Ingabe Ukuzinikela Ezinsaleleni Kuyamthokozisa uNkulunkulu?

IGAZI lika“San Gennaro,” okuthiwa ngokuvamile liphenduka uketshezi kathathu ngonyaka, lingenye yezinsalela eziningi ezingokwenkolo. Kungokufanayo nangeNdwangu yaseTurin, okuthiwa isidumbu sikaJesu Kristu sasongwa ngayo. Phakathi kwezinsalela ezihlangene noJesu kukhona leyo okuthiwa umbhede wakhe esengumntwana (esakhiweni esikhulu eRoma), incwadi yakhe yokufunda ukufunda, kanye nezipikili ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane okuthiwa zasetshenziswa ekubulaweni kwakhe! Izinsalela ezingokwenkolo zihlanganisa futhi namakhanda amaningana kaJohane uMbhapathizi, kanye nezidumbu ezine okuthiwa zingu“Santa Lucia,” ezindaweni ezihlukahlukene eYurophu.

Phakathi kwamadolobha adume ngokukhethekile ngezinsalela yiTrier, eJalimane, lapho kulondolozwe khona enye “yezingubo ezingcwele” eziningi—ingubo yangaphansi engenamthungo eyayigqokwa uJesu. EDolobheni laseVatican ngokwalo kunezinsalela ezingaphezu kwenkulungwane endaweni ekhethekile yokulondoloza izinto ezingokomlando. Izinsalela eziyizinkulungwane eziningi ezingokoqobo zilondolozwe esontweni lika“Santa Ursula” eCologne, eJalimane. Uhlu lungaqhubeka njalo. Ingani eItaly iyodwa vó, kunalokho okuthiwa izindawo ezingcwele ezingu-2 468 ezinezinsalela ezingokwenkolo!

Ukuhlonipha izinsalela kukholelwa ukuthi kwaqala ekhulwini lesine leminyaka leSikhathi sethu Esivamile, ngokufanayo nangokukhulekelwa “kosanta.” Ngezizathu ezingokwenkolo, ezingokomnotho, ngisho nezingokombangazwe, isibalo sezinsalela siye sakhula kancane kancane phakathi namakhulu eminyaka, njengoba namuhla sekuneziyizinkulungwane. UMkhandlu Wesibili WaseVatican wakuqinisekisa kabusha ukuthi “ngokwesiko lalo, iSonto liyabahlonipha osanta futhi lidumise izinsalela zabo ezithembekile nezithombe zabo.” (IConstitution “Sacrosanctum Concilium” sulla sacra Liturgia, kwethi I Documenti del Concilio Vaticano II, ka-1980, nguEdizioni Paoline) “Izinsalela ezidumile, kuhlanganise nalezo ezihlonishwa abantu abaningi,” ziphawuliwe kwethi Codex Iuris Canonici (Isimiso Somthetho WeSonto) owamenyezelwa uJohn Paul II ngo-1983. (UMthetho 1190) Abesonto laseSheshi namalungu amasonto obuOrthodox nabo bayazidumisa izinsalela.

Njengoba kunezipikili eziningi kangaka okuthiwa kwabethelwa ngazo uKristu namakhanda kaJohane uMbhapathizi, kusobala ukuthi izinsalela ezingokwenkolo ngokuvamile ziwumgunyathi. Ngokwesibonelo, indlela yokubala isikhathi ngemisebe yecarbon yabonisa ukuthi iNdwangu yaseTurin yayiwumgunyathi. Ngokuthakazelisayo, phakathi nempikiswano eshubile ephathelene nalendwangu ngo-1988, ingqapheli yaseVatican eyaziwayo uMarco Tosatti yabuza: “Uma ukucwaninga kwezesayensi okusetshenziswe kuleNdwangu bekungasetshenziswa nakwezinye izinto ezidumile ezikhulekelwayo, yini ebiyotholakala?”

Ngokusobala, akekho umuntu ohlakaniphile obengafuna ukukhulekela insalela engamanga. Kodwa ingabe lokho ukuphela kwephuzu okumelwe licatshangelwe?

Lithini IBhayibheli?

IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi abantu ababevunyelwe uNkulunkulu, amaIsrayeli asendulo, ayehlonipha izinsalela ezingokwenkolo ngesikhathi esebugqilini eGibithe. Yiqiniso, inzalamizi uJakobe yafela eGibithe futhi amathambo akhe athwalwa ayiswa ezweni laseKhanani ukuze angcwatshwe ‘emhumeni osensimini yaseMakaphela.’ Indodana yakhe uJosefa nayo yafela eGibithe, futhi amathambo ayo ekugcineni athwalwa ayiswa eKhanani ukuze angcwatshwe. (Genesise 49:29-33; 50:1-14, 22-26; Eksodusi 13:19) Nokho, imiBhalo ayibonisi ukuthi amaIsrayeli ake azihlonipha izinsalela zikaJakobe noJosefa njengezinsalela ezingokwenkolo.

