1. Yini amaKristu okumelwe ayenze ukuze awuqede umncintiswano wokuphila?

AMAKRISTU asemncintiswaneni wokuphila. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sisanda kuqala noma sekuphele iminyaka sikuwo, kudingeka siqhubeke sigijima size siwuqede umncintiswano. Iseluleko umphostoli uPawulu asinika amaKristu aseFilipi singasisiza siwuqede. Amanye amalungu ebandla laseFilipi langekhulu lokuqala kwase kuphele iminyaka ekhonza uJehova ngesikhathi ethola incwadi evela kuPawulu. Ayegijima kahle, kodwa uPawulu wawakhumbuza ngesidingo sokuqhubeka egijima ngokukhuthazela. Wayefuna aqhubeke elandela isibonelo sakhe ‘sokuphishekela emgomweni.’—Fil. 3:14.

2. Kungani iseluleko uPawulu asinika abaseFilipi sasifike ngesikhathi?

² Iseluleko uPawulu asinika abaseFilipi sasifike ngesikhathi. Kusukela ngesikhathi lisungulwa, ibandla laseFilipi lalilokhu lishushiswa. Ngo-50 C.E. uPawulu noSila baya eFilipi ngemva kokuthola isimemo esivela kuNkulunkulu esithi: “Welela eMakedoniya.” (IzE. 16:9) Lapho befika, bathola owesifazane ogama lakhe linguLidiya ‘owayelalele futhi uJehova wayivula kakhulu inhliziyo yakhe’ ukuba amukele izindaba ezinhle. (IzE. 16:14) Ngokushesha wabhapathizwa kanye nabo bonke ababehlala emzini wakhe. Nokho, uDeveli waqala ukubahlukumeza. Amadoda akulelo dolobha ahudula uPawulu noSila abayisa kubabusi bedolobha, ebabeka icala lokudala izinkinga kuleyo ndawo. Ngenxa yalokho, uPawulu noSila babhaxabulwa, baboshwa futhi kamuva batshelwa ukuba baphume baphele kulelo dolobha. (IzE. 16:16-40) Ingabe baphela amandla, bayeka? Lutho neze! Abafowethu nodadewethu kuleli bandla elalisanda kumiswa bona basabela kanjani? Nabo bakhuthazela! Akungabazeki ukuthi sabakhuthaza kakhulu isibonelo esihle abasibekelwa uPawulu noSila.

3. Yini uPawulu ayiqaphela, futhi yimiphi imibuzo esizoxoxa ngayo?

³ UPawulu wayezimisele ukuba angayeki. (2 Kor. 4:16) Nokho, wayazi ukuthi ukuze agijime aze awuqede umncintiswano  kwakudingeka ahlale egxile emgomweni wakhe. Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaPawulu? Yiziphi izibonelo zabantu abanokholo namuhla ezibonisa ukuthi singakhuthazela naphezu kobunzima? Ithemba lethu lekusasa lingasiqinisa kanjani ukuze singayeki?

4. UPawulu wahlala kanjani ematasa naphezu kwezimo ayengaphansi kwazo?

⁴ Cabanga ngendlela uPawulu ayezikhandla ngayo ngesikhathi ebhalela abaseFilipi. Wayeboshiwe eRoma. Wayengakwazi ukuphuma ayoshumayela. Noma kunjalo, wayeshumayeza abantu ababezombona futhi ebhalela amabandla akude izincwadi. Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, amaKristu amaningi angakwazi ukuphuma endlini, asebenzisa wonke amathuba okushumayeza labo abeza emizini yawo. Abhalela nomakhelwane okunzima ukubathola ezindlini izincwadi ezikhuthazayo.

5. EyabaseFilipi 3:12-14 ibonisa ukuthi yini eyasiza uPawulu ukuba ahlale egxile emgomweni wakhe?

⁵ UPawulu akazange avume ukuphazanyiswa yizinto ezinhle noma ezimbi ayezenzile ngaphambili. Empeleni, wathi ‘ukukhohlwa izinto ezingemuva’ kubalulekile ukuze ‘alulekele phambili ezintweni ezingaphambili,’ okungukuthi ukuwuqeda ngokuphumelelayo umncintiswano. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 3:12-14.) Yiziphi ezinye zezinto ezazingaphazamisa uPawulu? Okokuqala, kuningi uPawulu akufeza ngaphambi kokuba umKristu. Kodwa yena wayekubheka “njengenqwaba yezibi.” (Fil. 3:3-8) Okwesibili, akazange avumele umuzwa wecala owawubangelwa ukushushisa amaKristu umenze ayeke. Okwesithathu, akazange acabange ukuthi kwase kwanele lokho ayekwenzele uJehova. UPawulu wayephumelela enkonzweni naphezu kokuboshwa, ukushaywa, ukukhandwa ngamatshe, ukuphahlazekelwa umkhumbi ngisho nokungabi nakho ukudla nokokugqoka. (2 Kor. 11:23-27) Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini ayeyifezile noma ubunzima ayebhekana nabo, uPawulu wayazi ukuthi kumelwe aqhubeke ekhonza uJehova. Yilokho nathi okumelwe sikwenze.

