Intuthuzelo Evela KuThixo Woxolo
“Thuthuzelanani ngala mazwi.”—1 TESALONIKA 4:18.
1. Ziziphi izicelo zikaPawulos ezibonakalisa umdla wakhe kuxolo?
UMPOSTILE uPawulos wayelangazelela ukuba ibandla lamaKristu linandiphe uxolo. Ngaloo ndlela, ezili-13 kwiincwadi zakhe, njengoko zilondolozelwe thina kwiZibhalo eziphefumlelweyo, ziqalisa ngesicelo sokuba abo babhalelwayo kwanga banganandipha uxolo oluvela kuThixo. Ngokomzekelo, kwibandla elitsha eliseTesalonika, uPawulos ubhala athi: “Makube lubabalo kuni, noxolo.” Ngasekupheleni kwaloo ncwadi ikwanye, wenza esi sicelo: “Wanga ke uThixo woxolo ngokwakhe anganingcwalisa niphelelisekile; uthi, ugqibelele owenu umoya nomphefumlo nomzimba, ugcinwe ngokungenakusoleka ekufikeni kweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.”—1 Tesalonika 1:1; 5:23.
2. (a) Luluphi uhlobo lwenkxalabo awalubonakalisayo uPawulos kwibandla? (b) Namhlanje abadala abangamaKristu banokuwulandela njani umzekelo kaPawulos?
2 UPawulos namaqabane akhe abazange bazibandeze ‘ekubulalekeni nasekwenzeni imigudu’ phakathi kwaloo makholwa matsha. UPawulos wathi: “Thina ke sisuke sathantamisa phakathi kwenu njengomdlezana osukuba ebagcinile abakhe abantwana; ngokunjalo sinilangazelela nje, kwakholeka kuthi ukuba singaneli kunabela iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo nje kodwa, sinabele nobomi bethu, ngenxa enokuba naba ziintanda kuthi.” Ngaba kuloo mazwi asinakuyiva inkxalabo enzulu, uthando olunyanisekileyo nolumile nzulu awaba nalo uPawulos ngelo bandla? Eneneni, lowo ngumzekelo wohlobo lothando abadala abangamaKristu abawubonisayo kumabandla anokuba ngama-50,000 amaNgqina kaYehova emhlabeni jikelele namhlanje.—1 Tesalonika 2:7-9; Yohane 13:34, 35; 15:12-14.
3. (a) UTimoti wakwazi njani ukwenza ukuba ibandla laseTesalonika lingenelwe? (b) Oku kuhambisana nantoni namhlanje?
3 UMhendi, uSathana, wayewazisele iimbandezelo loo maKristu aseTesalonika. Ngoko uPawulos wathumela uTimoti kuwo, ukuze ‘awazimase, awavuselele ngenxa yokholo lwawo.’ UTimoti wabuyela kuPawulos eAtene enengxelo edlamkisayo engokuthembeka nothando lwawo. Onke athuthuzeleka gqitha ngokuva ngokholo nengqibelelo yalowo nalowo kuwo, ibe aqhubeka ekhunga uThixo ukuba awancede apho ayesilela khona. (1 Tesalonika 3:1, 2, 5-7, 10) Nako oku kubonisa ilungiselelo elingokolawulo lobuthixo namhlanje, kukho abaveleli abahambahambayo abakha amabandla, kwanalapho umsebenzi wamaNgqina kaYehova uvaliweyo khona okanye apho atshutshiswa khona ngokukrakra.—Isaya 32:1, 2.
‘Ekufikeni Kwayo’
4, 5. (a) Sisiphi isicelo asenzayo apha uPawulos, yaye kutheni le nto sifanele sibe sesibangel’ umdla ngokukhethekileyo kuthi ngoku? (b) Kutheni le nto umhla wethu ungophawuleka ngokukhethekileyo?
