AmaKristu Angoondilele Kwimihla Yokugqibela
“Abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi.”—YOHANE 17:16.
1, 2. UYesu wathini ngolwalamano lwabalandeli bakhe nehlabathi, yaye amazwi akhe abangela yiphi imibuzo?
KUBUSUKU bakhe bokugqibela njengomntu ofezekileyo, uYesu wenza umthandazo omde ngoxa abafundi bakhe bephulaphule. Kuloo mthandazo, wathetha ngento echaphazela ubomi bawo onke amaKristu okwenyaniso. Ethetha ngabalandeli bakhe, wathi: “Ndibanikile ilizwi lakho, kodwa ihlabathi liye labathiya, ngenxa yokuba abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi. Ndiyakucela, kungekhona ukuba ubasuse ehlabathini, kodwa ukuba ubalinde ngenxa yalowo ungendawo. Abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi.”—Yohane 17:14-16.
2 Kwizihlandlo ezibini, uYesu wathi abalandeli bakhe abasayi kuba yinxalenye yehlabathi. Ngaphezu koko, ukungabi yonxalenye yalo kwakuya kubangela imbambano—ihlabathi laliya kubathiya. Sekunjalo, akukho mfuneko yokuba amaKristu anxunguphale; uYehova wayeza kuwakhusela. (IMizekeliso 18:10; Mateyu 24:9, 13) Xa sicinga ngamazwi kaYesu, sisenokubuza: ‘Kutheni amaKristu okwenyaniso engeyonxalenye yehlabathi? Kuthetha ukuthini ukungabi yonxalenye yehlabathi? Ukuba amaKristu athiyiwe lihlabathi, wona alijonga njani ihlabathi? Ngokukhethekileyo, abajonga njani oorhulumente behlabathi?’ Iimpendulo ezisekelwe eZibhalweni zale mibuzo zibalulekile kuba zisichaphazela sonke.
“SingabakaThixo”
3. (a) Yintoni esenza sahluke ehlabathini? (b) Bubuphi ubungqina obubonisa ukuba ihlabathi “lisemandleni ongendawo”?
3 Ulwalamano olusenyongweni noYehova sesinye isizathu esibangela ukuba singabi yonxalenye yehlabathi. Umpostile uYohane wabhala: “Siyazi ukuba thina singabakaThixo, kodwa ihlabathi liphela lisemandleni ongendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) Amazwi kaYohane ngehlabathi ayinyaniso ecace gca. Iimfazwe, ulwaphulo-mthetho, inkohlakalo, ingcinezelo, ukunganyaniseki, nokuziphatha okubi okuxhaphakileyo namhlanje zingqina ukuba nguSathana onempembelelo, ingenguye uThixo. (Yohane 12:31; 2 Korinte 4:4; Efese 6:12) Xa ubani esiba ngomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova, akasayi kwenza izenzo ezimbi ezinjalo okanye avumelane nazo, yaye oko kuya kumenza angabi yonxalenye yehlabathi.—Roma 12:2; 13:12-14; 1 Korinte 6:9-11; 1 Yohane 3:10-12.
4. Ziziphi iindlela esibonisa ngazo ukuba singabakaYehova?
4 UYohane wathi ngokwahlukileyo kwihlabathi, amaKristu, “ngakaThixo.” Bonke abo bazahlulele kuYehova ngabakhe. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Kuba ukuba siyaphila, siphilela uYehova, yaye ukuba siyafa, sifela uYehova. Ngoko ke ukuba siyaphila nokuba siyafa, singabakaYehova.” (Roma 14:8; INdumiso 116:15) Kuba singabakaYehova, sizinikela kuye ngokupheleleyo. (Eksodus 20:4-6) Ngenxa yoko, umKristu wokwenyaniso akanikeli ubomi bakhe kwizinto zehlabathi. Yaye ngoxa ezihlonela izinto ezimela ilizwe, akazinquli, enoba kungezenzo okanye ngokomoya. Ngokuqinisekileyo akabanquli abadlali abadumileyo okanye ezinye izithixo zale mihla. Kakade ke, uyalihlonela ilungelo labanye lokwenza ngokuthanda kwabo, kodwa unqula kuphela uMdali. (Mateyu 4:10; ISityhilelo 19:10) Nako oku kumenza ahluke ehlabathini.
“UBukumkani Bam Abuyonxalenye Yeli Hlabathi”
5, 6. Ukuzithoba kwethu kuBukumkani bukaThixo kusenza njani sahluke ehlabathini?
