‘Izakhamuzi Zesikhatjhana’ Ephasini Elimbi
‘Izakhamuzi Zesikhatjhana’ Ephasini Elimbi
‘Boke laba ngokukholwa . . . batjengisa ngokukhanyako bona bazizakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasinapha.’—HEB. 11:13.
1. Wathini uJesu ngobujamo babalandeli bakhe malungana nephasi?
AKHULUMA ngabafundi bakhe uJesu wathi, ‘Basephasini.’ Kodwana wahlathulula: ‘Akhange barhuluphele iphasi, njengombana nami ngingasingewephasi.’ (Jwa. 17:11, 14) Ngalokho, uJesu wabutjho ngokukhanyako ubujamo babalandeli bakhe beqiniso malungana ‘nephaseli,’ uzimu walo okunguSathana. (2 Kor. 4:4) Ngitjho nanyana baphila ephasini elimbeli, angekhe babe yingcenye yalo. Ubujamo babo ephasini buzokuba ‘njengebeemfiki nezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana.’—1 Pit. 2:11.
Baphila ‘Njengezakhamuzi Zesikhatjhana’
2, 3. Kubayini kungathiwa u-Enoke, uNuwa, u-Abrahama noSara baphila ‘njengeemfiki nezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasini’?
2 Kusukela ngeenkhathi zekuthomeni, iinceku zakaJehova ezithembekileko bezihlukile ephasini labantu abangamhloniphi uZimu egade ziphila kilo. Ngaphambi kwakaKukhulamungu, u-Enoke, noNuwa ‘bakhamba noZimu weqiniso.’ (Gen. 5:22-24; 6:9) Bobabili bebabatjhumayeli abanesibindi bezahlulelo zakaJehova ephasini lakaSathana elimbi. (Funda ye-2 KaPitrosi 2:5; KaJuda 14, 15.) Ngombana bakhamba noZimu ephasini labantu abangamhloniphi uZimu, u-Enoke ‘wathabisa uZimu khulu’ noNuwa ‘wazibonakalisa anganamtjhapho hlangana nabantu besikhathi sakhe.’—Heb. 11:5; Gen. 6:9.
3 Bakhombelwa nguZimu, u-Abrahama noSara balisa ipilo emabothobotho ye-Uri lamaKaledi bamukela isitjhijilo sokuphila njengabozulani enarheni abangayaziko. (Gen. 11:27, 28; 12:1) Umpostoli uPowula watlola: “Ngokukholwa u-Abrahama walalela, mhlana uZimu ambizako athi akafuduke aye enarheni ayomabela yona ibe lilifa lakhe. Wafuduka-ke enarheni yekhabo, wakhamba angazi lapha aya khona. Ngokukholwa wahlala enarheni leyo ayithenjiswako asolo amqhamuki. Wahlala ngematendeni. Benza njalo nabo-Isaka, noJakobho ebebaziindlalifa kanye naye zalokho uZimu gade akwethembisileko.” (Heb. 11:8, 9) Malungana neenceku zakaJehova ezinjalo ezithembekileko, uPowula wathi: ‘Boke abantwaba bafa bakakarele ekukholweni. Azange bakwemukeliswe lokho ebebakuthenjisiweko, kodwana bakubona bathokoza ngakho kusesekude nabo. Batjengisa kamhlophe bona baziimfiki nezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasini.’—Heb. 11:13.
Isiyeleliso Kuma-Israyeli
4. Ngisiphi isiyeleliso ama-Israyeli asinikelwa ngaphambi kobana abe zizakhamuzi enarheni yawo?
4 Iinzukulwana zaka-Abrahama, ama-Israyeli, zaba zinengi zagcina zihlelwe bona zibe sitjhaba esinomthetho nenarha. (Gen. 48:4; Dut. 6:1) Abantu bakwa-Israyeli bekungakafuzi bakhohlwe bona uMnikazi wamambala wenarha yabo nguJehova. (Lef. 25:23) Bebanjengabaqatjhi abakateleleke bona bahloniphe iimfiso zoMnikazi wendawo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, bekufuze bakhumbule bona “umuntu akaphili ngoburotho kwaphela”; bekungakafuzi bavumele ukuphumelela ngokwezinto eziqalekako kubenze bakhohlwe uJehova. (Dut. 8:1-3) Ngaphambi kobana azinze enarheni yawo, ama-Israyeli anikelwa isiyeleliswesi: “UJehova uZimu wakho nekakungenisa enarheni afunga kibokhokho bakho, u-Abrahama, u-Isaka, noJakobho bona uzokunikela yona, amadorobho amahle naqalekako ongakhange uwakhe, nezindlu ezizele zoke izinto ezihle ezingakazaliswa nguwe, nemithombo eyenjiweko ongazange uyembe, imithi yesidiribe neye-oliva ongakayitjali, begodu uzabe sewuyidle waneliseka, zitjheje bona ungamkhohlwa uJehova.”—Dut. 6:10-12.
