“Mchaseni UMtyholi”
“Mchaseni uMtyholi, wonibaleka.”—YAKOBI 4:7.
1. Kunokuthiwani ngeli hlabathi lanamhlanje, yaye kutheni abathanjisiweyo namaqabane abo bafanele bahlale bephaphile?
“UTHIXO unyamalele, kodwa yena uMtyholi usekho.” Loo mazwi ombhali ongumFrentshi uAndré Malraux anokusetyenziswa ngokufanelekileyo kweli hlabathi siphila kulo. Ngokuqinisekileyo izinto ezenziwa ngabantu zibonisa amaqhinga kaMtyholi kunokuthanda kukaThixo. USathana ulahlekisa abantu ‘ngemisebenzi yamandla nemiqondiso yobuxoki nemihlola nayo yonke inkohliso engeyoyabulungisa kwabo batshabalalayo.’ (2 Tesalonika 2:9, 10) Noko ke, kule “mihla yokugqibela,” uSathana ujolise iintolo zakhe kubakhonzi bakaThixo abazahluleleyo, esilwa namaKristu athanjisiweyo, “agcina imiyalelo kaThixo nanomsebenzi wokungqinela uYesu.” (2 Timoti 3:1; ISityhilelo 12:9, 17) La maNgqina namaqabane awo anethemba lokuphila emhlabeni afanele ahlale ephaphile.
2. USathana wamlukuhla njani uEva, yaye umpostile uPawulos wayesoyikisela ntoni?
2 USathana ulibhedengu lokwenene. Esebenzisa inyoka, waqhatha uEva ukuze acinge ukuba unokufumana ulonwabo ngokuzimela-geqe kuThixo. (Genesis 3:1-6) Kwiminyaka engamawaka amane kamva, umpostile uPawulos wayesoyikisela ukuba amaKristu athanjisiweyo aseKorinte anokuba ngamaxhoba amaqhinga kaSathana. UPawulos wabhala: “Ndiyoyika ukuba ngandlel’ ithile, njengoko inyoka yamlukuhlayo uEva ngobuqhokolo bayo, iingqondo zenu zisenokonakaliswa zisuke ekunyanisekeni nakubunyulu obufanele uKristu.” (2 Korinte 11:3) USathana wonakalisa iingqondo zabantu aze aphixanise indlela abacinga ngayo. Kanye njengoko walukuhla uEva, usenokwenza ukuba amaKristu aqiqe ngendlela ephosakeleyo aze acinge ukuba ulonwabo lwawo luxhomekeke kwinto angayifuniyo uYehova noNyana wakhe.
3. UYehova usikhusela njani kuMtyholi?
3 USathana unokufaniswa nomzingeli weentaka obeka isabatha ukuze azibambise. Ukuze siphephe imigibe kaSathana, sifanele ‘sihlale kwindawo efihlakeleyo yOyena Uphakamileyo,’ kwindawo ekhuselekileyo yokomfuziselo uYehova ayilungiselela abo bazithoba kulongamo lwakhe koko bakwenzayo. (INdumiso 91:1-3) UThixo usikhusela ngeLizwi lakhe, umoya wakhe nentlangano yakhe ukuze ‘sikwazi ukuma siqinile nxamnye namaqhinga kaMtyholi,’ nto leyo esiyifunayo. (Efese 6:11) Igama lesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “amaqhinga” linokuguqulelwa ngokuthi “ubuqhophololo,” okanye “ubuqhetseba.” Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uMtyholi usebenzisa ubuqhophololo nobuqhetseba kwimigudu yakhe yokubambisa abakhonzi bakaYehova.