Cabangela futhi lokho okwenzeka endabeni yomprofethi uMose. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaNkulunkulu, wahola amaIsrayeli iminyaka engu-40. Khona-ke, lapho eseneminyaka engu-120 ubudala, wenyukela eNtabeni iNebo, wabuka iZwe Lesithembiso, wabe esefa. UMikayeli ingelosi enkulu waphikisana noDeveli ngesidumbu sikaMose, futhi uSathane wehlulwa kunoma yimuphi umzamo ayengawenza wokusisebenzisa ukuze afake amaIsrayeli ogibeni lokukhulekela izinsalela. (Juda 9) Nakuba ngokuqondakalayo akulilela ukufa kukaMose, akazange alokothe akhulekele izinsalela zakhe. Eqinisweni, uNkulunkulu wenza into enjalo yaba engenakwenzeka ngokungcwaba uMose ethuneni elingaphawuliwe endaweni engenakwaziwa abantu.—Duteronomi 34:1-8.

Abasekeli abathile bokuhlonipha izinsalela bacaphuna eyesi-2 AmaKhosi 13:21, ethi: “Kwathi lapho besammbela umuntu othile, bheka, babona iviyo; bamlahla umuntu ethuneni likaElisha [umprofethi]; lowomuntu wanele ukuthinta nje amathambo kaElisha, waphila, wema ngezinyawo zakhe.” Lesi kwakuyisimangaliso esasihilela amathambo angaphili omunye wabaprofethi bakaNkulunkulu. Kodwa uElisha wayefile futhi ‘engazi lutho’ ngesikhathi salesosimangaliso. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Ngakho-ke, loluvuko kumelwe lubhekwe njengolubangelwe amandla kaJehova uNkulunkulu enza izimangaliso, awasebenzisa ngomoya wakhe ongcwele, noma amandla ayisiphekupheku. Kungokuphawulekayo futhi ukuthi imiBhalo ayisho ukuthi amathambo kaElisha ake ahlonishwa.

Abanye kweLobukholwa basekela ukuzinikela ezinsaleleni ngenxa yalokho okushiwo kuzEnzo 19:11, 12, lapho sifunda khona ukuthi: “UNkulunkulu wenza imisebenzi yamandla engavamile ngezandla zika[mphostoli] uPawulu, baze bathatha amaduku nezindwangu emzimbeni wakhe, bazibeka phezu kwabagulayo; zase zisuka kubo izifo, nomoya ababi baphuma.” Siza uphawule ukuthi kwakunguNkulunkulu owayenza leyomisebenzi engavamile ngoPawulu. Lomphostoli akazange azenzele imisebenzi enjalo ngokwakhe, futhi akazange emukele ukuhlonishwa kunoma yimuphi umuntu.—IzEnzo 14:8-18.

Kuyaphikisana Nezimfundiso ZeBhayibheli

Eqinisweni, ukukhulekela izinsalela ezingokwenkolo kuyaphikisana nezimfundiso eziningana ezingokweBhayibheli. Ngokwesibonelo, iphuzu eliyinhloko ekukhulekeleni okunjalo liwukukholelwa ekungafini komphefumulo womuntu. Izigidi zamalungu esonto azinikezele zikholelwa ukuthi imiphefumulo yabo bonke labo ababhekwa futhi bakhulekelwe njengo“santa” iyaphila ezulwini. Labantu abaqotho bakhuleka “kosanta” abanjalo, becela isivikelo sabo futhi becela ukuba bakhulume noNkulunkulu egameni lalabo abacelayo. Eqinisweni, ngokwenye incwadi yesonto, amaKatolika athi “amandla kaSanta okuxhumanisa noNkulunkulu” avela ezinsaleleni.

Nokho, ngokweBhayibheli umphefumulo womuntu awuwona ongafi. Abantu abanayo kubona ngaphakathi imiphefumulo engafi futhi ekwazi ukuphila ngaphandle komzimba ngemva kokufa. Kunalokho, imiBhalo ithi: “UJehova uNkulunkulu wambumba umuntu ngomhlabathi, waphefumulela emakhaleni akhe umoya wokuphila; umuntu waba-kanjalo umphefumulo ophilayo.” (Genesise 2:7) Kunokuba lifundise ukuthi abantu banemiphefumulo engafi, iBhayibheli lithi: “Umphefumulo owonayo uyakufa.” (Hezekeli 18:4) Lokhu kusebenza kubo bonke abantu—kuhlanganise nalabo kamuva ababhekwa njengo“santa”—ngoba sonke sazuza njengefa isono nokufa kumuntu wokuqala, uAdamu.—Roma 5:12.

