56—Epatimo
Kwakuse kudlule ngaphezu kwesiqingatha senkulungwane kususela ukuba kwamiselwa ibandla lobuKristu. Ngelo xesha isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo sasithe rhoqo ukuchaswa. Iintshaba zaso azizange zawayekelela amalinge azo, zada ekugqibeleni zaphumelela ukufaka igunya likakumkani waseRoma ukuchasa amaKristu.IZ 568.1
Kwintshutshiso eyayimbi eyalandelayo, umpostile uYohane wenza okukhulu ukuqinisa nokomeleza ukholo lwamakholwa. Wayenobungqina abachasi bakhe ababenganako ukubuphikisa, nokubanceda abazalwana bakhe ukuba bamelane ngesibindi nokunyaniseka nezilingo ezazibafikela. Lwalusithi xa luhexaukholo lwamaKristu phantsi kwenkcaso enkulu, anyanzelekeukuba ahlangane nengwevu, umkhonzi ovavanyiweyo kaYesu, aphinde ngamandla nobuciko ibali loMsindisi owabethelelwayo nowavukayo. Walugcina luzinzile ukholo lwakhe kwaye kwimilebe yakhe kuphuma isigidimi sovuyo esinye nesidala: “Oko kwakukhokwasekuqaleni,oko sikuvileyo, okosikubonileyongawethuamehlo, oko sakukhangelayo, zakuphatha izandla zethu, okwelizwi labo ubomi; . . . oko ke sikubonileyo, sikuvileyo, siyakuxela kuni.” 1 Yohane 1:1-3.IZ 568.2
UYohane waphila wada wamdala. Wakubona ukutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, nokuba ziindonga kwetempile eyayinesidima. Engowokugqibela ukuphila kubafundi ababenonxulumano olusondele kakhulu kuMsindisi, isigidimi sakhe saba nempembelelo ekwaziseni ukuba uYesu wayenguMesiya, uMhlanguli wehlabathi. Akakho owayenako ukuthandabuza ukunyaniseka kwakhe, kwathi ngemfundiso yakhe babaninzi ababuyayo ekungakholweni.IZ 569.1
Abalawuli bamaYuda bazaliswa yintiyo ekrakra ngakuYohane ngenxa yokuthembeka okungagungqiyo emsebenzini kaKristu. Bavakalisa ukuba amalinge abo okuchasa amaKristu aya kuba lilize lo gama ubungqina bukaYohane busa nkenteza ezindlebeni zabantu. Ukuze ummangaliso neemfundiso zikaYesu zilityalwe, ilizwi lengqina elinesibindi kufuneka lithulisiwe.IZ 569.2
Kwakuba njalo, uYohane wabizelwa eRoma ukuba avavanywe khona ukholo lwakhe. Apha phambi kwamagunya, iimfundiso zompostile zagqwethwa. Amangqina obuxoki amtyhola ngokufundisa iimfundiso zoqhekelo olulahlekisayo. Ngezi zityholo, iintshaba zakhe zazithembe ukuzisa ukufa kumpostile.IZ 569.3
UYohane waziphendulela ngendlela ecacileyo neyoyisayo, kwathi ngobulula nokuphola kwelizwi lakhe, amazwi akhe abanempumelelo enamandla. Abamphulaphuleyo bamangaliswa bubulumko nobuciko bakhe. Eyona nto, okona busoyisa ubungqina bakhe, kwaba kukona ibanzulu intiyoyabachasi bakhe.UkumkaniuDomitianwazaliswa yingqumbo. Akakwazanga ukukuphika ukuzathuza kommeli othembekileyo kaKristu, okanye afikelele kumandla awayenawo ekuthetheni kwakhe inyaniso; ukanti wazimisela ukuba uya kulithulisa ilizwi lakhe.IZ 569.4
