44—Abendlu Kakesare

Iindaba ezilungileyo zihlala zizuza eyona mpumelelo inkulu phakathi kwabantu abathobekileyo. “Azizininzi izilumko ngokwenyama, ababaninzi abanamandla, akamaninzi amanene.” 1 Korinte 1:26. Kwakungalindelekanga ukuba uPawulos, ihlwempu elingenabahlobo, angazuza ukunakwa ludidi lwabemi baseRoma abazizityebi nabanamagama. Kubo, ububi babuzibonakalise ngomtsalane obengezelayo owababamba bengabathinjwa abakonwabeleyo oko. Kwelinye icala, kwabaqotywe kukusebenza nzima, abathwaxwa yintswelo yokucinezelwa kwabo, phakathi kwamakhoboka ahluphekileyo, baninzi abawaphulaphula ngovuyo amazwi kaPawulos baza ngokholo kuKristu, bafumana ithemba noxolo olwabavuyisayo naphantsi kweenzima zoluhlu lwabo.IZ 461.1

Sekunjalo, nangona umsebenzi kampostile waya waqala kwabathobekileyo nabaphantsi, impembelelo yawo yakhula yada yayakufika nakwibhotwe likakumkani.IZ 461.2

Ngeli xesha, iRoma yayisesona sixeko sikhulu emhlabeni. OoKesare abaziphakamisileyobabenika imithethophantsekuzozonke izizwe emhlabeni. Ukumkani nephakathi babengazi ngomNazarete othobekileyo okanye babemthiyile bemgculela. Noko kunjalo, kwathi ngesithuba esingaphantsi kweminyaka emibini, iindaba ezilungileyo zayifumana indlela yokuphuma kwikhaya lombanjwa othobekileyo zayakungena kwiiholo zolawulo. UPawulos, usemakhamandeleni njengomenzi wobubi, kodwa “lona ilizwi likaThixo alibotshiwe.” 2 Timoti 2:9.IZ 461.3

Kwiminyaka yangaphambili umpostile wayeyivakalisa esidlangalaleni inkolo kaKristu ngamandla aweyisayo, waza ngemiqondiso nemimangaliso wanika ubungqina obungenako ukuphazanywa bemo yobungcwele bayo [inkolo]. Waya wathi ngokuqina okundilisekileyo, wema phambi kwezilumko zaseGrike, wathi ngolwazi lwakhe nobuciko bakhe wabetha kwathula ukuxoxa kwabazidla ngolwazi. Ngesibindi esingagungqiyo, wema phambi kweekumkani neerhuluneli, wazathuza ngobulungisa, ukuzila, nomgwebo ozayo, bada abalawuli abazaliswe likratshi bangcangcazela ngokungathi babona izikhwankqiso zemini kaThixo.IZ 462.1

Ayengekho amathuba anjalo ngoku anikwe umpostile, njengoko wayevalelwe kwindlu yakhe, ekwazi ukuvakalisa inyaniso kuphela kwabo babemfuna apho. Wayengenawo, njengoMoses noAron, umyalelo wezulu wokuba ayokuma phambi kokumkani okhohlakeleyo athi, ngegama likaNdinguye omkhulu akhalimele inkohlakalo nengcinezelo. Kanti ke, kwakungeli xesha kanye, xa ummeli omkhulu [uPawulos] wayekhangeleka esusiwe emsebenzini wasekuhleni, ekwakuya kuthi uloyiso olukhulu luzuzelwe iindaba ezilungileyo; kuba, kanye endlwini kakumkani, amalungu ongezeka ebandleni.IZ 462.2

Ayikho indawo apho umoya wawungahambelani nobuKristu njengakwinkundla yeseRoma. UNero kubonakala ngathi wacima emphefumlweniwakheneyokugqibelaimbonakalo engcwele, kwaneyomntu, waza wanophawu lukaSathana. Abo babemgqongile kunye namaphakathi bonke babe nesimilo esifana nesakhe umda—ukoyikeka, ukubaphantsi (ekuziphatheni), nokukhohlakala. Ngayo yonke imbonakalo, kwakuya kuba nzima ukuba ubuKristu bungema kwinkundla nebhotwe likaNero.IZ 462.3

