“Abemi Bokwexeshana” Kwihlabathi Elingendawo
“Bonke aba . . . bavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba babengabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana elizweni elo.”—HEB. 11:13.
1. Wathini uYesu ngabafundi bakhe ngokuphathelele ihlabathi?
“BASEHLABATHINI,” wathetha loo mazwi uYesu ngabafundi bakhe. Kodwa wacacisa esithi: “Abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi.” (Yoh. 17:11, 14) Ngoko, uYesu wabonisa ngokucacileyo indlela abalandeli bakhe benene ababemele bayijonge ngayo “le nkqubo yezinto,” enothixo wayo onguSathana. (2 Kor. 4:4) Nangona babephila kweli hlabathi lingendawo, babengazi kuba yinxalenye yalo. Babeya kuphila “njengabaphambukeli nabemi bokwexeshana.”—1 Pet. 2:11.
Babephila ‘Njengabemi Bokwexeshana’
2, 3. Kutheni kunokuthiwa uEnoki, uNowa, uAbraham noSara babephila ‘njengabantu basemzini nabemi bokwexeshana’?
2 Kumaxesha amandulo, abakhonzi bakaYehova abathembekileyo babahlukile kubantu behlabathi elingendawo ababephila kulo. Ngaphambi koMkhukula, uEnoki noNowa ‘bahamba noThixo oyinyaniso.’ (Gen. 5:22-24; 6:9) Bobabini babengabashumayeli abanenkalipho bemigwebo kaYehova nxamnye nehlabathi elingendawo likaSathana. (Funda eyesi-2 kuPetros 2:5; noYude 14, 15.) Ngenxa yokuba bahamba noThixo bephila kwihlabathi elingendawo, uEnoki ‘wamkholisa kakuhle uThixo’ yaye uNowa “wangqineka engenasiphoso phakathi kwabantu bexesha lakhe.”—Heb. 11:5; Gen. 6:9.
3 Beyalelwa nguThixo, uAbraham noSara babushiya ubunewunewu bokuphila kwisixeko saseUre yamaKhaledi baza baphila njengoonothwal’ impahlana elizweni lasemzini. (Gen. 11:27, 28; 12:1) Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Ngokholo uAbraham, xa wabizwayo, wathobela waphuma waya kwindawo awayemiselwe ukuyifumana njengelifa; waphuma, nangona wayengazi apho aya khona. Ngokholo wahlala njengomphambukeli kwilizwe lesithembiso njengakwilizwe lasemzini, waza wahlala ezintenteni kunye noIsake noYakobi, iindlalifa kunye naye zesithembiso esikwasinye.” (Heb. 11:8, 9) Ngokuphathelele abo bakhonzi bathembekileyo bakaYehova, uPawulos wathi: “Bonke aba bafela elukholweni, nangona bengazange bayifumane inzaliseko yazo izithembiso, kodwa bazibona zisekude, bazithakazelela baza bavakalisa esidlangalaleni ukuba babengabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana elizweni elo.”—Heb. 11:13.
Isilumkiso Esiya KumaSirayeli
4. Sisiphi isilumkiso esanikwa amaSirayeli ngaphambi kokuba ngabemi elizweni lawo?
4 Inzala ka-Abraham, amaSirayeli, yanda yaba ninzi yaye kamva yalungelelaniswa yaba luhlanga yaza yanikwa imithetho nelizwe layo. (Gen. 48:4; Dut. 6:1) Abantu bakwaSirayeli babengamele balibale ukuba oyena Mnini welizwe labo nguYehova. (Lev. 25:23) Babefana nabantu abaqeshileyo abafanele bathobele imithetho yoMninimzi. Ngaphezu koko, babefanele bakhumbule ukuba “akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu”; babengamele bavumele izinto eziphathekayo zibenze bamlibale uYehova. (Dut. 8:1-3) Ngaphambi kokuba alime ilizwe lawo, amaSirayeli anikwa esi silumkiso: “Kothi xa athe wakungenisa uYehova uThixo wakho kulo ilizwe awalifungela ookhokho bakho, uAbraham, uIsake noYakobi ukuba akunike, izixeko ezikhulu nezinenkangeleko entle ongazakhanga, nezindlu ezizele zizinto zonke ezintle ongazizalisanga, namaqula embiweyo ongawembanga, izidiliya neminquma ongayityalanga, wadla wanela, uze ulumkele ukuba ungamlibali uYehova.”—Dut. 6:10-12.
5. Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova amgatye uSirayeli, yaye wazikhethela luphi uhlanga olutsha?
5 Esi silumkiso sasisengqiqweni. Ngemihla kaNehemiya, iqela labaLevi lazaliswa ziintloni lakucinga ngoko kwenzeka emva kokuba amaSirayeli engene kwiLizwe Lesithembiso. Emva kokuba abantu bakwaSirayeli bezifumanele izindlu zodidi yaye benentabalala yokutya newayini, “baqalisa ukudla nokwanela batyeba.” Bamvukela uThixo, bada babulala nabaprofeti awayebathumele ukuba babalumkise. Ngoko uYehova wabalahlela kwiintshaba zabo. (Funda uNehemiya 9:25-27; Hos. 13:6-9) Kamva, ephantsi kolawulo lwamaRoma, amaYuda angenalukholo enza eyokugqibela yokubulala uMesiya othenjisiweyo! UYehova wawagatya waza wazikhethela uhlanga olutsha, uSirayeli wokomoya.—Mat. 21:43; IZe. 7:51, 52; Gal. 6:16.
“Abayonxalenye Yehlabathi”
6, 7. (a) Ungakuchaza njani oko kwathethwa nguYesu ngokuphathelele indlela abalandeli bakhe ababemele balijonge ngayo ihlabathi? (b) Kwakutheni ukuze amaKristu angabi yonxalenye yenkqubo kaSathana?
6 Njengoko kubonisiwe ngaphambilana kweli nqaku, iNtloko yebandla lamaKristu, uYesu Kristu, yayibeka yacaca into yokuba abalandeli bayo babeya kwahluka ehlabathini, eliyinkqubo yezinto engendawo kaSathana. Ngaphambi nje kokufa kwakhe, uYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Ukuba beniyinxalenye yehlabathi, ihlabathi beliya kukuthanda oko kukokwalo. Ke ngenxa yokuba ningeyonxalenye yehlabathi, kodwa ndininyulile mna naphuma kulo ihlabathi, ngenxa yoko linithiyile ihlabathi.”—Yoh. 15:19.
7 Njengoko amaKristu ayesanda, ngaba ayeza kuba ngumtya nethunga neli hlabathi, ayekelele kwizenzo zalo aze abe yinxalenye yalo? Nakanye. Naphi na apho ayehlala khona, ayemele azahlule kwinkqubo kaSathana. Kwiminyaka engama-30 emva kokufa kukaKristu, umpostile uPetros wawabhalela oku amaKristu awayehlala kwiindawo ngeendawo zehlabathi lamaRoma: “Zintanda, ndiyanibongoza njengabaphambukeli nabemi bokwexeshana ukuba nizikhwebule kwiminqweno yenyama, enxamnye nomphefumlo. Ihambo yenu mayibe ntle phakathi kweentlanga.”—1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11, 12.
