AmaKristu Nehlabathi Loluntu
“Qhubekani nihamba ngobulumko ngakwabo bangaphandle.”—KOLOSE 4:5.
1. Yintoni eyathethwa nguYesu ngokuphathelele abalandeli bakhe nehlabathi?
XA WAYETHANDAZA kuYise osezulwini, uYesu wathi ngabalandeli bakhe: “Ihlabathi liye labathiya, ngenxa yokuba abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi.” Wandula ke wongezelela esithi: “Ndiyakucela, kungekhona ukuba ubasuse ehlabathini, kodwa ukuba ubalinde ngenxa yalowo ungendawo.” (Yohane 17:14, 15) AmaKristu ayengenakwahlulwa ngokoqobo ehlabathini—ngokomzekelo, ngokuhlaliswa odwa kwizindlu zoonongendi. Kunoko, uKristu ‘wawathumela kulo ihlabathi’ ukuze abe ngamangqina “kuse nakwezona nxalenye zikude zomhlaba.” (Yohane 17:18; IZenzo 1:8) Sekunjalo, wacela uThixo ukuba awalinde kuba uSathana, “umphathi weli hlabathi,” wayeza kubangela ukuba achaswe ngenxa yegama likaKristu.—Yohane 12:31; Mateyu 24:9.
2. (a) IBhayibhile ilisebenzisa njani igama elithi “ihlabathi”? (b) Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esilungeleleneyo esibonakaliswa nguYehova ngokuphathelele ihlabathi?
2 Ngokufuthi eBhayibhileni igama elithi “ihlabathi” (ngesiGrike elithi koʹsmos) libhekisela kwibutho labantu elingenabulungisa, ‘elilele emandleni alowo ungendawo.’ (1 Yohane 5:19) Ngenxa yokuba amaKristu evisisana nemilinganiselo kaYehova yaye ethobela umyalelo wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani bukaThixo ehlabathini, maxa wambi kuye kwakho ulwalamano olungeluhle phakathi kwawo nehlabathi. (2 Timoti 3:12; 1 Yohane 3:1, 13) Noko ke, igama elithi koʹsmos liyasetyenziswa kwakhona kwiZibhalo ukubhekisela kwintsapho ngokubanzi. Ethetha ngehlabathi ngale ngqiqo, uYesu wathi: “UThixo walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani oqhelisela ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade. Kuba uThixo wamthumela uNyana wakhe ehlabathini, kungekhona ukuba aligwebe ihlabathi, kodwa ukuze ihlabathi lisindiswe ngaye.” (Yohane 3:16, 17; 2 Korinte 5:19; 1 Yohane 4:14) Ngoko ke, ngoxa ezithiyile izinto ebalasele ngazo inkqubo engendawo kaSathana, uYehova wabonakalisa ukulithanda kwakhe ihlabathi ngokuthumela uNyana wakhe emhlabeni ukuze asindise bonke abaza ‘kufikelela enguqukweni.’ (2 Petros 3:9; IMizekeliso 6:16-19) Isimo sengqondo esilungeleleneyo sikaYehova ngehlabathi sifanele sibakhokele abanquli bakhe.
Umzekelo KaYesu
3, 4. (a) UYesu wayenesimo sengqondo esinjani ngolawulo? (b) UYesu wayelijonga njani ihlabathi loluntu?
3 Ngaphambili nje kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wamxelela oku uPontiyo Pilato: “Ubukumkani bam abuyonxalenye yeli hlabathi.” (Yohane 18:36) Ngokuvisisana nala mazwi, uYesu ngaphambilana wayelikhabe ngaw’ omane ilinge likaSathana lokumnika igunya phezu kwazo zonke izikumkani zehlabathi, ibe akazange avume ukuba amaYuda amenze ukumkani. (Luka 4:5-8; Yohane 6:14, 15) Ukanti, uYesu wabonakalisa ukulithanda kakhulu ihlabathi loluntu. Umzekelo woku wachazwa ngumpostile uMateyu xa wanikela le ngxelo: “Akubona izihlwele wazisizela, ngenxa yokuba zazihlinzekile yaye zilahliwe njengezimvu ezingenaye umalusi.” Eqhutywa luthando, washumayela ebantwini kwiidolophu nakwiidolophana zabo. Wabafundisa waza wabaphilisa kwizigulo zabo. (Mateyu 9:36) Kwakhona wayekhawuleza ukuziqonda iintswelo zokwenyama zabo babesiza kuye ukuze abafundise. Sifunda oku: “UYesu wabizela kuye abafundi bakhe waza wathi: ‘Ndiyasisizela isihlwele, ngenxa yokuba sele iziintsuku ezintathu sihleli nam yaye asinanto yakudla; ibe andifuni kusindulula sizile ukutya. Ngokunokwenzeka sinokutyhafa endleleni.’” (Mateyu 15:32) Enjani inkxalabo enothando!
