Ngoobani Abalungiseleli BakaThixo Namhlanje?

“Ukufaneleka ngokwaneleyo kwethu kuphuma kuThixo, oye eneneni wasenza sakufanelekela ngokwaneleyo ukuba ngabalungiseleli bomnqophiso omtsha.”—2 KORINTE 3:5, 6.

1, 2. Yiyiphi imbopheleleko awayenenxaxheba kuyo amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala, kodwa zatshintsha njani izinto?

KWINKULUNGWANE yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, onke amaKristu aba nenxaxheba kwimbopheleleko ebalulekileyo—umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Onke ayethanjisiwe yaye engabalungiseleli bomnqophiso omtsha. Amanye ayeneembopheleleko ezongezelelekileyo, njengokufundisa ebandleni. (1 Korinte 12:27-29; Efese 4:11) Abazali babeneembopheleleko ezinzima entsatsheni. (Kolose 3:18-21) Kodwa onke ayenesabelo kumsebenzi osisiseko nobalulekileyo wokushumayela. KwisiGrike santlandlolo seZibhalo zamaKristu, le mbopheleleko yayibizwa ngokuthi di·a·ko·niʹa—inkonzo, okanye ubulungiseleli.—Kolose 4:17.

² Ekuhambeni kwexesha, izinto zatshintsha. Kwavela udidi olwaziwa ngokuba ngabefundisi, olwalithabathela kulo ilungelo lokushumayela. (IZenzo 20:30) Abefundisi babeliqaqobana labo babezibiza ngokuba bangamaKristu. Inkoliso yawo yaziwa ngokuba ngamarhamente. Ngoxa amarhamente eye afundiswa ukuba aneembopheleleko ezithile, kuquka ukwenza iminikelo yokuxhasa abefundisi, uninzi lwawo luba ngabaphulaphuli nje xa kushunyayelwa.

3, 4. (a) Abantu baba ngabalungiseleli njani kwiNgqobhoko? (b) Ngubani ogqalwa njengomlungiseleli kwiNgqobhoko, yaye kutheni izinto zahlukile kumaNgqina kaYehova?

³ Abefundisi bazibanga bengabalungiseleli (igama elisuka kwelithi umlungiseleli, inguqulelo yesiLatini yegama elithi di·aʹko·nos, “isicaka”).a Ukuze babe ngabalungiseleli, bafumana izidanga kwanokholeji okanye kumaziko emfundo baze bamiselwe. IThe International Standard Bible Encyclopedia ithi: “Igama elithi ‘ukumiselwa’ ngokuqhelekileyo libhekisela kwisikhundla esikhethekileyo esinikwa abalungiseleli okanye abefundisi kusetyenziswa isithethe esisemthethweni, esinxulumene nokunikwa igunya lokuvakalisa iLizwi okanye lokuqhuba umthendeleko, okanye lokwenza ezo zinto zombini.” Ngubani omisela abalungiseleli? IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “Kwiicawa ezisasebenzisa inkqubo yokuba noobhishophu, ngalo lonke ixesha umlungiseleli omiselayo iba ngubhishophu. Kwiicawa zaseRhabe, kumisela abalungiseleli abakwiqela lamadoda amakhulu.”

⁴ Ngenxa yoko, kwiicawa zeNgqobhoko, kuye kwamiselwa imida engqongqo ngokuphathelele ilungelo lokuba ngumlungiseleli. Ukanti, akunjalo kumaNgqina kaYehova. Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba kwakungenjalo kwibandla lamaKristu lenkulungwane yokuqala.

Ngoobani Abalungiseleli BakaThixo Ngokwenene?

5. Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, abo bakhonza njengabalungiseleli baquka oobani?

