54—Ingqina Elithembekileyo

[Esi sakhluko sisekwe kwiileta zikaYohane]

Emva kokunyuka kukaKristu, uYohane wema engumsebenzi weNkosi othembekileyo nonyanisekileyo. Ekunye nabanye abafundi, bonwabela ukuthululwa kukaMoya ngemini yePentekoste, waza wathi, ngenzondelelo namandla ahlaziyekileyo, waqhubeka nokuthetha nabantu amazwi obomi, ezama ukukhokelela iingcinga zabo kOngabonwayo. Wayengumshumayeli onamandla, oshushu, nonyaniseke kakhulu. Ngolwimi okuhle, nelizwi elimnandi ngokwengoma, wabalisa ngamazwi nemisebenzi kaKristu, ethetha ngendlela eyazichukumisayo iintliziyo zabo babemphulaphule. Ubulula bamazwi akhe, isidima samandla eenyaniso awayezithetha, nobushushu obabonakala kwiimfundiso zakhe, konke kwamenza wafikelela kuzo zonke iindidi zabantu.IZ 546.1

Ubomi bukampostile babuhambelana neemfundiso zakhe. Ukuthanda uKristu okwakukhanya entliziywenni yakhe kwamkhokelela ekusebenzeleni ngenyameko, abantu bakubo engadinwa, ngakumbi abazalwana bakhe ebandleni lobuKristu.IZ 546.2

UKristu wayebayalele abafundi bokuqala ukuba bathandane njengoko naYe wabathandayo. Ngaloo ndlela, babeya kuthwalela ubungqina ehlabathini bokuba uKristu ukho ngaphakathi kwabo, ithemba lozuko. “Ndiniwisela umthetho omtsha,” wayetshilo, “wokuba nithandane, njengoko ndinithandileyo nina, ukuze nani nithandane.” Yohane 13:34. Ngexesha kwakuthethwa la mazwi, abafundi babengawaqondi; kodwa emva kokuba bebone ukuphatheka kakubi kukaKristu, emva kokubethelelwa nokuvuka, nokunyukela ezulwini, nasemva kokuba uMoya Oyingcwele eye wahlala phezu kwabo ngePentekoste, baluqonda ngokucacileyo uthando lukaThixo kunye nendalo yolo thando bamelwe kukuba nalo omnye komnye. Wakwazi ke ngoko ukuthi kubafundi kunye naye:IZ 547.1

“Ngale nto silwazile uthando [lukaThixo], kuba yena wasincamela ubomi bakhe; nathi ke sifanele ukubancamela abazalwana ubomi bethu.”IZ 547.2

Emva kokuhla kukaMoya Oyingcwele, xa abafundi babehamba bevakalisa uMsindisi ophilayo, ulangazelelo lwabo olulodwa yayikukusindiswa kwemiphefumlo. Babuvuyela ubumnandi bobudlelwane nabangcwele. Babenobubele, becingelana, bezilandula, bekulungele ukuncama nantoni na ngenxa yenyaniso. Ekunxulumaneni kwabo omnye nomnye imihla ngemihla, balubonakalisa uthando uYesu awayebawisele umthetho ngalo. Ngamazwi nezenzo ezingenako ukuzithandela bazama ukuluvuselela olu thando nakwezinye iintliziyo.IZ 547.3

Luthando olunjalo ekwakufuneka amakholwa ahlale elonwabele. Kwakufuneka abheke phambili ngentobelo enentumekelelo kumthetho omtsha. Babekufutshane kakhulu ekumanyaneni noKristu kangangokuba babanako ukukuzalisekisa konke awayekuyalele. Ubomi babo bawenza makhulu amandla oMsindisi owayenako ukubagwebela ngobaKhe ubulungisa.IZ 547.4

Kancinane, kancinane lwafika utshintsho. Amakholwa aqala ukukhangela iziphako elinye kwelinye. Ngokuhlala kwiimpazamo, benika ithuba izigxeko ezingenabubele, balahlekwa ngumbono woMsindisi kunye nothando lwaKhe. Aba nobungqongqo kakhulu ngokubhekisele kwiinkonzo zangaphandle zemibingelelo, banobuceducedu ngokuthethwayo ngaphezu kokwenziwayo ngenkolo. Ekuzondeleleni kwawo ukugweba abanye, asilela ukuzibona ezawo iimpazamo. Alahlekwa luthando lobuzalwana awayewanike umthetho ngalo uKristu, aza, okona kulusizi kuko konke, awakuqonda ukulahleka kwawo. Awazanga aqonde ukuba ulonwabo novuyo lwaluphuma ebomini bawo, nokuba, akuba ekuvalele ngaphandle kweentliziyo zawo ukuthanda uThixo, ayeza kuthi kwakamsinyane ahambe ebumnyameni.IZ 548.1

