AmaKristu Ayadingana

“Singamalungu angawelinye nelinye.”—EFESU 4:25.

1. Ithini enye i-encyclopedia ngomzimba womuntu?

UMZIMBA womuntu uyisimanga sendalo! I-World Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Ngezinye izikhathi abantu bathi umzimba womuntu uwumshini—umshini omangalisa kunayo yonke eyake yakhiwa. Yebo, umzimba womuntu awuwona ngempela umshini. Kodwa ungafaniswa nawo ngezindlela eziningi. Njengomshini, umzimba unezingxenye eziningi. Isitho ngasinye somzimba, njengengxenye ngayinye yomshini, senza imisebenzi ekhethekile. Kodwa zonke izitho ziyabambisana, ngaleyo ndlela zenze umzimba noma umshini usebenze ngokushelelayo.”

2. Umzimba womuntu nebandla lobuKristu kufana ngayiphi indlela?

² Yebo, umzimba womuntu unezitho eziningi, noma amalungu, futhi ngasinye senza okuthile okudingekile. Akukho nowodwa umthambo, isicubu, noma elinye ilungu lomzimba elingenamsebenzi. Ngokufanayo, ilungu ngalinye lebandla lobuKristu linganezela okuthile empilweni nasebuhleni balo obungokomoya. (1 Korinte 12:14-26) Nakuba kungekho lungu lebandla okufanele lizizwe liphakeme kunamanye, akekho futhi okufanele azibheke njengongabalulekile.—Roma 12:3.

3. Eyabase-Efesu 4:25 ibonisa kanjani ukuthi amaKristu ayadingana?

³ Njengamalungu omzimba womuntu axhomeke kwelinye nelinye, amaKristu ayadingana. Umphostoli uPawulu watshela akholwa nabo ababegcotshwe ngomoya: “Njengoba seniwalahlile amanga, yilowo nalowo kini makakhulume iqiniso nomakhelwane wakhe, ngoba singamalungu elinye nelinye.” (Efesu 4:25) Njengoba ‘engawelinye nelinye,’ amalungu ka-Israyeli ongokomoya—“umzimba kaKristu”—akhuluma iqiniso komunye nomunye futhi abambisana ngokugcwele. Yebo, ngalinye lawo lingelawo wonke amanye. (Efesu 4:11-13) Kukhona namaKristu anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni abambisana nawo futhi akhuluma iqiniso, ajabulela nokuba munye nala malungu.

4. Yiziphi izindlela abasanda kuhlanganyela abangase basizwe ngazo?

⁴ Minyaka yonke, kubhapathizwa izinkulungwane ezinethemba lokuphila epharadesi  lasemhlabeni. Amanye amalungu ebandla ayakujabulela ukuzisiza ukuba ‘ziphokophelele ekuvuthweni.’ (Heberu 6:1-3) Lolu sizo lungahlanganisa ukuphendula imibuzo yemiBhalo noma ukusiza ngokoqobo enkonzweni. Singabasiza abasanda kuhlanganyela ngokubeka isibonelo esihle ngokuhlanganyela njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Lapho besebunzimeni, singabakhuthaza noma sibaduduze. (1 Thesalonika 5:14, 15) Kufanele sifune izindlela zokusiza abanye ukuba ‘baqhubeke behamba eqinisweni.’ (3 Johane 4) Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibasha noma sibadala, sisanda kuqala ukuhamba eqinisweni noma sesineminyaka sihamba kulo, singayithuthukisa inhlalakahle engokomoya yesikholwa nabo—futhi bayasidinga.

Banikeza Usizo Olwaludingeka

5. U-Akwila noPrisila baba kanjani usizo kuPawulu?

⁵ Imibhangqwana yamaKristu eshadile ingabanye balabo abathola ukwaneliseka ngokusiza abakholwa nabo. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Akwila nomkakhe uPrisila (uPriska), basiza uPawulu. Bamngenisa emzini wabo, basebenza naye bakha amatende, futhi bamsiza ekwakheni ibandla laseKorinte elaliselisha. (IzEnzo 18:1-4) Ngandlela-thile engaveziwe, babeka ngisho nokuphila kwabo engozini ngenxa kaPawulu. Babehlala eRoma lapho uPawulu etshela amaKristu akhona: “Ngikhonzeleni koPriska no-Akwila izisebenzi ezikanye nami kuKristu Jesu, abaye bafaka engozini izintamo zabo siqu ngenxa yomphefumulo wami, enginikela ukubonga kubo kungemina kuphela kodwa nawo wonke amabandla ezizwe.” (Roma 16:3, 4) Njengo-Akwila noPrisila, amanye amaKristu anamuhla akha amabandla futhi asize akholwa nabo ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene, ngezinye izikhathi ebeka ukuphila kwawo engozini ukuze angachayi ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ekuhlukunyezweni noma ekubulaweni abashushisi.