Nakule imeko, nanjengakwezinye ezininzi, yabonakala into awayeyithetha uPawulos yokuba izixhobo zakhe zokulwa imfazwe “kuye uThixo zinamandla okuwisa iinqaba,” 2 Korinte 10:4. Nasendlwini kaNero, azuzwa amaxhoba [abantu abaguqukayo]. Kubantu abakhohlakeleyo bekumkani embi kakhulu, kwazuzwa abantu abaguqukayo baba ngoonyana bakaThixo. Aba babengengawo amaKristu ngokusemfihlakalweni, kodwaekuhleni. Babengenazintloni ngenkolo yabo.IZ 463.1

Kwakungaziphi iindlela ekwangenwa ngazo ukuze kumiliselwe ngokuqinileyo ubuKristu apho kanye ukubuvuma kwakuyinto ekhangeleka ingenakwenzeka? Kwileta yakhe eya kwabaseFilipi, uPawulos wakubalela ekuvalelweni kwakhe ukuba kubekho impumelelo ekuzuzweni abaguqukela enkolweni kusapho lukaNero. Esoyikela ukuba hleze kucingwe ukuba ukubandezeleka kwakhe kwayiphazamisa inkqubela yeendaba ezilungileyo, wabaqinisekisa ngelithi: “Ke kaloku ndinga ningazi, bazalwana, ukuba izinto ezindihleleyo, zibethe kwakukhona zihambayo iindaba ezilungileyo.” Filipi 1:12.IZ 463.2

Ukuqala kwawo ukuva amabandla obuKristu ngotyelelo lukaPawulos eRoma, alindela umqondiso wokoyisa kweendaba ezilungileyo kweso sixeko. UPawulos wayeyise kumazwe aliqela inyaniso; eyivakalisa kwizixeko ezikhulu. Yayingeke na le ntshatsheli yenkolo iphumelele ukuzuzela imiphefumlo uKristu kwesi sixekosikhulu? Ngelishwa amathemba abo awiswaziindabazokuba uPawulosuye eRoma njengebanjwa. Babethembe kakhulu ukubona iindaba ezilungileyo ezazike zamiswa kule ndawo inkulu, zisanda ngokukhawuleza ukuya kuzo zonke izizwe zibe ngamandla agqugqisayo emhlabeni. Athi ukudaniswa kwabo! Okulindelwe ngumntu kwawa phantsi, kodwa akunjalo ngenjongo kaThixo.IZ 463.3

Kwakungengazo iintshumayelo zikaPawulos, kodwa kwaye kungamakhamandela wakhe, eyathi inkundla yatsalekela ebuKristwini. Kwakungobuthinjwa awathi waqhawula imixokelelwane eyayibabophelele kubukhoboka besono. Kwakungaphelelanga apho. Wavakalisa oku: “abona bazalwana baninzi bathi, beseNkosini, bekholose ngeentambo zam ezi, babe kukhona benobuganga bokulithetha ilizwi, bengenakoyika.” Filipi 1:14.IZ 464.1

Umonde nokonwaba kukaPawulos ngexesha elide nelingenabulungisa lokuvalelwa kwakhe, isibindi sakhe kunye nokholo lwakhe, zaba yintshumayelo eqhubekayo. Umoya wakhe, ongafaniyo kakhulu nowehlabathi, wangqina ukuba, igunya elingaphezulu kunelo lehlabathi, lalihleli likunye naye. Ngomzekelo wakhe, amaKristu atyhalelwa kumandla angaphezulu ukuba abe ngabameli bomsebenzi kwimisebenzi yasekuhleni awaya warhoxiswa kuyo yena Pawulos. Ngezi ndlela, amakhamandela ompostile ayenempembelelo, ukuze kuthi xa amandla akhe nokuba lulutho kwakhe kunqanyulwe, kubonakala kakuhle ukuba kuncinane kakhulu anokwenza, abenako ukuqokelela izithungu zikaKristu kumasimi ekubukeka ngathi ususwe kwaphela kuwo.IZ 464.2

