‘Gijima Ngendlela’ Efanele

AKE uzicabange usenkundleni yezemidlalo egcwele phamá abantu abenamile. Abasubathi bayangena enkundleni. Kuchwaza izihlwele njengoba kuqhamuka izihlabani. Kukhona namajaji azobheka ukugcinwa kwemithetho. Njengoba imidlalo iqhubeka, ukuchwaza kokunqoba kuhlangana nokububula kokudumala. Abanqobi bashayelwa ihlombe elivala izindlebe!

Awukho emidlalweni yanamuhla, kodwa ukweyaseminyakeni engaba ngu-2000 edlule, e-Isthmus yaseKorinte. Lapha, njalo ngemva kweminyaka emibili kwakuba neMidlalo Yase-Isthmus edumile kusukela ngekhulu lesithupha B.C.E. kuya ekhulwini lesine C.E. Kwakuphela izinsuku eziningi yonke iGrisi igxile kulo mncintiswano. Le midlalo yayingeyona nje imincintiswano yezemidlalo kuphela. Abasubathi babewuphawu lokulungela impi. Abanqobi—ababedunyiswa njengamaqhawe—babethola imiqhele elukwe ngamaqabunga omuthi. Babephiwa izipho, futhi umuzi wawubanika isamba esikhulu somhlala-phansi wokuphila kwabo konke.

Umphostoli uPawulu wayeyazi iMidlalo Yase-Isthmus ngaseKorinte futhi wafanisa inkambo yokuphila komKristu nomncintiswano wezemidlalo. Ngokukhuluma ngabagijimi nabashayi besibhakela, wayibonisa kahle imivuzo yokuziqeqesha kahle, imizamo enenjongo nokukhuthazela. Yebo, namaKristu ayewabhalela ayeyazi le midlalo. Ngokungangabazeki amanye awo ayeke aba phakathi kwezihlwele ezazichwaza enkundleni. Ngakho ayeyoyiqonda kalula imifanekiso kaPawulu. Kuthiwani ngathi namuhla? Nathi sisemncintiswaneni—wokuphila okuphakade. Singazuza kanjani emazwini kaPawulu akhuluma ngaleyo mincintiswano?

‘Ukuncintisana Ngokuvumelana Nemithetho’

Izimfuneko zokungenela imidlalo yasendulo zaziqinile impela. Ummemezeli wayethula umsubathi ngamunye ezihlweleni abese ememeza ethi: ‘Ukhona yini ongabeka le ndoda noma yiliphi icala? Ingabe ingumphangi noma yimbi futhi ikhohlakele ekuphileni nasemikhutsheni yayo?’ Ngokwe-Archaeologia Graeca, “akukho muntu owayeyisigebengu esaziwayo yena uqobo, noma [owayehlobene] naso eduze, owayevunyelwa ukungenela umncintiswano.” Futhi ukwephulwa kwemithetho yemidlalo kwakunesijeziso esinzima sokubakhipha ababeyephulile emincintiswaneni.

Lokhu kusenza siqonde amazwi kaPawulu athi: “Uma noma ubani esemncintiswaneni ngisho nasemidlalweni, akathweswa umqhele ngaphandle kokuba encintisene ngokuvumelana nemithetho.” (2 Thimothewu 2:5) Ngokufanayo, ukuze sigijime emncintiswaneni wokuphila, kumelwe sihlangabezane nezimfuneko zikaJehova, sivumelane nezindinganiso zakhe eziphakeme zokuziphatha  njengoba zivezwe eBhayibhelini. Nokho, iBhayibheli liyasixwayisa: “Imicabango yomuntu mibi kwasebusheni bakhe.” (Genesise 8:21) Ngakho, ngisho nangemva kokuba siwungenele umncintiswano, kumelwe siqaphele ukuthi siqhubeka sincintisana ngokuvumelana nemithetho ukuze siqhubeke samukeleka kuJehova futhi sithole ukuphila okuphakade.

Usizo olukhulu ekwenzeni lokhu uthando ngoNkulunkulu. (Marku 12:29-31) Uthando olunjalo luyosenza sifune ukumjabulisa uJehova futhi senze ngokuvumelana nentando yakhe.—1 Johane 5:3.

