Ngaba Umsebenzi Wakho Uya Kumelana Nomlilo?

“Ngamnye makahlale eyiphaphele indlela akha ngayo phezu [kwesi siseko].”—1 KORINTE 3:10.

1. AmaKristu athembekileyo analiphi ithemba ngabo basenokuba ngabafundi?

ISIBINI esitshatileyo esingamaKristu siteketisa isibothobothwana sosana lwaso olubomvu. Umvakalisi woBukumkani ubukele isifundo sakhe seBhayibhile esitsho ngobuso obuzele yimincili nomdla. Umdala ongumKristu ufundisa eqongeni aze phakathi kwabaphulaphuli bakhe athi ntlaa ngomntu osandul’ ukuba nomdla etyhil’ izibhalo ngehlombe eBhayibhileni yakhe. Iintliziyo zaba bakhonzi bakaYehova zizele lithemba. Batheth’ engqondweni bezibuza, ‘Ngaba lo mntu uya kuze amthande aze amkhonze uYehova—aze ahlale ethembekile?’ Kakade ke, loo nto ayihli okweman’ ezulwini. Iyasetyenzelwa.

2. Umpostile uPawulos wawakhumbuza njani amaKristu angamaHebhere ngembaluleka yomsebenzi wokufundisa, yaye oku kungasenza sihlole ntoni ngeziqu zethu?

² Incutshe yomfundisi, umpostile uPawulos yabek’ umnwe kwimbaluleka yomsebenzi wokufundisa nasekwenzeni abafundi xa yabhala yathi: “Nifanele ukuba ngabafundisi ngenxa yexesha.” (Hebhere 5:12) La maKristu wayethetha nawo ayelel’ emqokozweni ngokwenene, xa ucinga ngelokuba ayenonyak’ onesiqhuma engamakholwa. Ayesadubad’ enyeleni ukuba angafundisa abanye, kwakusafuneka kukhunjuzwe wona ngeziseko zenyaniso. Namhlanje, kuhle ukuba sonke ngamaxesha athile khe sithi vu phantsi siphendlaphendle ubuchule bethu bokufundisa size sibone iindawo esinokuphucula kuzo. Ubomi babantu busengozini. Yintoni ke esinokuyenza?

3. (a) Umpostile uPawulos wakufanisa nantoni ukwenza umfundi ongumKristu? (b) Njengabakhi abangamaKristu, liliphi ilungelo elikhethekileyo esinalo?

³ Esenza umzekeliso ophangaleleyo, uPawulos wafanisa ukwenza abafundi nomsebenzi wokwakha. Waqala ngala mazwi: “Singabasebenzi abangamadlelane kaThixo. Nina niyintsimi kaThixo elinywayo, isakhiwo sikaThixo.” (1 Korinte 3:9) Ngoko sinesabelo kumsebenzi wokwakha obandakanya abantu; siyabakha batsho babe ngabafundi bakaKristu. Sikwenza oko sincedisa Lowo “wazakhayo zonke izinto.” (Hebhere 3:4) Lungelo lakwabani! Makhe sibone indlela isiluleko esiphefumlelweyo sikaPawulos esiya kwabaseKorinte esinokusinceda ngayo sibe ziingcaphephe kumsebenzi wethu. Siza kukhe sigudle kakhulu umba ‘wobugcisa bokufundisa.’—2 Timoti 4:2.

Ukubeka Isiseko Esisiso

4. (a) Wayesakha ndawoni uPawulos kwisakhiwo samaKristu? (b) Kunokutshiwo njani ukuba uYesu nabo babemphulaphule babeyazi imbaluleka yesiseko esiluqilima?