5. Kubayini uJehova amala u-Israyeli, begodu ngisiphi isitjhaba esitjha atjengisa umusakhe kiso?
5 Isiyeleliswesi besifanele. Ngesikhathi sakaNehemiya, isiqhema samaLefi sakhumbula ngokutlhuwa okwenzeka ngemva kobana ama-Israyeli athethe iNarha Yesithembiso. Ngemva kobana abantu bakwa-Israyeli bahlale eendlini zakanokutjho bananenala yokudla newayini, “bathoma ukudla baneliseka begodu bazimuka.” Bahlubuka kuZimu, bebabulala ngitjho nabaporofidi ebekabathumele bona babayelelise. UJehova wabalahlela emanabenabo. (Funda uNehemiya 9:25-27; Hos. 13:6-9) Ngokukhamba kwesikhathi, ngaphasi kokubusa kwamaRoma, amaJuda anganakholo besekamambi kangangobana abulala uMesiya othenjisiweko! UJehova wawala, watjengisa umusakhe esitjhabeni esitjha, u-Israyeli ongokomoya.—Mat. 21:43; IZe. 7:51, 52; Gal. 6:16.
‘Asisingebephasi’
6, 7. (a) Ungakuhlathulula njani lokho uJesu akutjho ngobujamo babalandeli bakhe malungana nephasi? (b) Kubayini amaKrestu weqiniso bekungakafuzi abe yingcenye yephasi lakaSathana?
6 Njengombana kutjengiswe ekuthomeni kwesihlokwesi, iHloko yebandla lobuKrestu, uJesu Krestu, wakwenza kwakhanya bona abalandeli bakhe ngeze babe yingcenye yephasi, iphasi lakaSathana elimbi. Msinyana ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, uJesu watjela abafundi bakhe: “Nengabe ningebephasi, yeke iphasi lizanithanda njengabalo. Kodwana nginikhethe kilo iphaseli, anisingebalo; ngikho iphasi linihloyileko nje.”—Jwa. 15:19.
7 Njengombana ubuKrestu burhatjheka, amaKrestu bekufanele na amukele iphasi, imikghwa yalo begodu abe yingcenye yalo? Awa. Kungakhathaliseki bona ahlalaphi, bekufuze azihlukanise ephasini lakaSathana. Iimnyaka engaba ma-30 ngemva kokufa kwakaKrestu, umpostoli uPitrosi watlolela amaKrestu ebekahlala eengcenyeni ezihlukahlukeneko zephasi leRoma: ‘Bazalwana, ngiyanibawa hle, njengombana niziimfiki nezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasineli, bona nilise iinkanuko zenyama ezilwa nemiphefumulo yenu. Philani ipilo elungileko hlangana nabangakholwako.’—1 Pit. 1:1; 2:11, 12.
8. Esinye isazimlando sabuhlathulula njani ubuhlobo bamaKrestu wokuthoma nephasi?
8 Siqinisekisa bona amaKrestu wokuthoma aziphatha ‘njengeemfiki nezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana’ ephasini leRoma, isazimlando uKenneth Scott Latourette satlola: “Kungenye yezinto ezaziwa khulu kezomlando bona eemnyakeni yabo emakhulu amathathu yokuthoma ubuKrestu baqalana netjhutjhiso eliphikelelako begodu ngokujayelekileko elimbi khulu . . . Bekasolwa ngezinto ezihlukahlukeneko. Ngombana amaKrestu bekangahlanganyeli emigidingweni yoburhedeni, bekuthiwa awakholelwa kuZimu. Ngebanga lokungazibandakanyi eentweni ezinengi ezenziwa mphakathi—njengemigidingo yoburhedeni, izinto ezithabisa umphakathi amaKrestu egade aziqala njengezizele iinkolelo zoburhedeni, imikghwa nokuziphatha okumbi—bekanyefulwa ngokobana abahloyi behlanga lesintu.”
Ukungalisebenzisi Ngokuzeleko Iphasi
9. NjengamaKrestu weqiniso, sikufakazela njani bona ‘asisibahloyi behlanga lesintu’?
9 Bunjani ubujamo namhlanjesi? Malungana ‘nephasi elikhohlakelekweli,’ ubujamo bethu buyafana nobamaKrestu wokuthoma. (Gal. 1:4) Ngebanga lalokho, abanengi abasizwisisi begodu abanye babo bayasihloya. Kodwana, ngokuqinisekileko ‘asisibahloyi behlanga lesintu.’ Ngebanga lokuthanda abantu esikunye nabo, sikhamba indlu ngendlu, senza koke esingakwenza ukuhlanganyela nomunye nomunye umhlali ‘iindaba ezimnandi zombuso kaZimu.’ (Mat. 22:39; 24:14) Senza lokho ngombana siyaqiniseka bona urhulumende woMbuso kaJehova ngaphasi kwakaKrestu msinyana uzokuqeda ukubusa kwabantu abangakapheleli, ukujamiselele ngephasi elitjha elilungileko.—Dan. 2:44; 2 Pit. 3:13.
