Ingabe Wonke AmaKristu Eqiniso Kumelwe Abe Yizikhonzi
“Kepha konke kuvela kuNkulunkulu owenza ukuba sibuyisane naye ngoKristu, wasinika inkonzo yokubuyisana.”—2 Korinte 5:18.
1. Sasiyini isimo maqondana nesigaba sabefundisi ebandleni ngosuku lukaPawulu?
“KWAKUNGEKHO mehluko [ngosuku lukamphostoli uPawulu] phakathi kwabefundisi nabantu abavamile ngoba babengekho abefundisi.” Leyonkulumo eshaqisayo, eyabonakala kuTimes yaseLondon, isho iqiniso eliyinhloko maqondana nobuKristu bakuqala. Kwakungekho ukwahlukaniswa kwabefundisi nabantu nje. Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi ibandla lobuKristu lalingenabuholi obubonakalayo? Futhi ingabe zazingekho nhlobo izikhonzi (ministers)?
2. Hlobo luni lobuholi olwalukhona ebandleni lokuqala? (Filipi 1:1)
2 Ngesikhathi esithile ngemva kwePentekoste, lika-33 C.E., njengoba inani lamaKristu agcotshiwe lalikhula ngezinkulungwane, kwadingeka ukuba kumiswe amadoda afanelekayo ebandleni ngalinye ukuba akhonze njengababonisi nanjengezinceku ezikhonzayo. Kodwa awazange enze isigaba sabefundisi. Ukumiswa kwawo akubanga ngenxa yokuqeqeshwa eyunivesithi noma esikoleni sobufundisi. Ayengaholi ngenkonzo yawo. Ayengamadoda athobekile anezimfanelo ezingokomoya, amiswe ngumoya ongcwele ukuba anakekele umhlambi. Nokho, ingabe kwakuyiwo kuphela ayeshumayela ‘ivangeli lombuso’? Ingabe yiwo kuphela ‘ayeyizikhonzi’ ebandleni?—Mathewu 24:14; IzEnzo 20:17, 28; 1 Petru 5:1-3; 1 Thimothewu 3:1-10.
Obani Okumelwe Babe Izikhonzi?
3, 4. NgokukaPawulu, obani ababenengxenye enkonzweni yobuKristu?
3 Lemibuzo iphendulwa iseluleko sikaPawulu encwadini yakhe kumaKristu aseKorinte. Phawula isingeniso encwadini yakhe yesibili: “UPawulu . . . kulo ibandla likaNkulunkulu eliseKorinte nakubo abangcwele bonke abakulo lonke elaseAkhaya.” Akungabazeki ngalokho—wabhalela yonke indikimba yamaKristu agcotshiwe aseKorinte naseAkhaya, hhayi kuphela labo ababehola. Kanjalo amazwi akhe ngenkonzo yobuKristu abhekiselwe ngokuqondile kubo “abangcwele bonke.” Ngokusekelwe emsebenzini wakhe nokaThimothewu, wathi: “Ngakho lokhu sinalenkonzo, njengokuba sahawukelwa, asidangali.” “Kepha konke kuvela kuNkulunkulu owenza ukuba sibuyisane naye ngoKristu, wasinika inkonzo yokubuyisana, . . . ngakho singamanxusa kaKristu ngokungathi uNkulunkulu unxusa ngathi.” Uyaqhubeka: “Asibekeli-muntu nasinye isikhubekiso nangokukodwa, funa inkonzo yethu isolwe, kepha kukho konke sizibonakalisa njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu ekubekezeleni okukhulu.”—2 Korinte 1:1; 4:1; 5:18-20; 6:3, 4.
4 Lamazwi asikisela ukuthi noma imuphi umKristu ogcotshiwe kumelwe abe yisikhonzi nenxusa likaKristu. Ngasiphi isizathu? Ngenxa yokuthi izwe, ngesono salo, ‘lihlukanisiwe nokuphila kukaNkulunkulu’ futhi lidinga inkonzo yokubuyisana ukuze abantu abalalelayo nabathembekile bazo zonke izizwe babe nobuhlobo neNkosi yamakhosi uJehova ngoKristu.—Efesu 4:18; Roma 5:1, 2.
