Aqhubeka Ehamba Enyanisweni
“Andinaluvuyo lungaphezu kolu lokuba ndive ukuba abantwana bam bahamba enyanisweni.”—3 YOHANE 4.
1. Isekelwe entwenini ‘inyaniso yeendaba ezilungileyo’?
UYEHOVA ukholiswa kuphela ngabo bamnqula “ngomoya nenyaniso.” (Yohane 4:24) Bathobela inyaniso, besamkela zonke iimfundiso zamaKristu ezisekelwe kwiLizwi likaThixo. Le “nyaniso yeendaba ezilungileyo” isekelwe kuYesu Kristu nokuthethelelwa kolongamo lukaYehova ngoBukumkani. (Galati 2:14) UThixo ubayekele “ekulahlekisweni nasekukholelweni ubuxoki” abo bakhetha ubuxoki, kodwa usindiso luxhomekeke ekubeni nokholo kwiindaba ezilungileyo nasekuhambeni enyanisweni.—2 Tesalonika 2:9-12; Efese 1:13, 14.
2. Yintoni eyayisenza umpostile uYohane abe nombulelo okhethekileyo, yaye wayenaluphi ulwalamano noGayo?
2 Abavakalisi boBukumkani “ngabasebenzi abangamadlelane kuyo inyaniso.” Njengompostile uYohane nomhlobo wakhe uGayo, babambelela ngokuqinileyo enyanisweni yaye bahamba kuyo. Ecinga ngoGayo, uYohane wabhala: “Andinaluvuyo lungaphezu kolu lokuba ndive ukuba abantwana bam bahamba enyanisweni.” (3 Yohane 3-8) Enoba uYohane owayesaluphele wayengazange amfundise inyaniso uGayo, ubudala balo mpostile, ukuqola kubuKristu, nothando lukabawo kunyana kwenza kwafaneleka ukuba lo mfana uselula ajongwe njengomnye wabantwana bokomoya bakaYohane.
Inyaniso Nonqulo LwamaKristu
3. Yayiyintoni injongo nenzuzo yeentlanganiso ezaziqhutywa ngamaKristu okuqala?
3 Ukuze afunde inyaniso, amaKristu okuqala ayehlanganisana emabandleni, ngokufuthi awayekumakhaya abathile. (Roma 16:3-5) Ngaloo ndlela ayekhuthazana yaye evuselelana eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle. (Hebhere 10:24, 25) Ngokutsho kwabo babezibiza ngokuba ngamaKristu, kumaxesha amva, uTertullian (malunga nowe-155 ukusa emva kowama-220 C.E.) wabhala: “Sihlanganisana ukuze sifunde iincwadi zikaThixo . . . Ngaloo mazwi angcwele sondla ukholo lwethu, someleza ithemba lethu, siqinise intembelo yethu.”—Apology, isahluko 39.
4. Umculo uye wanayiphi indima kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu?
4 Kusenokwenzeka ukuba kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu okuqala kwakuculwa. (Efese 5:19; Kolose 3:16) UNjingalwazi uHenry Chadwick ubhala athi umhlalutyi wenkulungwane yesibini uCelsus wafumanisa ukuba amaculo awayesetyenziswa ngabo babesithi bangamaKristu “ayemnandi kangangokuba ayemchukumisa.” Lo kaChadwick wongezelela esithi: “UClement waseAlexandria ungumKristu ongumbhali wamandulo owathetha ngomculo ofanelekileyo onokusetyenziswa ngamaKristu. Uthi ayimele ibe ngumculo onxulunyaniswa nomculo wokungqungqa ngendlela evusa inkanuko.” (The Early Church, iphepha 274-5) Kanye njengokuba kubonakala ukuba amaKristu okuqala ayecula xa ehlanganisene, ngoko amaNgqina kaYehova ngokufuthi acula iingoma ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni eziquka ukudumisa uThixo nezithetha ngoBukumkani.
5. (a) Amabandla amaKristu okuqala ayekhokelwa njani ngokomoya? (b) AmaKristu okwenyaniso awasebenzise njani amazwi kaYesu abhalwe kuMateyu 23:8, 9?
5 Kumabandla amaKristu okuqala, abaveleli babefundisa inyaniso, yaye izicaka zolungiselelo zazinceda amanye amakholwa ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo. (Filipi 1:1) Iqumrhu elilawulayo elalithembele kwiLizwi likaThixo nakumoya oyingcwele lalikhokela ngokomoya. (IZenzo 15:6, 23-31) Ayengazisebenzisi izibizo zonqulo ngenxa yokuba uYesu wayalela abafundi bakhe esithi: “Nina, ningabizwa kuthiwe Rabhi, kuba mnye umfundisi wenu, kanti nonke nina ningabazalwana. Ngaphezu koko, ningabizi nabani na ngokuthi nguyihlo emhlabeni, kuba mnye uYihlo, Lowo wasezulwini.” (Mateyu 23:8, 9) Kwezi nakwezinye iinkalo ezininzi, amaKristu okuqala ayafana namaNgqina kaYehova.
