Ukungathathi-hlangothi

Incazelo: Isimo salabo abangathathi-hlangothi kwelinye noma basekele elinye lamaqembu amabili noma ngaphezulu aphikisanayo. Kuyiqiniso lomlando wasendulo nowanamuhla ukuthi kuzo zonke izizwe naphansi kwazo zonke izimo amaKristu eqiniso aye azama ukungathathi-hlangothi ngokuphelele ekuphikisaneni kwamaqembu ezweni. Awaphazamisani nalokho abanye abakwenzayo ngokuhlanganyela emikhosini yokushisekela izwe, ukukhonza emabuthweni ahlomile, ukuhlanganyela emaqenjini ezombangazwe, ukugijimela izikhundla zombangazwe, noma ukuvota. Kodwa wona ngokwawo akhulekela uJehova kuphela, uNkulunkulu weBhayibheli; aye anikezela ukuphila kwawo kuyena ngokungagodli futhi asekela ngokugcwele uMbuso wakhe.

Imiphi imibhalo eye yathonya isimo samaKristu ngasegunyeni lohulumeni bezwe?

Roma 13:1, 5-7: “Akube-yilowo nalowo azithobe phansi kwamandla ombuso [ababusi bakahulumeni], ngokuba akukho-mandla ombuso angaveli kuNkulunkulu . . . Ngalokho kuswelekile ukuwuthobela, kungabi-kuphela ngenxa yolaka kodwa nangenxa kanembeza. . . . Nikani bonke okubafaneleyo: intela kofanele intela, inkokhiso kofanele inkokhiso, ukwesaba kofanele ukwesatshwa, udumo kofanele udumo.” (Akukho hulumeni ongaba khona ngaphandle kokuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu. Kungakhathaliseki ukuziphatha kwezikhulu ngazinye, amaKristu eqiniso aye azihlonipha ngenxa yezikhundla anazo. Ngokwesibonelo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ohulumeni baye bayisebenzisa kanjani imali yentela, abakhulekeli bakaJehova baye bayikhokha ngokwethembeka intela yabo ngenxa yezinkonzo wonke umuntu angazuza ngazo.)

Marku 12:17: “UJesu wathi kubo: Nikani uKesari okukaKesari noNkulunkulu okukaNkulunkulu.” (Ngakho-ke amaKristu ngaso sonke isikhathi aye aqaphela ukuthi akumelwe nje kuphela ‘anike’ imali ngendlela yezintela kohulumeni bezwe kodwa futhi agcwalise isibopho sawo esiphakeme anaso kuNkulunkulu.)

IzE. 5:28, 29: “[Umkhulumeli wenkantolo ephakeme yamaJuda] wathi: Saniyala nokuniyala [abaphostoli] ukuba ningafundisi ngalelogama [likaJesu Kristu]; bhekani, senigcwalisé iJerusalema ngesifundiso senu, nihlosé ukwehlisela igazi lalowomuntu phezu kwethu. Kepha uPetru nabaphostoli baphendula bathi: Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.” (Lapho kuye kwaba khona ukuphikisana okuqondile phakathi kwemiyalo yababusi abangabantu nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu, amaKristu eqiniso aye alingisa isibonelo sabaphostoli ngokulalela uNkulunkulu kuqala.)

Imiphi imibhalo ebilokhu njalo ithonya isimo samaKristu eqiniso ngasekuhlanganyeleni ezimpini zezwe?

Math. 26:52: “UJesu wayesethi kuye: Buyisela inkemba yakho endaweni yayo, ngokuba bonke abaphatha inkemba bayakubhubha ngenkemba.” (Sasingaba khona yini esinye isizathu esingcono sokulwa kunokuvikela iNdodana kaNkulunkulu? Nokho, uJesu lapha wabonisa ukuthi labobafundi kwakungamelwe baphendukele ezikhalini zempi yenyama.)

Isaya 2:2-4: “Kuyakuthi ngezinsuku ezizayo intaba yendlu kaJehova iqiniswe esiqongweni sezintaba, . . . Uyakwahlulela phakathi kwezizwe, anqume phakathi kwabantu abaningi; bayakukhanda izinkemba zabo zibe-ngamakhuba, nemikhonto yabo ibe-ngocelemba; isizwe asiyikuphakamisela isizwe inkemba, zingabe zisafunda ukulwa.” (Abantu ngabanye kuzo zonke izizwe kumelwe banqume ngokwabo inkambo abayoyilandela. Labo abaye banamathela esahlulelweni sikaJehova banikeza ubufakazi bokuthi unguNkulunkulu wabo.)

