29—Isigidimi Sesilumkiso Nokucebisa

[Esi sahluko sisekwe phezu kweNcwadi yabaseKorinte 1]

Ileta yokuqala eya kwibandla laseKorinte yayibhalwe ngumpostile uPawulos ngeentsuku zakhe zokugqibela zokuhlala e-Efese. Awakho amanye [amakholwa] awaziva enomdla omkhulu kuwo okanye awenza amalinge amaninzi engaphumli ngenxa yawo njengamakholwa aseKorinte. Wasebenza phakathi kwawo unyaka onesiqingatha, ewalathisa kuMsindisi owabethelelwayo wabuya wavuka njengekuphela kwendlela yosindiso, ewacela ukuba axhomekeke ngokupheleleyo kumandla aguqulayo obabalo lwaKhe. Phambi kokuba kwamkelelwe kulwalamano lwebandla abo bamkela ubuKristu wayeqinisekisa ukuba bafumana imfundiso eyodwa ngamalungelo nemisebenzi yekholwa elingumKristu, waye ezama ngokwenene ukuwanceda ukuba athembeke kwizifungo zawo zobhaptizo.IZ 298.1

UPawulos wayeyibona kakuhle imfazwe ekufuneka iliwe ngumphefumlongamnyekunye nezenzelelizobubiezisolokozifuna ukukhohlisa nokubambisa, kwaye wasebenza engaphumli esomeleza abo babebatsha elukholweni. Wayebabongozile ukuba bazinikele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo; kuba wayesazi ukuba xa imiphefumlo isilele ukuzinikela ngolu hlobo, isono asishiywa, ilithe nemizwa zilwele ukulawula, izihendo ziphazamise isazela.IZ 298.2

Ukuzinikela kufuneka kuphelele. Wonke umphefumlo obuthakathaka, othandabuzayo, olwayo ozinikela ngokupheleleyo eNkosini uxhumaniswa ngqo nezenzeleli ezimenza oyise. Izulu lisondele kuwo, unenkxaso noncedo lwezithunywa zenceba ngalo lonke ixesha lokulingwa nentswelo.IZ 299.1

Amalungu ebandla laseKorinte ayerhangqwe kukukhonzwa kwezithixo nombulo okukwiqondo eliphezulu lomtsalane. Ngexesha umpostile wayekunye nabo, ezi mpembelelo zazinamandla amancinane kuwo. Ukholo oluqinileyo lukaPawulos, imithandazo yakhe eshushu, namazwi emfundiso anyanisekileyo, ngaphezu kwako konke, ubomi bakhe obungcwele, zizinto ezawancedayo ukuba amlandule u-mna ngenxa kaYesu endaweni yokonwabela iziyolo zesono.IZ 299.2

Emva kokuba emkile uPawulos, kwavuka iimeko ezimaxongo; umdiza owawuhlwayelwe lutshaba wavela phakathi kwengqolowa, kwathi kungekudala waqala waveza iziqhamo ezibi. Eli yayilixesha lokulingwa okukhulu kwibandla laseKorinte. Umpostile wayengasekho phakathi kwabo ukuba avuselele ulangazelelo nokubanceda kwimizamo yokuphila ngokuhambelana noThixo, kwaza, kancinane kancinane, abanye baya besiba nokuyekelela nokungakhathali, bavumela ukulawulwa lilithe neminqweno yabo yemveli. Lowo wayesoloko ebakhuthazela ukuba banyukele ngasentla kubunyulu nokuhamba ngokuthe tye wayengasekho kunye nabo, kwaye abazange babembalwa abathi ngexesha lokuguquka kwabo bayiyeka imikhwa yabo emibi, abaya babuyela ezonweni zabo ezihlazisayo zobuhedeni.IZ 299.3

UPawulos wayelibhalele ngokufutshane ibandla esithi “ningazidibanisi” namalungu aqhubeka nokuziphatha kakubi; kodwa abaninzi bayithabatha ngenye indlela into ethethwa ngumpostile, baphikisana ngamazwi akhe, ngoko bafumana isizathu sokungawuthobeli umyalelo wakhe.IZ 300.1