6. U-Apholo wathola luphi usizo?

⁶ U-Akwila noPrisila basiza no-Apholo umKristu oyiqaphuqaphu, owayefundisa izakhamuzi zase-Efesu ngoJesu Kristu. Ngaleso sikhathi, u-Apholo wayazi kuphela ubhapathizo lukaJohane olwaluwuphawu lokuphenduka ezonweni zokuphula isivumelwano soMthetho. Beqaphela ukuthi u-Apholo wayedinga ukusizwa, u-Akwila noPrisila ‘bamchasisela indlela kaNkulunkulu ngokuqonde ngokwengeziwe.’ Cishe bachaza ukuthi ubhapathizo lobuKristu luhlanganisa ukucwiliswa emanzini nokuthululelwa umoya ongcwele. U-Apholo wakugcina lokho ayekufundile. Kamuva e-Akhaya “wabasiza kakhulu labo ababekholiwe ngenxa yomusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu; ngoba ngamandla wabonisa ngokuphelele obala ukuthi amaJuda ayenephutha, kuyilapho ebonisa ngemiBhalo ukuthi uJesu unguKristu.” (IzEnzo 18:24-28) Amazwi esikholwa nabo angasiza enze kucace kakhudlwana ukuqonda kwethu iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Nakulokhu, siyadingana.

Ukunikeza Usizo Oluyizinto Ezingokoqobo

7. AbaseFilipi benze njani lapho amaKristu ayekanye nabo edinga usizo olungokwenyama?

⁷ Amalungu ebandla lobuKristu laseFilipi ayengeve emthanda uPawulu futhi amthumelela izinto ayezidinga lapho eseThesalonika. (Filipi 4:15, 16) Lapho abazalwane baseJerusalema bedinga usizo olungokwenyama, abaseFilipi babonisa ukuthi babezimisele ukunikela ngisho  ngokungaphezu kwamandla abo. UPawulu wawazisa kakhulu umoya wabafowabo nodadewabo baseFilipi kangangokuthi wakhuluma ngabo njengabayisibonelo kwamanye amakholwa.—2 Korinte 8:1-6.

8. Yimuphi umoya owaboniswa u-Ephafrodithu?

⁸ Lapho uPawulu eboshiwe esejele, abaseFilipi abagcinanga ngokumthumelela izipho kodwa futhi bamthumelela nesithunywa sabo u-Ephafrodithu. UPawulu wathi: “Ngenxa yomsebenzi weNkosi [u-Ephafrodithu] wasondela impela ekufeni, eneka umphefumulo wakhe engozini, ukuze asivale ngokugcwele isikhala sokungabikho kwenu lapha ukuba ninginikeze inkonzo yomuntu siqu.” (Filipi 2:25-30; 4:18) Asitshelwa ukuthi u-Ephafrodithu wayengumdala noma inceku ekhonzayo yini. Nokho, wayengumKristu ozidelayo nowusizo, futhi uPawulu wayemdinga ngempela. Ukhona yini ofana no-Ephafrodithu ebandleni lenu?

‘Babewusizo Oluqinisayo’

9. U-Aristarku usibekela siphi isibonelo?

⁹ Abazalwane nodade abanothando, njengo-Akwila, uPrisila no-Ephafrodithu, baziswa kakhulu kunoma yiliphi ibandla. Abanye esikholwa nabo bangase babe njengomKristu wekhulu lokuqala u-Aristarku. Yena nabanye baba “usizo oluqinisayo,” mhlawumbe benikeza induduzo noma usizo ezintweni eziyisisekelo nezingokoqobo. (Kolose 4:10, 11) Ngokusiza uPawulu, u-Aristarku waba umngane wangempela ebunzimeni. Waba umuntu okukhulunywa ngaye kuzAga 17:17: “Umngane uthanda ngezikhathi zonke, nomzalwane uzalwa ekuhluphekeni.” Akufanele yini sonke sizame ukuba “usizo oluqinisayo” kumaKristu esikanye nawo? Kufanele sifune ukusiza ngokukhethekile labo abahluphekile.