⁴ Ukuze isakhiwo somelele size sihlale simile, kufuneka sibe nesiseko esiluqilima. Yiloo nto ke uPawulos wabhala esithi: “Ngokobubele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo obanikwa mna, njengomalathisi osisilumko wemisebenzi ndabeka isiseko.” (1 Korinte 3:10) Esebenzisa umzekelo ofanayo, uYesu Kristu wathetha ngendlu eyasinda kwiinkqwithela ngenxa yokuba umakhi wayo wakhetha umankankela wesiseko. (Luka 6:47-49) UYesu wayekwazi kakuhle ukubaluleka kwesiseko. Wayekho xa uYehova wayeseka umhlaba.a (IMizekeliso 8:29-31) Nabantu ababephulaphule uYesu babesixabisile isiseko esiluqilima. Zizindlu ezazinesiseko esomeleleyo kuphela ezazinokusala zimile kwezo zikhukula zazidudula yonk’ int’ ephambi kwazo neenyikima ezazikhe zigungqise iPalestina. UPawulos ke yena wayecinga ngasiphi isiseko?

5. Ngubani isiseko sebandla lamaKristu, yaye oku kwaprofetwa kwathiwani ngako?

⁵ UPawulos wabhala wenjenje: “Akukho mntu unokubeka nasiphi na esinye isiseko kuneso sibekiweyo, singuYesu Kristu.” (1 Korinte 3:11) Asikokokuqala uYesu efaniswa nesiseko. Enyanisweni, uIsaya 28:16 waprofeta wathi: “Itsho iNkosi uYehova ukuthi, Yabona, ndiseke eZiyon ilitye, ilitye locikido, ilitye elinqabileyo lembombo, loseko olusekiweyo.” Kwakude kudala uYehova wayenenjongo yokuba uNyana wakhe abe sisiseko sebandla lamaKristu.—INdumiso 118:22; Efese 2:19-22; 1 Petros 2:4-6.

6. UPawulos wawabekela njani isiseko amaKristu aseKorinte?

⁶ Sisiphi isiseko somKristu ngamnye? Njengokuba uPawulos watshoyo, sinye isiseko anaso umKristu wokwenyaniso seso sichazwe liLizwi likaThixo—uYesu Kristu. Siqinisekile uPawulos wabeka isiseko esinjalo. EKorinte, apho wonk’ umntu wayethe phithi thwanga yintanda-bulumko, akazange afune ukurhwebesha abantu ngokusebenzisa ubulumko behlabathi. Kunoko, uPawulos wayeshumayela “uKristu ebethelelwe,” nto leyo iintlanga zaziyibhebhetha zisithi ‘bubudenge’ obuphindaphindeneyo obo. (1 Korinte 1:23) UPawulos wafundisa ukuba uYesu ungundoqo kwinjongo kaYehova.—2 Korinte 1:20; Kolose 2:2, 3.

7. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwinto yokuba uPawulos azibize “njengesilumko somalathisi wemisebenzi”?

⁷ UPawulos walichaphazela nelokuba wayefundisa “njengesilumko somalathisi wemisebenzi.” Wayengaqhayisi ke xa ethetha la mazwi. Wayechaza isiphiwo esingummangaliso asinikwe nguYehova—ukukwazi ukulungelelanisa okanye ukwalathisa umsebenzi. (1 Korinte 12:28) Siyavuma ukuba namhlanje asisenamandla okwenza imimangaliso awayejizekwe ngawo amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala. Yaye kusenokwenzeka ukuba asicingi ukuba sinesiphiwo sokufundisa. Kodwa ngangqiqo ithile singatsho sithi sinaso. Masiyicinge ngolu hlobo le nto: UYehova usinika umoya wakhe oyingcwele ukuze usincede. (Thelekisa uLuka 12:11, 12.) Kwakhona siyamthanda uYehova neemfundiso ezisisiseko zeLizwi lakhe. Ezi ziziphiwo ezisemagqabini esinokuzisebenzisa ekufundiseni abanye. Masibhinq’ omfutshane ke sizisebenzise ekubekeni isiseko esihle.