4 AmaYuda ayewathiy’ egazini amaSamariya, kodwa uYesu wancokola kakhulu nomSamariyakazi waza wachitha iintsuku ezimbini enikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo kwisixeko samaSamariya. (Yohane 4:5-42) Nangona uThixo wayemthume ‘kwizimvu ezilahlekileyo zendlu kaSirayeli,’ maxa wambi uYesu wayesabela kwiimbonakaliso zokholo zabanye ababengengomaYuda. (Mateyu 8:5-13; 15:21-28) Ewe, uYesu wabonisa ukuba kunokwenzeka ukuba ubani ‘angabi yinxalenye yehlabathi’ aze kwangaxeshanye abonakalise uthando kwihlabathi loluntu, kubantu. Ngaba nathi sibonakalisa imfesane efanayo ebantwini kwindawo esihlala kuyo, esisebenza kuyo nesithenga kuyo? Ngaba sibonakalisa inkxalabo ngempilontle yabo—kungekuphela nje ngeentswelo zabo zokomoya kodwa nangezinye iintswelo xa ngokusengqiqweni sinokukwazi ukubanceda? UYesu wenjenjalo, ibe ngokwenjenjalo, wavula indlela ekhokelela ekufundiseni abantu ngoBukumkani. Kuyinyaniso ukuba asinako ukwenza imimangaliso ebonakalayo njengoko uYesu wenzayo. Kodwa ngokufuthi isenzo sobubele, ngokungathi kunjalo, siyawenza ummangaliso wokuphelisa inkcaso.
Isimo Sengqondo SikaPawulos Kubantu “Bangaphandle”
5, 6. Umpostile uPawulos waqhubana njani namaYuda “angaphandle”?
5 Kwiincwadi zakhe ezininzi, umpostile uPawulos uthetha ngabantu “bangaphandle,” ebhekisa kwabo bangengomaKristu, enoba bangamaYuda okanye bangabeeNtlanga. (1 Korinte 5:12; 1 Tesalonika 4:12; 1 Timoti 3:7) Wayeqhubana njani nabantu abanjalo? ‘Waba zizinto zonke kubantu bazo zonke iintlobo, ukuze ngandlela zonke asindise abathile.’ (1 Korinte 9:20-22) Xa efika esixekweni, wayeqala ngokushumayela kumaYuda ahlala kuso. Wayekwenza njani oku? Ngobuchule nangentlonelo wayewanika ubungqina obuvela eBhayibhileni obeyisayo bokuba uMesiya wayefikile, wafa ukufa okulidini waza wavuswa.—IZenzo 13:5, 14-16, 43; 17:1-3, 10.
6 Ngale ndlela uPawulos wakhela phezu kolwazi awayenalo amaYuda ngoMthetho nabaprofeti ukuze awafundise ngoMesiya noBukumkani bukaThixo. Ibe waba nempumelelo kwamanye awo. (IZenzo 14:1; 17:4) Phezu kwako nje ukuchaswa ziinkokeli zamaYuda, uPawulos wabonakalisa uthando olufudumeleyo ngamanye amaYuda xa wabhala esithi: “Bazalwana, umnqweno okholekileyo wentliziyo yam nesikhungo sam ngabo [abangamaYuda] kuThixo, eneneni, kukuba basindiswe. Kuba ndinikela ubungqina bokuba banenzondelelo kuThixo; kodwa kungekhona ngokolwazi oluchanileyo.”—Roma 10:1, 2.
