Ese abiyita Abakristo bose ni Abakristo nyakuri?

KU ISI hari Abakristo bangana iki? Igitabo cyabikozeho ubushakashatsi, cyavuze ko mu mwaka wa 2010, ku isi hose hari Abakristo bagera kuri miriyari 2,3. Nanone icyo gitabo cyagaragaje ko abo Bakristo babarizwa mu madini asaga 41.000, buri dini rikaba rifite inyigisho zaryo n’amategeko yaryo arigenga (Atlas of Global Christianity). Iyo ni yo mpamvu hari abitegereza ubwinshi bw’amadini yiyita aya gikristo bikabashobera, ndetse bamwe bakazinukwa icyitwa idini cyose. Bashobora kuba bibaza bati ‘ese koko abantu bose bavuga ko ari “Abakristo,” ni Abakristo nyakuri?’

Reka dusuzume icyo kibazo. Iyo umuntu ari ku rugendo asabwa kubwira abakozi ba gasutamo igihugu akomokamo. Nanone aba agomba kubigaragaza yerekana ikimuranga, wenda nk’uruhushya rwo kujya mu mahanga. Kuba Umukristo nyakuri si ukubivuga mu magambo gusa, bisaba no kubigaragariza mu bikorwa. Hari ibindi bintu bigomba kwerekana ko umuntu ari Umukristo nyakuri. Ese ibyo ni ibihe?

Ijambo “Umukristo” ryatangiye gukoreshwa bwa mbere nyuma y’umwaka wa 44. Luka, wari umuhanga mu by’amateka akaba n’umwanditsi wa Bibiliya, yaranditse ati “muri Antiyokiya ni ho abigishwa bitiwe Abakristo bwa mbere, biturutse ku Mana” (Ibyakozwe 11:26). Zirikana ko abo biswe Abakristo bari abigishwa ba Kristo. Ni iki gituma umuntu aba umwigishwa wa Yesu Kristo? Hari igitabo cyabisobanuye kigira kiti “gukurikira Yesu ukaba umwigishwa we, bisobanura kwitanga utizigamye  . . ukamwegurira ubuzima bwawe bwose” (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology). Ubwo rero, Umukristo w’ukuri ni wa wundi ukurikiza inyigisho n’amabwiriza twahawe na Yesu watangije itorero rya gikristo, akabikora atizigamye kandi nta gahato.

Ese mu bantu benshi bavuga ko ari Abakristo muri iki gihe, harimo abameze batyo? Yesu yari yaravuze ko Abakristo b’ukuri bari kuzarangwa n’iki? Suzuma ibisubizo Bibiliya itanga kuri ibyo bibazo. Mu ngingo zikurikira, turasuzuma ibintu bitanu Yesu yavuze byari kuranga Abakristo b’ukuri kandi bigatuma abantu bahita babamenya. Turaza gusuzuma uburyo Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere bari bujuje ibyo bintu Yesu yavuze. Nanone turaza kureba niba abiyita Abakristo muri iki gihe bigana urugero rw’abatubanjirije.

‘Mugume mu ijambo ryanjye’

“Niba muguma mu ijambo ryanjye, muri abigishwa banjye nyakuri; muzamenya ukuri, kandi ukuri ni ko kuzababatura.”​—⁠YOHANA 8:31, 32.

Icyo bisobanura: “Ijambo” rya Yesu ni inyigisho ze zituruka ku Mana. Yesu yaravuze ati “Data wantumye ni we ubwe wantegetse icyo nkwiriye gutangaza n’icyo nkwiriye kuvuga” (Yohana 12:49). Igihe Yesu yasengaga Se wo mu ijuru, Yehova Imana, yaravuze ati “ijambo ryawe ni ukuri.” Iyo yigishaga, yasubiragamo kenshi Ijambo ry’Imana agaragaza ko ari ho inyigisho ze zishingiye (Yohana 17:17; Matayo 4:4, 7, 10). Bityo rero, Abakristo b’ukuri ‘baguma mu ijambo rye’ iyo bemera ko Ijambo ry’Imana Bibiliya ari “ukuri,” kandi ko ari ryo ibyo bizera n’ibyo bakora bishingiyeho.

