Vanoramba Vachifamba Muchokwadi

“Handina chikonzero chikuru zvikuru chokuonga kupfuura zvinhu izvi, kuti ndive ndichinzwa kuti vana vangu vanopfuurira kufamba muchokwadi.”—3 JOHANI 4.

1. “Chokwadi chemashoko akanaka” chinotaura nezvechii?

JEHOVHA anofadzwa neavo vanomunamata “nomudzimu nechokwadi” chete. (Johani 4:24) Vanoteerera chokwadi, vachigamuchira dzidziso dzose dzechiKristu dzakavakirwa paShoko raMwari. “Chokwadi chemashoko akanaka” ichi chinotaura nezvaJesu Kristu nokurevererwa kwouchangamire hwaJehovha kuburikidza noUmambo. (VaGaratiya 2:14) Mwari anorega “kushanda kwokukanganisa” kuchienda kune vaya vanoda havo nhema, asi kuti tiponeswe tinofanira kutenda mashoko akanaka uye kufamba muchokwadi.—2 VaTesaronika 2:9-12; VaEfeso 1:13, 14.

2. Muapostora Johani akanga achionga zvikurukuru nokuda kwechii, uye ukama hwake naGayo hwaiva hworudzii?

² Vazivisi voUmambo “vashandi pamwe muchokwadi.” Sezvaiita muapostora Johani neshamwari yake Gayo, vanoomerera zvakasimba pachokwadi uye vanofamba machiri. Achifunga nezvaGayo, Johani akanyora kuti: “Handina chikonzero chikuru zvikuru chokuonga kupfuura zvinhu izvi, kuti ndive ndichinzwa kuti vana vangu vanopfuurira kufamba muchokwadi.” (3 Johani 3-8) Kunyange zvazvo Johani asina kudzidzisa Gayo chokwadi, kukwegura kwomuapostora wacho, ruzivo rwakakura rwechiKristu, uye rudo rwakafanana norwababa zvakaita kuti zvive zvakakodzera kuti murume uyu anofanira kuva aiva muduku kwaari aonekwe somumwe wevana vomudzimu vaJohani.

Chokwadi Nokunamata kwechiKristu

3. Misangano yaiitwa nevaKristu vokutanga yaiitirwei uye yaibatsirei?

³ Kuti vadzidze chokwadi, vaKristu vokutanga vaisangana seungano, kakawanda mudzimba dzehama. (VaRoma 16:3-5) Nokudaro vaikurudzirana nokuita kuti mumwe nomumwe ave norudo nemabasa akanaka. (VaHebheru 10:24, 25) Achitaura nezvevaizviti vaKristu vomunguva dzakazotevera, Tertullian (akararama munenge muna 155 kusvikira pashure pa220 C.E.) akanyora kuti: “Tinosangana kuti tiverenge mabhuku aMwari . . . Nemashoko matsvene iwayo tinosimbisa kutenda kwedu, tinowedzera tariro yedu, tinosimbisa chivimbo chedu.”—Apology, chitsauko 39.

4. Kuimba kwave kune basa rei mumisangano yechiKristu?

⁴ Zvichida kuimba kwaiva chimwe chezvinhu zvaiitwa pamisangano yechiKristu. (VaEfeso 5: 19; VaKorose 3:16) Purofesa Henry Chadwick anonyora kuti muongorori womuzana remakore rechipiri anonzi Celsus akawana kuti nziyo dzine mitinhimira yemimhanzi dzaishandiswa nevaizviti vaKristu dzakanga “dzakanaka kwazvo zvokuti akanga asisafariri kuchinja kwadzakanga dzava kumuita.” Chadwick anowedzera kuti: “Clement wokuAlexandria ndiye munyori wokutanga-tanga kukurukura rudzi rwenziyo dzakakodzera kushandiswa nevaKristu. Anorayira kuti hadzifaniri kuva dzorudzi rwuya rune chokuita nemimhanzi yokutamba kwounzenza.” (The Early Church, pages 274-5) Sezvo zviri pachena kuti vaKristu vokutanga vaiimba pavaisangana, Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvinowanzoimba nziyo dzemashoko anobva muBhaibheri dzimwe dzinosanganisira tsvene dzokurumbidza Mwari noUmambo.

