1, 2. (a) AmaKhristu aseJudiya ehlelwa yibuphi ubunzima? (b) Yisiphi isenzo esatshengisa amaKhristu aseJudiya ukuthi ayethandeka?

YIMINYAKA yabo-46 C.E., njalo umangoye uselala eziko lapha eJudiya. Abafundi bakaKhristu abangamaJuda abahlala lapha kabenelisi ukuthenga amabele ngenxa yokuthi lamalutshwana aseleyo asedula okwamagama. Babulawa yindlala, sebeze besidla ingqweqwe zomlomo. Kodwa sekuseduze nje ukuthi uJehova avikele lababafundi bakaKhristu ngendlela abangakaze bayibone. Kuyini osekuzakwenzakala?

² AmaKhristu angamaJuda laweZizwe ase-Antiyokhi, eSiriya, ayakhathazeka kakhulu nxa kufika ezindlebeni zawo ukuthi amaKhristu angamaJuda aseJerusalema laseJudiya ayahlupheka, yikho aqoqa izipho ukuze awasize. Ngemva kwalokho akhetha uBhanaba loSawuli, abazalwane abathembekileyo phakathi kwawo ukuthi bahambise izipho lezi ebadaleni bebandla laseJerusalema. (Bala imiSebenzi 11:​27-​30; 12:​25.) Kumele ukuthi abazalwane baseJudiya ababedinga uncedo bajabula kakhulu ngesenzo lesi esasitshengisa ukuthi abafowabo base-Antiyokhi babebathanda!

3. (a) Abantu bakaNkulunkulu lamuhla basilingisela njani isibonelo samaKhristu okuqala ase-Antiyokhi? Nika isibonelo. (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Usizo Olukhulu Lokuqala Ezinsukwini Zalamuhla.”) (b) Sizaphendula yiphi imibuzo esahlukweni lesi?

³ Isenzakalo lesi sangekhulu lokuqala C.E. ngesokuqala eBhayibhilini esisitshela ngamaKhristu ahlala elizweni elithile athumela usizo kwamanye amaKhristu ahlala kwelinye ilizwe. Lamuhla silandela isibonelo sabafowethu base-Antiyokhi. Nxa singezwa ukuthi abafowethu kwenye indawo behlelwe ngumonakalo kumbe ubunzima obuthile, kasidondi ukubasiza. * Ukuze sizwisise ukuthi ukunceda abafowethu abehlelwe ngumonakalo kungenelana njani lenkonzo yethu, kasihloleni imibuzo le emithathu ephathelane lenkonzo yokusiza: Kungani sisithi umsebenzi wokusiza abanye uyinkonzo? Kungani sibasiza? Isinceda njani inkonzo yokusiza?

4. UPhawuli wabatshela wathini abaseKhorinte ngenkonzo yamaKhristu?

⁴ Encwadini yesibili ayibhalela abaseKhorinte, uPhawuli wachaza ukuthi inkonzo yamaKhristu ikabili. Lanxa incwadi le yayibhalelwe amaKhristu agcotshiweyo, amazwi akhe ayasebenza ‘lakwezinye izimvu’ zikaKhristu lamuhla. (Joh. 10:​16) Ingxenye yokuqala yenkonzo yethu ‘yimfundiso yokubuyisana,’ okutsho umsebenzi wokutshumayela lokufundisa. (2 Khor. 5:​18-​20; 1 Tim. 2:​3-6) Eyesibili igoqela inkonzo esiyenzela abafowethu esikholwa labo. UPhawuli wayibiza ngokuthi ‘yikusebenzela abangcwele.’ (2 Khor. 8:4) Ibala elithi “imfundiso” lelithi ‘ukusebenzela,’ ahumutsha ibala lesiGiriki elithi di·a·ko·niʹa elitsho “inkonzo.” Kungani ukwazi lokhu kuqakathekile?

