51—Umalusi Wasemhlabeni Othembekileyo

[Esi sakhluko sisekwe kwileta yoku-1 Petros]

Kuncinane okuthethwayo kwincwadi yeZenzo ngomsebenzi wamva kampostile uPetros. Ngexesha leminyaka eyayixakekile yokulungiselela eyalandela ukuthululwa kukaMoya ngemini yePentekoste, wayephakathi kwabo baba namalinge angapheliyo okufikelela kumaYuda aweza kunqula eYerusalem ngexesha lezidlo zonyaka.IZ 514.1

Njengoko laliya likhula inani lamakholwa eYerusalem nakwezinye iindawo ezatyelelwa ngabathunywa bomnqamlezo, iitalente awayenazo uPetros zabonakala ukuba zezexabiso elingathethekiyo kwibandla lobuKristu lokuqala. Impembelelo yobungqina bakhe ngoMesiya phambi kwamakholwa, ekusebenzela ngokunyanisekileyo ukuguquka kwawo; kwangelo xesha linye wawenzela umsebenzi okhethekileyo amakholwa, ewomeleza enkolweni kaKristu.IZ 514.2

Kwakusemva kokuba uPetros ekhokelelwe ekuzincameni nasekuxhomekekeni ngokupheleleyo kumandla ezulu, awathi wafumana ubizo lokuba asebenze njengomalusi wasemhlabeni. UKristu wayethe kuPetros, phambi kokuba amkhanyele, “Xa uthe waguquka, uze uwomeleze amakholwa.” Luka 22:32, (IBHAYIBHILE). La mazwi ayebalulekile kububanzi nempumelelo kumsebenzi awayeza kuwenza lo mpostile kwabo babeza kuza enkolweni. Amava akhe esono, ukubulaleka, nokuguquka, konke kwakumlungiselele lo msebenzi uPetros. Kwafuneka ukuba ade afunde obakhe ubuthakathaka, ukuze ayazi intswelo yekholwa yokuxhomekeka kuKristu. Wathi xa esesazulwini soqhwithela lwesilingo, waqala ukuqonda ukuba umntu angahamba ngokukhuselekileyo kuphela xa kuphele kwathi tu ukuzithemba aze axhomekeke kuMsindisi.IZ 515.1

Kumhlangano wokugqibela kaKristu nabafundi baKhe ngaselwandle, uPetros, evavanyiwe ngombuzo ophindwe kathathu, “Uyandithanda na?” (Yohane 21:15-17), wabuyiselwa kwindawo yakhe phakathi kwabaliShumi elinambini. Umsebenzi wakhe wayewunyulelwe; wayeza kondla umhlambi weNkosi. Ngoku, eguqukile wamkeleka, wayengazokwanela ukufuna nokusindisa abo bangaphandle kwesibaya, kodwa wayeza kuba ngumalusi wezimvu.IZ 515.2

UKristu wakhankanya imeko enye kuphela yomsebenzi—“Uyandithanda na?” Oku kukulungela okufunekayo. Nangona uPetros wayenokuba nazo nezinye, kodwa ngaphandle kothando lukaKristu, wayengenako ukuba ngumalusi othembekileyo kumhlambi kaThixo. Ulwazi, ububele, ubuciko, inzondelelo—zonke zibalulekile emsebenzini olungileyo; kodwa ngaphandle kothando lukaKristu entliziyweni, umsebenzi womlungiseleli womKristu ulilize.IZ 515.3

Uthando lukaKristu asikokuziva ngathi unesifo sokuguquguquka, kodwa ngumthetho-siseko ophilayo, ekufuneka ubonakalaliswe njengamandla ahlala entliziyweni. Ukuba isimilo nokuziphatha komalusi kungumzekelo wenyaniso ayithethayo, iNkosi iya kubeka itywina lokuwamkela umsebenzi. Umalusi kunye nomhlambi baya kuba banye, bemanywe lithemba elinye kuKristu.IZ 516.1

