Bayaqhubeka Behamba Eqinisweni
Bayaqhubeka Behamba Eqinisweni
“Anginaso isizathu esikhulu sokubonga kunalezizinto, ukuba ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami baqhubeka behamba eqinisweni.”—3 JOHANE 4.
1. Ligxilephi ‘iqiniso lezindaba ezinhle’?
UJEHOVA wamukela kuphela labo abamkhulekela “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:24) Balalela iqiniso, bamukele zonke izimfundiso zobuKristu ezisekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Leli “qiniso lezindaba ezinhle” ligxile kuJesu Kristu nasekulwelweni kobukhosi bukaJehova ngoMbuso. (Galathiya 2:14) UNkulunkulu uvumela “ukusebenza kwesiphambeko kuye” kulabo abakhetha amanga, kodwa insindiso ixhomeke ekubeni nokholo ezindabeni ezinhle nasekuhambeni eqinisweni.—2 Thesalonika 2:9-12; Efesu 1:13, 14.
2. Yini umphostoli uJohane ayebonga ngayo ngokukhethekile, futhi babunjani ubuhlobo bakhe noGayu?
2 Abamemezeli boMbuso bayizisebenzi zandawonye eqinisweni. Njengomphostoli uJohane nomngane wakhe uGayu, banamathela ngokuzimisela eqinisweni futhi bahambe kulo. Ecabanga ngoGayu, uJohane wabhala: “Anginaso isizathu esikhulu sokubonga kunalezizinto, ukuba ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami baqhubeka behamba eqinisweni.” (3 Johane 3-8) Ngisho noma kungeyena uJohane owayesekhulile owafundisa uGayu iqiniso, ukukhula kwalo mphostoli ngeminyaka, ukuvuthwa kobuKristu nothando lwakhe olunjengolukababa kwenza kwafaneleka ukuba le ndoda esentsha ibhekwe njengenye yezingane zikaJohane ezingokomoya.
Iqiniso Nokukhulekela KobuKristu
3. Kwakuyini injongo nenzuzo yemihlangano eyayenziwa amaKristu okuqala?
3 Ukuze afunde iqiniso, amaKristu okuqala ayehlangana njengamabandla, ngokuvamile emizini yabathile. (Roma 16:3-5) Ngokwenza kanjalo ayethola isikhuthazo futhi evuselelana othandweni nasemisebenzini emihle. (Heberu 10:24, 25) Mayelana nalabo ababezibiza ngamaKristu kamuva, uTertullian (wango-155 kuya ngemva kuka-220 C.E.) wabhala: “Siyahlangana ukuze sifunde izincwadi zikaNkulunkulu . . . Ngalawo mazwi angcwele sondla ukholo lwethu, sikhulise ithemba lethu, sigxilise ukuqiniseka kwethu.”—Apology, isahluko 39.
4. Ukuhlabelela kuye kwaba nayiphi indima emihlanganweni yobuKristu?
4 Emihlanganweni yamaKristu okuqala, cishe nokuhlabelela kwakukhona. (Efesu 5:19; Kolose 3:16) UProfesa Henry Chadwick uthi umcusumbuli wangekhulu lesibili leminyaka uCelsus wezwa izingoma ezazisetshenziswa yilabo abathi bangamaKristu “zimnandi kangangokuthi empeleni kwamcasula ukuthinta kwazo imizwelo yakhe.” UChadwick uyanezela: “UClement wase-Alexandria ungumlobi wokuqala ongumKristu owakhuluma ngohlobo lomculo olufanele amaKristu. Uthi akufanele kube uhlobo oluhlobene nomculo womdanso ovusa inkanuko.” (The Early Church, amakhasi 274-5) Njengoba namaKristu okuqala ngokusobala ayehlabelela lapho ehlangene, noFakazi BakaJehova bavame ukuhlabelela izingoma ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini ezinamazwi anamandla adumisa uNkulunkulu noMbuso.