UYohane, ngokubona ukuba uthando lobuzalwana luyaphela ebandleni, wawakhuthaza amakholwa isidingo esihleli sikho rhoqo solu thando. Iileta zakhe eziya ebandleni zizele yile ngcamango. “Zintanda, masithandane,” ubhala atsho; “ngokuba uthando lwaphuma kuThixo. Bonke abanothando bazelwe nguThixo, bayamazi uThixo. Lowo ungenaluthando akazanga amazi uThixo, ngokuba uThixo uluthando. Kwabonakaliswa ngale nto ukusithanda kukaThixo, ngokuthi uThixo amthume ehlabathini uNyana wakhe, ekuphela kwamzeleyo ukuze sidle ubomi ngaye. Uthando lulapha, ingekukuba samthandayo uThixo thina, ikukuba wasithandayo yena, wamthuma uNyana wakhe ukuba abe sisicamagushelo sezono zethu. Zintanda, ukuba wenjenjalo uThixo ukusithanda, nathi sifaneleukuthandana.”IZ 548.2

Ngendlela eyodwa ekufanele olu thando lubonakaliswe ngamakholwa, umpostile uyabhala: “Ndinibhalele umthetho omtsha, okuyinene oko kuye nakuni; ngokuba ubumnyama buyadlula, kwaye ukukhanya okuyinyaniso sekubonakala. Lowo uthi usekukhanyeni, abe emthiyile umzalwana wakhe, usebumnyameni unangoku. Lowo umthandayo umzalwana wakhe uhleli ekukhanyeni, akanasikhubekiso. Ke lowo umthiyileyo umzalwana wakhe usebumnyameni, uhamba ebumnyameni. Akazi apho aya khona, ngokuba ubumnyama buwamfamekisile amehlo akhe.” “Le yintshumayelo enayivayo kwasekuqalekeni, ukuba sithandane.” “Lowo ungamthandiyo umzalwana wakhe uhleli ekufeni. Lowo umthiyileyo umzalwana wakhe usisibulala-mntu; niyazi ukuba akukho sibulala-mntu sinobomi obungunaphakade buhleliyo kuso. Ngale nto silwazile uthando, kuba yena wasincamela ubomi bakhe; nathi ke sifanele ukubancamela abazalwana ubomi bethu.”IZ 549.1

Asiyonkcaso yehlabathi elimaza kakhulu ibandla likaKristu. Bububi obugcinwe ezintliziyweni zamakholwa obenza umonakalo omkhulu nothi, ngokuqinisekileyo, uyidodobalise inkqubela phambili yomsebenzi kaThixo. Ayikho indlela eqiniseke ukudlulisa le, ukwenza buthakathaka ngokwasemoyeni, ukonwabela ukuba nomona, ukurhanelana, ukuzingela iziphoso, nokuceba inkohlakalo. Kwelinye icala, ubungqina obubobona bomeleleyo bokuba uThixo wamthuma uNyana waKhe ehlabathini, bungunobangela wobukho bolungelelwano nokumanyana phakathi kwabantu beemeko ezahlukeneyo elakhiwe ngabo ibandla laKhe. Lilungelo labalandeli bakaKristu ukuba babenabo obu bungqina. Ukuze babe nako ukwenza oku, kufuneka bazibeke phantsi kokulawulwa nguKristu. Izimilo zabo kufuneka zihambelane nesimilo saKhe, intando yabo kunye nentando yaKhe.IZ 549.2

“Ndiniwisela umthetho omtsha,” watsho uKristu, “wokuba nithandane, njengoko ndinithandileyo nina, ukuze nani nithandane.” Yohane 13:34. Athi ukuba kuhle kwale ntetho;hayi, ukungenzeki kwayo! Ebandleni likaThixo, namhlanjeuthando lobuzalwana lunqongophele ngendlela elusizi. Abaninzi abathi bayamthanda uMsindisi ababathandi abanye. Abangakholwayo babukele ukuze babone ukuba ukholo lwabo bazibiza ngobuKristu lunayo na impembelelo engcwalisayo ebomini bawo [amakholwa]; kwaye bayakhawuleza ukubona iziphako esimilweni, nezenzo ezingahambi ngokuthe ngqo. AmaKristu makangenzi ukuba kube lula elutshabeni ukumalolathe kuwo lusithi, Bonani aba bantu bemi phantsi kwebhanile kaKristu, indlela abathiyene ngayo. AmaKristu onke angamalungu osapho olunye, onke angabantwana boBawo omnye wasezulwini, lilinye nethemba elinoyolo lokuba nokungafi. Limele ukuba libe linye iqhina eliwaqamangele kunye ngokusondeleleneyo kunye nobubele.IZ 550.1

