“Gijimani Ngendlela Yokuba Niwufinyelele”

“Gijimani ngendlela yokuba niwufinyelele.”—1 KOR. 9:24.

1, 2. (a) UPawulu wasebenzisani ukuze akhuthaze amaKristu angamaHebheru? (b) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ziyalwa ukuba zenzeni?

ENCWADINI ayibhalela amaHebheru, umphostoli uPawulu wasebenzisa umfanekiso onamandla ukuze akhuthaze amaKristu ayekanye nawo. Wawakhumbuza ukuthi ayengagijimi wodwa emncintiswaneni wokuphila. Ayehaqwe ‘ifu elikhulu lofakazi,’ elaliwuqede ngempumelelo umncintiswano. Ukuzazi kahle izenzo zokwethembeka nokuzikhandla zalaba bagijimi abawandulela, kwakuyonika amaKristu angamaHebheru ugqozi lokuqhubeka nomncintiswano, angakhathali.

² Esihlokweni esandulele, sixoxe ngenkambo yokuphila yabaningana ‘abasefwini lofakazi.’ Bonke babonisa ukuthi ukuba nokholo olungantengantengi kwabasiza bahlala beqotho kuNkulunkulu, njengokungathi babezikhandlela ukuba bafike entanjeni. Singathola isifundo ekuphumeleleni kwabo. Njengoba kuphawuliwe kuleso sihloko, uPawulu wayala izinceku ezikanye naye, kuhlanganise nathi: “Masilahle konke okusindayo nesono esisithandela kalula, futhi masiwugijime ngokukhuthazela lo mncintiswano obekwe phambi kwethu.”—Heb. 12:1.

3. UPawulu wayegcizelela liphi iphuzu lapho ekhuluma ngabagijimi emidlalweni yamaGreki?

³ Ngokuphathelene nomncintiswano wokugijima, owawungomunye wemidlalo eyayithandwa kakhulu ngaleso sikhathi, incwadi ethi Backgrounds of Early Christianity isitshela ukuthi “amaGreki ayezivocavoca futhi egijima enqunu.”a Ezimweni ezinjalo, abagijimi babekhumula noma yini esindayo noma engase ibe umthwalo eyayinganciphisa ijubane labo. Nakuba singase sikubone kungafaneleki futhi kungenasizotha lokho, babegijima bekuleso simo benomgomo owodwa, ukuthola umklomelo. Iphuzu likaPawulu laliwukuthi ukuze bathole umklomelo emncintiswaneni wokuphila, kubalulekile ukuba abagijimi basuse noma yiziphi izithiyo. Lesi kwakuyiseluleko esinengqondo kumaKristu angaleso sikhathi futhi sisasebenza nakithi. Iziphi izinto ezisindayo noma imithwalo engase isiphazamise ekutholeni umklomelo emncintiswaneni wokuphila?

“Masilahle Konke Okusindayo”

4. Yini abantu bosuku lukaNowa ababematasa ngayo?

⁴ UPawulu waseluleka ukuba “silahle konke okusindayo.” Lokhu kuhlanganisa yonke into engasenza singagxili ngokugcwele futhi singenzi okusemandleni ethu onke kulo mncintiswano esiwugijimayo. Zingase zibe yini lezi zinto ezisindayo? Uma sicabanga ngoNowa—omunye walezo zibonelo ezacashunwa uPawulu—sikhumbula lokho uJesu akusho: “Njengoba nje kwenzeka ezinsukwini zikaNowa, kuyoba njalo nasezinsukwini zeNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 17:26) Ngokuyinhloko, uJesu lapha wayengaqhathanisi imbubhiso ezayo eyodlula noma iyiphi eyake yaba khona; wayekhuluma ngendlela yokuphila yalabo bantu. (Funda uMathewu 24:37-39.) Iningi labantu bosuku lukaNowa lalingenandaba noNkulunkulu, ingasaphathwa eyokulwela ukumjabulisa. Yini eyayibaphazamisa? Izici ezivamile zokuphila—ukudla, ukuphuza nokushada. UJesu wathi inkinga yabo yangempela ukuthi ‘abanakanga.’