2 Kor. 10:3, 4: “Ngokuba noma sihamba sisenyameni kasilwi ngokwenyama, ngokuba izikhali zethu zokulwa kasizo ezenyama, kodwa ngaye uNkulunkulu zinamandla okubhidliza izinqaba, sichitha izizindlo.” (Lapha uPawulu uphawula ukuthi akakaze aphendukele ezikhalini zenyama, njengobuqili, ukukhuluma ngendlela evelele, noma izikhali zokulwa, ukuba avikele ibandla ezimfundisweni zamanga.)

Luka 6:27, 28: “Kepha ngithi [mina Jesu Kristu] kini enizwayo: Thandani izitha zenu, nenze okuhle kwabanizondayo, nibusise abaniqalekisayo, nibakhulekele abanidumazayo.”

Akulona yini iqiniso ukuthi uJehova wavumela amaIsrayeli asendulo ahlanganyela ezimpini?

UJehova waqondisa amaIsrayeli asendulo ukuba asebenzise impi ukuze azuze izwe yena ngokwakhe ayelabele wona njengefa lawo nokuba abulale abantu abamikhuba yabo emibi nokwedelela uNkulunkulu weqiniso kwabangela ukuba uJehova ababheke njengabangasakufanelekele ukuphila. (Dut. 7:1, 2, 5; 9:5; Lev. 18:24, 25) Noma kunjalo, umusa waboniswa kuRahabi nakwabaseGibeyoni ngoba babonisa ukholo kuJehova. (Josh. 2:9-13; 9:24-27) Esivumelwaneni soMthetho uNkulunkulu wabeka imithetho yempi ayeyoyivumela, ephawula nababengenakuhlanganyela nendlela lempi okwakumelwe iqhutshwe ngayo. Lezo ngempela kwakuyizimpi ezingcwele zikaJehova. Akunjalo nganoma iziphi izimpi zezikhali zezizwe namuhla.

Ngokusungulwa kwebandla lobuKristu, kwaba khona isimo esisha. AmaKristu awekho ngaphansi koMthetho kaMose. Abalandeli bakaKristu kwakumelwe benze abantu bazo zonke izizwe abafundi; ngakho abakhulekeli bakaNkulunkulu weqiniso ngokuhamba kwesikhathi babeyotholakala kuzo zonke lezozizwe. Nokho, siyini isisusa salezozizwe uma ziya empini? Ingabe siwukufeza intando yoMdali wawo wonke umhlaba noma siwukuthuthukisa izithakazelo ezithile zobuzwe? Uma amaKristu eqiniso kwesinye isizwe ebengalwa nesinye isizwe, abeyobe alwa nabakholwa kanye nawo, abantu abaye bakhulekela usizo kuNkulunkulu ofanayo nowabo. Ngokufanelekile, uKristu waqondisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba babeke inkemba. (Math. 26:52) Yena ngokwakhe, ekhazinyulisiwe ezulwini, kusukela lapho wayeyoqhubeka nokubulala labo ababonisa ukungamlaleli uNkulunkulu weqiniso nentando yaKhe.—2 Thes. 1:6-8; IsAm. 19:11-21.

Ngokuqondene nokuhlanganyela emabuthweni empi, umlando wezwe wembulani ngesimo samaKristu akuqala?

“Ukuhlolisiswa kwakho konke ukwaziswa okukhona kubonisa ukuthi, kuze kube isikhathi sikaMarcus Aurelius [umbusi waseRoma kusukela ngo-161 kuya ku-180 C.E.], akekho umKristu owaba isosha; futhi alikho isosha, ngemva kokuba ngumKristu, elaliqhubeka lisemabuthweni empi.”—The Rise of Christianity (London, 1947), E. W. Barnes, k. 333.

“Thina esasigcwele impi, nokubulalana, nabo bonke ububi, ngabanye kuwo wonke umhlaba siye sashintsha izikhali zethu zempi,—izinkemba zethu zaba ngamakhuba, nemikhonto yethu yaba ngocelemba,—futhi sihlakulela ubumnene, ukulunga, ukuphana, ukholo, nethemba, esinakho kuvela kuBaba ngokwaKhe, ngaYe owabethelwa.”—Justin Martyr kwethi “Dialogue With Trypho, a Jew” (ekhulwini lesi-2 C.E.), The Ante-Nicene Fathers (Grand Rapids, Mich.; eka-1985 eyanyatheliswa kabusha e-Edinburgh), eyahlelwa nguA. Roberts noJ. Donaldson, Umq. I, k. 254.