Uthando lwezulu lwenza imingeni echukumisa kakhulu entliziyweni xa lusibiza ukuba sibonise uvelwano lobubele obufana nobo uKristu wabubonisayo. Kuphela ngumntu othanda umzalwana wakhe ngokungasekeleze nzuzo othanda uThixo ngokwenene. UmKristu onyanisekileyo akasayi kuwuvumela ngokulula umphefumlo osengozini nodinga ukulunyukiswa ukuba uhambe nje ungakhathalelwanga. Akayi kuzisonga amele kude kwabo bonayo, ebayekela ekungeneni nzulu ekungonwabini nasekutyhafisweni okanye ukuba baweemhlabeni wedabi noSathana.IZ 550.2

Abo bangazange baluva uthando olunobubele nolweyisayo lukaKristu, abanakoukukhokelela abanye kumthombo wobomi. Uthando lwaKhe entliziyweni lungamandla anyanzelayo, akhokelela umntu ekumtyhileni [uKristu] ngentetho, ngomoya onobubele nemfesane, ekuphakamiseni ubomi babo bantu bahlangana nabo. Abasebenzi bamaKristu abanempumelelo kumalinge abo kufuneka babe ngabantu abamaziyo uKristu; kwaye ukuze bamazi, kufuneka bazi uthando lwaKhe. Ezulwini, ukufaneleka kwabo njengabasebenzi, kulinganiswa ngokukwazi kwabo ukuthanda njengoko uKristu wathandayo nokusebenza njengoko wasebenzayo.IZ 551.1

“Masingathandi ngamazwi,” watsho umpostile, “kodwa ngezenzo nangenyaniso.” Ukuphelela kwesimilo sobuKristu kufikelelwa xa ukuthanda ukunceda nokusikelela abanye kuthe rhoqo ukuziphumela ngaphandle kuvela ngaphakathi entliziyweni. Ngumoya wolu thando ojikeleze umphefumlo wekholwa owenza ukuba libe sisongo sobomi esisa ebomini nowenza ukuba uThixo awusikelele umsebenzi walo.IZ 551.2

Ukuthanda uThixo kakhulu nokuthanda abanye ngokungasekelezi nzuzo—sesona sipho sihle uBawo osezulwini alungele ukusinika. Olu thando alunto yokuziva ufuna ukuyenza, kodwa lungumthetho-siseko wezulu, amandla ahleli esisigxina. Intliziyo enganikelwanga ayikwazi ukuludala okanye ukuluveza. Lufumaneka kuphela entliziyweni apho uYesu alawula khona. “Thina siyamthanda, ngokuba yena wasithanda kuqala.” Kwintliziyo eyenziwe ngokutsha lubabalo olungcwele, uthando lungumthetho-siseko olawula izenzo. Luyasakha isimilo, lulawulle intshiseko, lufake umkhala kwiimvakalelo, lusinike isidima uthando. Olu thando, oluphila emphefumlweni, lunika incasa ubomi luhlwayele impembelelo ephuculayo kubo bonke abasingqongileyo.IZ 551.3

UYohane wazama ukukhokelela amakholwa ekuqondeni amalungelo aphakamileyo aya kuzakuwo ngokusebenza komoyawothando. Amandla ahlangulayo, azaliseintliziyo, aya kulawula zonke iinjongo abanyusele abo banawo ngaphaya kweempembelelo ezonakalisayo zehlabathi. Luthi lwakuvunyelwa olu thando ukuba lulawule ngokupheleleyo lube ngamandla aqhuba injongo ebomini, ukuthemba nokuthembela kwabo kuThixo nokubaphatha kwaKhe, kuphelele. Baya kuza kuYe benokuthemba okupheleleyo kokholo, besazi ukuba baya kufumana kuYe konke okudingekayo okulunge kwixesha langoku nangonaphakade. “Lugqibelele ngale nto uthando olukuthi, ukuze sibe nokungafihlisi ngomhla womgwebo; ngokuba, njengoko anjalo yena, sinjalo nathi kweli hlabathi. Akukho loyiko eluthandweni; lusuka uthando olugqibeleleyo luluphose phandle uloyiko.” “Kuko oku ukungafihlisi esinakokuye: ukuba sithi sicele into ngokokuthanda kwakhe, uyasiva. Ukuba siyazi okokuba uyasiva, . . . siyazi ukuba sinazo izinto ezicelwayo, esizicelileyo kuye.”IZ 552.1