6. Yiziphi ezinye ‘zezinto ezingemuva’ okungase kudingeke sizikhohlwe?

⁶ Singasilingisa kanjani isibonelo sikaPawulu ‘sikhohlwe izinto ezingemuva’? Abanye kithi kungase kudingeke banqobe imizwa yecala ebangelwa yizono ababezenza esikhathini esidlule. Uma kunjalo ngawe, zama ukugxila ekufundeni ngomhlatshelo kaKristu wesihlengo. Uma sitadisha, sizindla futhi sithandaza ngesihlengo, umuzwa wecala ongenasidingo ungadamba. Singayeka nokuzizwa sinecala ngenxa yezono uJehova asezithethelele. Cabanga ngesinye isifundo esingasifunda kuPawulu. Abanye kungenzeka baye badela amathuba okuthola umsebenzi okhokhela kahle ukuze benzele uJehova okuningi enkonzweni yakhe. Uma kunjalo, kumelwe sikhohlwe izinto esizishiye ngemuva ngokuthi sigweme ukucabanga ngezinto okungenzeka ngabe sinazo. (Num. 11:4-6; UmSh. 7:10) “Izinto ezingemuva” zingahlanganisa nezinto esiye sazifeza enhlanganweni noma ubunzima esiye sabhekana nabo. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi ukucabanga ngendlela uJehova aye wasibusisa futhi wasisekela ngayo eminyakeni edlule kusisondeza nakakhulu kuBaba wethu. Nokho, asifuni nanini ukucabanga ukuthi lokho esesikwenzile kwanele.—1 Kor. 15:58.

7. Ngokweyoku-1 Korinte 9:24-27, yini edingekayo ukuze sinqobe emncintiswaneni wokuphila? Fanekisa.

⁷ UPawulu wayewaqonda kahle amazwi kaJesu: “Zikhandleni ngamandla.”  (Luka 13:23, 24) UPawulu wayazi ukuthi njengoKristu kumelwe azikhandle kuze kube sekugcineni. Yingakho afanisa ukuphila komKristu nomncintiswano. (Funda eyoku-1 Korinte 9:24-27.) Umgijimi ugxila ekufikeni entanjeni futhi uyazigwema iziphazamiso. Ngokwesibonelo, namuhla abagijimi bangase badlule ezindaweni zamabhizinisi nakwezinye izindawo ezingase zibaphazamise. Ucabanga ukuthi umgijimi angama abuke ukuthi kudayiswani esitolo? Uma efuna ukuphumelela ngeke akwenze lokho. Kulo mncintiswano wokuphila, nathi kumelwe sizigweme iziphazamiso. Uma sifuna ukuhlala sigxile emgomweni wethu, sizikhandla njengoPawulu, siyowuthola umvuzo.

8. Yiziphi izinselele ezintathu esizoxoxa ngazo?

⁸ Manje ake sihlole izinselele ezintathu ezingasenza siphele amandla. Lezo zinselele ziwukungenzeki kwalokho esikulindele, ukuphelelwa amandla ngenxa yokukhula nezinkinga ezingalungi. Singazuza ngokufunda endleleni abanye ababhekana ngayo nalezi zimo.—Fil. 3:17.

9. Singaphatheka kanjani lapho lokho esikulindele kungenzeki?

⁹ Ukungenzeki kwalokho esikulindele. Kungokwemvelo ukuthi silangazelele izinto ezinhle uJehova asithembise zona. Empeleni, lapho uHabakuki, umprofethi kaJehova, esho isifiso sakhe sokuba uJehova aqede ububi kwaJuda, uJehova wamtshela ukuba ‘ahlale elindile.’ (Hab. 2:3) Nokho, lapho lokho esikulindele kubonakala sengathi kuyephuza, intshiseko yethu ingase idambe. Singase siphelelwe amandla. (IzAga 13:12) Lokhu kwenzeka ngawo-1914. Ngaleso sikhathi amaKristu amaningi agcotshiwe ayelindele ukuya ezulwini ngo-1914. Lapho kungenzeki lokho, labo ababethembekile babhekana kanjani nokudumazeka?