Ibandla lathumela ileta kuPawulos lifuna ingcebiso ngemiba eliqela, kodwa ingathethi nto ngezono ezibi ezikhoyo phakathi kwabo. Noko kunjalo, umpostile watyhilelwa ngamandla nguMoya Oyingcwele ukuba eyona meko iyiyo yebandla ifihliwe, nokuba, le leta yayikukuzama ukutsala kuye iintetho ababenokuthi ababhali baziguqulele ukufezekisa ezabo iinjongo.IZ 300.2

Ngeli xesha, kwakukho e-Efese amalungu endlu kaKlowe, usapho lwamaKristu awayesaziwa eKorinte. UPawulos wabuza kuwo ngesimo sezinto, aza amxelela ukuba ibandla lichithwa ziyantlukwano. Ukungavani okwakuqhubeke ngexesha lokutyelela kuka-Apolo kwakhula kakhulu. Iititshala zobuxoki zaziwakhokelela amalungu ekuzideleni iimfundiso zikaPawulos. Iimfundiso nemimiselo yeendaba ezilungileyo zazigqwethiwe. Kwaya kukhula ikratshi, ukunqula izithixo, umbulo, phakathi kwabo babekhe batshiseka ngobomi bobuKristu.IZ 300.3

Wathi wakubekwa lo mfanekiso phambi kwakhe, uPawulos waqonda kakuhle ukuba eyona nto wayeyoyika ngokwenene yenzeka. Noko kunjalo, akazange ayekele kwingqondo ethi, umsebenziwakhewabalilize. Wayawathi “esekuxinezelekeniokukhulu”nangee“nyembezi ezininzi,” wafuna icebiso kuThixo. Ngewayevuye kakhulu ukuba wayenokuya kwangoko eKorinte, ukuba oko yayiyeyona ndlela ilumkileyo anokuyilandela.Waqonda ukuba, kwimeko akuyo amakholwa ngelo xesha, aye ngayikuzuza ngobukho bakhe, waza wathumela uTito ukuba amlungisele indlela yokuya kwakhe kamva. Wathi, ebeke nxamnye yonke indlela aziva ngayo ngenyathelo labo baziphatha njengoko kubonakala kugqwetheko olubi kangako, egcine umphefumlo wakhe ugxile kuThixo, umpostile wabhalela ibandla laseKorinte eyona leta eyaka yatyeba, neyona ifundisayo, neyona inamandla kuzo zonke iileta zakhe.IZ 300.4

Ngokucacisa okungathethekiyo, waphendula imibuzo emininzi eyahlukeneyo eyaziswa libandla, wandlala imithetho-siseko yento yonke, ekuya kuthi ukuba ilandelwe, ibakhokelele kumgangatho ophezulu ngokwasemoyeni. Babesengozini, kwaye engakwazi ukuyinyamezela ingcamango yokuwa phantsi ngeli xesha libaluleke kakhulu lokuba afikelele kwiintliziyo zabo. Ngokunyaniseka, wabalumkisa ngeengozi abakuzo wabakhalimela ngenxa yezono zabo. Waphinda ukubalathisa kuKristu ezama ukuvuselela ngokutsha ubushushu bokuzinikela kwabo kokuqala.IZ 301.1

Uthando olukhulu ngakumakholwa aseKorinte awayenalo umpostile lwatyhilwa kumbuliso wobubele ebandleni. Wabhekisa kumava abo ekubuyeni ekukhonzeni izithixo baze ekunquleni nasekusebenzeleni uThixo wenyaniso. Wawakhumbuza ngezipho zikaMoya Oyingcwele awazifumanayo, wabonisa ukuba yayililungelo labo ukuthi rhoqo ukubheka phambili ebomini bobuKristu bade bafikelele kubunyulu bobungcwelebukaKristu. Wabhala esithi, “Kuba natyetyiswa kuye ngezinto zonke, ngokuthetha konke, nangokwazi konke; njengokuba ubungqina bukaKristu baqiniswayo kuni; ngokokude ningasileli nakwesinye isipho enisibabalweyo; nilinde kakhulu ukutyhileka kweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.”IZ 301.2

UPawulos wathetha ngokuphandle ngembambano eyavuka kwibandla laseKorinte, wawayala amalungu ukuba ahlukane nokukruthakruthana. “Ndiyaniyala, bazalwana,” wabhala watsho, “ngalo igama leNkosi yethu, uYesu Kristu, ukuba nithethe nto-nye nonke, nokuba kungabikho zahlukahlukano kuni; ke nibe ngabalungisiweyo, nigqibelele ngqoqweni-nye, nasicamangweni sinye.”IZ 302.1