Indlela uMsindisi awamphatha ngayo uPetros yaba nesifundo kuye nakubazalwana bakhe. Nangona uPetros wayeyikhanyele iNkosi, uthando awayenalo uYesu ngakuye aluzange lugqwidize. Naxa kwakufuneka umpostile athabathe umsebenzi wokulungiselela ngelizwi kwabanye, kwakuza kufuneka ahlangane nomoni ngomonde, uvelwano, nothando oluxolelayo. Ekhumbula obakhe ubuthakathaka nokusilela, kwakuza kufuneka aziphathe izimvu neemvana ezinikelwe kuye ukuba azikhathalele ngobubele, njengoko uKristu wamphathayo naye.IZ 516.2

Abantu, bathi bona ngoku benobubi, bathande ukubaphatha ngendlela engenabo ububele abahendwayo nabonayo. Abanako ukuyifunda intliziyo; abawazi amadabi ayo kwanentlungu yayo. Ukukhalimela okuluthando, igalelo elingxwelerhayo ukuze liphilise, isilumkiso esinika ithemba, zizinto ekudingeka ukuba bazifunde.IZ 516.3

Kuko konke ukulungiselela kwakhe, uPetros wawalusa ngokuthembekileyo umhlambi awayewunikiwe ukuba awukhathalele, waba ngolo hlobo uyazibonakalisa ukuba uwufanele umngeni noxanduva alunikwe nguMsindisi. Wahlala emphakamisile uYesu waseNazarete njengeThemba likaIsrayeli, uMsindisi woluntu. Ubomi bakhe wabubeka phantsi kwengqeqesho yoMsebenzi oyiNtloko. Ngako konke okusemandleni akhe, wafuna ukuwafundisela umsebenzi ophilileyo amakholwa. Umzekelo wakhe ongcwele nokusebenza okungayekeleliyo kwawakhuthaza amadodana edinga ukuba azinikele ngokupheleleyo emsebenzini wobulungiseleli. Ngokuhamba kwexesha impembelelo kampostile njengomfundisi nenkokeli yakhula; kwathi naxa engazange wawulahla umthwalo wakhe wokusebenzela ngakumbi amaYuda, kodwa wabusa ubungqina kumazwe amaninzi esomeleza ukholo lwenkitha kwiindaba ezilungileyo.IZ 516.4

Kwiminyaka eya ngasekupheleni kolungiselelo lwakhe, uPetros wakhuthazeka ukuba abhalele amakholwa aye “[zii]ntsali ezikwelasePonto, kwelaseGalati, kwelaseKapadoki, kwelaseAsiya, nakwelaseBhitini.” Iileta zakhe zaziyindlela yokuvuselela isibindi nokomeleza ukholo kwabo babenyamezele ukulingwa nokubandezelwa, nokuhlaziyela emisebenzini elungileyo abo bathi ngezihendo ezininzi basengozini yokulahlekwa kukubambelela kuThixo. Ezi leta, zinophawu lokubhalwa ngumntu owathi ngokuphatheka kakubi kukaKristu kunye nentuthuzelo yaKhe zenziwa zaphuphuma; umntu obuntu bakhe bonke buye benziwa ngokutsha lubabalo, nothemba lakhe lobomi obungunaphakade liqinisekileyo nelime nkqi.IZ 517.1

Kanye ekuqaleni kweleta yakhe yokuqala, ingwevu yomkhonzi kaThixo yakubalela eNkosini yayo ukufanelwa kukudunyiswa nokubongwa. “Makabongwe uThixo, uYise weNKosi yethu uYesu Kristu,” wadanduluka esitsho, “othe ngokobuninzi benceba yakhe, wasizala ngokutsha, ukuba sibe nethemba eliphilileyo ngokuvuka kukaYesu Kristu kwabafileyo; sibe nelifa elingenakonakala, elingenakudyobheka, elingenakuguga, eniligcinelweyo emazulwini, nina bathe ngamandla kaThixo ngokholo balondolozelwa elusindisweni, olulungiselwe ukutyhilwa ngexesha lokugqibela.”IZ 517.2

