Ngaba Bonke Abo Bathi “BangamaKristu” Bangawo Ngokwenene?
ANGAKANANI amaKristu? NgokweAtlas of Global Christianity, ngowama-2010 ebe phantse abe ziibhiliyoni eziyi-2.3 ehlabathini ngokubanzi. Kwaloo mpapasho ibonisa ukuba la maKristu akwiimvaba ezingama-41 000—nganye yazo inemithetho neemfundiso zayo. Ekubeni kukho le ntlaninge yeenkonzo “zamaKristu,” siyaqondakala isizathu sokuba abanye abantu bedideka baze batyhafe. Basenokuzibuza ukuba, ‘Ngaba bonke abo bathi bangamaKristu bangawo ngokwenene?’
Makhe siwuhl’ amahlongwane lo mbandela. Ngokuqhelekileyo kudla ngokufuneka ukuba xa umntu etyelela kwelinye ilizwe avelise kumagosa elo lizwe amaxwebhu asemthethweni. Kufuneka aqinisekise ukuba unguloo mntu athi unguye ngokuvelisa isazisi, mhlawumbi incwadi yokundwendwela. Ngendlela efanayo, umKristu wokwenyaniso kufuneka enze okungakumbi kunokuthi nje ungumKristu. Kufuneka abe nezinto ezingakumbi ezimngqinelayo. Inokuba ziziphi ezo zinto?
Igama elithi “umKristu” laqala ukusetyenziswa emva kowama-44 C.E. Umbhali-mbali weBhayibhile uLuka uthi: “Kwaqala kwa-Antiyokwe ukuba abafundi ngolwalathiso lobuthixo babizwe ngokuba ngamaKristu.” (IZenzo 11:26) Phawula ukuba abo babebizwa ngokuba ngamaKristu babengabafundi bakaKristu. Yintoni eyenza umntu abe ngumfundi kaYesu Kristu? IThe New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology icacisa isithi: “Ukuba ngumfundi kaYesu kuthetha ukuzincama ubomi bakho bonke.” Ngoko ke, umKristu wokwenyaniso ngulowo ulandela ngokungagungqiyo iimfundiso nemiyalelo kaYesu, uMseki wobuKristu.
Ngaba unokubafumana abantu abanjalo phakathi kwabo bathi bangamaKristu namhlanje? UYesu wathi babeza kubonwa ngantoni abalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso? Makhe sihlolisise indlela iBhayibhile eyiphendula ngayo le mibuzo. Kumanqaku alandelayo, siza kuhlola iinkalo ezintlanu awathi uYesu sinokubabona ngazo abalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso. Siza kuqwalasela indlela awayeqhuba ngayo amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala. Ngaloo ndlela siza kukwazi ukubona ukuba ngoobani kwabo bathi bangamaKristu namhlanje abaxelisa umzekelo wawo.