58—Ibandla Eloyisileyo

Kungaphezu kweshumi elinesibhozo leenkulungwane eliselidlulile kususela ukuba abapostile baphumla ekusebenzeni nzima kwabo, kodwa imbali yokubulaleka nokuzincama kwabo ngenxa kaKristu, isahleli kumagugu axabisekileyo ebandla. Imbali, ebhalwe phantsi kokukhokela kukaMoya Oyingcwele, yabhalelwa ukuba ngayo, bathi abalandeli bakaKristu kuzo zonke izizukulwana batyhalelwe kwinzondelelo enkulu nenyanisekileyo emsebenzini woMsindisi.IZ 593.1

Umsebenzi uYesu awawuthuma abafundi ukuba bawenze, wazaliseka. Ngokuhamba kwaba bathunywa bomnqamlezo bevakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo, kwabakho ukutyhileka kozuko lukaThixo ngendlela engazange yabonwa ngumntu onokufa ngaphambili. Ngokusebenzisana noMoya wezulu, abapostile benza umsebenzi owalishukumisayo ihlabathi. Iindaba ezilungileyo zathwalelwa kuzo zonke izizwe ngexesha lesizukulwana esinye.IZ 593.2

Zaqaqamba iziphumo ezabakho kulungiselelo lwabapostile abanyuliweyo bakaKristu.Ekuqalekeni kokulungiselela kwabo, abanye babo babe ngabantu abangafundanga, kodwa ukuzinekela kwabo emsebenzini weNkosi yabo kwakuzibhokoxile, baza, phantsi kokufundiswa nguYe, balungiselelwa umsebenzi omkhulu owanikelwa kubo. Kwalawula ezintliziyweni zabo ubabalo nenyaniso, kwaza kwakhuthazeka umoya wabo kwalawuleka nezenzo zabo. Ubomi babo babufihlwe noKristu kuThixo, umna akabonwa ndawo, entywiliselwe kwiinzulu zothando olungenasiphelo.IZ 593.3

Abafundi babengabantu abakwaziyo ukuthetha nokuthandaza ngokunyanisekileyo, abantu abakwazi ukubamba isandla saMandla kaIsrayeli. Athi, indlela abema beyame kwicala likaThixo, bakuqamangela ukuhlonitshwa kwabo kwitrone kaThixo! UYehova wayenguThixo wabo. Uzuko lwaKhe lwalulolwabo. Inyaniso yaKhe yayiyeyabo. Lonke uhlaselo olwalusenziwa kwiindaba ezilungileyo lwalunje ngolwenziwa emiphefumlweni yabo, baze bawulwele umsebenzi kaKristu ngawo onke amandla abo. Babanakho ukuliphakamisa iLizwi lobomi kuba babefumene intambiso yasezulwini. Babelindele okukhulu, ngenxa yoko, bazama okukhulu. UKristu wazityhila kubo, baza bona bakhangela inkokhelo kuYe. Ukuqonda kwabo inyaniso namandla abo okumelana nenkcaso, kwakulingana nokuvumelana kwabo nentando kaThixo. UYesu Kristu, ubulumko namandla kaThixo, wayengumongo wayo yonke intetho. Igama laKhe — ekuphela kwalo phantsi kwezulu abanokusindiswa ngalo abantu — baliphakamisa. Xa babevakalisa ukuphelela kukaKristu, uMsindisi owavukayo, amazwi abo azichukumisa iintliziyo, amadoda nabafazi bazuzelwa iindaba ezilungileyo. Inkitha eyaligculelayo igama loMsindisi, yawadela amandla aKhe, ngoku yavumaukubaingabafundi baLowo wabethelelwayo.IZ 594.1

Kwakungengamandla abo abathi abapostile bawufeza umsebenzi abawuthunyiweyo, kodwa kwakungamandla kaThixo ophilayo. Wawungelula umsebenzi wabo. Imisebenzi yokuqala yebandla lobuKristu yayinobunzima nentlungu ekrakra. Emsebenzini wabo abafundi babengqubana nendlala, ingozi, nentshutshiso; kodwa abazange babuxabisele bona ubomi babo, koko bakuvuyela ukubizwa ukuze babulaleke ngenxa kaKristu. Ukungemi ntweni, ukungabi nazigqibo, injongo ephuthileyo, zazingenandawo kwimizamo yabo. Babenentumekelelo ukusebenza, nabo basetyenziswe. Ukuqaphela umthwalo owawuphezu kwabo, kwawuhlambulula, kwawondla amava abo, lwaza ubabalo lwezulu lwabonakaliswa kumadabi abawaphumelelayo ngenxa kaKristu. Ngobukroti bOnamandla onke, uThixo wasebenza ngabo ukwenza ukuba iindaba ezilungileyo zoyise.IZ 595.1