5. (a) Isiqondiso esingokomoya sasinikezwa kanjani emabandleni amaKristu okuqala? (b) AmaKristu eqiniso aye awasebenzisa kanjani amazwi kaJesu akuMathewu 23:8, 9?
5 Emabandleni amaKristu okuqala, ababonisi babefundisa iqiniso, futhi izinceku ezikhonzayo zisize ezikholwa nabo ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. (Filipi 1:1) Indikimba ebusayo eyayithembela eZwini likaNkulunkulu nasemoyeni ongcwele yayinikeza isiqondiso esingokomoya. (IzEnzo 15:6, 23-31) Iziqu zenkolo zazingasetshenziswa ngoba uJesu wayeyale abafundi bakhe wathi: “Nina, maningabizwa ngokuthi Rabi, ngoba munye ongumfundisi wenu, kanti nonke nina ningabafowabo bomunye nomunye. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ningabizi muntu emhlabeni ngokuthi uyihlo, ngoba munye onguYihlo, yiLowo osezulwini.” (Mathewu 23:8, 9) Kulezi zici nakwezinye eziningi, kunokufana phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala noFakazi BakaJehova.
Babeshushiselwa Ukushumayela Iqiniso
6, 7. Nakuba ememezela isigijimi sokuthula, amaKristu eqiniso aye aphathwa kanjani?
6 Nakuba ayememezela isigijimi soMbuso esinokuthula, amaKristu okuqala ayeshushiswa, njengoba noJesu ashushiswa. (Johane 15:20; 17:14) Isazi-mlando uJohn L. von Mosheim sabiza amaKristu okuqala ngokuthi “iqembu labantu abangeyona ingozi nabangasukeli muntu, ababengafukameli ezingqondweni zabo isifiso noma umcabango omubi wokuphazamisa inhlalakahle kahulumeni.” UDkt. Mosheim wathi “okwakucasula amaRoma ngamaKristu ukuthi ukukhulekela kwawo kwakungeyona inkimbinkimbi, okungafani nhlobo nendlela yokukhulekela yanoma yibaphi abanye abantu.” Wanezela: “Ayengenamihlatshelo, amathempeli, izithombe, ababikezeli, noma amaqembu abapristi; futhi lokhu kwawenza ahlanjalazwa yizixuku ezingazi lutho, ezazicabanga ukuthi inkolo ayikwazi ukungabi nalezi zinto. Ngaleyo ndlela, ayebhekwa njengabangakholelwa ebukhoneni bukaNkulunkulu; futhi, ngokomthetho wamaRoma, labo ababesolwa ngokungakholelwa kuNkulunkulu kwakuthiwa bawuhlupho emphakathini.”
7 Abapristi, ababazi, nabanye ababeziphilisa ngokukhonzwa kwezithombe bagqugquzela umphakathi ukuba umelane namaKristu, njengoba wona ayengazikhonzi izithombe. (IzEnzo 19:23-40; 1 Korinte 10:14) UTertullian wabhala: “Babheka amaKristu njengayimbangela yazo zonke izinhlekelele zikaHulumeni, wonke amashwa abantu. Uma iTiber ifika ezingangeni, uma iNayile ingagcwali ifike emasimini, uma lomisile noma uma kuzamazama umhlaba, uma kunendlala, uma kunomqedazwe, kuvele kuthiwe: ‘Phonsani amaKristu emabhubesini!’” Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi imiphumela iba njani, amaKristu eqiniso ‘ayaziqapha ezithombeni.’—1 Johane 5:21.
