20—Ukuphakamisa Umnqamlezo

[Esi sahluko sisekwe kwiZenzo 15:36-41; 16:1-6]

Emva kokuchitha ixesha elithile emsebenzini wolungiselelo kwa-Antiyokwe, uPawulos wathethana nasebenza nabo ukuba bathabathe olunye uhambo lovangelo. Wathi kuBharnabhas, “Makhe sibuye siye kuvelela abazalwana bethu, kuyo yonke imizi ngemizi esalazisayo kuyo ilizwi leNkosi, sibone ukuba banjani na.”IZ 201.1

Bobabini uPawulos noBharnabhas babebaphethe ngentliziyo enothando abo kwakungekudala besamkele isigidimi seendaba ezilungileyo phantsi kolungiselelo lwabo, baza balangazelela ukuphinda bababone. Le yinkathalo angazange ayilahle uPawulos. Wayesithi nokuba ukwiintsimi ezikude, kude kakhulu kwimibono yemisebenzi yakhe yangaphambili, ahlale ewuthwele umthwalo wokuzamana naba baguqukileyo ukuba bahlale bethembekile, “[be]bufeza ubungcwele, [be]soyika uThixo.” Wathi rhoqo ukuzama ukubanceda ukuba bafikelele ekuxhomekekeni kubo, babe ngamaKristu akhulayo, aqinileyo elukholweni, avuthe yinzondelelo, bazinikele ngentliziyo epheleleyo kuThixo nakumsebenzi wokuhambisela phambili ubukumkani baKhe.IZ 201.2

UBharnabhas wayekulungele ukuhamba noPawulos, kodwa wayelangazelela ukuba bahambe noMarko, owagqiba ukuba azinikele kwakhona emsebenzini wolungiselelo. Wakulandula oku uPawulos. UPawulos “wathi akufanelekile ukumthabatha ahambe nabo” lowo wathi wabashiya kuhambo lwabo lovangelo lokuqala kanye ngexesha lentswelo. Wayengenayo into ethi makabuxolele ubuthakathaka bukaMarko ngokushiya umsebenzi aleqe ukukhuseleka nokonwaba kwasekhaya. Wanyanzelisa esithi, umntu onomxhelo omncinane ngolo hlobo wayengawufanelanga umsebenzi ofuna umonde, ukuzilandula, ubugorha, ukuzinikela, ukholo, nentumekelelo yokuncama, xa kudingeka, nobomi ngokwabo. Yaba nkulu imbambano phakathi kwabo kangangokuba uPawulos noBharnabhas bahlukana, elandela imbono yakhe, wagqiba “uBharnabhas” ukuba “amthabathe uMarko, anduluke ngomkhombe aye eSipro; kodwa uPawulos wanyula uSilas, wemka, enikelwe kubabalo lukaThixo ngabazalwana.”IZ 202.1

Ekucandeni kwabo kwelaseSiriya naseKiliki, apho baya balomeleza ibandla, uPawulos noSilas ekugqibeleni bafika eDerbhe naseListra kwisithili saseLikayoni. KwakuseListra apho uPawulos wayexulutywe khona, ukanti sisamfumana kule ndawo wayefumene kuyo ingozi ngaphambili. Wayexunele ukubona ukuba ingaba abo bathi ngokusebenza kwakhe bazamkela iindaba ezilungileyo basalunyamezele na uvavanyo lwezilingo. Akazange adaniswe, kuba wawafumana amakholwa aseListra esemi ngokuqinileyo naxa ayejongene nenkcaso embi kakhulu.IZ 202.2

Apha UPawulos waphinda wahlangana noTimoti, owayekubonile ukuviswa kwakhe ubuhlungu ekupheleni kotyelelo lwakhe lokuqala eListra, nekwathi kwenzeka umda engqondweni yakhe owaya ukhula wadawafikelela kwindawo ethi ngumsebenzi wakhe ukubaazinikele ngokupheleleyo kumsebenzi wobufundisi.Intliziyo yakhe yaqhogana nentliziyo kaPawulos, waza wanqwenela ukuba nenxaxheba emsebenzini kampostile ngokuthi ancedise ukuba yayinokubakho indlela.IZ 202.3

