“Lingaphangi Likhathazeke Kumbe Lethuswe”!

1, 2. Kungani ubuqili bugcwele kangaka lamuhla, futhi bungatholakala ngaphi? (Khangela umfanekiso osekuqaliseni.)

ESIKHATHINI esiphila kuso, kugcwele ukukhohlisa, ubuqili lobumenemene. Lokhu akumelanga kusimangalise. IBhayibhili liyakucacisa ukuthi uSathane uDeveli ngumkhohlisi ophumelelayo njalo nguye obusayo emhlabeni. (1 Tim. 2:14; 1 Joh. 5:19) Njengoba sisondela ekupheleni komumo lo wezinto, ulaka lukaSathane luzavutha kakhulu ngoba usesalelwe ‘yisikhathi esifitshane.’ (Isam. 12:12) Yikho-ke akusoze kusimangalise nxa sibona abantu abalenkohliso abasetshenziswa nguDeveli beqhubeka bebahlasela kakhulu labo abasekela ukukhonza kweqiniso.

² Kwezinye izikhathi intatheli zikhupha izinkulumo ezingaqondanga kanye lamanga aluhlaza mayelana lezinceku zikaJehova lalokho ezikukholwayo. Izihloko zamaphephandaba, izinhlelo zethelevizhini kanye lamaWebhusayithi e-Internet kusetshenziswa ukumemethekisa izindaba ezingamanga. Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu, abanye bayathatheka besebekholwa amanga la.

3. Kuyini okungasinceda ukuthi singaqilwa?

³ Siyabonga ukuthi sileLizwi likaNkulunkulu ‘elilosizo lokuqondisa’ izinto ukuze singaqilwa ngamaqhinga esitha sethu angasinyikinya ukholo. (2 Tim. 3:16) Kuqakathekile ukuthi sifunde kulokho okwabhalwa ngumphostoli uPhawuli mayelana lamanye amaKhristu ekhulu lokuqala eThesalonika ayesethatheke ngezinkulumo ezingamanga. Wawaxwayisa ukuthi ‘angaphangi akhathazeke kumbe ethuswe’ ngamanga. (2 Thes. 2:1, 2) Isixwayiso sikaPhawuli sisifundisani njalo singasisebenzisa njani?

IZIXWAYISO EZIFIKA NGESIKHATHI ESIYISO

4. Yisiphi isixwayiso esanikwa amaKhristu aseThesalonika ‘ngosuku lweNkosi,’ njalo thina sixwayiswa njani?

⁴ Encwadini yakhe yokuqala ebandleni laseThesalonika, uPhawuli wabaxwayisa ngokuza ‘kosuku lweNkosi.’ Wayengafuni ukuthi abazalwane babesemnyameni njalo bajunywe bengalindelanga. Kulokuthi enze njalo, wabancenga ukuthi njengoba ‘bengamadodana okukhanya’ bahlale ‘bephapheme njalo bazithibe.’ (Bala u-1 Thesalonika 5:1-6.) Khathesi simelele ukubhujiswa kweBhabhiloni eNkulu, umbuso womhlaba wonke wenkolo yamanga. Lokhu kuzatshengisa ukuthi usuku olukhulu lukaJehova soluqalisa. Yikho-ke kuyasithokozisa ukuthi sesikuzwisisa ngcono ukuthi uJehova uzakwenzani ukuze injongo yakhe iphumelele. Kanti njalo ebandleni sihlala sithola izikhumbuzo ezifika ngesikhathi ezisinceda ukuthi sihlale sizithiba. Ukulalela izixwayiso lezi ezihlala ziphindaphindwa kuzasinika isibindi sokuthi siqhubeke sinikela kuNkulunkulu ‘inkonzo engcwele ngamandla ethu okucabanga.’​—Rom. 12:1, NW.

5, 6. (a) UPhawuli wakhuluma ngani encwadini yesibili eyayisiya kwabaseThesalonika? (b) Kuyini okuzakwenziwa nguNkulunkulu esikhathini esiseduze nje esebenzisa uJesu, njalo kumele sizibuzeni?

⁵ Esanda kuthumela amaKhristu aseThesalonika incwadi yokuqala, uPhawuli wawabhalela eyesibili. Encwadini le wabhala ngokuhlupheka okwakuzabakhona ngesikhathi iNkosi uJesu isahlulela “abangamaziyo uNkulunkulu njalo bengalilaleli ivangeli.” (2 Thes. 1:6-8) Isahluko sesibili sencwadi le, sitshengisa ukuthi abanye ebandleni lelo ‘basebekhathazekile’ ngosuku lukaJehova okokuthi basebecabanga ukuthi lwaseluzafika. (Bala u 2 Thesalonika 2:1, 2.) Kulokunye amaKhristu okuqala ayengakwazi mayelana lokuthi uJehova wayezayigcwalisa njani injongo yakhe, yikho uPhawuli waze wabhala mayelana lesiphrofetho, wathi: “Sazi ingxenye, njalo siphrofitha ingxenye, kodwa lapho ukuphelela kufika, ukungapheleli kuyanyamalala.” (1 Khor. 13:9, 10) Kodwa izixwayiso ezaphefumulelwayo ezabhalwa nguPhawuli, lomphostoli uPhetro kanye labanye ababethembekile abagcotshiweyo zazizabanceda ukuthi bahlale belokholo oluqinileyo.

