AmaNgqina AngamaKristu Angabemi Basezulwini

“Kuba thina, singabemi basemazulwini.”—FILIPI 3:20, NW.

1. Yiyiphi injongo emangalisayo uYehova anayo ngabantu abathile?

ABANTU abazalwe emhlabeni baya kulawula njengookumkani nababingeleli ezulwini, baya kulawula kwanezithunywa zezulu. (1 Korinte 6:2, 3; ISityhilelo 20:6) Enjani yona ukumangalisa inyaniso! Ukanti, leyo yinjongo kaYehova, yaye uyayizalisekisa ngoNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, uYesu Kristu. Kutheni uMdali wethu esenza into enjalo? Yaye ukuyazi kwakhe kufanele kumchaphazele njani umKristu namhlanje? Masibone indlela iBhayibhile eyiphendula ngayo le mibuzo.

2. UYohane uMbhaptizi wavakalisa ukuba uYesu wayeya kwenza ntoni entsha, yaye le nto intsha yayinxulumene nantoni?

² Xa uYohane uMbhaptizi wayelungiselela uYesu indlela, wavakalisa ukuba uYesu wayeya kwenza into entsha. Ingxelo ithi: “[UYohane] wayememeza esithi, Emva kwam kuza lowo unamandla kunam, endingafanelekileyo ukuba ndithobe phantsi, ndiwuthukulule nomtya weembadada zakhe. Mna okunene ndanibhaptiza ngamanzi, ke yena uya kunibhaptiza ngoMoya oyiNgcwele.” (Marko 1:7, 8) Ngaphambi kwelo xesha, akukho mntu wayebhaptizwe ngomoya oyingcwele. Eli yayililungiselelo elitsha elibandakanya umoya oyingcwele, yaye lalinxulumene nenjongo kaYehova eyayisele iza kuzaliseka yokulungiselela abantu ukuba balawule ezulwini.

‘Ukuzalwa Ngokutsha’

3. Ziziphi izinto ezintsha ngoBukumkani bamazulu uYesu awazicacisela uNikodemo?

³ Kwintlanganiso engasese nomFarisi ophambili, uYesu watyhila okungakumbi ngale njongo kaThixo. Lo mFarisi, uNikodemo, weza kuYesu ebusuku, yaye uYesu wathi kuye: “Ukuba akathanga umntu azalwe ngokutsha, akanakububona ubukumkani bukaThixo.” (Yohane 3:3) UNikodemo, omele ukuba njengomFarisi wayezifundisisile iZibhalo zesiHebhere, wayesazi okuthile ngenyaniso ezukileyo yoBukumkani bukaThixo. Incwadi kaDaniyeli yaprofeta ukuba uBukumkani babuya kunikwa “onjengonyana womntu” kunye ‘nabantu abangcwele bOsenyangweni.’ (Daniyeli 7:13, 14, 27) Obo Bukumkani babuya “kuzicola buzigqibe” zonke ezinye izikumkani buze bona bume ngonaphakade. (Daniyeli 2:44) Mhlawumbi, uNikodemo wayecinga ukuba ezi ziprofeto zaziya kuzaliseka kuhlanga lwamaYuda; kodwa uYesu wathi ukuze abone uBukumkani, ubani wayemele azalwe ngokutsha. UNikodemo akazange aqonde, ngoko uYesu wahlabela mgama esithi: “Ukuba umntu akathanga azalwe ngamanzi nanguMoya, akanakungena ebukumkanini bukaThixo.”—Yohane 3:5.

4. Abo bazelwe ngumoya oyingcwele, ulwalamano lwabo noYehova lwaluya kuguquka njani?

⁴ UYohane uMbhaptizi wayethethe ngokubhaptizwa ngomoya oyingcwele. Ngoku, uYesu wongezelela ukuba umntu umele azalwe ngumoya oyingcwele ukuba uza kungena eBukumkanini bukaThixo. Ngokuzalwa ngale ndlela ikhethekileyo, amadoda namabhinqa angafezekanga aba nolwalamano olukhetheke kakhulu noYehova uThixo. Enziwa abantwana bakhe. Sifunda oku: “Bonke abamamkelayo [uYesu] wabanika igunya lokuba babe ngabantwana bakaThixo, abo ke bakholwayo kwigama lakhe; abangazalwanga ngagazi, nangakuthanda kwanyama, nangakuthanda kwandoda; bazalwa nguThixo.”—Yohane 1:12, 13; Roma 8:15.