Phambi kokuphela kwaloo minyaka mibini yokuvalelwa, uPawulos wakwazi ukuthi, “Iintambo zam ezi zibonakele kuyo yonke indlu yomkhosi, nakwabanye bonke, ukuba zikuKristu,” kwaza kwathi phakathi kwabo bathumela imibuliso kwabaseFilipi, wakhankanya kakhulu abo “bendlu kaKesare.” Indima 13; 4:22.IZ 464.3

Umonde kunye nesibindi zizinto ezinoloyiso lwazo. Ngobulali phantsi kokulingwa, kungekho ngaphantsi kwesibindi eshishinini, imiphefumlo inokuzuzelwa uKristu. UmKristu obonakalisa umonde nokonwaba phantsi kokwenziwa buhlungu nokubulaleka, ahlangane nokufa ngokwako enoxolo nokuthula kokholo olungagungqiyo, angazenzela okukhulu iindaba ezilungileyo kunokuba ebenokwenza ngobomi obude bokusebenza ngokuthembekileyo. Maxa wambi xa umkhonzi kaThixo esuswa ekusebenzeni, imfihlelo enokwenza kukaThixo, ukubona kwethu kufuphi okunokuyililela, ilungiswe nguThixo ukuba ifeze umsebenzi obunokuthi, ngandlela ithile, ungabi nakwenziwa.IZ 465.1

Umlandeli kaKristu makangacingi ukuthi, xa engasenako ukusebenza ekuhleni nokuhambela uThixo nenyaniso yaKhe pha napha, akusekho msebenzi angawenza, kungasekho namvuzo anokuwuzuza. Amangqina anyanisekileyo kaKristu akaze abekwe bucala. Empilweni nasekuguleni, ebomini nasekufeni, uThixo usabasebenzisa. Xa kuthe ngenkohlakalo kaSathana, abakhonzi bakaKristu batshutshiswa, ukuya pha napha kwabo kwaphazanyiswa, xa beye bafakwa entolongweni, okanye bakhweliswa emanqwanqweni [ekuxhonyweni] okanye [babotshelelwa] ezibondeni, kungokuba kufuneka inyaniso izuze oludlulisileyo ngobukhulu uloyiso. Xa aba banyanisekileyo babetywina umnqophiso ngegazi labo, yathi imiphefumlo esentandabuzweni nasekungaqinisekini ukuza kuthi ga kwelo lixa, yoyiseka ngenkolo kaKristu yasuka yathabatha isigqibo sokuma ngakuYe ngesibindi. Kuthuthu lwamafela-nkolo, kwahluma isivuno esikhulu sikaThixo.IZ 465.2

Inzondelelo nokunyaniseka kukaPawulos nabo wayesebenza nabo, kungekho kuncinane kukholo nokuthobela kwabo babeguqukele ebuKristwini, phantsi kweemeko ezingavumiyo konke, kuyabungxolisa ubuvila nokungabikhokokholo kumlungiseleli kaKristu. Umpostile nabasebenzi ababemxhasa, babenako ukuxoxa bathi, kulilize ukubizela enguqukweni nasekukholweni kuKristu abakhonzi bakaNero, njengoko babephantsi kwezilingo ezibi kakhulu, berhangqwe zizithintelo eziyimiqobo emikhulu, besesichengeni senkcaso ekrakra. Ukuba babenokoyisakala yinyaniso, babengayithobela njani? UPawulos yena akazange azathuze ngalo ndlela; ngokholo wazandlala iindaba ezilungileyo kule miphefumlo, kwaza phakathi kwabo bevayo bakho abenza isigqibo sokuthobela nokuba kubadla ntoni. Nangona kukho imiqobo neengozi, bakwamkela ukukhanya bathemba ukuba uThixo uya kubanceda ukuba ukukhanya kwabo kukhanyisele nabanye.IZ 465.3

Akuzange kuphelele ekubeni abo baguqukayo bayamkele inyaniso endlwini kaKesare, kodwa nasemva kokuba beguqukile, bahlala bengabaloo ndlu. Abazange bazive benenkululeko yokuwushiya umsebenzi wabo kuba okubangqongileyo kwakungayifanelanga imeko. Inyaniso yabafumana apho, bahlala apho, baza bawangqinela amandla aguqulayo obomi obutsha ngobomi nesimilo, izinto ezatshintshayo.IZ 466.1

