Kungani Kufanele Sazi Ukuthi Ungubani Umphik’ukristu?

Umphostoli ophefumulelwe wabhala kudala: “Nizwile ukuthi umphik’ ukristu uyeza.” (1 Johane 2:18) Yeka indlela athakazelisa ngayo lawo mazwi! Sekungamakhulu eminyaka abantu bezibuza ukuthi asho ukuthini. Ungubani umphik’ ukristu? Uyofika nini? Uyofika enzeni?

KUWO wonke umlando, baningi abaye babizwa ngegama elithi umphik’ ukristu. Abanye babo kwakungamaJuda, opapa bamaKatolika nababusi baseRoma. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho uMbusi uFrederick II (wango-1194 kuya ku-1250) ekhetha ukungazibandakanyi neMpi Yenkolo eyayilwiwa yisonto, uPapa Gregory IX wathi ungumphik’ ukristu, wamxosha esontweni. U-Innocent IV, owalandela uGregory, naye waphinde wamxosha. UFrederick waziphindiselela ngokubiza u-Innocent ngomphik’ ukristu.

Kubalobi beBhayibheli ngumphostoli uJohane kuphela osebenzisa igama elithi “umphik’ ukristu.” Ezincwadini ezimbili ezibizwa ngaye, leli gama livela kahlanu, kokubili lisebunyeni nasebuningini. Amavesi elivela kuwo asebhokisini elisekhasini elilandelayo. Kula mavesi, siyabona ukuthi umphik’ ukristu ungumqambimanga nomkhohlisi ozimisele ukonakalisa ubuhlobo bomuntu noKristu noNkulunkulu. Ngakho, umphostoli wanxusa amanye amaKristu: “Bathandekayo, ningakholwa yizo zonke izinkulumo eziphefumulelwe, kodwa zivivinyeni izinkulumo eziphefumulelwe ukuze nibone ukuthi zivela kuNkulunkulu yini, ngoba sekukhona abaprofethi abaningi bamanga ezweni.”—1 Johane 4:1.

UJesu naye waxwayisa ngabakhohlisi, noma abaprofethi bamanga, wathi: “Beza kini bembethe isikhumba semvu, kodwa ngaphakathi [bayizimpisi] eziphangayo. Niyobazi ngezithelo zabo,” noma ngemisebenzi yabo. (Mathewu 7:15, 16) Ingabe noJesu wayexwayisa abalandeli bakhe ngomphik’ ukristu ongokomfanekiso? Ake sibone ukuthi singathola kanjani ukuthi ungubani lo mkhohlisi ononya.