8. Omnye umbhali-mbali wayichaza njani indlela amaKristu amandulo awayelijonga ngayo ihlabathi?
8 Echaza ukuba amaKristu amandulo ayeziphatha ‘njengabaphambukeli nabemi bokwexeshana’ kwihlabathi lamaRoma, umbhali-mbali uKenneth Scott Latourette wathi: “Inkcaso ekrakra amaKristu eenkulungwane zamandulo awayejamelana nayo izihlandlo ezininzi, yenye yezona zinto zaziwayo embalini yabantu . . . Ayetyatyekwa izityholo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Ngenxa yokuba amaKristu engazange avume ukuba nenxaxheba kwimisitho yabahedeni kwakusithiwa akakholelwa kuThixo. Ngenxa yokuba ayengenanxaxheba kwinkoliso yemicimbi yasekuhlaleni—imisitho yabahedeni, indlela kawonke wonke yokuzonwabisa zinto ezo amaKristu ayezigqala njengezizele ziinkolelo, uqheliselo nokuziphatha okubi kwabahedeni—ayegculelwa ngokuthi abathiyile abantu.”
Ukungalisebenzisi Ngokupheleleyo Ihlabathi
9. NjengamaKristu enene, siyingqina njani into yokuba ‘asibathiyanga abantu’?
9 Kuthekani namhlanje? Ngokuphathelele “inkqubo yezinto engendawo yangoku,” sihlala sinesimo sengqondo esifana neso amaKristu amandulo ayenaso. (Gal. 1:4) Ngenxa yoku, abantu abaninzi abasiqondi kakuhle kanti abanye basithiyile. Sekunjalo, ngokuqinisekileyo ‘asibathiyanga abantu.’ Ngenxa yokuba sibathanda abanye abantu, siya kwindlu ngendlu, sisenza konke okusemandleni ethu ukuze sixelele abantu bonke ‘ngeendaba ezilungileyo zobukumkani bukaThixo.’ (Mat. 22:39; 24:14) Sikwenza oku ngenxa yokuba siqinisekile ukuba urhulumente woBukumkani bukaThixo, phantsi kukaKristu uza kuthi kungekudala uphelise ulawulo lwabantu abangafezekanga, uze umisele inkqubo entsha yezinto nelungileyo.—Dan. 2:44; 2 Pet. 3:13.
10, 11. (a) Sinokwenza njani ukuze singalisebenzisi ngokupheleleyo eli hlabathi? (b) Ziziphi ezinye iindlela amaKristu alumkileyo akuphepha ngazo ukusebenzisa ihlabathi ngokupheleleyo?
10 Ngenxa yokuba isiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto sisemnyango, njengabakhonzi bakaYehova siyaqonda ukuba eli asiloxesha lokukhululeka kweli hlabathi lifayo. Sithobela la mazwi kampostile uPawulos: ‘Nditsho ke, bazalwana, ukuthi, ixesha eliseleyo lifinyele. Ukususela ngoku abo bathengayo mababe njengabangenanto nabo balisebenzisayo eli hlabathi babe njengabangalisebenzisi ngokupheleleyo; kuba imeko yeli hlabathi iyatshintsha.’ (1 Kor. 7:29-31) Kodwa amaKristu anamhlanje alisebenzisa njani ihlabathi? Akwenza oku ngokusebenzisa ubugcisa bezi mini neendlela zonxibelelwano ukuze asasaze ulwazi lweBhayibhile ehlabathini lonke ngeelwimi ezingamakhulu. Alisebenzisa ukusa kumkhamo othile eli hlabathi ukuze aziphilise. Athenga izinto ezithile esebenzisa nezinye iinkonzo ezifumaneka ehlabathini. Kodwa ke, ayakuphepha ukulisebenzisa ngokupheleleyo ngokuthi abeke izinto eziphathekayo nemisebenzi yempangelo kwindawo yayo efanelekileyo.—Funda eyoku-1 kuTimoti 6:9, 10.