Ukunceda Amakholwa AngengomaYuda
7. Lwasabela njani uninzi lwabangeni ebuYudeni kwiindaba ezilungileyo ezazishunyayelwa nguPawulos?
7 Abangeni ebuYudeni yayingabantu ababengengomaYuda abolukayo baza baqhelisela ubuYuda. Kuyabonakala ukuba, babekho abangeni ebuYudeni eRoma, kwa-Antiyokwe yaseSiriya, eTiyopiya nakwa-Antiyokwe yasePisidiya—eneneni, kuwo wonke ummandla wamaYuda ongaphandle kwePalestina. (IZenzo 2:8-10; 6:5; 8:27; 13:14, 43; thelekisa uMateyu 23:15.) Ngokwahlukileyo kubalawuli abaninzi abangamaYuda, ngokunokwenzeka abangeni ebuYudeni babengenalo ikratshi, kwaye bengenako ukuqhayisa ngokuvela kumnombo ka-Abraham. (Mateyu 3:9; Yohane 8:33) Kunoko, babezilahlile izithixo zobuhedeni baza ngokuthobeka basondela kuYehova, befumana ulwazi ngaye nangemithetho yakhe. Kwaye nabo babenethemba elifana nelamaYuda lokuza kukaMesiya. Ekubeni babesele bebonakalisile ukuba babekulungele ukuguquka kwiphulo labo lokufuna inyaniso, uninzi lwabo lwalukulungele ukwenza iinguqu ezingakumbi luze lusabele ekushumayeleni kukampostile uPawulos. (IZenzo 13:42, 43) Xa umngeni ebuYudeni owayekhe wanqula oothixo babahedeni wayeguqukela ebuKristwini, wayexhotyiswa ngokukhethekileyo ukuze anikele ubungqina kwabanye abeeNtlanga ababesanqula abo thixo.
8, 9. (a) Ngaphandle kwabangeni ebuYudeni, luluphi olunye udidi lwabeeNtlanga olwalutsaleleke kunqulo lwamaYuda? (b) Lwasabela njani uninzi lwabo bangolukanga nababemoyika uThixo kwiindaba ezilungileyo?
8 Ukongezelela kubangeni ebuYudeni ababolusiwe, nabanye ababengengomaYuda babetsalelekile kunqulo lwamaYuda. Owokuqala ukuba ngumKristu kwaba yayinguKorneli, owathi nangona engengomngeni ebuYudeni, ‘wangumntu ozinikeleyo nowoyika uThixo.’ (IZenzo 10:2) Kwincwadi yakhe egqabaza ngeZenzo, uNjingalwazi F. F. Bruce wabhala: “Abo bantu beeNtlanga ngokuqhelekileyo babebizwa ngokuthi ‘abo boyika uThixo’; ngoxa eli ingelogama elisemthethweni, ligama elifanelekileyo elinokusetyenziswa. Uninzi lwabeeNtlanga baloo mihla, ngoxa lwalungakulungelanga ukuguqukela ebuYudeni ngokupheleleyo (owona mqobo mkhulu emadodeni yayikukuba kwakufuneka olukile), lwalutsalwa kukunqulwa koThixo omnye kunqulo lwezindlu zesikhungu zamaYuda yaye lutsalwa nayimilinganiselo eyamkelekileyo yendlela yokuphila yamaYuda. Bambi babesiya kwizindlu zesikhungu baza baba nolwazi ukusa kumlinganiselo othile ngokuphathelele imithandazo nezifundo zezibhalo, ababeziphulaphula zifundwa ngesiGrike.”