⁵ Ngokutsho kweBhayibhile, bonke abanquli bakaYehova—abasezulwini nabasemhlabeni—bangabalungiseleli. Iingelosi zamlungiselela uYesu. (Mateyu 4:11; 26:53; Luka 22:43) Iingelosi ‘zilungiselela nabo baza kuzuz’ ilifa usindiso.’ (Hebhere 1:14; Mateyu 18:10) UYesu wayengumlungiseleli. Wathi: “UNyana womntu weza, kungekhona ukuze alungiselelwe, kodwa ukuze alungiselele.” (Mateyu 20:28; Roma 15:8) Ngoko ke, ekubeni abalandeli bakaYesu babefanele ‘balandele emanyathelweni akhe ngokusondeleyo,’ akumangalisi ukuba nabo babe ngabalungiseleli.—1 Petros 2:21.

6. Wabonisa njani uYesu ukuba abafundi bakhe bafanele babe ngabalungiseleli?

⁶ Ngaphambi nje kokuba anyukele ezulwini, uYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Hambani . . . niye kubenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke, nibabhaptiza egameni loYise neloNyana nelomoya oyingcwele, nibafundisa ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniyalele zona.” (Mateyu 28:19, 20) Abafundi bakaYesu babeza kwenza abafundi—babe ngabalungiseleli. Abafundi abatsha ababeza kubenza babeza kufunda baze bagcine zonke izinto ezaziyalelwe nguYesu, kuquka umyalelo wokuhamba baye kwenza abafundi. Enoba uyindoda okanye ungumfazi, ungumntu omdala okanye ungumntwana, umfundi wokwenene kaYesu Kristu wayeza kuba ngumlungiseleli.—Yoweli 2:28, 29.

7, 8. (a) Ziziphi izibhalo ezibonisa ukuba onke amaKristu ngabalungiseleli? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo ephakamayo ngokumiselwa?

⁷ Ngokuvisisana noku, ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., bekho bonke abafundi bakaYesu, amadoda nabafazi, bathelela ekuthetheni “izinto zobungangamela zikaThixo.” (IZenzo 2:1-11) Ngokubhekele phaya, umpostile uPawulos wabhala: “Ngentliziyo ubani ubonisa ukholo lobulungisa, kodwa ngomlomo wenza uvumo lwasesidlangalaleni losindiso.” (Roma 10:10) UPawulos wawabhekisa la mazwi, kungekhona kudidi lwabefundisi kuphela, kodwa kubo ‘bonke abo babeseRoma, beziintanda kuThixo.’ (Roma 1:1, 7) Ngokufanayo, bonke ‘abangcwele ababese-Efese nababethembekile ngokumanyene noKristu Yesu’ babemele ‘baxhobisele iinyawo zabo iindaba ezilungileyo zoxolo.’ (Efese 1:1; 6:15) Yaye bonke abo bakuvayo oko kwakuthethwa kwincwadi eyayisiya kumaHebhere babefanele ‘balubambe nkqi uvumo lwasesidlangalaleni lwethemba labo ngaphandle kokuxengaxenga.’—Hebhere 10:23.

⁸ Noko ke, umntu uba ngumlungiseleli nini? Ngamany’ amazwi, umiselwa nini? Yaye umiselwa ngubani?

Ukumiselwa Njengomlungiseleli—Nini?

9. UYesu wamiselwa nini, yaye ngubani?

⁹ Ukuze ubone ukuba umntu umiselwa nini yaye ngubani, phawula umzekelo kaYesu Kristu. Wayengenasiqinisekiso sokumiselwa okanye isidanga awayesifumene kwiziko lemfundo esingqina ukuba ungumlungiseleli, yaye akazange amiselwe ngumntu. Ngoko ke, sinokutsho njani ukuba wayengumlungiseleli? Ngenxa yokuba amazwi aphefumlelweyo kaIsaya azaliseka kuye: “Umoya kaYehova uphezu kwam, ngenxa yokuba undithambisele ukuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo.” (Luka 4:17-19; Isaya 61:1) Loo mazwi aqinisekisa ukuba uYesu wayethunyiwe ukuba avakalise iindaba ezilungileyo. Wayethunywe ngubani? Ekubeni wayethanjiswe ngumoya kaYehova ukuba enze lo msebenzi, ngokucacileyo uYesu wamiselwa nguYehova uThixo. Kwenzeka nini oku? Umoya kaYehova wafika kuYesu ekubhaptizweni kwakhe. (Luka 3:21, 22) Ngoko ke, wamiselwa ekubhaptizweni kwakhe.