Ingaba bakho abalingeka ukuba batyhile iimeko ngokusilela kwabo ekungqineni ngoKristu? Mabacingisise imeko yabafundi bendlu kaKesare—inkohlakalo kakumkani, ukuchitha [imali] kakubi kwenkundla. Asikwazi ukuba nawo umfanekiso weemeko ezazingabuvumeli ubomi benkolo, nobufuna umbingelelo omkhulu okanye inkcaso, kunaleyo abo baguqukayo bazifumana bekuyo. Sekunjalo, phakathi kweenzima neengozi, bakugcina ukunyaniseka kwabo. Ngenxa yeemeko ezikhangeleka ngathi azingako ukuqatyelwa,umKristu angafuna ukuzikhwebula ekuthobeleni inyaniso njengoko injalo kuYesu; kodwa akukho sizathu anokusinika side sifune ukuphandwa. Ukuba angakwenza oku, angaba ubonisa ukuba uThixo ukhohlakele kuba ebekele abantwana baKhe iimeko zosindiso abangenako ukuhambelana nazo.IZ 466.2

Lowo ontliziyo yakhe igxile ekukhonzeni uThixo, uya kulifumana ithuba lokungqina ngaye. Ubunzima abuyi kuba nawo amandla okumthintela lowo uzimisele ukufuna ubukumkani bukaThixo kuqala nobulungisa baKhe. Ngamandla azuzwa emthandazweni nokufunda ilizwi, uya kuvuna ukulunga ashiye inkohlakalo. Uya kuthi ekhangele kuYesu, iMbangi noMgqibelelisi wokholo, owathwala ukuchaswa kwaKhe ngaboni, ikholwa liya kubanentumekelelo ukudela ukujongana nokudelwa nokugculelwa. Kuthenjiswe uncedo nobabalo nguLowo olizwi laKhe liyinyaniso. Iingalo ezingunaphakade ziyamwola umphefumlo obhenela kuYe ufuna uncedo. Phantsi kokukhathalelwa nguYe, singaphumla sisindile, sisithi, “Ndakuxineka, ndikholosa ngawe.” Ndumiso 56:3 [IBHAYIBHILE]. Kubo bonke ababeka ithemba labo kuYe, uThixo uya kusizalisa isithembiso saKhe.IZ 467.1

Ngomzekelo waKhe, uMsindisi ubonisile ukuba abalandeli baKhe banako ukubasehlabathini kodwa bangabi ngabehlabathi. Akezanga ukuze abe nenxaxheba kwiziyolo zalo ezilahlekisayo, awexulwe zizithethe zalo, nokuba alandele izenzo zalo, kodwa ukuze enze intando kaYise, afune asindise okulahlekileyo. Xa enale njongo phambi kwakhe, umKristu angema engadyojwanga kokumngqongileyo. Nokuba ukowuphi umgangatho okanye phantsi kwayo nayiphi imeko, ephakamile okanye ethobekile, uya kuwabonakalisa amandla enkolo yenene ngokunyaniseka ekwenzeni umsebenzi wakhe.IZ 467.2

Akukho ekukhululekeni ekulingweni, kodwa phakathi kwako [ukulingwa], apho sithi isimilo somKristu siphuhle. Ukuba sesichengeni kokudaniswa nenkcaso kumkhokelela umlandeli kaKristu kokukhulu ukuphaphama, nokuthandazela amandla oMncedi ngokunyaniseke ngakumbi. Ukulingwa kakhulu okunyamezelwe ngobabalo lukaThixo kuhlumisa umonde, ukuphaphama, ukuqina, nokuthembela kuThixo, okunzulu nokuzinzileyo. Luloyiso lwenkolo yobuKristu olwenza ukuba abalandeli bayo babulaleke, kodwa bomelele; banikezele, kodwa boyise; babulawe imini yonke, kodwa baphile; ukuthwala umnqamlezo, baze ngolo hlobo bazuze isithsaba sozuko.IZ 468.1