⁶ Ukuze aqondise udaba lolu, uPhawuli waphefumulelwa ukuthi achasise ukuthi kuzakuba labahlamuki abakhulu njalo ‘umuntu ongelamthetho’ wayezabonakala usuku lukaJehova lungakafiki.a Ngemva kwalokho, ngesikhathi esiyiso iNkosi uJesu ‘yayizachitha’ bonke ababezabe bekhohlisiwe. Umphostoli uPhawuli waveza ukuthi babesahlulelwa ngaleyondlela ngenxa yokuthi “bala ukuthanda iqiniso.” (2 Thes. 2:3, 8-10) Kuhle ukuthi sizibuze ukuthi: ‘Ngilithanda kangakanani iqiniso? Ngihlala ngiwabala yini amamagazini lamanye amabhuku asekelwe eBhayibhilini abhalelwa ibandla labantu bakaNkulunkulu elisemhlabeni wonke, ukuze ngihlale ngisazi ukuthi khathesi sesizwisisa njani izinto?’

HLAKANIPHA EKUKHETHENI ABANGANE

7, 8. (a) Kuyini okwakumele amaKhristu okuqala alwisane lakho? (b) Yiphi ingozi enkulu engahlasela amaKhristu eqiniso lamuhla?

⁷ Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kwakulezinye izingozi ezazizakwehlela amaKhristu ngaphandle kwabahlamuki lezimfundiso zabo. UPhawuli wabhalela uThimothi wathi: “ukuthanda imali kuyimpande yezinhlobo zonke zobubi.” Waphinda wamchazela lokuthi ‘abanye abantu, ngokutshisekela imali, baphambuka ekukholweni bazibangela izinsizi ezinengi.’ (1 Tim. 6:10) “Izenzo zemvelo yesono” lazo zazizahlala ziyingozi zikhathi zonke.​—Gal. 5:19-21.

⁸ Sekuzwisiseka ukuthi kungani uPhawuli waxwayisa abaseThesalonika egcizelela ngengozi yalabo ayeke wababiza ngokuthi “bangabaphostoli bamanga.” Phakathi kwabo kwakulamadoda ‘ayehlanekela iqiniso’ ukuze ahuge abafundi ukuthi bawalandele. (2 Khor. 11:4, 13; ImiSeb. 20:30) Sekudlule isikhathi, uJesu wancoma ibandla lase-Efesu ngenxa yokuthi ‘lalingabekezeleli abantu abaxhwalileyo.’ Abase-Efesu ‘babebahlola’ labo ababeqamba amanga bezithi bangabaphostoli. (Isam. 2:2) Yikho encwadini yesibili uPhawuli wacebisa abaseThesalonika esithi: ‘Ebizweni leNkosi uJesu Khristu, siyalilaya bazalwane ukuba libaxwaye bonke abazalwane abangamavila kumbe abangaphili ngezimiso zeBhayibhili.’ Waseyihluba indlubu ekhasini ngokuqamba labo ‘ababengafuni ukusebenza.’ (2 Thes. 3:6, 10) Nxa ababengafuni ukusebenza babalwa ngokuthi abaphili ngezimiso zeBhayibhili, pho-ke kuthiwani ngalabo abasebethatheka befuna ukulandela abahlamuki! Kuyacaca-ke ukuthi nxa ukudlalela ebantwini abanjalo kwakuyingozi kakhulu futhi kwakuyinto emele ibalekelwe, lakhathesi kulokhu kuyingozi.​—Zaga. 13:20.

9. Kungani kumele sinanzelele nxa omunye seqalisa ukusihuga ngemibono yakhe kanye lokusola?

⁹ Izixwayiso lezo ezaphefumulelwayo ezakhulunywa ngekhulu lokuqala ziqakatheke kakhulu ngoba ukuhlupheka okukhulu sekuseduze njalo umumo lo wezinto usuzaphela. Akuthandabuzwa ukuthi kasifuni ‘ukulahlekelwa yinjongo’ yomusa ongasifanelanga ovela kuJehova sicine singakuzuzanga ukuphila okungapheliyo esikuthenjisiweyo kungaba sezulwini kumbe emhlabeni. (2 Khor. 6:1, NW) Kumele sinanzelele sibili uma kulomunye esikhonza laye ebandleni ozama ukusihuga ukuthi sixoxe ngezinto acabangela ukuthi zizakwenzakala kumbe sisole abadala labanye abazalwane.​—2 Thes. 3:13-15.