Imigibe USathana Awayeyibekele AmaKristu Okuqala
4. AmaKristu okuqala ayephila kwihlabathi elinjani?
4 AmaKristu awayephila kwinkulungwane yokuqala neyesibini yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo ayephila kwixesha lencopho yoBukhosi baseRoma. IPax Romana (Uxolo lwamaRoma) yenza ukuba izinto zihambe kakuhle kwezorhwebo. Le ndyebo yenza ukuba abo baphezulu babenexesha elininzi lokuzonwabisa, yaye abalawuli babeqiniseka ukuba abantu abaqhelekileyo babesonwatyiswa kakhulu ukuze bangavukeli. Ngezinye izihlandlo, iiholide zazininzi kangangeentsuku zokusebenza. Iinkokeli zazisebenzisa imali karhulumente ukuze zondle zize zonwabise abantu, zibagcina behluthi yaye bexakekile.
5, 6. (a) Kutheni kwakungafaneleki ngamaKristu ukuba aye rhoqo kwiindawo zemidlalo nezemiboniso zamaRoma? (b) USathana wasebenzisa liphi iqhinga, yaye amaKristu ayenokuliphepha njani?
5 Ngaba le meko yayinokuwabeka engozini amaKristu okuqala? Xa sicinga ngezilumkiso ezabhalwa ngababhali ababephila emva kwexesha labapostile, njengoTertullian, inkoliso yezinto zokuzonwabisa ngelo xesha zaziyingozi kwimeko yokomoya neyokuziphatha kwamaKristu okwenyaniso. Enye yazo, yayikukuba inkoliso yemisitho nemidlalo yayisenzelwa ukuzukisa oothixo babahedeni. (2 Korinte 6:14-18) Kwiindawo zemiboniso, nemidlalo emininzi eyayigqalwa njengenesidima, yayinokuziphatha okubi okanye ugonyamelo. Njengoko ixesha lihamba, abantu babephelelwa ngumdla kwimidlalo enesidima, yaye yathatyathelw’ indawo yimidlalo engamanyala. Kwincwadi yakhe ethi Daily Life in Ancient Rome, umbhali-mbali uJérôme Carcopino uthi: “Kule midlalo abadlali babevunyelwa ukuba bahambe ze . . . Kwakuphalazwa igazi. . . . [Le midlalo] yayibonisa ubunzulu bendlela abantu ababonakele ngayo ngokuziphatha nto leyo eyayixhaphakile kweli komkhulu. Babengayicekisi le midlalo kuba ukuphalazwa kwegazi kwiindawo zemiboniso kwakusele kuzenze buthuntu iimvakalelo zabantu.”—Mateyu 5:27, 28.
6 Kwiindawo zemiboniso, abo balwa ngamakrele babebulalana okanye balwe nezilwanyana zasendle, bazibulale okanye babulawe zizo. Izaphuli-mthetho ezigwetyiweyo yaye, ekugqibeleni, namaKristu ayephoswa kuloo marhancwa akhohlakeleyo. Nakuloo maxesha angaphambili, iqhinga likaSathana yayikukwenza ukuba abantu bangakucekisi ukuziphatha okubi nogonyamelo de ezi zinto ziqheleke yaye abantu bafune ukuzenza. Ekuphela kwendlela yokuphepha lo mgibe yayikukungayi kwezo ndawo zemidlalo nezemiboniso.—1 Korinte 15:32, 33.
7, 8. (a) Kutheni bekungayi kuba bubulumko ngomKristu ukuya kukhuphiswano lweenqwelo zokulwa? (b) USathana wayenokuwasebenzisa njani amaqula amaRoma ukubambisa amaKristu?
7 Ngokuqinisekileyo ukhuphiswano leenqwelo zokulwa olwaluqhutyelwa kumabala amakhulu lwalumnandi kakhulu, kodwa lwalungamkelekanga kumaKristu kuba izihlwele zazidla ngokuba nogonyamelo. Umbhali wenkulungwane yesithathu wathi bambi abantu ababebukele babesilwa, yaye uCarcopino uthi “abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi noonongogo babesebenza apho” kuloo mabala emidlalo. Kucacile ukuba, olu khuphiswano lwamaRoma lwalungafanelekanga kumaKristu.—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.
