Asehlabathini Kodwa Akayonxalenye Yalo
“Ngenxa yokuba ningeyonxalenye yehlabathi, . . . ihlabathi linithiyile.”—YOHANE 15:19.
1. Luluphi ulwalamano olukhoyo phakathi kwamaKristu nehlabathi, kodwa ihlabathi liwajonga njani?
NGOBUSUKU bakhe bokugqibela enabafundi bakhe, uYesu wabaxelela oku: ‘Aniyonxalenye yehlabathi.’ Wayethetha ngaliphi ihlabathi? Kanene ngaphambilana wayengathethanga la mazwi: “UThixo walithanda kakhulu ihlabathi kangangokuba wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze wonk’ ubani oqhelisela ukholo kuye angatshabalali kodwa abe nobomi obungunaphakade”? (Yohane 3:16) Kuyacaca ukuba abafundi babesele beyinxalenye yelo hlabathi kuba baba ngabokuqala ukukholelwa kuYesu nakubomi obungunaphakade. Ngoko ke, kutheni ngoku uYesu esithi abafundi bakhe bahlukile kulo ihlabathi? Kwakhona kwakutheni ukuze athi: “Ngenxa yokuba ningeyonxalenye yehlabathi, . . . ngenxa yoku ihlabathi linithiyile”?—Yohane 15:19.
2, 3. (a) Liliphi “ihlabathi” amaKristu ayemele angabi yinxalenye yalo? (b) Ithini iBhayibhile ngokuphathelele “ihlabathi” amaKristu angeyonxalenye yalo?
2 Impendulo isekubeni iBhayibhile isebenzisa igama elithi “ihlabathi” (koʹsmos ngesiGrike) ngeendlela ezahlukeneyo. Njengoko kuchaziwe kwinqaku elingaphambili, maxa wambi eBhayibhileni igama elithi “ihlabathi” libhekisela kuluntu luphela. Lilo eli ke ihlabathi elathandwa nguThixo nelafelwa nguYesu. Noko ke, iThe Oxford History of Christianity ithi: “Igama elithi ‘ihlabathi’ kumaKristu likwasetyenziswa xa kuthethwa ngento etenxileyo kuThixo okanye echaseneyo naye.” Iyinyaniso kangakanani le nkcazelo? Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Les chrétiens et le monde (AmaKristu Nehlabathi), umbhali ongumKatolika uRoland Minnerath uchaza enjenje: “Xa lijongwa ngeliso eligxekayo, ngoko ihlabathi libonakala . . . lingummandla athi amagunya achasene noThixo aqhube umsebenzi wawo kuwo nathi ngenxa yokuchasa ulawulo lukaKristu loloyiso aquke ubukhosi botshaba obuphantsi kukaSathana.” Eli “hlabathi” zizihlwele zabantu ezingenanto yakwenza noThixo. AmaKristu okwenyaniso akayonxalenye yalo eli hlabathi, ibe lona liwathiyile.
3 Ngasekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala, uYohane wayecinga ngeli hlabathi xa wabhala esithi: “Musani ukulithanda ihlabathi okanye izinto ezisehlabathini. Ukuba nabani na uyalithanda ihlabathi, uthando lukaBawo alukho kuye; ngenxa yokuba yonk’ into esehlabathini—umnqweno wenyama nomnqweno wamehlo nokubonisa kukabani ngokuqhayisa ngezinto zakhe zobomi—ayiphumi kuBawo, kodwa iphuma ehlabathini.” (1 Yohane 2:15, 16) Kwakhona wabhala: “Siyazi ukuba siphuma kuThixo, kodwa ihlabathi liphela lilele emandleni alowo ungendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) NoYesu ngokwakhe wambiza uSathana ngokuthi ‘ngumphathi weli hlabathi.’—Yohane 12:31; 16:11.