Abantwana BakaThixo

5. Abafundi bokuqala abathembekileyo babhaptizwa nini ngomoya oyingcwele, yaye kwangaxeshanye kwenzeka ntoni ngokunxulumene nomoya oyingcwele?

⁵ Xa uYesu wayethetha noNikodemo, uYesu wayesele ethanjisiwe ngomoya oyingcwele, umthambisela ukuba abe ngukumkani kwixesha elizayo eBukumkanini bukaThixo, yaye uThixo wayevakalise ekuhleni ukuba uYesu unguNyana Wakhe. (Mateyu 3:16, 17) UYehova wazala abantwana bokomoya abangakumbi ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. Abafundi abathembekileyo ababehlanganisene egumbini eliphezulu eYerusalem babhaptizwa ngomoya oyingcwele. Kwangaxeshanye, bazalwa ngokutsha ngumoya oyingcwele ukuze babe ngoonyana bokomoya bakaThixo. (IZenzo 2:2-4, 38; Roma 8:15) Ngaphezu koko, bathanjiswa ngomoya oyingcwele ngenjongo yokufumana ilifa lasezulwini kwixesha elizayo, yaye batywinwa okokuqala ngomoya oyingcwele ukubonisa ukuqiniseka kwelo themba lasezulwini.—2 Korinte 1:21, 22.

6. Iyintoni injongo kaYehova ngokuphathelele uBukumkani basezulwini, yaye kutheni kufanelekile ukuba abantu babe nesabelo koku?

⁶ Aba yayingabantu bokuqala abangafezekanga abanyulwa nguThixo ukuba bangene eBukumkanini. Oko kukuthi, emva kokufa nokuvuswa kwabo, babeya kuba yinxalenye yentlangano yoBukumkani yasezulwini eya kulawula abantu nezithunywa zezulu. UYehova unenjongo yokuba ngobu Bukumkani, angcwalise igama lakhe elikhulu aze athethelele ulongamo lwakhe phambi kwendalo iphela. (Mateyu 6:9, 10; Yohane 12:28) Hayi indlela ekufaneleke ngayo ukuba abantu babe nesabelo kobo Bukumkani! USathana wasebenzisa abantu ekuceleni umngeni okokuqala ulongamo lukaYehova emva phayaa emyezweni wase-Eden, yaye ngoku uYehova unenjongo yokuba abantu babandakanyeke ekuphenduleni olo celomngeni. (Genesis 3:1-6; Yohane 8:44) Umpostile uPetros wababhalela oku abantu abanyulelwe ukulawula kobo Bukumkani: “Makabongwe uThixo, uYise weNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu, othe ngokobuninzi benceba yakhe, wasizala ngokutsha, ukuba sibe nethemba eliphilileyo ngokuvuka kukaYesu Kristu kwabafileyo; sibe nelifa elingenakonakala, elingenakudyobheka, elingenakuguga, eniligcinelweyo emazulwini.”—1 Petros 1:3, 4.

7. Luluphi ulwalamano olukhethekileyo noYesu olunanditshwa ngabo babhaptizwa ngomoya oyingcwele?

⁷ Njengabo benziwe oonyana bakaThixo, la maKristu anyuliweyo aba ngabazalwana bakaYesu Kristu. (Roma 8:16, 17; 9:4, 26; Hebhere 2:11) Ekubeni uYesu wangqineka eyiMbewu eyathenjiswa uAbraham, la maKristu athanjiswe ngomoya asisinxulumani, okanye umncedisi, waloo Mbewu, eya kuzisa intsikelelo kubantu abanokholo. (Genesis 22:17, 18; Galati 3:16, 26, 29) Yiyiphi le ntsikelelo? Lithuba lokuhlangulwa esonweni nokuxolelaniswa noThixo nelokumkhonza ngoku nangonaphakade. (Mateyu 4:23; 20:28; Yohane 3:16, 36; 1 Yohane 2:1, 2) AmaKristu athanjisiweyo asemhlabeni alathisa abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo kule ntsikelelo ngokunikela ubungqina ngomzalwana wawo wokomoya uYesu Kristu nalowo uye wanguYise, uYehova uThixo.—IZenzo 1:8; Hebhere 13:15.