4 Umpostile uPawulos uqukumbela le nxalenye yencwadi yakhe ngokwenza esi sicelo: “Yanga ke iNkosi inganandisa, inityebise eluthandweni, omnye komnye nakubo bonke, kwanjengokuba nathi sisenjenjalo kuni; ukuze izizimase iintliziyo zenu, zingabi nakusoleka, zibe ngcwele phambi koThixo uBawo wethu, ekufikeni kweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu nabo bonke abangcwele bayo.”—1 Tesalonika 3:12, 13.
5 Apha uPawulos wayekhangele phambili kwikamva, kwixesha ‘lokufika kukaYesu nelokupheliswa kwephakade eli’ xa ‘uNyana woMntu efika esebuqaqawulini bakhe, zinaye zonke izithunywa zezulu.’ UKumkani wethu wasezulwini wafika ngowe-1914. Ekwitrone yakhe yobuqaqawuli engabonakaliyo, ngoku uYesu ugweba iintlanga nezizwe zomhlaba, ekhetha abantu abathobekileyo nabanjengezimvu ukuze basindiswe ukutyhubela “imbandezelo enkulu” ze bazuze ubomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadisi.—Mateyu 24:3-21; 25:31-34, 41, 46.
Iziyalo Zokulungelwa Kwethu
6. Sisiphi isibongozo sikaPawulos esifanele sisithobele ngoku?
6 Ngaba ungulowo uxunele olo sukelo lobomi obungunaphakade? Ukuba kunjalo, umele uthobele oko uPawulos apha akubhalela abaseTesalonika, esithi: “Elokugqiba ngoko, bazalwana, siyanicela siniyala siseNkosini uYesu, ukuba nithi, njengokuba nakwamkelayo kuthi, okokuba nimelwe kukuthini na ukuhamba nokumkholisa uThixo, nikhule kuko ngakumbi. Kuba niyazi ukuba zaba ziziyalo zini na, esaniyala ngazo ngeNkosi uYesu.” (1 Tesalonika 4:1, 2) Ziziphi ezinye ‘zeziyalo’ azigxininisayo apha uPawulos?
7. (a) Sisiphi ‘isiyalo’ esibalulekileyo esinikelwayo apha? (b) Ekubeni sifumene umoya oyingcwele kaThixo, kutheni le nto kufuneka singaze siyekelele umxakatho?
7 Isiyalo’ sokuqala sinxulumene nokuziphatha okuhle. Ngokuphandle uPawulos uthi: “Kukuthanda kukaThixo, ukungcwaliswa kwenu, ukuba nikhumke kulo uhenyuzo; ukuba elowo kuni akwazi ukusizuza asiphathe esakhe isitya enobungcwalisa, enembeko; angathabatheki yinkanuko, njengeentlanga ezingamaziyo uThixo.” Kuyasivuyisa ukuba, siye ‘samazi’ uThixo noNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, yaye sixunele kubomi obungunaphakade. Hayi indlela ebekuya kuba lusizi ngayo ukuba besiya kuzivumela ukuba sirhuqelwe emva ekuziphatheni okubi gqitha kwehlabathi! Ibuhlungu into yokuba sithi, abathile baye banyamezela iminyaka bekwiikampu zoxinaniso nasezintolongweni, okanye bachithela ubomi bonke kwinkonzo yobuvangeli basemazweni ngenzondelelo, suka batsho ukuvumela uMhendi kamva ukuba ababambise beyekelele umxakatho ngasekuziphatheni. Ekubeni sifumene umoya oyingcwele kaThixo, kwanga ‘asingewenzi buhlungu’ nanini na ngehambo embi yesini!—1 Tesalonika 4:3-8; Yohane 17:3; 1 Korinte 10:12, 13; Efese 4:30.
8, 9. (a) Luyintoni ‘uthando lobuzalwana’? (b) Sinokuluhlakulela njani uthando olunjalo, yaye ziziphi iingenelo esinokuzifumana?