11 AmaKristu alumkileyo ayakuphepha ukusebenzisa ihlabathi ngokupheleleyo kumba wemfundo enomsila. Abantu abaninzi kweli hlabathi bagqala imfundo enomsila njengeyona nto enokubenza babe zizityebi baze baphile ubomi bobunewunewu. Kodwa thina maKristu siphila njengabemi bokwexeshana yaye sisukela izinto ezahlukileyo. Siyakuphepha “ukunyamekela izinto eziphakamileyo.” (Roma 12:16; Yer. 45:5) Ekubeni singabalandeli bakaYesu, sithobela esi silumkiso sakhe: “Gcinani amehlo enu evulekile nize nizilinde kulo lonke uhlobo lwenkanuko, kuba kwanaxa umntu enentabalala ubomi bakhe abuphumi kwizinto anazo.” (Luka 12:15) Ngenxa yoko, amaKristu aselula akhuthazwa ukuba asukele izinto zokomoya, azifunele imfundo eyimfuneko nenokuwanceda aziphilise ngoxa enikela ingqalelo ekukhonzeni uYehova ‘ngentliziyo, ngomphefumlo, ngamandla nangengqondo iphela.’ (Luka 10:27) Xa esenjenjalo, anokuba ‘zizityebi kuThixo.’—Luka 12:21; funda uMateyu 6:19-21.
Kuphepheni Ukusindwa Ngamaxhala Obomi
12, 13. Ukuthobela amazwi kaYesu abhalwe kuMateyu 6:31-33 kusinceda njani sahluke kubantu abasehlabathini?
12 Abantu bakaYehova bahlukile kubantu behlabathi kwindlela abazijonga ngayo izinto eziphathekayo. Kule nkalo, uYesu wathi kubalandeli bakhe: “Musani ke ukuxhala nisithi, ‘Siza kudla ntoni na?’ okanye, ‘Siza kusela ntoni na?’ okanye, ‘Siza kunxiba ntoni na?’ Kuba zonke ezi zizinto iintlanga ezizisukela ngentumekelelo. Kuba uYihlo osemazulwini uyazi ukuba ziyimfuneko kuni zonke ezi zinto. Qhubekani, ke ngoko, nifuna kuqala ubukumkani nobulungisa bakhe, yaye zonke ezinye izinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” (Mat. 6:31-33) Uninzi lwabakhonzi bakaYehova luye lwazibonela ngawalo amehlo xa uBawo wethu wasezulwini eluxhasa ngezinto oluzidingayo.
13 “Uzinikelo lobuthixo kunye nokwanela, kuyinzuzo enkulu.” (1 Tim. 6:6) Abantu beli hlabathi lanamhlanje abacingi ngolo hlobo. Ngokomzekelo, xa abantu abaselula betshata, uninzi lwabo lulindela ukuba nento yonke zisuka nje—indlu okanye indawo yokuhlala ezele ntli yimpahla, lube nomnyobo wemoto, nezixhobo ze-elektroniki zakutshanje. Kodwa ke, amaKristu aphila njengabemi bokwexeshana ayayilawula iminqweno yawo aze angathengi izinto ezingaphezu kweziyimfuneko. Eneneni, kuyancomeka ukubona uninzi lwawo luncama izinto ezithile eziphathekayo ukuze lunikele ixesha namandla angakumbi enkonzweni kaYehova luze lube ngabashumayeli abakhutheleyo boBukumkani. Olunye lukhonza njengoovulindlela, eBheteli, kumsebenzi wokuhambahamba okanye njengabathunywa bevangeli. Sonke siyixabisa ngokwenene inkonzo yomphefumlo uphela enikelwa ngabakhonzi bakaYehova!
14. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekeliso kaYesu womhlwayeli?
14 Kumzekeliso wakhe womhlwayeli, uYesu wathi “ixhala lale nkqubo yezinto namandla akhohlisayo obutyebi” anokuliminxa ilizwi likaThixo ezintliziyweni zethu aze asenze singabi nasiqhamo. (Mat. 13:22) Ukuphila ngokwaneliseka njengabemi bokwexeshana kule nkqubo yezinto kusinceda sikuphephe ukuwela kulo mgibe. Kunoko, kusinceda sigcine iliso lethu ‘lingenakumbi,’ okanye sinikele ingqalelo epheleleyo, sitsolise amehlo ethu kuBukumkani bukaThixo size sibeke izilangazelelo zabo kuqala kubomi bethu.—Mat. 6:22.