8 Kuthekani ngamaqula amaRoma awayedumile? Ngokuqinisekileyo, kwakungekho nto iphosakeleyo ngokuhlamba umzimba ukuze ubani ahlale ecocekile. Kodwa amaqula amaninzi amaRoma ayezizakhiwo ezikhulu ezaziquka amagumbi okuphulula izihlunu, amagumbi okudlala, amagumbi okungcakaza, neendawo zokutyela nokusela. Nangona, kwakubekwe amaxesha athile okuba abantu besini esifanayo bahlambe kunye, ngokuqhelekileyo kwamkelekile ukuba kuhlambe wonke umntu ngexesha elinye. UClement waseAlexandria wabhala: “Ezi ndawo zokuhlamba zivulelwe amadoda namabhinqa; yaye apho babekhulula babe ze ukuze baziphathe kakubi.” Ngaloo ndlela, indawo esemthethweni yayinokusetyenziswa nguSathana ngokulula njengomgibe kumaKristu. Abo balumkileyo babeziphepha ezi ndawo.
9. Yiyiphi imigibe amaKristu okuqala awayefanele ayiphephe?
9 Ukungcakaza yayiyeyona ndlela ithandwa ngabantu yokuzonwabisa ngexesha lencopho yoBukhosi baseRoma. AmaKristu okuqala ayenokukuphepha ukungcakaza kwiindawo zokhuphiswano lweenqwelo zokulwa ngokungayi apho. Kwakhona bambi babengcakaza ngokungekho mthethweni ngasemva kwezindlu zabahambi nakwiindawo zokuthengisa utywala. Abadlali babengcakaza ngamanani eengqalutye okanye amathambo awayephethwe ngomnye. Ukungcakaza kwakubonwabisa abantu, kuba kwakubenza babe nethemba lokufumana imali lula. (Efese 5:5) Ngaphezu koko, abantu abahambisa iziselo kwiibhari babedla ngokuba ngoonongogo, nto leyo eyayibangela ingozi yokuziphatha okubi. Leyo yayiyenye yemigibe uSathana awayeyibekele amaKristu awayephila kwizixeko zoBukhosi baseRoma. Ngaba izinto zahluke kakhulu namhlanje?
Imigibe KaSathana Namhlanje
10. Imeko yanamhlanje ifana njani naleyo eyayixhaphakile kuBukhosi baseRoma?
10 Ngokuyintloko, amaqhinga kaSathana akakaguquki ukutyhubela iinkulungwane. Ukuze amaKristu awayephila kwisixeko esasonakele saseKorinte angabi “zizisulu zikaSathana,” umpostile uPawulos wawaluleka ngokuqatha. Wathi: “Siyawazi amacebo [kaSathana].” (2 Korinte 2:11) Kumazwe amaninzi ahambele phambili, imeko namhlanje iyafana naleyo yencopho yoBukhosi baseRoma. Abantu abaninzi banexesha elingakumbi lokuzonwabisa. Iindawo zokungcakaza zikarhulumente zenza amahlwempu abe nethemba. Zininzi iindlela zokuzonwabisa ezibiza imali encinane ezinokugcina abantu bexakekile. Amabala emidlalo azele ngabantu, abantu bayangcakaza, maxa wambi izihlwele ziba nogonyamelo, yaye nabadlali badla ngokuba njalo. Abantu baphulaphula umculo othoba isidima, babukele imiboniso engamanyala kwiindawo zemiboniso nakwimiboniso bhanyabhanya nakumabonwakude. Kwamanye amazwe, ukuhlamba kunye kwiisauna nakumaqula ashushu kuyinto ethandwayo, singasathethi nto ke ngezinye iindawo apho abantu bequbha elunxwemeni behamba ze. Njengakwiinkulungwane zokuqala zexesha lobuKristu, uSathana uzama ukubambisa abakhonzi bakaThixo ngeendlela zehlabathi zokuzonwabisa.