“Ukuba kukho othe wona, sinoMthetheleli kuye uYise, uYesu Kristu ilungisa. Yena usisicamagushelo sezono zethu; engesazethu zodwa, usiso nesehlabathi liphela.” “Ukuba sithi sizivume izono zethu, uthembekile, ulilungisa ukuba asixolele izono zethu, asihlambulule kuko konke ukungalungisi.” Iimeko zokuzuza inceba kaThixo zilula kwaye zifanelekile. INkosi ayifuni senze into ebuhlungu ukuze sizuze ukuxolelwa. Asidingi ukuba sithabathe iihambo ezinde ezidinisayo, okanye senze inguquko ezibuhlungu, ukuze sithandise imiphefumlo yethu kuThixo wezulu okanye acamagushele izikreqo zethu. Lowo “usivumayo asishiye” isono sakhe “uya kufumana inceba.” Imizekeliso 28:13.IZ 552.2

Kwiinkundlazaphezulu, uKristu uthethelela ibandla laKhe — ethethelela abo wabathenga ngokuhlawula ixabiso legazi laKhe. Iinkulungwane, izizukulwana, azingeke zikuthobe ukwanela kombingelelo waKhe ocamagushayo. Akukho bomi nakufa, kuphakama nabunzulu, bungasahlula eluthandweni lukaThixo olukuKristu Yesu; kungengakuba simbambe samqinisa, kodwa kuba Yena usibambe wasiqinisa. Ukuba usindiso lwethu lwaluxhomekeke kumalinge ethu, ngesingazange sasindiswa; kodwa luxhomekeke kuLowo akuye onke amadinga. Ukubambelela kwethu kuYe kungabukeka kungenamandla, kodwa uthando lwaKhe lolo lomkhuluwa; ngalo lonke ixesha sibugcinile ubunye naYe, akukho unako ukusihlutha siphume esandleni saKhe.IZ 553.1

Ngokuhamba kweminyaka nenani lamakholwa likhula, uYohane wabasebenzela ngenkoloseko nokunyaniseka okungaphezulu abazalwana bakhe. Ngokwasebandleni amaxesha ayenengozi eninzi. Ulahlekiso lukaSathana lwalukho kuyo yonke indawo. Ngokugqwetha nobuxoki izithunywa zikaSathana zazama ukuvusa inkcaso ngakwiimfundiso zikaKristu, kwaza oko kwazala iingxabano noqhekeko olwabeka ibandla emngciphekweni. Abanye ababezibiza ngoKristu babebanga ukuba uthando lwaKhe lwabakhulula ekuthobeleni umthetho kaThixo. Kwelinye icala, abaninzi bafundisa ukuba kwakufuneka ukuba kugcinwe amasiko nezithethe zamaYuda; nokuthi,ukugcina nje umthetho, ngaphandle kokukholwa kwigazi likaKristu, kwakukwanele ukusindiswa. Abanye bathi uKristu wayeyindoda elungileyo, kodwa bekwala ubuThixo baKhe.Abanye ababesenza ngathi banyanisekile emsebenzini kaThixo, babengabakhohlisi, ekwenzeni kwabo bemkhanyela uKristu neendaba ezilungileyo zaKhe. Njengoko bona babephila esonweni, bazisa iimfundiso ezigwenxa ebandleni. Ngaloo ndlela abaninzi bakhokelelwa kwiindlela ezininzi zentandabuzo nokulahlekiswa.IZ 553.2

UYohane wazaliswa lusizi akubona iimpazamo eziyityhefu zirhubuluza ukungena ebandleni. Wazibona iingozi elalijongene nazo ibandla, waza waqubisana nalo mngeni ngokukhawuleza nangesibindi. Iileta zikaYohane ziphefumla umoya wothando. Kubonakala ngokungathi wayebhala ngosiba oluthiwe nkxu eluthandweni. Sekunjalo, wathi akuhlangana nabo babesaphula umthetho kaThixo, nangona babesithi baphila ubomi obungenasono, akazange alibazise ukubakhuza ngenkohliso yabo eyoyikekayo.IZ 554.1