5, 6. UPawulu wawuqinisekisa kanjani lombono encwadini yakhe kwabaseRoma?
5 UPawulu wabhalela ibandla laseRoma: “Kepha kuthini [eZwini likaNkulunkulu] na? Izwi liseduze nawe, emlonyeni wakho lisenhliziyweni yakho, okungukuthi izwi lokukholwa esilishumayelayo. Ngokuba uma uvuma ngomlomo wakho ukuthi uJesu uyiNkosi, ukholwa enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, uyakusindiswa; ngokuba umuntu ukholwa ngenhliziyo kube-ngukulunga, ngomlomo uyavuma kube-ngukusindiswa.”—Roma 10:8-10.
6 Ingabe uPawulu waqondisa lawomazwi kwabambalwa abakhethiwe? Isingeniso sakhe asikubonisi lokho, ngoba wabhala: “Kubo bonke abathandiweyo bakaNkulunkulu abaseRoma.” Wanezela: “Ngibonga uNkulunkulu wami ngoJesu Kristu ngani nonke, ngokuba ukukholwa kwenu kunconywa ezweni lonke.” Ngokusobala, uPawulu waqondisa iseluleko sakhe nesikhuthazo, kuhlanganise nesahluko se-10, kulo lonke ibandla. Ilungelo lokumemezela obala lalivulekele bonke. Eqinisweni, waqinisa amazwi akhe ngokunezela: “Kepha bayakukhuleka kanjani kuye abangakholwanga nguye na? Bayakukholwa kanjani abangezwanga ngaye na? Bayakuzwa kanjani, kungekho oshumayelayo na? Bayakushumayela kanjani, uma bengathunywa na? njengokulotshiweyo ukuthi: Yeka, zinhle izinyawo zabashumayela izindaba ezinhle.”—Roma 1:7, 8; 10:14, 15.
7. UbuKristu beqiniso buhluke kanjani kwezinye izinkolo? (Luka 19:36-40)
7 Yeka ukuthi kukhuthaza kanjani lokho nganoma imuphi umKristu ogcotshiwe! Kusho ukuthi bonke kumelwe babe nenjabulo yokusakaza isigijimi soMbuso sosindiso kwabanye. Yebo, emehlweni kaNkulunkulu, izinyawo zabo zingaba “zinhle” futhi zimelwe zibe njalo ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Ngani? Ngoba ubuKristu beqiniso abuyona inkolo yobugovu eholela ekuzeneliseni, ekuzikhetheni nasezifungweni zokungakhulumi. Ngokuphambene, ikhuthaza inkonzo yenkuthalo yobuKristu eboniswa ngamazwi nangezenzo! Ukuthi uPawulu wayekuqaphela kanjani lokho kubonakala ngamazwi akhe: “Maye kimina uma ngingalishumayeli ivangeli!”—1 Korinte 9:16; Isaya 52:7.
8. Imiphi imibuzo ebalulekile manje ethinta abaningi?
8 Kodwa kuthiwani ngezigidi zamaKristu eqiniso ezingagcotshiwe ngomoya ongcwele ngoba ithemba lazo lingelokuphila phakade emhlabeni, hhayi ezulwini? Ingabe nazo kumelwe zibe yizikhonzi (ministers)?—IHubo 37:29; 2 Petru 3:13.
Ingabe Labo ‘Besixuku Esikhulu’ Bayizikhonzi?
9. Imuphi umsebenzi labo ‘besixuku esikhulu’ abahlanganyela kuwo?
9 Incwadi yesAmbulo inikeza ingxenye yempendulo kuleyomibuzo. Ngokwesibonelo, ngemva kokubona embonweni ibandla labagcotshiwe labayizi-144 000, uJohane uthi: “Emva kwalokho ngabona, bheka-ke, isixuku esikhulu ebesingenakubalwa-muntu, sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi, simi phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi naphambi kweWundlu, sembethe izingubo ezinde ezimhlophe, siphethe amahlamvu esundu ngezandla zaso, samemeza ngezwi elikhulu, sithi: Insindiso ngekaNkulunkulu wethu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi neyeWundlu.” Ngokuqinisekile laba, manje abaqoqelwa ukuba basinde osizini olukhulu, abakufihli ukuba kwabo amaKristu. Bamemeza “ngezwi elikhulu” umsuka wosindiso lwabo. Bakwenza kanjani lokho namuhla? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, ngokusiza insali encane yabagcotshiwe ekugcwaliseni ezinye iziprofetho ezibalulekile zokukhonza nemiyalo.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14.