5 AmaKristu angabalandeli bakaKristu Yesu yaye ayazithoba kuBukumkani bukaThixo, nto leyo kwakhona ewenza angabi yonxalenye yehlabathi. Xa uYesu wayesematyaleni phambi koPontiyo Pilato, wathi: “Ubukumkani bam abuyonxalenye yeli hlabathi. Ukuba ubukumkani bam bebuyinxalenye yeli hlabathi, abalindi bam bebeya kulwa ukuze ndinganikelwa kumaYuda. Kodwa ubukumkani bam abusuki kulo mthombo.” (Yohane 18:36) NgoBukumkani igama likaYehova liya kungcwaliswa, ulongamo lwakhe luthethelelwe, kuze ukuthanda kwakhe kwenziwe emhlabeni njengasezulwini. (Mateyu 6:9, 10) Ebudeni bobulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu washumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani, waza wathi ziya kuvakaliswa ngabalandeli bakhe de kufike isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto. (Mateyu 4:23; 24:14) Ngowe-1914 isiprofeto esikwiSityhilelo 11:15 sazaliseka: “Ubukumkani behlabathi buthe baba bubukumkani beNkosi yethu nobukaKristu wayo, yaye iya kulawula njengokumkani ngonaphakade kanaphakade.” Kungekudala, uBukumkani basezulwini buya kuba bubo bodwa obulawula uluntu. (Daniyeli 2:44) Kuya kufika ixesha xa nabalawuli behlabathi beya kunyanzeleka ukuba balivume igunya labo.—INdumiso 2:6-12.
6 Esazi oku, amaKristu okwenyaniso namhlanje angabalawulwa boBukumkani bukaThixo, yaye alandela isiluleko sikaYesu ‘sokuqhubeka efuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bukaThixo.’ (Mateyu 6:33) Oku akuwenzi anganyaniseki kwilizwe ahlala kulo, kodwa oko kuwenza ahluke ehlabathini ngokomoya. Owona msebenzi oyintloko wamaKristu namhlanje, njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, ‘kukunikela ubungqina obucokisekileyo ngokuphathelele ubukumkani bukaThixo.’ (IZenzo 28:23) Akukho rhulumente wabantu onelungelo lokuphazamisa loo msebenzi kaThixo.
7. Kutheni amaKristu okwenyaniso engoondilele, yaye aye akubonisa njani oku?
7 Ngokuvisisana nokuba ngabakaYehova nokuba ngabalandeli bakaYesu nabalawulwa boBukumkani bukaThixo, amaNgqina kaYehova aye ahlala engoondilele kwiingxwabangxwaba zeentlanga nakwihlabathi lonke kwinkulungwane yama-20 neyama-21. Aye akathabatha cala, akaphakamisa izigalo nakubani na, aza akasasaza iingcamango zobuxoki. Ebonakalisa ukholo olubalaseleyo ngoxa ejamelene nenkcaso engathethekiyo, aye alandela imigaqo eyayibhekiselwa kubalawuli abangamaNazi eJamani ngowe-1934: “Asinamdla kwezobupolitika, kodwa sizinikele kubukumkani bukaThixo phantsi kukaKristu uKumkani wabo. Asisayi kwenzakalisa bani. Siya kukuvuyela ukuhlala siseluxolweni size senze okuhle kubo bonke abantu xa ithuba livela.”
Oonozakuzaku Nabameli BakaKristu
8, 9. AmaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje angoonozakuzaku nabameli ngayiphi indlela, yaye oku kuluchaphazela njani ulwalamano lwawo nezinye iintlanga?
8 UPawulos wazichaza yena namaKristu athanjisiweyo ‘njengoonozakuzaku abasendaweni kaKristu, ngokungathi uThixo ebesenza isibongozo ngathi.’ (2 Korinte 5:20; Efese 6:20) Ukususela ngowe-1914 amaKristu athanjiswe ngomoya kunokubhekiselwa kuwo njengoonozakuzaku boBukumkani bukaThixo, ‘abangoonyana’ babo. (Mateyu 13:38; Filipi 3:20; ISityhilelo 5:9, 10) Ngokubhekele phaya, uYehova uye wavelisa “isihlwele esikhulu” okanye “ezinye izimvu” ezivela kwiintlanga, amaKristu anethemba lasemhlabeni ukuze axhase oonyana abathanjisiweyo kumsebenzi wabo wokuba ngoonozakuzaku. (ISityhilelo 7:9; Yohane 10:16) “Ezinye izimvu” zinokubizwa ngokuba “ngabameli” bobuKumkani bukaThixo.