11. Yiyiphi imigibe ekhoyo kumnqweno wokufuna ukuphumla?
11 Kwihlabathi apho abantu bedla ngokuxinezeleka, kuyinto eqhelekileyo ukuziva ufuna ukuphumla okanye ukubethwa nje ngumoya. Noko ke, kanye njengokuba amaqula amaRoma ayequka izinto ezazinokuba yingozi kumaKristu okuqala, ezinye iindawo zokuchitha ikhefu ziye zangqineka zingumgibe uSathana awusebenzisayo ukukhokelela amaKristu anamhlanje ekuziphatheni okubi okanye ekuseleni ngokugqithiseleyo. UPawulos wabhalela amaKristu aseKorinte esithi: “Ningalahlekiswa. Unxulumano olubi lonakalisa imikhwa elungileyo. Vukani niqabuke nenze ubulungisa, ningasiqheliseli isono, kuba bambi baswele ulwazi ngoThixo.”—1 Korinte 15:33, 34.
12. Ngawaphi amanye amaqhinga asetyenziswa nguSathana ukubambisa abakhonzi bakaYehova namhlanje?
12 Sibonile kwimeko kaEva indlela uSathana asebenzisa ngayo amaqhinga akhe ukonakalisa indlela acinga ngayo. (2 Korinte 11:3) Namhlanje, omnye wemigibe kaMtyholi kukwenza amaKristu acinge ukuba, xa esenza kangangoko anako ukubonisa ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova ayafana nje nabanye abantu, aya kuphumelela ekutsaleleni abanye kwinyaniso yamaKristu. Maxa wambi, aye atsibe ilitye likaPhungela, kuze kwenzeke okwahlukileyo. (Hagayi 2:12-14) Elinye lamaqhinga kaSathana kukukhuthaza amaKristu azahluleleyo, aselula nakhulileyo, ukuba aphile ubomi obumbaxa aze ‘awenze buhlungu umoya oyingcwele kaThixo.’ (Efese 4:30) Bambi baye bawela kulo mgibe ngokusebenzisa kakubi i-Internet.
13. Nguwuphi omnye wemigibe efihlakeleyo wobuqhophololo bukaMtyholi, yaye sisiphi isiluleko esifanelekileyo esikwiMizekeliso?
13 Omnye wemigibe kaSathana kukukhafula ngendlela engaqondakaliyo. Akukho mKristu onyanisekileyo onokuthi ngabom axhase unqulo lukaSathana okanye asebenzelane nemimoya. Sekunjalo, bambi bengaqondanga bayekelela umxakatho xa kufikelelwa kumba wemiboniso bhanyabhanya, iinkqubo zikamabonwakude, imidlalo yevidiyo, nakwiincwadi zabantwana nezihlekisayo ezibonisa ugonyamelo okanye ezibonisa ubugqi. Nantoni na enokuthanani nokukhafula ifanele iphetshwe. Umzekeliso wobulumko uthi: “Ameva nezibatha zisendleleni yonobugwenxa; olinda umphefumlo wakhe uhlalela kude kuzo.” (IMizekeliso 22:5) Ekubeni uSathana ‘enguthixo wale nkqubo yezinto,’ nantoni na ethandwayo isenokuba ifihle omnye wemigibe yakhe.—2 Korinte 4:4; 1 Yohane 2:15, 16.
UYesu Wamchasa UMtyholi
14. UYesu wasixhathisa njani isilingo sikaMtyholi sokuqala?
14 UYesu wamisela umzekelo omhle wokuchasa uMtyholi waza wamenza ukuba ambaleke. Emva kokubhaptizwa kwakhe nokuzila ukutya iintsuku ezingama-40, uYesu walingwa nguSathana. (Mateyu 4:1-11) Okokuqala walinga uYesu ngendlala emva kokuzila ukutya. USathana wathi kuYesu makenze ummangaliso wakhe wokuqala ukuze agxothe elo phango. Ecaphula iDuteronomi 8:3, uYesu akazange avume ukusebenzisa amandla akhe ukuzanelisa ebeka kuqala ukutya kokomoya kunokwenyama.