8. Simbeka njani uKristu njengesiseko sabo baza kuba ngabafundi?

⁸ Xa sibeka uKristu njengesiseko, asithethi ngaye njengosizana nje losana olusemkhumbini, okanye sithi ulingana noYehova kaBathathu Emnye. Asithethi loo nto, kuba ezo mfundiso zingasekelwanga zibhalweni sisiseko sobuKristu benkohliso. Kunoko, sifundisa ukuba wayengoyena mntu ubalaseleyo wakha waphila, wanikela ngobomi bakhe obufezekileyo ngenxa yethu, yaye kunamhlanje nje unguKumkani omiselwe nguYehova olawula ezulwini. (Roma 5:8; ISityhilelo 11:15) Kwakhona sizabalazela ukukhuthaza abo sibafundisa ukuhamba emanyathelweni kaYesu ukuze baxelise iimpawu zakhe. (1 Petros 2:21) Sifuna bachukunyisw’ emazants’ eentliziyo yinzondelelo kaYesu kubulungiseleli, luvelwano lwakhe kwababandezelekileyo nabatyunyuziweyo, inceba yakhe kuboni abajeqwa ngumvandedwa, ukukhalipha kwakhe engajiki xa evavanywa. Enyanisweni, uYesu sisiseko esiluqilima. Kodwa yintoni enokwakhelwa phezu kwakhe?

Ukwakha Ngezinto Zokwakha Ezizizo

9. Nangona uPawulos wayengoyena ubeke isiseko, wayexhalatyiswe yintoni ngabo babamkele inyaniso yoko wayekufundisa?

⁹ UPawulos wabhala: “Ke kaloku ukuba nabani na wakha phezu kwesiseko ngegolide, ngesilivere, ngamatye axabisekileyo, ngezinto ezenziwe ngomthi, ngefula, ngeendiza, umsebenzi wakhe ngamnye uya kubonakaliswa, kuba imini iya kuwubonakalisa, ngenxa yokuba uya kutyhilwa ngomlilo; yaye umlilo ngokwawo uya kucikida ukuba uluhlobo luni na umsebenzi wakhe ngamnye.” (1 Korinte 3:12, 13) Wayethetha ukuthini uPawulos? Makhe siland’ imvelaphi yalo mba. UPawulos wayengowokuqala ukubeka isiseko apho. Xa wayekuhambo lobuvangeli basemazweni, wayehamba izixeko ngezixeko, eshumayela kwabaninzi ababengazange beve nokuva ngoKristu. (Roma 15:20) Njengokuba abantu babesamkela inyaniso awayeyifundisa, kwamiselwa amabandla. UPawulos wayenenkathalo ngokwenene ngaba bantu bathembekileyo. (2 Korinte 11:28, 29) Noko ke, umsebenzi wakhe wawungamvumeli ahlale ndawonye. Ngoko emva kokuchitha iinyanga ezili-18 ebeka isiseko eKorinte, wenjenjeya esiya kushumayela kwezinye izixeko. Sekunjalo, wayenomdla ngokwenene ukuqonda ukuba abanye ababefike emva kwakhe baqhuba njani na nomsebenzi awayewuqalile apho.—IZenzo 18:8-11; 1 Korinte 3:6.

10, 11. (a) Wazithelekisa njani uPawulos iindidi zezinto zokwakha? (b) Ziziphi iindidi zokwakha ekubonakala ukuba zazikho eKorinte? (c) Hlobo luni lwezakhiwo ezisenokuba zinokumelana nomlilo, yaye kusifundisa ntoni oko ngokwenza abafundi abangamaKristu?

¹⁰ Kuyabonakala ukuba bambi ababesakhela phezu kwesiseko esabekwa nguPawulos eKorinte babesenz’ uphela sonwabe. Eyibek’ elubala le ngxaki, uPawulos uthelekisa iindidi ezimbini zezinto zokwakha: olunye yigolide, isilivere namatye anqabileyo; luze olunye ibe ziinkuni, umququ nengca. Ungasimisa isakhiwo ngezinto zokwakha ezomeleleyo, ezihlalayo nezingatshiyo; okanye ungagxabhagxabhisa nje usebenzisa izinto zokwakha ezinokuvuthuluka nanini, ezingahlaliyo nezitshayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo zazininzi izakhiwo ezakhiwa ngazo zombini ezo ndidi kolo halatushe wesixeko saseKorinte. Kwakukho oobhazabhaza beetempile abakhiwe ngoomankankela bamatye abiza imali, mhlawumbi beneendawo ezihonjiswe ngegolide nesilivere.b Ezi zinto zokwakha zomeleleyo zimele ukuba zazingathi zihlekisa ngaloo maxobongwana amanqugwala naloo mabutyabutya amatyotyombe asemarikeni enziwe ngamaplangana angacacanga nafulelwe ngengca.