Ukukhula Kwamagunya Ehlabathi
4. Aqalisa njani ukubakho amagunya ehlabathi?
4 Ihlabathi loluntu elikhoyo ngoku nelitenxileyo kuThixo laqalisa kamsinya emva koMkhukula womhla kaNowa, xa abaninzi kwinzala kaNowa bayeka ukunqula uYehova uThixo. Owayephambili ngaloo mihla yangaphambili yayinguNimrodi, umakhi wesixeko “umzingeli owayenamandla owayechasene noYehova.” (Genesis 10:8-12, NW) Ngaloo minyaka eli hlabathi lalilungelelaniswe laba zizixekwana zookumkani, ababesithi maxa wambi bamanyane baze balwe nabanye. (Genesis 14:1-9) Ezinye zezi zixeko zookumkani zazizigagamela ezinye zize zibe ngamagunya alawula imimandla ethile. Amanye kula magunya alawula imimandla ekugqibeleni akhula aza aba ngamagunya amakhulu ehlabathi.
5, 6. (a) Ngawaphi amagunya ehlabathi asixhenxe asembalini yeBhayibhile? (b) La magunya ehlabathi afuziselwa yintoni, ibe igunya lawo livela phi?
5 Belandela ekhondweni likaNimrodi, abalawuli bamagunya ehlabathi abazange bamnqule uYehova, nto leyo eyayibonakaliswa zizenzo zabo zenkohlakalo nezogonyamelo. KwiZibhalo, la magunya ehlabathi afuziselwa zizilo zasendle, ibe ukutyhubela iinkulungwane, iBhayibhile iye yathetha ngamathandathu kuwo aye aba nempembelelo enamandla kubantu bakaYehova. La magunya yiYiputa, iAsiriya, iBhabhiloni, amaMedi namaPersi, iGrisi kunye neRoma. Kwaprofetwa nangegunya lehlabathi elaliza kuvela emva kweRoma. (Daniyeli 7:3-7; 8:3-7, 20, 21; ISityhilelo 17:9, 10) Eli gunya langqineka liliGunya Lehlabathi lamaNgesi namaMerika, elaliyilwe buBukhosi baseBritani neqabane labo iUnited States, elathi ekugqibeleni layongamela iBritani ngamandla. UBukhosi baseBritani baqalisa ukukhula emva kokuthi shwaka komzila wokugqibela woBukhosi baseRoma.a
6 Kwincwadi yeSityhilelo, amagunya ehlabathi asixhenxe alandelelanayo afuziselwa ziintloko ezisixhenxe zerhamncwa eliphuma kulwandle lwabantu abangazolanga. (Isaya 17:12, 13; 57:20, 21; ISityhilelo 13:1) Ngubani olinika igunya eli rhamncwa lilawulayo? IBhayibhile iyachaza: “Inamba yanika irhamncwa elo amandla alo netrone yalo negunya elikhulu.” (ISityhilelo 13:2) Ayikho enye inamba ngaphandle kukaSathana uMtyholi.—Luka 4:5, 6; ISityhilelo 12:9.
Ulawulo Oluzayo LoBukumkani BukaThixo
7. Yintoni amaKristu anethemba layo, ibe oku kuluchaphazela njani ulwalamano lwawo noorhulumente behlabathi?
7 Kangangeminyaka emalunga nama-2000, amaKristu ebethandaza esithi: “Mabufike ubukumkani bakho. Makwenzeke ukuthanda kwakho nasemhlabeni, njengasezulwini.” (Mateyu 6:10) AmaNgqina kaYehova ayazi ukuba buBukumkani bukaThixo kuphela obunokuzisa uxolo lokwenene emhlabeni. Ekubeni esiphonononga ngenyameko isiprofeto seBhayibhile, oyisekile kwelokuba kungekudala lo mthandazo uza kuphendulwa yaye kungentsuku zatywala uBukumkani buza kulawula imicimbi yomhlaba. (Daniyeli 2:44) Ukunamathela kwawo kobu Bukumkani kuwenza abe ngoondilele kwimicimbi yoorhulumente behlabathi.