Iqiniso Nemikhosi Engokwenkolo
8. Kungani labo abahamba eqinisweni bengawugubhi uKhisimusi?
8 Labo abahamba eqinisweni bayayigwema imikhosi engqubuzana nemiBhalo ngoba ‘ukukhanya akunasabelo nobumnyama.’ (2 Korinte 6:14-18) Ngokwesibonelo, abawugubhi uKhisimusi, oba ngo-December 25. I-World Book Encyclopedia iyavuma: “Akekho olwazi ngokuqondile usuku lokuzalwa kukaKristu.” I-Encyclopedia Americana (uHlelo lwango-1956) ithi: “ISaturnalia, umkhosi wamaRoma owawugujwa maphakathi no-December, yaba yisibonelo samasiko amaningi okuzijabulisa kwangoKhisimusi.” I-Cyclopædia kaM’Clintock noStrong ithi: “Ukugujwa kukaKhisimusi akuwona umyalo ovela kuNkulunkulu, futhi akuveli eTestamenteni Elisha.” Nencwadi ethi Daily Life in the Time of Jesus ithi: “Imihlambi . . . yayivalelwa ubusika bonke; futhi ngalokho nje kukodwa kungabonakala ukuthi usuku lukaKhisimusi oseluyisiko, olusebusika [enhla nenkabazwe], alunakuba ngoluqondile, ngoba iVangeli lithi abelusi babesemadlelweni.”—Luka 2:8-11.
9. Kungani izinceku zikaJehova zesikhathi esidlule nezanamuhla ziyigwema imikhosi yama-Easter?
9 Ama-Easter kuthiwa awokugubha ukuvuka kukaKristu, kodwa imithombo ethembekile iwahlobanisa nokukhulekela kwamanga. I-Westminster Dictionary of the Bible ithi ama-Easter “ekuqaleni ayewumkhosi wasentwasahlobo wokuhlonipha uTeutonic unkulunkulukazi wokukhanya nentwasahlobo, owayebizwa ngokuthi u-Eastre [noma Eostre] e-Anglo-Saxon.” Noma ngabe yikuphi, i-Encyclopædia Britannica (uHlelo lwe-11) ithi: “Akukho lutho olubonisa ukugujwa komkhosi wama-Easter eTestamenteni Elisha.” Ama-Easter ayengewona umkhosi wamaKristu okuqala futhi nanamuhla abantu bakaJehova abawagubhi.
10. Yimuphi umkhosi uJesu awumisa, futhi obani abaye bawugcina ngokufanele?
10 UJesu akabayalanga abalandeli bakhe ukuba bagubhe usuku lokuzalwa kwakhe noma lokuvuswa kwakhe, kodwa wamisa iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe okuwumhlatshelo. (Roma 5:8) Yebo, lesi ukuphela kwesenzakalo ayala abafundi bakhe ukuba basigubhe. (Luka 22:19, 20) Njengoba sibizwa nangeSidlo SeNkosi Sakusihlwa, oFakazi BakaJehova basasigubha lesi senzakalo saminyaka yonke.—1 Korinte 11:20-26.
Iqiniso Limenyezelwa Emhlabeni Wonke
11, 12. Labo abahamba eqinisweni bebelokhu bewusekela kanjani umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela?
11 Labo abalaziyo iqiniso bakubheka njengelungelo elikhethekile ukusebenzisa isikhathi, amandla nezinye izinto zabo emsebenzini wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle. (Marku 13:10) Umsebenzi wokushumayela wamaKristu okuqala wawusekelwa ngeminikelo yokuzithandela. (2 Korinte 8:12; 9:7) UTertullian wabhala: “Ngisho noma kunesikhwama esithile, asigcwaliswa ngemali yokungena, njengokungathi inkolo iyibhizinisi. Kanye ngenyanga wonke umuntu uletha uhlamvwana lwemali—nanoma yinini lapho ethanda futhi kusemandleni akhe; ngoba akuphoqwa muntu; ngumnikelo wokuzithandela.”—Apology, isahluko 39.
12 Umsebenzi woFakazi BakaJehova wokushumayela ngoMbuso emhlabeni wonke nawo usekelwa ngeminikelo yokuzithandela. Ngaphandle koFakazi, abantu abanokwazisa abathakazelayo bakubheka njengelungelo elikhethekile ukusekela lo msebenzi ngeminikelo yabo. Nalapha futhi, kukhona ukufana phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala noFakazi BakaJehova.
