INgxenye 4
Elobukholwa Liye Langathembeka KuNkulunkulu NaseBhayibhelini
1, 2. Kungani abanye abantu bengalihloniphi iBhayibheli, kodwa iBhayibheli lithini?
1 Abantu emazweni amaningi baye bagwema iBhayibheli futhi baye bangalihlonipha ngenxa yokuziphatha okubi kwalabo abathi bayalilandela. Emazweni athile kuye kwathiwa iBhayibheli liyincwadi eholela empini, ukuthi liyincwadi yabelungu, nokuthi liyincwadi esekela isimiso samakoloni. Kodwa leyo yimibono eyiphutha.
2 IBhayibheli, njengoba lalotshwa eMpumalanga Ephakathi, alizisekeli izimpi zamakoloni nokuxhaphaza abanye ngokuhaha okuye kwaqhubeka kwenziwa egameni lobuKristu esikhathini eside kangaka. Ngokuphambene, ngokufunda iBhayibheli nokwazi izimfundiso zobuKristu beqiniso ezafundiswa nguJesu, uyobona ukuthi iBhayibheli likulahla ngokunamandla ukulwa, ukuziphatha okubi, nokuxhaphaza abanye. Iphutha likubantu abahahayo, alikho eBhayibhelini. (1 Korinte 13:1-6; Jakobe 4:1-3; 5:1-6; 1 Johane 4:7, 8) Ngakho-ke ungavumeli ukuba ukuziphatha kabi kwabantu abanobugovu abaphila ngokuphambene neseluleko esihle seBhayibheli kukuvimbele ukuba uzuze emicebweni yalo.
3. Amaqiniso omlando abonisani ngeLobukholwa?
3 Phakathi kwalabo abangaphili ngeBhayibheli kunabantu nezizwe zeLobukholwa. Igama elithi “eLobukholwa” lichazwa njengelisho leyongxenye yezwe lapho ubuKristu bunamandla khona. Ikakhulukazi liyizwe laseNtshonalanga nezimiso zalo zamasonto, ezaqala ukuvelela kusukela cishe ekhulwini lesine C.E. Sekungamakhulu eminyaka eLobukholwa lineBhayibheli, futhi abefundisi balo bethi bayalifundisa futhi bangabameleli bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa ingabe abefundisi nezithunywa zevangeli zeLobukholwa bafundisa iqiniso? Ingabe izenzo zabo ngempela zimelela uNkulunkulu neBhayibheli? Ingabe ngempela ubuKristu bunamandla kweLobukholwa? Cha. Selokhu inkolo yalo yaqala ukuvelela ekhulwini lesine, eLobukholwa liye lazibonakalisa liyisitha sikaNkulunkulu neseBhayibheli. Yebo, amaqiniso omlando abonisa ukuthi eLobukholwa liye langathembeka kuNkulunkulu naseBhayibhelini.
Izimfundiso Ezingezona EzingokweBhayibheli
4, 5. Iziphi izimfundiso ezingezona ezingokweBhayibheli ezifundiswa amasonto?
4 Izimfundiso eziyisisekelo zeLobukholwa azisekelwe eBhayibhelini kodwa ezinganekwaneni zasendulo—ezaseGrisi, eGibithe, eBabiloni, nakwezinye izindawo. Izimfundiso ezinjengokungafi komphefumulo womuntu ozalwa nakho, ukuhlushwa phakade emlilweni wesihogo, isihlanzo, noZiqu-zintathu (abantu abathathu kuNkulunkulu oyedwa) azitholakali eBhayibhelini.
5 Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela imfundiso yokuthi abantu ababi bayohlushwa kuze kube phakade esihogweni somlilo. Uzizwa kanjani ngalombono? Abaningi bawuthola wenyanyeka. Bakuthola kungenangqondo ukuthi uNkulunkulu angahlupha abantu kuze kube phakade, ebagcina besezinhlungwini ezinkulu. Umqondo onjalo ononya uphambene noNkulunkulu weBhayibheli, ngoba “uNkulunkulu uluthando.” (1 Johane 4:8) IBhayibheli likusho ngokucacile ukuthi imfundiso enjalo ‘yayingangenanga enhliziyweni’ kaNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke.—Jeremiya 7:31; 19:5; 32:35.
6. IBhayibheli liyiphikisa kanjani imfundiso yomphefumulo ongafi?
6 Namuhla izinkolo eziningi, kuhlanganise namasonto eLobukholwa, zifundisa ukuthi abantu banomphefumulo ongafi, okuthi lapho umuntu efa uye ezulwini noma esihogweni. Lokhu akuyona imfundiso yeBhayibheli. Esikhundleni salokho, iBhayibheli ngokucacile lithi: “Abaphilayo bayazi ukuthi bayakufa, kepha abafileyo abazi-lutho, . . . ngokuba akukho-msebenzi, namcabango, nakwazi, nakuhlakanipha endaweni yabafileyo, lapho uya khona.” (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Futhi umhubi uthi lapho umuntu efa ‘ubuyela emhlabathini wakhe; ngalona lolosuku amacebo akhe ayaphela.’—IHubo 146:4.
7. Saba yini isijeziso sika-Adamu no-Eva ngokwephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu?
7 Futhi, khumbula ukuthi lapho u-Adamu no-Eva bephula umthetho kaNkulunkulu, isijeziso asizange sibe ukungafi. Lokho kwakuyobe kuwumvuzo, hhayi isijeziso! Esikhundleni salokho, batshelwa ukuthi ‘babeyobuyela emhlabathini, lokhu babethathwe kuwo.’ UNkulunkulu wakugcizelela ku-Adamu: “Ngokuba ungumhlabathi, uyakuphenduka umhlabathi.” (Genesise 3:19) Ngakho, imfundiso yokungafi komphefumulo ozalwa nakho ayikho eBhayibhelini kodwa yabolekwa eLobukholwa kubantu abangewona amaKristu ababephila ngaphambi kwalo.
8. IBhayibheli liyiphikisa kanjani imfundiso yeLobukholwa kaZiqu-zintathu?
8 Futhi, imfundiso yeLobukholwa kaZiqu-zintathu iveza uNkulunkulu njengoNkulunkulu oyinqaba owenziwa abathathu emunye. Kodwa naleyomfundiso ayitholakali eBhayibhelini. Ngokwesibonelo, ku-Isaya 40:25, uNkulunkulu ngokucacile uthi: “Niyakungifanisa nobani ukuba ngifane naye?” Impendulo isobala: Akekho olingana noNkulunkulu. Futhi, iHubo 83:18 kalula lithi: “Nguwe wedwa ogama lakho linguJehova; ungoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke.”—Bheka no-Isaya 45:5; 46:9; Johane 5:19; 6:38; 7:16.
9. Yini esingase siyisho ngezimfundiso zeBhayibheli nangezimfundiso zamasonto eLobukholwa?
9 Izimfundiso zeBhayibheli ngoNkulunkulu nangezinjongo zakhe zicacile, kulula ukuziqonda, futhi zinengqondo. Kodwa izimfundiso zamasonto eLobukholwa azinjalo. Okubi nakakhulu, ziphikisana neBhayibheli.
Izenzo Zokungamesabi UNkulunkulu
10, 11. Kungaziphi izindlela izimfundiso zeBhayibheli zifuna okuphambene nalokho amasonto eLobukholwa ayekwenza?
10 Ngaphezu kokufundisa izimfundiso zamanga, eLobukholwa liye langathembeka kuNkulunkulu naseBhayibhelini ngezenzo zalo. Lokho abefundisi namasonto abaye bakwenza emakhulwini eminyaka adlule, futhi abaye baqhubeka bekwenza esikhathini sethu, kuphambene nalokho uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli akufunayo futhi kuphambene nalokho uMsunguli wobuKristu, uJesu Kristu, akufundisa futhi wakwenza.
11 Ngokwesibonelo, uJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bangazigaxi ezindabeni zezombangazwe zalelizwe futhi bangahileleki ezimpini zalo. Futhi wabafundisa ukuba bathande ukuthula, bathobele umthetho, bathande omakhelwane babo ngaphandle kwanoma iluphi ubandlululo, bazimisele ngisho nokudela ukuphila kwabo siqu kunokubulala abanye.—Johane 15:13; IzEnzo 10:34, 35; 1 Johane 4:20, 21.
12. Yini uJesu athi yayiyobonakalisa amaKristu eqiniso?
12 Ngempela, uJesu wafundisa ukuthi uthando ngabanye abantu lwaluyoba uphawu olwaluyohlukanisa amaKristu eqiniso kumaKristu amanga, abazenzisi. Wathi kulabo ababeyomlandela: “Ngininika umyalo omusha wokuba nithandane; njengalokho nginithandile, nani nithandane. Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma nithandana.”—Johane 13:34, 35; 15:12.
13, 14. Yini ebonisa ukuthi amasonto eLobukholwa awameleli uNkulunkulu?
13 Nokho, emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka, abefundisi beLobukholwa baye bazigaxa kwezombangazwe futhi basekela izimpi zamazwe akubo. Baze basekela ngisho nezinhlangothi ezilwayo ezimpini ezingaphakathi kweLobukholwa, njengezimpi zezwe ezimbili zalelikhulu leminyaka. Kulezozimpi abefundisi ohlangothini ngalunye bathandazela ukunqoba, futhi amalungu enkolo eyodwa elinye izwe ayebulala amalungu aleyonkolo efanayo akwelinye izwe. Kodwa yileyondlela iBhayibheli elithi abantwana bakaSathane, hhayi abakaNkulunkulu, benza ngayo. (1 Johane 3:10-12, 15) Ngakho, nakuba abefundisi nabalandeli babo beye bathi bangamaKristu, baye baphikisana nezimfundiso zikaJesu Kristu, owatshela abalandeli bakhe ukuba ‘babeke inkemba.’—Mathewu 26:51, 52.
14 Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka amasonto aye abambisana nemibuso yezombangazwe yeLobukholwa lapho lezozizwe zinqoba, zigqilaza, futhi zithobisa abanye abantu phakathi nenkathi yemibuso yombusi oyedwa. Bekulokhu kunjalo amakhulu eminyaka e-Afrika. Izwe laseChina nalo liye labhekana nalokhu, lapho izizwe zaseNtshonalanga ziphendla ngendluzula izindawo ezazizozibusa, njengaphakathi neziMpi Ze-Opium nezokulwa nabaVukeli BobuKristu eChina.
15. Yibuphi ububi obuye bagqugquzelwa eLobukholwa?
15 Izinkolo zeLobukholwa futhi bezilokhu zihola ekushushisweni, ekuhlushweni, ngisho nasekubulaweni kwalabo abangavumelani nazo phakathi nalawo makhulu eminyaka omlando abizwa ngokuthi iNkathi Yobumnyama. Phakathi nokuQulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki, okwathatha amakhulu eminyaka, imikhuba yonya, enjengokuhlupha nokubulala, yagunyazwa futhi yasetshenziswa kubantu abaphila ukuphila okuhle, nabangenacala. Abagqugquzeli kwakungabefundisi nabalandeli babo, bonke ababethi bangamaKristu. Baze bazama ngisho nokuqeda iBhayibheli ukuze abantu abavamile bangakwazi ukulifunda.
Azibona UbuKristu
16, 17. Kungani singase sithi amasonto awabona ubuKristu?
16 Cha, izizwe namasonto eLobukholwa zazingebona ubuKristu, futhi azibona. Azizona izinceku zikaNkulunkulu. IZwi lakhe eliphefumlelwe lithi ngazo: “Bavuma ukuthi bayamazi uNkulunkulu‚ kepha bayamphika ngemisebenzi yabo bengabenyanyekayo‚ nabangalaleliyo‚ nasemisebenzini yonke emihle kabasizi-lutho.”—Thithu 1:16.
17 UJesu wathi inkolo yamanga ingabonakala ngalokho eyakukhiqiza, izithelo zayo. Wathi: “Xwayani abaprofethi bamanga abeza kini bembathisé okwezimvu‚ kepha ngaphakathi bayizimpisi eziphangayo. Niyakubazi ngezithelo zabo. . . . Yilowo nalowomuthi omuhle uthela izithelo ezinhle‚ kepha umuthi omubi uthela izithelo ezimbi. Umuthi omuhle ungethele izithelo ezimbi‚ nomuthi omubi ungethele izithelo ezinhle. Yilowo nalowomuthi ongatheli izithelo ezinhle uyanqunywa‚ uphonswe emlilweni. Njalo-ke niyakubazi [abaprofethi bamanga] ngezithelo zabo.”—Mathewu 7:15-20.
18. Yini eye yaba umphumela wezimfundiso nezenzo zeLobukholwa?
18 Ngakho, ngalokho eziye zakufundisa nalokho eziye zakwenza, izinkolo zeLobukholwa ziye zabonisa ukuthi kungamanga ukusho kwazo ukuthi zikholelwa eBhayibhelini nokuthi ziyamesaba uNkulunkulu futhi zingamaKristu. Ziye zangathembeka kuNkulunkulu naseBhayibhelini. Ngokwenza kanjalo, ziye zanenga izigidi zabantu futhi zazibangela ukuba zifulathele ukukholelwa kuMuntu Ophakeme.
19. Ingabe ukuhluleka kweLobukholwa kusho ukuhluleka kukaNkulunkulu neBhayibheli?
19 Nokho, ukuhluleka kwabefundisi namasonto eLobukholwa, kanye nokuhluleka kwezinye izinkolo ezingezona ezeLobukholwa, akusho ukuhluleka kweBhayibheli. Futhi akusho ukuthi uNkulunkulu uhlulekile. Kunalokho, iBhayibheli lisitshela ngoMuntu Ophakeme okhona ngempela futhi osikhathalela ngempela thina nekusasa lethu. Libonisa indlela ayovuza ngayo abantu abanhliziyo ziqotho abafuna ukwenza okulungile, abafuna ukubona ubulungisa nokuthula kuvama emhlabeni wonke. Futhi libonisa ukuthi kungani uNkulunkulu eye wavumela ububi nokuhlupheka ukuba kube khona nendlela ayohlanza ngayo umhlaba asuse labo abalimaza omakhelwane babo, kanye nalabo abathi bayamkhonza kodwa bengamkhonzi.
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Dante’s “Inferno”
[Umthombo]
Doré’s illustration of Barrators—Giampolo for Dante’s Divine Comedy
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Christendom’s Trinity
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Hindu trinity
[Umthombo]
Courtesy of The British Museum
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
Egyptian trinity
[Umthombo]
Museo Egizio, Turin
[Izithombe ekhasini 18]
Ngokuphambene nezimfundiso zikaJesu, abefundisi kuzo zombili izinhlangothi baye basekela izimpi
[Umthombo]
U.S. Army photo