Ebhalela umncedi wakhe kumsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo, umfazi owayesaziwa ngokuziphatha kakuhle nonempembelelo enkulu, wathi: “Ngokuba kungene abalahlekisi abaninzi ehlabathini, abangamvumiyo uYesu Kristu esiza esenyameni. Lowo ngumkhohlisi nomchasi-Kristu. Zilumkeleni, ukuba singalahlekani nezinto esizisebenzileyo; masamkele umvuzo ozalisekileyo. Bonke abagqithayo, abangahlaliyo emfundisweni kaKristu, abanaThixo; ohleliyo emfundisweni kaKristu, lowo unaye uYise noNyana. Ukuba umntu uza kuni, engazisi yona le mfundiso, musani ukumamkela endlwini yenu, ningambulisi nokumbulisa; kuba lowo umbulisayo unobudlelane naye ngemisebenzi yakhe engendawo.”IZ 554.2

Sinikwe igunya lokuba, njengoko wenzayo umfundi othandekayo, sibaxabise ngokufanayo abo bathi bahleli kuKristu nangona bephila bewaphula umthetho kaThixo. Kuya kubakho kule mihla yokugqibela ububi obufana nobo babuphazamisa impumelelo yebandla lokuqala; kwaye iimfundiso zikampostile uYohane ngale miba kufuneka ziqatshelwe kakhulu.“Yibaninothando,” leyo yintsholo ephuma kuyo yonke indawo, ngakumbi kwabo bathi bangcwalisiwe. Uthando lwenene lunyulu kakhulu ukuba lungaze lugqume isono esingavunywanga. Nangona kufuneka siyithandile imiphefumlo awayifelayo uKristu, akufuneki sisiyekelele isono. Akufuneki sizimanye nabavukeli size sikubize oko ngokuthi luthando. UThixo ufuna ukuba abantu baKhe, kanye ngeli xesha emhlabeni, ukuba bamele okulungileyo bangagungqi, njengoko wenzayo uYohane ukuchasa iziphoso ezazitshabalalisa umphefumlo.IZ 554.3

Umpostile ufundisa ukuba, nangona kufuneka sibonakalise imbeko yobuKristu, sinikwe igunya lokuba sikusebenze ngokuphandle ukulwa nesono kunye naboni; kuba oku akulwisani nothando lwenene. “Bonke abasenzayo isono benza okuchasene nomthetho;” uyabhala, “sona isono sikukuchasana nomthetho. Niyazi ke ukuba yena wabonakaliswa, ukuze azithwale azisuse izono zethu; kananjalo akukho sono kuye. Bonke abahlala kuye aboni; bonke abonayo abambonanga, abamazanga nokumazi.”IZ 555.1

Njengengqina likaKristu, uYohane akazange angene kwmimpikiswano, nakwimbambano edinisayo. Wathetha kuphela oko akwaziyo, awakubonayo nawakuvayo. Wayesondele kakhulu kunxulumano lwakhe noKristu, waziphulaphula iimfundiso zaKhe, wayibona imimangaliso yaKhe enamandla. Bambalwa ababenokububona ubuhle besimilo sikaKristu njengoko wabubonayo uYohane. Kuye, babudlule ubumnyama; kuye kwakubengezela ukukhanya kwenene. Ubungqina bakhe ngobomi nokufa koMsindisi babucacile bukwanamandla. Kubuninzi obusentliziyweni kwakuphuphuma ukuthanda uMsindisi awayekuthetha; kwaye kungekho gunya linokuwanqanda amazwi akhe.IZ 555.2

“Oko kwakukhokwasekuqalekeni,“watsho,“okosikuvileyo, oko sikubonileyo ngawethu amehlo,” oko sakukhangelayo, zakuphatha izandla zethu, okwelizwi lobomi: . . . oko ke sikubonileyo, sikuvileyo, siyakuxela kuni, ukuze nani nibe nobudlelane nathi. Baye ke ubudlelane bethu bunaye uYise, wakhe uYesu Kristu.”IZ 556.1

Ngoko ke, bekunga lonke ikholwa belingabanako ukuthi, ngawalo amava, libeke elalo itywina ukuthi, “uThixo uyinyaniso.” Yohane 3:33. Lingangqina ngelikubonileyo, lakuva, namandla kaKristu eliwavileyo.IZ 556.2