Iqiniso Nokuziphatha Komuntu
13. Mayelana nokuziphatha kwabo, oFakazi BakaJehova balalela siphi iseluleko sikaPetru?
13 Njengabantu ababehamba eqinisweni, amaKristu okuqala asilalela iseluleko somphostoli uPetru: “Londolozani ukuziphatha kwenu kukuhle phakathi kwezizwe, ukuze kuthi, entweni ezikhuluma kabi ngani kuyo njengokungathi ningabenzi bokubi, zikhazimulise uNkulunkulu ngosuku lokuhlola kwakhe ngenxa yemisebenzi yenu emihle ezingofakazi bayo bokuzibonela.” (1 Petru 2:12) OFakazi BakaJehova bayawalalela lawo mazwi.
14. AmaKristu akubheka kanjani ukuzijabulisa okunokuziphatha okubi?
14 Ngisho nangemva kokuhlasela kokuhlubuka, labo ababezibiza ngamaKristu babezigwema izenzo zokuziphatha okubi. UW. D. Killen, onguprofesa womlando wezobufundisi, wabhala: “Ekhulwini lesibili nelesithathu kuwo wonke amadolobha amakhulu, isikhungo semidlalo yaseshashalazini sasidonsa abantu; futhi njengoba abadlali ngokuvamile kwakungabantu abanesimilo esixekethile, imidlalo yabo evusa amadlingozi yayihlale yanelisa izifiso ezimbi zangaleso sikhathi. . . . Wonke amaKristu eqiniso ayesenyanya isikhungo semidlalo yaseshashalazini. . . . Ukuhlambalaza kwakhona kwakuwaxosha; futhi ukusebenzisana kwaso nonkulunkulu nonkulunkulukazi bobuhedeni kwakudelela izinkolelo zabo zenkolo.” (The Ancient Church, amakhasi 318-19) Nabalandeli bakaJesu beqiniso banamuhla bayazigwema izindlela zokuzijabulisa eziyichilo nezinokuziphatha okonakele.—Efesu 5:3-5.
Iqiniso ‘Namagunya Aphakeme’
15, 16. Angobani ‘amagunya aphakeme,’ futhi labo abahamba eqinisweni baye bawabheka kanjani?
15 Naphezu kokuziphatha okuhle kwamaKristu okuqala, iningi lababusi bamaRoma laliwaqonda kabi. Isazimlando u-E. G. Hardy sithi ababusi babewabheka ‘njengabantu abashiseka ngokweqile nabadelelekile.’ Izincwadi uMbusi uPliny Omncane waseBithynia noMbusi uTrajan ababebhalelana zona zibonisa ukuthi iziphathimandla ngokuvamile zazingabazi ukuthi bunjani ngempela ubuKristu. AmaKristu awubheka kanjani uHulumeni?
16 Njengabalandeli bakaJesu bokuqala, oFakazi BakaJehova bazithoba ngokulinganiselwe “emagunyeni aphakeme” angohulumeni. (Roma 13:1-7) Uma okufunwa abantu kungqubuzana nentando kaNkulunkulu, athi: “Kumelwe silalele uNkulunkulu njengombusi kunabantu.” (IzEnzo 5:29) Incwadi ethi After Jesus—The Triumph of Christianity ithi: “Nakuba kungenzeka amaKristu ayengamkhulekeli umbusi, ayengebona abaphehli bodweshu, futhi inkolo yawo, nakuba yayixaka futhi ngezinye izikhathi icasula ngokombono wamaqaba, yayingelona usongo ngempela embusweni.”
17. (a) AmaKristu okuqala ayesekela muphi uhulumeni? (b) Abalandeli bakaKristu beqiniso baye bawasebenzisa kanjani amazwi ka-Isaya 2:4 ekuphileni kwabo?