5. Yini engasisiza ukuba siwugijime size siwuqede umncintiswano?

⁵ NjengoNowa nomkhaya wakhe, sinokuningi okufanele sikwenze nsuku zonke. Kudingeka sisebenze ukuze siphile futhi sizinakekele thina nemikhaya yethu. Lokho kungadla isikhathi sethu esiningi, amandla nemali. Kulula ukukhathazeka ngezidingo zokuphila ikakhulu lapho izimo zomnotho zicindezela. NjengamaKristu azinikezele, sinanemithwalo yemfanelo ebalulekile engokwasezulwini. Sihlanganyela enkonzweni, silungiselele futhi siye emihlanganweni yobuKristu, futhi sizigcina siqinile ngokomoya ngesifundo somuntu siqu nokukhulekela komkhaya. Nakuba kwakukuningi okwakudingeka uNowa akwenze enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu, “wenza kanjalo nje.” (Gen. 6:22) Ngokuqinisekile, kubalulekile ukugcina imithwalo yethu imincane nokugwema ukuthatha imithwalo engadingeki uma sifuna ukugijima size sifike entanjeni kulo mncintiswano wamaKristu.

6, 7. Isiphi iseluleko sikaJesu okufanele sihlale sisikhumbula?

⁶ Wayesho ukuthini uPawulu lapho ethi masilahle “konke okusindayo”? Yiqiniso, ngeke sikwazi ukuyethula yonke imithwalo yemfanelo esinayo. Kule ndaba, khumbula amazwi kaJesu: “Ningalokothi nikhathazeke nithi, ‘Sizodlani?’ noma, ‘Sizophuzani?’ noma, ‘Sizogqokani?’ Ngoba konke lokhu kuyizinto izizwe eziziphishekela ngokulangazela. UYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyazidinga zonke lezi zinto.” (Math. 6:31, 32) Amazwi kaJesu abonisa ukuthi ngisho nezinto okuthiwa ezivamile, njengokudla nokokugqoka, zingaba umthwalo osindayo noma isikhubekiso uma singazigcini zisendaweni yazo efanele.

⁷ Qaphela amazwi kaJesu: “UYihlo wasezulwini uyazi ukuthi niyazidinga zonke lezi zinto.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi uBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova, uyokwenza ingxenye yakhe ukuze anakekele izidingo zethu. Yebo, kungenzeka ukuba “zonke lezi zinto” zingabi yilokho thina esithambekele kukho noma esikufunayo. Noma kunjalo, sitshelwa ukuba singakhathazeki ‘ngezinto izizwe eziziphishekela ngokulangazela.’ Kungani? Lapho uJesu kamuva eluleka izilaleli zakhe wasichaza isizathu: “Qaphelani ukuba izinhliziyo zenu zingalokothi zisindwe ukuminza nokuphuza kakhulu nezinkathazo zokuphila, ngokungazelelwe lolo suku lunifice ngaso leso sikhathi, njengogibe.”—Luka 21:34, 35.

8. Kungani manje ngokukhethekile kuyisikhathi sokuba ‘silahle konke okusindayo’?

⁸ Sekuseduze sifike entanjeni yalo mncintiswano. Yeka ukuthi kungaba okudabukisa kanjani uma singavuma ukuba sisindwe izinto ezingadingeki ezizosikhinyabeza sibe sesiseduze kangaka nentambo! Ngakho-ke, lesi seluleko somphostoli uPawulu sihlakaniphe ngempela: “Kuyindlela yokuthola inzuzo enkulu, lokhu kuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kanye nokwaneliswa.” (1 Thim. 6:6) Ukulalelisisa amazwi kaPawulu kuyowandisa kakhulu amathuba ethu okuthola umklomelo.

‘Isono Esisithandela Kalula’

9, 10. (a) Ibhekiselaphi inkulumo ethi ‘isono esithandela kalula’? (b) NjengamaKristu, singathandeleka kanjani?

⁹ Ngaphandle kokukhuluma ‘ngakho konke okusindayo,’ uPawulu wabuye wakhuluma ngokulahla ‘isono esisithandela kalula.’ Singase sibe yini? Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “thandela kalula” livela kanye eBhayibhelini, kuleli vesi kuphela. Isazi u-Albert Barnes sathi: “Njengoba umgijimi eyoqikelela ukuba angagqoki ingubo engase ithandeleke emilenzeni yakhe bese imkhuba, kufanele kube njalo nangomKristu okufanele ngempela abekele eceleni noma yini efuze lokhu.” Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba umKristu athandeleke, kuze kuphumele ekutheni ukholo lwakhe lube buthaka?