Uko Abakristo ba mbere babishyize mu bikorwa: Intumwa Pawulo, Umukristo wanditse ibitabo byinshi mu banditsi ba Bibiliya, na we yubahaga Ijambo ry’Imana kimwe na Yesu. Yaranditse ati “ibyanditswe byera byose byahumetswe n’Imana, kandi bifite akamaro” (2 Timoteyo 3:16). Abagabo babaga bafite inshingano yo kwigisha bagenzi babo b’Abakristo, basabwaga ‘gukomeza ijambo ryo kwizerwa’ (Tito 1:7, 9, Bibiliya yera). Abakristo ba mbere bahawe umuburo wo kwirinda “filozofiya n’ibitekerezo by’ubushukanyi bidafite ishingiro, bishingiye ku migenzo y’abantu kandi bikurikiza ibintu by’ibanze by’isi aho gukurikiza Kristo.”​—⁠Abakolosayi 2:8.

Ni ba nde bakurikiza urugero rwabo muri iki gihe? Mu mwaka wa 1965, i Vatikani habereye inama yahuje abasenyeri bose n’intiti za kiliziya. Umwanzuro w’iyo nama ku birebana n’agaciro k’imigenzo ya kiliziya ndetse n’Ibyanditswe, washyizwe no muri Gatigisimu, ugira uti “Ibyanditswe Bitagatifu si byo byonyine Kiliziya [Gatolika] ishingiraho yizera ibintu byose byahishuwe. Bityo rero, imigenzo yera ya Kiliziya hamwe n’Ibyanditswe Bitagatifu, byombi bikwiriye kwemerwa, bikubahwa kandi bigahabwa agaciro kangana” (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation). Hari ikinyamakuru cyasubiyemo amagambo y’umuvugabutumwa w’i Toronto, muri Kanada, wabajije ati “kuki dushaka kugendera ku bitekerezo bimaze imyaka ibihumbi bibiri? Natwe ubwacu dufite ibitekerezo byiza, uretse ko tubitesha agaciro kubera ko duhora dushaka kubihuza n’inyigisho za Yesu n’Ibyanditswe.”​—⁠Maclean.

Hari igitabo cyanditse ku Bahamya ba Yehova kigira kiti “Bibiliya ni yo shingiro ry’imyizerere n’imyifatire yabo” (New Catholic Encyclopedia). Vuba aha, hari umugabo wo muri Kanada wahuye n’Umuhamya wa Yehova. Uwo Muhamya atangiye kumwibwira, uwo mugabo yamuciye mu ijambo, atunga urutoki Bibiliya y’uwo Muhamya, aramubwira ati “nahise nkumenya bitewe n’ikimenyetso kibaranga.”

‘Si ab’isi’

“Isi yarabanze kuko atari ab’isi.”​—YOHANA 17:14.

Icyo bisobanura: Kubera ko Yesu atari uw’isi, yirinze kwivanga mu bibazo by’abaturage n’amakimbirane y’icyo gihe yari ashingiye kuri politiki. Yaravuze ati “iyo ubwami bwanjye buba ubw’iyi si, abagaragu banjye baba barwanye kugira ngo ntahabwa Abayahudi. Ariko noneho ubwami bwanjye si ubw’iyi si” (Yohana 18:36). Nanone yasabye abigishwa be kwirinda imitekerereze, amagambo n’imyifatire bicirwaho iteka mu Ijambo ry’Imana.​—Matayo 20:25-27.