17 AmaKristu okuqala ayesekela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu, njengoba nezinzalamizi ezingo-Abrahama, u-Isaka, noJakobe zazibonisa ukholo kulowo ‘muzi othenjisiwe owakhiwe uNkulunkulu.’ (Heberu 11:8-10) NjengeNkosi yabo, abafundi bakaJesu ‘babengeyona ingxenye yezwe.’ (Johane 17:14-16) Futhi ngokuphathelene nezimpi nezingxabano zabantu, babephishekelé ukuthula ‘ngokukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe ngamakhuba.’ (Isaya 2:4) Eveza ukufana okuthakazelisayo, umfundisi womlando wesonto uGeoffrey F. Nuttall wathi: “Isimo sengqondo samaKristu okuqala ngempi sasithi asifane nesabantu abazibiza ngoFakazi BakaJehova okuyinto esingathandisisi ukuyivuma.”
18. Kungani kungekho hulumeni onesizathu sokwesaba oFakazi BakaJehova?
18 Njengabantu abangathathi hlangothi nabazithobayo “emagunyeni aphakeme,” amaKristu okuqala ayengelona usongo kunoma yisiphi isimiso sezombusazwe, banjalo noFakazi BakaJehova. Umhleli wephephandaba waseNyakatho Melika wabhala: “Ngumuntu ogcwele ubandlululo nongabethembi nhlobo abanye ongakholelwa ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova bangaba usongo oluthile kunoma yimuphi uhulumeni. Bayiqembu lenkolo elingaphikisani nohulumeni nelithanda ukuthula.” Iziphathimandla ezinolwazi ziyazi ukuthi akudingeki zesabe lutho koFakazi BakaJehova.
19. Mayelana nezintela, yini esingayisho ngamaKristu okuqala noFakazi BakaJehova?
19 Enye indlela amaKristu okuqala ayebonisa ngayo ukuhlonipha ‘amagunya aphakeme’ kwakungukukhokha izintela. Ebhalela uMbusi u-Antoninus Pius waseRoma (wango-138-161 C.E.), uJustin Martyr wagomela ngokuthi amaKristu ayekhokha izintela zawo “ngokuzithandela ukudlula bonke abantu.” (First Apology, isahluko 17) UTertullian naye watshela ababusi bamaRoma ukuthi abathelisi babo “babekweleta amaKristu ukuwabonga” ngenxa yokukhokha kwawo izintela ngokwethembeka. (Apology, isahluko 42) AmaKristu ayezuza kuyi-Pax Romana, noma uKuthula KwaseRoma, nasemthethweni wayo nokuhleleka, imigwaqo ekahle nokuphepha kwabahamba olwandle. Eqaphela ukuthi anesibopho emphakathini, ayelalela amazwi kaJesu: “Buyiselani izinto zikaKesari kuKesari, kodwa izinto zikaNkulunkulu kuNkulunkulu.” (Marku 12:17) Abantu bakaJehova namuhla balalela lesi seluleko futhi baye banconywa ngenxa yokwethembeka kwabo, njengasekukhokheni izintela.—Heberu 13:18.
Iqiniso—Isibopho Esihlanganisayo
20, 21. Ngokuphathelene nobuzalwane obunokuthula, izinceku zikaJehova zanamuhla zifana ngani namaKristu okuqala?
20 Ngenxa yokuthi ayehamba eqinisweni, amaKristu okuqala ayehlanganiswe isibopho sobuzalwane obunokuthula, njengoba kunjalo ngoFakazi BakaJehova namuhla. (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Incwadi eyashicilelwa kuyi-Moscow Times yathi: “[OFakazi BakaJehova] baziwa kakhulu ngokuba abantu abanobungane, abanomusa nabathobekile okulula ukuzwana nabo, abangalokothi bacindezele abanye abantu futhi abahlale befuna ukuthula ebuhlotsheni babo nabanye . . . Abavumi ukufumbathiswa, abanazo izidakwa noma imilutha yezidakamizwa, futhi isizathu sisobala: Bamane bazama ukuqondiswa izinkolelo zabo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini kukho konke abakwenzayo noma abakushoyo. Ukube bonke abantu emhlabeni okungenani bebengazama ukuphila ngokuvumelana neBhayibheli njengoba kwenza oFakazi BakaJehova, lo mhlaba ononya ubuyohluka kakhulu.”