10, 11. (a) Imuphi umyalo uJesu awunikeza abalandeli bakhe ngaphambi kokwenyukela kwakhe ezulwini? (b) Isiphi isiprofetho okumelwe sigcwaliseke esikhathini sethu?
10 Ngokwesibonelo, lesisixuku esingenakubalwa senza indima ebalulekile ekufezeni umyalo kaJesu wokushumayela nokufundisa, awunikeza abafundi bakhe abathembekile eGalile. Ngalesosikhathi uJesu wathi: “Ngiphiwe amandla onke ezulwini nasemhlabeni; ngalokho hambani nenze izizwe zonke abafundi, nibabhapathize egameni likaYise neleNdodana nelikaMoya oNgcwele, nibafundise ukugcina konke enginiyale ngakho.” Lelogunya lanikezwa wonke amaKristu, hhayi isigaba esikhethiwe sabefundisi.—Mathewu 28:18-20; 1 Korinte 15:6.
11 Umyalo kaJesu uhlobene kakhulu futhi nesiprofetho asinikeza maqondana ‘nokuphela kwesimiso sezinto.’ Wathi: “Lelivangeli lombuso liyakushunyayelwa ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba, kufike ukuphela.” Lenselele yokushumayela isigijimi soMbuso emhlabeni wonke esizukulwaneni esisodwa iye yahlangatshezwa kanjani? Ngokuqinisekile izinkulungwane ezinciphayo zamaKristu agcotshiwe zazingenakuwenza lomsebenzi osindisa ukuphila zizodwa. Kwakungaba umsebenzi ongenakwenzeka!—Mathewu 24:3, 14; Luka 21:32.
12. Yini abagcotshiwe namuhla abayiqaphela ngokujabula?
12 “Izindlalifa” ezigcotshiwe kanye noKristu ziyajabula ngokubona ingxenye efezwa izikhonzi ezingaphezu kwezigidi ezimbili ‘zesixuku esikhulu’ eziye zasakaza isigijimi soMbuso kuwo wonke umhlaba esikhathini esincane kangaka. Ngisho nasemuva ngawo-1930, amaKristu amaningi eqiniso amukela umthwalo wemfanelo wenkonzo kwamanye amazwe futhi azinikela ukuba akhonze lapho indingeko yayinkulu khona. Siyasibonga isibonelo sokuzidela salabazalwane nodade abayisibonelo, kokubili abagcotshiwe nesigaba ‘sezinye izimvu,’ umsebenzi woMbuso uye waqina emazweni amaningi eYurophu, eAfrika, eAsia naseMelika.—Roma 8:17.
13. (a) UJehova uye wawusheshisa kanjani umsebenzi kusukela ngo-1943? (Isaya 60:22) (b) Iyiphi ingxenye labo ‘besixuku esikhulu’ abaye bayifeza emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli?
13 Ngaphambi kuka-1943 isigaba ‘senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo’ samaKristu agcotshiwe sabona isidingo sokumisa isikole sezithunywa zevangeli ukuze izikhonzi ezingamaKristu ziqeqeshwe futhi zilungiselelwe ngokombono wokuvula nokuqhubekisela umsebenzi wokushumayela kwamanye amazwe amaningi. Kusukela ekuvulweni kwaso ngo-1943, kuze kube ngoMarch 4, 1984, lesosikole saseGiliyadi (elithi “Giliyadi” ngesiHeberu lisho “inqwaba yobufakazi”) siye saqeqesha abafundi abayizi-6 100, iningi labo eliye lathunyelwa ezabelweni zakwamanye amazwe kuwo wonke umhlaba. Ngabangama-292 kuphela (4,8%) balabo bafundi baseGiliyadi abathi bangabesigaba sabagcotshiwe, ngakho-ke iningi lalezikhonzi eziqeqeshwe ngokukhethekile belingelesigaba ‘sesixuku esikhulu.’ Njengabo bonke oFakazi BakaJehova emhlabeni wonke baye bamukela inkonzo yobuKristu njengengxenye eyinhloko yokuphila komKristu lapho benza ukuzinikezela kwabo kuJehova ngoJesu Kristu.—Mathewu 24:45-47; Heberu 10:7.