Umpostile waziva ekhululekile ukuxela indlela nokuba ngubani omxelele ngeyantlukwano ebandleni. “Kuba ndaziswe ngani, bazalwana bam, ngabakuloKlowe, ukuba kukho iimpikiswano phakathi kwenu.”IZ 302.2

UPawulos wayengumpostile ophefumlelweyo. Iinyaniso awayezifundisa abanye wayezifumana “ngokutyhilelwa;” ukanti iNkosi ayizange imtyhilele namaxesha onke imeko yabantu baYo. Kule imeko, abo babenomdla wokubona impumelelo ebandleni laseKorinte, nababubonayo ububi buthubeleza bungena, bawubeka umcimbi phambi kompostile, kwaza kwathi, ngezityhilelo zezulu awayezifumene ngaphambili, wakwazi ukwenza isigqibo ngesimilo sezinto ezazisenzeka. Nangona iNkosi yayingamnikanga isityhilelo esitsha ngaloo meko yelo xesha, abo babefuna ngokwenene ukukhanya basamkela isigidimi sakhe njengesibeka ingqondo kaKristu. INkosi yayimbonise ubunzima neengozi ezaziya kubakho emabandleni, kwaza kwathi xa ububi bukhula, umpostile wakuqonda ukubaluleka kwazo. Wayekulungele ukulikhusela ibandla. Kwakufuneka ekuphaphamele ukujonga imiphefumlo njengokufuneka enike ingxelo kuThixo, ngenxa yoko, kwakungalungile na ukuba aziqaphele iingxelo ezingovukelo kunye neeyantlukwano phakathi kwawo [amakholwa]? Ngokuqinisekileyo; nokukhalima awakuthumelayo ngokuqinisekileyo kwakuphefumlelwe nguMoya kaThixo njengazo zonke ezinye iileta zakhe.IZ 302.3

Umpostile akazange athethe ngeetitshala zobuxoki ezazifuna ukutshabalalisa isiqhamo somsebenzi wakhe. Ngenxa yobumnyama neyantlukwano ebandleni, wabanobulumko bokungahambi phambili ekubakhathazeni ngokuthetha ngezo zinto, ngokoyikela ukumkisa abanye kuyo inyaniso. Wabakhangelisa kowakhe umsebenzi phakathi kwabonjengalowo “womakhi oyintloko,” owabeka isiseko baza abanye bakha phezu kwaso. Noko kunjalo akazange aziphakamise; koko wasuka wathi, “Thina singabasebenzisi bakaThixo.” Akazange abange ukuba unobulumko bakhe, kodwa wavuma ukuba ngamandla ezulu kuphela amenza ukuba ayinike inyaniso ngendlela emkholisayo uThixo. Emanyene noKristu, eyonatitshala inkulu kuzo zonke, uPawulos wakwazi ukunika izifundo zobulumko bezulu, ezalungela zonke iindidi zabantu, nezaziyakuba lulutho ngamaxesha onke, kuzo zonke iindawo, naphantsi kwazo zonke iimeko.IZ 303.1

Phakathi kobubi obukhulu obathi babakho phakathi kwamakholwaaseKorinte,yaba kukubuyelakwizithetheezihlazisayo zobuhedeni. Omnye owayekhe ngaphambili, waya wabuyela kwindlela yemikhwa yombulo ngokokude ahlele kowona mgangatho uphantsi ngokwelizwe leeNtlanga. Abapostile balicenga ibandla ukuba limsuse phakathi kwalo loo mzalwana “wenze loo ntlondi.” Wabayala ngelithi “Anazi na ukuba igwele elincinane libilisa intlama iphela? Likhupheni ngoko kuthi tu igwele elidala, ukuze nibe yintlama entsha, ekubeni ningabangenagwele.”IZ 303.2