5. (a) Nhungamiro yokunamata yaipiwa sei muungano dzechiKristu dzokutanga? (b) VaKristu vechokwadi vakashandisa sei mashoko aJesu akanyorwa pana Mateu 23:8, 9?

⁵ Muungano dzechiKristu dzokutanga, vatariri vaidzidzisa chokwadi, uye vashumiri vanoshumira vaibatsira vavainamata navo munzira dzakatsaukana-tsaukana. (VaFiripi 1:1) Dare rinodzora raivimba neShoko raMwari nomudzimu mutsvene ndiro raipa nhungamiro pakunamata. (Mabasa 15:6, 23-31) Mazita okuremekedza echitendero aisashandiswa nokuti Jesu akanga arayira vadzidzi vake kuti: “Musanzi Rabhi, nokuti mudzidzisi wenyu mumwe chete, asi imi mose muri hama. Zvakare, musadana munhu kuti baba venyu pasi pano, nokuti Baba venyu vamwe chete, Ivo vokudenga.” (Mateu 23:8, 9) Muzvinhu izvi nezvimwewo zvakawanda, pane kufanana kuripo pakati pezvaiitwa nevaKristu vokutanga nezvinoitwa neZvapupu zvaJehovha.

Vakatambudzirwa Kuparidza Mashoko Akanaka

6, 7. Kunyange vachizivisa shoko rorugare, vaKristu vechokwadi vave vachibatwa sei?

⁶ Kunyange vaizivisa shoko roUmambo rorugare, vaKristu vokutanga vakatambudzwa, sezvakangoitwa Jesu. (Johani 15:20; 17:14) Munyori wenhau dzakaitika kare John L. von Mosheim akadana vaKristu vokutanga kuti “boka revanhu vasingambodenhi vamwe vanhu, vasingambokunguri kana kufunga nezvokumukira hurumende.” Dr. Mosheim akataura kuti “Chakaita kuti vaRoma vapesane nevaKristu, aiva manamatiro avo akanga asina kuoma, akanga asina kufanana netsika dzinoera dzevamwe vanhu chero vapi zvavo.” Akawedzera kuti “Vakanga vasingaiti  zvibayiro, vasina temberi, mifananidzo, masvikiro, kana vanhu vaidzorwa nevapristi; uye izvi zvakanga zvakakwana kuti vashorwe nevanhu vakanga vakaoma misoro, vaifungidzira kuti hakungambovi nechitendero chisina zvinhu izvi. Saka vaionekwa sevanhu vasingatendi kuti kuna Mwari, uye maererano nemitemo yeRoma, vaya vaipiwa mhosva yokuti havatendi kuti kuna Mwari vaibva vanzi vanhu vane ngozi munzanga yevanhu.”

⁷ Vapristi, nyanzvi dzemabasa, nevamwe vairarama nokugadzira uye kutengesa zvidhori vakaita kuti ruzhinji rumukire vaKristu, avo vakanga vasinganamati zvidhori. (Mabasa 19:23-40; 1 VaKorinde 10:14) Tertullian akanyora kuti: “Vanofunga kuti vaKristu ndivo vanokonzera zvakaipa zvose zvinoitika kuHurumende, nerombo rakaipa revanhu. Kana Tiber rukasvika mumadziro, kana Nile rukasafashukira zvokudiridza muminda, kana kunze kusina kuchinja, kana kukava nokudengenyeka kwenyika, nzara, kana mukondombera, mhere inobva yanzwikwa pakarepo: ‘Kandirai vaKristu vadyiwe neshumba!’” Pasinei nezvinozoitika, vaKristu vechokwadi ‘vanozvichenjerera pazvidhori.’—1 Johani 5:21.