¹⁰ UmKristu akamane nje avuke engasenalo ukholo. Lokhu kungase kwenzeke kancane kancane futhi kungabonakali. Ekuqaleni kwencwadi yakhe, uPawulu waxwayisa ngengozi ‘yokukhukhuleka’ ‘neyokukhula kwenhliziyo embi entula ukholo.’ (Heb. 2:1; 3:12) Lapho ingubo ithandela imilenze yomgijimi, nakanjani uyowa. Ingozi yokuthandeleka iba nkulu uma umgijimi engayinaki ingozi yokugqoka uhlobo oluthile lwengubo lapho egijima. Yini engase imenze angayinaki le ngozi? Kungaba ubudedengu noma ukuzethemba ngokweqile noma isiphazamiso esithile. Yini esingayifunda eselulekweni sikaPawulu?

11. Yini engasenza siphelelwe ukholo?

¹¹ Kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi ukuphelelwa ukholo kuwumphumela walokho esingase sikwenze isikhathi eside. Ngokuphathelene nenkulumo ethi ‘isono esisithandela kalula,’ esinye isazi siphawula ukuthi lesi “siyisono esisizakala kakhulu ngathi, ngezimo zethu, ukwakheka kwethu, nangabangane bethu.” Umqondo uwukuthi indawo esikuyo, ubuthakathaka bomuntu siqu nabangane bethu kungaba nethonya elikhulu kithi. Kungenza ukholo lwethu lube buthaka noma luphele nokuphela.—Math. 13:3-9.

12. Iziphi izikhumbuzo okufanele sizikhumbule ukuze singaphelelwa ukholo?

¹² Sekuyiminyaka isigaba senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo silokhu sisikhumbuza ukuba siqaphele lokho esikubukayo nesikulalelayo, okungukuthi, lokho esigxilisa izingqondo nezinhliziyo zethu kukho. Siye saxwayiswa ngengozi yokuthandelwa ukuphishekela imali nezinto ezibonakalayo. Singase siphambukiswe ubukhazikhazi bezokuzijabulisa noma inqwaba yezinto zobuchwepheshe ezikhiqizwa njalo. Kungaba iphutha elikhulu ukuba nomuzwa wokuthi iseluleko esinjalo siqine kakhulu noma ukuthi sisebenza kwabanye, thina ngandlela-thile sigonyiwe ezingozini ezinjalo. Izinto ezithandelayo izwe likaSathane elizibeka phambi kwethu ziyakhohlisa futhi zicashile. Ukuba budedengu, ukuzethemba ngokweqile neziphazamiso kuye kwakhuba abathile, futhi izinto ezinjalo zingathinta ithemba lethu lokuthola umklomelo wokuphila.—1 Joh. 2:15-17.

13. Singazivikela kanjani emathonyeni alimazayo?

¹³ Nsuku zonke, sichayeka kubantu abakhuthaza imigomo, izimiso zokuziphatha nokucabanga kwezwe elisizungezile. (Funda eyabase-Efesu 2:1, 2.) Noma kunjalo, ukuthi siyothinteka kangakanani kuxhomeke kakhulu kithi nasendleleni esisabela ngayo kula mathonya. “Umoya” uPawulu akhuluma ngawo uyabulala. Kudingeka sihlale siqaphile ukuze singahilwa noma sicinaniswe yilo moya bese sihluleka ukufika entanjeni. Yini eyosisiza ukuba siqhubeke nomncintiswano? Ukubheka uJesu njengomgijimi ophelele oholayo. (Heb. 12:2) Sinanesibonelo sikaPawulu, ngoba wazibala phakathi kwabagijimi abasemncintiswaneni wamaKristu futhi wanxusa amakholwa ayekanye nawo ukuba amlingise.—1 Kor. 11:1; Fil. 3:14.

“Niwufinyelele”—Kanjani?

14. UPawulu wayekubheka kanjani ukuba kwakhe semncintiswaneni?

¹⁴ UPawulu wakubheka kanjani ukuba kwakhe semncintiswaneni? Encwadini yakhe yokugcina ayibhalela abadala base-Efesu wathi: “Umphefumulo wami angiwenzi obaluleke njengokungathi uyigugu kimi, uma nje ngingaqeda inkambo yami nenkonzo engayamukela eNkosini uJesu.” (IzE. 20:24) Wayezimisele ukudela yonke into, kuhlanganise nokuphila kwakhe, ukuze afike entanjeni. KuPawulu, yonke imizamo yakhe nokuzikhandla kwakhe ngokuphathelene nezindaba ezinhle, kwakungaba ize uma ayengahluleka ukuqeda ibanga. Noma kunjalo, akazange azethembe ngokweqile, enomuzwa wokuthi nakanjani uyowuthola umklomelo. (Funda eyabaseFilipi 3:12, 13.) Waze washo la mazwi ngokuqiniseka kuphela lapho esezokufa: “Ngikulwile ukulwa okuhle, ngiligijimile ibanga ngaze ngayoqeda, ngilugcinile ukholo.”—2 Thim. 4:7.