5. Kungani kuqakathekile ukuthi uPhawuli wabiza umsebenzi wokusiza abanye ngokuthi uyinkonzo?

 ⁵ UPhawuli wachaza izinkonzo zombili ngebala lesiGiriki elifananayo ukuze atshengise ukuthi umsebenzi wokusiza abanye wawufanana lezinye izinhlobo zezinkonzo ezazisenziwa ebandleni lamaKhristu. Wayeke wathi: ‘Kukhona izinkonzo ezehlukeneyo, kodwa iNkosi yinye. Kukhona imisebenzi yamandla eyehlukeneyo, . . . Konke lokhu kungumsebenzi walowomoya munye.’ (1 Khor. 12:​4-​6, 11, The Holy Bible in Ndebele) UPhawuli waphinda watshengisa ukuthi izinkonzo ezitshiyeneyo ezenziwa libandla ‘ziyinkonzo engcwele.’ * (Rom. 12:​1, 6-8, NW) Yikho kungamangalisi ukuthi wakubona kufanele ukuthi asebenzise esinye isikhathi sakhe ukuze ‘akhonze abangcwele’!​—Rom. 15:​25, 26, TBS.

6. (a) Ngokwencazelo kaPhawuli, kungani umsebenzi wokusiza abanye uyingxenye yokukhonza kwethu? (b) Chaza ukuthi umsebenzi wethu wokusiza abehlelwe ngumonakalo wenziwa njani emhlabeni wonke lamuhla. (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Lapho Kusiba Lengozi!”)

⁶ UPhawuli wanceda abaseKhorinte ukuthi bazwisise ukuthi kungani umsebenzi wokusiza abanye wawuyingxenye yenkonzo yabo futhi uyikukhonza uJehova. Khangela indlela akubeka ngayo: AmaKhristu anceda abanye ngenxa ‘yokulalela okukanye lokuvuma ivangeli likaKhristu.’ (2 Khor. 9:​13) Yikho-ke amaKhristu asiza akholwa lawo ngenxa yokuthi afuna ukwenza lokho uKhristu awafundisa khona. UPhawuli uthi lokho abakwenzela abafowabo ngomusa kungenxa ‘yomusa ongelamkhawulo uNkulunkulu abanika wona.’ (2 Khor. 9:​14; 1 Phet. 4:​10) Ngakho iNqabayokulinda kaDecember 1, 1975 eyakhuluma ngokunceda abafowethu abadinga usizo, okugoqela abehlelwe ngumonakalo, yakubeka kuhle yathi: “Akumelanga sithandabuze ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu leNdodana yakhe uJesu Khristu bayayiqakathekisa kakhulu inkonzo le.” Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi umsebenzi wokusiza abanye uyinkonzo engcwele eqakatheke kakhulu.​—Rom. 12:​1, 7; 2 Khor. 8:7; Heb. 13:16.

7, 8. Yisiphi isizatho sethu sokuqala sokwenza inkonzo yokusiza? Chaza.

⁷ Kungani sisiza abahlelwe ngumonakalo? UPhawuli waphendula umbuzo lo encwadini yakhe yesibili ayibhalela abaseKhorinte. (Bala u-2 Khorinte 9:11-15.) Emavesini la, uPhawuli uveza izinhloso loba izizatho ezintathu ezinkulu zokwenza “umsebenzi lo,” okutsho umsebenzi wokunceda abehlelwe ngumonakalo. Ake sihlole isizatho sinye ngasinye.

⁸ Okokuqala, inkonzo yethu yokusiza idumisa uJehova. Uyakunanzelela ukuthi emavesini la amahlanu umphostoli uPhawuli ukhuluma kangaki ngoJehova uNkulunkulu? Ubakhumbuza ‘ngokubongwa kukaNkulunkulu’ kanye ‘lamazwi amanengi okubonga uNkulunkulu.’ (Amavesi 11, 12) Ukhuluma langokuthi ukusiza abaphakathi kobunzima kwenza amaKhristu ‘adumise uNkulunkulu,’ lokuthi adumise ‘umusa ongelamkhawulo uNkulunkulu abanike wona.’ (Amavesi 13, 14) Kanti njalo uPhawuli uphetha amazwi akhe aphathelane lenkonzo yokusiza ngokuthi: “Kabongwe uNkulunkulu.”​—Ivesi 15; 1 Phet. 4:11.

