokuthi angalisa ukumsebenzela ngamandla. Kunengi uPowula akufezako emsebenzini wokutjhumayela ngitjho nanyana kwafanele akghodlhelele iinlingo ezinengi, njengokubotjhwa, ukubetjhwa, ukukghadlhwa ngamatje, ukuphukelwa mkhumbi nokungabi nezambatho nokudla. (2 Kor. 11:23-27) Naphezu kwezinto aqalana nazo nazenzako, uPowula bekazi bona kufuze aragele phambili alotjha uJehova. Nathi kufuze senze njalo.

6. Ngiziphi “izinto ezingemva” ekufuze sizilibale?

⁶ Singamlingisa njani uPowula ‘ngokukhohlwa izinto ezingemva’? Abanye bethu kufanele sihlule imizwa yokuzibeka umlandu ngezono esazenza kade. Into engasisiza kukuthi sizibekele umgomo wokufunda ngesihlengo sakaKrestu. Ukuzipha isikhathi sokufunda, sicabangisise besithandaze ngesihloko esikhuthazakwesi kungasisiza khulu bona sinciphise amazizo wokuzibeka umlandu ngokungatlhogekiko. Yeke lokho kuzosisiza bona silise ukuzibetha ngezono uJehova asilibalele zona. Akhucabange ngesinye isifundo esisifunda kuPowula. Abanye hlangana nathi kungenzeka balisa umsebenzi obowungabenza banjinge. Lokho bakwenze ngombana bafuna ukusebenzela uJehova. Nangabe kunjalo, kuqakathekile bona sikhohlwe izinto ezingemva ngokungafisi izinto ebesinazo esazitjhiya ngemva. (Num. 11:4-6; UMtj. 7:10) “Izinto ezingemva,” zingahlanganisa nezinto esazifezako ehlanganweni kaJehova namkha iinlingo esazikghodlhelelako esikhathini esidlulileko. Kuliqiniso ukuthi ukukhumbula indlela uJehova asibusisa  nasisekela ngayo eminyakeni eyadlulako kungasisiza sitjhidele kuye. Nokho, asifuni ukucabanga bona simenzele koke uJehova yeke akusatlhogeki ukumsebenzela.—1 Kor. 15:58.

7. Ngokuya ngokomTlolo woku-1 kwebeKorinte 9:24-27, kutlhogekani bona sithumbe emgijimweni wokuphila? Nikela isibonelo.

⁷ UPowula wawazwisisa amezwi kaJesu nakathi: “Sebenzani budisi.” (Luk. 13:23, 24) UPowula bekazi ukuthi kufuze alingise uJesu ngokuthi asebenze budisi ukuphila kwakhe koke. Kungebangelo afanisa ukuphila kwamaKrestu nomgijimo. (Funda yoku-1 kwebeKorinte 9:24-27.) Umgijimi udzimelela entanjeni begodu akanaki izinto ezingamthikameza. Isibonelo salokho, abagijimi abagijima emadorobheni kanengi bagijima eendleleni ezizele iintolo. Akhuzibuze ukuthi umgijimi angajama na bona abukele izinto ezikhangiswa emafesidereni weentolo? Angekhe nangabe ufuna ukuthumba. Kunjalo nemgijimweni wokuphila, kufuze sibalekele izinto ezingasithikameza. Nasingalingisa uPowula ngokuthi sidzimelele kunongorwana begodu silotjhe uJehova ngokuzimisela sizowufumana umvuzo.

8. Ngiziphi iintjhijilo ezintathu esizokufunda ngazo?

⁸ Kwanjesi akhesifunde ngeentjhijilo ezintathu ezingasiqeda amandla. Isitjhijilo sokuthoma, kulokha izinto esizilindeleko nazibonakala ngasuthi ziyariyada. Isitjhijilo sesibili, kuphelelwa mamandla ngebanga lokuluphala. Isitjhijilo sesithathu, kuqalana nemiraro engapheliko. Kuzosisiza ukufunda ngokuthi abanye bazikghodlhelele njani iintjhijilwezi.—Flp. 3:17.

9. Ukungenzeki kwezinto esizilindeleko kungasithinta njani?

⁹ Ukungenzeki kwezinto esizilindeleko. Ngokwemvelo sinesifiso sokubona izinto ezihle esizithenjiswe nguJehova. Lokha umphorofidi kaJehova uRhabakhukhu nakakhuluma ngendlela afisa ngayo bona uJehova aqede ubumbi kwaJuda, uJehova wamtjela bona ahlale ‘akulindele.’ (Rhab. 2:3) Nanyana kunjalo, nasibona ngasuthi izinto esizilindeleko ziyariyada, singaphelelwa mamandla besinyefise ekusebenzeleni uZimu. (IzA. 13:12) Lokho khekwenzeka ngomnyaka wango-1914. Ngesikhatheso amaKrestu amanengi azesiweko bewalindele  ukufumana unongorwana wawo wokuya ezulwini. Kwathi lokha nakungenzekiko lokho, abathembekileko bakghona njani ukuqalana nobujamobo?