Phezu kwesiseko esabekwa nguKristu ngokwaKhe, abapostile bakha ibandla likaThixo. EziBhalweni umfanekiso wokwakhiwa kwetempile ukholisa ukusetyenziswa ukubonisa ukwakhiwa kwebandla. UZekariya ubhekisa kuKristu njengeHlumelo elaliza kwakha itempile kaYehova. Uthetha ngeeNtlanga njengezincedayo emsebenzini: “Baya kuza abakude bakhe etempileni kaYehova;” athi yena u-Isaya, “Oonyana bolunye uhlanga baya kuzakha iindonga zakho.” Zekariya 6:12, 15; Isaya 60:10.IZ 595.2

Ethetha ngokwakhiwa kwale tempile, uPetros uthi, “Nisiza nje kuyo, ililitye eliphilileyo, licekisiwe okunene ngabantu, kodwa linyuliwe nguThixo, linqabile; nani ngokwenu, njengamatye aphilileyo, yakhekani nibe yindlu eyiyeyomoya, isibingeleli esingcwele sokunyusa imibingelelo eyiyeyomoya, eyamkelwa kakuhle kuye uThixo ngoYesu Kristu.”1 Petros 2:4, 5.IZ 595.3

Kumgodi ekombiwa kuwo amatye angamaYuda nabeeNtlanga, abapostile basebenza nzima bekhupha amatye okubekwa phezu kwesiseko. Kwileta yakhe eya kwabase-Efese, uPawulos uthi, “ngoko ke anisengabasemzini nabaphambukeli; ningamakhaya kubo abangcwele, ningabendlu kaThixo, nakhelwe phezu kwelitye lesiseko sabapostile nabaprofeti, inguYesu Kristu ngokwakhe ilitye lembombo; esithi kuye sonke isakhiwo, sihlangene kakuhle, sikhule, sibe yitempile engcwele eNkosini; enithi nani nakhelwe ndawonye kuye, ukuze nibe yindawo yokuhlala kaThixo ngaye uMoya.” Efese 2:19-22.IZ 596.1

Wawabhalela amaKorinte wathi: “Ngokobabalo lukaThixo endababalwa ngalo, ndithi, ngokomakhi osisilumko, ndibeke ilitye lesiseko, athi ke omnye akhe phezu kwalo; ke elowo makakhangele ukuba uthini na ukwakha kwakhe phezu kwalo. Kuba akukho namnye unako ukubeka litye limbi lesiseko, nxamnye nelo libekwe kade, linguYesu onguKristu. Ukuba ke umntu ukhe wakha phezu kweli litye lesiseko igolide, isilivere, amatye anqabileyo, imithi, ingca, iindiza umsebenzi walowo nalowo wobonakalaliswa; kuba loo mini iya kuwazisa, ngokuba iya kuvela inomlilo; nomsebenzi walowo nalowo, umlilo uya kuwucikida ubunjani bawo.” 1 Korinte 3:10-13.IZ 596.2

Abapostile bakha phezu kwesiseko esiqinileyo, iLiwa lamaPhakade. Kwesi siseko, bazisa amatye ababewombakumgodi wehlabathi. Abakhi basebenza ngaphandle kwesithintelo. Umsebenzi wabo wawunzima kakhulu ngenxa yenkcaso yeentshaba zikaKristu. Kwakufuneka bamelane neenkani,umonakalo(ukugwetywakungaxoxwanga), nentiyo yabobabesakhaphezukwesisekosobuxoki.Abaninzi ababesenza umsebenzi wokwakha ibandla, babenokufaniswa nabakhi bodonga ngemihla kaNehemiya, ekwabhalwa kwathiwa ngabo: “Ke aba babesakha eludongeni, nabathwala imithwalo, babethwala ngesinye isandla esibe sisebenza emsebenzini, baphathe izikhali ngesinye.” Nehemiya 4:17.IZ 596.3