Atshutshiswa Ngenxa Yokushumayela Inyaniso
6, 7. Nangona ayevakalisa isigidimi soxolo, amaKristu okwenyaniso ayephathwa njani?
6 Nangona ayevakalisa isigidimi soxolo soBukumkani, amaKristu okuqala ayetshutshiswa, kanye njengokuba kwakunjalo nakuYesu. (Yohane 15:20; 17:14) Umbhali-mbali uJohn L. von Mosheim wathi amaKristu okuqala “ayeliqela labantu elingeyongozi, elalingazange licinge okanye linqwenelele urhulumente into embi.” UGqr. Mosheim wathi eyona nto yayibangela ukuba “amaRoma awacaphukele amaKristu, yayilunqulo lwawo, olwalungafani nezithethe ezingcwele zabanye abantu.” Wongezelela esithi: “Ayengenamibingelelo, iitempile, imifanekiso, amakhubalo, okanye imiyalelo yabafundisi, yaye esi kuphela kwesizathu esabangela ukuba agculelwe zizihlwele zabantu abangenalwazi, ezazicinga ukuba akukho nkonzo efanele ingabi nazo ezi zinto. Ngenxa yoko ayegqalwa njengabantu abangakholelwayo kuThixo, yaye, ngokwemithetho yamaRoma, abo banjalo babejongwa njengabantu abayingozi ekuhlaleni.”
7 Abefundisi, amagcisa, nabanye abaphila ngokuthengisa izithixo baphembelela abantu ukuze bawachase amaKristu, awayenganquli izithixo. (IZenzo 19:23-40; 1 Korinte 10:14) UTertullian wabhala: “Babewagqala amaKristu engunobangela wayo yonke intlekele eyayisenzeka kuRhulumente, nalo naliphi na ilishwa abajamelana nalo abantu. Ukuba iTiber yayizele, ukuba umNayile wawungaphuphumi ukuze unkcenkceshele amasimi, ukuba imo yezulu yayingaguquki, ukuba kukho inyikima, indlala, ubhubhani, ngoko nangoko wawusiva abantu bedanduluka besithi: ‘Phoselani amaKristu ezingonyameni!’” Enoba kwakuza kwenzeka ntoni, amaKristu okwenyaniso, ‘azilinda kuzo izithixo.’—1 Yohane 5:21.
Inyaniso Nemisitho Yonqulo
8. Kutheni abo bahamba enyanisweni bengayibhiyozeli iKrismesi?
8 Abo bahamba enyanisweni bayayiphepha imisitho engavisisaniyo neZibhalo kuba ‘ukukhanya akunakwabelana nobumnyama.’ (2 Korinte 6:14-18) Ngokomzekelo, abayibhiyozeli iKrismesi, ebakho ngoDisemba 25. IThe World Book Encyclopedia iyavuma ukuba: “Akukho mntu olwaziyo ngokuthe ngqo usuku uKristu awazalwa ngalo.” IThe Encyclopedia Americana (uHlelo lowe-1956) ithi: “ISaturnalia, umsitho wamaRoma owawubhiyozelwa phakathi kuDisemba, waba sisiseko sawo onke amasiko olonwabo eKrismesi.” ICyclopædia kaM’Clintock noStrong ithi: “UThixo akazange ayalele ukuba makubhiyozelwe iKrismesi, yaye akuthethwa nto ngayo kwiTestamente Entsha.” Yaye incwadi ethi Daily Life in the Time of Jesus yona ithi: “Imihlambi . . . yayihlala kwindawo elikhusi ebusika; yaye ngenxa yesi sizathu kuphela kunokubonwa ukuba usuku lweKrismesi ekuthiwa lisebusika, alinakuba lichanile, ekubeni ingxelo yeVangeli isithi abalusi babesezindle.”—Luka 2:8-11.