10. Abanye abatjhadikazi benzani lokha nakuriyada into ebebalindele bona yenzeke?

¹⁰ Akhucabange ngesibonelo samaKrestu amabili athembekileko akghona ukuqalana nomraro wokuphelelwa mamandla. UMfowethu uRoyal Spatz owabhajadiswa ngo-1908 aneminyaka ema-20, bekaqiniseka ngokuthi uzokuya ezulwini ingasikade. Lokha nakabawa udadwethu uPearl bona amtjhade ngomnyaka wango-1911, wathi: “Uyazi bona kuzokwenzekani ngo-1914. Yeke nangabe sizokutjhada kufuze sitjhade singamotjhi isikhathi.” Kghani abatjhadikazaba baphela amandla lokha nabangafumani unongorwanabo wokuya ezulwini ngo-1914? Awa, ngombana bebadzimelele ekwenzeni intando kaZimu ngokuthembeka ingasi ekufumaneni unongorwana wokuya ezulwini. Bebazimisele ukuliqeda ibanga labo nanyana bekufuze bakghodlhelele. Bakwenza lokho ngombana balotjha uJehova ngokuthembeka bekwaba sekufeni. Akunakuzaza bona usiqale ngabovu isikhathi lapho uJehova azokuzalisa zoke iinthembiso zakhe, azokususa khona ihlazo elisebizweni lakhe. Yeke ungaqiniseka ngokuthi zoke izintwezi zizokwenzeka ngesikhathi sakaJehova esifaneleko. Bekube sikhatheso, kwangathi soke singaba majadu ekulotjheni uZimu, singavumeli ukuriyada kwezinto esizilindeleko kusiqede amandla.

11-12. Kubayini singakghona ukuragela phambili silotjha uJehova ngitjho nanyana singasenamandla njengekuthomeni? Nikela isibonelo.

¹¹ Ukuphelelwa mamandla ngebanga lokuluphala. Umgijimi utlhoga amandla amanengi bona agijime kodwana wena akutlhogeki bona ube namandla anjalo nawuzakuba nobuhlobo obuqinileko noJehova bewumsebenzele. Ngitjho nalabo ababogabogako basafuna ukusebenzela uJehova ngendlela abangakghona ngayo. (2 Kor. 4:16) Isibonelo salokho, lokha uMfowethu u-Arthur Secord * nakaba neminyaka ema-88 ubudala besele asebenze iminyaka ema-55 eBethel, ngesikhatheso bekaluphele begodu agula. Yeke unesi obekamtlhogomela watjhidela kuye wamqala wathi: “Mfowethu uSecord umsebenzele khulu uJehova.” Nanyana kunjalo, uMfowethu u-Arthur bekangakadzimeleli emsebenzini awenzako. Yeke waqala unesi wamomotheka wathi: “Iye, lokho kuliqiniso kodwana akusizizinto esizenzileko eziqakathekileko. Kunalokho, okuqakathekileko kukuthi sihlale sithembekile.”

¹² Mhlamunye sele ulotjhe uJehova iminyaka eminengi begodu ukugula kukwenza ungasakghoni ukumlotjha njengekuthomeni. Nangabe kunjalo, ungapheli amandla. Kunalokho  qiniseka ngokuthi uJehova angekhe ayikhohlwa indlela omsebenzele ngayo ngokuthembeka esikhathini esidlulileko. (Heb. 6:10) Yeke okwanje khumbula bona akaqali ukuthi kungangani omenzela khona, kunalokho uthatjiswa kukuthi uzinikela kuye ngokupheleleko begodu wenza koke ongakghona ukukwenza bona umsebenzele. (Kol. 3:23) UJehova uyazwisisa ukuthi sinesono begodu akalindeli bona senze okungaphezu kwamandlethu.—Mar. 12:43, 44.

13. Khuyini okwenzeka ku-Anatoly noLidiya begodu lokho kusikhuthaza njani bona siragele phambili silotjha uJehova ngitjho nanyana siqalene neentjhijilo ezinengi?