“Ihlabathi Liyadlula”
15. Ngawaphi amazwi kampostile uYohane abonisa indlela amaKristu enene amele alijonge ngayo eli hlabathi nendlela amele aziphathe ngayo?
15 Isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuba thina njengamaKristu sizigqala “njengabaphambukeli nabemi bokwexeshana” kweli hlabathi sesokuba siqinisekile ukuba isiphelo salo sisemgubasini. (1 Pet. 2:11; 2 Pet. 3:7) Oku kuya kucaca kukhetho esilwenzayo ebomini bethu nakwiminqweno yethu. Umpostile uYohane waluleka abazalwana bakhe ukuba bangalithandi ihlabathi okanye izinto ezisehlabathini ngenxa yokuba “ihlabathi liyadlula nenkanuko yalo, kodwa lowo wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.”—1 Yoh. 2:15-17.
16. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba sibekelwe bucala njengabantu abahlukileyo?
16 AmaSirayeli axelelwa ukuba xa ethobela uYehova, ayeza kuba ‘yinqobo kuye kwizizwana zonke.’ (Eks. 19:5) Xa ayethembekile, amaSirayeli ayesahluka kuzo zonke ezinye iintlanga ngendlela yokunqula neyokuziphatha. Ngokufanayo namhlanje, uYehova uzikhethele abantu abahluke ngokucacileyo kwihlabathi likaSathana. Sixelelwa oku: ‘Zilumleni kuko ukungabi nabuthixo nakwiminqweno yehlabathi nize niphile ngengqondo ephilileyo nangobulungisa nangozinikelo lobuthixo phakathi kwale nkqubo yezinto yangoku, ngoxa silinde ithemba elonwabisayo nembonakaliso ezukileyo yoThixo omkhulu neyoMsindisi wethu, uKristu Yesu, owazinikela ngenxa yethu ukuze asihlangule kulo lonke uhlobo lokuchasa umthetho aze azihlambululele isizwana esisesakhe ngokukhethekileyo, esizondelela imisebenzi emihle.’ (Tito 2:11-14) Esi “sizwana” sakhiwe ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo nezigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ zikaYesu ezincedisana nawo neziwaxhasayo.—Yoh. 10:16.
17. Kutheni abathanjiswa namaqabane abo bengasayi kuze bazisole ngokuba beye baphila njengabemi bokwexeshana kweli hlabathi lingendawo?
17 “Ithemba elonwabisayo” labathanjiswa kukulawula noKristu ezulwini. (ISityhi. 5:10) Xa ithemba lobomi obungunaphakade emhlabeni lizaliseka kwezinye izimvu, azisayi kuphinda zibe ngabemi bokwexeshana kwihlabathi elingendawo. Ziya kuba namakhaya amahle nentabalala yokutya neziselo. (INdu. 37:10, 11; Isa. 25:6; 65:21, 22) Ngokungafaniyo namaSirayeli, azisayi kulibala ukuba yonke le nto ivela kuYehova, “uThixo womhlaba uphela.” (Isa. 54:5) Abathanjiswa nkqu nezinye izimvu abasayi kuze bazisole ngokuba beye baphila njengabemi bokwexeshana kweli hlabathi lingendawo.
Unokuphendula Uthini?
• Yiyiphi indlela amadoda athembekileyo amandulo ayephila ngayo njengabemi bokwexeshana?
• AmaKristu amandulo ayeziphatha njani ngokuphathelele ihlabathi?
• AmaKristu enene anokwenza njani ukuze angalisebenzisi ngokupheleleyo ihlabathi?
• Kutheni singasayi kuze sizisole kuba siye saphila njengabemi bokwexeshana kweli hlabathi lingendawo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
AmaKristu amandulo ayeluphepha ugonyamelo nokuzonwabisa okungacocekanga