“LIBAMBELELE EZIMFUNDISWENI”

10. Yiziphi izimfundiso okwathiwa amaKhristu aseThesalonika abambelele kuzo?

¹⁰ UPhawuli wakhuthaza abazalwane baseThesalonika ukuthi babambelele ‘baqine’ kulokho abasebekufundile. (Bala u-2 Thesalonika 2:15.) Kwakuyiziphi ‘lezozimfundiso’ ababezifundisiwe? Kusegcekeni ukuthi wayengakhulumi ngezivela emasontweni amanga ezazihlonitshwa angani ziqakatheke njengolwazi oluseMibhalweni. Kodwa uPhawuli wayekhuluma ngezimfundiso yena labanye ababezithole zivela kuJesu lalokho uNkulunkulu ayemthume ukuthi akubhale, okunengi kwakhona okwacina kuyingxenye yeMibhalo ephefumulelweyo. UPhawuli wabancoma abazalwane ababesebandleni laseKhorinte ngoba wabhala wathi: “Ngiyalibonga ngokungikhumbula ezintweni zonke langokubambelela ezimfundisweni, njengokuzethula kwami kini.” (1 Khor. 11:2) Izimfundiso lezi babengazithemba ngoba umthombo ezazivela kuwo wawuqotho.

11. Abanye abantu bangakhohliswa ngaziphi izindlela?

¹¹ Ngesikhathi ebhalela amaHebheru, uPhawuli waveza ukuthi kwakulezindlela ezimbili ezazingaqeda ukholo lwamaKhristu acine esehluleka ukuma aqine. (Bala uHebheru 2:1; 3:12.) Wakhuluma ‘ngokuduka’ kanye ‘lokuphambuka.’ Isikepe esisekhunjini singaphetshulwa ngumoya mbijana mbijana kungakhanyi ekuqaliseni, sibe silokhu siqhelelana lekhumbi. Kodwa indoda egwedla isikepe sayo isisusa ekhunjini lomfula iyabe isisusa ngamandla ayo. Imizekeliso le emibili icacisa ukuthi umuntu angakhohliswa njani acine engasalithembi iqiniso.

12. Kulezinsuku kuyini okungasiphambanisa ekukhonzeni kwethu?

¹² Kukhanya angani abanye eThesalonika basebenjalo. Lamuhla khona kunjani? Kulezinto ezinengi ezingasidlela isikhathi. Akucabange ukuthi singanani isikhathi esidliwa yizindlela zokukhulumisana labanye kumakhompiyutha ezibizwa ngokuthi ngama-social network, ukubala lokuphendula imilayezo emafonini, lokutshona sizilibazisa kumbe ukuhlala sidinga okuphathelane lezemidlalo. Konke lokhu kungamphambanisa umKhristu aze aphelelwe yikutshiseka. Kungacina ngani? Kungacina sokunzima ukwenza imithandazo eqotho, ukufunda iLizwi likaNkulunkulu, ukungena imihlangano kanye lokutshumayela izindaba ezinhle. Kuyini esingakwenza ukuze singaphangi sikhathazeke kumbe sethuswe?

OKUZASIVIKELA UKUTHI SINGETHUKI

13. Njengoba kwaphrofethwa, abanengi bacabangani kulezinsuku njalo kuyini okuzavikela ukholo lwethu?

¹³ Kumele sihlale sivule amehlo sikwazi ukuthi sikusiphi isikhathi futhi sikhumbule lokuthi kungaba yingozi ukuba labangane abangavumiyo ukuthi ‘sisezinsukwini zokucina.’ Umphostoli uPhetro wabhala mayelana lesikhathi sethu wathi: “Kuzafika abaklolodayo baklolode belandela izinkanuko zabo ezimbi. Bazakuthi, ‘Kungaphi “ukuza” lokhu akuthembisayo? Selokhu obaba bafayo, konke kuqhubeka njengokwakuvele kusenzakala kusukela ekuqaleni kokudaliweyo.’ ” (2 Phet. 3:3, 4) Ukubala kwethu iLizwi likaNkulunkulu nsukuzonke kanye lokulitaditsha kokuphela kuzasenza singakhohlwa ukuthi sikusiphi isikhathi, njalo sihlale sikhumbula ukuthi siphila ‘ezinsukwini zokucina.’ Ukuhlamuka okwakuphrofethiwe kwavela kudala kodwa lokhu kukhona kuze kube lamuhla. ‘Umuntu ongelamthetho’ lokhu ekhona njalo uqhubeka elwisana lezinceku zikaNkulunkulu. Yikho kumele sihlale siphapheme njengoba usuku lukaJehova seluseduze kangaka.​—Zef. 1:7.