9. Kutheni abakhonzi bakaYehova bamandulo nabanamhlanje beyiphepha imisitho yeIsta?
9 Iincwadi ezinokuthenjwa zithi i-Ista ekuthiwa kubhiyozelwa ukuvuka kukaKristu inxulumene nonqulo lobuxoki. IThe Westminster Dictionary of the Bible ithi i-Ista “ekuqaleni yayingumbhiyozo wasentwasahlobo wokuzukisa uthixokazi wokukhanya nowentwasahlobo uTeutonic owayesaziwa ngokuba nguEastre ngesiNgesi sakudala,” okanye uEostre. Enoba kwakwenzeke ntoni, iEncyclopædia Britannica (uHlelo lwe-11) ithi: “KwiTestamente Entsha akukho nento le ebonisa ukuba kwakubhiyozelwa i-Ista.” I-Ista yayingengomsitho owawusenziwa ngamaKristu okuqala yaye abantu bakaYehova abayibhiyozeli namhlanje.
10. Nguwuphi umsitho uYesu awawumiselayo, yaye ngoobani abaye bawugcina ngokufanelekileyo?
10 UYesu akazange ayalele abalandeli bakhe ukuba babhiyozele usuku lokuzalwa okanye lokuvuka kwakhe, kodwa wamisela iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe okulidini. (Roma 5:8) Enyanisweni, lo kuphela komsitho awayalela abafundi bakhe ukuba bawugcine. (Luka 22:19, 20) Kwakhona lo msitho obizwa ngokuba siSidlo seNkosi Sangokuhlwa, usenziwa nyaka ngamnye ngamaNgqina kaYehova.—1 Korinte 11:20-26.
Inyaniso Ivakaliswa Emhlabeni Wonke
11, 12. Abo bahamba enyanisweni bebesoloko bewuxhasa njani umsebenzi wokushumayela?
11 Abo bayaziyo inyaniso bakugqala njengelungelo ukunikela ixesha, amandla abo nobunye ubuncwane kumsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. (Marko 13:10) Umsebenzi wokushumayela wamaKristu okuqala wawuxhaswa ngeminikelo yokuzithandela. (2 Korinte 8:12; 9:7) UTertullian wabhala: “Enoba kwakukho ibhokisi yemali, yayingaqokeleli imali yamangeno, ngokungathi unqulo lushishino. Mntu ngamnye kanye ngenyanga wayezisa imalana ethile—okanye nanini na efuna, yaye kuphela xa efuna ukwenjenjalo, yaye enako, kuba kwakunganyanzelwa mntu, ngumnikelo wokuzithandela.”—Apology, isahluko 39.
12 Nawo umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani owenziwa emhlabeni wonke ngamaNgqina kaYehova uxhaswa ngeminikelo yokuzithandela. Ngaphandle kwamaNgqina, abantu abanomdla nabanombulelo bakujonga njengelungelo ukuxhasa lo msebenzi ngeminikelo yabo. Le, yenye inkalo afana ngayo amaNgqina kaYehova namaKristu okuqala.
Inyaniso Nehambo Yawo
13. Ngokuphathelele ihambo yawo, sisiphi isiluleko sikaPetros amaNgqina kaYehova asithobelayo?
13 Njengabo bahamba enyanisweni, amaKristu okuqala asithobela isiluleko sompostile uPetros esithi: “Ihambo yenu mayibe ntle phakathi kweentlanga, ukuze, nokuba zithetha kakubi ngani njengabenzi-bubi, zithi ngokubona imisebenzi yenu emihle, zimzukise uThixo ngemini yokuvelela kwakhe.” (1 Petros 2:12) AmaNgqina kaYehova awathabatha nzulu loo mazwi.
14. AmaKristu akujonga njani ukuzonwabisa okukhuthaza ukuziphatha okubi?
14 Nasemva kokuqalisa kowexuko, abo babesithi bangamaKristu babekuphepha ukuziphatha okubi. UD. Killen, unjingalwazi wembali yonqulo, wabhala: “Kwinkulungwane yesibini neyesithathu indlu yemidlalo yeqonga kwidolophu nganye enkulu yayiyindawo ebalulekileyo; yaye ngoxa abadlali ngokuqhelekileyo yayingabantu abaziphethe kakubi, imidlalo yabo yayihambisana nokuziphatha okubi kwaloo mihla. . . . Onke amaKristu okwenyaniso ayeyenyanya indlu yemidlalo yeqonga. . . . Ayehlasimla xa ecinga ngokungcola okwenziwa apho; nokuzukiswa koothixo noothixokazi babahedeni nto leyo eyayingavisisani kwaphela nonqulo lwawo.” (The Ancient Church, iphepha 318-19) Nabo abalandeli bakaYesu bokwenyaniso banamhlanje bayaziphepha iindlela zokuzonwabisa ezingamanyala nezikhuthaza ukuziphatha okubi.—Efese 5:3-5.