USilas, iqabane likaPawulos emsebenzini, wayengumsebenzi onamava, enesipho somoya wokuprofeta; kodwa umsebenzi ekwakufuneka wenziwe wawumkhulu kakhulu kangangokuba sasikho isidingo sokuba kuqeqeshwe abasebenzi abongeziweyo ukuba bangene emsebenzini. KuTimoti, uPawulos wabona umntu owayebuxabisile ubungcwele bomsebenzi kamfundisi; owayenganxunguphaliswa kuba enokujongana nokubulaleka nokutshutshiswa; nowayenentumekelelo yokufundiswa. Sekunjalo, umpostile akazange aziphose ekuthabatheni uxanduva lokunika uTimoti, igatyana elingekabi namava, ingqeqesho ebufundisini, engathanga kuqala azanelise ngesimilo sakhe kwanobomi awayebuphila ngaphambili.IZ 203.1

Uyise kaTimoti wayengumGrike, umama wakhe engumYuda. Wayezaze kwasebuntwaneni iziBhalo. Ukuzinikela kokungcwele awayekubone ekhayeni lakhe kwakuqinile kuyinto enengqondo. Ukholo lukamama wakhe nolukamakhulu wakhe kwizinto eziyimiyalelo engcwele, kuye lwalusisikhumbuzo sentsikelelo ekwenzeni intando kaThixo. Ilizwi likaThixo lalingumgangatho abathi aba bafazi bamoyikayo uThixo bamkhulisa ngawo uTimoti. Amandla omoya wezifundo awazifumana kubo amgcina enentetho esulungekileyo engangcolanga yimpembelelo eyamngqongayo, imbi. Ngaloo ndlela, abafundisi bakhe ekhaya babebambisene noThixo ekumlungiseleleni ukunyamezela imithwalo.IZ 203.2

UPawulos wambona uTimoti ukuba uthembekile, uzinzile, ekwanyanisekile, waza wamkhetha ukuba abe liqabane lakhe emsebenzini naseluhambeni. Abo babemfundisile uTimoti kususela ebuntwaneni bavuzwa ngokumbona unyana ababemkhathalele ehlangana kubudlelwane bompostile omkhulu. UTimoti wayeseligatyana lomfana ukunyulwakwakhenguThixoukubaabeyititshala,kodwa imithetho-siseko yakhe yayimiliselwe yimfundiso yakhe yakuqala into eyenza ukuba akulungele ukuthabatha indawo yakhe njengomncedisi kaPawulos. Nangona wayeselula, wawuthwala umsebenzi wakhe ngobulali bobuKristu.IZ 203.3

Njengenyathelo lokuthintela inkathazo kwangaphambili, uPawulos wathi ngobulumko, wamcebisa uTimoti ukuba aluke — kungengakuba uThixo wayefuna oko, kodwa ukuze asuse ezingqondweni zamaYuda into eyayinokuba kukwaliwa komsebenzi kaTimoti. Emsebenzini wakhe, uPawulos wayeza kuhamba kwizixeko ngezixeko, kumazwe amaninzi, akholise ukuba nethuba lokushumayela uKristu kwizindlu zesikhungu zamaYuda, nakwezinye iindawo zokuhlangana. Ukuba kwakunokwaziwa ukuba omnye asebenza kunye naye akalukanga, wawuya kuphazanyiswa umsebenzi wakhe kukungamamkeli naziinkani zamaYuda. Kuyo yonke indawo umpostile wayehlangana neqinileyo yona inkcaso kunye nokutshutshiswa okubi. Wayelangazelela ukusa kubazalwana bamaYuda, kwakunye nabeeNtlanga, ukwaziwa kweendaba ezilungileyo, waza ngenxa yoko wafuna ukususa sonke isizathu sokuchaswa kangangoko kuthi kuvumelane nenkolo. Kanti ke, nangona waziyekela kangako kwintiyo yamaYuda, wayekholwa ekwafundisa ukuba ukwaluka nokungaluki akunto, nokuba iindaba ezilungileyo zikaKristu ziyinto yonke.IZ 204.1

UPawulos wayemthanda uTimoti, “umtwana wakhe kanye ngokwaselukholweni.” 1 Timoti 1:2. Umpostile omkhulu wayethanda ukumkhokela umfundi omncinane, ambuze ngembali yeziBhalo, bathi, njengoko besiya kwiindawo ngeendawo, amfundise ngononophelo indlela yokwenza umsebenzi onempumelelo. Bobabini, uPawulos noSilas, kuko konke ukuhlangana kwabo noTimoti, bazama ukuyibethelela imbono eyayisele ikho engqondweni yakhe, yobungcwele, nokubaluleka komsebenzi womfundisi weendaba ezilungileyo.IZ 204.2