10, 11. (a) Silisebenzisa njani ngokulinganiselweko iphasi? (b) Ngiziphi ezinye iindlela amaKrestu aphaphemeko abalekela ngazo ukusebenzisa iphasi ngokuzeleko?
10 Sicabanga ngokuphela kwephaseli okuseduze khulu, njengeenceku zakaJehova siyatjheja bona akunasikhathi sokuzigedla ephasini elifakweli. Kutlhogeka silalele amezwi kaPowula athi: ‘Bazalwane, nginqophe ukutjho bona isikhathi esiseleko sifitjhani. Kusukela kwanjesi . . . abathengako akwenzeke sengathi abananto. Labo abaphathelene nezinto zephaseli akube sengathi abakathintani nazo, ngombana isimo sephaseli siyadlula.’ (1 Kor. 7:29-31) Kodwana, amaKrestu wanamhlanjesi alisebenzisa njani iphasi? Enza lokho ngokusebenzisa itheknoloji yanamhlanjesi neendlela zokuthintana ukurhatjha ilwazi leBhayibhili ephasini loke ngamakhulu weenlimi. Asebenzisa iphasi ngokulingeneko bona aziphilise. Athenga izinto ezitlhogekako neenkonzo ezifumaneka ephasini. Nokho, abalekela ukusebenzisa iphasi ngokuzeleko ngokubulunga izinto eziphathekako nomsebenzi usendaweni efaneleko.—Funda 1 KuThimothi 6:9, 10.
11 AmaKrestu aphaphemeko abalekela ukusebenzisa iphasi ngokuzeleko malungana nefundo ephakemeko. Abantu abanengi ephasineli baqala ifundo ephakemeko njengokuphela kwendlela yokufumana idumo noburego. Kodwana thina maKrestu siphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana begodu sineemnqopho ehlukileko. Sibalekela “ukutjheja izinto eziphakemeko.” (Rom. 12:16, NW; Jer. 45:5) Njengombana sibalandeli bakaJesu, silalela isiyeleliso sakhe: “Lemukani nizitjheje nina bona ningabi marhamaru, ngombana ipilo yomuntu ayibanjwa zizinto anazo, ngitjho namtjhana angaba sikhumukani esingangani.” (Luka 12:15) Ngebanga lalokho, amaKrestu amatjha akhuthazwa bona alwele ukuba neminqopho engokomoya, afumana ifundo etlhogekako ukuhlangabezana neentlhogo ezisisekelo kukulapho adzimelela ekubhinceleni ukukhonza uJehova ‘ngehliziyo yawo yoke, nangomphefumulo wawo woke, nangamandla wawo woke, nangomkhumbulo wawo woke.’ (Luka 10:27) Ngokwenza njalo, ‘anganotha ngehlangothini lakaZimu.’—Luka 12:21; funda uMatewu 6:19-21.
Balekela Ukudisibezwa Matshwenyeko Wokuphila
12, 13. Ukulalela amezwi kaJesu akuMatewu 6:31-33 kusenza njani sihluke ebantwini bephasi?
12 Iinceku zakaJehova azifani nabantu bephasi endleleni eziqala ngayo izinto eziqalekako. Malungana nalokhu, uJesu watjela abalandeli bakhe: “Ningathomi nitshwenyeke, nithi: ‘Alo-ke sizagomani, siseleni, simbatheni na? Lezi zizinto abangakholwako abahlala bazifuna. Uyihlo osezulwini uyazi bona niyazitlhoga zoke iintwezi. Kunalokho, funani qangi umbuso kaZimu nalokho yena akufunako kini, yena uzanipha zoke ezinye izinto.” (Mat. 6:31-33) Kokuhlangabezanwe nakho komuntu mathupha, abakhulekeli esikunye nabo abanengi bafumene bona uBabethu wezulwini uyabanikela abakutlhogako.
13 “Okungiyo inzuzo ekulu kukobana simlotjhe uZimu, saneliswe ngilokho esinakho.” (1 Thi. 6:6) Lokho kuphambene khulu nombono wabantu bephasi lanamhlanjesi. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu abatjha nebatjhadako, inengi labo lilindela ukuba ‘nakho koke’ khonokho—indlu namtjhana ifledzi enazo zoke iinsetjenziswa nefenitjhara, ikoloyi ehle, nezinto ze-elekthronikhi zamva. Nokho, amaKrestu aphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana awavumeli iimfiso zawo zibe ngaphezu kwalokho okunengqondo nalokho angakghona ukukwenza. Kwamambala, kuyabukwa bona amanengi akhetha ukungabi nezinto eziphathekako ezithileko ukwenzela bona anikele ngamandla nesikhathi esingeziweko ekonzweni kaJehova njengabatjhumayeli boMbuso abatjhisekako. Amanye akhonza njengamaphayona, eBethel, emsebenzini wokubhoda, namtjhana njengeenthunywa zevangeli. Qala bona soke siyibuka kangangani ikonzo yehliziyo yoke yabakhulekeli bakaJehova esikunye nabo!