UYohane waphoswa embizeni yamafutha abilayo; kodwa iNkosi yabugcina ubomi bomkhonzi waYo othembekileyo, kwanjengoko yagcina amaHebhere amathathu ezikweni lomlilo. Athi xa amazwi ayethethwa, Batshabalala ngolo hlobo bonke abakholelwa kuloo mkhohlisi, uYesu Kristu waseNazarete, uYohane wathii, INkosi yam yaziyekela ngomonde kuko konke uSathana nezithunywa zakhe babekuceba ukuba bamhlazisa bamngcikive. Wabunikela ubomi baKhe ukuba asindise ihlabathi. Ndiyazukiswa ngokuvunyelwa ukuba ndiphatheke kakubi ngenxa yaKhe. Ndingumntu obuthakathaka, ongumoni. UKristu wayengcwele, engenabungozi, engangcoliswanga. Akazange enze sono, kungazange kufunyanwe nkohliso emlonyeni waKhe.IZ 570.1
La mazwi aba nempembelelo yawo, waza uYohane wakhutshwa embizeni kwangala madoda abemfakile.IZ 570.2
Kwakhona isandla sentshutshiso saya ngamandla phezu kompostile. Ngomthetho kakumkani, uYohane wayakulahlelwa esiqithini sePatimo, egwetywe “ngenxa yelizwi nangenxa yobungqina bukaYesu Kristu.” IsiTyhilelo 1:9. Apha iintshaba zakhe zacinga ukuba impembelelo yakhe ayisayi kuphinda iviwe, kwaye kufuneka ekugqibeleni afe bubunzima naluxinzeleko.IZ 570.3
IPatimo, isiqithi esingumqwebedu nesinamawa kulwandle iAegean, sakhethwa ngurhulumente waseRoma njengendawo yokulahlela abaphuli bomthetho; kodwa kumkhonzi kaThixo, le ndawo “ilikhaya” losizi, yaba lisango lezulu. Kule ndawo, ingekhoyo kwimibono exakekileyo yobomi, nasekusebenzeninzimakweminyakayangaphambili,waba kubudlelwane bukaThixo noKristu kunye nezithunywa zezulu, waza kubo wamkela imfundiso yebandla yalo lonke ixesha elizayo. Iziganeko eziya kubakho kwimibono yokugqibela yembhali yehlabathi zandlalwa phambi kwakhe; waza apho wabhala imibono awayifumana kuThixo. Ngexesha ilizwi lakhe lalingasenako ukungqina kuLowo wayemthanda emkhonza, izigidimi awamnika zona kolo nxweme luze, zaziya kuhamba njengesibane esivuthayo, sivakalisa injongo eqinisekileyo yeNkosi ngazo zonke izizwe zomhlaba.IZ 570.4
Phakathi kweengxondorha namawa, uYohane waba nonxulumano noMenzi wakhe. Wakhangela ngokutsha ubomi bakhe obadlulayo, wathi akucinga ngeentsikelelo awazizuzayo, umphefumlo wakhe wazaliswa luxolo. Waphila ubomi bomKristu, wanako ukuthi, “Thina siyazi ukuba sidlule ekufeni, sangena ebomini.” 1 Yohane 3:14. Kwakungenjalo kukumkani owaya kumlahla. Yena [ukumkani] wayenokukhangela emva kuphela kumathafa emfazwe nembubhiso, kumakhaya awashiywayo, kubahlolokazi neenkedama ezikhalayo, isiqhamo solangazelelo lwakhe olunekratshi ukuba ngobalaseleyo.IZ 571.1