9. Ukuncedisa abehlelwe ngumonakalo kungayintshintsha njani imibono yabantu? Nika isibonelo.

⁹ Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu lamuhla zilingisela uPhawuli,  zibona ukusiza abanye kulithuba lokudumisa uJehova lelokwenza imfundiso yakhe ibe ngehugayo. (1 Khor. 10:​31; Tit. 2:​10) Khona vele ukusiza abafowethu abaphakathi kobunzima kuyancedisa ekuntshintsheni imibono engaqondanga abanye abantu abalayo ngoJehova laboFakazi bakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, owesifazane othile ohlala endaweni eyahlaselwa yisiphepho esikhulu wayefake ibhakane esivalweni elalisithi: “BoFakazi bakaJehova​—Lingangeni.” Kwasekusithi ngelinye ilanga wabona izisebenzi ezincedisa lapho okulomonakalo khona zilungisa indlu eyayiphetsheya komgwaqo. Kwathatha izinsuku elokhu ezibona izisebenzi lezi ezazilomusa, waze wacina esiyabuza ukuthi zazingobani. Wathi esizwa ukuthi izisebenzi lezi ezazingabhadalwa zazingoFakazi bakaJehova, watsha amathe wasesithi: “Bengilombono ongayisiwo ngani lina bantu.” Kwaphetha ngani? Wacina elikhiphile ibhakane elalisesivalweni sakhe.

10, 11. (a) Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi siyayifeza inhloso yethu yesibili yokusiza abanye. (b) Yiliphi ibhukwana elisiza izisebenzi ezincedisa lapho okube lengozi khona? (Khangela ibhokisi elithi “ Okunye Okunceda Izisebenzi Ezisiza Abahlelwe Yizingozi.”)

¹⁰ Okwesibili, ‘siqeda izinswelo’ zalabo esikhonza labo. (2 Khor. 9:12a) Sizimisele ukuncedisa abafowethu labodadewethu ngezinswelo zabo lokuthi sehlise ukuhlupheka kwabo. Ngenxa yani? Ngenxa yokuthi amalunga ebandla lamaKhristu ‘amzimba munye,’ njalo nxa “kuhlupheka isitho sinye, izitho zonke zihlupheka kanye laso.” (1 Khor. 12:​20, 26, TBS) Yikho-ke uthando lesihawu kwenza ukuthi abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi lamuhla bangacabangi kabili nxa bethola umbiko wokuthi abakhonza labo sebewelwe ngumonakalo, bahle badobhe amathuluzi abo bagijimele khona ukuze bayesiza abafowabo. (Jak. 2:​15, 16) Ngokwesibonelo ngemva kwezikhukhula ezesabekayo eJapan ngo-2011, igatsha lase-United States lathumela izincwadi kumaKhomithi Ezabelo Abona Ngezokwakha licela “abazalwane abalutshwana abafaneleyo” ababengancedisa ekwakheni kutsha amaWolu oMbuso eJapan. Bathini abazalwane? Ngamaviki amalutshwana nje, amavolontiya aphose abe ngu-600 abhalisa ukuyancedisa khonale njalo athi ayezazibhadalela imali yendizamtshina! Iwofisi yegatsha ye-United States yathi: “Iyasimangalisa indlela abantu abasukumele phezulu ngayo.” Omunye umfowethu waseJapan wathi ebuza omunye owayevela kwelinye ilizwe ukuthi kungani wayezoncedisa, waphendula wathi: “‘Simzimba munye’ labafowethu abaseJapan. Siyabuzwa ubuhlungu ababuzwayo.” Kwezinye izikhathi izisebenzi ezisizayo bezifaka lokuphila kwazo engozini zizama ukunceda abafowabo ngenxa yokuthi zilothando lokuzidela. *​—1 Joh. 3:16.

¹¹ Abantu abangayisibo boFakazi labo bayawuncoma umsebenzi wethu wokusiza abasebunzimeni. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva komonakalo owabase-Arkansas e-U.S.A. ngo-2013, elinye iphephandaba labika ngendlela amavolontiya angoFakazi asukumela phezulu ngayo lathi: “OFakazi bakaJehova bahlela amavolontiya abo ngendlela emangalisayo okokuthi masinyane nje bayabe sebefikile lapho okulomonakalo khona.” Njengoba nje  umphostoli uPhawuli watsho, siyazama sibili ‘ukuqeda’ izinswelo zabafowethu.

12-14. (a) Kungani kuqakatheke kakhulu ukuthi sifeze inhloso yethu yesithathu yokusiza abanye? (b) Kuyini okwatshiwo ngabanye okutshengisa ukuqakatheka kokuqhubeka sisenza yonke imisebenzi ephathelane lokukhonza?