9 Unozakuzaku neqela lakhe abazibandakanyi kwimicimbi yelo lizwe bakulo. Ngokufanayo, amaKristu ahlala engoondilele kwimicimbi yezobupolitika yeentlanga zehlabathi. Akathabathi cala okanye alwe nalo naliphi na iqela lolunye uhlanga, iqela lasekuhlaleni okanye iqela lemicimbi yezoqoqosho. (IZenzo 10:34, 35) Kunoko, ‘enza okulungileyo kubo bonke.’ (Galati 6:10) Ukuba ngoondilele kwamaNgqina kaYehova kuthetha ukuba akukho mntu onokungasamkeli isigidimi sawo kuba esithi anxulumene nolunye uhlanga okanye esinye isizwe.
Aziwa Ngothando
10. Uthando lubaluleke kangakanani kumKristu?
10 Ngokubhekele phaya, amaKristu angoondilele kwimibandela yehlabathi ngenxa yolwalamano lwawo namanye amaKristu. UYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Ngako oko bonke baya kwazi ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba ninothando phakathi kwenu.” (Yohane 13:35) Uthando lobuzalwana lubalulekile ekubeni ngumKristu. (1 Yohane 3:14) Ukongezelela kulwalamano analo noYehova noYesu, umKristu unolwalamano olusenyongweni namanye amaKristu. Uthando lwakhe alupheleliselwanga kwabo bakwibandla lasekuhlaleni. Luquka “nabazalwana [bakhe] bonke ehlabathini.”—1 Petros 5:9.
11. Indlela amaNgqina kaYehova aziphethe ngayo iphenjelelwa njani kukuthandana kwawo?
11 Namhlanje, amaNgqina kaYehova abonakalisa uthando lobuzalwana ngokuzalisekisa amazwi akuIsaya 2:4 athi: “Ziwakhande amakrele azo abe ngamakhuba nemikhonto yazo ibe zizikere zokuthena imithi. Uhlanga aluyi kuphakamisela uhlanga ikrele, zingayi kuphinda zifunde nemfazwe kwakhona.” Efundiswa nguYehova, amaKristu okwenyaniso aseluxolweni noThixo namanye amaKristu. (Isaya 54:13) Kuba emthanda uThixo nabazalwana bawo, akunakwenzeka ukuba aphakamiselane izigalo namanye amaKristu—okanye nabani na—kwamanye amazwe. Uxolo nomanyano lwawo lubalulekile kunqulo lwawo, nto leyo ebonisa ukuba ngokwenene anomoya kaThixo. (INdumiso 133:1; Mika 2:12; Mateyu 22:37-39; Kolose 3:14) ‘Afuna ukufumana uxolo, aze alusukele,’ yaye esazi ukuba “amehlo kaYehova akumalungisa.”—INdumiso 34:14, 15.
Indlela AmaKristu Alijonga Ngayo Ihlabathi
12. AmaNgqina kaYehova axelisa siphi isimo sengqondo uYehova anaso ngabantu, yaye njani?
12 UYehova sele eligwebe ngokuqatha eli hlabathi, kodwa akakamgwebi umntu ngamnye ehlabathini. Uya kukwenza oko esebenzisa uYesu ngexesha Lakhe alimiseleyo. (INdumiso 67:3, 4; Mateyu 25:31-46; 2 Petros 3:10) Okwangoku, ubonakalisa uthando olunzulu ebantwini. Wada wanikela ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ukuze wonke ubani abe nethuba lokufumana ubomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 3:16) NjengamaKristu, sixelisa uthando lukaThixo ngokuxelela abanye ngelungiselelo likaThixo losindiso, nangona imigudu yethu idla ngokutyeshelwa.
13. Sifanele sibajonge njani abalawuli behlabathi?
13 Sifanele sibajonge njani abalawuli behlabathi? UPawulos wawuphendula loo mbuzo xa wabhala esithi: “Yonke imiphefumlo mayiwathobele amagunya awongamileyo, kuba akukho gunya libekho ngaphandle kukaThixo; amagunya akhoyo abekwe nguThixo kwizikhundla zawo ezilinganiselweyo.” (Roma 13:1, 2) Abantu banegunya ‘elilinganiselweyo’ (eliphakamileyo okanye elingaphantsi kunabanye abantu, kodwa lisoloko lingaphantsi kwelikaYehova) kuba uSomandla ebavumele. UmKristu uthobela amagunya ehlabathi kuba ethobela uYehova. Noko ke, kuthekani ukuba kuphakama imbambano phakathi koko kufunwa nguThixo noko kufunwa ngurhulumente wabantu?