8. Basabela njani oorhulumente kulawulo loBukumkani bukaThixo, njengoko kwaxelwa kwangaphambili kwiNdumiso 2?
8 Ezinye iintlanga zizibanga ziyithobela imigaqo yonqulo. Ukanti, eneneni ziyasityeshela isibakala sokuba uYehova unguMongami Wendalo Iphela nesokuba uye wabeka uYesu etroneni njengoKumkani wasezulwini onegunya emhlabeni. (Daniyeli 4:17; ISityhilelo 11:15) Indumiso engokwesiprofeto ithi: “Ookumkani behlabathi bazimisile, izidwangube zabhunga ngoYehova nangoMthanjiswa wakhe [uYesu]; besithi, Masiziqhawule iimbophelelo zabo, sizilahle izintya zabo kuthi.” (INdumiso 2:2, 3) Oorhulumente abazamkeli “iimbophelelo” okanye “izintya” zikaThixo ebeziya kulusikel’ imida ulongamo lwabo elizweni. Ngoko, ethetha noYesu, uKumkani wakhe amkhethileyo, uYehova uthi: “Cela kum, ndikunike iintlanga zibe lilifa lakho, iziphelo zehlabathi zibe zezakho. Uya kuzivikiva ngentonga yentsimbi, uzihlekeze, zinge zizitya zodongwe.” (INdumiso 2:8, 9) Noko ke, ihlabathi loluntu elafelwa nguYesu aliyi ‘kuvikivwa’ ngokupheleleyo.—Yohane 3:17.
Ukuphepha ‘Uphawu Lwerhamncwa’
9, 10. (a) Yintoni esilunyukiswa ngayo kwincwadi yeSityhilelo? (b) Yintoni efuziselwa kukuba ‘nophawu lwerhamncwa’? (c) Luluphi uphawu olwamkelwa ngabakhonzi bakaThixo?
9 ISityhilelo esafunyanwa ngumpostile uYohane salumkisa ngelithi ihlabathi loluntu elitenxileyo kuThixo laliya kufuna izinto ezininzi ngaphambi kokuba liphele, “linyanzela bonke abantu, abancinane nabakhulu, nabazizityebi nabangamahlwempu, nabakhululekileyo nabangamakhoboka, ukuba aba banikwe uphawu kwisandla sabo sokunene okanye kwibunzi labo, nokuba kungabikho bani ukwaziyo ukuthenga okanye ukuthengisa ngaphandle komntu onalo uphawu.” (ISityhilelo 13:16, 17) Kuthetha ukuthini oku? Uphawu kwisandla sokunene lungumfuziselo ofanelekileyo wenkxaso ebonakalayo. Kuthekani ngophawu olusebunzi? IThe Expositor’s Greek Testament ithi: “Esi sikweko sifuziselayo sisusela kumkhwa wokuphawula amajoni namakhoboka ngomvambo okanye ngophawu olucacileyo . . . ; okanye ke, sisusela kwisithethe sonqulo sokunxiba into enegama lothixo njengekhubalo.” Abantu abaninzi ngokufuziselayo bayalufaka olu phawu ngezenzo nangamazwi abo, bezifanisa ‘njengamakhoboka’ okanye ‘amajoni erhamncwa.’ (ISityhilelo 13:3, 4) Ngokuphathelele ikamva labo, iTheological Dictionary of the New Testament ithi: “Iintshaba zikaThixo zivuma ukuba [uphawu] lwerhamncwa, inani eliyimfihlelo elinegama lalo, libekwe kumabunzi azo nakwesinye sezandla zazo. Oku kuzinika ithuba elihle lokuba nenkqubela kwezoqoqosho nakwezorhwebo, kodwa kuzizisela ingqumbo kaThixo yaye kuzenza zingangeni kubukumkani bewaka leminyaka, ISityhi. 13:16; 14:9; 20:4.”