¹¹ Kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni kwezi zakhiwo xa kutshayo? Impendulo yayizicacele ngomhla kaPawulos isazicacele ke nanamhla. Emva phayaa ngowe-146 B.C.E., isixeko saseKorinte sakha soyiswa saza satshiswa yiNjengele yaseRoma uMummius. Ngokuqinisekileyo izakhiwo ezininzi zeplanga, zengca, okanye umququ zatsha zaluthuthu. Kwenzeka ntoni kwizakhiwo ezomeleleyo zelitye, ezihonjiswe ngesilivere negolide? Ngaphandle kwamathandabuzo zasala zime ngxi. Abo babefunda iincwadi zikaPawulos eKorinte bamele ukuba babedlula kwezo zakhiwo mihla le—ezazime ngxi apho ngathi zing’o ng’ozela oogxa bazo abasuka bavuthuluka baphela kwakufika intlekele. Hayi indlela uPawulos awayicacisa kakuhle ngayo ingongoma yakhe! Xa sifundisa, kufuneka sibe ngathi singabakhi. Kufuneka sisebenzise izinto zokwakha ezomeleleyo nezona zihlalayo. Nomsebenzi wethu ke uya kuhlala uhleli. Ziziphi ke ezi zinto zokwakha zihlalayo, yaye kutheni kubalulekile ukusebenzisa zona?

Ngaba Umsebenzi Wakho Uya Kumelana Nomlilo?

12. Yiyiphi indlela owawuyekeyeke ngayo umsebenzi wabanye kumaKristu aseKorinte?

¹² Licace mhlophe elokuba uPawulos wayevakalelwa kukuba amanye amaKristu eKorinte ayesitsho ngobuxhofuxhofana nje xa esakha. Yayiyintoni ingxaki yawo? Njengokuba umongo ubonisa, ibandla laliziintlaba-zahlukane, ingulo ezinqulela umntu amthandayo nangona oko kwakulahlula ibandla. Bambi babemi ngelokuba, “Mna ndingokaPawulos,” ngoxa abanye babezingomb’ isifuba besithi, “Mna ndingoka-Apolo.” Kubonakala ukuba abanye babezigobh’ amacala besithi balumkile kunomntu wonke. Yiloo nto ke, abaninzi babecinga ngokwenyama, bezizidodo ngokomoya, yaye bejijitheka “ngumona yaye bexhwithana.” (1 Korinte 1:12; 3:1-4, 18) Esi simo sengqondo sidizwa zizinto ezazifundiswa ebandleni nakubulungiseleli. Ngenxa yoko umsebenzi wabo wokwenza abafundi wawuyekeyeke, ufana nqwa nesakhiwo esixhafazwe ngemixekexwa yezinto zokwakha. Wawungenakusinda tu “emlilweni.” Mlilo mni lo uPawulos wayethetha ngawo?

13. Nguwuphi lo mlilo kuthethwa ngawo kumzekeliso kaPawulos, yaye yintoni onke amaKristu afanele ayazi?

¹³ Kukho mlilo sonke osigqatsileyo ekuphileni kwethu—iimvavanyo zokholo lwethu. (Yohane 15:20; Yakobi 1:2, 3) AmaKristu aseKorinte kwakufuneka azi, kanye njengathi, ukuba wonk’ ubani esimfundisa inyaniso uza kuvavanywa. Ukuba siyabagqwagqwa abantu, ibuhlungu gqitha into eya kwenzeka. UPawulos walumkisa wathi: “Ukuba umsebenzi wakhe nabani na awakhe phezu kwaso uyahlala, uya kwamkela umvuzo; ukuba umsebenzi wakhe nabani na utshiswa kuthi tu, uya kulahlekelwa, kodwa yena ngokwakhe uya kusindiswa; kanti, ukuba kunjalo, kuya kuba ngokungathi udlule emlilweni.”c—1 Korinte 3:14, 15.

