Ingabe Isipho Sezilimi Siyingxenye YobuKristu Beqiniso?

“NJENGOBA ngangimlalele ethandaza ngezilimi, ngezwa sengathi kwakunamandla kagesi emoyeni,” kusho uBill ngemva kokuba yena nabanye abayisithupha babebuthene phambi komfundisi eduze nealtare lesonto. Ingabe okuhlangenwe nakho okunjalo kuphinda izindlela zokusebenza komoya ongcwele kwangekhulu lokuqala leminyaka? Ingabe kuphawula inkolo yeBhayibheli? Singathola izimpendulo ezanelisayo ngokuhlola ngokucophelela imiBhalo.

Umbhalo weBhayibheli wembula ukuthi lapho kudluliselwa noma yisiphi isipho esiyisimangaliso somoya, kwakuba khona okungenani omunye wabaphostoli abangu-12 noma umphostoli uPawulu. Isenzakalo sokuqala kwezintathu ezilotshiwe zokukhuluma ngezilimi senzeka phakathi kwabafundi bakaJesu abangu-120 ababebuthene eJerusalema ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E. (IzEnzo 2:1-4) Eminyakeni emithathu nengxenye kamuva, lapho iqembu lamaNtaliyane angasokiwe lisalalele uPetru eshumayela, lathola umoya futhi laqala ‘ukukhuluma ngezilimi, litusa uNkulunkulu.’ (IzEnzo 10:44-48) Futhi eminyakeni engu-19 ngemva kwePentekoste, cishe ngo-52 C.E., uPawulu wakhuluma neqembu elithile e-Efesu futhi wabeka izandla phezu kwabafundi abangu-12. ‘Bakhuluma ngezilimi,’ nabo “baprofetha.”—IzEnzo 19:6.

Yayiyini Injongo Yesipho Sezilimi?

Ngaphambi nje kokuba enyukele ezulwini, uJesu watshela abalandeli bakhe: ‘Nizakwamukeliswa amandla, umoya ongcwele esefikile phezu kwenu, nibe-ngofakazi bami eJerusalema, kuze kube sekugcineni komhlaba.’ (IzEnzo 1:8) Phawula ukuthi ngalokho wabonisa indlela lomsebenzi omkhulu kakhulu wokufakaza owawuyofezwa ngayo—ngosizo lomoya ongcwele.

Izindlela zanamuhla zobuchwepheshe zokuxhumana ezenza ukuba sikwazi ukuthumela izigijimi emhlabeni wonke ngezilimi eziningi zazingekho emuva ngalesosikhathi. Izindaba ezinhle kwakumelwe zisakazwe ngokuyinhloko ngokuba zikhulunywe ngomlomo, futhi kulokhu isipho esiyisimangaliso sokukhuluma ngezilimi ababengazazi sasiyoba wusizo olukhulu. Sasinjalo isimo ngesikhathi amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka eshumayela kumaJuda nakumaproselithe eJerusalema ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E. AmaParte, amaMede, amaElamithe, amaKrethe, ama-Arabhu, ababehlala eMesopotamiya, eJudiya, eKhaphadosiya, ePontu, kanye nabasesifundeni saseAsiya, kanye nezihambi zaseRoma, bezwa ngezilimi zabo ‘imisebenzi emikhulu kaNkulunkulu’ futhi bakuqonda okwakushiwo. Ngokushesha abayizinkulungwane ezintathu baba amakholwa.—IzEnzo 2:5-11, 41.

Iqiniso ngokuvamile elinganakwa elokuthi ukukhuluma ngezilimi kwakumane kungenye yezindlela eziyisishiyagalolunye umoya ongcwele owawusebenza ngazo umphostoli uPawulu akhuluma ngazo encwadini yakhe eyayiya kumaKristu aseKorinte. Nakuba uPawulu abheka ukukhuluma ngezilimi njengesipho esiphansi kunezinye, sasibaluleke kakhulu ebandleni lokuqala ekusakazeni izindaba ezinhle ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Sasingesinye ‘sezipho’ ezaba nengxenye ekukhuleni ngenani nasekwakhiweni kwebandla lamaKristu elalisafufusa.—1 Korinte 12:7-11; 14:24-26.