Umthetho KaThixo NokaKesare
14, 15. (a) UDaniyeli wakwazi njani ukuphepha imbambano kumbandela wokuthobela? (b) AmaHebhere amathathu enza ntoni xa kwavela imbambano yokuthobela engenakuphepheka?
14 UDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu bangumzekelo omhle obonisa indlela elungeleleneyo yokuthobela oorhulumente babantu nokuthobela igunya likaThixo. Xa la maHebhere mane aselula ayesekuthinjweni eBhabhiloni, ayeyithobela imithetho yelo lizwe yaye ngokukhawuleza akhethwa ukuze aqeqeshwe ngokukhethekileyo. UDaniyeli, esazi ukuba olu qeqesho lusenokungavisisani noMthetho kaYehova, wawuxubusha lo mbandela negosa elaliphethe. Ngenxa yoko, kwenziwa amalungiselelo akhethekileyo ukuze kubonakaliswe intlonelo kwizazela zala maHebhere mane. (Daniyeli 1:8-17) AmaNgqina kaYehova alandela umzekelo kaDaniyeli ngokuthi ngobuchule achaze ihambo yawo kumagosa ukuze aphephe iingxaki ezingeyomfuneko.
15 Noko ke, kamva, imbambano kumbandela wokuthobela yayingenakuphetshwa. Ukumkani waseBhabhiloni wamisa isithixo esikhulu kwithafa laseDura waza wayalela amagosa aphakamileyo, kuquka nabalawuli bamaphondo, ukuba beze kulo msitho. Ngesi sihlandlo, abahlobo abathathu bakaDaniyeli babesele bemiselwe njengabalawuli bamaphondo aseBhabhiloni, ngoku lo myalelo wawubhekisela nakubo. Ngexesha elithile, bonke ababehlanganisene apho babefanele baqubude kulo mfanekiso. Kodwa la maHebhere ayesazi ukuba oko kwakuchasene nomthetho kaThixo. (Duteronomi 5:8-10) Ngoko xa bonke abantu baqubuda, ahlala emile. Ngokungawuthobeli umyalelo kakumkani, ayebeka ubomi bawo esichengeni, yaye ubomi bawo basindiswa ngokungummangaliso; kodwa akhetha ukufa kunokuba angathobeli uYehova.—Daniyeli 2:49–3:29.
16, 17. Bathini abapostile xa baxelelwa ukuba mabayeke ukushumayela, yaye ngoba?
16 Kwinkulungwane yokuqala, abapostile bakaYesu Kristu babizelwa phambi kweenkokeli zamaYuda eYerusalem baza bayalelwa ukuba bayeke ukushumayela ngegama likaYesu. Benza ntoni? UYesu wayebathume ukuba benze abafundi kuzo zonke iintlanga, nto leyo eyayiza kuquka elakwaYuda. Wayebaxelele ukuba babe ngamangqina akhe eYerusalem nakwihlabathi lonke. (Mateyu 28:19, 20; IZenzo 1:8) Abapostile babesazi ukuba umyalelo kaYesu wawumele oko uThixo wayethanda ukuba bakwenze. (Yohane 5:30; 8:28) Ngenxa yoko, bathi: “Simele sithobele uThixo njengomlawuli kunabantu.”—IZenzo 4:19, 20; 5:29.
17 Aba bapostile babengavukeli. (IMizekeliso 24:21) Noko ke, xa abalawuli abangabantu babalela ukuba benze ukuthanda kukaThixo, babenokuthi, ‘Simele sithobele uThixo, kungekhona umntu.’ UYesu wathi sifanele ‘sibuyisele izinto zikaKesare kuKesare, kodwa izinto zikaThixo kuThixo.’ (Marko 12:17) Ukuba saphula umthetho kaThixo kuba umntu esixelela ukuba senjenjalo, sinika umntu izinto zikaThixo. Kunoko, thina sibuyisela konke okukaKesare kuye, kodwa sithobela igunya likaYehova eliphakamileyo. UnguMongami Wendalo Iphela, uMdali, uMthombo wegunya.—ISityhilelo 4:11.
Siya Kuma Siqinile
18, 19. Abazalwana bethu baye baba ngumzekelo omhle njani, yaye sinokuwulandela njani umzekelo wabo?