‘Lahla Konke Okusindayo’

Emidlalweni yasendulo, abagijimi babengasindwa yizingubo noma ezinye izinto. “Emincintiswaneni yokugijima, . . . abasubathi babehamba-ze,” kusho incwadi i-Life of the Greeks and Romans. Ukungagqoki zingubo kwakwenza abasubathi babe lula, banyakaze kalula nangobunyoninco. Amandla abo ayengapheleli ezeni ngenxa yesisindo esingadingekile. Cishe uPawulu wayecabanga ngalokhu lapho ebhalela amaKristu angamaHeberu ukuthi: “Masilahleni konke okusindayo nesono esisithandela kalula, futhi masiwugijimeni ngokukhuthazela umncintiswano obekwe phambi kwethu.”—Heberu 12:1.

Yiziphi izinto ezisindayo ezingasibambezela emncintiswaneni wokuphila? Enye yazo kungaba yisifiso sokuqongelela izinto ezibonakalayo ezingadingekile noma ukuphila ngendlela ebizayo. Abanye bangase babheke engcebweni ukuze bathole ukulondeka noma bayibheke njengomthombo wenjabulo. Izinto ‘ezisindayo’ ezinjalo ezingadingekile zingase zehlise ijubane lomgijimi kangangokuba uNkulunkulu agcine engasabalulekile kangako kuye. (Luka 12:16-21) Ukuphila okuphakade kungase kube njengethemba elikude. Umuntu angase acabange ukuthi, ‘Izwe elisha liyofika lona ngelinye ilanga, kodwa okwamanje ake sisebenzise lokho leli zwe elikunikezayo.’ (1 Thimothewu 6:17-19) Umbono onjalo wokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo ungamchezukisa kalula umuntu emncintiswaneni wokuphila noma umvimbele ngisho nasekuwuqaleni.

ENtshumayelweni Yasentabeni, uJesu wathi: “Akekho ongaba isigqila samakhosi amabili; ngoba uyozonda enye futhi athande enye, noma anamathele kwenye futhi adelele enye. Anikwazi ukuba izigqila zikaNkulunkulu nezeNgcebo.” Ngemva kokukhuluma ngokunakekela kukaJehova izidingo zezilwane nezitshalo nokuthi abantu babaluleke ngaphezu kwazo, wabe eseyala: “Ngakho ningalokothi nikhathazeke nithi, ‘Sizodlani?’ noma, ‘Sizophuzani?’ noma, ‘Sizogqokani?’ Ngoba konke lokhu kuyizinto izizwe eziziphishekela ngokulangazela. Ngoba uYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyazidinga zonke lezizinto. Khona-ke, qhubekani nifuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kwakhe, futhi zonke lezi ezinye izinto ziyonezelwa kini.”—Mathewu 6:24-33.

‘Gijima Ngokukhuthazela’

Akuyona yonke imincintiswano yokugijima eyayimifushane. Omunye umncintiswano, okuthiwa yi-doʹli·khos, wawungamakhilomitha angaba mane ubude. Wawuwavivinya kakhulu amandla nokukhuthazela. Ngokomlando, ngo-328 B.C.E., umsubathi okuthiwa u-Ageas wathi angawina lo mncintiswano, wagijima ephindela emzini wakubo wase-Argos eyomemezela ukunqoba kwakhe. Ngalolo suku, wagijima cishe amakhilomitha angu-110!

Umncintiswano wamaKristu nawo uyibanga elide elivivinya ukukhuthazela kwethu. Kudingeka ukukhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni kulo mncintiswano ukuze sizuze ukwamukelwa nguJehova nomvuzo wokuphila okuphakade. UPawulu  wawugijima kanjalo lo mncintiswano. Ngasekupheleni kokuphila kwakhe, wakwazi ukuthi: “Ngikulwile ukulwa okuhle, ngiligijimile ibanga ngaze ngayoqeda, ngilugcinile ukholo. Kusukela kulesisikhathi kuqhubeke ngigcinelwe umqhele wokulunga.” (2 Thimothewu 4:7, 8) NjengoPawulu, kufanele sigijime ‘size siyoqeda.’ Uma ukukhuthazela kwethu kuncipha ngenxa nje yokuthi lo mncintiswano uthanda ukuba mude kunalokho ebesikulindele, ngeke siwuthole umvuzo wethu. (Heberu 11:6) Yeka ukuthi kungaba yinto edabukisa kanjani lokho, njengoba sesiseduze kangaka nomugqa!