10. UPetru wababekela siphi isibonelo abadala abangamaKristu?

¹⁰ Abadala abangamaKristu ngokukhethekile kumelwe babe usizo oluqinisayo kubafowabo nodadewabo abangokomoya. UKristu watshela umphostoli uPetru: “Uqinise abafowenu.” (Luka 22:32) UPetru wakwazi ukukwenza lokho ngoba wabonisa izimfanelo ezinamandla neziqinile, ikakhulu ngemva kokuvuka kukaJesu. Badala, zamani ngazo zonke izindlela ukwenza okufanayo ngokuzithandela nangomusa ngoba enikholwa nabo bayanidinga.—IzEnzo 20:28-30; 1 Petru 5:2, 3.

11. Kungasizuzisa kanjani ukuhlola umoya kaThimothewu?

¹¹ UThimothewu, owayehamba noPawulu, wayengumdala owayewakhathalela ngokujulile amanye amaKristu. Nakuba ayenezinkinga ezithile zempilo, uThimothewu wabonisa ukholo oluqinile ‘waba isigqila kanye noPawulu ekuqhutshekiselweni phambili kwezindaba ezinhle.’ Ngakho-ke umphostoli wayengase atshele abaseFilipi: “Anginaye omunye onesimo esinjengesakhe oyozinakekela ngobuqotho izinto eziphathelene nani.” (Filipi 2:20, 22; 1 Thimothewu 5:23; 2 Thimothewu 1:5) Singaba isibusiso kubakhulekeli bakaJehova esikanye nabo ngokubonisa umoya onjengokaThimothewu. Yiqiniso, kumelwe sishikashikane nobuthakathaka bethu bobuntu nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene, kodwa nathi singalubonisa futhi kufanele silubonise ukholo oluqinile nokukhathalela abafowethu nodadewethu abangokomoya ngothando. Kufanele sikhumbule njalo ukuthi bayasidinga.

Abesifazane Ababekhathalela Abanye

12. Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaDorka?

¹² UDorka wayengomunye wabesifazane abahlonipha uNkulunkulu ababekhathalela abanye. Lapho eshona, abafundi babiza uPetru bamyisa ekamelweni eliphezulu. Lapho, ‘bonke abafelokazi babekhala futhi bebonisa izingubo eziningi zangaphakathi nezingubo zangaphandle uDorka ayezenza lapho esenabo.’ UDorka wavuswa futhi akungabazeki ukuthi waqhubeka “evamile ezenzweni ezinhle naseziphweni zesihe.” Ebandleni lobuKristu lanamuhla, kunabesifazane abanjengoDorka okungenzeka ngothando benzela abaswele izingubo noma ezinye izinto. Yiqiniso, ngokuyinhloko imisebenzi yabo emihle ihlangene nokuthuthukisa izithakazelo zoMbuso nokuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi.—IzEnzo 9:36-42; Mathewu 6:33; 28:19, 20.

13. ULidiya wakubonisa kanjani ukuwakhathalela amaKristu ayekanye nawo?

 ¹³ Owesifazane owesaba uNkulunkulu okuthiwa uLidiya wayebakhathalela abanye. Njengoba ayezalelwe eThiyathira, wayehlala eFilipi lapho uPawulu ayeshumayela khona ngawo-50 C.E. Cishe uLidiya wayengumproselithe ebuJudeni, kodwa kungenzeka ayembalwa amaJuda futhi kungenasinagoge eFilipi. Yena nabanye abesifazane abazinikele babebuthene ukuze bakhulekele ngasemfuleni lapho umphostoli ememezela izindaba ezinhle kubo. Ukulandisa kuthi: “UJehova wayivula kakhulu inhliziyo [kaLidiya] ukuba anake izinto ezazikhulunywa uPawulu. Manje lapho yena nendlu yakhe bebhapathizwa, ngokuncenga wathi: ‘Uma nina madoda niye nangahlulela njengokholekile kuJehova, ngenani endlini yami nihlale.’ Futhi wasicindezela ukuba sihambe naye.” (IzEnzo 16:12-15) Ngenxa yokuthi uLidiya wayefuna ukwenzela abanye izinto ezinhle, wamcindezela uPawulu nabangane bakhe ukuba bahlale kwakhe. Asive sikwazisa lapho amaKristu anomusa nanothando ebonisa umoya ofanayo wokwamukela izihambi namuhla!—Roma 12:13; 1 Petru 4:9.