“Enqaba ukuba nanoma iyiphi ingxenye ekuphathweni komphakathi noma ekuvikeleni umbuso ngezikhali. . . . kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba amaKristu, ngaphandle kokudela umsebenzi ongcwele kakhulu, athathe umsebenzi wobusosha, wokuba yimantshi, noma wokubusa.”—History of Christianity (New York, 1891), Edward Gibbon, kk. 162, 163.

Imiphi imibhalo ebilokhu ithonya isimo samaKristu eqiniso ngasekuhilelekeni ezimpikiswaneni nasemisebenzini yezombangazwe?

Joh. 17:16: “Abasibo abezwe, njengalokhu nami [uJesu] angisiye owezwe.”

Joh. 6:15: “UJesu azi ukuthi bazakuza [amaJuda], bambambe, bambeke inkosi, wamonyukela futhi entabeni yena yedwa.” Kamuva, watshela umbusi wamaRoma: “Umbuso wami awusiwo owalelizwe. Uma umbuso wami ubungowalelizwe, izikhonzi zami zaziyakulwa ukuba nginganikezelwa kubaJuda. Kepha kalokhu umbuso wami awusiwo owalapha.”—Joh. 18:36.

Jak. 4:4: “Ziphingi, anazi yini ukuthi ukuthanda izwe kungubutha kuNkulunkulu na? Ngakho lowo othanda ukuba-ngumhlobo wezwe, umi eyisitha sikaNkulunkulu.” (Kungani lendaba ingengathi sína kangaka? Kungoba, njengoba eyoku-1 Johane 5:19 isho, “izwe lonke limi ebubini [“emandleni omubi,” NW].” KuJohane 14:30, uJesu wabhekisela kuSathane ngokuthi “umbusi wezwe.” Ngakho-ke, kungakhathaliseki iqembu lezwe umuntu angalisekela, uyoba ngaphansi kokulawulwa ngubani ngempela?)

Ngokuqondene nokuhileleka kwezombangazwe, yini ebikwa izazi-mlando zezwe njengeyisimo salabo abaziwa njengamaKristu akuqala?

“UbuKristu bakuqala babungaqondwa kahle futhi babubhekwa njengobungathandeki kulabo ababebusa izwe lobuqaba. . . . AmaKristu enqaba ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini ethile yezakhamuzi zaseRoma. . . . Ayengaziphathi izikhundla zezombangazwe.”—On the Road to Civilization, A World History (Philadelphia, 1937), A. Heckel noJ. Sigman, kk. 237, 238.

“AmaKristu aba njengavelele nahlukile embusweni, njengohlanga lobupristi nolungokomoya, futhi ubuKristu babonakala bukwazi ukuthonya ukuphila kwezakhamuzi kuphela ngaleyondlela, okumelwe sivume ukuthi, ingemsulwa, ngokuzama ngokoqobo ukungenisa ngokwengeziwe umuzwa ongcwele ezakhamuzini zombuso.”—The History of the Christian Religion and Church, During the Three First Centuries (New York, 1848), Augustus Neander, eyahunyushwa esiJalimaneni nguH. J. Rose, k. 168.

Imiphi imibhalo ebilokhu ithonya isimo samaKristu eqiniso ngasemikhosini ehilela amafulege namaculo esizwe?

1 Kor. 10:14: “Kubalekeleni ukukhonza izithombe.” (NoEksodusi 20:4, 5)

1 Joh. 5:21: “Bantwanyana, zilindeni ezithombeni.”

Luka 4:8: “UJesu waphendula, wathi kuye: Kulotshiwe ukuthi: Wokhuleka eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, umkhonze yena yedwa.”

Bheka futhi uDaniyeli 3:1-28.

Ingabe lezozimpawu zobuzwe nemikhosi ngempela zinokubaluleka okungokwenkolo?

“[Isazi-mlando] uCarlton Hayes waveza kudala ukuthi umkhuba wokukhulekela ifulege nokufunga esikoleni saseMelika ungumkhosi ongokwenkolo. . . . Nokuthi lemikhuba yansuku zonke ingeyenkolo ekugcineni kuye kwaqiniswa iNkantolo Enkulu emacaleni awuchungechunge.”—The American Character (New York, 1956), D. W. Brogan, kk. 163, 164.