9 Umpostile uPawulos wadibana noninzi lwabo babesoyika uThixo xa wayeshumayela kwizindlu zesikhungu eAsia Minor naseGrisi. Xa wayethetha nabo babehlanganisene kwindlu yesikhungu kwa-Antiyokwe yasePisidiya wabhekisela kubo ngokuthi “madoda, maSirayeli nani bangabanye abamoyikayo uThixo.” (IZenzo 13:16, 26) ULuka ubhala esithi emva kokuba uPawulos eshumayele kangangeeSabatha ezintathu kwindlu yesikhungu yaseTesalonika, “bambi babo [abangamaYuda] baba ngamakholwa [amaKristu] baza bazinxulumanisa noPawulos noSilas, yaye inkitha enkulu yamaGrike awayenqula uThixo nabafazi abaziintloko abangembalwa bathi benjenjalo.” (IZenzo 17:4) Ngokunokwenzeka, bambi kula maGrike babengaboyika uThixo abangolukanga. Kukho ubungqina bokuba abeeNtlanga abanjalo babenxulumana namaYuda.
Ukushumayela Phakathi “Kwabangakholwayo”
10. UPawulos washumayela njani kwabeeNtlanga ababengenalwazi ngeZibhalo, ibe waba yintoni umphumo?
10 KwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, igama elithi “abangakholwayo” linokubhekisela kubo bonke abantu abangaphandle kwebandla lamaKristu. Ngokufuthi libhekisela kubahedeni. (Roma 15:31; 1 Korinte 14:22, 23; 2 Korinte 4:4; 6:14) EAthene uninzi lwabangakholwayo lwalufunde intandabulumko yamaGrike yaye lungenalo nofifi ngeZibhalo. Ngaba oku kwamdimaza uPawulos ekubeni ashumayele kubo? Akunjalo. Noko ke, indlela yakhe yokuthetha wayeyivisisanisa neemeko. Ngobuchule wachaza iingcamango zeBhayibhile ngaphandle kokucaphula ngokungqalileyo kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, ezazingaziwa ngabantu baseAthene. Ngobuchule wabonisa ukufana kwenyaniso yeBhayibhile neengcamango ezithile ezazivakaliswa yimibongo yamaStoyike amandulo. Ibe wachaza ingcamango yokuba mnye uThixo walo lonke uluntu, uThixo oza kugweba ngobulungisa esebenzisa indoda ethile eyafayo yaza yavuswa. Ngaloo ndlela uPawulos wasebenzisa ubuchule xa wayeshumayela ngoKristu kubantu baseAthene. Waba yintoni umphumo? Ngoxa inkoliso yabo yayimgculela zisuka nje okanye ithandabuze, “kodwa amadoda athile azibandakanya naye aza aba ngamakholwa, ekwakukho phakathi kwawo noDiyonisiyo, umgwebi wenkundla yaseAreyopago, nomfazi ogama linguDamari, nabanye kunye nabo.”—IZenzo 17:18, 21-34.
11. IKorinte yayisisixeko esinjani, ibe umsebenzi wokushumayela kaPawulos waba nawuphi umphumo apho?
11 EKorinte kwakukho iqela elithile lebutho lamaYuda, ngoko uPawulos wabuqalisa ubulungiseleli bakhe apho ngokushumayela kwindlu yesikhungu. Kodwa xa kwabonakala ukuba amaYuda ayechasa, uPawulos waya kubantu beeNtlanga. (IZenzo 18:1-6) Ibe abangakanani bona abantu! IKorinte yayisisixeko esiphithizelayo, esasinabantu beentlanga ngeentlanga, isixeko sezorhwebo, esasidume kakubi kulo lonke elamaGrike nelamaRoma ngenxa yokuziphatha vakalala okwakwesamele kuso. Eneneni, “ukuba ngumKorinte” kwakuthetha ukuziphatha okubi. Ukanti, kwakusemva kokuba amaYuda ekuchasile ukushumayela kukaPawulos awathi uKristu wavela kuye waza wathi: “Musa ukuba noloyiko, kodwa qhubeka uthetha . . . , kuba ndinabantu abaninzi kwesi sixeko.” (IZenzo 18:9, 10) Kuzaliseka kanye loo mazwi, uPawulos wamisela ibandla eKorinte, nangona amanye amalungu alo ayekhe aphila ubomi “baseKorinte” ngaphambili.—1 Korinte 6:9-11.