Nani Zingane Siyanidinga

14. UJesu Kristu waziphatha kanjani izingane?

¹⁴ Ibandla lobuKristu laqala ngeNdodana kaNkulunkulu enomusa nenothando, uJesu Kristu. Abantu babekhululeka lapho benaye ngoba wayenothando nesihawu. Lapho ngesinye isikhathi abanye beqala ukuletha izingane zabo ezincane kuJesu, abafundi bakhe bazama ukubaxosha. Kodwa uJesu wathi: “Bayekeni abantwana abancane beze kimi; ningazami ukubavimba, ngoba umbuso kaNkulunkulu ungowabanjalo. Ngiqinisile ngithi kini, Noma ubani ongamukeli umbuso kaNkulunkulu njengomntwana omncane akasoze angena kuwo.” (Marku 10:13-15) Ukuze sithole izibusiso zoMbuso, kumelwe sibe abathobekile nabafundisekayo njengezingane ezincane. UJesu wabonisa uthando ngezingane ngokuzigona azibusise. (Marku 10:16) Kuthiwani ngani zingane namuhla? Qinisekani ukuthi niyathandwa futhi niyadingeka ebandleni.

15. Imaphi amaqiniso aphathelene nokuphila kukaJesu akuLuka 2:40-52, futhi wababekela siphi isibonelo abasha?

¹⁵ Lapho uJesu esemusha, wabonisa uthando ngoNkulunkulu nemiBhalo. Eseneminyaka engu-12 ubudala, yena nabazali bakhe, uJosefa noMariya, basuka emzini wakubo waseNazaretha  baya eJerusalema beyogubha iPhasika. Uma sekubuywa, abazali bakaJesu bathola ukuthi akekho eqenjini elalihamba ndawonye. Bagcina bemthole ehlezi kwelinye lamahholo asethempelini, elalele abafundisi abangamaJuda futhi ebabuza imibuzo. Emangele ukuthi uJosefa noMariya babengazi ukuthi bangamtholaphi, uJesu wabuza: “Beningazi yini ukuthi kumelwe ngibe sendlini kaBaba?” Waphindela ekhaya nabazali bakhe, waqhubeka ezithoba kubo futhi ethuthuka ekuhlakanipheni nasekukhuleni ngokomzimba. (Luka 2:40-52) Yeka isibonelo esihle uJesu asibekela intsha yethu! Ngokuqinisekile kufanele ilalele abazali bayo futhi ikuthande ukufunda ngezinto ezingokomoya.—Duteronomi 5:16; Efesu 6:1-3.

16. (a) Abanye abafana bamemeza bathini lapho uJesu eshumayela ethempelini? (b) AmaKristu asemasha analiphi ilungelo namuhla?

¹⁶ Njengomuntu osemusha, kungenzeka uyashumayela ngoJehova esikoleni nasendlini ngendlu nabazali bakho. (Isaya 43:10-12; IzEnzo 20:20, 21) Lapho uJesu eshumayela futhi ephulukisa abantu ethempelini ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, abanye abafana bamemeza bathi: “Siyanxusa, sindisa iNdodana kaDavide!” Bethukutheliswe yilokhu, abapristi abakhulu nababhali bakhononda: “Uyakuzwa yini lokho laba abakushoyo?” “Yebo,” kuphendula uJesu. “Anizange yini nikufunde lokhu, ‘Emilonyeni yezingane nabasancela ulungiselele indumiso’?” (Mathewu 21:15-17) Njengalezo zingane, nani basha ebandleni ninelungelo elikhulu lokudumisa uNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe. Siyanifuna futhi siyanidinga ukuba nibe kanye nathi njengabamemezeli boMbuso.

Lapho Kugadla Izinhlekelele

17, 18. (a) Kungani uPawulu ahlela ukuba amaKristu aseJudiya aqoqelwe umnikelo? (b) Iminikelo yokuzithandela yamakholwa aseJudiya yaba namuphi umphumela kumaKristu angamaJuda nangabeZizwe?