10. Yini eyenziwa enye indoda nomkayo lapho kungenzeki lokho ababekulindele?

¹⁰ Cabanga ngesibonelo samaKristu amabili aqotho abhekana nale nselele. UMfoweth’  uRoyal Spatz wabhapathizwa ngo-1908 eneminyaka engu-20. Wayeqiniseka ngokuthi wayesezowuthola maduze umvuzo wakhe wasezulwini. Empeleni ngo-1911, lapho ecela ukushada nesithandwa sakhe, uPearl, wathi: “Uyazi ukuthi kuzokwenzekani ngo-1914. Uma uvuma ukushada nami, kungcono sishade ngokushesha!” Ingabe le ndoda nomkayo bayeka ukugijima kulo mncintiswano lapho bengawutholi umvuzo wabo wasezulwini ngo-1914? Cha, ngoba into ababegxile kuyo ngokuyinhloko kwakuwukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, hhayi ukuthola umvuzo. Babezimisele ukugijima ngokukhuthazela. URoyal noPearl baqhubeka bezikhandla futhi benokholo kwaze kwaba yilapho beshona ngemva kwamashumi eminyaka kamuva. Akungabazeki ukuthi uyakulangazelela ukubona uJehova engcwelisa igama lakhe, elwela ubukhosi bakhe futhi egcwalisa izithembiso zakhe. Qiniseka ngokuthi lezi zinto ziyokwenzeka ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele. Kuze kube yileso sikhathi, kwangathi singaqhubeka sikhonza uNkulunkulu wethu, singavumeli ukungenzeki kwezinto esizilindele kusiqede amandla.

11-12. Kungani singaqhubeka sigijima yize singasenawo amandla? Nikeza isibonelo.

¹¹ Ukuphelelwa amandla ngenxa yokukhula. Ngokungafani nomuntu ogijima ngokoqobo, akudingeki ube umqemane ukuze uqhubeke ukhula ngokomoya. Empeleni, abaningi asebekhulile bayaqhubeka bezikhandla ukuze benzele uJehova okungcono kakhulu. (2 Kor. 4:16) Ngokwesibonelo, uMfoweth’ u-Arthur Secord * wayeneminyaka engu-88 futhi engasenawo amandla ngemva kokukhonza iminyaka engu-55 eBethel. Umhlengikazi eBethel waya embhedeni wakhe ukuze amsize ngokuthile ayekudinga. Emoyizela, wathi kuye: “Mfoweth’ uSecord, lo mzimba usufeze okuningi enkonzweni kaJehova.” Nokho, u-Arthur wayengagxilile kulokho ayesekwenzile. Emomotheka, u-Arthur waphendula wathi: “Uqinisile. Kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu akukhona lokho esesikwenzile, yilokho esikwenza manje.”

¹² Mhlawumbe sekuphele iminyaka eminingi ukhonza uJehova, kodwa manje impilo ebuthaka ayisakuvumeli ukuba wenze lokho owawukwazi ukukwenza ngaphambili. Uma kunjalo, ungadikibali. Qiniseka ngokuthi uJehova uyawukhumbula umsebenzi owenzile. (Heb. 6:10) Khumbula ukuthi ukuzinikela ngomphefumulo wonke akukalwa ukuthi senza okuningi kangakanani enkonzweni kaJehova. Kunalokho, sibonisa ukujula kokuzinikela kwethu  ngokuba nesimo sengqondo esihle nangokwenza konke okusemandleni ethu. (Kol. 3:23) UJehova uyakuqonda ukulinganiselwa kwethu futhi akalindele ukuba simnike okungaphezu kwamandla ethu.—Marku 12:43, 44.