10 Ukuxhathisa ingcinezelo yokwamkela “uphawu” kufuna inkalipho nokunyamezela okungakumbi. (ISityhilelo 14:9-12) Noko ke, abakhonzi bakaThixo banawo loo mandla, ibe ngenxa yoko, ngokufuthi bayathiywa kuze kuthethwe kakubi ngabo. (Yohane 15:18-20; 17:14, 15) Kunokuba babe nophawu lwerhamncwa, ngelifuziselayo uIsaya wathi babeya kubhala esandleni sabo umbhalo othi, “NdingokaYehova.” (Isaya 44:5) Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni ‘begcuma yaye bencwina’ ngenxa yezinto ezingamasikizi ezenziwa lunqulo oluwexukileyo, bafumana uphawu olungumfuziselo emabunzini abo olubafanisa njengabafanelwe kukusindiswa xa kuphunyezwa imigwebo kaYehova.—Hezekile 9:1-7.
11. Ngubani onika oorhulumente babantu imvume yokulawula de uBukumkani bukaThixo buze kuthabatha ulawulo emhlabeni?
11 UThixo uyabavumela oorhulumente babantu ukuba balawule de kufike ixesha lokuba uBukumkani bukaKristu buluthabathele kubo ngokupheleleyo ulawulo lwalo mhlaba. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi The State in the New Testament, uNjingalwazi Oscar Cullmann uyagqabaza ngoku kuvunyelwa koorhulumente bezobupolitika nguThixo. Ubhala enjenje: “Ingcamango entsonkothileyo yokuba uRhulumente ‘ungumlungiseleli’ ingunobangela wokuba isimo sengqondo samaKristu okuqala ngokuphathelele uRhulumente singavisisani, kunoko sibonakale siziphikisa. Ndiyaphinda ndithi, sibonakala siziphikisa. Singakhankanya nje amaRoma 13:1 athi, ‘Yonke imiphefumlo mayiwathobele amagunya awongamileyo . . . ,’ neSityhilelo 13: esichaza uRhulumente njengerhamncwa eliphuma enzonzobileni.”
‘Irhamncwa’ Kunye ‘NoKesare’
12. Yiyiphi imbono elungeleleneyo anayo amaNgqina kaYehova ngoorhulumente babantu?
12 Bekuya kuba yinto ephasakeleyo ukufikelela kwisigqibo sokuba bonke abantu abasemagunyeni karhulumente bazizixhobo zikaSathana. Abaninzi baye bazingqina bengabantu abanemigaqo elungileyo, njengoSergiyo Pawulos ochazwe eBhayibhileni ‘njengendoda enengqiqo.’ (IZenzo 13:7) Abanye abalawuli baye bawalwela ngenkalipho amalungelo abantu abanxamnye nesininzi, bekhokelwa zizazela zabo abazinikwe nguThixo nangona bengamazi uYehova neenjongo zakhe. (Roma 2:14, 15) Khumbula ukuba, iBhayibhile isebenzisa igama elithi “ihlabathi” ngeendlela ezimbini ezahlukeneyo: ihlabathi loluntu, elithandwa nguThixo nesifanele silithande nathi, nehlabathi loluntu olutenxileyo kuYehova, elithixo walo inguSathana nesimele sizikhwebule kulo. (Yohane 1:9, 10; 17:14; 2 Korinte 4:4; Yakobi 4:4) Ngaloo ndlela, abakhonzi bakaYehova banembono elungeleleneyo ngokuphathelele ulawulo lomntu. Singoondilele kwimicimbi yezobupolitika ekubeni singoonozakuzaku okanye abathunywa boBukumkani bukaThixo yaye ubomi bethu sibunikele kuThixo. (2 Korinte 5:20) Kwelinye icala, siyabathobela abo basemagunyeni logama nje izazela zethu zivuma.
13. (a) UYehova ubajonga njani oorhulumente babantu? (b) AmaKristu abathobela ukusa kuwuphi umkhamo oorhulumente babantu?