Ookumkani neerhuluneli, ababingeleli nabalawuli, babefuna ukuyichitha itempile kaThixo. Noko kunjalo, athi ejongene nokuvalelwa entolongweni, ukungcungcuthekiswa, nokufa, amadoda anyanisekileyo awuqhubela phambili umsebenzi; sakhula isakhiwo, sisihle sinomfaneleko. Ngamanye amaxesha abasebenzi babephantsa ukumfanyekiswa ziinkungu zenkolo eyayibagubungela. Maxa wambi babephantsa ukoyiswa bubundlobongela beentshaba zabo. Noko ke, ngokholo kunye nesibindi esingagungqiyo batyhalela phambili nomsebenzi.IZ 597.1

Omnye emva komnye, abakhi abaphambili bawa esandleni sotshaba. UStefano waxulutywa ngamatye; uYakobi wasarhwa ngekrele; uPawulos wanqunyulwa intloko; uPetros wabethelelwa emnqamlezweni; uYohane wasiwa ekubhaceni. Noko kunjalo, ibandla lakhula. Abasebenzi abatsha bathabatha indawo yabo bawayo, kongezwa ilitye phezu kwelitye esakhiweni. Ngolo hlobo, yanyuka kancinane kancinane itempile yebandla likaThixo.IZ 597.2

Iinkulungwane zentshutshiso eyoyikekayo zalandela ukusekwa kwebandla lobuKristu, kodwa abazange bangabikho abantu abawubalela umsebenzi wokwakha itempile kaThixo ukuba ubaluleke ngaphezu kobomi ngokwabo. Ngabanjalo kubhalwe kwathiwa: “bambi ke benziwa intlekisa, batyakatywa; phezu koko ke baviswa imixokelelwane nentolongo; baxulutywa ngamatye; basarhwa; bahendwa; bafa kukubulawa ngekrele; bahamba ngeengubo zeegusha nangeengaga zeebhokhwe, beswele, bebandezelwe, bephathwa kakubi (elalingabafanele ihlabathi), bedinga koozintlango, noozintaba, noomiqolomba, nakwimingxuma yomhlaba.” Hebhere 11:36-38.IZ 597.3

Utshaba lobulungisa aluzange lushiye nto lungayenzanga ukumisa umsebenzi onikelwe kubakhi yiNkosi. Sekunjalo, uThixo “akayekanga ukuzingqinela.” Zenzo 14:17. Kwabakho abasebenzi abayikhusela ngempumelelo inkolo eyanikelwa kwabangcwele. Imbhali iyangqina ngokuqina nobugorha bala madoda. Njengabapostile, abaninzi bawo bawa besemsebenzini, kodwa ukwakhiwa kwetempile kwabheka phambili kancinane kancinane. Abasebenzi babulawa, kodwa umsebenzi waqhubeka. AmaWaldenses, uJohn Wycliffe, uHuss noJerome, uMartin Luther noZwingli, uCranmer, uLatimer, noKnox, iiHuguenots, uJohn noCharles Wesley, nemfumba yabanye bazisa izixhobo zesiseko eziya kuma ngonaphakade. Kwiminyaka eyandelayo, abo babezame ukukhuthaza ukuhanjiswa jikelele kwelizwi likaThixo, kunye nabo bathi ngokusebenza kwabo kumazwe obuhedeni, bayilungisa indlela yokuvakaliswa kwesigidimi esikhulu sokugqibela—naba banceda ekukhuliseni isakhiwo.IZ 598.1

Kwiinkulungwane ezadlulayo kususela kwimihla yabapostile, ukwakhiwa kwetempile kaThixo akuzange kuyekwe. Singakhangela ngasemva kwiinkulungwane sibone amatye aphilileyo eyakhiwe ngawo ebengezela njengemitha yokukhanya ebumnyameni bemposisonenkolo. Kunaphakade wonke, lamagugu axabisekileyo aya kukhanya ngokubengezela okuya kukhula, engqina kumandla enyaniso kaThixo. Ukudanyaza kokukhanya kwala matye agudisiweyo kutyhila umahluko omkhulu phakathi kokukhanya nobumnyama, phakathi kwegolide yenyaniso nentlenga yemposiso.IZ 598.2