Chokwadi Nemhemberero Dzechitendero

8. Nei Kirisimasi isingachengetwi nevanofamba muchokwadi?

⁸ Vaya vanofamba muchokwadi havaiti mhemberero dzisiri mumagwaro nokuti ‘chiedza hachina mugove nerima.’ (2 VaKorinde 6:14-18) Somuenzaniso, havapembereri Kirisimasi, inoitwa musi waDecember 25. “Hapana anoziva musi chaiwo wokuzvarwa kwaKristu,” rinobvuma kudaro The World Book Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia Americana (ra1956) rinoti: “Saturnalia, mutambo weRoma waipembererwa pakati paDecember, ndiwo wakava muenzaniso wetsika dzakawanda dzemafaro epaKirisimasi.” Cyclopædia yaM’Clintock naStrong inoti: “Kuchengetwa kweKirisimasi hakuna kurongwa naMwari, uye hakubvi muTestamendi Itsva.” Uye bhuku rinonzi Daily Life in the Time of Jesus rinoti: “Makwai . . . aipedza mwaka wechando ari muzvirugu; uye kubva pane izvi zvoga zvinogona kuonekwa kuti musi unochengetwa Kirisimasi, muchando, haungavi wakarurama, sezvo Evhangeri ichitaura kuti vafudzi vaiva kusango.”—Ruka 2:8-11.

9. Nei vashumiri vaJehovha vekare nevemazuva ano vasingachengeti Isita?

⁹ Zvinonzi Isita ndeyokurangarira kumuka kwaKristu, asi mamwe mabhuku anovimbwa nawo anoti yakabatana nokunamata kwenhema. The Westminster Dictionary of the Bible rinoti Isita “pakutanga waiva mutambo womuchirimo wokuremekedza Teutonic mwarikadzi wechiedza nechirimo unozivikanwa muchiAnglo-Saxon seEastre,” kana kuti Eostre. Chero matangiro ayakaita, Encyclopædia Britannica (Bhuku 11) inoti: “MuTestamendi Itsva hamuna chinoratidza kuchengetwa kwomutambo weIsita.” Isita yakanga isingachengetwi nevaKristu vokutanga uye haichengetwi nevanhu vaJehovha nhasi.

10. Kuchengetwa kwechii kwakatangwa naJesu, uye ndivanaani vakachichengeta zvakanaka?

¹⁰ Jesu haana kurayira vateveri vake kuyeuka kuberekwa kwake kana kuti kumutswa kwake, asi akatanga Chirangaridzo chorufu rwake rwechibayiro. (VaRoma 5:8) Chokwadi, ichi ndicho chete chiitiko chaakarayira vadzidzi vake kuchengeta. (Ruka 22:19, 20) Chiitiko ichi chinodanwawo kuti Kudya kwaShe Kwemanheru, uye chinochengetwa neZvapupu zvaJehovha.—1 VaKorinde 11:20-26.

Chokwadi Chakaziviswa Pasi Pose

11, 12. Vaya vanofamba muchokwadi vave vachitsigira sei basa rokuparidza nguva dzose?

¹¹ Vaya vanoziva chokwadi vanoona seropafadzo kushandisa nguva yavo, simba, nezvimwe zvinhu mubasa rokuparidza mashoko akanaka. (Mako 13:10) Basa rokuparidza revaKristu vokutanga raitsigirwa nemipiro yokuzvidira. (2 VaKorinde 8:12; 9:7) Tertullian akanyora kuti: “Kunyange kudai paine bhokisi rorudzi rwakati, mari yacho haisi iya inobhadharwa pagedhi, sokunge kuti chitendero rava bhizimisi. Munhu wose anouya kamwe pamwedzi nekamari kaduku—kana kuti chero paanoda, uye kana achitoda, uye kana achigona; nokuti hapana anomanikidzwa;  chipo chokuzvidira.”—Apology, chitsauko 39.