8 Isiyalo’ sikaPawulos esilandelayo sibhekiswe ‘kuthando lobuzalwana’ olunguphil·a·del·phiʹa. (1 Tesalonika 4:9, 10) Olu thando luyimbonakaliso ekhethekileyo yothando olusekelwe kumgaqo, ua·gaʹpe, olo uPawulos akwaluncomela ngokufudumeleyo apha kwindinyana 9, kwanakwisahluko 3, indinyana 6 neye-12. Uphil·a·del·phiʹa uluthando olusenyongweni kakhulu, olunjengolo kucacileyo ukuba lwalukho phakathi koYesu noPetros, naphakathi koDavide noYonatan. (Yohane 21:15-17; 1 Samuweli 20:17; 2 Samuweli 1:26) Lunokongezelelwa kua·gaʹpe ekwakheni ubuhlobo obusondeleyo, ngokomzekelo, njengoko kubonwa kuvuyo lonxulumano olufunyanwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova amaninzi kubulungiseleli bobuvulindlela nakomnye umsebenzi wolawulo lobuthixo.
9 UPawulos uthi: “Nikhule kuko oko ngakumbi.” Singasoloko silwenza banzi uthando lwethu lobuzalwana. Olu phawu luhle ikakhulu lubalasela xa abadala nezicaka zolungiselelo bekhokela kwinkonzo yoBukumkani ngenzondelelo. Xa bonke ebandleni bezixakekisa ‘ngokufuna tanci uBukumkani,’ ukungavisisani okubangelwa kukungafezeki kwabantu, ukungqubana ngokobuntu neengxaki ezifana nezo azibi yeyona nto iphambili. Masisoloko amehlo ethu siwatsolise kusukelo!—Mateyu 6:20, 21, 33; 2 Korinte 4:18.
10. Thina njengamaKristu kunokwenzeka njani ukuba ‘sihambe ngokubekekileyo’?
10 Apha uPawulos ukhankanya esinye ‘isiyalo’—ukuba sikwenze usukelo lwethu ukuphila ngokuzolileyo, ukungabi ngoogqada mbekweni, nokuba sisebenze ngezethu izandla. Njengoko ‘sihamba ngokubekekileyo’ kubomi bethu bemihla ngemihla, sibonisa uthando olusekelwe kumgaqo nolo lobuzalwana, konke esikufunayo sokunikwa.—1 Tesalonika 4:11, 12; Yohane 13:35; Roma 12:10-12.
Ukuthuthuzelwa Lithemba Lovuko
11. (a) Kutheni uPawulos ethetha ngovuko nje ngoku? (b) Esi siluleko sivela kuPawulos sifanele sisichaphazele njani thina?
11 Ngokulandelayo umpostile ubhekisela kwithemba elizukileyo lovuko. Kodwa kutheni le nto uPawulos engenisa lo mbandela? Wayefuna ukomeleza abazalwana bakhe ukuba banyamezele iintshutshiso ezaziza kubafikela. Babesengozini yokuphulukana nobomi babo. Kubonakala ukuba ngelo xesha abathile babelele ukufa. Amakholwa angoowabo ayefuna intuthuzelo. (1 Tesalonika 2:14-20) Ecinga ukuba ‘ukufika’ kukaKristu kwakumbovu, abasexhaleni lokuba kazi kwakuya kwenzeka ntoni na ngabo babesebefile. Oko akubhalayo ngoku uPawulos akunikeli nje intuthuzelo kwabo balahlekelwa ngamaKristu abawathandayo kodwa kukwalukhuthazo lokunyamezela de ‘imini’ kaYehova ifike. Isiluleko sikaPawulos sifanele sisincede sonke ukuba sibonakalise ukomelela ngokwasemoyeni njengoko siqhubeka sivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo, silindele inxalenye yokugqibela yesiphelo sale nkqubo yezinto.—2 Tesalonika 1:6-10.