13 Le ndlela ilungeleleneyo yokujonga izinto ibonisa imbono kaYehova uThixo. Xa amagunya ehlabathi, okanye amaZwe amancinane, elisebenzisa kakubi igunya lawo, ecinezela abantu bawo, okanye etshutshisa abanquli bakaThixo, ngokuqinisekileyo ayayifanela indlela engokwesiprofeto yokuwachaza njengamarhamncwa anoburhalarhume. (Daniyeli 7:19-21; ISityhilelo 11:7) Noko ke, xa oorhulumente bamazwe bephumeza injongo kaThixo yokugcina umthetho nocwangco nokusesikweni, ubagqala ‘njengasisicaka sikawonke-wonke.’ (Roma 13:6) UYehova ulindele ukuba abantu bakhe babahlonele oorhulumente babantu yaye babathobele, kodwa ukubathobela kwabo kusikelwe imida. Xa abantu befuna abakhonzi bakaThixo benze izinto ezichaseneyo nomthetho kaThixo okanye xa bengafuni kwenziwe izinto uThixo afuna ukuba abakhonzi bakhe bazenze, abakhonzi bakhe balandela ekhondweni elathatyathwa ngabapostile: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomphathi kunabantu.”—IZenzo 5:29.
14. Ukuthobela kwamaKristu oorhulumente babantu kuchazwa njani nguYesu? nguPawulos?
14 UYesu wathi abalandeli bakhe babeza kuba neembopheleleko koorhulumente nakuThixo xa wavakalisa oku: “Buyiselani izinto zikaKesare kuKesare, kodwa izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.” (Mateyu 22:21) Umpostile uPawulos waphefumlelwa ukuba abhale oku: “Yonke imiphefumlo mayiwathobele amagunya awongamileyo . . . Kodwa ukuba wenza oko kubi, yoyika: kuba aliliphathanga ngaphandle kwenjongo ikrele; kuba lingumlungiseleli kaThixo, umphindezeli wokubonakalisa ingqumbo kulowo uqhelisela oko kubi. Ngoko ke kukho isizathu esinyanzelisayo ngani sokuba nithobele, kungekuphela ngenxa yengqumbo leyo kodwa kwanangenxa yesazela senu. Kuba kungenxa yoko le nto nikwahlawula iirhafu.” (Roma 13:1, 4-6) Ukususela ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo ukuza kuthi ga ngoku, amaKristu kuye kwafuneka aziqwalasele izinto ezifunwa nguRhulumente. Kuye kwafuneka aqonde enoba ukuzenza kuya kukhokelela ekulalaniseni kunqulo lwawo okanye ezo zinto azifunayo zizinto ezisengqiqweni nezifanele zilawulwe sisazela sikabani.
Abemi Abalawulwa Zizazela
15. AmaNgqina kaYehova alawulwa njani sisazela ekubuyiseleni kuKesare oko kumfaneleyo?
15 “Amagunya awongamelayo” ezobupolitika ‘angumlungiseleli’ kaThixo xa ephumeza indima akholiswa yiyo uThixo, equka igunya ‘lokuphumeza isohlwayo kubenzi-bubi kodwa adumise abenzi bokulungileyo.’ (1 Petros 2:13, 14) Beqhutywa zizazela, abakhonzi bakaYehova babuyisela kuKesare izinto ezisengqiqweni azifunayo ezinjengerhafu, ibe bakwenza oko kangangoko banako logama nje isazela sabo esiqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile sibavumela ukuba “balulamele baze bathobele oorhulumente namagunya njengabaphathi, . . . balungele wonke umsebenzi olungileyo.” (Tito 3:1) “Umsebenzi olungileyo” uquka ukunceda abanye, njengaxa kusihla intlekele. Abaninzi baye babubona ububele obubonakaliswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova ebantwini phantsi kwezo meko.—Galati 6:10.