¹² Basa rokuparidza Umambo romunyika yose reZvapupu zvaJehovha rinotsigirwawo nemipiro yokuzvidira. Kunze kweZvapupu, vanhu vanofarira vanoonga vanouwana uri mukana wakanaka kutsigira basa iri nemipiro yavo. Ipapowo pane zvakafanana pakati pevaKristu vokutanga neZvapupu zvaJehovha.

Chokwadi Nokuzvibata Kwomunhu

13. Izano ripi raPetro rinoteererwa neZvapupu zvaJehovha maererano nomufambiro wazvo?

¹³ Sevanhu vaifamba muchokwadi, vaKristu vokutanga vakateerera zano romuapostora Petro rinoti: “Mufambiro wenyu ngauve wakanaka kwazvo pakati pemamwe marudzi, kuti, muchinhu chavanokupomerai sevaiti vezvakaipa, vape mbiri kuna Mwari pazuva rokuongorora kwake nemhaka yemabasa enyu akanaka kwazvo avanoona.” (1 Petro 2:12) Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvinofungisisa mashoko iwayo.

14. VaKristu vanoona sei varaidzo younzenza?

¹⁴ Kunyange pashure pokunge kuramba kutenda kwapinda, vaKristu vezita vaidzivisa mabasa ounzenza. W. D. Killen, purofesa wezvechitendero, akanyora kuti: “Muzana remakore rechipiri nerechitatu kuimba yokutambira mutaundi guru rose kwaiendwa nevanhu vakawanda; uye kunyange vatambi vacho vaiwanzova nzenza dzinonzi nzenza dziya, mitambo yavaiita yairamba ichigutsa zvishuvo zvakashata zvaiva nevanhu panguva iyoyo. . . . VaKristu vose vechokwadi vaisemeswa neimba yemitambo iyoyo. . . . Vaisada kuona zvinonyadzisa zvayo; uye kuramba kwevanhu vachikumbira kune vanamwari nevanamwarikadzi vechihedheni kwaipesana nezvavaitenda.” (The Ancient Church, mapeji 318-19) Vateveri vechokwadi vaJesu vanodzivisawo marudzi evaraidzo anonyadzisa uye anoipisa tsika.—VaEfeso 5:3-5.

Chokwadi Ne“vane Simba Zvikuru”

15, 16. “Vane simba zvikuru” ndivanaani, uye vave vachionekwa sei nevaya vanofamba muchokwadi?

¹⁵ Pasinei nokuzvibata kwakaisvonaka kwevaKristu vokutanga, madzimambo akawanda eRoma aivaona zvisirizvo. Munyori wenhau dzakaitika kare E. G. Hardy anotaura kuti madzimambo acho aivaona se“vanyanyisi vaisemesa.” Tsamba dzainyorerana Gavhuna Pliny Muduku wokuBithynia naMambo Trajan dzinoratidza kuti vakuru vakuru vakawanda vakanga vasingazivi zvakanyatsoita chiKristu. VaKristu vanoona sei Hurumende?

¹⁶ Sezvaiita vateveri vaJesu vokutanga, Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvinozviisa zvine mwero pasi pe“vane simba zvikuru” vehurumende. (VaRoma 13:1-7) Kana vanhu vakarayira zvinopesana nezvinodiwa naMwari, zvinoshinga kuti: “Tinofanira kuteerera Mwari somutongi panzvimbo pevanhu.” (Mabasa 5:29) Bhuku rinonzi After Jesus—The Triumph of Christianity rinoti: “Kunyange vaKristu vangave vasina kunamata mambo,  vakanga vasingakonzeri nyonga nyonga, uye chitendero chavo, kunyange chaisanzwisisika uye dzimwe nguva chaionekwa nevahedheni sechinodenha, chakanga chisimborina ngozi chaiyo kuumambo.”

17. (a) VaKristu vekare vaitsigira hurumende ipi? (b) Vateveri vechokwadi vaJesu vakashandisa sei mashoko aIsaya 2:4 muupenyu hwavo?