12. Yiyiphi intuthuzelo yokwenene esisenokuba nayo xa sifelwa ngumntu esimthandayo, yaye ivela kuwuphi umthombo?
12 UPawulos uthi: “Andithandi ukuba ningazi, bazalwana, mayela nabalele ukufa, ukuze ningabi buhlungu njengabanye abangenathemba bona.” (1 Tesalonika 4:13) Enjani intuthuzelo noxolo lwengqondo eziya kufumaneka kwithemba lovuko! Iminyaka enokuba mihlanu kamva, uPawulos wayeza kubhala incwadi yakhe yesibini ebhalela amaKristu aseKorinte esithi: “Makube lubabalo kuni, noxolo oluvela kuThixo, uBawo wethu, neNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu. Makabongwe uThixo, uYise weNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu, uSozimfefe, uThixo onako konke ukuthuthuzela, osithuthuzelayo kuyo yonke imbandezelo yethu, ukuze sibe nako ukubathuthuzela abakwinto yonke eyimbandezelo, ngayo intuthuzelo esithuthuzelwa ngayo nathi nguye uThixo.”—2 Korinte 1:2-4.
13, 14. (a) Kwakutheni aze uPawulos afune ukuba amaKristu aziswe ngentsingiselo yokufa? (b) IZibhalo zibonisa ukuba iyintoni imeko yabafi?
13 Umpostile wayengafuni ukuba singayazi imeko yabafi. Ekuhambeni kwexesha, kwakuza kubakho ukuwexuka okukhulu phakathi kwabo babezibiza ngokuba ngamaKristu, kangangokuba babeya kuthi babuyele kwiintanda-bulumko zaseBhabhiloni nezamaGrike. Abawexuki abanjalo babeya kwamkela imfundiso kaPlato yokungafi komphefumlo okuzuzw’ ilifa—ngoku okuyimfundiso esisiseko kubo bonke ubukhosi behlabathi bonqulo lobuxoki. Imekobume eyimfihlelo “yasemva kokufa,” enoba yileyo isezulwini, kwintlambululo-miphefumlo, okanye kwindawo yentuthumbo kanaphakade, ayinikeli ntuthuzelo yokwenyaniso. Ngokubhekele phaya, ukungafi komphefumlo okuzuzw’ ilifa kuyangqubana nemfundiso yovuko, kuba kunokwenzeka njani ukuba umntu avuselwe ebomini kwakhona ukuba umphefumlo awufi?
14 Apha uPawulos wabhala “mayela nabalele ukufa.” Ewe, ‘abaleleyo.’ Umntu oleleyo akukho nto ayiqondayo yaye akukho misebenzi anokuyenza. (Thelekisa INtshumayeli 9:5, 10.) Ebudeni bobulungiseleli bukaYesu kwabakho ithuba apho wathi uLazaro “ulele” nokuba yena, Yesu, ‘wayeya kumvusa.’ Xa abafundi bakaKristu bengazange bawaqonde loo mazwi, “uYesu wathi kubo ngokungafihlisiyo, uLazaro ufile.” Oodade boLazaro, uMarta noMariya, bathuthuzelwa lithemba lovuko, yaye uYesu wabazisela intuthuzelo ethe chatha. Kodwa hayi indlela ekumele ukuba lomelezeka ngayo ukholo lwabo xa uYesu wathi wavusa umhlobo wakhe, owayesele efe iintsuku ezine, emvusa ekulaleni okukukufa!—Yohane 11:11-14, 21-25, 43-45.
15. (a) Lomelezwa njani ithemba lethu lovuko? (b) Sinokuncedwa njani ukuba siziqhelanise neemeko xa sifelwe ngumntu esimthandayo?
15 Loo mmangaliso, kunye neminye imisebenzi kaYesu yokuvusa abafileyo, yaye ngokona kubalulekileyo ukuvusa kukaYehova uYesu—zizonke ezi ziganeko zingqinelwe kakuhle zomeleza intembelo yethu kwithemba elimangalisayo lovuko. (Luka 7:11-17; 8:49-56; 1 Korinte 15:3-8) Kuyinyaniso ukuba, ukufa kuzisa intlungu neenyembezi, ibe kunzima ukuqhelana neemeko engekho umntu omthandayo. Kodwa enjani yona intuthuzelo nokomelezeka esikufumanayo kwisiqinisekiso sokuba iNkosi enguMongami uYehova “iya kuginya ukufa kuphele, izisule . . . iinyembezi ebusweni bonke”! (Isaya 25:8; ISityhilelo 21:4) Enye yezona zinto ziphambili zokuphelisa intlungu kukuzigcina sixakekile enkonzweni kaThixo woxolo, sinikela kwabanye ithemba elifudumez’ intliziyo loBukumkani elo thina siye salifumana ngombulelo omkhulu.—Thelekisa IZenzo 20:35.