10. Ngubani owenza umlungiseleli ongumKristu ukuba ‘afaneleke ngokwaneleyo’?

¹⁰ Kuthekani ngabalandeli bakaYesu benkulungwane yokuqala? NguYehova owabamisela njengabalungiseleli. UPawulos wathi: “Ukufaneleka ngokwaneleyo kwethu kuphuma kuThixo, oye eneneni wasenza sakufanelekela ngokwaneleyo ukuba ngabalungiseleli bomnqophiso omtsha.” (2 Korinte 3:5, 6) UYehova ubenza bafaneleke njani abanquli bakhe njengabalungiseleli? Phawula umzekelo kaTimoti, lowo uPawulos wambiza ngokuthi ‘ngumlungiseleli kaThixo kwiindaba ezilungileyo ezingoKristu.’—1 Tesalonika 3:2.

11, 12. UTimoti wayenza njani inkqubela ukuze abe ngumlungiseleli?

¹¹ La mazwi alandelayo awathethwa kuTimoti asinceda siqonde indlela awaba ngumlungiseleli ngayo: “Noko ke, wena yima ezintweni owazifundayo waza weyiselwa ekuzikholelweni, ubazi abantu owazifunda kubo, kuba uyaze kwasebusaneni imibhalo engcwele, enako ukukunika ubulumko obusa elusindisweni ngokukholwa kuKristu Yesu.” (2 Timoti 3:14, 15) Isiseko sokholo lukaTimoti, olwaluza kumshukumisela ukuba avakalise ekuhleni, yayilulwazi lweZibhalo. Ngaba kwakufuneka enze ufundo lobuqu kuphela ukuze afaneleke? Akunjalo. UTimoti kwakufuneka afumane uncedo ukuze azuze ulwazi oluchanileyo nokuqonda kokomoya koko wayekufunda. (Kolose 1:9) Ngaloo ndlela, uTimoti “weyiselwa ekuzikholelweni.” Ekubeni wayezaze “kwasebusaneni” iZibhalo, kumele ukuba abantu abamfundisayo kuqala ngunina nonina-khulu, ngokucacileyo uyise wayengakholwa.—2 Timoti 1:5.

¹² Noko ke, kwakubandakanyeke okuninzi ekubeni uTimoti abe ngumlungiseleli. Phakathi kwezinye izinto, ukholo lwakhe lomelezwa kukunxulumana kwakhe namaKristu awayekumabandla akufuphi. Sikwazi njani oko? Ngenxa yokuba xa uPawulos wadibana noTimoti okokuqala, lo mfana “kwakunikelwa ingxelo entle ngaye ngabazalwana eListra naseIkoniyo.” (IZenzo 16:2) Ukongezelela, ngaloo mihla abazalwana abathile babhala iileta eziya emabandleni ukuze bawomeleze. Yaye abaveleli babewatyelela ukuze akheke. Loo malungiselelo anceda amaKristu anjengoTimoti ukuba akhule ngokomoya.—IZenzo 15:22-32; 1 Petros 1:1.

13. UTimoti wamiselwa nini njengomlungiseleli, yaye kutheni unokuthi inkqubela yakhe yokomoya ayizange iphelele apho?

¹³ Ngokuvisisana nomyalelo kaYesu okuMateyu 28:19, 20, sinokuqiniseka ukuba ngaxa lithile ukholo lukaTimoti lwamshukumisela ukuba alinganise uYesu aze abhaptizwe. (Mateyu 3:15-17; Hebhere 10:5-9) Le yayiyimbonakaliso yokuzinikela kukaTimoti kuThixo ngomphefumlo uphela. Ekubhaptizweni kwakhe uTimoti waba ngumlungiseleli. Ukususela ngoko, ubomi bakhe, amandla akhe nento yonke awayenayo yaba yekaThixo. Le yayiyinxalenye ebalulekileyo yonqulo lwakhe, “inkonzo engcwele.” Noko ke, uTimoti akazange alale emqokozweni emva koko. Waqhubeka ekhula ngokomoya, esiba ngumlungiseleli ongumKristu oqolileyo. Oko kwenzeka ngenxa yokuba uTimoti wayenolwalamano olusondeleyo namaKristu aqolileyo afana noPawulos, esenza ufundisiso lobuqu yaye enenzondelelo kumsebenzi wokushumayela.—1 Timoti 4:14; 2 Timoti 2:2; Hebhere 6:1.