21 I-Encyclopedia of Early Christianity ithi: “Ibandla lokuqala lalizibheka njengesintu esisodwa esisha esinamaqembu ayekade ezondana, amaJuda nabeZizwe, ayesehlala ndawonye ngokuthula.” NoFakazi BakaJehova bawubuzalwane bomhlaba wonke obuthanda ukuthula—umphakathi wezwe elisha ngempela. (Efesu 2:11-18; 1 Petru 5:9; 2 Petru 3:13) Lapho isikhulu sonogada sasePretoria Show Grounds eNingizimu Afrika sibona indlela oFakazi bazo zonke izinhlanga ababehlangene ngokuthula ngayo beze emhlanganweni, sathi: “Wonke umuntu unesizotha, abantu bakhulumisana ngomusa, isimo sengqondo ebesibonakala kulezi zinsuku ezimbalwa ezidlule—konke kubonisa uhlobo lwabantu amalungu omphakathi wenu ayilo, nokuthi wonke aphilisana njengomkhaya owodwa ojabulayo.”
Bábusiswa Ngokufundisa Iqiniso
22. Yini ebilokhu yenzeka ngoba amaKristu abelokhu enza iqiniso libe sobala?
22 Ngokuziphatha nokushumayela kwabo, uPawulu namanye amaKristu ‘babelenza libe sobala iqiniso.’ (2 Korinte 4:2) Awuvumi yini ukuthi oFakazi BakaJehova benza okufanayo futhi bafundisa zonke izizwe iqiniso? Emhlabeni wonke abantu bamukela ukukhulekela kweqiniso futhi bathuthelekela ‘entabeni yendlu kaJehova’ ngamanani andayo. (Isaya 2:2, 3) Minyaka yonke kubhapathizwa abayizinkulungwane bebonisa ukuzinikezela kwabo kuNkulunkulu, okuphumela ekwakhiweni kwamabandla amaningi amasha.
23. Ubabheka kanjani labo abafundisa zonke izizwe iqiniso?
23 Nakuba benezizinda ezihlukahlukene, abantu bakaJehova bamunye ekukhulekeleni kweqiniso. Uthando abalubonisayo lubaveza njengabafundi bakaJesu. (Johane 13:35) Uyabona yini ukuthi ‘uNkulunkulu ngempela uphakathi kwabo’? (1 Korinte 14:25) Usuzibekile yini ohlangothini lwalabo abafundisa zonke izizwe iqiniso? Uma kunjalo, kwangathi ungabonisa ukubonga okuhlala njalo ngeqiniso, ujabulele ilungelo lokuhamba kulo phakade.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Mayelana nendlela yokukhulekela, yikuphi ukufana okukhona phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala noFakazi BakaJehova?
• Yimuphi umkhosi wenkolo okuwukuphela kwawo ogcinwa yilabo abahamba eqinisweni?
• Angobani ‘amagunya aphakeme,’ futhi amaKristu awabheka kanjani?
• Iqiniso liyisibopho esihlanganisayo ngamuphi umqondo?
[Imibuzo Yesifundo]
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Imihlangano yobuKristu ibilokhu iyisibusiso kulabo abahamba eqinisweni
[Izithombe ekhasini 23]
UJesu wayala abalandeli bakhe ukuba bagubhe iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe okuwumhlatshelo
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
NjengamaKristu okuqala, oFakazi BakaJehova bayawahlonipha ‘amagunya aphakeme’