8. Kuyintoni “ukutyhileka” koonyana bakaThixo abazelwe ngomoya?

⁸ IBhayibhile ithetha ‘ngokutyhileka’ kwaba nyana bakaThixo bazelwe ngomoya. (Roma 8:19) Ekubeni belawula eBukumkanini noYesu, banesabelo ekutshabalaliseni inkqubo yezinto yehlabathi likaSathana. Emva koko, kangangeminyaka eliwaka, banceda ekudluliseni iingenelo zedini lentlawulelo eluntwini yaye ngaloo ndlela baphakamisela uhlanga lwabantu kwimfezeko eyalahlwa nguAdam. (2 Tesalonika 1:8-10; ISityhilelo 2:26, 27; 20:6; 22:1, 2) Ukutyhileka kwabo kuquka konke oku. Kuyinto elindwe ngolangazelelo yindalo engabantu abanokholo.

9. IBhayibhile ilibiza njani iqumrhu lamaKristu athanjisiweyo ehlabathini lonke?

⁹ Iqumrhu lamaKristu athanjisiweyo ehlabathini lonke ‘libandla lamazibulo abhaliweyo emazulwini.’ (Hebhere 12:23) Ngawokuqala ukungenelwa kwidini lentlawulelo likaYesu. Kwakhona ‘angumzimba kaKristu,’ nto leyo ebonisa ulwalamano olusondeleyo analo omnye nomnye kunye noYesu. (1 Korinte 12:27) UPawulos wabhala: “Kwanjengokuba umzimba umnye, unamalungu amaninzi, abe ke onke amalungu aloo mzimba mnye, emaninzi nje, emzimba mnye, ukwanjalo ke noKristu lo. Kuba thina sonke sabhaptizelwa mzimbeni mnye ngaMoya mnye, nokuba singamaYuda, nokuba singamaGrike; nokuba singamakhoboka, nokuba singabakhululekileyo; sonke sasezwa Moyeni mnye.”—1 Korinte 12:12, 13; Roma 12:5; Efese 1:22, 23; 3:6.

‘USirayeli KaThixo’

10, 11. Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, kwakutheni ukuze kufuneke uSirayeli omtsha, yaye ngoobani ababumba olu hlanga lutsha?

¹⁰ Ngaphezu kweminyaka eli-1 500 ngaphambi kokuba uYesu eze emhlabeni njengoMesiya othenjisiweyo, uhlanga lokwenyama lwakwaSirayeli lwalungabantu bakaYehova abakhethekileyo. Phezu kwazo nje izikhumbuzo ezizingisileyo, olo hlanga luphela lwangqineka lungathembekanga. Xa kwafika uYesu, olo hlanga lwamchasa. (Yohane 1:11) Ngaloo ndlela, uYesu wazixelela oku iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda: “Ubukumkani bukaThixo buya kususwa kuni, bunikwe uhlanga oluzivelisayo iziqhamo zabo.” (Mateyu 21:43) Ukugqala olo ‘hlanga luzivelisayo iziqhamo [zoBukumkani]’ kubalulekile ukuze ubani asinde.

¹¹ Olu hlanga lutsha libandla lamaKristu athanjisiweyo, elazalwa ngePentekoste yowama-33 C.E. Amalungu alo okuqala ngabafundi bakaYesu abangamaYuda abamamkela njengoKumkani wabo wasezulwini. (IZenzo 2:5, 32-36) Noko ke, babengamalungu ohlanga olutsha lukaThixo, kungekhona ngenxa yokuba babengamaYuda ngokuzalwa, kodwa ngenxa yokuba nokholo kuYesu. Ngaloo ndlela, uSirayeli kaThixo omtsha wayekhethekile—wayeluhlanga lokomoya. Xa uninzi lwamaYuda lungazange lumamkele uYesu, isimemo sokuba yinxalenye yolu hlanga lutsha sadluliswa kumaSamariya sandula ke sadluliswa kwabeeNtlanga. Olu hlanga lutsha lwalubizwa ngokuthi ‘nguSirayeli kaThixo.’—Galati 6:16.

12, 13. Kwacaca njani ukuba uSirayeli omtsha wayengelohlelo nje lobuYuda?