Eli themba lelifa eliqinisekileyo kumhlaba owenziwe mtsha, amaKristu amaKristu okuqala alivuyela, nangamaxesha okulingwa okunzima kunye nokubandezelwa. “Enigcoba ngalo,” wabhala watsho uPetros, “nokuba nithe naba buhlungu umzuzwana ngoku, ukuba nimelwe kuko, phakathi kwezilingo ngezilingo; ukuze ukucikideka kokholo lwenu kufunyanwe kunqabile kakhulu, ngaphezu kwegolide le itshabalalayo, noko icikidwa ngomlilo; kuse kuyo indumiso nembeko nozuko ekutyhilekeni kukaYesu Kristu. Enithe ningambonanga nje . . . nigcobe ngovuyo olungathethekiyo, oluzukisiweyo; nisamkela isiphelo sokholo lwenu, usindiso ke lwemiphefumlo yenu.”IZ 518.1

Amazwi ompostile abhalelwa ukululeka amakholwa azo zonke izizukulwana, kwaye abaluleke ngendlela eyodwa kwabo baphila ngexesha xa “ukuphela kwezinto zonke kusondele.” Iziyalo nezilumkiso zakhe, kunye namazwi akhe okholo nesibindi, adingwa nguwo wonke umphefumlo ekufuneka ulugcinile ukholo lwawo “ngokuthe nkqi, [kude kuse] ekupheleni.” Hebhere 3:14.IZ 518.2

Umpostile wayefuna ukuwafundisa amakholwa ngokubaluleka kokuyigcina ingqondo isuke ekubhaduleleni kwiingongoma ezalelweyo okanye ekuchitheni amandla ngezinto ezingenamsebenzi. Abo banganqweneliyo ukuba ngamaxhoba amacebo kaSathana, kufuneka bakuphaphamele ukugcina amajelo omphefumlo; kufuneka bakuphephe ukufunda, ukubona, nokuva izinto ezivusa iingcinga ezingenyulu. Ingqondo akufuneki ukuba iyekwe ihlale ngokuzithandela kwimiba ecetyiswa lutshaba lwemiphefumlo. Intliziyo kufuneka ilindwe ngokunyanisekileyo, okanye ububi obungaphandle buya kuvusa ububi obungaphakathi, uze umphefumlo ubhadule ebumnyameni. “Bhinqani izinqe zengqondo yenu,” wabhala uPetros, “ninobungcathu, niluthembe ngokugqibeleleyo ubabalo oluziswa kuni ekutyhilekeni kukaYesu Kristu; . . . ningamilisi okweenkanuko zangaphambili ekungazini kwenu; nithi ke, ngokokwalowo ungcwele wanibizayo, nibe ngcwele nani ngokwenu kuyo yonke ihambo. Ngenxa enokuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Yibani ngcwele ngokuba ndingcwele mna.”IZ 518.3

“Lihlaleni ixesha lokuphambukela kwenu apha nizoyikela; nisazi nje ukuba anihlawulelwanga nikhululwe ngazinto zinakonakala, oozisilivere noozigolide, kuyo ihambo yenu engento, enayinikelwayo ngooyihlo. Kwakungegazi elinqabileyo likaKristu, njengelemvana engenasiphako, enganabala; owaziwayo ngenxa engaphambili okunene, ngaphambi kokusekwa kwehlabathi, kodwa wabonakalaliswa ekugqibeleni kwamaxesha la ngenxa yenu, nina nikholwayo ngaye kuThixo, owamvusayo kwabafileyo, wamzukisa, ngokokuze ukholo lwenu nethemba lenu libe kuThixo.”IZ 519.1

Ukuba isilivere negolide zazifanele ukuthenga usindiso lwabantu, ngekwabalula kakhulu ukukwenza oko ngaLowo othi, “Isilivere yeyam, igolide yeyam.” Hagayi 2:8. Ngenxa yaloo nto, kungegazi likaNyana kaThixo kuphela anokuthi umoni ahlangulwe. Icebo losindiso labekwa njengombingelelo. UPawulos wabhala wathi, “Niyalwazi ubabalo lweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu, okokuba yathi, ibisisityebi nje, yaba lihlwempu ngenxa yenu, ukuze nina nibe zizityebi ngobuhlwempu bayo obo.” 2 Korinte 8:9. UKristu wazinikela ngenxa yethu ukuze asihlangule kubo bonke ubugwenxa. Njengentsikelelo yokugqibela yosindiso, “isibabalo sikaThixo bubomi obungunaphakade kuKristu Yesu iNkosi yethu.” Roma 6:23.IZ 519.2