Ulandelelwano Lovuko
16, 17. (a) “Olokugqibela utshaba” luya kupheliswa njani? (b) UPawulos ucacisa luphi ulandelelwano lovuko ngoku?
16 Ukholo lwethu luqinile kwinto yokuba uKristu, ‘yintlahlela’ eluvukweni yaye ngoku ubekwe etroneni ngakwisandla sasekunene sikaThixo emazulwini, uya kuphumeza iinjongo ezizukileyo zoBukumkani bukaYehova ukusa kwinqanaba lokugqibela. (Hebhere 6:17, 18; 10:12, 13) Kunjengoko kwenye incwadi uPawulos esithi: “Umelwe yena [uYesu Kristu] kukuthi alawule, ade azibeke phantsi kweenyawo zakhe zonke iintshaba. Olokugqibela utshaba oluya kubhangiswa kukufa.” Njani? Ngokuyinxenye kuya kuba ngokuvuswa nangokushenxiswa koonobangela bokufa okweza ngoAdam. Umpostile wakuchaza oku kanye ngale ndlela: “Ekubeni kaloku kungomntu ukufa, kukwangomntu ukuvuka kwabafileyo. Kuba, njengokuba kuye uAdam bafa bonke, ngokunjalo nakuye uKristu baya kudliswa ubomi bonke: elowo ke kolwakhe uluhlu; intlahlela inguKristu, kamva abakaKristu ekufikeni kwakhe.” (1 Korinte 15:20-26) Kukolu landelelwano lovuko apho uPawulos ngokulandelayo abhekisela khona kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseTesalonika, esithi:
17 “Xa sikholwa ukuba uYesu wafa, wabuya wavuka, kwangokunjalo naye uThixo woza nabo abalele ukufa ngaye uYesu, kunye naye. Kuba oku siyakutsho kuni ngelizwi leNkosi ukuthi, thina babudlayo ubomi, baya kuba besekho ekufikeni kweNkosi, asisayi kubaphangela abalele ukufa. Ngokuba iNkosi ngokwayo iya kuhla emazulwini inendanduluko, inelizwi lesiphatha-zithunywa, inexilongo likaThixo, baze abafele kuKristu bavuke kuqala.”—1 Tesalonika 4:14-16.
18. Abathanjisiweyo ‘ababelele ukufa’ bavuswa nini?
18 Emva kowe-1914, ebudeni “bokufika” kukaYesu esemandleni oBukumkani, yena, njengesiphatha-zithunywa, ukhupha umyalelo wasezulwini kwabo ‘bakuKristu,’ ukuba bahlanganisane. Kwimeko yabo bathanjisiweyo “balele ukufa,” oku kubiza kuhlokoma njengexilongo kokokuvuselwa kwabo kwimeko yokomoya yasemazulwini. IMboniselo sekukudala ivakalisa imbono yokuba oku kuvuswa kwamaKristu athanjisiweyo ekufeni kwaqala ngonyaka we-1918.
19. Kunini yaye njani abaya kuthi abasaseleyo ‘baxwilelwe emafini,’ ibe ngayiphi injongo?
19 Noko ke, kuthekani ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo asaseleyo emhlabeni, ngoku aliqela eliya lincipha ngokuncipha nelingaphantsi kwe-10 000? Nawo la, amele ikhondo lawo lasemhlabeni aligqibe ethembekile. Ngokungathi wayekunye nawo ebudeni bobukho bukaKristu, uPawulos ubhala esithi: “Sandule thina babudlayo ubomi, basaseleyo, sixwileIwe emafini kwakunye nabo, siye kuyikhawulela iNkosi esibhakabhakeni; size ngokunjalo sihlale sihleli, sindawonye neNkosi.” (1 Tesalonika 4:17; thelekisa ISityhilelo 1:10.) Ngaloo ndlela, ekuhambeni kwexesha, lonke i-144 000 liya kuvuswa ukuze likhonze njengababingeleli nookumkani kwiNtaba yeZiyon yasezulwini likunye neMvana, uYesu Kristu. “Ololuvuko lokuqala.” (ISityhilelo 14:1, 4; 20:4, 5) Kodwa yintoni elindelwe ngamawaka ezigidi ngezigidi zabantu abasemangcwabeni ngoku?