14. (a) AmaKristu enza abafundi ‘anokulahlekelwa’ njani, ukanti usindiso alufumanayo luba ngathi ludlule emlilweni njani? (b) Singazisindisa njani kule lahleko?

¹⁴ Anjani wona ukuthuthuzela amazwi! Ibuhlungu gqitha into yokuba uwe uvuka unceda umntu abe ngumfundi, akugqiba yena anikezele xa elingwa okanye etshutshiswa aze ekugqibeleni apoqe endleleni yenyaniso. UPawulos uchaphazel’ umba ofanayo xa esithi siyalahlekelwa xa kwenzeke oko. Indlela ebuhlungu ngayo le nto kungade kuthiwe usindiso lwethu lungathi ‘ludlule emlilweni’—kanye njengendoda etshelwe vuthu zizinto zayo yaza nayo yasinda cebetshu ngokuhlangulwa. Thina ke, singazisindisa njani kule lahleko? Masakhe ngezinto ezihlalayo! Ukuba sifikelela iintliziyo zabantu xa sibafundisa, sibachukumise ukuze baxabise iimpawu zobuKristu ezinjengobulumko, ukuqonda, ukoyika uYehova nokholo lokwenene, siya kuba ke sakhe ngezinto ezihlalayo, ezimelanayo nomlilo. (INdumiso 19:9, 10; IMizekeliso 3:13-15; 1 Petros 1:6, 7) Abo bazizuzela ezi mpawu baya kuqhubeka besenza ukuthanda kukaThixo; banethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade. (1 Yohane 2:17) Noko ke, sinokuwusebenzisa njani umzekelo kaPawulos namhlanje? Nantsi eminye imizekelo.

15. Kungaziphi iindlela esinokuwuphepha ngazo umsebenzi oyekeyeke ngokuphathelele abo sibafundisa iBhayibhile?

¹⁵ Xa sifundisa abafundi beBhayibhile, simele singaze sibalaselise umntu kunoYehova uThixo. Usukelo lwethu asikokufundisa abantu ukuba ubulumko buphuma kuthi. Sifuna balandele ukhokelo lukaYehova, lweLizwi lakhe nolwentlangano yakhe. Ngenxa yoko, xa bebuza imibuzo asinakusuka nje sibanike uluvo lwethu. Kunoko, sibafundisa ukuzikhangelela iimpendulo, besebenzisa iBhayibhile neempapasho esizilungiselelwe ‘likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Ngesizathu esifanayo ke, siye sikulumkele ukubagush’ ekhwapheni abantu esibafundela iBhayibhile. Kunokuba siqumbe sibe zizifu xa abanye bezama ukusondela kubo, sifanele sibakhuthaze abo sibafundelayo ukuba lube “banzi” uthando lwabo, bazi baze baqhele abantu abaninzi kangangoko kunokwenzeka ebandleni.—2 Korinte 6:12, 13.

16. Abadala banokwakha njani ngezinto zokwakha ezinokumelana nomlilo?

¹⁶ Nabadala abangamaKristu bangenza lukhulu ekwakheni abafundi. Xa befundisa ebandleni, bazama ukwakha ngezinto ezingatshiyo. Basenokushiyana ngobuchule bokufundisa, ngamava nangobuntu, kodwa leyo asinto bazigwagwisa ngayo bezama ukuziqokelelela abalandeli. (Thelekisa IZenzo 20:29, 30.) Asazi ukuba kanye kanye kwakutheni ukuze bambi eKorinte bathi, “Mna ndingokaPawulos” okanye, “Mna ndingoka-Apolo.” Kodwa singaqiniseka ukuba akukho namnye kwaba badala bathembekileyo wayephembe le ngcingane yahlukanisayo. UPawulos akazange arhwetyeshwe zezo zimvo; wazikhaba ngaw’ omane. (1 Korinte 3:5-7) Ngokufanayo ke namhlanje, abadala abalilibali elokuba balusa “umhlambi kaThixo.” (1 Petros 5:2) Asingowamntu. Ngoko abadala abagungqi tu xa kukho ndoda ithile izama ukugagamela umhlambi okanye iqumrhu labadala. Xa abadala beqhutywa ngumnqweno wokuthobeka wokukhonza ibandla, befikelele iintliziyo baze bancede izimvu zikhonze uYehova ngomphefumlo uphela, bakha ngezinto ezinokumelana nomlilo.