Ubizo Olusekelwe Kuphi?
14, 15. Umsebenzi wobuKristu wobizo usekelwe kuphi? (Mathewu 22:37-40)
14 Ingabe lokho kusho ukuthi amaKristu anobizo lomuntu siqu oluvela kuNkulunkulu, lokuya enkonzweni? Kuyiqiniso ukuthi abanye kweLobukholwa baye bachaza “ubizo” lwabo njengokuhlangenwe nakho okuvelele kwemizwelo, njengokungathi uNkulunkulu uye wababiza ngokuqondile ukuba baye enkonzweni yakhe. Kodwa ingabe inkonzo yobuKristu isekelwa ngokuyinhloko kokuthile okudlulayo njengomzwelo?
15 Lapho umphostoli uPawulu ekhuluma ngenkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu, yini abonisa ukuthi iyisisekelo sayo? Wabhala: “Ngakho ngiyanincenga, bazalwane, ngobubele bukaNkulunkulu ukuba ninikele imizimba yenu ibe-ngumnikelo ophilileyo, ongcwele, othandeka kuNkulunkulu, kube-ngukukhonza kwenu kokuqonda [“njengesenzo sokukhulekela okunengqondo,” Phillips; “njengezidalwa ezihlakaniphile,” The New English Bible, amazwi ombhalo osezansi].” Yebo, inkonzo engcwele kuNkulunkulu isekelwe ekuqondeni. Kanjani? Ngoba ukuzinikezela komuntu nobuhlobo bomuntu siqu noJehova kusekelwe olwazini ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso. Kanjalo ukubizelwa kwamaKristu enkonzweni, nakuba kungokuhlangenwe nakho okujabulisayo ngokwakho, akuwona nje umphumela wokuthinteka ngokomzwelo. Kunesisusa esiqinile—uthando ngoNkulunkulu nothando ngomakhelwane.—Roma 12:1; Johane 17:3.
16. Ingabe umsebenzi wokuziphilisa wesikhathi esigcwele wenza umuntu angabi yisikhonzi? (IzEnzo 18:1-5)
16 Kodwa ungase ubuze, Ingabe lawomaKristu okuqala ayeyizikhonzi nawo ngisho nakuba ayenomsebenzi wokuziphilisa wesikhathi esigcwele noma engamakhosikazi emizi? Yebo, ayeyizikhonzi. Mhlawumbe echitha ingxenye encane nje yesikhathi sawo enkonzweni yobuKristu, eshumayela futhi efundisa, kodwa yilokho okwakuyinjongo yawo eyinhloko ekuphileni. Ayazi ukuthi kwakumelwe ‘kukhanye ukukhanya kwawo’ njengabafundi beqiniso bakaKristu. Ngokuyinhloko ayeyizikhonzi ezisebenza umsebenzi wokuziphilisa ngaphambili kakhulu kokuba eLobukholwa libe nenhlangano yalo yabapristi abasebenza umsebenzi wokuziphilisa.—Mathewu 5:16; 1 Petru 2:9.
Ubufakazi Benkonzo Yabo
17, 18. (a) Isiphi isimiso esivamile uKristu asibeka ngamaKristu eqiniso? (b) Ikuphi ukunconywa okungokweqiniso ngesikhonzi?
17 OFakazi BakaJehova bakufakazela kanjani ukuthi bayizikhonzi uma bengenaso isitifiketi noma iziqu zaseyunivesithi? Nokho, amaKristu akuqala akuqinisekisa kanjani ukuthi ayeyizikhonzi? UKristu ngokwakhe wanikeza lokhu kuqondisisa: “Kanjalo yilowo nalowomuthi omuhle uthela izithelo ezinhle.” Izikhonzi ezingamaKristu kumelwe zithele “izithelo ezinhle,” ezihlanganisa ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokwenza abafundi.—Mathewu 7:17.