Obunye ububi obukhulu obabukho ebandleni yayikukusana ezinkundleni zomthetho kwabazalwana. Mkhulu umsindleko owenziwayo wokulungisa ubunzima phakathi kwabazalwana. UYesu ngokwaKhe wanika imfundiso ecacileyo ngendlela imicimbi enjalo emayilungiswe ngayo. UMsindisi wayecebise wathi, “Ukuba ke umzalwana wakho uthe wakona yiya umohlwaye inguwe naye ninedwa; ukuba uthe wakuva, woba umzuzile umzalwana wakho. Ke ukuba uthe akeva buyauthabathe nawe abe mnye nokuba babini, ukuze onke amazwi amiswe ngomlomo wamangqina amabini nokuba mathathu, Ukuba ke uthe akabeva, xelela ibandla; ukuba ke uthe akaliva nebandla, kuwe makabe njengoweentlanga nombuthi werhafu. Inene, ndithi kuni, Konke enithe nakubopha emhlabeni, kobotshwa emazulwini; nako konke enithe nakukhulula emhlabeni, kokhululwa emazulwini.” Mateyu 18:15-18.IZ 304.1

UPawulos waya wathi, ngokuphandle, wabhalela amakholwa aseKorinte, awayelahlekelwe ngumbono weli cebiso licacileyo, ewaluleka, ewangxolisa. Wabuza esithi, “Kukho na umntu kuni, enendawo ngakomnye, onobuganga bokummangalela phambi kwabangemalungisa, angammangaleli phambi kwabangcwele? Anazina,ukubaabangcwele aba baya kuligweba ihlabathi? Ukuba ke ihlabathi ligwetywa phambi kwenu, anikufanele na ukuwathetha awona mancinanana amatyala? Anazi na, ukuba siya kugweba izithunywa zezulu? Kobekaphi na ke kwizinto zobu bomi? Xa sukuba ke ngoko nisiya ematyaleni ngezinto zobu bomi, nimisa abo bangento kulo ibandla, ukuba kugwebe bona na? Nditsho ukuze nidane. Kude akwabakho noko sisinye na isilumko phakathi kwenu, esingaba nako ukulamla phakathi kwabo abazalwana? Usuka umzalwana amangalelane nomzalwana,athi noko akwenze phambi kwabangakholiweyo. Seninciphile ke kanye ngokokuthi nimangalelane. Yini na ukuba ningathi kanye nivume ukoniwa? . . . Nisuka nina none abanye, nilumkise, nako oko nibe nikwenza kubazalwana. Anazi na, ukuba abangemalungisa abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo?”IZ 304.2

USathana uhleli ngamaxesha onke efuna ukungenisa ukungathembani, ukuphela kwemvisiswano, nolunya phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo. Kuya kuthi rhoqo ukulingwa kwethu ukuba sibone ukuba kuphazanyiswa amalungelo ethu, naxa kungekho sizathu sisiso sokuba sizive njalo. Abo ukuthanda kwabo u-mna kunamandla ngaphezu kokuba bathande uKristu kunye nomsebenzi waKhe baya kubeka okwabo kuqala baze babhenele nakweyiphina into abayibona ifanelekile ukuba ibakhusele ibaxhase. Nabaninzi ababonakala bengamaKristu asezingqondweni, baye bathintelwe likratshi nokuziphakamisa ekuyeni ngasese kwabo bacinga ukuba basemposisweni, ukuba bathethe nabo ngomoya kaKristu, bathandazelane kunye. Abanye bathi bakucinga ukuba boniwe [balinyaziwe] ngabazalwana, basuka baye emthethweni endaweni yokulandela umthetho woMsindisi.IZ 305.1

AmaKristu akufuneki abhenele ezinkundleni zobuRhulumente ukulungisa iiyantlukwano ezithi zibekho phakathi kwamalungu ebandla. Kufuneka iiyantlukwanoezinjalo zigqitywephakathikwawo, okanye libandla, ngokuhambelana nomyalelo kaKristu. Nokuba kuye kwabakho ukusweleka kobulungisa, umlandeli kaYesu onobulali nozithobileyo [uYesu] uya kuvuma “ukoniwa” endaweni yokwaneka phambi kwehlabathi izono zabazalwana bakhe ebandleni.IZ 305.2

Ukumangalelana phakathi kwabazalwana kulihlazo kwinjongo yenyaniso. AmaKristu asana emthethweni abeka ibandla esichengeni sokugculelwa ziintshaba zalo, benze ukuba amagunya obumnyama abe novuyo [loloyiso]. Bamngxwelerha ngokuthi uKristu bamhlazise ekuhleni. Ngokungahoyi igunya lebandla, babonisa ukujongela phantsi uThixo, owanika ibandla igunya lalo.IZ 306.1