14. Ukuhlala sisenza okunengi enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu kusivikela njani?

¹⁴ Ubufakazi butshengisa ukuthi ukutshumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kuyindlela enkulu kulazo zonke yokuthi sihlale siphapheme njalo singakhathazeki kumbe sethuswe. Yikho-ke, lapho uJesu Khristu, iNhloko yebandla, elaya abalandeli bakhe ukuthi benze abafundi ezizweni zonke, bebafundisa ukwenza konke ayebafundise khona, wayebanika icebo elalizabavikela. (Mat. 28:19, 20) Ukulalela umlayo wakhe kukhanya ngokutshiseka emsebenzini wokutshumayela. Ubona angani kwakungabasuthisa yini abaseThesalonika nxa ukutshumayela lokufundisa babekwenza nxa beswele umsebenzi kuphela? Khumbula amazwi abawatshelwa nguPhawuli athi: ‘Lingawucitshi umlilo womoya; lingazeyisi iziphrofetho.’ (1 Thes. 5:19, 20) Lakanye sileziphrofetho ezibabazekayo esizifundayo njalo sizitshele abanye.

15. Yiziphi izinto eziluncedo esingazikhangela ekukhonzeni kwemuli?

¹⁵ Kuyazwisiseka ukuthi silesifiso sokuncedisa izimuli zethu ukuze zithuthukise indlela ezitshumayela ngayo. Abafowethu labodadewethu abanengi bathi enye indlela yokwenza lokhu yikusebenzisa esinye isikhathi sokukhonza kwabo kwemuli, ukuze baxoxe ngezinto eziphathelane lenkonzo. Kunganceda ukuthi lixoxe ngokuthi amalunga emuli azafika esithini nxa esebuyela kulabo abalesifiso sokufunda iBhayibhili. Bazafika bakhulume ngani? Yiziphi izihloko ezizanceda labo abafuna ukufunda ukuthi baqhubeke belesifiso sokufunda? Yisiphi isikhathi esingcono sokuyaphindela? Abanye bayalungiselela imihlangano yebandla ngesikhathi sokukhonza kwemuli ukwenzela ukuthi bahambe besazi ukuthi bazafunda ngani. Lingalungiselela okunengi yini ukuze liphendule emihlanganweni? Ukuba lengxenye emihlanganweni kuzaqinisa ukholo lwenu besekulinceda ukuthi lingakhathazeki njalo lethuswe. (Hubo. 35:18) Ukukhonza kwemuli kuzalivikela ukuthi lingathandabuzi njalo lingasebenzisi imibono yenu ezintweni ezingachazwanga eBhayibhilini.

16. Yisiphi isizatho esilamandla sokuthi amaKhristu agcotshiweyo angakhathazeki?

¹⁶ Nxa sicabangisisa ngokuthi uJehova ubabusisa njani abantu bakhe ngokuqhubeka bezwisisa iziphrofetho eziseBhayibhilini, sizakubona ukuthi muhle kangakanani umvuzo esiwugcinelweyo. Abagcotshiweyo balethemba lokuyaphila loKhristu ezulwini. Lesi yisizatho esilamandla sokuthi bangakhathazeki. Amazwi uPhawuli awabhalela abaseThesalonika ayasebenza kubo, athi: ‘Kufanele sibonge uNkulunkulu kokuphela ngenxa yenu, bazalwane abathandwa yiNkosi, ngoba uNkulunkulu walikhetha ukuba lisindiswe ngomsebenzi ongcwelisayo womoya langokukholwa eqinisweni.’​—2 Thes. 2:13.

17. Kuyini okukukhuthazayo emazwini atholakala ku-2 Thesalonika 3:1-5?

¹⁷ Labo abakhangelele ukuphila emhlabeni kuze kube nini lanini kumele labo balwise ukuthi bangakhathazeki. Nxa ulethemba lokuphila emhlabeni, wabambe uwagagadlele amazwi akhuthazayo akhulunywa nguPhawuli ebhalela abagcotshiweyo njengaye eThesalonika. (Bala u-2 Thesalonika 3:1-5.) Munye ngamunye wethu kumele abonge ukuthi silamazwi la atshengisa ukuthi siyathandwa. Kusegcekeni ukuthi izincwadi ezazisiya eThesalonika zisinika izixwayiso eziqakathekileyo zokuthi singaxoxi ngezinto esicabangela ukuthi zizakwenzakala kumbe sibe lemibono engatshiya abanye belemibuzo. Njengoba amaKhristu ephila esikhathini sokuphela. izixwayiso lezi ziqakatheke kakhulu kuwo lamuhla.