15. (a) Nguwuphi umnqweno wemvelo uSathana awawusebenzisayo ukuze alinge uYesu? (b) Liliphi elinye lamaqhinga kaMtyholi ayintloko alisebenzisayo kubakhonzi bakaThixo namhlanje, kodwa sinokulichasa njani?
15 Into ebangela umdla ngokuphathelele esi silingo kukuba uMtyholi akazange afune uYesu enze isono sokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini. Ukulamba, nto leyo ebangela ubani ngokwemvelo afune ukutya, yayibonakala ingowona mnqweno wokwenyama onamandla awayenokuwusebenzisa ekulingeni uYesu kwesi sihlandlo. Ziziphi izilingo uMtyholi azisebenzisayo ukulukuhla abantu bakaThixo namhlanje? Zininzi yaye zahlukahlukene, kodwa usebenzisa umnqweno ongokwesini njengomnye wamaqhinga akhe ayintloko ukuzama ukwaphula ingqibelelo yabantu bakaYehova. Ngokuxelisa uYesu, sinokumchasa uMtyholi size sixhathise izilingo. Kanye njengokuba uYesu woyisa amalinge kaSathana okumlinga ngokukhumbula izibhalo ezifanelekileyo, xa silingwa sinokucinga ngezibhalo ezinjengeGenesis 39:9 neyoku-1 yabaseKorinte 6:18.
16. (a) Kwisihlandlo sesibini uSathana wamlinga njani uYesu? (b) Ziziphi iindlela uSathana anokuzama ngazo ukusilinga ukuze sivavanye uYehova?
16 Emva koko, uMtyholi wathi kuYesu makatsibe kudonga lwetempile aze avavanye amandla kaThixo okumkhusela esebenzisa iingelosi Zakhe. Ecaphula kwiDuteronomi 6:16, uYesu wala ukuvavanya uYise. USathana usenokungasilingi ngokuthi masitsibe kudonga lwetempile, kodwa unokusilinga ukuba sivavanye uYehova. Ngaba silingwa ukuze sibonise ukuba sinokuzixelisa kangakanani izimbo zehlabathi kwindlela esinxiba nesizilungisa ngayo size singalulekwa? Ngaba silingwa ukuba sizonwabise ngendlela ethandabuzekayo? Ngaloo ndlela sisenokuba sivavanya uYehova. Ukuba sityekele kwizinto ezinjalo, uSathana usenokusoloko esijikeleza kunokuba asibaleke ezama ngamandla ukuba sime ngakwicala lakhe.
17. (a) UMtyholi wamlinga njani uYesu okwesihlandlo sesithathu? (b) Amazwi kaYakobi 4:7 anokungqineka njani eyinyaniso kuthi?
17 Xa uSathana wathembisa ukunika uYesu zonke izikumkani zehlabathi ukuba wayenokuqubuda kuye nje kube kanye, kwakhona uYesu wamchasa ecaphula iSibhalo, emela ngokuqinileyo unqulo lukaYise. (Duteronomi 5:9; 6:13; 10:20) USathana usenokungasithembisi ngokusinika izikumkani zehlabathi, kodwa usoloko esilinga ngobunewunewu bezinto eziphathekayo, kwanokuzibona unezulwana lakho. Ngaba senza njengoko uYesu wenzayo, sizinikela ngokupheleleyo kuYehova? Ukuba kunjalo, oko kwenzeka kuYesu kuya kwenzeka nakuthi. Ingxelo kaMateyu ithi: “UMtyholi wamshiya.” (Mateyu 4:11) USathana uya kusishiya ukuba simchasa ngokuqinileyo ngokukhumbula imigaqo yeBhayibhile efanelekileyo size siyisebenzise. Umfundi uYakobi wabhala: “Mchaseni uMtyholi, wonibaleka.” (Yakobi 4:7) Omnye umKristu wabhalela iofisi yesebe yamaNgqina kaYehova eFransi esithi: “USathana uliqhophololo lokwenene. Ndikufumanisa kunzima ngokwenene ukuzeyisa, enoba ndizama kangakanani na. Sekunjalo, ngenkalipho, ngomonde, yaye phezu kwako konke, ngoncedo lukaYehova, ndiye ndakwazi ukugcina ingqibelelo yam ndaza ndabambelela ngokuqinileyo kwinyaniso.”