14. Singafundani emfanekisweni kaJesu womhlanyeli?
14 Emfanekiswenakhe womhlanyeli, uJesu wathi “amatshwenyeko ngepilo le, nethando lobugwili” kungaminyanisa ilizwi lakaZimu eenhliziyweni zethu kusenze singatheli. (Mat. 13:22) Ukuphila ngokwaneliseka njengezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasineli kusisiza sibalekele ukuwela esithiywenesi. Kunalokho, kusenza sibulunge ilihlo lethu ‘lilungile,’ namtjhana lidzimelele, liqale endleleni yinye eya eMbusweni kaZimu sibeke neenkareko zawo endaweni yokuthoma ekuphileni kwethu.—Mat. 6:22.
‘Iphasi Liyadlula’
15. Ngimaphi amezwi wompostoli uJwanisi anomthelela embonweni wamaKrestu weqiniso malungana nephaseli?
15 Unobangela osisekelo wokobana njengamaKrestu weqiniso siziqale ‘njengeemfiki nezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana’ ephasineli, kuqiniseka kwethu bona ukuphela kwalo kutjhidele. (1 Pit. 2:11; 2 Pit. 3:7) Umbono lo unomthelela eenquntweni neemfisweni zethu. Umpostoli uJwanisi waluleka abakhulekeli akunye nabo bona bangathandi iphasi namtjhana izinto ezisephasini ngombana “iphasi nakho koke abantu abakufunako kilo kuyadlula; kodwana loyo owenza intando kaZimu unokuphila okungapheliko.”—1 Jwa. 2:15-17.
16. Singatjengisa njani bona sihlukaniswe saba sitjhaba esihlukileko?
16 Ama-Israyeli atjelwa bona nekangalalela uJehova, azokuba ‘yipahla yakhe ekhethekileko kizo zoke iintjhaba.’ (Eks. 19:5) Nekathembekileko, ama-Israyeli bekahlukile kezinye iintjhaba ngokukhulekela nendlela yokuphila. Ngokufanako namhlanjesi, uJehova uzihlukanisele isitjhaba esihluke ngokutjhejekako ephasini lakaSathana. Sitjelwa bona: “Silise ubumbi neenkanuko zephasi, siphile ngokuziphatha, nangokulunga, nangokusaba uZimu ephasinapha, njengombana silindele ilangelo elibusisiweko esiliqale ngethemba, mhlana iphazimulo kaZimu neyoMphulusi wethu uJesu Krestu, iyobonakala ngalo. Yena wazinikela ngebanga lethu, ze asiphephise ekukhohlakaleni koke, asenze abahlanzekileko, khona sizaba ngebakhe yedwa, sizimisele ukwenza okulungileko.” (Tit. 2:11-14) ‘Abangabakhe’ babandakanya amaKrestu azesiweko neengidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zakaJesu, ezibasekelako.—Jwa. 10:16.
17. Kubayini abazesiweko nabangani babo bangeze bazisole ngokuba zizakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasini elimbeli?
17 ‘Ithemba elithabisako’ labazesiweko kubusa noKrestu ezulwini. (ISam. 5:10) Nasele ithemba lezinye izimvu lokuphila okungapheliko ephasini lizalisekile, ngeze zisaba zizakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasini elimbi. Zizokuba nezindlu ezihle nenala yokudla neenselo. (Rha. 37:10, 11; Isa. 25:6; 65:21, 22) Ngokungafani nama-Israyeli, ngeze zikhohlwe bona koke lokhu kuvela kuJehova, “uZimu wephasi loke.” (Isa. 54:5) Abazesiweko nezinye izimvu ngeze bazisole ngokuba zizakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasini elimbeli.
Ungaphendula Njani?
• Kungayiphi indlela amadoda wekholo wekadeni aphila njengezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana?
• AmaKrestu wokuthoma aziphatha njani malungana nephasi?
• AmaKrestu weqiniso akulinganisela njani ukusebenzisa kwawo iphasi?
• Kubayini singeze sizisole ngokobana siphile njengezakhamuzi zesikhatjhana ephasini elimbeli?
[Iimbuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
AmaKrestu wokuthoma akubalekela ukuzithabisa okunenturhu nokuziphatha okumbi