Ukuzama Ukusindisa “Zonke Iintlobo Zabantu” Namhlanje
12, 13. (a) Umhlaba wethu namhlanje ufana njani nalowo womhla kaPawulos? (b) Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esisibonakalisayo kwimihlaba ekukudala zikho kuyo iicawa zeNgqobhoko okanye apho abaninzi badidekileyo ngokuphathelele unqulo olulungelelanisiweyo?
12 Namhlanje, njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, ‘ububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo buzisa usindiso kuzo zonke iintlobo zabantu.’ (Tito 2:11) Umhlaba ekushunyayelwa kuwo iindaba ezilungileyo uye wakhula waza wagubungela onke amazwekazi nenkoliso yeziqithi zolwandle. Ibe, njengoko kwakunjalo ngomhla kaPawulos, ngokwenene kudityanwa nazo “zonke iintlobo zabantu.” Ngokomzekelo, abanye bethu bashumayela kumazwe apho iicawa zeNgqobhoko bezikho kangangeenkulungwane ezininzi. NjengamaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala, amalungu azo asenokuba akholelwa ngokunzulu kwizithethe zonqulo. Sekunjalo, siyakuvuyela ukufuna abo baneentliziyo ezilungileyo size sakhele phezu kwalo naluphi na ulwazi lweBhayibhile abasenokuba banalo. Asibajongeli phantsi okanye sibagculele xa sithetha nabo kwanokuba iinkokeli zabo zonqulo maxa wambi ziyasichasa okanye zisitshutshise. Kunoko, siyaqonda ukuba abanye baphakathi kwabo basenokuba “banenzondelelo kuThixo” nangona beswele ulwazi oluchanileyo. NjengoYesu noPawulos, sibonakalisa uthando lokwenene kwaba bantu, ibe sinomnqweno ongazenzisiyo wokuba basindiswe.—Roma 10:2.
13 Xa sishumayela, abanye bethu badibana nabantu abadidekileyo ngokuphathelele unqulo olulungelelanisiweyo. Noko ke, basenokuba bangabantu aboyika uThixo, abakholelwayo kuThixo ukusa kumlinganiselo othile nabazama ukuphila ubomi obulungileyo. Kwesi sizukulwana sigqwethekileyo nesiya singamhloneli ngakumbi uThixo, ngaba asifanele sivuye xa sidibana nabantu abakholelwa kuThixo ukusa kumlinganiselo othile? Yaye ngaba asinamdla wakubalathisa indlela yokunqula engenaluhanahaniso nengenabuxoki?—Filipi 2:15.
14, 15. Iye yafumaneka njani intsimi enkulu yokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo?
14 Kumzekeliso wakhe womnatha orhuqwayo, uYesu waxela kwangaphambili ukuba kwakuya kubakho umhlaba omkhulu ekwakuza kushunyayelwa kuwo. (Mateyu 13:47-49) Ichaza lo mzekeliso, IMboniselo kaJuni 15, 1992, kwiphepha 20 yathi: “Ukutyhubela iinkulungwane, amalungu eNgqobhoko aye anendima ebalulekileyo ekuguquleleni, ekukhupheleni nasekusasazeni iLizwi likaThixo. Kamva iiCawa zaseka okanye zaxhasa imibutho yeBhayibhile, eyaguqulela iBhayibhile kwiilwimi zamazwe akude. Zathumela kwanabefundisi abanolwazi lwezamayeza nabafundisi-ntsapho, ababeguqula abantu bebenza amaKristu awayeguquka ejonge ukufumana iingenelo zokuphathekayo. Oku kwabangela ukuhlanganiswa kwenkitha yeentlanzi ezingafanelekanga, awayengakholiswa zizo uThixo. Kodwa ubuncinane oko kwabangela ukuba izigidi zabantu ababengengomaKristu ziyifumane iBhayibhile zize zibe nenxaxheba kuhlobo oluthile lobuKristu, nangona lwalonakele.”