Umklomelo

Emincintiswaneni yezemidlalo yaseGrisi yasendulo abanqobi babenikwa umqhele, ngokuvamile owawakhiwe ngamaqabunga ezihlahla futhi uhlotshiswé ngezimbali. EMidlalweni YasePythias, abanqobi babethola umqhele owenziwe ngesihlahla i-laurel. EMidlalweni Yase-Olympus babethola imiqhele yamaqabunga omnqumo wasendle, kanti eMidlalweni Yase-Isthmus babethola imiqhele yesihlahla se-pine. Esinye isazi seBhayibheli sithi: “Ukuze abasubathi bavukwe usinga, phakathi nomncintiswano kwakuba nemiqhele, imivuzo yokunqoba, namahlamvu esundu kuhlezi obala etafuleni elibekwe enkundleni.” Konqobile, ukufaka umqhele kwakuwuphawu lodumo olukhulu. Lapho ephindela ekhaya, wayegibela inqola ngokunqoba eyongena emzini.

Ecabanga ngalokhu, uPawulu wabuza abafundi bencwadi yakhe eKorinte: “Anazi yini ukuthi emncintiswaneni abagijimi bagijima bonke, kodwa munye kuphela owamukela umklomelo? Gijimani ngendlela yokuba niwufinyelele. . . . Manje, yiqiniso, bona bakwenza ukuze bathole umqhele owonakalayo, kodwa thina ongonakaliyo.” (1 Korinte 9:24, 25; 1 Petru 1:3, 4) Yeka umehluko! Ngokungafani nemiqhele ebunayo yemidlalo yasendulo, umklomelo olindele labo abagijima umncintiswano wokuphila baze bayoqeda awusoze waphela.

Umphostoli uPetru wabhala ngalo mqhele ongcono: “Lapho umalusi omkhulu esebonakalisiwe, niyokwamukela umqhele wenkazimulo ongenakubuna.” (1 Petru 5:4) Ukhona yini umklomelo onikezwa yileli zwe ongalinganiswa nokungafi, umklomelo owukuphila okungenakonakala enkazimulweni yasezulwini noKristu?

Namuhla, iningi labagijimi abangamaKristu aligcotshiwe nguNkulunkulu ukuba libe amadodana akhe angokomoya futhi alinalo ithemba lasezulwini. Ngakho, aligijimeli umklomelo wokungafi. Nokho, nawo uNkulunkulu uwabekela umklomelo ongenakulinganiswa nalutho. Uwukuphila okuphakade okuphelele emhlabeni oyipharadesi ngaphansi koMbuso wasezulwini. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yimuphi umklomelo umgijimi ongumKristu awubhekile, kufanele agijime ngokuzimisela nangentshiseko kunanoma yimuphi umgijimi emncintiswaneni wezemidlalo. Ngani? Ngoba umklomelo awusoze wabuna: “Yilena into ethenjisiwe asithembisa yona yena ngokwakhe, ukuphila okumi phakade.”—1 Johane 2:25.

Njengoba umgijimi ongumKristu elindele uklomelo onjalo ongenakulinganiswa nalutho, kufanele azibheke kanjani izilingo zaleli zwe? Kufanele azibheke njengoPawulu, owathi: “Ngempela zonke izinto ngizishaya indiva futhi ngenxa yenzuzo edlula zonke izinto yolwazi ngoKristu Jesu iNkosi yami. Ngenxa yakhe ngiye ngamukela ukulahlekelwa izinto zonke futhi ngizibheka njengenqwaba yezibi.” Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, yeka ukuthi uPawulu wagijima ngokuzikhandla kangakanani! “Bafowethu, angikazicabangeli njengosekubambile; kodwa yinye into ekhona ngakho: Ukukhohlwa izinto ezingemuva nokwelulekela phambili ezintweni ezingaphambili, ngiphishekela  emgomweni ukuze ngithole umklomelo.” (Filipi 3:8, 13, 14) UPawulu wagijima egxilise amehlo akhe emklomelweni. Nathi kufanele senze njalo.