Kule leta eya eKorinte, uPawulos wazama ukubabonisa amandla kaKristu okubakhusela ebubini. Wayesazi ukuthi, ukuba bangayilandela imiqathango ebekiweyo, babeya komelela emandleni aLowo unaMandla onke. Njengendlela yokubanceda ukuba bohlukane nobukhoboka besono ukuze bafikelele ekugqibeleleni kobungcwele nokoyika iNkosi, uPawulos wabakhuthaza ukuba babange Lowo babekhe banikela ubomi babo kuYe ngexesha lokuguquka kwabo. Watsho esithi, ” “NingabakaKristu,” watsho njalo. “Aningabenu . . . nathengwa ngexabiso. Mzukiseni ke uThixo ngomzimba wenu nangomoya wenu, izinto ezizezikaThixo ezo.”IZ 306.2

Umpostile wazandlala ngokucacileyo iziphumo zokubuya umva kubomi bobunyulu nobungcwele kuyiwe kwizenzo ezikhohlakeleyo zobuhedeni. Wabhala wathi, “Musani ukulahlekiswa, abenza umbulo, nabakhonzi bezithixo, nabakrexezi, . . . namasela, namabawa, namanxila, nabatshabhisi, nabaphangi, abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” Wabacenga ukuba bakulawule ukuvutha kwabo yinkanuko ephantsi kunye nokuthanda ukutya. Wabuza: “Anazi na, ukuba umzimba wenu uyitempile yoMoya Oyingcwele ongaphakathi kwenu, eninaye evela kuThixo?”IZ 306.3

Nangona uPawulos wayenesipho sobuchopho obukhulu, ubomi bakhe babutyhila amandla obulumko obungaqhelekanga, obabumenza akhawuleze ukuwubona nzulu umcimbi kwanentliziyo enovelwano, izinto ezamenza afikeleleke kwabanye akwazi nokuvusa indalo yabo engcononokubakhuthaza ukuba baxhunele kubomi obuphezulu. Intliziyo yakhe yayizaliswe luthando lwenene ngakumaKristu namakholwa. Wayenolangazelelo lokubabona bebonakalisa ubungcwele bangaphakathi obabuya kubaqinisa ekulweni nesihendo. Wayesazi ukuba kulo lonke inyathelo abalithabathayo endleleni yobuKristu babeya kuchaswa sisikhungu sikaSathana nokuba baya kuba semadabini yonke imihla. Kwakufuneka bakuphaphele ukunyebelezela kokuza kotshaba, lubuyisela ngokunyanzelisa imikhwa emidala nokukekela kwabo kwemveli, bahlale ekuthandazeni amaxa onke. UPawulos wayesazi ukuba amanqanaba aphezulu obuKristu angafikeleleka kuphela ngomthandazo omninzi nokuphaphama ngalo lonke ixesha, into ke le awazama ukuyifaka nzulu ezingqondweni zabo. Wayesazi kwakhona ukuba, kuYesu owabethelelwayo, banikwe amandla awaneleyo ukuba baguqule umphefumlo umiliselwe ngokobungcwele ukuba umelane nazo zonke izihendo zokwenza okungendawo. Ukholo kuThixo, njengesikrweqe sabo, nelizwi laKhe njengesixhobo semfazwe, baya kuthiwa jize ngamandla angaphakathi ukuze bakwazi ukukukhwelelisa ukuhlasela kotshaba.IZ 307.1

Amakholwa aseKorinte ayedinga amava anzulu kwizinto zikaThixo.Ayengazi ngokupheleleyoukubakukuthiniukubonauzukolwaKhe nokuguqulwa esimilweni kuse esimilweni. Ayebone nje imitha yokuqala yentsasa yolo zuko. Ulangazelelo lukaPawulos ngawo yayikukuba azaliswe kuko konke ukuzaliseka kukaThixo, kulandelwe kukumazi Okuhamba kwaKhe kulungiswe njengentsasa, aqhubeke efunda ngaYe ade afikelele ekupheleleni kwemini enkulu yokufezeka kokholo lweendaba ezilungileyo.IZ 307.2