“Niyenze nyulu nje imiphefumlo yenu ngokuyilulamela inyaniso ngoMoya,kuse ekuthandeni abazalwana okungenalouhanahaniso,” uyaqhubeka uPetros, “thandanani ngenyameko ehlambulukileyo.” Ilizwi likaThixo—inyaniso—ilijelo ethi ngalo iNkosi ibonakalalise uMoya waYo kunye namandla aYo. Ukulithobela ilizwi kuveza isiqhamo sodidi olufunekayo—“[ukuthanda] abazalwana okungenaluhanahaniso.” Olu thando luzalwa lizulu lwaye lukhokelela kwiinjongo eziphezulu nezenzo ezingezizo ezokuzithandela.IZ 519.3

Xa ithe inyaniso yaba ngumthethi-siseko ohleli ebomini, umphefumlo “[o]zelwe nje ngokutsha, kungengokwasembewini enokonakala, [kodwa] kungokwasembewini engenakonakala, ngelizwi likaThixo eliphilileyo, elihleliyo ngonaphakade.” Oku kuzalwa kutsha, kusisiphumo sokwamkela uKristu oliLizwi likaThixo. Xa kuthe, ngoMoya Oyingcwele, iinyaniso zezulu zafakwa entliziyweni, kuvuka iimbono ezintsha, athi amandla akade elele avuselwe ekusebenzisaneni noThixo.IZ 520.1

Kwaba njalo ke kuPetros kunye nabafundi awayesebenza nabo. UKristu wayengumtyhili wenyaniso ehlabathini. NgaYe, imbewu engenakonakala—ilizwi likaThixo—yahlwayelwa ezintliziyweni zabantu. Ezininzi kwizifundo ezizezona zixabisekileyo zeTitshala eNkulu zathethwa kwabo babengaziqondi ngelo xesha. Xa, emva kokunyuka kwaKhe, uMoya Oyingcwele wazisa iimfundiso zaKhe kwinkumbulo yabafundi, izimvo zabo ezileleyo zavuka. Okuthethwa zezi nyaniso, kwathi thaa ezingqondweni njengentyilelo entsha, yaza inyaniso, inyulu, ingangxengwanga, yazifumanela indawo yayo. Ngoko amava amangalisayo obomi baKhe aba ngawabo. ILizwi laba nobungqina ngabo, abantu abanyulwe nguYe, baza bavakalisa inyaniso enamandla, “ULizwi waba yinyama, wahlala phakathi kwethu, . . . ezele lubabalo nayinyaniso.” “Enzalisekweni yakhe thina sonke samkela kwa-ubabalo phezu kobabalo.” Yohane 1:14, 16.IZ 520.2

Umpostile wawayala amakholwa ukuba afunde iziBhalo, ukuze athi, ngokuziqonda kakuhle, aqinisekise umsebenzi kanaphakade. UPetros waqonda ukuba kumava omphefumlo ngamnye oya koyisa ekugqibeleni, kuya kubakho iziqendu nokudideka nokulingwa; kodwa wayesazi kwakhona ukuba ukuziqonda iziBhalo kuya kwenza ukuba ohendwayo akhumbule amadinga aya kumthuthuzela intliziyo, alomeleze ukholo kuLowo unaMandla.IZ 521.1

“Yonke inyama injengengca,” watsho, “nabo bonke ubuqaqawuli bomntu bunje ngentyatyambo yengca. Ingca iyoma, ivuthuluke nentyatyambo yayo; ke lona ilizwi leNkosi lihleli ngonaphakade. Elo ke leli lizwi lashunyayelwayo kuni ngeendaba ezilungileyo. Ngoko, nililahlile nje lonke ulunya, nayo yonke inkohliso, nokuhanahanisa, nomona, nako konke ukuthetha okubi, walangazeleleni ngokweentsana ezisandula ukuzalwa, amasi angawelizwi, angenankohliso, ukuze nikhule ngawo; ukuba okunene nikuvile, ukuba iNkosi inobubele.”IZ 521.2