15 Ukuguqula abantu kweNgqobhoko kuye kwanempumelelo ngokukodwa eMzantsi Merika, eAfrika nakwezinye iziqithi zolwandle. Kumhla wethu, kuye kwafumaneka uninzi lwabalulamileyo kwezi ndawo, ibe sinokuqhubeka sisenza okulunge ngakumbi ukuba sinesimo sengqondo esakhayo nesothando kubantu abathobekileyo, nanjengokuba uPawulos wenzayo kubangeni ebuYudeni. Phakathi kwabo bafuna uncedo lwethu kukho izigidi zabantu abanokubizwa ngokuba “ngabaxhasi” bamaNgqina kaYehova. Basoloko bekuvuyela ukusibona xa sibatyelela. Bambi baye bafundisisa nathi iBhayibhile baza baya ezintlanganisweni zethu, ngokukodwa kwiSikhumbuzo sokufa kukaKristu esiqhutywa minyaka le. Ngaba abantu abanjalo abayontsimi enkulu yokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani?
16, 17. (a) Hlobo luni lwabantu esithetha nabo ngeendaba ezilungileyo? (b) Simxelisa njani uPawulos ekushumayeleni kwiintlobo ezahlukeneyo zabantu?
16 Ngaphezu koko, kuthekani ngabo bangazange babe nanto yakwenza neNgqobhoko—enoba sidibana nabo emazweni abo okanye bafudukela kumazwe aseNtshona? Yaye kuthekani ngezo zigidi zabantu eziye zalulahla ngokupheleleyo unqulo, zaza zakholelwa kwelokuba uThixo akakho okanye akanakwaziwa? Ukongezelela koko, kuthekani ngabo bamkela intandabulumko yale mihla okanye izinto ezithandwa ngabantu ezipapashwa ziincwadi zamacebiso ezifumaneka kwiivenkile zeencwadi, baze bazigqale njengonqulo? Ngaba nawuphi na kubantu abanjalo umele ayekwe, agqalwe njengongenakuncedakala? Asinakwenjenjalo ukuba sixelisa umpostile uPawulos.
17 Xa wayeshumayela eAthene, uPawulos akazange awele kumgibe wokuphikisana ngentandabulumko nabo babemphulaphula. Noko ke, indlela awayeqiqa ngayo wayilungelelanisa neyabantu awayeqhubana nabo, echaza iinyaniso zeBhayibhile ngendlela ecacileyo, nesengqiqweni. Nathi ngokufanayo, akuyomfuneko ukuba sibe ziingcali zonqulo okanye zeentandabulumko zabantu esishumayela kubo. Noko ke, indlela esithetha ngayo nabo siye siyilungise ukuze ubungqina bethu bube nempumelelo, ngaloo ndlela sibe “zizinto zonke kubantu bazo zonke iintlobo.” (1 Korinte 9:22) Ebhalela amaKristu aseKolose, uPawulos wathi: “Qhubekani nihamba ngobulumko ngakwabo bangaphandle, nizithengela ixesha elifanelekileyo. Amazwi enu makasoloko ekholekile, enongwe ngetyuwa, khon’ ukuze niyazi indlela enifanele ninikele ngayo impendulo kuye ngamnye.”—Kolose 4:5, 6.
18. Yiyiphi imbopheleleko esinayo, ibe yintoni esingafanele siyilibale?
18 NjengoYesu nompostile uPawulos, masibonakalise uthando kubantu bazo zonke iintlobo. Masizibhokoxe ngokukodwa ekwabelaneni nabanye ngeendaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani. Kwelinye icala, singaze silibale ukuba uYesu wathetha oku ngabafundi bakhe: “Abayonxalenye yehlabathi.” (Yohane 17:16) Oko kuthethwa ngala mazwi kuthi siza kukuhlolisisa kwinqaku elilandelayo.
Makhe Sizikhumbuze
◻ Khawuchaze isimo sengqondo esilungeleleneyo sikaYesu ngehlabathi.
◻ Umpostile uPawulos washumayela njani kumaYuda nakubangeni ebuYudeni?
◻ UPawulos wathetha njani nabo babesoyika uThixo kunye nabangakholwayo?
◻ Sinokuba zizo njani “izinto zonke kubantu bazo zonke iintlobo” kumsebenzi wethu wokushumayela?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ngokwenzela abamelwane bawo ububele, amaKristu ngokufuthi anokuyiphelisa intiyo