13. Okwenzeka ku-Anatoly noLidiya kusikhuthaza kanjani ukuba siqhubeke sikhonza uJehova naphezu kobunzima obuningi?

¹³ Izinkinga ezingapheli. Kuye kwaphela amashumi eminyaka ezinye zezinceku zikaJehova zikhuthazelela ubunzima nokushushiswa. Ngokwesibonelo u-Anatoly Melnik * wayeneminyaka engu-12 lapho ubaba wakhe eboshwa, evalelwa ejele futhi ethunjelwa eSiberia, eqhelelene ngamakhilomitha angaphezu kwangu-7 000 nomndeni wakhe owawuseMoldova. Ngemva konyaka u-Anatoly, umama wakhe nogogo nomkhulu wakhe nabo bathunjelwa eSiberia. Kamuva, bakwazi ukuya emihlanganweni yebandla kwelinye idolobhana, kodwa kwakudingeka bahambe ngezinyawo amakhilomitha angu-30 eqhweni, emakhazeni ashubis’ umnkantsha. Kamuva, uMfoweth’ uMelnik wachitha iminyaka emithathu ejele, engabonani nomkakhe uLidiya nendodakazi yabo eyayinonyaka owodwa. Naphezu kweminyaka eminingi behlupheka, u-Anatoly nomndeni wakhe baqhubeka bekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Manje u-Anatoly uneminyaka engu-82 futhi ukhonza njengelungu leKomiti Yegatsha e-Asia Emaphakathi. Njengo-Anatoly noLidiya, kwangathi singenza konke okusemandleni ethu enkonzweni kaJehova, siqhubeke sikhuthazela.—Gal. 6:9.

14. Yini uPawulu aqaphela ukuthi kumelwe ayenze ukuze afinyelele umgomo wakhe?

¹⁴ UPawulu wayeqiniseka ngokuthi uzowuqeda umncintiswano futhi awufinyelele umgomo wakhe. Njengoba ayegcotshiwe, wayelangazelela ukuthola “umklomelo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu.” Nokho, ukuze awufinyelele lowo mgomo, waqaphela ukuthi kudingeka aqhubeke ‘ewuphishekela.’ (Fil. 3:14) Lapho uPawulu ebhalela abaseFilipi, waqhathanisa ukuphila komKristu nomncintiswano ukuze abasize bagxile emgomweni wabo.

15. Lokho uPawulu akusho ngokuba yizakhamuzi zasezulwini kwawakhuthaza kanjani amaKristu aseFilipi ukuba ‘aphishekele emgomweni’?

¹⁵ UPawulu wakhumbuza abaseFilipi ukuthi bayizakhamuzi zasezulwini. (Fil. 3:20) Kungani? Ngalezo zinsuku, ukuba yisakhamuzi  saseRoma kwakunezinzuzo eziningi. * Nokho, amaKristu agcotshiwe ayezothola izinzuzo ezingcono kakhulu ngokuba izakhamuzi zasezulwini. Ukuba yisakhamuzi saseRoma kwakungelutho uma kuqhathaniswa nokuba yisakhamuzi sasezulwini! Ngenxa yalokho, uPawulu wakhuthaza abaseFilipi ukuba ‘baziphathe ngendlela efanele izindaba ezinhle mayelana noKristu.’ (Fil. 1:27) AmaKristu agcotshiwe asibekela isibonelo esihle namuhla njengoba ephokophele emgomweni wawo wokuphila phakade ezulwini.

16. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuphila ezulwini noma emhlabeni, yini okumelwe siqhubeke siyenza ngokweyabaseFilipi 4:6, 7?

¹⁶ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sinethemba lokuphila phakade ezulwini noma emhlabeni oyipharadesi, kumelwe siqhubeke sisebenzela kulowo mgomo. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekene naziphi izimo, akumelwe sibheke emuva ezintweni esazishiya noma sivumele noma yini isiyekise ukukhonza uJehova. (Fil. 3:16) Kungenzeka sekuyisikhathi eside silinde ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaJehova, noma kungenzeka sesikhulile futhi asisenawo amandla. Kungenzeka siye sakhuthazelela izinkinga ezinkulu noma ushushiso iminyaka eminingi. Kunoma ngabe yisiphi isimo obhekene naso, ‘ungakhathazeki ngalutho.’ Kunalokho, izicelo zakho nokunxusa kwakho makwaziwe nguNkulunkulu, yena uzokunika ukuthula okwedlula lokho okucabangayo.—Funda eyabaseFilipi 4:6, 7.

17. Yini esizoxoxa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

¹⁷ Njengomgijimi ozikhandla ngamandla lapho efika ngasentanjeni, masihlale sigxile ngokuphelele emgomweni wokuqeda umncintiswano wokuphila. Masizikhandle ngamandla futhi sibheke phambili ezithembisweni ezinhle ezizogcwaliseka esikhathini esizayo, senze konke esingakwenza ngokwamandla nangokwezimo zethu. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze siqhubeke sikhuthazela? Isihloko esilandelayo sizosisiza sihlele kahle izinto eziza kuqala ekuphileni futhi ‘siqiniseke ngezinto ezibaluleke kakhulu.’—Fil. 1:9, 10.