Izindlela ezihlukahlukene umoya ongcwele owawusebenza ngazo ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka, kuhlanganise nokukhuluma ngezilimi, nazo zaziwubufakazi obubonakalayo bokuthi uNkulunkulu wayengasasebenzisi ibandla lamaIsrayeli elase lineminyaka engu-1 500 likhona njengabantu bakhe abakhethekile. Ngokungangabazeki, manje ibandla lobuKristu elisha, elamiswa yiNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa, yilona elase lamukeleka kuye.—Qhathanisa namaHeberu 2:2-4.

Lezizenzo ezibonisa amandla omoya zaziyizinto zokwakha eziyisisekelo ekwakheni ibandla lobuKristu elalisafufusa nasekulisizeni ukuba likhule. UPawulu wachaza ukuthi ngemva kokuba sezifeze injongo yazo, lezizipho eziyisimangaliso zaziyonqamuka: ‘Nakuba kukhona izipho zokuprofetha, ziyakukhawuka, nakuba kuyizilimi, ziyakunqamuka.’—1 Korinte 13:8.

Yebo, iBhayibheli likubeka ngokucacile ukuthi isipho sezilimi sasiyonqamuka. Kodwa nini? IzEnzo 8:18 zembula ukuthi izipho zomoya zazitholakala “ngokubekwa kwezandla zabaphostoli.” Khona-ke, ngokusobala ngokufa komphostoli wokugcina, ukudluliselwa kwezipho zomoya kwakuyophela—kuhlanganise nokukhuluma ngezilimi. Ngakho, lapho labo ababethole lezizipho kubaphostoli nabo bengasekho emhlabeni, isipho esiyisimangaliso sasiyonqamuka. Ngalesosikhathi ibandla lobuKristu laliyobe libe nesikhathi sokuzinza futhi laliyobe selisakazekele emazweni amaningi.

“Izilimi Ezingaziwa” Nokuchazwa Kwazo

Ukubuya kwanamuhla kokukhuluma ngezilimi abanye baye “bakubheka njengokweqisa ekubonakalisweni kwemizwelo kwabantu abafuna ukubukisa abangazinzile, kuyilapho abanye bekubheka njengokufanayo nesenzakalo sokukhuluma ngezilimi kwezikhathi zabaPhostoli.” Emibuthanweni yamasonto yosuku lwanamuhla lapho kuba khona ukukhuluma ‘ngezilimi ezingaziwa,’ ngokuvamile kuhilela ukuzwakala kwemisindo engaqondakali ebangelwa ukukhuluma kokuvukwa amadlingozi. Ngakho, umuntu othile wavuma: “Ngokuyinhloko ngisebenzisa isipho sami sezilimi ngasese lapho ngizindla. . . . Ngizizwa nginamahloni uma ngiphambi kwabanye abantu.” Omunye walandisa: “Ngizwa amazwi ami siqu, angiwaqondi, kodwa ngilokhu ngizwa ulimi lwami lungiqhubezela ukuba ngikhulume.”

Yikuphi ukwaziswa okubaluleke ngempela okudluliselwa izilimi ezinjalo ezingaziwa, futhi kuthiwani ngencazelo? Labo abathi bachaza lezinkulumo baye banikeza izincazelo ezihlukene zamazwi angaqondakali afanayo. Kungani kungefani? Babeka izaba zokungefani okunjalo bathi “uNkulunkulu wayenikeze omunye umuntu incazelo yenkulumo wayesenikeza omunye enye incazelo ehlukile.” Umuntu othile wavuma: “Ngiye ngaphawula izikhathi ezithile lapho incazelo yayingenganembile.” UD. A. Hayes, encwadini yakhe ethi The Gift of Tongues, wabhekisela esenzakalweni lapho indoda ethile yenqaba ukuchaza inkulumo yowesifazane othile owayekhulume ngolimi olungaziwa ngoba “ulimi lwalungolungcole kakhulu.” Yeka ukuthi lokho kwehluke kangakanani ekukhulumeni ngezilimi okwakukhona ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka futhi lokho eqinisweni okwakungokokwakha ibandla!—1 Korinte 14:4-6, 12, 18.