UPawulos nabanye abapostile, nabo bonke abangamalungisa abaphila ukususela ngoko, bayenza indawo yabo ekwakheni itempile. Asikagqitywa ke noko isakhiwo. Thina abaphila ngeli xesha, sinomsebenzi wokwenza, indawo esimele ukuyidlala. Kufuneka sizise phezu kwesiseko izixhobo zokwakha eziya kumelana nokuvavanywa ngomlilo—igolide, isilivere, namatye anqabileyo, “ezivathisiweyo ngeemfakamfele ngokokwakhiwa kwebhotwe.” Indumiso 144:12. Kwabo bakhela uThixo ngolo hlobo, uPawulos uthetha amazwi enkuthazo nesilumkiso: “Ukuba umsebenzi awawakhayo umntu phezu kwalo, uthe wahlala uhleli, wowamkela umvuzo. Ukuba umsebenzi womntu uthe watshiswa, wolahlekelwa ngumvuzo wakhe; ke yena okwakhe wosindiswa, kodwa ke ange ucande emlilweni.” 1 Korinte 3:14, 15. UmKristu othi ngokuthembeka alihambise ilizwi lobomi, ekhokelela amadoda nabafazi kwindlela yobungcwele noxolo, uzisa esisekweni izixhobo zokwakha eziya kunyamezela, aze ebukumkanini azukiswe njengomakhi osisilumko.IZ 599.1

Kubhalwe kwathiwa ngabapostile, “Ke bona baphuma, bavakalisa ezindaweni zonke, iNkosi esebenza nabo, iliqinisela ilizwi ngayo imiqondiso ephelekana nalo.” Marko 16:20. Njengoko uKristu wabathumayo abafundi baKhe, nanamhla uthuma amalungu ebandla laKhe. Amandla lawo babenawo abafundi, ngawabo nabo. Ukuba angamenza amandla awo uThixo, uya kusebenza ngawo, kwaye awayi kusebenzangelize.Mawaqondeukuba,umsebenziakuwo ngulowo iNkosi ebeke kuwo itywina laYo. UThixo wathi kuYeremiya, “Musa ukuthi, Ndingumntwana: ke uya kuya kubo bonke endikuthuma kubo; konke endikuwisela umthetho ngakho, uze ukuthethe. Uze ungaboyiki, ngokuba ndinawe ukuba ndikuhlangule.” Waza uYehova wasolula isandla saKhe wachukumisa umlomo womkhonzi waKhe, wathi, “Yabona, ndibeke amazwi am emlonyeni wakho.” Yeremiya 1:7-9. Nathi uyasithuma ukuba sihambe sithethe amazwi asinika wona, sikuve ukuchukumisa kwaKhe okungcwele imilebe yethu.IZ 599.2

UKristu unike ibandla uhlaselo olungcwele. Lonke ilungu lifanele ukuba libelijelo athi ngalo uThixo agqithisele ubutyebi bobabalo lwaKhe, ubutyebi obungenakuphandwa bukaKristu. Ayikho into uMsindisi ayilangazelela kakhulu njengabathunywa bokumela ehlabathini uMoya waKhe kunye nesimilo saKhe. Ayikho into edingwa kakhulu lihlabathi njengokubonakalisa eluntwini kothando loMsindisi. Izulu lonke lilindele amadoda nabafazi anokuthi uThixo ngabo atyhile amandla obuKristu.IZ 600.1

Ibandla likaThixo lisisenzeleli sokuvakalisa inyaniso, linikwa amandla nguYe lokuwenza umsebenzi owodwa, okhethekileyo; kuthi ukuba lithembekile kuYe, lithobela yonke imithetho yaKhe, kuhlale ngaphakathi kulo ukugqibelela kobungcwele bobabalo. Ukuba linokunyaniseka ekumthobeleni, ukuba liyamhlonela uYehova uThixo kaIsrayeli, alikho igunya elinokumelana nalo.IZ 600.2

Inzondelelo ngoThixo nomsebenzi waKhe yabenza abafundi ukuba bathwale ubungqina beendaba ezilungileyo ngamandla amakhulu. Akumele ibenjalo na inzondelelo ukuvuthisa iintliziyo zethu ngokuzimisela ukuxela ngebali lothando lukaKristu oluhlangulayo, naYe ebethelelwe emnqamlezweni? Lilungelo lomKristu ngamnye, hayiukulindela kuphela, kodwa nokukhawulezisa ukubuya koMsindisi nokukhawulezisa ukubuya koMsindisi.IZ 600.3