Emsebenzini wakhe, wathi rhoqo efuna iingcebiso nokululekwa nguPawulos. Wayengasebenzi ngokuqhutywa kukuziva, kodwa esebenzisa ukuqwalasela nengqondo ezolileyo, ebuzayo kwinyathelo ngalinye, Ingaba le yindlela yeNkosi? UMoya Oyingcwele wafumana kuye umntu owayefanelekile ukuba axonxwe abunjwe njengetempile yokuhlala kobuKho obungcwele.IZ 205.1

Zithi izifundo zeBhayibhile zakubethelelwa ebomini bemihla ngemihla, zibe nempembelelo enzulu nehleliyo esimilweni. Ezi zifundo, wazifunda waziphila uTimoti. Wayengenazo iziphiwo ezikhethekileyo zokuhlakanipha, kodwa umsebenzi wakhe waxabiseka kuba wasebenzisa izakhono azinikwe nguThixo emsebenzini weNkosi. Ulwazi lwakhe lobungcwele obuphathekayo lamahlula kwamanye amakholwa lwamenza ukuba abe nempembelelo.IZ 205.2

Abo basebenzela imiphefumlo kufuneka bafikelele ekumazini okunzulu, okupheleleyo nokucacileyo uThixo kunokuba kunokufunyanwa ngemizamo nje eqhelekileyo. Kufuneka bawalahlele onke amandla abo emsebenzini weNkosi. Bangenelele kumsebenzi wobizo oluphezulu nolungcwele, kwaye, ukuze bazuze imiphefumlo njengomvuzo ekusebenzeni kwabo, kufuneka babambelele baqine kuThixo, yonke imihla bamkele ubabalo namandla kwiThende layo yonke intsikelelo. “Kuba lubonakele kubantu bonke ubabalo lukaThixo, lulolusindisayo; lusiqeqesha ukuze sithi, sikuncama ukungahloneli Thixo nokukhanuka okukokwehlabathi, sihlale ngokunesidima, nangokubulungisa, nangokuhlonela uThixo, kweli phakade langoku; silinde ithemba elinoyolo, nembonakalo yobuqaqawuli boThixo omkhulu, uMsindisi wethu uYesu Kristu, owazinikela ngenxa yethu, ukuze asikhulule ngokusihlawulela kuko konke ukuchasa umthetho, azihlambululele abantu abangabakhe, abazondelela imisebenzi emihle.” Tito 2:11-14IZ 205.3

Phambikokubaagqithele phambili kwimihlabaemitsha,uPawulos namaqabane ache batyelela amabandla awayemiselwe ePisida nezithili eziyingqongileyo. “Ke kaloku, xa babeyihamba imizi, babanikela imimiselo ukuba bayigcine, leyo ibimiswe ngabapostile namadoda amakhulu aseYerusalem. Ayezimaseka ke ngoko amabandla elukholweni, esanda imihla ngemihla.”IZ 206.1

Umpostile uPawulos waziva enoxanduva olukhulu ngabo babeguquke phantsi kokusebenza kwakhe. Ngaphezu kwezinto zonke, wayelangazelela ukuba banyaniseke, [esithi] “nibeliqhayiya lam, nide nise kwimini kaKristu, ukuba andifumananga ndabaleka, kanjalo andifumananga ndabulaleka.” Filipi 2:16. Wangcangcazeliswa ziziphumo zomsebenzi wakhe. Wabona ngathi nolwakhe usindiso luya kuba sengozini ukuba angasilela ukuwuzalisekisa umsebenzi wakhe lize ibandla lisilele ekusebenzisaneni kunye naye emsebenzini wokusindiswa kwemiphefumlo. Wayesazi ukuba ukushumayela kukodwa akuyi kwanela ukuwafundisa amakholwa ukuba aliphakamise ilizwi lobomi. Wayesazi ukuba bamele ukufundiswa umgca phezu komgca, umthetho phezu komthetho, intwana apha nentwana phaya, ukuhambela phambili emsebenzini kaKristu.IZ 206.2