¹⁷ VaKristu vokutanga vaitsigira Umambo, sezvakangoita madzitateguru Abrahamu, Isaka, naJakobho vakatenda ‘guta rakaitwa naMwari’ rakapikirwa. (VaHebheru 11:8-10) SaTenzi wavo, vadzidzi vaJesu vaiva ‘vasiri rutivi rwenyika.’ (Johani 17:14-16) Uye kana zviri zvehondo nokukakavadzana kwevanhu, vakatsvaka rugare noku“pfura minondo yavo vachiiita mapadza.” (Isaya 2:4) Achiona kufanana kunofadza kuripo, mudzidzisi wenhoroondo yechechi Geoffrey F. Nuttall akataura kuti: “Maonero aiita vaKristu vekare hondo akanga akangoita seevanhu vanozvidaidza kuti Zvapupu zvaJehovha uye izvozvo zvakaoma kuti tizvibvume.”

18. Nei pasina hurumende ine chikonzero chipi nechipi chokutya Zvapupu zvaJehovha?

¹⁸ Sevanhu vasina kwavakarerekera vanozviisa pasi pe“vane simba zvikuru,” vaKristu vokutanga vakanga vasina ngozi kumasimba ezvematongerwe enyika api neapi, uye kunyange Zvapupu zvaJehovha hazvinawo ngozi. Hungatova umbimbindoga uye kushaya chivimbo kuti udavire kuti Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvine ngozi ipi neipi kuhurumende ipi zvayo yezvematongerwe enyika,” akanyora kudaro mumwe munyori wenyaya dzomupepanhau wokuNorth America. “Havatyisi uye vanoda rugare seboka rechitendero.” Vakuru vakuru vakajekerwa vanoziva kuti havana chokutya kuZvapupu zvaJehovha.

19. Chii chingataurwa nezvevaKristu vokutanga neZvapupu zvaJehovha chine chokuita nokubhadhara mitero?

¹⁹ Imwe nzira yakaratidza nayo vaKristu vokutanga kuti vairemekedza “vane simba zvikuru” kubhadhara kwavaiita mitero yavo. Achinyorera Mambo weRoma Antoninus Pius (138-161 C.E.), Justin Martyr akati vaKristu vaibhadhara mitero yavo “nokukurumidza kupfuura vanhu vose.” (First Apology, chitsauko 17) Uye Tertullian akaudza vatongi veRoma kuti vateresi vavo “vaitofanira kuonga vaKristu” nokuda kwokungwarira  kwavo kubhadhara mitero. (Apology, chitsauko 42) VaKristu vaibatsirwa nePax Romana, kana kuti Rugare rweRoma, nomutemo wayo nokurongeka, migwagwa yakanaka, uye kufamba mugungwa zvakakotsekana. Vachiziva zvavaisungirwa kuita munharaunda, vaiteerera mashoko aJesu anoti: “Dzorerai zvinhu zvaKesari kuna Kesari, asi zvinhu zvaMwari kuna Mwari.” (Mako 12:17) Vanhu vaJehovha nhasi vanotevera zano iri uye vave vachirumbidzwa nokuda kwokutendeseka kwavo, sepanyaya yokubhadharwa kwemitero.—VaHebheru 13:18.

Chokwadi—Chinhu Chinosunganidza

20, 21. Tichitaura nezvoukama hune rugare, chii chave chichiitwa nevaKristu vokutanga nevashumiri vaJehovha vomuzuva ranhasi?

²⁰ Nokuti vaifamba muchiedza, vaKristu vokutanga vakanga vakasunganidzwa muukama hune rugare, sezvakangoita Zvapupu zvaJehovha nhasi. (Mabasa 10:34, 35) Imwe tsamba yakadhindwa muThe Moscow Times yakati: “[Zvapupu zvaJehovha] zvinozivikanwa sevanhu vakanaka kwazvo, vane mutsa, uye vanyoro vari nyore kubata navo, vasingambomanikidzi vamwe vanhu uye vanogara vachitsvaka kugarisana nevamwe norugare . . . Pakati pazvo hapana vanotambira chiokomuhomwe, zvidhakwa kana vanopindwa muropa nezvinodhaka, uye chikonzero chacho hachina kumbooma: Vanongoedza kutungamirirwa nezvavanodavira zvakavakirwa muBhaibheri muzvose zvavanoita kana kutaura. Kudai vanhu vose munyika vaingoedza kurarama maererano neBhaibheri sezvinoita Zvapupu zvaJehovha, nyika yedu ine utsinye yaidai isina kudaro zvachose.”