16. Yiyiphi imisebenzi emihle amaNgqina kaYehova ayenzela urhulumente nabanye abantu eqhutywa zizazela ezikhululekileyo?
16 AmaNgqina kaYehova ayabathanda abanye abantu yaye avakalelwa kukuba owona msebenzi ulungileyo abanokubenzela wona kukubanceda bafumane ulwazi oluchanileyo ngenjongo kaThixo yokuzisa “amazulu amatsha nomhlaba omtsha” onobulungisa. (2 Petros 3:13) Ekubeni efundisa yaye eshumayela imigaqo ephakamileyo yokuziphatha yeBhayibhile, anempembelelo entle kwibutho labantu, esindisa abaninzi kubomi bokuzibhubhisa. Abakhonzi bakaYehova bayayithobela imithetho yaye bayabahlonela abaphathiswa bakarhulumente, amagosa, iijaji kunye nabasemagunyeni beedolophu, benikela imbeko ‘kwabo kufuneka imbeko’ kubo. (Roma 13:7) Abazali abangamaNgqina bayakuvuyela ukusebenzisana nabafundisi-ntsapho babantwana babo yaye bayabanceda abantwana babo bafunde kakuhle, ukuze bakwazi ukuziphilisa yaye bangabi luxanduva kwibutho labantu kwixesha elizayo. (1 Tesalonika 4:11, 12) Emabandleni awo, amaNgqina ayalichasa ikhethe lobuhlanga nokucalucalulwa kwabantu ngokwemigangatho yobomi babo, ibe akugqala kuyinto ebaluleke gqitha ukomeleza ubomi bentsapho. (IZenzo 10:34, 35; Kolose 3:18-21) Ngoko ke, ngezenzo zawo, ayabonisa ukuba izityholo zokuba achasene nobomi bentsapho okanye akaloncedo kwibutho labantu zibubuxoki. Ngaloo ndlela, amazwi ompostile uPetros angqineka eyinyaniso: “Kuba kunjalo ukuthanda kukaThixo, ukuze ngokwenza okulungileyo nifake isicheme kwintetho yokungazi yabantu abangenangqiqo.”—1 Petros 2:15.
17. AmaKristu aqhubeka njani ‘ehamba ngobulumko ngakwabo bangaphandle’?
17 Ngoko, ngoxa abalandeli bokwenene bakaKristu ‘bengeyonxalenye yehlabathi,’ basaphila kwihlabathi lebutho labantu yaye bamele baqhubeke ‘behamba ngobulumko ngakwabo bangaphandle.’ (Yohane 17:16; Kolose 4:5) Logama nje uYehova esavumela amagunya awongamelayo ukuba asebenze njengomlungiseleli wakhe, siya kubonakalisa intlonelo efanelekileyo kuwo. (Roma 13:1-4) Ngoxa siqhubeka singoondilele kwezobupolitika, siyabathandazela “ookumkani nabo bonke abo bakwizikhundla eziphakamileyo,” ngokukodwa xa kufuneka benze izigqibo ezinokuyichaphazela inkululeko yethu yonqulo. Siya kuqhubeka sikwenza oku “ukuze siqhubeke siphila ubomi bokuzola noboxolo ngozinikelo lobuthixo nokundileka okuzeleyo,” ukuze “zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe.”—1 Timoti 2:1-4.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Bona isahluko 35 sencwadi ethi ISityhilelo—Incopho Yaso Ezukileyo Isondele! epapashwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Imibuzo Yempinda
◻ Liliphi “ihlabathi” ayinxalenye yalo amaKristu, kodwa liliphi “ihlabathi” angenakuba yinxalenye yalo?
◻ Lufuzisela ntoni “uphawu” ‘lwerhamncwa’ olukwisandla okanye kwibunzi lomntu, yaye ziziphi iimpawu abanazo abakhonzi abathembekileyo bakaYehova?
◻ Yiyiphi imbono elungeleleneyo anayo amaKristu okwenyaniso ngoorhulumente babantu?
◻ Ziziphi ezinye zeendlela amaNgqina kaYehova afak’ isandla ngazo kwimpilo-ntle yebutho labantu?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
IBhayibhile ifanisa oorhulumente babantu njengomkhonzi kaThixo nerhamncwa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
Ngenxa yokubonakalisa kwawo inkxalabo enothando ngabanye, amaNgqina kaYehova anempembelelo entle kwibutho labantu ahlala kulo