20, 21. (a) Yintoni ayilindeleyo amawaka ezigidi ngezigidi zoluntu asemangcwabeni awo? (b) Liliphi iqela ekungayi kuba yimfuneko ukuba life liphele emhlabeni, yaye ngoba? (c) Ukuba abantu ngabanye beli qela kuyenzeka ukuba bafe, liliphi ithemba elichwayitisayo abanalo?
20 Nakuba uPawulos engabakhankanyi ngokuthe ngqo aba kwincwadi yakhe yokuqala eya kwabaseTesalonika, ISityhilelo 20:12 sisiqinisekisa ngelokuba “abafileyo, abancinane nabakhulu,” baya kuvuswa ukuze beme phambi kwesihlalo sokugweba sikaThixo. (Bona kwanoYohane 5:28, 29.) Noko ke, namhlanje “isihlwele esikhulu” esizizigidi sole sihlanganiselwe phambi kwaloo trone. Njengeqela, aba baya kuphumela besindile ‘kwimbandezelo enkulu’ esondelayo. IMvana iyabalusa yaye ibakhokelela “emithonjeni ephilileyo yamanzi,” ukuze kungabi saba yimfuneko ukuba bafe baphele emhlabeni. Kodwa ngenxa yobudala okanye isihlo esingenakubonwa, abathile babo basenokufa ebudeni ‘bokufika kweNkosi.’ (ISityhilelo 7:9, 14, 17; INtshumayeli 9:11) Kuthekani ngaba?
21 Ithemba elichwayitisayo lokuvuka kuqala lingaphambi kwabo ‘bezinye izimvu.’ (Yohane 10:16) Ukholo nemisebenzi yabo, njengaleyo ka-Abraham wamandulo, sele zibazise kwimeko yokuba nobuhlobo noThixo. Njengaloo madoda nabafazi bokholo bachazwe kumaHebhere isahluko 11, aba ‘bazezinye izimvu’ banamhlanje baye banyamezela iimvavanyo. Ngokusengqiqweni nabo baya kuzuza “olona vuko lululo,” ngokungathandabuzekiyo ekuqaleni kwixesha lasemva kweArmagedon. (Hebhere 11:35; Yakobi 2:23) Eneneni, elowo nalowo othe, ngokholo, ‘wadla inyama kaYesu wasela negazi lakhe’ uya kuba nesabelo ekuzalisekeni kwedinga lakhe elileli: “Unobomi obungunaphakade; ndaye mna ndiya kumvusa ngomhla wokugqibela.”—Yohane 6:54; Roma 5:18, 21; 6:23.
22. Sinokuthuthuzelana njani?
22 Emva kokuxubusha ngethemba elizukileyo lovuko, uPawulos unikela esi siluleko: “Thuthuzelanani ngala mazwi.” (1 Tesalonika 4:18) Uthi ke axubushe ngemibandela engakumbi ebalulekileyo mayela ‘nokufika kweNkosi yethu uYesu.’ (1 Tesalonika 5:23) Yiyiphi le mibandela? Bona inqaku elithi: “Uxolo Oluvela KuThixo—Nini?”
Ekushwankatheleni—
◻ Ziziphi izicelo uPawulos azenzela amaKristu?
◻ Ziziphi ‘iziyalo’ ezizezokulungelwa kwethu azinikelayo umpostile?
◻ ILizwi likaThixo lisithuthuzela njani ngokubhekisele kwabafileyo?
◻ UPawulos uchaza luphi ulandelelwano lovuko?