Kwikhaya lakhe lokubekwa yedwa, uYohane wayekwazi ukufunda ngakumbi kunakuqala izibonakaliso zamandla ezulu njengoko zibhalwe encwadini yendalo nasemaphepheni empefumlelo. Kuye, kwakuluvuyo ukucamngca ngomsebenzi wendalo nokunqula uMzobi wezulu. Kwiminyaka yangaphambili, amehlo akhe ayebuliswa ngumbono weenduli ezigqunywe ngamahlathi, iintlambo eziluhlaza, amathafa azele ziziqhamo; kwaye kokuhle kwendalo, kwakumvuyisa ukulanda ubulumko nobuchule boMdali. Ngoku wayerhangqwe yimibono eyayiya kubonakala Ilusizi kwabaninzi inganiki mdla; kodwa kuye uYohane yayiyenye into. Ngeli xesha okumngqongileyo kunokubayinkangala ebharhileyo, amazulu aluhlaza phezu kwakhe ayenjengokubengezela nobuhle bezibhakabhaka phezu kweYerusalem ayithandayo. Kumawa amabi aqhekekileyo, kwiimfihlelo zolwandle, kubumbetshembetshe besibhakabhaka, wafunda izifundo ezibalulekileyo. Zonke zaziphethe isigidimi samandla kaThixo nozuko lwaKhe.IZ 571.2
Kuko konke okumngqongileyo, umpostile wabona ubungqina bukaNogumbe owagubungela umhlaba kuba aboni bengenela ukwaphula umthetho kaThixo. Iimbokotho zamatye ezakhutshwa yinzulu yolwandle nasemhlabeni kukugqabhuka kwamanzi — amanzi anzongonzongo ebiza amanzi anzongonzongo — umprofeti weva ilizwi loMdali. Ulwandle luvunjululelwa emsindweni yimimoya engenanceba, lwamnika umfanekiso wengqumbo kaThixo owoniweyo. Amaza amakhulu, ekwintshukumo embi, ebanjwe kwimida eyamiswa sisandla esingabonwayo, ayethetha ngolawulo lwaMandla angenasiphelo. Kwelinye icala, wabuqonda ubuthakathaka nobudenge babantu, abathi, nangona beyimibungu yothuli, bazigwagwise ngokucinga ukuba banobulumko namandla, ngokungathi uThixo ungomnye wabo ngokupheleleyo. Amawa amkhumbuza ngoKristu, iLiwa lamandla, anokuzimela kumthunzi walo engenakoyika. Kumpostile owayelahlwe kwiPatimo eyinkqantosi, kwabakho inzondelelo enkulu emphefumlweni wakhe yokufuna uThixo; eyona mithandazo ishushu.IZ 572.1
Imbali kaYohane inika umboniso onomtsalane wendlela uThixo anokumsebenzisa ngayo umsebenzi omdala.Xa uYohane wayegxothelwa esiqithini sePatimo, babebaninzi abo bacinga ukuba udlule ekusebenzeni, uyingcongolo endala evikivekileyo, elindele ukuwa nanini. Noko kunjalo, iNkosi yabona kusafanelekile ukumsebenzisa. Nangona elahliwe engasekho kwindawo ezibonwayo zomsebenzi wakhe wangaphambili, akazange ayeke ukuthwala ubungqina ngenyaniso. NasePatimo wenza abahlobo nabaguqukileyo. Wayesisigidimi sovuyo, evakalisa uMsindisi ovukileyo owayephezulu emele abantu baKhe, ade abuye azokubathabathela kuYe. Kwakusemva kokuba uYohane wayekhule wamdala emsebenzini weNkosi yakhe, apho wazuza khona unxibelelwano olungaphezulu oluphuma ezulwini kunokuba kwakunjalo kwiminyaka yangaphambili yobomi bakhe.IZ 573.1
Okona kuphathwa ngobubele kufuneka kufunyanwe ngabo uthando lobomi babo beluqanyangelwe nomsebenzi kaThixo. Aba basebenzi badala bema benyanisekile phakathi kweenkqwithela nezilingo. Basenokuba neenkathazo zokuguga, kodwa basenazo iitalente ezenza bakufanele ukuma endaweni yabo emsebenzini kaThixo. Nangona sebephelile, bengakwazi ukuthwala imisebenzi ethe kratya ubunzima kunokuba amadodana esenako kwaye kufuneka eyithwele, icebiso anokulinika linexabiso eliphezulu kakhulu.IZ 573.2