Inyaniso ‘Namagunya Awongamileyo’
15, 16. Ngoobani “amagunya awongamileyo,” yaye ayegqalwa njani ngabo bahamba enyanisweni?
15 Phezu kwayo nje ihambo entle yamaKristu okuqala, inkoliso yabalawuli bamaRoma ayewajonga kakubi. Umbhali-mbali uE. G. Hardy uthi abalawuli babewajonga ‘njengabantu ababenenzondelelo yempambano.’ Imbalelwano phakathi kweRhuluneli uPliny Omncinane waseBhitiniya noMlawuli uTrajan ibonisa ukuba iinkokeli ngokubanzi zazingabuqondi kakuhle ubuKristu. AmaKristu amjonga njani uRhulumente?
16 Njengabalandeli bakaYesu benkulungwane yokuqala, amaNgqina kaYehova ayazithoba ngomlinganiselo othile ‘kumagunya awongamileyo.’ (Roma 13:1-7) Ukuba kukho ukungavisisani phakathi koko kufunwa ngabantu nokuthanda kukaThixo, akhetha ukuthi: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.” (IZenzo 5:29) Incwadi ethi After Jesus—The Triumph of Christianity ithi: “Ngoxa amaKristu ayesenokuba ayengabanquli abalawuli, ayengaqhway’ inkathazo, yaye ngoxa unqulo lwawo lwalwahlukile yaye maxa wambi lwalungamkelekanga ngokweembono zabahedeni, lwalungeso sisongelo kulawulo lwalapho.”
17. (a) AmaKristu okuqala ayengabameli bawuphi urhulumente? (b) Abalandeli bakaKristu bokwenyaniso baye bawasebenzisa njani amazwi kaIsaya 2:4 ebomini babo?
17 AmaKristu okuqala ayengabameli boBukumkani bukaThixo, kanye njengokuba oosolusapho uAbraham, uIsake, noYakobi babenokholo kwisithembiso ‘sesixeko esenziwe nguThixo.’ (Hebhere 11:8-10) NjengeNkosi yabo, abafundi bakaYesu ‘babengeyonxalenye yehlabathi.’ (Yohane 17:14-16) Ngokuphathelele iimfazwe neengxwabangxwaba zabantu, baye bazabalazela ukuba noxolo ‘ngokukhanda amakrele abo angamakhuba.’ (Isaya 2:4) Ethetha ngokufana okubangel’ umdla, uGeoffrey F. Nuttall ofundisa ngembali yecawa wathi: “Isimo sengqondo samaKristu okuqala ngemfazwe sasifana neso sabantu abazibiza ngokuba ngamaNgqina kaYehova nto leyo ekunzima kuthi ukuba siyamkele.”
18. Kutheni oorhulumente bengenasizathu sakuwoyika amaNgqina kaYehova?
18 Njengoko amaKristu okuqala ayengoondilele kodwa ewathobela “amagunya awongamileyo,” ayengesosisongelo kwimibutho yezobupolitika, yaye namaNgqina kaYehova anjalo. Umhleli wephephandaba waseNtshona Merika wathi: “Ngumntu onentloko elukhuni nephakuphaku lokwenene onokukholelwa ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova asisisongelo kuwo nawuphi na umkhosi wezobupolitika. Aliqela lonqulo elingenamvukelo nelithanda uxolo.” Amagunya awaqondayo amaNgqina kaYehova ayazi ukuba akukho sizathu sakuwoyika.
19. Ngokuphathelele iirhafu, yintoni enokuthethwa ngamaKristu okuqala namaNgqina kaYehova?
19 Enye indlela amaKristu okuqala awayebonakalisa intlonelo ngayo ‘kumagunya awongamileyo’ yayikukuhlawula iirhafu. Ebhalela uMlawuli waseRoma uAntoninus Pius (138-161 C.E.), uJustin Martyr wamqinisekisa ukuba amaKristu ayezihlawula iirhafu “ngokuthembeka kunabo bonke abanye abantu.” (First Apology, isahluko 17) Yaye uTertullian waxelela abalawuli abangamaRoma ukuba ababuthi babo berhafu bafanale “bawabulele amaKristu” ngokuzihlawula kwawo ngokuthembeka iirhafu. (Apology, isahluko 42) AmaKristu azuza kwiPax Romana, okanye uMthetho waseRoma, ngemithetho nocwangco lwawo, iindlela ezintle, nendlela ekhuselekileyo yokuhamba elwandle. Eyiqonda imbopheleleko anayo kwibutho labantu, awathobela amazwi kaYesu athi: “Buyiselani izinto zikaKesare kuKesare, kodwa izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.” (Marko 12:17) Namhlanje abantu bakaYehova balandela esi siluleko yaye baye banconywa ngokuthembeka kwabo, njengasekuhlawuleni iirhafu.—Hebhere 13:18.