Abanye namuhla bayasho ukuthi baye bezwa izincazelo ezimangalisayo, futhi bangase bakholelwe ngobuqotho ukuthi uNkulunkulu usebenzisa lesisipho uma “efuna ukunikeza abantu isigijimi esiqondile.” Kodwa yisiphi isigijimi esivela kuNkulunkulu esisidingayo namuhla uJesu Kristu kanye nabaphostoli abangasinikezanga sona? UPawulu, yena ngokwakhe owayenesiphiwo somoya ongcwele, wathi: “Yonke imibhalo iphefumulelwe nguNkulunkulu ilungele ukufundisa, nokusola, nokuqondisa, nokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu aphelele, apheleliselwe yonke imisebenzi emihle.”—2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17.

Iqiniso liwukuthi, ibandla lobuKristu aliselona elisafufusa, futhi ngenxa yalokho izambulo zaphezulu noma izipho eziyisimangaliso zomoya azisadingeki ukuze ziqinisekise indima yalo. IBhayibheli liyaxwayisa: “Noma kungaba-yithina noma ingelosi evela ezulwini enishumayeza ivangeli eliphambene [“elingafani,” The New English Bible] nalelo esanishumayeza lona, makabe-ngoqalekisiweyo.”—Galathiya 1:8.

Ukukhuluma ngezilimi okuyisimangaliso akusadingeki, futhi akukho sisekelo esingokomBhalo sokukholelwa ukuthi kuyingxenye yobuKristu beqiniso namuhla. Njengoba iBhayibheli seliphelele futhi litholakala kabanzi, sinalokho esikudingayo eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Lisenza sizuze ulwazi oluqondile ngoJehova nangeNdodana yakhe oluholela ekuphileni okuphakade.—Johane 17:3; IsAmbulo 22:18, 19.

Ngisho nasekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka, umphostoli uPawulu waphoqeleka ukuba abhalele ibandla laseKorinte ukuze lilungise umbono walo ngokuqondene nesizathu sokuba amaKristu akuqala anikezwe isipho sezilimi. Cishe, abanye isipho sezilimi sasibahlabe umxhwele, futhi babeziphathisa okwezingane, ezingavuthiwe ngokomoya. “Ukukhuluma ngezilimi” kwakugcizelelwa kakhulu. (1 Korinte 14:1-39) UPawulu wagcizelela ukuthi akuwona wonke amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka ayekhuluma ngezilimi ngokuyisimangaliso. Kwakungadingekile ekubeni asindiswe. Ngisho nasemuva ngalesosikhathi lapho sisekhona, ukubaluleka kwalesipho sezilimi kwakulandela ukuprofetha ngokuyisimangaliso. Ukukhuluma ngezilimi kwakungeyona, futhi akuyona, imfuneko amaKristu okufanele ahlangabezane nayo ukuze azuze ukuphila okuphakade.—1 Korinte 12:29, 30; 14:4, 5.

Okubangela Izilimi Ezingaziwa Namuhla

Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi ukukhuluma ngezilimi kwanamuhla kubangelwa abaholi bamasonto aphulukisa ngomoya abagqugquzela amalungu emihlambi yabo ukuba abe nalelikhono. Kwezinye izimo kubangelwa ukubonakaliswa kwemizwelo ngokweqile nokungalinganiseli. UCyril G. Williams, kuyiTongues of the Spirit, uthi “ezimweni eziningi” kuye kwaba “uphawu lokuba ovelele eqenjini” futhi kwenza umuntu “ukuba azibheke futhi abhekwe iqembu njengonesithunzi negunya.” Ngakho-ke, isisusa singaba isifiso sokuba seqenjini elivelele lezilimi ezingaziwa.