Amakholwa amaninzi awayithumela kuyo uPetros le leta, ayephila phakathi kwabahedeni, kwaye kukuninzi okuxhomekeke ekuhlaleni kwawo enyanisekile kubizo lwawo lwaphezulu lovumo lwawo. Umpostile wawakhuthaza kumalungelo awo njengabalandeli bakaKristu Yesu. “Nisisizukulwana esinyuliweyo,” wabhala njalo, “uhlanga olungcwele, abantu abayinqobo, ukuze nivakalise isidima salowo wanibizayo ukuba niphume ebumnyameni, ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso; enanifudula ningebantu, ke ngoku ningabantu bakaThixo; enaningenzelwanga nceba, ke ngoku nenzelwe inceba.IZ 521.3

“Zintanda, ndiyanivuselela njengabaphambukeli nabasemzini, ukuba nikhumke ezinkanukweni ezizezenyama, zona ziwuphumele umkhosi umphefumlo. Ihambo yenu mayibe ntle phakathi kweentlanga; ukuze kuloo nto bathetha okubi ngani, ngathi ningabenzi bokubi, bathi ngokubona imisebenzi yenu emihle, bamzukise uThixo ngomhla wokuvelelwa.”IZ 522.1

Umpostile wayandlala ngokucacileyo ingqondo amakholwa amele ukuba abe nayo kwakumagunya asekuhlaleni: “Wuthobeleni ngoko wonke ummiso ongowomntu, ngenxa yayo iNkosi; nokuba ngabalawuli, njengabathunyiweyo nguye, ukuze baphindezele okunene kubenzi bokubi, badumise abenzi bokulungileyo. Ngokuba ukuthanda kukaThixo kukuba nithi, ngokwenza okulungileyo, nibethe ithi cwaka intswela-kwazi yabantu abaziintsweli-kuqonda; nithi ningabakhululekileyo nje, ningabi ngabayenza inkululeko ibe sisigqubuthelo sobubi; nibe ngabakhonzi bakaThixo. Bekani abantu bonke. Thandani isizalwana. UThixo moyikeni. Ukumkani mbekeni.”IZ 522.2

Abo babe zizicaka bacetyiswa ukuba bahlale bezithobele iinkosi zabo, esithi, “ninako konke ukoyika abanikhonzisayo, ingabi ngabalungileyo nabathantamisayo bodwa, ibe kwanabagwenxa. Kuba oku kuyabuleleka,” waya wachaza umpostile, “ukuba umntu uthwala iintsizi, ngenxa yokumazi uThixo, eve ubunzima esoniwa. Kuba kuya kuba ludumo luni na, ukuba ninyamezele nakuntlithwa nisona? Ke ukuba nithi, nisenza okulungeleyo nive ubunzima, nize ninyamezele, oko kuyabukeleka kuThixo. Kuba nabizelwa oko; ngokuba noKristu weva ubunzima ngenxa yethuesishiyanomzekelo,ukuze silandele emkhondweni wakhe; obesithi, etshabhiswa, angaphindezeli atshabhise, athi esiva ubunzima, angaphindezeli asongele; ke ubeyekele kulowo ugwebayo ngokobulungisa; owathi ngokwakhe, izono zethu wazithwala ngomzimba wakhe emthini, ukuze sithi, sifile ngakwizono, siphilele ebulungiseni; omivumbo yakhe naphiliswa ngayo. Kuba beninjengezimvu zilahlekile, koko nisuke ngoku nabuyela kuye uMalusi noMveleli wemiphefumlo yenu.”IZ 522.3

Umpostile wabayala abafazi enkolweni ukuba baziphathe kakuhle entethweni nasesidimeni, ekunxibeni nakwihambo yabo. “Ukuhomba kwenu,” wacebisa, “makungabi kokwangaphandle, kokulukwa kwenwele, nokunxitywa kwegolide, nokwambathwa kweengubo; makube kokomntu ofihlakeleyo wentliziyo, ovethe ukungonakali, umoya onobulali, ozolileyo, oxabiso likhulu emehlweni kaThixo.”IZ 523.1