Ukuba ibandla lingambatha ingubo yobulungisa bukaKristu, lisuke kuko konke ukwayama ehlabathini, libekelwe phambi kwalo imini eqaqambileyo enozuko. Idinga likaThixo kulo liya kuhlala lihleli ngonaphakade. Uya kulenza libe nokugqibelela kukanaphakade, novuyo kwizizukulwana ezininzi. Inyaniso, edlula kwabo bayidelayo bayale, iya koyisa. Nangona ngamanye amaxesha ibukeka ibetha ngolonwabu, inkqubela yayo ayizange yamiswa. Xa isigidimi sikaThixo sihlangana nenkcaso, usinika amandla awongeziweyo, ukuze sibe nempembelelo enkulu. Sithi xa sinikwe la mandla, sinqumle nakwezona zithintelo ziqinileyo, soyise nawuphina umqobo.IZ 601.1

Yintoni eyaxhasa uNyana kaThixo ngexesha lobomi bokusebenza nzima kwanombingelelo waKhe? Wabona iziphumo zokubulaleka komphefumlo waKhe waneliseka. Ekhangele kunaphakade, wakubona ukonwaba kwabo bathi ngokuthotywa kwaKhe bazuza uxolelo nobomi obungunaphakade. Indlebe yaKhe yeva ukukhwaza kwabahlangulweyo. Wabeva abasindisiweyo becula ingoma kaMoses neyeMvana.IZ 601.2

Singanawo umbono wexesha elizayo, intsikelelo yezulu. EBhayibhileni kutyhilwe imibono yobuqaqawuli bexesha elizayo, imibono eyenziwe sisandla sikaThixo, kwaye le mibono nguBawo,” bazilahla ezinyaweni zoMhlawuleli izithsaba iyathandeka ebandleni. Ngokholo sinako ukuma bekubalela ekuthini luzuko ukubulaleka ngenxa yaKhe. Xa kuthethwa amazwi athi, “Yizani, nina nisikelelweyo zabo, bekhwaza besithi, “Kuyifanele iMvana eyaxhelwayo ukwamkela amandla, nobutyebi, nobulumko, nokomelela, nembeko, nozuko, nokubongwa. . . . Imbeko, nozuko, namandla, kulowo uhleli etroneni, nakuyo iMvana, kuse emaphakadeni asemaphakadeni.” Mateyu 25:34; IsiTyhilelo 5:12, 13.IZ 601.3

Apho, abahlangulweyo babulisana nabo babakhokelela kuMsindisi, baze bonke bahlangane ekumdumiseni Lowo wafayo ukuze abantu bazuze ubomi obunokulinganiswa nobomi bukaThixo. Iphelile imfazwe. Intshutshiso nembambano ziphelile. Iingoma zoloyiso zizalise izulu njengoko abasindisiweyo behlabela ingoma yovuyo, Ifanele, ifanele iMvana eyaxhelwayo, iyaphila kwakhona, umnqobi ongumoyisi.IZ 602.1

“Ndabona, naso isihlwele esikhulu, ebekungekho namnye unako ukusibala, siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga, nezizwe, nabantu, neelwimi, simi phambi kwetrone naphambi kweMvana, bethiwe wambu ngeengubo ezinde ezimhlophe, benamasundu ezandleni zabo, bedanduluka ngezwi elikhulu besithi: Usindiso kuye uThixo wethu, Lowo uhleli phezu kwetrone, nakuyo iMvana!” IsiTyhilelo 7:9, 10.IZ 602.2

“Aba ngabaphumayo embandezelweni enkulu, bazihlamba iingubo zabo ezinde, bazenza mhlophe egazini leMvana. Ngenxa yoko baphambi kwetrone kaThixo, bemkhonza imini nobusuku etempileni yakhe; nalowo uhleli phezu kwetrone uya kuba ngumnquba phezu kwabo. Abayi kuba salamba, abayi kuba sanxanwa; aliyi kubawela nelanga, nabunye ubushushu; ngokuba iMvana esesazulwini setrone iya kubalusa, ibakhokelele emithonjeni ephilayo yamanzi; waye uThixo eya kuzisula iinyembezi emehlweni abo.” “Kungabisabakho kufa, kungabi sabakho nasijwili, nakukhala,nazintlungu; ngokuba izinto zokuqala zigqithile.” IsiTyhilelo 7:14-17; 21:4.IZ 602.3