14. Namhlanje, ubani ‘onotyekelo olufanelekileyo lobomi obungunaphakade’ uyenza njani inkqubela ukuze abe ngumlungiseleli?

¹⁴ Namhlanje, ukumiselwa kukabani kubulungiseleli bamaKristu kuyafana. Ubani ‘onotyekelo olufanelekileyo ngobomi obungunaphakade’ uyancedwa afunde ngoThixo neenjongo zakhe ngesifundo seBhayibhile. (IZenzo 13:48) Loo mntu ufunda ukusebenzisa imigaqo yeBhayibhile ebomini bakhe aze athandaze kuThixo umthandazo onentsingiselo. (INdumiso 1:1-3; IMizekeliso 2:1-9; 1 Tesalonika 5:17, 18) Unxulumana namanye amakholwa aze axhamle amalungiselelo enziwa ‘likhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47; IMizekeliso 13:20; Hebhere 10:23-25) Ngaloo ndlela, wenza inkqubela ngenkqubo yemfundo elungelelanisiweyo.

15. Kwenzeka ntoni xa umntu ebhaptizwa? (Bona nombhalo osemazantsi.)

¹⁵ Ekugqibeleni, emva kokuba umfundi weBhayibhile ehlakulele uthando ngoYehova uThixo nokholo olomeleleyo kwidini lentlawulelo, unqwenela ukuzahlulela ngokupheleleyo kuYise osezulwini. (Yohane 14:1) Uzahlulela ngomthandazo wobuqu aze abhaptizwe njengembonakaliso yasesidlangalaleni yoko ebekwenze ngasese. Xa ebhaptizwa uyamiselwa ngenxa yokuba ngelo xesha ugqalwa njengomkhonzi ozahlulele ngokupheleleyo, idi·aʹko·nos, kaThixo. Umele ahlale ahlukile ehlabathini. (Yohane 17:16; Yakobi 4:4) Uzinikele wonke ‘njengombingelelo ophilayo, ongcwele, owamkelekileyo kuThixo’ engagogotye lutho. (Roma 12:1)b Ungumlungiseleli kaThixo, oxelisa uKristu.

Yintoni Ubulungiseleli BamaKristu?

16. Ziziphi ezinye zeembopheleleko awayenazo uTimoti njengomlungiseleli?

¹⁶ Babuquka ntoni ubulungiseleli bukaTimoti? Wayenemisebenzi ekhethekileyo njengeqabane likaPawulos awayehambahamba nalo. Yaye wathi akuba ngumdala, uTimoti wazibhokoxa ekufundiseni nasekomelezeni amanye amaKristu. Kodwa inxalenye esisiseko yobulungiseleli bakhe, njengoko kwakunjalo ngoYesu noPawulos, yayikukushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nokwenza abafundi. (Mateyu 4:23; 1 Korinte 3:5) UPawulos waxelela uTimoti oku: “Ke wena, hlala uthe qwa, nyamezela ububi, yenza umsebenzi womvangeli, bufeze ngokupheleleyo ubulungiseleli bakho.”—2 Timoti 4:5.

17, 18. (a) Bubuphi ubulungiseleli anenxaxheba kubo amaKristu? (b) Ubaluleke kangakanani umsebenzi wokushumayela kumlungiseleli ongumKristu?