Sixhobe Ngokwaneleyo Ukuze Simchase UMtyholi
18. Sisiphi isikrweqe sokomoya esisixhobisela ukuba sichase uMtyholi?
18 UYehova usilungiselele isikrweqe sokomoya ukuze sikwazi ‘ukuma siqinile nxamnye namaqhinga kaMtyholi.’ (Efese 6:11-18) Uthando lwethu ngenyaniso luya kusenza sibhinqe okanye silungele imisebenzi yobuKristu. Ukuzimisela kwethu ukubambelela kwimilinganiselo kaYehova yobulungisa kuya kuba njengesigcina-sifuba esikhusela intliziyo yethu. Ukuba iinyawo zethu sizixhobisele iindaba ezilungileyo, ziya kusenza ukuba senze umsebenzi wokushumayela rhoqo, yaye oko kuya kusomeleza kuze kusikhusele ngokomoya. Ukholo lwethu olomeleleyo luya kuba njengekhaka elikhulu, elisikhusela ‘kwimijukujelwa evuthayo yalowo ungendawo,’ amaqhinga akhe neendlela asilinga ngazo. Ithemba lethu eliqinileyo ekuzalisekeni kwezithembiso zikaYehova liya kufana nesigcina-ntloko esikhusela indlela esicinga ngayo size sisinike uxolo lwengqondo. (Filipi 4:7) Ukuba siba nobuchule ekusebenziseni iLizwi likaThixo, liya kuba njengekrele esinokulisebenzisa ukukhulula abantu kubukhoboka bukaSathana bokomoya. Kwakhona sinokuzikhusela ngalo, kanye njengoko uYesu wenzayo xa wayelingwa.
19. Ukongezelela ‘ekuchaseni uMtyholi,’ yintoni efunekayo?
19 Ngokuhlala sinxibe “sonke isikrweqe sikaThixo” size siqhubeke sithandaza, sinokuba nentembelo yokuba uYehova uya kusikhusela xa uSathana esihlasela. (Yohane 17:15; 1 Korinte 10:13) Kodwa uYakobi wabonisa ukuba akwanele ‘ukumchasa uMtyholi.’ Kwakhona ngaphezu kwako konke, simele ‘sisondele kuThixo,’ kuba usikhathalele. (Yakobi 4:7, 8) Inqaku elilandelayo liya kuxubusha ngendlela esinokukwenza ngayo oku.
Ubunokuphendula Njani?
• Yiyiphi imigibe kaSathana amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayefanele ayiphephe?
• USathana usebenzisa waphi amaqhinga namhlanje ukuzama ukubambisa abakhonzi bakaYehova?
• UYesu wazichasa njani izilingo zikaMtyholi?
• Sisiphi isikrweqe sokomoya esisinceda ukuze sikwazi ukumchasa uMtyholi?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8, 9]
UYesu wamchasa ngokuqinileyo uMtyholi
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]
AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala akuchasa ukuzonwabisa okunogonyamelo nokuziphatha okubi
[Inkcazelo]
The Complete Encyclopedia of Illustration/J. G. Heck