Uko Abakristo ba mbere babishyize mu bikorwa: Nk’uko umwanditsi w’ibitabo by’iyobokamana witwa Jonathan Dymond yabivuze, Abakristo bo mu kinyejana cya mbere “bangaga kwifatanya mu ntambara, nubwo byashoboraga kubakururira ingorane, urugero nko guharabikwa, gufungwa cyangwa kwicwa.” Bahitagamo kubabazwa aho kugira ngo bagire aho babogamira. Amahame bagenderagaho ni yo yabatandukanyaga n’abandi. Intumwa Petero yabwiye Abakristo ati “kubera ko mutagikomeza gufatanya na bo gusaya muri ibyo bikorwa by’ubwiyandarike, birabatangaza maze bakagenda babatuka” (1 Petero 4:4). Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Will Durant yaranditse ati “kuba Abakristo barubahaga Imana kandi bakayoborwa n’amahame yayo, byabuzaga amahwemo isi y’abapagani yari yaratwawe no kwinezeza.”

Ni ba nde bakurikiza urwo rugero muri iki gihe? Hari igitabo cyagize icyo kivuga ku birebana n’uko Abakristo bativanga muri politiki, kigira kiti “umuntu wanga gufata intwaro nta cyo yabona yireguza” (New Catholic Encyclopedia). Hari n’indi ngingo yasohotse mu kinyamakuru yarimo raporo y’umuryango nyafurika uharanira uburenganzira bw’ikiremwa muntu, ivuga ibya jenoside yabaye mu Rwanda mu mwaka wa 1994. Iyo raporo yagaragaje ko andi madini yose yabigizemo uruhare “uretse Abahamya ba Yehova” bonyine (Reformierte Presse).

Hari umwarimu wigisha mu mashuri yisumbuye wagize icyo avuga kuri jenoside yakorewe Abayahudi, ati “nta muryango n’umwe cyangwa abaturage bishyize hamwe ngo bamagane ibinyoma, ubugome n’ibikorwa by’agahomamunwa byakozwe.” Ariko amaze gusura urwibutso rwa jenoside yakorewe Abayahudi ruri muri Amerika, yaranditse ati “ubu noneho mbonye igisubizo.” Icyo gihe yasobanukiwe ko Abahamya ba Yehova bakomeye ku myizerere yabo, nubwo bakorewe ibikorwa by’agahomamunwa.

Ese bagendera ku mahame mbwirizamuco? Hari ikinyamakuru cyavuze ko “abenshi mu rubyiruko rwo muri Kiliziya Gatolika batemera ibyo kiliziya yigisha ku birebana n’abantu bibanira batarashyingiranywe cyangwa abaryamana mbere yo gushyingiranwa” (U.S. Catholic). Icyo kinyamakuru cyasubiyemo amagambo yavuzwe n’umudiyakoni wavuze ati “abenshi mu bantu mbona, ndetse basaga 50 ku ijana, bajya gushyingiranwa basanzwe bibanira.” Nanone hari inkoranyamagambo yavuze ko Abahamya ba Yehova “bita cyane ku mahame mbwirizamuco yo mu rwego rwo hejuru mu bijyanye n’imyifatire.”​—⁠The New Encyclopædia Britannica.

“Mukundane”

“Ndabaha itegeko rishya ngo mukundane nk’uko nabakunze, mube ari ko namwe mukundana. Ibyo ni byo bose bazabamenyeraho ko muri abigishwa banjye, nimukundana.”​—YOHANA 13:34, 35.

Icyo bisobanura: Kristo yategetse abigishwa be gukundana nk’uko yabakunze. Yesu yagaragaje ate ko abakunda? Urukundo rwe rwarengaga urwikekwe rushingiye ku bihugu no ku bitsina rwari rwiganje icyo gihe (Yohana 4:7-10). Urukundo ni rwo rwatumye yigomwa igihe cye n’ikiruhuko, akoresha imbaraga ze kandi yitangira gufasha abandi (Mariko 6:30-34). Amaherezo, Kristo yagaragaje urukundo rwe mu buryo budasanzwe. Yaravuze ati “ni jye mwungeri mwiza. Umwungeri mwiza apfira intama ze.”​—⁠Yohana 10:11.