18 Umphostoli uPawulu wakuchaza ngalendlela: “Sesiqala futhi ukuzincoma na? Kumbe siyadinga yini njengabanye izincwadi zokusincoma eziza kini noma ezivela kini na? Nina niyincwadi yethu elotshwé ezinhliziyweni zethu, iyaziwa efundwa ngabantu bonke, nibonakala ukuthi niyincwadi kaKristu eyenziwe ngokukhonza kwethu, ilotshiwe kungengoyinki kodwa ngoMoya kaNkulunkulu ophilayo, kungabi-sezibhebheni zamatshe kodwa ezibhebheni eziyizinhliziyo zenyama.” Lokhu kubhalwa enhliziyweni kwakufezwa kanjani? Ngokushumayela izwi lokholo elinjengembewu elalitshaleka enhliziyweni. Ngokufanayo lembewu yayishukumisela oyamukele ukuba naye ashumayele isigijimi esifanayo sosindiso kwabanye.—2 Korinte 3:1-3.
19. Ikuphi ukunconywa okungokoqobo njengezikhonzi oFakazi BakaJehova abanakho?
19 Ingabe oFakazi BakaJehova banabo ubufakazi ‘bencwadi kaKristu ebhalwe yibo njengezikhonzi’? Amaqiniso ayazikhulumela. Ngo-1931, lapho beqala ukwamukela igama labo elivelele, kwakunoFakazi abangaba yizi-50 000 ababeshumayela emhlabeni wonke. Umbiko ka-1983 ubonisa inani eliphakeme [abangaphezu kwezi-2 652 000 lezikhonzi ezishumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso ezihlanganyela emabandleni ayizi-46 235. Yebo, kunamabandla amaningi manje acishe alingane noFakazi ababekhona ngo-1931! Iqiniso ngempela liye lalotshwa ezigidini zezinhliziyo emashumini ambalwa eminyaka adlule—futhi lokhu kuwubufakazi obungenakuphikwa benkonzo yoFakazi BakaJehova.—Isaya 43:10-12.
20. Njengezikhonzi ezingamaKristu, yini esiyidingayo namuhla? Imiphi imibuzo esadinga ukuphendulwa?
20 Isidingo ngezikhonzi ezingamaKristu namuhla singesiphuthuma kakhulu kunangaphambili. Isikhathi sifushane nokuvuna kukhulu. Khona-ke, kunesizathu esanele ngathi sokuba sibe yizikhonzi ezifanelekayo nezinekhono ezishumayela futhi zifundise ngendlela ekhiqizayo. Singakwenza kanjani lokho? Singaba kanjani izikhonzi eziphumelela ngokwengeziwe? Ingabe izibonelo zikaKristu nabaphostoli zinokubaluleka okukhethekile kithi namuhla?—Efesu 5:15, 16; Mathewu 9:37, 38.
Amaphuzu Okubukeza
◻ Sazi kanjani ukuthi bonke abalandeli bakaKristu abagcotshiwe kwakumelwe babe yizikhonzi?
◻ Iyiphi indima “isixuku esikhulu” esiye sayifeza enkonzweni yanamuhla?
◻ Ukubizelwa komKristu enkonzweni kusekelwe kuphi?
◻ Ibuphi ubufakazi benkonzo yabo oFakazi BakaJehova abanabo?
[Isithombe ekhasini 22]
Ingabe sasikhona isigaba sabefundisi bobuKristu ngezikhathi zabaphostoli?
[Izithombe ekhasini 24]
Ngo-1943 kwavulwa iSikole saseGiliyadi eNingizimu Lansing, eNew York. Lesikole sathuthela eBrooklyn eNew York ngo-1961
[Izithombe ekhasini 25]
Manje ezakhiweni ezintsha eduze neBhuloho laseBrooklyn, iSikole SaseGiliyadi siyaqhubeka silungiselela izikhonzi inkonzo yakwamanye amazwe