Ngumthetho-siseko wehlabathi jikelele owokuba, xa ubani esala ukusebenzisa amandla awaphiwe nguThixo, la mandla ayabola atshabalale. Inyaniso engaphilwayo, ekungabelwanwa ngayo, ilahlekelwa ngamandla anika ubomi, isakhono sokuphilisa. Yiyo le nto umpostile enoloyiko hleze asilele ukunikela wonke umntu egqibelele kuKristu. Ithemba lezulu laya lisibamfiliba kumpostile uPawulos xa ecingisisa nangakuphina ukusilela kwelakhe icala okunokuba nesiphumo sokunika ibandla umfuziselo womntu endaweni yowezulu. Ulwazi lwakhe, ubuciko bakhe, imimangaliso yakhe, ukubona kwakhe umbono xa wayefunqulelwe kwelesithathuizulu — konke kuyakubalilizeukuba kungathingokungathembekiemsebenziniwakhebathiabo ebebasebenzela basilele elubabalweni lukaThixo. Ngenxa yaloo nto, ngelizwi okanye ngencwadi, wabacenga abo babemamkele uKristu ukuba balandele ikhondo elaliya kubenza ukuba babe “ngabangenakusoleka, abangenabuqhinga; nibe ngabantwana bakaThixo abangenakubekwa bala esazulwini sesizukulwana esigoso, esigwenxa; . . . ninjengezikhanyiso ehlabathini, nibambelele elizwini lobomi.” Filipi 2:15, 16.IZ 206.3

Wonke umfundisi wenene uziva enoxanduva olukhulu ngokuqhubela phambili kwamakholwa anikelwe wona ukuba awakhathalele, umnqweno onolangazelelo lokuba bangaba ngabasebenzi kunye noThixo. Uyaqonda ukuba ekwenzeni kwakhe ngokunyanisekileyo umsebenzi awunikwe nguThixo, kuxhomekeka kakhulu impilo entle yebandla. Uthi enyanisekile engadinwa azame ukuwavuselela amakholwa ukuba alangazelele ukuzuzela uYesu imiphefumlo, ekhumbula ukuba umntu ngamnye owongezwe ebandleni ube ngumthunywa owongeziweyo ukuba kuhanjiselwe phambili icebo lokuhlangulwa [kwabantu].IZ 207.1

Bathe bakuba bewatyelele amabandla ePisidiya nakwisithili esikufutshane, uPawulos noSilas bekunye noTimoti batyhudisela phambili e“Frigi naseGalati” apho bathi ngamandla amakhulu bazivakalisa iindaba zovuyo zosindiso. AmaGalati ayekuthanda ukunqula imifanekiso eqingqiweyo; kodwa athi akushunyayezwa ngabapostile asivuyela isigidimi esasithembisa ukuwakhulula kubukhoboka besono. UPawulos nasebenza nabo bashumayela imfundiso yobulungisa ngokholo kumnikelo wocamagusho kaKristu. Bambeka uKristu njengowathi, akuyibona imeko yokungabinako ukuzinceda kohlanga loluntu oluwileyo, weza kuwahlangula amadoda nabafazi ngokuphila ubomi bokuthobelaumthetho kaThixo nangokuhlawulaisohlwayo sokungathobeli. Ngokukhanya komnqamlezo, abaninzi abangazanga bazi ngoThixo wenene, baqala ukubuqonda ubukhulu bothando lukaBawo.IZ 207.2

Kungoko amaGalati afundiswa iinyaniso ezisisiseko ngo“Thixo uYise, neNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu; owazinikelayo ngenxa yezono zethu, ukuze asinyothule kwiphakade eli langoku lingendawo, ngokokuthanda kukaThixo uBawo wethu.” “Ezindabeni zokholo” bamamkela uMoya kaThixo baza, [xa ethetha nabo] “nangoonyana bakaThixo ngako ukukholwa, nikuKristu Yesu.” Galati 1:3, 4; 3:2, 26.IZ 208.1

Indlela awayephila ngayo uPawulos phakathi kwamaGalati yenza ukuba akwazi ukuthi, “Ndiyanikhunga, bazalwana, yibani njengam.” Galati 4:12. Imilebe yakhe yayichukunyiswe lilahle elinomlilo elisuka esibingelelweni, waza wakwazi ukunyuka ngaphaya kobuthakathaka bomzimba, avakalise uYesu njengokuphela kwaKhe ithemba laboni. Abo bamvayo bazi ukuba ebe noYesu. Ezaliswe ngamandla avela ngasentla, wakwazi ukuthelekisa izinto zikamoya nezikamoya, nokusingela phantsi iziseko zikaSathana. Iintliziyo zatyumka kukuvakalisa kwakhe uthando lukaThixo, njengoko lutyhiliwe kwidini loNyana waKhe ekuphela kwamzeleyo, baza abaninzi kwenzeka babuza, Yintoni na endimelwe kukuyenza ukuze ndisindiswe?IZ 208.2