Uko Abakristo ba mbere babishyize mu bikorwa: Mu kinyejana cya mbere, Abakristo bitanaga “abavandimwe” (Filemoni 1, 2). Abantu bo mu mahanga yose bakirwaga neza mu itorero rya gikristo, kuko abo Bakristo bemeraga ko “nta tandukaniro riri hagati y’Umuyahudi n’Umugiriki, kubera ko hariho Umwami umwe ubategeka bose” (Abaroma 10:11, 12). Nyuma ya Pentekote yo mu mwaka wa 33, abigishwa b’i Yerusalemu “bagurishaga ibyo bari batunze n’amasambu yabo, ibivuyemo bakabigabagabana bose, bakurikije icyo buri muntu yabaga akeneye.” Bari bagamije iki? Kwari ukugira ngo abari baherutse kubatizwa bashobore kuguma i Yerusalemu, bakomeze “gushishikarira inyigisho z’intumwa” (Ibyakozwe 2:41-45). Ni iki cyatumye babigenza batyo? Hatarashira n’imyaka 200 intumwa zipfuye, umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Tertullien yasubiyemo ibyo rubanda bavugaga ku Bakristo. Yaranditse ati “barakundanaga . . . ku buryo umwe yabaga yiteguye no gupfira undi.”

Ni ba nde bakurikiza urwo rugero muri iki gihe? Hari igitabo cyavuze ko uko ibinyejana byagiye bihita, abiyita Abakristo “bagiye bakorerana ibikorwa bibi by’agahomamunwa, kuruta ndetse ibyo bakorewe n’abapagani” (The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, 1837). Ubushakashatsi buherutse gukorwa muri Amerika bwagaragaje ko mu bintu abayoboke b’amadini bahuriyeho, cyane cyane abiyita Abakristo, ari urwikekwe rushingiye ku moko. Ushobora gusanga abayoboke b’idini rimwe bo mu gihugu iki n’iki, nta cyo bahuriyeho na bagenzi babo bahuje idini bo mu kindi gihugu, ku buryo badashobora no kugira icyo babamarira mu gihe hari icyo babakeneyeho.

Mu mwaka wa 2004, mu gihe cy’amezi abiri gusa, leta ya Floride yo muri Amerika yibasiwe n’inkubi z’umuyaga enye zaje zikurikiranya. Nyuma yaho, umuyobozi wa komite ishinzwe ibikorwa by’ubutabazi muri iyo leta, yaragenzuye kugira ngo amenye niba imfashanyo zaratangwaga uko bikwiriye. Yavuze ko mu miryango yatangaga imfashanyo nta bandi bakoraga neza kuri gahunda nk’Abahamya ba Yehova, anongeraho ko yari yiteguye guha Abahamya izindi mfashanyo bari gukenera. Mu mwaka wa 1997, ikipe ishinzwe ibikorwa by’ubutabazi igizwe n’Abahamya ba Yehova yagiye muri Repubulika Iharanira Demokarasi ya Kongo yitwaje imiti, ibyokurya n’imyambaro, byo gufashisha abavandimwe babo b’Abakristo n’abandi bari bakeneye imfashanyo. Abahamya bo mu Burayi bari bakusanyije imfashanyo zifite agaciro k’amafaranga y’u Rwanda agera kuri miriyoni magana atandatu.

“Nabamenyesheje izina ryawe”

“Abantu wampaye ubakuye mu isi nabamenyesheje izina ryawe. . . . Nabamenyesheje izina ryawe, kandi nzarimenyekanisha.”​—YOHANA 17:6, 26.

Icyo bisobanura: Yesu yamenyekanishije izina ry’Imana kuko yarikoreshaga mu murimo wo kubwiriza. Iyo yasomaga mu Byanditswe, dore ko yabikoraga kenshi, yasomagamo izina bwite ry’Imana (Luka 4:16-21). Yigishije abigishwa be gusenga bagira bati “Data, izina ryawe niryezwe.”​—⁠Luka 11:2.