17. Abazali abangamaKristu bakuzabalazela njani ukwakha ngezinto zokwakha ezingatshiyo?

¹⁷ Nabazali abangamaKristu bayazikhathaza ngale meko. Hayi indlela abakulangazelela ngayo ukubona abantwana babo bephila ngonaphakade! Yiloo nto ke bezibhokoxa “ekutsoliseni” imigaqo yeLizwi likaThixo kwiintliziyo zabantwana babo. (Duteronomi 6:6, 7) Bafuna abantwana babo bayazi inyaniso, bangayazi nje njengento enothotho lwemithetho okanye enobugocigoci bobucukubhede, kodwa bayazi njengendlela yokuphila eyanelisayo, enomvuzo neyonwabisayo. (1 Timoti 1:11) Ukuze bakhe abantwana babo babe ngabafundi bakaKristu abathembekileyo, abazali abanothando bazabalazela ukwakha ngezinto zokwakha ezinokumelana nomlilo. Basebenza ngomonde nabantwana babo, bebanceda bancothule iimpawu uYehova azithiyileyo baze bahlakulele iimpawu azithandayo.—Galati 5:22, 23.

Lityala Likabani?

18. Xa umfundi engayamkeli imfundiso ephilileyo, kutheni isenokungabi lityala labo bebezama ukumfundisa nokumqeqesha?

¹⁸ Le ngxubusho ikwenz’ ubuze omnye umbuzo obalulekileyo. Ukuba umntu ebesimnceda uyahlehla enyanisweni, ngaba oko kuthetha ukuba thina njengabafundisi sikatyile—siye sakha ngemixekexwa yezinto zokwakha? Akusoloko kunjalo. Amazwi kaPawulos asikhumbuza ukuba kuyimbopheleleko enkulu ukuba nesabelo ekwakheni abafundi. Sifuna ukwenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sakhe kakuhle. Kodwa iLizwi likaThixo alitsho ukuba simele sithwale yonke loo mbopheleleko size sibhuqwe ngumvandedwa xa abo besizama ukubanceda beshiya inyaniso. Kukho nezinye izinto ezinegalelo ngaphandle nje kwendima yethu njengabakhi. Ngokomzekelo, phawula oko uPawulos akuthethayo naxa sele ethetha ngomakhi odlulisa nje usana kunina: “Uya kulahlekelwa, kodwa yena ngokwakhe uya kusindiswa.” (1 Korinte 3:15) Ukuba loo mntu uyasindiswa ekugqibeleni—ngoxa obo buntu bobuKristu ebezama ukubakha kwisifundo sakhe kuthiwa ‘butshiswe’ ziimvavanyo ezifana nomlilo—simele sigqibe ngelithini? Ngokuqinisekileyo, nguloo mntu obefundelwa onembopheleleko phambi koYehova ngesigqibo asenzayo enoba ulandela ikhondo lokuthembeka okanye uyaphambuka.

19. Siza kuxubusha ntoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?

¹⁹ Ibaluleke gqitha ke le mbopheleleko umntu anayo. Ichaphazela ngamnye wethu. Yintoni kanye efundiswa yiBhayibhile ngayo? Inqaku lethu elilandelayo liza kuxubusha lo mba.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

◻ Yintoni “isiseko” sobuKristu bokwenyaniso, yaye sibekwa njani?

◻ Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwiintlobo ngeentlobo zezinto zokwakha?

◻ Umela ntoni “umlilo,” yaye unokubabangela njani abanye ‘balahlekelwe’?

◻ Abafundisi beBhayibhile, abadala nabazali banokwakha njani ngezinto zokwakha ezingatshiyo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Kwizixeko ezininzi zamandulo, kwakukho izakhiwo zamatye ezimelana nomlilo nezinye nje eziwohlowohlo