Basenokuba bazenza iimpazamo, kodwa ekusileleni kwabo bafunda ukuziphepha iziphoso neengozi, ingaba ke abakufanelanga na ukunika icebiso lobulumko? Banyamezele uvavanyo nesilingo, bathi, nangona belahlekwe ngamanye amandla abo, iNkosi ayibabeki ecaleni. Ibanika ubabalo nobulumko ngendlela eyodwa.IZ 573.3
Abo bayisebenzele iNkosi usahamba nzima umsebenzi, banyamezela ubuhlwempu, bahlalabethembekilesebembalwaabamelainyaniso, kumele bahlonitshwe banikwe imbeko. INkosi ilangazelela ukuba abasebenzi abaselula bazuze ubulumko, amandla, nokuvuthwa ngokuzihlanganisa nala madoda athembekileyo. Amadodana mawaqonde oku, ukuba anabasebenzi abanje phakathi kwawo, enzelwe inceba kakhulu. Mawabanike indawo ehloniphekileyo kumaqumrhu awo.IZ 574.1
Njengokuba abo bachithe ubomi babo emsebenzini kaKristu besondela ekupheleni kokulungiselela kwabo emhlabeni, baya kutyhilelwa nguMoya Oyingcwele ukuba babalise amava ababe nawo ahlangene nomsebenzi kaThixo. Ingxelo yaKhe emangalisayo yokusebenza nabantu baKhe, ukulunga kwaKhe okukhulu ekubahlanguleni ekulingweni, kufuneka iphindwe kwabo bafika enkolweni. UThixo ulangazelela ukuba abadala babavavanyiweyo beme endaweni yabo, besenza eyabo inxaxheba ekusindiseni amadoda nabafazi ekutshayelweni behle ngomsinga wobubi. Ulangazelela ukuba basigcine isikrweqe ade abayalele ukuba basibeke phantsi.IZ 574.2
Kumava kampostile uYohane phantsi kwentshutshiso, sikho isifundo samandla amangalisayo nentuthuzelo yomKristu. UThixo akakuthinteli ukuceba abakhohlakeleyo, kodwa wenza ukuba amaqhinga abo asebenze okulungileyo kwabo bathi, kwisilingo nembambano, balugcine ukholo nokunyaniseka. Umsebenzi weendaba ezilungileyo uyakholisa ukuqhubeka nomsebenzi wakhe phakathi kweenkqwithela zentshutshiso, inkcaso embi, nokugculelwa ngokungafanelekanga. Ngamaxesha anjalo, makakhumbule ukuba amava awazuzileyo, kwiziko lezilingo nokungcungcuthekiswa, ayifanele intlungu elixabiso lawo. Ngaloo ndlela uThixo ubasondeza kuYe abantwana baKhe, ukuze ababoniseubuthakathakababokunyeamandlaaKhe. Ubafundisa ukuba bayamekuYe. Ngolo hlobo ubalungiselela ukubabahlangane neemeko eziqubulisayo, bathabathe izikhundla zokuthenjwa baze bafeze injongo enkulu abawanikelwe yona amandla abo.IZ 574.3
Kuzo zonke izizukulwana, amangqina anyulwe nguThixo azinikele kwingcikivo nentshutshiso ngenxa yenyaniso. UYosefu wanyeliseka washutshiswa kuba wayegcine ukulunga nokuhlonipheka kwakhe. UDavide, umthunywa ongumnyulwa kaThixo, wazingelwa njengesilwanyana esilixhoba ziintshaba zakhe. UDaniyeli waphoswa emhadini weengonyama kuba wayenyanisekile ekuthobeleni kwakhe izulu. UYobhi wahluthwa konke anako kwasemhlabeni, wabandezelwa kakhulu emzimbeni kangangokuba wacekiswa zizizalwana zakhe, nabahlobo, ukanti wasigcina isidima sakhe. UYeremiya akazange akwazi ukuphepha ukuthetha amazwi uThixo awayemnike ukuba