Uko Abakristo ba mbere babishyize mu bikorwa: Intumwa Petero yabwiye abakuru b’i Yerusalemu ko Imana yatoranyije mu bantu bo mu mahanga yose “ubwoko bwitirirwa izina ryayo” (Ibyakozwe 15:14). Intumwa n’abandi bigishaga ko “umuntu wese wambaza izina rya Yehova azakizwa” (Ibyakozwe 2:21; Abaroma 10:13). No mu bitabo banditse, bashyizemo izina ry’Imana. Igitabo kirimo urutonde rw’amategeko y’Abayahudi cyarangiye kwandikwa ahagana mu mwaka wa 300, cyavuze ukuntu ibitabo by’Abakristo byatwitswe n’ababarwanyaga. Cyaravuze kiti “ibitabo by’ababwirizabutumwa n’ibindi by’Abaminimu [bashobora kuba bari Abakristo b’Abayahudi] na byo ntibabirebeye izuba. Ahubwo bemererwaga kubitwikira aho biri hose, . . . byo n’Izina ry’Imana ryari ryanditswemo.”​—The Tosefta

Ni ba nde bakurikiza urugero rwabo muri iki gihe? Inama y’Igihugu Ihuza Amatorero ya gikristo yo muri Amerika yatanze uburenganzira bwo guhindura Bibiliya. Mu iriburiro ry’iyo Bibiliya bahinduye, harimo amagambo agira ati “gukoresha izina bwite werekeza ku Mana imwe rukumbi, nk’aho hariho izindi mana ushaka kuyitandukanya na zo, abayoboke b’idini rya kiyahudi babicitseho mbere y’uko Abakristo babaho. Bityo, nta ho bihuriye na gato n’ukwemera kw’itorero rya gikristo” (Revised Standard Version). Ngiyo impamvu izina bwite ry’Imana iyo Bibiliya yarisimbuje izina ry’icyubahiro, “UMWAMI.” Vuba aha Vatikani iherutse gutegeka abasenyeri ko “haba mu ndirimbo cyangwa mu masengesho, batagomba gushyiramo cyangwa kuvugamo izina ry’Imana ryanditswe muri tetaragaramu (YHWH)a.”

None se muri iki gihe, ni ba nde bakoresha izina bwite ry’Imana kandi bakarimenyekanisha? Igihe umusore witwa Sergey wo muri Kirigizisitani yari akiri umwana, yabonye filimi yavugaga ko izina bwite ry’Imana ari Yehova. Icyakora hashize imyaka igera ku icumi atongeye kumva barivuga. Nyuma yaho, igihe yimukiraga muri Amerika, Abahamya ba Yehova babiri baramusuye maze bamwereka izina ry’Imana muri Bibiliya. Sergey yashimishijwe cyane no kumenya ko hari abantu bakoresha izina ry’Imana Yehova. Birashishikaje kumenya ko hari inkoranyamagambo itanga ibisobanuro ku izina ‘Yehova Imana,’ ikavuga ko “ari Imana Abahamya ba Yehova bemera ko ari yo isumbabyose kandi akaba ari yo yonyine basenga.”​—⁠Webster’s Third New International Dictionary.

[Ibisobanuro ahagana hasi ku ipaji]

“Ubu butumwa bwiza bw’Ubwami buzabwirizwa”

“Ubu butumwa bwiza bw’ubwami buzabwirizwa mu isi yose ituwe, kugira ngo bubere amahanga yose ubuhamya; hanyuma imperuka ibone kuza.”​—MATAYO 24:14.

Icyo bisobanura: Luka umwanditsi w’Ivanjiri, yaravuze ati “[Yesu] ajya mu migi n’imidugudu, abwiriza kandi atangaza ubutumwa bwiza bw’ubwami bw’Imana” (Luka 8:1). Yesu yaravuze ati “ngomba gutangariza ubutumwa bwiza bw’ubwami bw’Imana no mu yindi migi, kuko ibyo ari byo natumwe gukora” (Luka 4:43). Yatumye abigishwa be kubwiriza ubutumwa bwiza mu migi no mu midugudu, nuko arabategeka ati “muzambera abahamya . . . kugera mu turere twa kure cyane tw’isi.”​—Ibyakozwe 1:8; Luka 10:1.