Ukukhulekela “osanta” kumelwe kugwenywe ngoba abakaze bagunyazwe ukuba bakhulumele noma ubani kuNkulunkulu. UJehova uNkulunkulu uye wanquma ukuthi kube iNdodana yakhe kuphela, uJesu Kristu, engakwenza lokhu. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi uJesu “akasifelanga nje kuphela—wavuka kwabafileyo, futhi ungakwesokunene sikaNkulunkulu futhi uyasinxusela.”—Roma 8:34, The Jerusalem Bible; qhathanisa noJohane 14:6, 14.

Esinye isizathu sokugwema ukuzinikela ko“santa” nasezinsaleleni ezingokwenkolo ezihlobene nabo sigxile kulokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo ngokukhulekela izithombe. Omunye weMiyalo Eyishumi eyanikezwa amaIsrayeli wawuthi: “Ungazenzeli izithombe ezibaziweyo, namfanekiso wokusezulwini ngaphezulu, nowokusemhlabeni phansi, nowokusemanzini phansi komhlaba; ungazikhothameli, ungazikhonzi, ngokuba mina-Jehova uNkulunkulu wakho nginguNkulunkulu onomhawu.” (Eksodusi 20:4, 5) Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka kamuva, umphostoli uPawulu watshela amaKristu akanye nawo: “Bathandwa bami, kubalekeleni ukukhonza izithombe.” (1 Korinte 10:14) Ngokufanayo, umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Bantwanyana, zilindeni ezithombeni.”—1 Johane 5:21.

Ngakho-ke, ukuhlonipha labo okuthiwa “osanta” nezinsalela ezingokwenkolo, iBhayibheli alikusekeli. Nokho, abantu abathile bafisa ukuba babe nokuthile okubhekwa njengokungcwele okungase kubonwe futhi kuthintwe futhi okucatshangelwa njengokunamandla asindisayo. Ngempela, abaningi babheka izinsalela ezingokwenkolo njengehhuku elibonakalayo elixhumanisayo eketangeni eliphakathi kwezulu nomhlaba. Siza ulicabangisise leliphuzu okwesikhashana.

Ukuze umuntu enze ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJesu ngokuphathelene nokukhulekela okufunwa uNkulunkulu akakwenzi lokho ngokubona noma ngokuthinta izinsalela ezingokwenkolo. UJesu wathi: “Isikhathi siyeza, sesikhona namanje, lapho abakhulekayo abaqinisileyo beyakukhuleka kuBaba ngomoya nangeqiniso; ngokuba uBaba ufuna abakhuleka kuye abanjalo. UNkulunkulu unguMoya; abakhuleka kuye bafanele ukukhuleka ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:23, 24) UJehova uNkulunkulu “unguMoya,” akabonakali emehlweni abantu. Ukumkhulekela “ngomoya” kusho ukuthi inkonzo yethu engcwele eya kuNkulunkulu ishukunyiswa inhliziyo egcwele uthando nokholo. (Mathewu 22:37-40; Galathiya 2:16) Asinakumkhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngeqiniso” ngokuhlonipha izinsalela kodwa kuphela ngokulahla amanga angokwenkolo, sifunde intando yakhe njengoba yembulwe eBhayibhelini, bese siyenza.

Ngakho-ke, akumangalisi ukuthi isazi uJames Bentley siyavuma ukuthi ‘amaHeberu asendulo ayengazikhulekeli izinsalela.’ Uthi futhi phakathi namakhulu amane eminyaka phakathi kokufa kukaStefanu nokumbiwa kwesidumbu sakhe nguLucian, isimo sengqondo samaKristu ngezinsalela sashintsha ngokuphelele. Nokho, ngekhulu lesihlanu leminyaka C.E., eLobukholwa elihlubukayo lase likuyekile kakade ukunamathela ezimfundisweni zeBhayibheli ezicacile ngokuphathelene nokukhonza izithombe, isimo sabafile, nengxenye kaJesu Kristu njengalowo ‘osinxuselayo.’—Roma 8:34; UmShumayeli 9:5; Johane 11:11-14.

Uma sifuna ukuba ukukhulekela kwethu kumthokozise uNkulunkulu, kumelwe siqiniseke ukuthi akuhlobene nanoma yiluphi uhlobo lokukhulekela isithombe. Ukuze kwamukeleke, ukukhulekela kwethu kumelwe kuye kuMdali, uJehova uNkulunkulu, hhayi kunoma iyiphi insalela noma isidalwa. (Roma 1:24, 25; IsAmbulo 19:10) Kumelwe futhi sizuze ulwazi oluqondile lweBhayibheli futhi sakhe ukholo oluqinile. (Roma 10:17; Heberu 11:6) Futhi uma sihamba endleleni yokukhulekela kweqiniso siyokwenza ngokuvumelana nobufakazi obusobala obungokomBhalo bokuthi ukuzinikela ezinsaleleni akumthokozisi uNkulunkulu.

[Isithombe ekhasini 5]

Amathambo kaElisha awazange ahlonishwe nakuba ayehilelekile ekuvukeni komuntu