Isibonelo Sethu Esizidlula Zonke

Emidlalweni yasendulo, izingqwele zazihlonishwa yonke indawo. Izimbongi zazibhala ngazo, abaqophi bemifanekiso bakhe imifanekiso yabo. Isazi-mlando uVěra Olivová sithi ‘zazithola inkazimulo enkulu futhi zithandwa kakhulu.’ Futhi zazilingiswa yisizukulwane esisesincane sezingqwele.

Ubani “oyingqwele” ebekela amaKristu isibonelo esihle kunazo zonke? UPawulu uyaphendula: “Masiwugijimeni ngokukhuthazela umncintiswano obekwe phambi kwethu, njengoba sigxilise amehlo ethu kuMmeli Oyinhloko noMphelelisi wokholo lwethu, uJesu. Ngenxa yenjabulo eyayibekwe phambi kwakhe wakhuthazelela isigxobo sokuhlushwa, edelela ihlazo, futhi useye wahlala phansi ngakwesokunene sesihlalo sobukhosi sikaNkulunkulu.” (Heberu 12:1, 2) Yebo, ukuze sinqobe emncintiswaneni wethu wokuphila okuphakade, kudingeka sigxilise amehlo ethu eSibonelweni sethu, uJesu Kristu. Lokhu singakwenza ngokufunda ukulandisa kwamaVangeli njalo nangokuzindla ngezindlela esingamlingisa ngazo. Ukutadisha okunjalo kuyosisiza siqonde ukuthi uJesu Kristu wayelalela uNkulunkulu futhi wabonisa ukuthi ukholo lwakhe lwalusesimweni esihle ngokukhuthazela. Njengomvuzo wokukhuthazela kwakhe, wamukelwa nguJehova uNkulunkulu wathola namalungelo amaningi amahle kakhulu.—Filipi 2:9-11.

Yiqiniso, imfanelo kaJesu ezidlula zonke kwakuwuthando lwakhe. “Akekho onothando olukhulu kunalolu, ukuba umuntu anikele umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yabangane bakhe.” (Johane 15:13) Wenza igama elithi “uthando” laba nencazelo ejule ngokwengeziwe ngokusitshela ukuba sithande ngisho nezitha zethu. (Mathewu 5:43-48) Ngenxa yokuthi wayemthanda uYise wasezulwini, uJesu wayekujabulela ukwenza intando kaYise. (IHubo 40:9, 10; IzAga 27:11) Ukubheka kwethu kuJesu njengeSibonelo sethu nanjengalowo osibekela isibonelo sejubane emncintiswaneni wokuphila okhandlayo kuyosishukumisela ukuba nathi simthande uNkulunkulu nomakhelwane wethu futhi sithole injabulo yangempela enkonzweni yethu engcwele. (Mathewu 22:37-39; Johane 13:34; 1 Petru 2:21) Khumbula ukuthi uJesu akaceli ukuba senze into engenakwenzeka. Uyasiqinisekisa: “Nginomoya omnene futhi ngithobekile ngenhliziyo, nizotholela imiphefumulo yenu ukuqabuleka. Ngoba ijoka lami ngelomusa nomthwalo wami ulula.”—Mathewu 11:28-30.

NjengoJesu, kudingeka sigcine amehlo ethu esemklomelweni ogcinelwe bonke abayokhuthazela kuze kube sekugcineni. (Mathewu 24:13) Uma sincintisana ngokuvumelana nemithetho, uma silahla konke okusindayo, futhi uma sigijima ngokukhuthazela, singaqiniseka ukuthi siyophumelela. Umgomo esibheke kuwo usenza siqhubekele phambili! Uvuselela amandla ethu ngenxa yenjabulo osinika yona, injabulo eyenza kube lula ukugijima ibanga elisasisalele.

[Isithombe ekhasini 29]

Umncintiswano wamaKristu uyibanga elide—udinga ukukhuthazela

[Isithombe ekhasini 30]

Ngokungafani nabasubathi ababethola umqhele, amaKristu angabheka phambili emklomelweni ongabuni

[Isithombe ekhasini 31]

Umklomelo uyotholwa yibo bonke abakhuthazela kuze kube sekupheleni

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