Isifundo siyasebenza kumakholwa azo zonke izizukulwana. “Ngoko ke nobaqonda ngeziqhamo zabo.” Mateyu 7:20. Ihombo yangaphakathi yobulali nomoya ozolileyo zizinto ezixabiso lingenakufikeleleka. Ebomini bomKristu ihombo yomKristu wenene isoloko ihambelana noxolo nobungcwele bangaphakathi. “Ukuba kukho othanda ukundilandela,” watsho uYesu, “makazincame ngokwakhe, andilandele.” Mateyu 16:24. Ukuzilandula nokuzincama kuya kuphawula ubomi bomKristu. Ubungqina bokuba ilithe liguqukile buya kubonakala kwisinxibo sabo bonke abahamba kwindlela elungiselelwe abahlanguliweyo beNkosi.IZ 523.2

Kulungile ukubuthanda ubuhle nokubunqwenela; kodwa uThixo ulangazelela ukuba sithande sifune obona buphezulu ubuhle, obo bungenakutshabalala. Abukho ubuhomba bangaphandle obungathi bulinganiswe ngexabiso okanyenokuthandekano“moya onobulali, ozolileyo,” oyi“linen ecikizekileyo, eqaqambileyo, emhlophe” (IsiTyhilelo 19:14), eya kunxitywa ngabo bonke abangcwele emhlabeni. Esi sinxibo siya kubenza babe bahle bathandeke apha, sithi kwelizayo sibe ngumqondiso wokungena kwibhotwe likaKumkani. Idinga laKhe lithi, “Baya kuhamba nam benezimhlophe; ngokuba befanelekile.” IsiTyhilelo 3:4.IZ 523.3

Ekhangele phambili ngembono yomprofeti kumaxesha anomngcipheko elaliza kungena kuwo ibandla likaKristu, umpostile wawayala amakholwa ukuba aqine phambi kokulingwa nokuphatheka kakubi. “Zintanda,” wabhala, “musani ukuwuthela nqa umlilo okhoyo phakathi kwenu wokunilinga.”IZ 524.1

Ukulingwa kuyinxalenye yemfundo enikwa esikolwenisikaKristu, ukuhlambulula uqweqwe lwehlabathi kubantwana bakaThixo. Kungokuba uThixo ebakhokela abantwana baKhe, le nto befikelwa ngamava okubavavanya. Ukulingwa nezikhubekiso zizindlela ezikhethiweyo zaKhe zokuqeqesha, neemeko azimisileyo zempumelelo. Lowo ofunda iintliziyo zabantu uyabazi ubuthakathaka bazo kunokuba bezazi. Uyabona ukuba abanye banako ukufaneleka okunokuthi, ukuba bukhokelwe ngendlela eyiyo, bube nokusetyenziselwa ukuhambisela phambili umsebenzi waKhe. Ngokwenzelela kwaKhe, uyibeka le miphefumlo kwiindawo ezingafaniyo neemeko ezahlukeneyo, ukuze izibone iziphako ezifihlakeleyo kolwayo ulwazi. Uyinika ithuba lokoyisa ezi ziphako, nokuba izenze ilungele umsebenzi. Maxa wambi uvumela imililo yembandezelo ukuba ivuthe, ukuze ihlanjululwe (le miphefumlo).IZ 524.2

Inkathalo kaThixo ngelifa laKheayipheli.Akayivumeli imbandezelo ukubaifikekubantwanabaKhe ingeyiyoefunekayoekulungelweni kwabo kwangoku nokwexesha elizayo. Uya kulihlambulula ibandla laKhe, njengokuba uKristu wahlambulula itempile ngexesha lokulungiselela kwaKhe emhlabeni. Konke akuzisayo kubantu baKhe ngovavanyo nokulingwa kuyeza ukuze bazuze ubungcwele obunzulu bamandla amakhulu ukuze bathwalele phambili uloyiso lomnqamlezo.IZ 525.1