awathethe; ubungqina bakhe bamvuthisa ngengqumbo ukumkanineenkosana kangangokuba waphoswa kumhadi othiyekileyo. UStefano waxulutywa ngamatye kuba washumayela uKristu, naYe ebethelelwe emnqamlezweni. UPawulos wavalelwa entolongweni, wabethwa ngeentswazi, waxulutywa ngamatye, ekugqibeleni wabulawa, kuba wayengumthunywa othembekileyo kaThixo kwiiNtlanga. UYohane wayakulahlwa kwisiqithi sePatimo “ngenxa yelizwi likaThixo, nangenxa yobungqina bukaYesu Kristu.”IZ 575.1
Le mizekelo yokuma nkqi kwabantu inika ubungqina bamadinga kaThixo—uhlala ekho kwanobabalo oluxhasayo. Ingqina ngamandla okholo lokumelana namagunya ehlabathi. Ngumsebenzi wokholo ukuyekela kuThixo ngelona xesha limnyama, ukuva ukuba uBawo nguYe obambe ivili, nokubaulingwekabuhlunguwabhudlwaziinkqwithela kangakanani. Iliso lokholo linako ukukhangela ngaphaya kwezi zinto zexesha lixabise ngokufanelekileyo ubutyebi obungunaphakade.IZ 575.2
UYesu akabeki phambi kwabalandeli baKhe ithemba lokuzukiswa kunye nobutyebi behlabathi, kwanokuphila ubomi obungenazo izilingo. Endaweni yoko ubabiza ukuba bamlandele kwindlela yokuzincama nokugculelwa. Lowo weza kuhlangula ihlabathi, wachaswa yimikhosi emanyeneyo yobubi. Kumanyano olungenaluvelwano, abantu abakhohlakeleyo nezithunya ezingendawo zazimisa ukuba zichase iTshawe loXolo. Lonke ilizwi laKhe naso sonke isenzo sakhe zazityhila uvelwano lwezulu, kwaza ukungafani kwaKhe nehlabathi kwaxhokonxa obona butshaba bukhulu.IZ 576.1
Kuya kuba njalo kubo bonke abaphila ubomi obungcwele kuKristu Yesu. Intshutshiso nokugculelwa kubalindele bonke abazaliswe nguMoya kaKristu. Imo yentshutshiso iguquka nokuhamba kwamaxesha, kodwa wona umthetho-siseko—umoya osisiseko sayo—ukwangulowo wabulala abanyulwa bakaYehova kususela kwimihla ka-Abheli.IZ 576.2
Kuzo zonke izizukulwana uSathana wabatshutshisa abantu bakaThixo. Ubathuthumbisile ebabulala, kodwa ekufeni kwabo, baba ngaboyisi. Baba nobungqina kumandla aLowo unamandla kunoSathana. Amadoda akhohlakeleyo angawuthuthumbisa awubulale umzimba, kodwa akanako ukubuchukumisa ubomi obufihlwe noKristu kuThixo. Bangawavalela amadoda nabafazi eziseleni, kodwa abanako ukuwubopha umoya.IZ 576.3
Ngesilingo nentshutshiso, uzuko, olusisimilo sikaThixo, luyabonakaliswa kwabo banyuliweyo. Abakholwayo kuKristu, bethiyiwe, betshutshiswa lihlabathi, bafunda baqeqeshwe esikolweni sikaKristu. Emhlabenibahamba kwiindlela ezimxinwa; bahlanjululwa kwiziko lokubandezeleka. Bamlandela uKristu kumadabi amabi; banyamezela ukuzilandula nokudaniswa okukhulu; kodwa kungaloo ndlela abathi bafunde ubutyala nobubi besono, baze basikhangele nokusicekisa. Njengababelana ngokubulaleka kukaKristu, bakhangela ngaphaya kosizi kubuqaqawuli, besithi, “Ndigqiba kwelithi, iintlungu zeli xesha lakalokunje azinakulinganiswa nobuqaqawuli obu buza kutyhilwa kuthi.” Romans 8:18.IZ 576.4