¹⁷ Kuyafana nangabalungiseleli abangamaKristu namhlanje. Babandakanyeka kubulungiseleli bukawonke-wonke, umsebenzi wokushumayela, besalathisela abanye elusindisweni ngesizinzi sedini likaYesu yaye befundisa abalulamileyo ukuba babize egameni likaYehova. (IZenzo 2:21; 4:10-12; Roma 10:13) Bangqina ngokusuka eBhayibhileni ukuba uBukumkani kuphela kwethemba loluntu olubandezelekileyo yaye babonisa ukuba kwanangoku izinto ziba bhetele xa siphila ngemigaqo kaThixo. (INdumiso 15:1-5; Marko 13:10) Kodwa umlungiseleli ongumKristu akashumayeli ivangeli yokuphucula intlalo. Kunoko, ufundisa ukuba “uzinikelo lobuthixo lusinika ithemba kobu bomi nakobo buzayo.”—1 Timoti 4:8.

¹⁸ Liyinyaniso elokuba, inkoliso yabalungiseleli ineendlela ezongezelelekileyo zokukhonza, yaye ziyahluka kumKristu ngamnye. Abaninzi baneembopheleleko zentsapho. (Efese 5:21–6:4) Abadala nezicaka zolungiselelo banemisebenzi ebandleni. (1 Timoti 3:1, 12, 13; Tito 1:5; Hebhere 13:7) AmaKristu amaninzi ancedisa ekwakheni iiHolo ZoBukumkani. Amanye anelungelo elimangalisayo lokuba ngabasebenzi bokuzithandela kwelinye lamakhaya aseBheteli eWatch Tower Society. Noko ke, bonke abalungiseleli abangamaKristu banesabelo sokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo. Abakho abangenasabelo. Kukuba nesabelo kulo msebenzi okubonisa esidlangalaleni ukuba ubani ungumlungiseleli ongumKristu ngokwenene.

Isimo Sengqondo Somlungiseleli OngumKristu

19, 20. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo abamele basihlakulele abalungiseleli abangamaKristu?

¹⁹ Inkoliso yabalungiseleli beNgqobhoko ilindele ukunikwa intlonelo ekhethekileyo, yaye ibizwa ngokuthi “mfundisi” nokuthi “tata.” Noko ke, umlungiseleli ongumKristu uyazi ukuba nguYehova kuphela ofanelwe yintlonelo enzulu. (1 Timoti 2:9, 10) Akakho umKristu ofuna loo ntlonelo iphakamileyo okanye onqwenela ukubizwa ngendlela ekhethekileyo. (Mateyu 23:8-12) Uyazi ukuba intsingiselo esisiseko yegama elithi di·a·ko·niʹa ‘yinkonzo.’ Maxa wambi isenzi esinxulumene nalo eBhayibhileni sisetyenziswa ngokubhekisele kwinkonzo yobuqu, njengokulungiselela abantu ukutya. (Luka 4:39; 17:8; Yohane 2:5) Nangona lisetyenziswe ngendlela ezukileyo xa kuthethwa ngobulungiseleli bamaKristu, idi·aʹko·nos isesisicaka.

²⁰ Ngoko ke, akakho umlungiseleli ongumKristu onesizathu sokuziva ebalulekile. Abalungiseleli abangamaKristu okwenene—kwanabo baneembopheleleko ezikhethekileyo ebandleni—bangamakhoboka athobekileyo. UYesu wathi: “Nabani na ofuna ukuba mkhulu phakathi kwenu makabe ngumlungiseleli wenu, yaye nabani na ofuna ukuba ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu makabe likhoboka lenu.” (Mateyu 20:26, 27) Xa wayebonisa abafundi bakhe isimo sengqondo esifanele ukuhlakulelwa, uYesu wahlamba iinyawo zabo, esenza umsebenzi welona khoboka liphantsi. (Yohane 13:1-15) Enjani yona inkonzo yokuthobeka! Ngenxa yoko, abalungiseleli abangamaKristu bakhonza uYehova uThixo noYesu Kristu ngokuthobeka. (2 Korinte 6:4; 11:23) Babonisa ukuthobeka kwengqondo xa bekhonza abanye. Yaye xa beshumayela iindaba ezilungileyo, bakhonza abamelwane babo abangakholwayo ngokungazingci.—Roma 1:14, 15; Efese 3:1-7.