¹³ Iintjhijilo ezingapheliko. Ezinye iinceku zakaJehova zikghodlhelele ubudisi nokutlhoriswa iminyaka eminengi. Nasi isibonelo salokho, u-Anatoly Melnik * bekaneminyaka eli-12 ubudala lokha uyise nakabotjhwako begodu wathunyelwa eSiberia endaweni emakhilomitha azii-7 000 kude nomndenakhe ebewuse Moldova. Kwathi ngemva komnyaka, u-Anatoly, unina, ugogo nobamkhulwakhe nabo bathunyelwa eSiberia. Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi bakghona ukuya esifundweni kwenye indawo kodwana bekufuze bakhambe ibanga elide elimakhilomitha ama-30, amakhaza bekakghadzisa umongo ngebanga lokuthi belikhithikile. UMfowethu uMelnik wabotjhwa iminyaka emithathu yoke akude nomkakhe uLidiya nomtazanyanabo obekanomnyaka ubudala. Naphezu kobudisi abaqalana nabo, u-Anatoly nomndenakhe baragela phambili nokulotjha uJehova ngokuthembeka. Sikhuluma nje u-Anatoly uneminyaka ema-82 ubudala begodu usebenza eKomidini yeGatja leCentral Asia. Yeke kwangathi singalingisa u-Anatoly noLidiya senze koke esingakwenza ekusebenzeleni uJehova begodu siragele phambili sikghodlhelela njengekuthomeni.—Gal. 6:9.

14. UPowula walemuka bona kufuze enzeni nakazakufumana unongorwana?

¹⁴ UPowula bekaqiniseka ukuthi uzowuqeda umgijimo begodu uzomfumana unongorwana. Ngebanga lokuthi bekamKrestu ozesiweko, bekaqale phambili ekufumaneni unongorwana “wokubizwa kwaphezulu kwakaZimu.” Yeke walemuka ukuthi nakazakufumana unongorwana lo kufuze ‘aphikelele.’ (Flp. 3:14) UPowula wasebenzisa umfanekiso okarisako bona asize abantu beFilipi ukuthi badzimelele kunongorwana.

15. UPowula wawusebenzisa njani umfanekiso wokuba sisakhamuzi nakakhuthaza amaKrestu weFilipi bona ‘aphikelele’?

¹⁵ UPowula wakhumbuza amaKrestu weFilipi  bona azizakhamuzi zezulwini. (Flp. 3:20) Kubayini bekufuze akukhumbule lokho? Kungombana ngesikhatheso abantu bebafuna ukuba zizakhamuzi zeRoma ngombana ukuba sisakhamuzi sakhona bekuzuzisa. * Nanyana kunjalo, amaKrestu azesiweko la bewazizakhamuzi zombuso ongcono khulu. Embusweni loyo bewazokufumana iimbusiso ezinengi. Nakumadaniswa nokuba zizakhamuzi zezulwini, ukuba sisakhamuzi seRoma bekuzuzisa kancani. Kungebangelo uPowula akhuthaza amaKrestu weFilipi bona ‘aziphathe ngendlela efanela iindaba ezimnandi ngoKrestu.’ (Flp. 1:27) Yeke nanamhlanjesi amaKrestu azesiweko abeka isibonelo esihle ngokuphikelela ekufumaneni unongorwana wokuphila okungapheliko ezulwini.

16. Kungakhathaliseki bona sinethemba lokuphila ezulwini namkha ephasini, ngokuya ngokomTlolo webeFilipi 4:6, 7 khuyini ekufuze siragele phambili nokuyenza?

¹⁶ Kungakhathaliseki bona sinethemba lokuphila ezulwini namkha epharadesi, soke kufuze siphikelele ekufumaneni unongorwana. Ngitjho nanyana sikghodlhelela izinto ezinengi kufanele singacabangi ngezinto ezidlulileko begodu kufuze singavumeli litho bona lisikhandele ekulotjheni uJehova. (Flp. 3:16) Kungenzeka sesilinde isikhathi eside bona iinthembiso zakaJehova zizaliseke namkha sesiluphele begodu sesiphelelwa mamandla. Kungenzeka sikghodlhelele ubudisi nokuhlunguphazwa iminyaka eminengi. Kinanyana ngibuphi ubujamo ‘ungatshwenyeki ngalitho.’ Kunalokho, iimbawo nokurabhela kwakho akwaziwe nguZimu begodu yena uzokupha ukuthula okudlula koke ukuzwisisa.—Funda kwebeFilipi 4:6, 7.

17. Sizokufunda ngani esihlokweni esilandelako?

¹⁷ Umgijimi ugijima khulu nasele azokuqeda umgijimo ukwenzela bona athumbe unongorwana, yeke nathi sidzimelela eenthembisweni ezihle zengomuso esizozifumana nasele siqede umgijimo. Sifuna ukuragela phambili sisebenza ngamandla ngendlela esingakghona ngayo. Singakghona njani ukukghodlhelela besiphikelele endleleni enqophileko? Isihloko esilandelako sizosisiza bona sazi izinto eziza qangi ekuphileni nokuthi ‘siqiniseke ngezinto eziqakatheke khulu.’—Flp 1:9, 10.