Le ndlela yokuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo yayibonakala njengophawu ekusebenzeni kukampostile kuko konke ukusebenza kwakhe phakathi kwabeeNtlanga. Wathi rhoqo ukuphakamisa phambi kwabo umnqamlezo waseKalvari. “Asivakalisi thina,” watsho kwiminyaka elandelayo ethetha ngamava akhe, “sivakalisa uKristu Yesu ukuba uyiNkosi; sibe ke thina sizivakalisa ukuba singabakhonzi benu ngenxa kaYesu. Ngokuba nguThixo, yena wathi ukhanyiso malukhanye ebumnyameni, okhanyisele iintliziyo zethu, ukuze kukhanye ukwaziwa kobuqaqawuli bukaThixo ebusweni bukaYesu Kristu.” 2 Korinte 4:5, 6.IZ 208.3

Abathunywa abazinikeleyo abathi ngemihla yokuqala yobuKristu basa iindaba zovuyo zosindiso kwihlabathi elitshabalalayo, abazange bayivumele ingcamango yokuziphakamisa ukuba ingcolise ukwazisa kwabo ngoKristu naye ebethelelwe [emnqamlezweni]. Abazange banqwenele ukuba babe semagunyeni okanye ukuba babaluleke. Bathi befihle u-mna kuMsindisi, baphakamisa icebo elikhulu losindiso, nobomi bukaKristu, iMbangi noMgqibelelisi weli cebo. UKristu obenguYe izolo, namhlanje nangonaphakade, wayengumthwalo wokufundisa kwabo.IZ 209.1

Ukuba abo namhlanje bafundisa ilizwi likaThixo, bebengaphakamisela umnqamlezo kaKristu phezulu ngakumbi nangakumbi, ukusebenza kwabo bekuya kuba nempumelelo ephindaphindiweyo. Ukuba aboni bebenokukhokelelwa ukuba baqwalasele nje kube kanye ngenyameko emnqamlezweni, ukuba bebengabona umfanekiso opheleleyo woMsindisi obethelelweyo, bebeya kubuqonda ubunzulu bemfesane kaThixo, kunye nobubi besono.IZ 209.2

Ukufa kukaKristu kubonakalisa uthando olukhulu uThixo analo ngasemntwini. Kungumqondiso wokusindiswa kwethu. Ukuwususa umnqamlezo kumKristu kungafana nokucima ilanga esibhakabhakeni. Umnqamlezo usisondeza kuThixo, usixolelanisa kunye naYe. Ngothando olunemfesane nosizi lomzali, uYehova ukhangela ukubulaleka okwathwalwa nguNyana waKhe ukuze alusindise lonke uhlanga ekufeni okungunaphakade, aze asamkelele kuLowo uyiNtanda.IZ 209.3

Ngaphandle komnqamlezo, umntu akangeke amanyane noBawo. Kuwo kuxhomekeke lonke ithemba lethu. Kubengezela kuwo ukukhanya kothandoloMsindisi,azeathi umoni oselunyaweni lomnqamlezo akukhangela kuLowowafayo ukuzeamsindise, avuyengovuyo olupheleleyo, kuba izono zakhe zixolelwe. Xa eguqe enokholo emnqamlezweni, ufikelele kweyona ndawo iphezulu anokufikelela kuyo umntu.IZ 209.4

Ngomnqamlezo, sifunda ukuba uBawo osezulwini usithanda ngothando olungenasiphelo. Ingaba ke kuyasimangalisa ukuba uPawulos adanduluke athi, “Mna ke mandingakhe ndiqhayise nganto, ingenguwo umnqamlezo weNkosi uYesu Kristu”? Galati 6:14. Lilungelo lethu nathi ukuba siqhayise ngomnqamlezo; lilungelo lethu ukuzinikela ngokupheleleyo kuYe owazinikela ngenxa yethu. Sithi ke, ngokukhanya okungumsinga ophuma eKalvari obengezela ebusweni bethu, singanako ukuhamba sikutyhile oku kukhanya kwabo bahleli ebumnyameni.IZ 210.1