18 Namhlanje, inkoliso yoorhulumente behlabathi iyabuqonda ubundilele bamaNgqina kaYehova, yaye sinombulelo ngako oko. Noko ke, kwamanye amazwe, amaNgqina aye ajamelana nenkcaso eqatha. Ukutyhubela inkulungwane yama-20 de kuze kuthi ga ngoku, abanye babazalwana noodade bethu baye balwa ngamandla, ngengqiqo engokomoya baye balwa “umlo omhle wokholo.”—1 Timoti 6:12.
19 Sinokuma njani siqinile njengabo? Okokuqala, siyakhumbula ukuba sifanele silindele inkcaso. Ayifanele isothuse xa ifika. UPawulos walumkisa uTimoti esithi: “Bonke abo banqwenela ukuphila ngozinikelo lobuthixo ngokunxulumene noKristu Yesu, nabo baya kutshutshiswa.” (2 Timoti 3:12; 1 Petros 4:12) Kwihlabathi apho kulawula uSathana, bekunokwenzeka njani ukuba singachaswa? (ISityhilelo 12:17) Lo gama nje sithembekile, kuya kusoloko kukho abathile ‘ababhidekileyo nabahamba besitshabhisa.’—1 Petros 4:4.
20. Ziziphi iinyaniso ezomelezayo esizikhunjuzwayo?
20 Okwesibini, siyaqiniseka ukuba uYehova neengelosi zakhe baya kusixhasa. Njengoko uElisha wamandulo watsho, “baninzi ngakumbi abo bakunye nathi ngaphezu kwabo bakunye nabo.” (2 Kumkani 6:16; INdumiso 34:7) Kusenokwenzeka ukuba uYehova, ngenxa yenjongo entle anayo, uvumele inkcaso ukuba iqhubeke okwexeshana. Sekunjalo, uya kuhlala esinika amandla esiwafunayo ukuze sinyamezele. (Isaya 41:9, 10) Abanye baye babulawa, kodwa oko akusoyikisi. UYesu wathi: “Ningaboyiki abo babulala umzimba kodwa bengenako ukubulala umphefumlo; kodwa kunoko yoyikani lowo unako ukutshabalalisa kokubini umphefumlo nomzimba eGehena.” (Mateyu 10:16-23, 28) ‘Singabemi bokwexeshana’ kule nkqubo yezinto. Sisebenzisa ixesha lethu apha ‘ukuziqwebela isiseko esikhokelela kubomi bokwenene,’ ubomi obungunaphakade kwihlabathi elitsha likaThixo. (1 Petros 2:11; 1 Timoti 6:19) Akukho mntu unokusibandeza lo mvuzo lo gama nje sihlala sithembekile kuThixo.
21. Yintoni esifanele sihlale siyikhumbula?
21 Ngenxa yoko, masikhumbule ulwalamano oluxabisekileyo esinalo noYehova uThixo. Ngamana singahlala sizixabisa iintsikelelo zokuba ngabalandeli bakaKristu nabalawulwa boBukumkani. Masithande abazalwana bethu ngentliziyo iphela, yaye ngamana singahlala siluvuyela uthando esilufumana kubo. Ngaphezu koko, masithobele amazwi omdumisi athi: “Thembela ngoYehova; yiba nesibindi uze uvumele intliziyo yakho yomelele. Ewe, thembela ngoYehova.” (INdumiso 27:14; Isaya 54:17) Ngoko ke, njengamaKristu amaninzi ngaphambi kwethu, siya kuhlala siqinile kwithemba lethu eliqinisekileyo—singamaKristu athembekileyo nangoondilele angeyonxalenye yehlabathi.
Ngaba Unokucacisa?
• Ulwalamano esinalo noYehova lusenza sahluke njani ehlabathini?
• Njengabalawulwa boBukumkani bukaThixo, sihlala njani singoondilele kweli hlabathi?
• Uthando esinalo ngabazalwana bethu lusigcina ngaziphi iindlela singoondilele yaye sahlukile ehlabathini?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
Ukuthobela kwethu uBukumkani bukaThixo kuluchaphazela njani ulwalamano lwethu nehlabathi?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
UmHutu nomTutsi basebenza kunye ngovuyo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
Abazalwana abangamaKristu abangamaYuda nabangama-Arabhu
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
AmaKristu aseSerbia, eBosnia, naseCroatia ayakuvuyela ukuba kunye
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Yintoni esifanele siyenze xa abalawuli besiyalela ukuba saphule umthetho kaThixo?