¹² Okwesithathu, sisiza abasebunzimeni ukuze baphinde benelise ukwenza konke okuphathelane lokukhonza. Kungani lokhu kuqakathekile? UPhawuli uthi labo abathola usizo bazazizwa befuna ukutsho “amazwi amanengi okubonga uNkulunkulu.” (2 Khor. 9:12b) Ikhona yini indlela engcono abangabonga ngayo uJehova eyedlula ukuthi baphinde babuyele masinyane endleleni abavele bekhonza ngayo? (Flp. 1:​10) INqabayokulinda ka-1945 yathi: ‘UPhawuli wathi kuqoqwe iminikelo ngenxa yokuthi yayizasiza abazalwane abangamaKhristu ababehlupheka ukuthi bake baphumule ukukhathazeka ngezinto zokuphila, okwakuzabasiza ukuthi bakhululeke njalo babe lomdlandla wokwenza umsebenzi kaJehova wokutshumayela.’ Lathi lamuhla sifuna ukwenza njalo. Nxa abafowethu sebebuyele emsebenzini wokutshumayela, bayaqinisa omakhelwane babo abakhathazekileyo, kanti njalo bona ngokwabo bayaduduzeka.​—Bala u-2 Khorinte 1:​3, 4.

¹³ Nanku okwatshiwo ngabanye abathola usizo ababeludinga kakhulu, baqalisa ukutshumayela njalo baduduzeka. Omunye umzalwane wathi: “Kwakuyisibusiso ukuthi imuli yethu iye ekutshumayeleni. Ukududuza abanye kwasenza sakhohlwa kancane ngezinkathazo zethu.” Omunye udadewethu wathi: “Ukwenza imisebenzi ephathelane lokukhonza kwangenza ngakhohlwa okwesikhatshana ngomonakalo owawusendaweni yakithi. Kwangenza ngahlaliseka.” Omunye futhi udadewethu wathi: “Lanxa sasingelamandla okulungisa okwasekonakele, ukutshumayela kwenza imuli yethu yakhumbula ukuthi kuyini esikulindeleyo. Ukutshela abanye ngethemba lethu lomhlaba omutsha kwasenza saqiniseka ukuthi zonke izinto zizakwenziwa zibe zintsha sibili.”

¹⁴ Okunye okumele kwenziwe masinyane ngabafowethu abehlelwe ngumonakalo yikungena imihlangano. Cabanga ngalokho okwenzakala kudadewethu okuthiwa nguKiyoko owayeleminyaka ephose ibe ngu-60 ngesikhathi kusiba lesikhukhula esikhulu. Impahla yakhe yonke yathathwa ngamanzi wasala lezigqoko lamanyathela ayekugqokile kuphela, wayengasakwazi lokuthi wayesezaphila ngani. Umdala othile wasemtshela ukuthi babezakuba lomhlangano wamaviki onke emoteni yakhe. UKiyoko uthi: “Emoteni kwakulomdala othile lomkakhe, lomunye udadewethu lami. Umhlangano lo wawungelazinto ezinengi, kodwa okwaba yisimanga kimi yikuthi imicabango yesikhukhula engangilayo yanyamalala. Ngazizwa ngihlaliseka engqondweni. Umhlangano lo wangitshengisa ukuthi imihlangano yobuKhristu ilamandla.” Omunye udadewethu wakhuluma ngemihlangano ayingenayo ngemva komonakalo othile wathi: “Yangisiza ukuthi ngiqhubeke ngikhuthazela!”​—Rom. 1:​11, 12; 12:12.

15, 16. (a) Yiziphi izibusiso ezazizatholwa ngamaKhristu ayeseKhorinte lakwezinye izindawo ngokusiza abanye? (b) Sithola ziphi izibusiso lathi lamuhla nxa sisiza abanye?

¹⁵ Ngesikhathi ehluza udaba lwenkonzo yokunceda abanye, uPhawuli wakhuluma langezibusiso ezazizatholwa ngabaseKhorinte kanye lamanye amaKhristu ayezakwenza inkonzo le. Wathi: “Ekulikhulekeleni kwabo, izinhliziyo zabo [amaKhristu angamaJuda aseJerusalema ayesiziwe] zizakuba kini, ngenxa yomusa ongelamkhawulo uNkulunkulu alinike wona.” (2 Khor. 9:​14) Limqotho sibili, umusa wabaseKhorinte wawuzakwenza ukuthi amaKhristu angamaJuda akhulekele abazalwane bawo baseKhorinte labeZizwe, njalo ayezasala ebathanda kakhulu.