Inyaniso—Umxokelelwane Womanyano
20, 21. Ngokuphathelele abazalwana abanoxolo, abakhonzi bakaYehova banamhlanje bafana njani namaKristu okuqala?
20 Kuba ayehamba enyanisweni, amaKristu okuqala ayemanyene njengabazalwana abanoxolo, njengokuba enjalo amaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje. (IZenzo 10:34, 35) Kwileta ekwiThe Moscow Times kwathiwa: “[AmaNgqina kaYehova] aziwa njengabantu abanobuhlobo, abanobubele, nabathobekileyo ekulula ukusebenzisana nabo, abangasoze banyanzele abanye abantu nabasoloko belwela ukuba kubekho uxolo phakathi kwabo nabanye . . . Akakwamkeli ukunyotywa, akangomanxila okanye amakhoboka eziyobisi, yaye oku kungenxa yesizathu esilula: Azama ukuphila ngeemfundiso ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni kuyo yonke into ayenzayo okanye ayithethayo. Ukuba abantu bonke ehlabathini bebenokuzama ukuphila ngokuvisisana neBhayibhile ngendlela amaNgqina kaYehova enza ngayo, ihlabathi lethu elinenkohlakalo beliya kuba lelahluke ngokwenene.”
21 IEncyclopedia of Early Christianity ithi: “Icawa yamandulo yayizigqala njengebutho elitsha labantu apho amaqela awayesilwa ngaphambili, amaYuda nabeeNtlanga, awayenokuhlalisana ndawonye ngoxolo.” Nawo amaNgqina kaYehova angabazalwana behlabathi lonke abathanda uxolo—ibutho lehlabathi elitsha lokwenene. (Efese 2:11-18; 1 Petros 5:9; 2 Petros 3:13) Xa igosa eliyintloko lezokhuselo ePretoria Show Grounds eMzantsi Afrika labona indlela amaNgqina azo zonke iintlanga ehlanganisene ngoxolo njengeendwendwe zendibano, lathi: “Bonke abantu babenobuntu, bethetha kakuhle nabanye, into endiyibone kwezi ntsuku zimbalwa zidluleyo—ibonisa uhlobo lwabantu alulo amalungu ombutho wenu, yaye onke aphilisana kunye njengentsapho enye eyonwabileyo.”
Asikelelwe Ngokufundisa Inyaniso
22. Yintoni ibisenzeka ngenxa yokuba amaKristu eyibonakalisa inyaniso?
22 Ngehambo yawo nangomsebenzi wokushumayela, uPawulos namanye amaKristu ‘babebonakalisa inyaniso.’ (2 Korinte 4:2) Akuvumi na ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova enza okufanayo yaye afundisa zonke iintlanga inyaniso? Abantu emhlabeni wonke bayalwamkela unqulo lokwenyaniso yaye bangumsinga ukuya ‘entabeni yendlu kaYehova.’ (Isaya 2:2, 3) Nyaka ngamnye, kubhaptizwa amawaka efuzisela uzahlulelo lwawo kuThixo, nto leyo ebangela ukuba kusekwe amabandla amatsha amaninzi.
23. Ubajonga njani abo bafundisa zonke iintlanga inyaniso?
23 Nangona eneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo, abantu bakaYehova bamanyene kunqulo lokwenyaniso. Uthando abalubonakalisayo lubonisa ukuba bangabafundi bakaYesu. (Yohane 13:35) Ngaba unokubona ukuba ‘ngokwenene uThixo uphakathi kwabo’? (1 Korinte 14:25) Ngaba uyabaxhasa abo bafundisa zonke iintlanga inyaniso? Ukuba kunjalo, ngamana ungasoloko ubonakalisa umbulelo ngenyaniso uze ube nelungelo lokuhamba kuyo ngonaphakade.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
• AmaKristu okuqala namaNgqina kaYehova afana njani ngonqulo?
• Nguwuphi okuphela komsitho wonqulo obhiyozelwa ngabo bahamba enyanisweni?
• Ngoobani “amagunya awongamileyo,” yaye amaKristu awajonga njani?
• Inyaniso ingumxokelelwane womanyano njani?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]
Iintlanganiso zamaKristu zisoloko ziyintsikelelo kwabo bahamba enyanisweni
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 23]
UYesu wayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba babhiyozele iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe okulidini
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]
NjengamaKristu okuqala, amaNgqina kaYehova abonakalisa intlonelo ‘kumagunya awongamileyo’