“Amafulege akuqala cishe ayengawenkolo ngokuphelele. . . . Ifulege lesizwe laseNgilandi—isiphambano esibomvu sikaSt. George—lalingokwenkolo amakhulu eminyaka; eqinisweni usizo lwenkolo kubonakala sengathi belulokhu lufunwa ukuze kungcweliswe amafulege esizwe, futhi imvelaphi yamaningi ingatholakala emafulegeni angcwele.”—Encyclopædia Britannica (1946), Umq. 9, k. 343.

“Emkhosini womphakathi owenganyelwa iphini likamongameli weNkantolo [Enkulu Yezempi], ngolwe-19 lukaNovember, kwadunyiswa ifulege laseBrazil. . . . Ngemva kokuba ifulege seliphakanyisiwe, uNgqongqoshe-Jikelele weZempi uTristao de Alencar Araripe wazikhulumela ngalendlela ngokuqondene nesikhumbuzo: ‘ . . . amafulege aye aba unkulunkulu wenkolo yokushisekela izwe efuna akhulekelwe . . . Ifulege liyahlonishwa futhi likhulekelwe . . . Ifulege liyakhulekelwa, njengoba nje neZwe lawobaba likhulekelwa.’”—Diario da Justiça (Federal Capital, Brazil), February 16, 1956, k. 1906.

Ngokubhekiselwe emikhosini yobuzwe, umlando wezwe uthini ngesimo salabo abaziwa njengamaKristu akuqala?

“AmaKristu enqaba . . . ukwenza umhlatshelo kumbusi—okufanayo namuhla nokwenqaba ukukhulekela ifulege noma ukuphinda isifungo sokwethembeka. . . . Ambalwa kakhulu amaKristu ahoxa, nakuba ialtare elalinomlilo ovuthayo lalilokhu liyekelwe enkundleni ngenxa yawo. Okwakumelwe kwenziwe isiboshwa kwakuwukuvuvuzela impepho elangabini bese sithola iSitifiketi Somhlatshelo sikhululwe. Futhi kwakuchazisiswa kuso ukuthi sasingakhulekeli umbusi; kodwa simane sivuma izici zobunkulunkulu zombusi njengenhloko yombuso waseRoma. Nakuba kunjalo, cishe akekho umKristu owazinikeza lelothuba lokuphuma.”—Those About to Die (New York, 1958), D. P. Mannix, kk. 135, 137.

“Isenzo sokukhulekela umbusi sasihlanganisa ukuvuvuzela impepho kancane noma amaconsi ambalwa ewayini ealtare elalimi phambi kwesithombe sombusi. Mhlawumbe njengoba sikude nalesosimo kulesosenzo asiboni lutho oluhlukile . . . nokuphakamisa isandla ekukhulekeleni ifulege noma kumbusi othile wombuso ovelele, indlela yokubonisa ukumthakazelela, inhlonipho, nokushisekela izwe. Ngokunokwenzeka abantu abaningi ekhulwini lokuqala babezizwa ngaleyondlela ngakho kodwa kungenjalo ngamaKristu. Yonke lendaba ayibheka njengaleyo yokukhulekela okungokwenkolo, ukwamukela umbusi njengonkulunkulu ngaleyondlela engathembeki kuNkulunkulu noKristu, futhi enqaba ukukwenza.”—The Beginnings of the Christian Religion (New Haven, Conn.; 1958), M. F. Eller, kk. 208, 209.

Ingabe ukungathathi-hlangothi kwamaKristu kwakusho ukuthi awanasithakazelo ngenhlala-kahle yomakhelwane bawo?

Ngokuqinisekile akunjalo. Azi kahle futhi azama ngenhliziyo yonke ukusebenzisa umyalo owaphindwa uJesu: “Wothanda umakhelwane wakho njengalokhu uzithanda wena.” (Math. 22:39) Neseluleko esalotshwa umphostoli uPawulu: “Asenze okuhle kubo bonke, kepha ikakhulu kwabendlu yokukholwa.” (Gal. 6:10) Aye aneliseka ukuthi okuhle kunakho konke angakwenzela omakhelwane bawo kuwukuhlanganyela nabo izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, oyoxazulula izinkinga ezibhekene nesintu phakade futhi okuvulela labo abazamukelayo amathemba amangalisayo okuphila okuphakade.