Lalikho ixesha, kumava kaPetros, awayengenantumekelelo yokubona umnqamlezo emsebenzini kaKristu. Ixesha awathi uMsindisi akubazisa abafundi baKhe ngokubulaleka nokufa okwakuphambi kwaKhe, wakhala uPetros wathi, “Wanga uThixo angakunceda, Nkosi; oku kungaze kwenzeke kuwe.” Mateyu 16:22, IBHAYIBHILE. Ukuzisizela, okwaphela ngenxa yokudlelana noKristu ekuphathekeni kakubi, kuko okwakumenza ukuba uPetros akhalime ngolo hlobo. Kwaba sisifundo esibuhlungu kumfundi, nawaya esifunda kancinane, esokuba indlela kaKristu emhlabeni inqumla phakathi kwentlungu nokuthotyelwa phantsi. Noko kunjalo, naye wayeza kusifunda isifundo kubushushu beziko lomlilo. Wathi, ke ngoko, wakuba umzimba wakhe ugobilephantsi komthwalo weminyaka kunye nokusebenza nzima, wakwazi ukubhala athi, “Zintanda, musani ukuwuthela nqa umlilo okhoyo wokunilinga, ngathi nihlelwa yinto yokuthelwa nqa. Yithini, njengoko ningamadlelane ngeentlungu zikaKristu, nivuye; ukuze, nasekutyhilekeni kobuqaqawuli bakhe, nivuye nigcoba.”IZ 525.2

Xa wayebhalela amadoda amakhulu ebandla ngoxanduvalwawo njengabalusi bomhlambi kaKristu, umpostile wabhala wathi, “Waluseni umhlambi kaThixo ophakathi kwenu, niwuvelela, kungengakunyanzelwa, makube ngokokuzithandela; kungengenxa yenzuzo embi, makube kuthumekelela;kungabi njengabazigagamelayoizahlulo zawo,yibani yimizekelo kumhlambi. Nothi, akubonakala uMalusi oyintloko, nisifumane isithsaba salo uzuko esingabuniyo.”IZ 525.3

Abo basezikhundleni zokuba ngabelusi emhlabeni kufuneka bakukhuthalele ukuwalusa umhlambi weNkosi. Oku asikuko ukwalusa ngokugonyamela, kodwa ngendlela ekhuthazayo, yomeleze, iphakamise. Ukulungiselela kuyinto engaphezu kokushumayela; kuthetha ukusebenza buqu ngokunyameka. Ibandla emhlabeni linamadoda nabafazi abonayo, abadinga umzamo onomonde nonyamekileyo ukuze baqeqeshwe balulekwe ukuba basebenze ngendlela eyamkelekileyo kobu bomi, baze kubomi obuzayo bathweswe ngobuqaqawuli nokungafi. Abafundisi bayafuneka—abelusi abathembekileyo—abangayi kubakhohlisa abantu bakaThixo, okanye babaphathe kalukhuni, kodwa abaya kubondla ngesonka sobomi—amadoda, ebomini bawo, aweva yonke imihla amandla aguqulayo kaMoya Oyingcwele nanothando oluqinileyo, nolungatsaleli kulo ngakwabo athi asebenzele bona nzima.IZ 526.1

Umalusi wasemhlabeni unomsebenzi wobuchule ekufuneka ewenzile njengoko ebizelwe ukuhlangana nenkcaso, nentiyo, ukunqwena nomona ebandleni, kwaye kuza kufuneka esebenze ngomoya kaKristu ukumisa izinto ngendlela. Izilumkiso ezinyanisekileyo kufuneka zinikiwe, izono zikhalinyelwe, iimposiso zilungisiwe, kungekuphela ngomsebenzi womlungiselelieqongeni, kodwa nangokusebenza buqu. Intliziyo endwendwayo ingacatshukiswa sisigidimi, athi umkhonzi kaThixo athatyathwe ngenye indlela ade agxekwe. Makakhumbule ngoko ukuba “ubulumko baphezulu ukuqala bunyulu, buze bube boboxolo; buyancendezela, buthozame kakuhle, buzele yincebaneziqhamo ezilungileyo; abunankani, abunaluhanahaniso. Isiqhamo ke sobulungisa sihlwayelwa ngoxolo ngabo benza uxolo.” Yakobi 3:17, 18.IZ 526.2