Owayengumongameli weLoyola University uDonald P. Merrifield waphawula ukuthi “izilimi zingaba okuhlangenwe nakho okuvusa imizwelo, noma, ngokwabanye, okobusathane.” Umfundisi uTodd H. Fast uthi: “Kunempikiswano ngokuqondene nezilimi. Udeveli unezindlela eziningi angasithonya ngazo.” IBhayibheli ngokwalo lisazisa ukuthi uSathane namademoni akhe bayakwazi ukuthonya abantu nokulawula inkulumo yabo. (IzEnzo 16:17, 18) UJesu wamelana nomoya wamademoni owawenze indoda ethile ukuba imemeze futhi iwele phansi. (Luka 4:33-35) UPawulu waxwayisa ngokuthi ‘uSathane wayeyoziguqula ingelosi yokukhanya.’ (2 Korinte 11:14) Namuhla labo abafuna isipho sezilimi uNkulunkulu angasasinikezi abantu bakhe empeleni bazenza bavulekele ekukhohliseni kukaSathane, lowo, esixwayiswa ukuthi, wayeyosebenzisa “onke amandla, nezibonakaliso, nezimangaliso zamanga.”—2 Thesalonika 2:9, 10.

Izilimi—NobuKristu Beqiniso

AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka athola isipho sokukhuluma ngezilimi asisebenzisa ukuze achaze izinto ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu. Kwagcizelelwa isidingo sokuba kuchazwe ngokucacile isigijimi esidluliselwa ngezilimi ukuze siqondwe yibo bonke futhi kuphumele ekubeni abaningi bakheke. (1 Korinte 14:26-33) UPawulu wayala: “Uma ningakhiphi izwi elichachileyo ngolimi, kuzakwaziwa kanjani okukhulunywayo na? Ngokuba niyakube nikhuluma emoyeni.”—1 Korinte 14:9.

Nakuba umoya kaNkulunkulu wapha amaKristu akuqala isipho sezilimi, awuzange uwabangele ukuba akhulume ulimi olungaqondakali noma olungachazeki. Ngokuvumelana neseluleko sikaPawulu, umoya ongcwele wanikeza ulimi olwaphumela ekubeni izindaba ezinhle ‘zishunyayelwe’ ngokushesha ngokwengeziwe ‘kukho konke okudaliweyo okuphansi kwezulu.’—Kolose 1:23.

Ngokuqondene nalezinsuku zokugcina zesimiso samanje, uJesu Kristu wayala: “Ivangeli [loMbuso omisiwe] limelwe ukushunyayelwa kuqala ezizweni zonke.” (Marku 13:10) Njengasekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka, yonke indalo kumelwe izwe isigijimi soMbuso. Lokhu kungenzeka ngoba iBhayibheli manje liye lahunyushwa lilonke noma izingxenye zalo, ngezilimi ezicishe zibe ngu-2 000. Umoya ofanayo owabangela amaKristu akuqala ukuba akhulume ngesibindi manje usekela umsebenzi omkhulu nomangalisayo wokushumayela webandla losuku lwanamuhla loFakazi BakaJehova. Ngomlomo nangokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe banamuhla bokunyathelisa ukuze benze iqiniso elingokomBhalo litholakale ngezincwadi, bakhuluma “ulimi oluhlanzekile.” Lesigijimi siya emazweni angaphezu kwangu-200 naseziqhingini zolwandle. OFakazi BakaJehova bawukuphela kwabantu abashukunyiswa umoya kaNkulunkulu ukuba bazise bonke abantu ngezinto ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu.—Zefaniya 3:9, NW; 2 Thimothewu 1:13.

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