Uko Abakristo ba mbere babishyize mu bikorwa: Abigishwa ba Yesu ntibatindiganyije; bahise bakora ibyo Yesu yabategetse. “Buri munsi [intumwa] zakomezaga kwigisha no gutangaza ubutumwa bwiza bwerekeye Kristo Yesu” (Ibyakozwe 5:42). Umurimo wo kubwiriza wagombaga gukorwa n’abantu bose, ntiwari ugenewe itsinda ry’abantu bake gusa. Umuhanga mu by’amateka witwa Neander yavuze ko “Celse, umwanditsi wa mbere warwanyije Abakristo, yabannyegaga kubera ko abantu babwirizaga Ivanjiri bafite ishyaka, babaga ari abatunganyaga ubwoya bw’amatungo, abadozi b’inkweto, abantu bakanaga impu, abantu b’injiji batize bo muri rubanda rusanzwe.” Nanone hari umugabo witwa Jean Bernardi wanditse mu gitabo cye ati “[Abakristo] basabwaga kubwiriza ahantu hose n’abantu bose. Haba mu mihanda nyabagendwa, mu migi, ahantu hahurira abantu benshi no mu ngo z’abantu. Abantu babumva batabumva . . . bagombaga gukomeza kubwiriza kugeza ku mpera z’isi.”​—⁠The Early Centuries of the Church.

Ni ba nde bigana urugero rwabo muri iki gihe? Umupadiri wo mu idini ry’Abangilikani witwa David Watson yaranditse ati “imwe mu mpamvu zituma abantu benshi badashishikarira gukorera Imana, ni uko kiliziya itagiha agaciro umurimo wo kubwiriza no kwigisha.” Mu gitabo José Luis Pérez Guadalupe yanditse, yavuze ko amadini y’ivugabutumwa, Abadivantisiti n’andi madini, “batajya kubwiriza abantu mu ngo zabo.” Ageze ku Bahamya ba Yehova, yaranditse ati “bafite gahunda inoze yo kubwiriza bava ku rugo rumwe bajya ku rundi.”​—⁠Why Are the Catholics Leaving?

Jonathan Turley, yakoze ubushakashatsi bwitondewe asanga “iyo uvuze Abahamya ba Yehova, abantu benshi bahita batekereza ababwirizabutumwa badusura mu ngo zacu mu masaha tutari tubiteze. Kuba Abahamya ba Yehova babwiriza kuri buri rugo, si ukugira ngo bageze inyigisho zabo ku bandi gusa, ahubwo ni ikintu cy’ingenzi mu bigize ukwizera kwabo.”​—⁠Cato Supreme Court Review, 2001-​2002.

[Agasanduku ko ku ipaji ya 9]

Ese wabonye ibiranga Abakristo nyakuri?

Ubu se ukurikije ibintu bivugwa muri Bibiliya wasomye muri izi ngingo, wavuga ko muri iki gihe ari ba nde bujuje ibiranga Abakristo b’ukuri? Nubwo hariho amadini mato n’amanini abarirwa mu bihumbi mirongo yiyitirira Kristo, ukwiriye kuzirikana amagambo Yesu yabwiye abigishwa be. Yarababwiye ati “umuntu wese umbwira ati ‘Mwami, Mwami,’ si we uzinjira mu bwami bwo mu ijuru. Ahubwo ukora ibyo Data wo mu ijuru ashaka ni we uzabwinjiramo” (Matayo 7:21). Kumenya abakora ibyo Data ashaka, bakaba bujuje ibintu biranga Abakristo b’ukuri, maze nawe ukifatanya na bo, bishobora kuzaguhesha imigisha igihe Ubwami bw’Imana buzaba butegeka isi. Ukwiriye kwegera Abahamya ba Yehova baguhaye iyi gazeti, ukabasaba kugusobanurira iby’Ubwami bw’Imana n’imigisha buzazana.​—⁠Luka 4:43.