Nyamezela Kubulungiseleli

21. UPawulos wavuzwa njani ngokunyamezela kubulungiseleli?

²¹ UPawulos kwafuneka anyamezele njengomlungiseleli. Waxelela abaseKolose ukuba wabandezeleka ukuze ashumayele iindaba ezilungileyo kubo. (Kolose 1:24, 25) Noko ke, ngenxa yokunyamezela kwakhe, abaninzi bazamkela iindaba ezilungileyo baza baba ngabalungiseleli. Bazalwa njengoonyana bakaThixo nabazalwana bakaYesu Kristu, benethemba lokuba zizidalwa zokomoya kunye naye ezulwini. Onjani wona ukuzuka umvuzo wonyamezelo!

22, 23. (a) Kutheni kufuneka abalungiseleli abangamaKristu banyamezele namhlanje? (b) Sisiphi isiqhamo esingummangaliso esifumaneka ekunyamezeleni komKristu?

²² Unyamezelo luyimfuneko namhlanje kwabo bangabalungiseleli bakaThixo ngokwenene. Abaninzi batsala nzima mihla le ngenxa yokugula okanye iintlungu zokwaluphala. Abazali basebenza nzima—abaninzi kubo bengenamaqabane—bekhulisa abantwana. Ngenkalipho, abantwana baxhathisa iimpembelelo eziphosakeleyo ezibangqongileyo esikolweni. AmaKristu amaninzi ajamelene neemeko ezimaxongo zoqoqosho. Yaye abaninzi bayatshutshiswa okanye bajamelane nobunzima ngenxa ‘yamaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo’! (2 Timoti 3:1) Ewe, njengompostile uPawulos, abalungiseleli bakaYehova abamalunga nezigidi ezithandathu namhlanje banokuthi: “Ngandlela zonke siyazincomela njengabalungiseleli bakaThixo, ngokunyamezela okukhulu.” (2 Korinte 6:4) Abalungiseleli abangamaKristu abanikezeli. Bafanele banconywe ngokwenene ngonyamezelo lwabo.

²³ Ngaphezu koko, njengoko kwaba njalo ngoPawulos, unyamezelo luzisa iziqhamo ezimangalisayo. Ngokunyamezela, silondoloza ulwalamano lwethu olusenyongweni noYehova yaye siyayivuyisa intliziyo yakhe. (IMizekeliso 27:11) Someleza ukholo lwethu size senze abafundi, abongezelela kubuzalwana bobuKristu. (1 Timoti 4:16) UYehova uye wabomeleza abalungiseleli bakhe wasikelela nobulungiseleli babo kule mihla yokugqibela. Umphumo woko uye waba kukuhlanganiswa kwabokugqibela be-144 000, yaye izigidi ezingakumbi zinethemba eliqinisekileyo lokunandipha ubomi obungunaphakade kwiparadesi esemhlabeni. (Luka 23:43; ISityhilelo 14:1) Liyinyaniso elokuba, ubulungiseleli bamaKristu yimbonakaliso yenceba kaYehova. (2 Korinte 4:1) Ngamana sonke singabuxabisa size sibe nombulelo kukuba isiqhamo sabo siya kubakho ngonaphakade.—1 Yohane 2:17.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Ngaba Unokuchaza?

• Yiyiphi imbopheleleko awayenesabelo kuyo onke amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala?

• Umlungiseleli ongumKristu umiselwa nini yaye ngubani?

• Umlungiseleli ongumKristu ufanele ahlakulele siphi isimo sengqondo?

• Kutheni umlungiseleli ongumKristu efanele anyamezele xa kuvela iingxaki?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 16, 17]

UTimoti wafundiswa iLizwi likaThixo ukususela ebuntwaneni. Wamiselwa njengomlungiseleli ekubhaptizweni kwakhe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Ubhaptizo lufanekisela ukuzahlulela kuThixo yaye luphawula ubani njengomlungiseleli omiselweyo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]

Abalungiseleli abangamaKristu bakulungele ukukhonza