Ukuthaba Ethembeni Lethu
Ukuthaba Ethembeni Lethu
‘Kunethemba lepilo engapheliko, uZimu ongakhulumi amala, wasithembisa ipilo le ngaphambilini.’—TIT. 1:2.
UKUBUYEKEZA
Sazi njani bona kuba nethabo ezulwini omunye wabazesiweko nekabulunga ikambo yokuphila yokuthembeka?
Ukuzaliseka kwethemba lezinye izimvu kuhlobene njani nethemba labazesiweko?
Ukubona ithemba lethu lizaliseka, ngiziphi ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezicwengileko’ ‘nezokuphila ngokumesaba uZimu’ okufuze sizitjengise?
1. Ithemba uJehova asinikele lona lingasisiza njani sikghodlhelele?
UJEHOVA ‘nguZimu opha ithemba.’ Watjho njalo umpostoli uPowula, angezelela bona uJehova ‘angasenza sithabe sithokoze sibe nokuthula, njengombana sikholwa nguye, ithemba lethu lande ngamandla womoya ocwengileko.’ (Rom. 15:13) Nengabe sinethemba elikhulu, sizokukghona ukukghodlhelela nanyana ngibuphi ubujamo obungaphakama, iinhliziyo zethu zizele ithabo nokuthula. Njengombana kunjalo ngamaKrestu azesiweko, ithemba elinjalo lizokuba “njengesikhonkhwani esiqinileko somphefumulo, linzinze” nakwamanye amaKrestu. (Heb. 6:18, 19) Ithemba lethu yinto esinganamathela kiyo phakathi namawuruwuru wokuphila, lingokuthileko okuzosisiza singarhurhuleki ngokuzaza namtjhana ngokutlhoga ikholo.—Funda KumaHebheru 2:1; 6:11.
2. Ngimaphi amathemba amabili amaKrestu namhlanjesi anawo, begodu kubayini ‘ezinye izimvu’ zinekareko ethembeni labazesiweko?
2 AmaKrestu aphila esikhathini sokuphelesi adzimelele kelinye lamathemba amabili. Amalunga aseleko ‘womhlambi omncani’ wamaKrestu azesiweko anethemba lokuphila okunganakufa ezulwini njengamakhosi, nabapristi noKrestu eMbuswenakhe. (Luka 12:32; ISam. 5:9, 10) Inani elikhulu ‘lesiqubuthu esikhulu’ ‘sezinye izimvu’ lihlanganyela ithemba lokuphila ngokungapheliko eparadeyisini ephasini njengeenkhonzi zoMbuso kaMesiya. (ISam. 7:9, 10; Jwa. 10:16) Ezinye izimvu akukafuzi zilibale bona ukuphuluswa kwazo kusame ekusekeleni ‘abanakwabo’ bakaKrestu abazesiweko abasesephasini. (Mat. 25:34-40) Abazesiweko bazokungena emvuzweni wabo, kodwana ithemba lezinye izimvu lizokuzaliseka ngokuqiniseka okufanako. (Funda KumaHebheru 11:39, 40.) Kokuthoma akhe sihlole ithemba elibekelwe abazesiweko.
‘ITHEMBA ELIPHILAKO’ LAMAKRESTU AZESIWEKO
3, 4. AmaKrestu azesiweko ‘abelethwa njani kabutjha ethembeni eliphilako,’ begodu liyini ithembelo?
3 Umpostoli uPitrosi watlolela amaKrestu azesiweko, lawo awabiza ngokobana ‘sitjhaba esikhethiweko’ iincwadi eembili. (1 Pit. 1:1) Wanikela iimniningwana yethemba elikarisako elinikelwe umhlambi omncani. Encwadinakhe yokuthoma, uPitrosi watlola: “Akabongwe uZimu, uYise weKosi yethu uJesu Krestu, owasibeletha kabutjha ngomusa wakhe omkhulu, ze sibe nethemba eliphilako ngokuvuswa kwakaJesu Krestu kwabafileko. Ngethembeli silindele ilifa elingapheliko, elingasolekiko nelingaboliko enibulungelwe lona ezulwini. UZimu uzanilonda ngamandla wakhe, njengombana nimthemba, kube kuphuluswa kwenu okuzakwembulwa ngesikhathi sokuphela. Thabani ngalokho.”—1 Pit. 1:3-6.
4 Inani elilinganiselweko lamaKrestu akhethwe nguJehova bona abe noKrestu kurhulumende woMbuso wezulwini ‘lizokubelethwa kabutjha’ njengamadodana kaZimu azelwe ngomoya. Azeswe ngomoya ocwengileko bona abe makhosi nabapristi noKrestu. (ISam. 20:6) UPitrosi wathi ‘ukubelethwa kabutjha’ kwawavulela ‘ithemba eliphilako’ alibiza ngokobana ‘lilifa elingapheliko, elingasolekiko nelingaboliko’ abalibekelwe “ezulwini.” Ngalokho, akurari bona abazesiweko ‘bathaba khulu’ ethembeni labo eliphilako! Nokho, ukuzaliseka kwethembelo kusame ekuthembekeni kwabo.
5, 6. Kubayini amaKrestu azesiweko kufuze enze koke angakwenza ukuqinisekisa ukubizwa kwawo?
5 Encwadinakhe yesibili, uPitrosi wakhuthaza amaKrestu azesiweko bonyana ‘akhuthale khulu atjengise bona abiziwe, akhethwa nguZimu.’ (2 Pit. 1:10) Kufuze azinikele ekuhlawuleleni iimfanelo zobuKrestu ezinjengekholo, ukuzinikela kokwesaba uZimu, ithando lobuzalwana nethando. UPitrosi wathi: “Nengabe ninazo iimphiwezi zilokhu zanda, ziyonenza bona nikhuthale, niveze iinthelo.”—Funda ye-2 KaPitrosi 1:5-8.
6 Emlayezwenakhe oya kubadala abazeswe ngomoya bebandla langekhulu lokuthoma leFiladelfiya e-Asia Minor, uKrestu ovusiweko wathi: “Uwuhloniphile umyalo wami, wanyamazelela ngesineke, nami-ke ngokuhlenga nakufika isikhathi sokutlhaga esizokwehlela loke iphasi, ze labo abakhileko kilo balingwe. Ngiyeza msinyana. Londa lokho okuphetheko, khona ungazukumukwa mumuntu ikatha yakho oyiphetheko.” (ISam. 3:10, 11) UmKrestu ozesiweko nekangathembeki, ngeze afumane “ikatha yephazimulo engapheliko” eyathenjiswa abakhethiweko abahlala bathembekile bekube sekufeni.—1 Pit. 5:4; ISam. 2:10.
UKUNGENA EMBUSWENI
7. Ngiliphi ithemba elihle khulu uJuda akhuluma ngalo encwadinakhe?
7 Pheze ngomnyaka ka-65 C.E., uJuda umnakwabo kaJesu ngombelethi munye watlolela amaKrestu azesiweko akunye nawo, lawo awabiza ngokobana ‘ngabizwe nguZimu.’ (KaJuda 1; madanisa namaHebheru 3:1) Bekanqophe ukuwatlolela incwadi edzimelele ethembeni eliphazimulako lephuluso amaKrestu abizelwe eMbusweni kaZimu wezulwini ‘alihlanganyelako.’ (Juda 3) Nanyana bekanezinye iindaba ezirhabileko obekutlhogeka akhulume ngazo, ekuphetheni kwencwadakhe efitjhani, waqalisela ethembeni elihle khulu elihlanganyelwa maKrestu azesiweko, uyatlola: “Kiloyo okghonako ukunilonda bona ningawi, nokunijamisa phambi kwephazimulo yakhe ninganabala, ninokuthokoza okukhulu, kuye uZimu oyedwa, uMphulusi wethu ngoJesu Krestu iKosi yethu, akube kuye iphazimulo, nobukhulu, namandla, kusukela emathomeni nakhathesi, ngokungapheliko.”—Juda 24, 25.
8. Ngokuvumelana noJuda 24, yini etjengisa bona kuba nethabo ezulwini omunye wabazesiweko nekatjengisa ukuthembeka kwakhe?
8 Ngokuqinisekileko, amaKrestu azesiweko athembekileko afuna ukuvikelwa ekukhutjweni zizinto ezingawarholela ekutjhatjalalisweni. Ithemba lawo elisekelwe eBhayibhilini kukobana uJesu Krestu uzowavusa ekufeni, awavumele avele phambi kwakaZimu njengeembujwa ezingokomoya ezipheleleko ngethabo elikhulu. Omunye wabazesiweko nekafa athembekile, unethemba eliqinisekileko ‘lokuvuswa ngomzimba womoya,’ avuswe ‘anokungonakali . . . , ephazimulweni.’ (1 Kor. 15:42-44) Nengabe “kukhona ithabo elikhulu ezulwini ngesoni esisodwa esingatjhuguluka,” cabanga ngethabo elibakhona ezulwini omunye wabanakwabo kaKrestu ababelethwe ngomoya nekaqeda ikambo yakhe yokuphila ngokuthembeka. (Luka 15:7) UJehova neembujwa zomoya ezithembekileko bazokuthaba nozesiweko ofumana umvuzwakhe ‘ngethabo elikhulu.’—Funda 1 KaJwanisi 3:2.
9. Ukungena eMbusweni ‘kunikelwa njani ngokunothileko’ kwabazesiweko abathembekileko, begodu ithembeli libathinta njani abazesiweko abasesesephasini?
9 Ngendlela efanako, uPitrosi watlolela amaKrestu azesiweko bona nekaqinisekisa ukubizwa kwawo ngokuthembeka, ‘azokuphiwa ngokunothileko amalungelo apheleleko wokungena embusweni ongapheliko weKosi noMphulusi wethu uJesu Krestu.’ (2 Pit. 1:10, 11) Ukungena kwawo emvuzweni wezulwini azokunikelwa ngokunothileko, azokungena iimfanelo zawo zobuKrestu ziphazimula. Godu ‘ukuphiwa ngokunothilekokho’ kungatjengisa iimbusiso ezisezingeni eliphakemeko ezizokufunyanwa ngilabo abazinikele emjarhweni wokuphila. Bangaqala emva ekambweni yabo yokuphila ngokuthembeka ngeenhliziyo ezizele ithabo nokuthokoza. Akunakuzaza bona ithembeli linikela amaKrestu azesiweko asesesephasini amandla wokobana ‘azimisele azibambe athembe ngokupheleleko umusa azakwabelwa wona.’—1 Pit. 1:13.
‘ISISEKELO SETHEMBA’ SEZINYE IZIMVU
10, 11. (a) Ngiliphi ithemba elibekwe phambi kwezinye izimvu? (b) Ukuzaliseka kwethemba lephasi kuhlobene njani noKrestu ‘nokwembulwa kwamadodana kaZimu’?
10 Umpostoli uPowula watlola ngethemba eliphazimulako lababelethwe ngomoya ‘amadodana kaZimu’ ‘njengeendlalifa ezikunye’ noKrestu. Emva kwalokho wakhuluma ngethemba uJehova aliphathele inani elingakalinganiselwa lezinye izimvu: “Koke okubunjiweko [isintu] kulindele ngokukhulu ukutjhiseka bona uZimu abethule abantwana bakhe [abazesiweko]. Ngombana koke okubunjiweko kusesimeni esililize, ingasi ngokuthanda kwakho, kodwana ngentando kaZimu. Nokho-ke bekukhona ithemba lokobana langelinye ukubunjwa kuyokhululwa ebugqilini bokubola, kube nesabelo ekululekweni le, nebukhosini babantwana bakaZimu.”—Rom. 8:14-21.
11 UJehova wanikela isintu ‘isisekelo sethemba’ nekasithembisa ukusitjhaphulula ‘enyokeni yamambala,’ uSathana uDeveli, ngokusebenzisa ‘inzalo’ ethenjisiweko. (ISam. 12:9; Gen. 3:15) Ngokuyihloko ‘inzalo’ leyo bekunguJesu Krestu. (Gal. 3:16) Ngokufa nangokuvuka kwakhe, uJesu wanikela isisekelo esiqinileko sethemba lokobana isintu sizokutjhatjhululwa ebugqilini besono nokufa. Ukuzaliseka kwethembeli kuhlobene ‘nokwembulwa kwamadodana kaZimu.’ Abazesiweko abaphazimulisiweko bayingcenye yesibili ‘yenzalo.’ ‘Bazokwambulwa’ nebahlanganyela noKrestu ekutjhabalaliseni iphasi elimbi lakaSathana. (ISam. 2:26, 27) Lokho kuzokuletha iphuluso kezinye izimvu eziphuma esizini elikhulu.—ISam. 7:9, 10, 14.
12. Ukwambulwa kwabazesiweko kuzokuba naziphi iinzuzo eziphazimulako esintwini?
12 Qala bona kuzokuba yipumuzo engangani ezokufikela ‘iimbunjwa’ ezibabantu hlangana nokuBusa KwakaKrestu Kweemnyaka Eyikulungwana! Ngesikhatheso, ‘amadodana kaZimu’ aphazimulisiweko ‘azokwambulwa’ nekasebenza njengabapristi noKrestu, anikela ngeenzuzo zomhlatjelo kaJesu osihlengo esintwini. Njengeenkhonzi zoMbuso wezulwini, ‘iimbunjwa’ ezibabantu zizokuthoma ukuzwa ukuphuluswa emphumelweni yesono nokufa. Abantu abalalelako kancani kancani ‘bazokukhululwa ebugqilini bokonakala.’ Nebahlala bathembekile kuJehova hlangana nayo yoke iiMnyaka Eyikulungwana nahlangana nevivinyo lokugcina elizokuba khona ngemva kwayo, amabizwabo azokutlolwa phakade ‘encwadini yokuphila.’ Bazokungena ‘ekululekweni ephazimulako yabantwana bakaZimu.’ (ISam. 20:7, 8, 11, 12) Kwamambala lelo lithemba eliphazimulako!
UKUBULUNGA ITHEMBA LETHU LIPHILA
13. Ithemba lethu lisekelwe phezu kwani, begodu uKrestu uzokwambulwa nini?
13 Iincwadi eembili zakaPitrosi eziphefumulelweko zimumethe okunengi ukusiza abazesiweko nezinye izimvu bona babulunge amathemba wabo aphila. Waveza bona ithemba labo alikasekelwa eemsebenzini yabo, kodwana emseni kaJehova ongakafaneli. Watlola: “Zimiseleni nizibambe nethembe ngokupheleleko umusa ezakwabelwa wona ekwembulweni kwakaJesu Krestu.” (1 Pit. 1:13) UKrestu uzokwambulwa nekezako ukuzokunikela abalandeli bakhe abathembekileko umtlomelo begodu akhuphe isahlulelo sakaJehova kwabangamesabiko uZimu.—Funda 2 KwebeTesalonika 1:6-10.
14, 15. (a) Bona sibulunge ithemba lethu liphila, kukuphi lapho kufuze sidzimelelise khona ukunaka kwethu? (b) Ngisiphi isiluleko uPitrosi asinikelako?
14 Bona sibulunge ithemba lethu liphila, kufuze sidzimelelise ukutjheja nokuphila kwethu ekufikeni ‘kwelanga lakaZimu.’ Lokho kuzokuletha ukutjhatjalaliswa ‘kwamazulu wagadesi,’namtjhana ukubusa kwabantu, ‘nephasi,’ umphakathi wabantu omumbi nezinto ezikilo.’ UPitrosi watlola: ‘Kufanele nibe babantu abanjani na? . . . , nilindele ukufika kwelanga lakaZimu, nisebenze bona lifike msinyana. Ilangelo lizorhayila amazulu ngomlilo, neenkwekwezi zincibilikiswe kutjhisa.’—2 Pit. 3:10-12.
15 “Amazulu” wagadesi “nephasi” kuzokujanyiselelwa ‘mazulu amatjha [urhulumende woMbuso kaKrestu] nephasi elitjha’ [umphakathi wephasi omutjha].’ (2 Pit. 3:13) Ngalokho uPitrosi wanikela isiluleko esinqophileko, esisekelwe eqinisweni ‘lokulinda’ kwethu namtjhana lokubulunga ithemba lethu lephasi elitjha elithenjisiwekweli liphila: ‘Nje-ke bazalwane abathandekako, njengombana nisalinde ilangelo, lingani ngakho koke okusemandleni wenu ukuba msulwa phambi koZimu, nibe nokuthula naye.’—2 Pit. 3:14.
UKUKHAMBA NGOKUVUMELANA NETHEMBA LETHU
16, 17. (a) Ngiziphi ‘izenzo zokuziphatha ezicwengileko’ ‘nezokuphila ngokumesaba uZimu’ okufuze sizitjengise? (b) Ithemba lethu lizokuzaliseka njani?
16 Akukafuzi sibulunge ithemba lethu liphila kwaphela kodwana kufuze godu siphile ngokuvumelana nalo. Kufuze sitjheje ihlobo lomuntu esingilo ngokomoya. ‘Izenzo zokuziphatha ezicwengileko’ zihlanganisa ‘ukuphila ipilo elungileko hlangana nabangakholwako nguZimu,’ ngokuziphatha kwethu okulungileko. (2 Pit. 3:11; 1 Pit. 2:12) Kufuze ‘sithandane.’ Lokho kuhlanganisa ukwenza koke esingakwenza ukubulunga ubunye bobuzalwana bephasi mazombe ngitjho nahlangana nalabo abasebandleni lethu. (Jwa. 13:35) ‘Ukuphila ngokumesaba uZimu’ kuzizenzo eziqinisekisa ubuhlobo bethu obuseduze noJehova. Lokhu kuhlanganisa izinga leemthandazo yethu, ukufunda kwethu iBhayibhili qobe, isifundo somuntu mathupha esidephileko, ukukhulekela komndeni, nokuhlanganyela ngetjiseko ekutjhumayeleni “iindaba ezimnandi ngombuso.”—Mat. 24:14.
17 Ngamunye wethu ufuna ukuba lihlobo lomuntu uJehova alamukelako nazoliphulusa ‘nekurhayilwa’ iphasi elimbi lagadesi. Ngalokho sizokubona ukuzaliseka kwethemba lethu, ‘elidzimelele ethembeni lepilo engapheliko. UZimu, ongakhulumi amanga, wasithembisa ipilo le ngaphambilini.’—Tit. 1:2.
[Iimbuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
AmaKrestu azesiweko ‘abelethwa kabutjha ethembeni eliphilako’
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Bulunga ithemba liphila emndeninakho