²¹ Encyclopedia of Early Christianity inoti: “Chechi yokutanga yaizviona semhuri itsva imwe chete umo mapoka aimbovengana, vaJudha neVemamwe Marudzi, aigona kurarama akabatana murugare.” Zvapupu zvaJehovha ihama dzemarudzi ose dzinoda rugare—nzanga yenyika itsva zvechokwadi. (VaEfeso 2:11-18; 1 Petro 5:9; 2 Petro 3:13) Apo mukuru wevarindi vepaNhandare Yezviratidzwa kuSouth Africa akaona kusonganira kwaiita Zvapupu zvemadzinza ose ipapo murugare sevapindi vekokorodzano, akati: “Munhu wose aiva netsika uye vanhu vane tsika, vanhu vachitaurirana zvakanakanaka, mafungiro akaratidzwa mumazuva mashoma apfuura—zvose zvinoratidza zvakaita vanhu venyu, uye kuti vose vanorarama pamwe chete semhuri imwe chete inofara.”

Kukomborerwa Nokuda Kwokudzidzisa Chokwadi

22. Chii chave chichiitika nokuti vaKristu vave vachionesa chokwadi?

²² Nokuzvibata kwavo uye nebasa ravo rokuparidza, Pauro nevamwe vaKristu vai“onesa chokwadi.” (2 VaKorinde 4:2) Haubvumi here kuti ndizvo zviri kuita Zvapupu zvaJehovha uye kuti zviri kudzidzisa marudzi ose chokwadi? Vanhu pasi pose vari kugamuchira kunamata kwechokwadi uye vari kurongana vachienda ku‘gomo reimba yaJehovha,’ vachiramba vachiwedzera. (Isaya 2:2, 3) Makore ose, zviuru zviri kubhabhatidzwa kuratidza kuzvitsaurira kwazvo kuna Mwari, zvichiguma nokuumbwa kweungano itsva dzakawanda.

23. Unoona sei vaya vari kudzidzisa marudzi ose chokwadi?

²³ Kunyange vachibva mumamiriro ezvinhu akasiyana-siyana, vanhu vaJehovha vakabatana mukunamata kwechokwadi. Rudo rwavanoratidza runovazivisa sevadzidzi vaJesu vechokwadi. (Johani 13:35) Unogona here kuona kuti ‘chaizvoizvo Mwari ari pakati pavo’? (1 VaKorinde 14:25) Uri kudivi revaya vari kudzidzisa marudzi ose chokwadi here? Kana zvakadaro, wadii kuratidza kuonga chokwadi zvechigarire wokomborerwa nokufamba machiri nokusingaperi.

Ungapindura Sei?

• Mumanamatiro, kufanana kupi kuripo pakati pevaKristu vokutanga neZvapupu zvaJehovha?

• Kuchengeta kupi bedzi kwechitendero kunoitwa nevaya vanofamba muchokwadi?

• “Vane simba zvikuru” ndivanaani, uye vaKristu vanovaona sei?

• Chokwadi chinhu chinosunganidza pakudini?

[Mibvunzo Yechidzidzo]

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 21]

Misangano yechiKristu nguva dzose yave iri chikomborero kune vaya vanofamba muchokwadi

[Mifananidzo iri papeji 23]

Jesu akarayira vateveri vake kuchengeta Chirangaridzo chorufu rwake rwokuzvibayira

[Mufananidzo uri papeji 24]

Sezvaiita vaKristu vokutanga, Zvapupu zvaJehovha zvinoremekedza “vane simba zvikuru”