¹⁷ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izimo zethu zinjani, uthando lusishukumisela ukuba sisize amaKristu esikholwa nawo aswele. (Johane 13:34, 35; Jakobe 2:14-17) Uthando ngabafowabo nodadewabo baseJudiya yilona olwashukumisela uPawulu ukuba abahlelele ukuqoqwa komnikelo emabandleni ase-Akhaya, eGalathiya, eMakedoniya nawasesifundeni sase-Asiya. Ushushiso, iziyaluyalu zomphakathi nendlala okwakukhungethe abafundi baseJerusalema kungenzeka kwabangela lokho uPawulu akubiza ngokuthi ‘izinhlupheko,’ ‘izinsizi,’ ‘nokuphangwa kokungokwabo.’ (Heberu 10:32-34; IzEnzo 11:27–12:1) Ngakho-ke, wengamela isikhwama samaKristu ampofu eJudiya.—1 Korinte 16:1-3; 2 Korinte 8:1-4, 13-15; 9:1, 2, 7.

¹⁸ Iminikelo yokuzithandela yokusiza abangcwele eJudiya yabonisa ukuthi kwakunesibopho sobuzalwane phakathi kwabakhulekeli bakaJehova abangamaJuda nabangabeZizwe. Ukuthunyelwa kweminikelo kwenza amaKristu angabeZizwe akwazi nokubonisa ukubonga kubakhulekeli abakanye nawo abangamaJuda ngengcebo engokomoya ayeyithole kubo. Ngakho, kwabelwana ngezinto ezingokwenyama nezingokomoya. (Roma 15:26, 27) Nanamuhla iminikelo eyenzelwa esikholwa nabo abaswele ingeyokuzithandela futhi ishukunyiswa uthando. (Marku 12:28-31) Nakulokhu siyadingana ukuze kube nokulingana, ‘umuntu onokuncane angabi nokuncane kakhulu.’—2 Korinte 8:15.

19, 20. Nikeza isibonelo esibonisa indlela abantu bakaJehova abasiza ngayo lapho kuvela izinhlekelele.

¹⁹ Njengoba siqaphela ukuthi amaKristu ayadingana, siyakusukumela ukusiza abafowethu nodadewethu esikholwa nabo. Ngokwesibonelo, cabanga ngalokho okwenzeka lapho i-El Salvador ihlaselwa ukuzamazama komhlaba  nokudilika kwenhlabathi okwadala umonakalo ekuqaleni kuka-2001. Omunye umbiko wathi: “Kuzo zonke izingxenye ze-El Salvador abazalwane benza imizamo yokusiza. Kwafika amaqembu abazalwane abavela eGuatemala, e-United States naseCanada ezosisiza. . . . Ngokuphazima kweso, kwase kwakhiwe imizi engaphezu kwengu-500 namaHholo OMbuso amahle amathathu. Ukuzikhandla nokubambisana kwalaba bazalwane kunikeze ubufakazi obuhle.”

²⁰ Umbiko ovela eNingizimu Afrika wathi: “Izikhukhula ezimbi kakhulu ezacekela phansi izingxenye ezinkulu zeMozambique zahlukumeza nabafowethu abaningi abangamaKristu. Igatsha laseMozambique lahlela ukunakekela ingxenye enkulu yezidingo zabo. Kodwa lacela ukuba sithumele izingubo zokugqoka esezisetshenzisiwe, kodwa ezisekahle, kubafowethu abaswele. Saqoqa izingubo eziningi kangangokuba sathumelela abafowethu baseMozambique izingubo ezazigcwele i-container engamamitha angu-12 ubude.” Yebo, nangalezi zindlela, siyadingana.

21. Yini okuzoxoxwa ngayo esihlokweni esilandelayo?

²¹ Njengoba kuphawuliwe ngaphambili, zonke izitho zomzimba womuntu zibalulekile. Kunjalo impela nangebandla lobuKristu. Wonke amalungu alo ayadingana. Kudingeka futhi aqhubeke ekhonza ngobunye. Isihloko esilandelayo sizohlola ezinye zezici ezenza lokhu kwenzeke.

Ungaphendula Kanjani?

• Umzimba womuntu nebandla lobuKristu kufana kanjani?

• AmaKristu okuqala enze njani lapho labo ayekholwa nabo bedinga usizo?

• Yiziphi ezinye zezibonelo ezisemiBhalweni ezibonisa ukuthi amaKristu ayadingana futhi ayasizana?

[Imibuzo Yesifundo]

[Isithombe ekhasini 10]

U-Akwila noPrisila babebakhathalela abanye

[Izithombe ekhasini 12]

Abantu bakaJehova bayasizana futhi basize nabanye lapho kugadla inhlekelele