¹⁶ INqabayokulinda kaDecember 1, 1945 yatshengisa ukuthi amazwi kaPhawuli aphathelane lokuthi umsebenzi wokusiza abanye unceda ngani, asebenza njani lamuhla, yathi: “Nxa elinye iqembu labantu bakaNkulunkulu abangcwele linikela ukuze lisize elinye elisebunzimeni, ayamanyana kakhulu!” Yiyo kanye indlela izisebenzi ezisiza abehlelwe ngumonakalo ezizizwa ngayo lamuhla. Umdala owayencedisa kwenye indawo eyayilesikhukhula uthi: “Ukusiza abehlelwe ngumonakalo kwangenza ngazizwa ngibathanda kakhulu abafowethu ukwedlula loba nini.” Omunye udadewethu owabonga kakhulu ngosizo alutholayo wakubeka kanje, “Ukuthandana kwethu labazalwane bethu kufanana lokuba sePharadayisi lapha emhlabeni.”​—Bala iZaga 17:17.

17. (a) Amazwi aku-Isaya 41:​13 asebenza njani emsebenzini wokusiza abanye? (b) Nika izibonelo ezitshengisa ukuthi umsebenzi wokusiza abanye udumisa uNkulunkulu lokuthi wenza simanyane. (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Izisebenzi Ezivela Emazweni Amanengi Zizosiza.”)

¹⁷ Nxa izisebenzi ezisiza abanye zifika lapho okulomonakalo khona, abafowethu bakuleyo ndawo bakuzwisisa  ngcono ukuba liqiniso kwesithembiso sikaNkulunkulu esithi: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, okubamba ngesandla sakho sokudla athi kuwe: Ungesabi; ngizakusiza.” (Isaya. 41:​13) Omunye udadewethu owasinda kwesinye isehlakalo wathi: “Ngaswela lokuthi ngibambe ngaphi ngibona umonakalo owawudalekile, kodwa uJehova wangibamba ngesandla sakhe. Ngiyehluleka lokuyichaza indlela abafowethu abanginceda ngayo.” Abadala ababili babhala incwadi bemela amabandla abo ngemva komonakalo othile owabhidliza indawo yakibo, bathi: “Ukuzamazama komhlaba kwasihlukuluza kakhulu, kodwa sazibonela ngawethu uJehova esisiza esebenzisa abafowethu. Sasike sabala ngomsebenzi wokusiza abasebunzimeni, kodwa khathesi siwubonile usenzakala phambi kwamehlo ethu.”

18. Ungenzani nxa ufuna ukuncedisa emsebenzini wokusiza abanye? (Khangela lebhokisi elithi “ Wantshintsha Ukuphila Kwakhe.”)

¹⁸ Uyafuna yini ukuzwa ukuthi ukusiza abanye kumnandi kangakanani? Nxa kunjalo, hlala ukhumbula ukuthi izisebenzi ezisiza abanye zijayele ukukhethwa kulabo abasebenza ukwakha amaWolu oMbuso. Ngakho tshela abadala bebandla lakho ukuthi ufisa ukufila ifomu lomsebenzi lo. Umdala oseleminyaka eminengi esenza umsebenzi wokusiza abanye uyasilimukisa esithi: “Akumelanga uye endaweni lapho okulomonakalo khona nxa ungazange ubizwe yiKhomithi Yokusiza.” Lokhu kuzakwenza ukuthi umsebenzi wethu wokusiza abasebunzimeni wenziwe ngokuhleleka okukhulu.

19. Izisebenzi ezisiza labo abehlelwe ngumonakalo zitshengisa njani ukuthi singabalandeli bakaKhristu beqiniso?

¹⁹ Umsebenzi wokusiza abanye uyindlela eqakathekileyo yokulalela umlayo kaKhristu othi ‘kumele sithandane.’ Nxa sithandana ngendlela le, sitshengisa ukuthi singabafundi bakaKhristu sibili. (Joh. 13:​34, 35) Kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukuthi lamuhla silezisebenzi ezinengi ezizinikeleyo, ezizimisele ukudumisa uJehova ngokusiza labo abasekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngokwethembeka!