Indlela Ukulinda KobuKristu Okwafiphala Ngayo

UJESU watshela abafundi bakhe ukuba ‘balinde’ ukuba-khona kwakhe nokuza koMbuso wakhe. (Marku 13:37) Kunobufakazi obuningi emiBhalweni YesiGreki YobuKristu bokuthi amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala enza lokho kanye. Eqinisweni, amanye aphelelwa ukubekezela. (2 Thesalonika 2:1, 2) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukuze bavimbele noma ikuphi ukuyekethisa ekulindeni kobuKristu, uPawulu, uJakobe, uPetru noJohane bonke babhala izincwadi abayala ngazo abazalwane babo ukuba bazigcine bephapheme ngokomoya lapho belinda ngokubekezela “ukuba-khona” kukaKristu ‘nosuku lweNkosi.’—Heberu 10:25, 37; Jakobe 5:7, 8; 1 Petru 4:7; 2 Petru 3:1-15; 1 Johane 2:18, 28.

Izincwadi ezikhishwe izazi zomlando nezenkolo zeLobukholwa ziyaliqaphela leliqiniso. KuyiSupplément yayo ebanzi, iDictionnaire de la Bible yesiFulentshi egunyaziwe yamaKatolika ithi: “Kuyize ukuzama ngakho konke okusemandleni ukuphika isimo sokulinda isiphelo esiboniswa kweminingi imibhalo yeTestamente Elisha. . . . EbuKristwini bakuqala ukulindelwa kweParousia [ukuba-khona] kufeza ingxenye ebalulekile futhi kuqhubeka kusuka kolunye uhlangothi lweT[estamente] E[lisha] kuya kolunye.”

Kodwa kungani ezinye zezazi zenkolo zeLobukholwa “zizama ngakho konke okusemandleni ukuphika isimo sokulinda isiphelo” esasibonakala kumaKristu akuqala? Ngokungangabazeki, ukuze kuthethelelwe isimo sokozela okungokomoya esibonakala namuhla kwamaningi amaKristu okuzisholo nabaholi bawo abangokomoya. Lolushintsho lweza kanjani?

Indlela Ukulinda Okwafiphala Ngayo

Ukuncipha kokulinda kobuKristu kwakungomunye wemiphumela yokuhlubuka okwase kuqalile kakade ukuzibonakalisa ngisho nangaphambi kokufa kwabaphostoli bakaKristu. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa ngokuthi ukuhlubuka kwase ‘kusebenza’ phakathi kwebandla lobuKristu ngosuku lwakhe. (2 Thesalonika 2:3, 4, 7) Eminyakeni embalwa kamuva, umphostoli uPetru waxwayisa amaKristu ayekanye naye ‘ngabafundisi bamanga’ ‘nangabahleka usulu’ ababeyothi: “Siphi isithembiso sokufika kwakhe na? Ngokuba kuselokhu obaba balala, konke kumi kunjalo njengakwasekuqaleni kokudalwa.”—2 Petru 2:1; 3:3, 4.

Ngokuthakazelisayo, ukulinda okufanelekile kobuKristu kwalondolozwa isikhashana yilabo abakholelwa iqiniso elingokomBhalo lokuthi “ukuba-khona” kukaJesu okuthenjisiwe kuyomemezela ukuba seduze kokuBusa kwakhe Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane emhlabeni. UJustin Martyr (owafa cishe ngo-165 C.E.), uIrenaeus (owafa cishe ngo-202 C.E.) noTertullian (owafa ngemva kuka-220 C.E.) bonke babekholelwa ekuBuseni KukaKristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane futhi batusa ukulinda ngentshiseko ukuphela kwalesimiso esibi sezinto.

Njengoba isikhathi sidlula nokuhlubuka kwanda, ithemba lokubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane lokuguqulwa komhlaba ube yipharadesi lembulunga yonke ngaphansi koMbuso kaKristu kancane kancane lathathelwa isikhundla ukulinda okucatshangelwayo okusekelwe embonweni wamaGreki wokungafi komuntu okungokwemvelo. Ithemba lePharadesi kwathiwa aliyikugcwaliseka emhlabeni kodwa ezulwini, lizuzwa ngesikhathi sokufa. Ukulindela kobuKristu iparousia kaKristu noma ukuba-khona nokuza koMbuso wakhe kwancipha ngaleyondlela. ‘Kungani kumelwe ulinde ngentshiseko isibonakaliso sokuba-khona kukaJesu,’ becabanga, ‘lapho ungaba nethemba lokuhlangana noKristu ezulwini ngesikhathi sokufa?’

Lokhu kufiphala kokulinda kobuKristu kwenza amaKristu ahlubukayo ukuba azihlele abe ibandla elakhiwe kahle elimehlo alo ayengasagxilile kuparousia ezayo, noma ukuba-khona kukaKristu, kodwa kunalokho, ekubuseni amalungu alo, futhi uma kunokwenzeka, umhlaba. IThe New Encyclopædia Britannica ithi: “[Okubonakala] kuwukulibala kweParousia kwaphumela ekwenzeni buthaka ukulinda okusondelayo ebandleni lokuqala. Kulenqubo yokululaza imfundiso “Ngezinto Zokugcina” isonto elihleliwe langena ngokwandayo esikhundleni soMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ukwakhiwa kweSonto lamaKatolika njengokuhlelwa kombuso wababhishobhi kuxhumene ngokuqondile nokuncipha kokulinda okusondelayo.”

Ukushaya Okubulalayo Kuyagalelwa

“Ubaba” wesonto, noma “udokotela,” owabulala ukulinda kobuKristu ngokungangabazeki kwakunguAugustine waseHippo (354-430 C.E.) Encwadini yakhe edumile iThe City of God, uAugustine wathi: “Isonto elisemhlabeni manje liyikho kokubili umbuso kaKristu nombuso wezulu.”

IThe New Bible Dictionary ichaza umphumela lombono owaba nawo emfundisweni yamaKatolika, ithi: “Emfundisweni yamaKatolika isici esiphawulekayo ukufanisa umbuso kaNkulunkulu nesonto elungiselelweni lasemhlabeni, ukufanisa okwabangelwa ngokuyinhloko ithonya lika-Augustine. Ngombuso webandla labefundisi uKristu ubonakaliswa njengeNkosi yombuso kaNkulunkulu. Indawo yalombuso inemingcele efana neyamandla esonto negunya. Umbuso wezulu wandiswa ukuthunywa nokuthuthuka kwesonto emhlabeni.”

Lokhu kwasusa sonke isidingo ‘sokulinda’ isibonakaliso esasiyobonisa ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ususeduze. Ebhala kuThe New Encyclopædia Britannica, uProfessor E. W. Benz uyakuqinisekisa lokhu, ethi: “Yena [uAugustine] walulaza ukulinda okusondelayo, kwakuqala ngokumemezela ukuthi uMbuso kaNkulunkulu usuqalile kakade kulomhlaba ngokumiswa kwesonto; isonto liwummeleli ongokomlando woMbuso kaNkulunkulu eMhlabeni. Uvuko lokuqala, ngokuka-Augustine, lwenzeka ngokuqhubekayo ngaphakathi kwesonto ngesimo soBhapathizo, abathembekile abangeniswa ngalo eMbusweni kaNkulunkulu.”

UAugustine uyena futhi owaphelelisa ukulahla kweLobukholwa ithemba elingokomBhalo lokuBusa KukaJesu Kristu Kweminyaka Eyinkulungwane ayobuyisela ngayo iPharadesi emhlabeni. (IsAmbulo 20:1-3, 6; 21:1-5) IThe Catholic Encyclopedia iyavuma: “USt. Augustine ekugcineni wakholelwa ukuthi akunakuba khona ukubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane. . . . Isabatha leminyaka eyinkulungwane ngemva kweminyaka eyizinkulungwane eziyisithupha yomlando, iwukuphila okuphakade kukonke; noma, ngamanye amazwi, isibalo senkulungwane sisho ukuphelela.” IBritannica Macropædia (1977) iyanezela: “Kuyena [u-Augustine] ukubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane kwase kuyisimo esingokomoya isonto lilonke elalingene kuso ngePentekoste. . . . Kwakungalindelwe kungenela kwaphezulu okusondelayo emlandweni.” Kanjalo, kumaKatolika umthandazo othi “mawufike umbuso wakho” waba yize.

Umnyama Wasendulo

Sitshelwa ukuthi incazelo ka-Augustine “yaba imfundiso eyinhloko ezikhathini zasendulo.” Ngakho-ke, ukulinda kobuKristu, kwehla kakhulu kunanini ngaphambili. Siyafunda: “KweLobukholwa lasendulo, imfundiso “ngeZinto Zokugcina” yeTestamente Elisha yafakwa esimisweni sezimfundiso esasizisekelo zaso zemibono yabantu okokuqala zingezikaPlato [isazi esingumGreki] futhi, kamuva entshonalanga zingezika-Aristotle [isazi esingumGreki]. Imibono engokwesiko ngeparousia, uvuko nokunye kwahlanganiswa nomqondo wamaGreki womphefumulo nokungafi kwawo. . . . UbuKristu basendulo . . . [bashiya] okuncane ukulangazela izinto zokugcina. Nokho, lokhu kulangazela kwakusekhona; kwakutholakala emahlelweni athile ahlubuke esontweni.”—Encyclopædia Britannica, ka-1970.

ISonto lamaRoma Katolika likhuluma ngokuweya ‘amahlelo anjalo ahlubuke esontweni,’ liwabiza ngokuthi “amahlelo abakholelwa ekubuseni kweminyaka eyinkulungwane.” Izazimlando zalo zikhuluma ngokugxeka “Ukwesaba Konyaka We-1000.” Kodwa kwakuyiphutha likabani ukuthi abaningi abantu abavamile babesaba ukuthi izwe laliyophela ngonyaka we-1000? Lokhu “kwesaba” kwakuwumphumela oqondile wemfundiso ‘kaSanta’ uAugustine ongumKatolika. Wathi uSathane waboshwa ngesikhathi sokuza kukaKristu kokuqala. Njengoba isAmbulo 20:3, 7, 8 sithi uSathane uyoboshwa iminyaka eyi-1000 futhi emva kwalokho “uyakukhululwa . . . aphumele ukudukisa izizwe,” akumangalisi ukuthi abanye abantu ekhulwini leshumi leminyaka babesaba okwakungase kwenzeke ngonyaka ka-1000.

Ngokusobala, iSonto LamaRoma Katolika elingokomthetho lakulahla lokhu ‘kwesaba,’ njengoba lalahla iNhloko Yezindela uJoachim waseFlora, owabikezela ukuphela kwesikhathi sobuKristu ngonyaka ka-1260. Ekugcineni, ngo-1516, eMkhandlwini Wesihlanu WaseLateran, uPapa Leo X wenqabela ngokomthetho noma imuphi umKatolika ukuba abikezele isikhathi sokufika kukaMphikuKristu nokwaHlulela Kokugcina. Ukweqiwa komthetho onjalo kwaletha isijeziso sokuxoshwa esontweni!

Ukubeka Izaba KwamaProtestani

Kucatshangwa ukuthi, iNguquko Yenkolo yekhulu le-16 leminyaka, nokuphindela kwayo eBhayibhelini okucatshangelwayo, kumelwe ukuba ngabe yakuvuselela ukulinda kobuKristu. Futhi yakwenza okwesikhashana. Kodwa kulokhu, njengakokunye okuningi, leNguquko Yenkolo ayizange igcwalise izithembiso zayo. Ayizange ibe ukuphindela ebuKristwini beqiniso obungokweBhayibheli. Amasonto amaProtestani azalwa ileNguquko Yenkolo ngokushesha alahla ukulinda kwawo kobuKristu futhi avumelana nezwe lamanje.

Siyafunda: “Nokho, amasonto eNguquko Yenkolo, ngokushesha aba amasonto ahleliwe ezizwe, lawo kamuva afiphaza ukulinda isikhathi sokuphela, kanjalo imfundiso ‘yezinto zokugcina’ yaba isithasiselo ezimfundisweni zesonto.” “Enkululekweni yengqondo engokwenkolo eyavela, ikakhulukazi phakathi kwamaProtestani namaJuda, kuya ngasekupheleni kwekhulu leminyaka le-18 kuze kube kwele-19, imfundiso “ngeZinto Zokugcina” yasuswa. Kwakubhekwa njengengxenye yemihlobiso eyize, eyisidala, egugile yenkolo engokwesiko eyayingasenakwamukelwa enkathini yokukhanyiselwa. Ezimweni eziningi, imiqondo yokulinda izinto zokugcina yalahlwa ngokuphelele, futhi ukungafi komphefumulo ngemva kokufa kwakholelwa njengesiphelo somuntu. Ezinye izazi zenkolo zabuye zachaza ukulindela uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngezimo zokuziphatha, ngokungacacile noma ngokokuhlalisana kwabantu.”—Encyclopædia Britannica.

Kanjalo, kunokusiza amaKristu ukuba ‘alinde’ ukuba-khona kukaKristu nokuza koMbuso kaNkulunkulu, izazi zenkolo zamaProtestani ziye zasusa ukulinda kweqiniso kobuKristu ngokubeka izaba. Kwabaningi babo, “umbuso kaNkulunkulu . . . waba yinto ezwakala kakhulu emizweni yomuntu siqu; iwukubusa komusa nokuthula ezinhliziyweni zabantu.” Kwabanye, “ukuza kombuso kuhlanganisa ukwanda kokulunga kwezokuhlalisana nokuthuthuka komphakathi.”—The New Bible Dictionary (yamaProtestani).

Ukulinda KwamaKatolika

Okungenani, ngokucabangela, amaKatolika kumelwe ukuba ngokomoya alindele ukuba khona kukaKristu. Naphezu kwemfundiso yenkolo ka-Augustine eyaphelisa ukulinda uMbuso nethemba lokubusa kweminyaka eyinkulungwane kumaKatolika, imfundiso yeSonto lamaRoma isahlanganisa umthwalo womKristu wokuzigcina elindele ukubuya kukaKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, iBandla LaseVatican Lemfundiso Yokholo lathumela incwadi kubabhishobhi bamaKatolika emhlabeni wonke, evunyelwe uPapa John Paul II enosuku lomhla kaMay 17, 1979, eyathi: “Ngokuvumelana nomBhalo, iSonto lilindele ‘ukubonakaliswa okukhazimulayo kweNkosi Yethu UJesu Kristu.’”

Injalo imfundiso yeSonto LamaKatolika ebonwa ngengqondo. Kodwa ngesenzo, kukangaki umKatolika ovamile ezwa umpristi wakhe eshumayela ngesidingo sokuzigcina elindele ukuba khona kukaKristu nokuza koMbuso kaNkulunkulu? Ngokuthakazelisayo, yona kanye injongo yencwadi ecashunwe ngenhla eyayivela eNkantolo kaPapa yaseRoma ‘yayiwukuqinisa ukholo lwamaKristu ngamaphuzu aye angatshazwa.’ Kodwa kungani ukubuya kukaKristu kuye kwangatshazwa ngabaziwa ngokuthi amaKristu? Kungenzeka yini impendulo isikiselwe ezingcaphunweni ezilandelayo zeThe New Encyclopædia Britannica? “Isonto sekuyisikhathi eside lingazinaki izimfundiso zazo zonke izinto zokugcina.” “Kusukela kwaba neNguquko Yenkolo, iSonto lamaRoma alizange neze lithonywe amahlelo okulinda izinto zokugcina.”

Ukulinda KobuKristu Akuphelile

Ukulinda kobuKristu kwaphela emasontweni eLobukholwa ngenxa yokuthi alahla amaqiniso akhanyayo eBhayibheli futhi akhetha ukulandela ukuhlakanipha kwamaGreki nemfundiso ‘kaSanta’ Augustine. Izihloko ezilandelayo zizobonisa ukuthi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zeqiniso njalo beziphila ngokulindela ukuba khona kukaKristu, nokuthi namuhla kunabantu abaye babonakalisa ukulinda kwabo kobuKristu iminyaka eminingi nabaye bathola futhi ithemba elimangalisayo elingaba ngelakho. Siza uqhubeke ufunda, bese ucela omunye woFakazi BakaJehova ukuba akusize ‘ulinde’ ukugcwaliseka kwalelothemba leBhayibheli.

[Amazwi acashunwe esihlokweni ekhasini 5]

“Kuyize . . . ukwenqaba isimo sokulinda ukuphela okubonakala emibhalweni eminingi yeTestamente Elisha”

[Isithombe ekhasini 6]

UAugustine wakholelwa ukuthi isonto elisemhlabeni liwuMbuso kaKristu

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

UPapa Leo X wenqabela noma imuphi umKatolika ukuba abikezele isikhathi sokufika kokwaHlulela Kokugcina