Umsebenzi womlungiseleli weendaba ezilungileyo kukwenza ukuba bonke abantu “bayibone into obuyiyo ubudlelane bemfihlelo ebifihliwe kwasemaphakadeni, ikuye uThixo.” Efese 3:9. Ukuba ubani, xa engena kulo msebenzi, ukhetha indawo enokona kuncinane ukuzibingelela, azanelise ngokushumayela, aze awuyekele komnye umsebenzi wokulungiselela yena ngokwakhe, imisebenzi yakhe ayisayi kwamkeleka kuThixo. Imiphefumlo ayifeleyo uKristu iyatshabalala kukuswelaumsebenzi ophethwe kakuhle sisiqu somntu [ongumlungiseleli]; abe uluphazamile ubizo lwakhe lowo ongena kumsebenzi wokulungiselela, engenayo intumekelelo yokwenza umsebenzi wobuqu ofunekayo ekukhathaleleni umhlambi.IZ 527.1

Umoya womalusi wenene ngowokuzilibala. Ulahlekwa kukubona isiqu sakhe ukuze asebenze imisebenzi kaThixo. Ngokushumayela ilizwi nangokulungiselela ngobuqu emakhayeni abantu, ufunda iintswelo zabo, iintlungu zabo, izilingo zabo; athi, ngokusebenzisana noMthwali weMithwalo omkhulu abelane nokubandezeleka kwabo, akupholise ukuxinzeleka kwabo, akukhulule ukulamba komphefumlo wabo, aze azizuzele uThixo iintliziyo zabo. Kulo msebenzi, umlungiseleli ukhathalelwa zizithunywa zezulu, aze yena ngokwakhe afundiswe, akhanyiselwe kwinyaniso ekhokelela ebulumkweni obusa elusindisweni.IZ 527.2

Ngokuhlangene nesiyalo sakhe kwabo basezikhundleni zokuthenjwa ebandleni, umpostile wandlala imithetho-siseko ethile ekwakufuneka ilandelwe ngabo bonke abahlangene kubudlelane bebandla. Amalungu omhlambi aselula,akhuthazwaukubaalandele umzekelo wabadala ekuphileni ngokuzithoba okufana nobukaKristu: “Ngokunjalo, nina manci, wathobeleni amadoda amakhulu. Thobelanani nonke ke, ninxibe ukuthobeka kwentliziyo; ngokuba uThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, abababale ke abazithobileyo. Zithobeni ngoko ngaphantsi kwesandla esinamandla sikaThixo, ukuze aniphakamise ngexesha elifanelekileyo. Lonke ixhala lenu liphoseni phezu kwakhe, ngokuba yena enikhathalele. Yibani nobungcathu, phaphani; ngokuba ummanganleli wenu, uMtyholi, uhamba njengengonyama egqumayo, efuna ubani engamginyayo; mchaseni lowo, nizimasekile elukholweni.”IZ 527.3

Wawabhalela wenjenjalo uPetros amakholwa ngexesha elilodwa lokulingwa ebandleni. Baninzi ababesele benokudlelana noKristu ekuphathekeni kakubi, kwaye kungekudala ibandla laliza kuba phantsi kwentshutshiso embi kakhulu. Kwiminyaka nje embalwa, abaninzi kwabo babemi njengeetitshala neenkokeli ebandleni, babeza kububeka phantsi ubomi babo ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo. Kwakamsinyane, iingcuka eziqwengayo zaziza kungena, zingawusindisi umhlambi. Noko kunjalo, akukho kwezi zinto ekwakufuneka zizise ukutyhafa kwabo abamathemba abo amile kuKristu. Ngamazwi enkuthazo nokubonwabisa,uPetros wazikhokelela iingqondo zamakholwa ukuba zisuke ekulingweni kwangoku nasemibonweni yokuphatheka kakubi kwixesha elizayo ziye “[kwi]lifa elingenakonakala, elingenakudyobheka, elingenakuguga.” ‘UThixo walo lonke ubabalo,” wazingisa ukuthandaza, “owasibizelayo eluzukweni lwakhe olungunaphakade, sikuKristu Yesu, wanga angathi ngokwakhe, nakuba nive ubunzima umzuzwana, anilungise nigqibelele, anizimase, anomeleze, anisekele. Kuye makubekho uzuko namandla, kuse emaphakadeni asemaphakadeni. Amen.”IZ 528.1