15. Isiphi isikhuthazo uPawulu asinika abagijimi ayekanye nabo emncintiswaneni?

¹⁵ Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPawulu wayenesifiso esiqotho sokubona amaKristu ayekanye nawo eqeda umncintiswano, engayeki phakathi. Ngokwesibonelo, wanxusa amaKristu aseFilipi ukuba ayisebenzele kanzima insindiso yawo. Kwakudingeka ‘alibambe ngokuqinile izwi lokuphila.’ Waqhubeka: “Ukuze ngibe nesizathu sokwethaba osukwini lukaKristu, ngokuthi angigijimelanga ize noma ngasebenza kanzima ngeze.” (Fil. 2:16) Wabuye wanxusa namaKristu aseKorinte: “Gijimani ngendlela yokuba niwufinyelele [umklomelo].”—1 Kor. 9:24.

16. Kungani kufanele umgomo noma umklomelo ucace ezingqondweni zethu?

¹⁶ Lapho kugijinywa umncintiswano webanga elide, intambo isuke ingabonakali ekuqaleni. Noma kunjalo, kuwo wonke lowo mncintiswano, umgijimi uhlale egxile ekuwuqedeni. Lokho agxile kukho kuya kuba sobala lapho esazi ukuthi sekuseduze afinyelele emgomweni. Kufanele kube okufanayo nangomncintiswano wethu. Umgomo, noma umklomelo, kudingeka ube ngokoqobo kithi. Lokho kuyosisiza ukuba siwufinyelele.

17. Ukholo luhileleke kanjani ekuhlaleni sigxile emklomelweni?

¹⁷ UPawulu wabhala: “Ukholo luwukulindelwa okuqinisekisiwe kwezinto ezithenjwayo, ukuboniswa okusobala kwezinto ezingokoqobo nakuba zingabonakali.” (Heb. 11:1) U-Abrahama noSara bavuma ukushiya indlela yabo yokuphila enethezekile futhi baphila ‘njengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ezweni.’ Yini eyabasiza? ‘Bakubona kusekude ukugcwaliseka kwezithembiso zikaNkulunkulu.’ UMose wenqaba ‘ukujabula isikhashana esonweni’ “nemicebo yaseGibhithe.” Yini eyamenza waba nokholo namandla okwenza lokho? “Wagxilisa amehlo ekukhokhweni komvuzo.” (Heb. 11:8-13, 24-26) Akumangalisi ukuthi kungani uPawulu lapho echaza ngamunye wala bantu andulelisa incazelo yakhe ngegama elithi “ngokholo.” Ukholo lwabenza babheka ngalé kovivinyo nobunzima bangaleso sikhathi futhi babona lokho uNkulunkulu ayekwenza ngenxa yabo nalokho ayesazokwenza.

18. Iziphi izinyathelo esingazithatha ukuze silahle ‘isono esisithandela kalula’?

¹⁸ Singahlakulela ukholo futhi silahle ‘isono esisithandela kalula’ ngokuzindla ngamadoda nabesifazane bokholo okukhulunywa ngabo kumaHebheru isahluko 11 nangokulingisa isibonelo sabo. (Heb. 12:1) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ‘singacabangelana ukuze sivuselelane uthando nemisebenzi emihle,’ ngokubuthana ndawonye nabantu abahlakulela ukholo olufanayo.—Heb. 10:24.

19. Uzizwa kanjani ngokuhlale ugxile emklomelweni?

¹⁹ Sekuseduze ukuba umncintiswano wethu ufinyelele ekupheleni. Kunjengokungathi intambo isiyabonakala. Ngokholo nangosizo lukaJehova, nathi ‘singalahla konke okusindayo nesono esisithandela kalula.’ Yebo, singagijima ngendlela yokuba siwuthole umklomelo—izibusiso esizithenjiswe uNkulunkulu wethu noBaba, uJehova.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ingabe Uyakhumbula?

• Yini ehilelekile ekulahleni “konke okusindayo”?

• Yini engase ibangele umKristu ukuba aphelelwe ukholo?

• Kungani kufanele sihlale sigxile emklomelweni?

[Isithombe ekhasini 23]

Siyini ‘isono esisithandela kalula,’ futhi singase sisithandele kanjani?