¹² KwaSirayeli wamandulo, xa abantu abangengomaYuda babeguqukela ebuYudeni, babemele bathobele uMthetho kaMoses, yaye amadoda ayemele akubonise oku ngokwaluka. (Eksodus 12:48, 49) Wambi amaKristu angamaYuda avakalelwa kukuba kwakufuneka benze ngolo hlobo abantu abangengomaYuda kuSirayeli kaThixo. Noko ke, uYehova wayengacingi ngolo hlobo. Umoya oyingcwele walathisela umpostile uPetros ekhayeni likaKorneli ongoweeNtlanga. Xa uKorneli nentsapho yakhe basabela kwintshumayelo kaPetros, bafumana umoya oyingcwele—kwanangaphambi kokubhaptizwa emanzini. Oku kwabonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba uYehova wayebamkele aba beeNtlanga njengamalungu oSirayeli kaThixo ngaphandle kokufuna ukuba bathobele uMthetho kaMoses.—IZenzo 10:21-48.

¹³ Amanye amakholwa akufumanisa kunzima ukukwamkela oku, yaye kungekudala lo mcimbi kwafuneka uxutyushwe ngabapostile nabadala eYerusalem. Elo qumrhu linegunya laphulaphula ubungqina obuchaza indlela umoya oyingcwele owawusebenza ngayo kumakholwa angengomaYuda. Uphengululo lweBhayibhile lwabonisa ukuba oku kwakuzalisekisa isiprofeto esiphefumlelweyo. (Isaya 55:5; Amosi 9:11, 12) Kwafikelelwa kwisigqibo esichanileyo: AmaKristu angengomaYuda kwakungeyomfuneko ukuba athobele uMthetho kaMoses. (IZenzo 15:1, 6-29) Ngaloo ndlela, uSirayeli wokomoya ngokwenene wayeluhlanga olutsha yaye wayengelohlelo nje lobuYuda.

14. Yintoni eboniswa kukubiza kukaYakobi ibandla lamaKristu ngokuthi “izizwe ezilishumi elinazibini eziziintsali”?

¹⁴ Ngokuvisisana noku, xa wayebhalela amaKristu athanjisiweyo enkulungwane yokuqala, umfundi uYakobi wathi ileta yakhe wayeyibhalela “izizwe ezilishumi elinazibini eziziintsali.” (Yakobi 1:1; ISityhilelo 7:3-8) Kakade ke, abemi boSirayeli omtsha babengabelwanga kwizizwe ezithile. Babengahlulahlulelwanga kwizizwe ezithile ezili-12 kuSirayeli wokomoya njengoko kwakunjalo kuSirayeli wokwenyama. Sekunjalo, amazwi kaYakobi aphefumlelweyo abonisa ukuba emehlweni kaYehova uSirayeli kaThixo wayezithabathele indawo ngokupheleleyo izizwe ezili-12 zoSirayeli wemvelo. Ukuba umSirayeli wemvelo wayesiba yinxalenye yolu hlanga lutsha, umlibo wakhe wokuzalwa—kwanokuba wayengowesizwe sakwaYuda okanye sabaLevi—wawungabalulekanga nganto.—Galati 3:28; Filipi 3:5, 6.

Umnqophiso Omtsha

15, 16. (a) UYehova uwajonga njani amalungu oSirayeli kaThixo angengomaYuda? (b) USirayeli omtsha wasekwa ngokwasiphi isizinzi esisemthethweni?

¹⁵ Emehlweni kaYehova, amalungu olu hlanga lutsha angengomaSirayeli angamaYuda okomoya ngokupheleleyo! Umpostile uPawulos wacacisa: “UmYuda asingulowo unguye ngokwangaphandle, nolwaluko asilulo olo lwangaphandle enyameni; umYuda ngulowo wasemfihlekweni, nolwaluko lolwentliziyo ngomoya, kungengantetho: yena ukudunyiswa kwakhe kungaphumi bantwini, kuphuma kuThixo.” (Roma 2:28, 29) Abantu beeNtlanga abaninzi basabela kwisimemo sokuba yinxalenye yoSirayeli kaThixo, yaye oku kwazalisekisa isiprofeto seBhayibhile. Ngokomzekelo, umprofeti uHoseya wabhala: “Ndimenzele imfesane uAkenzelwanga-mfesane; ndithi kuAsibantubam, Ungabantu bam; aze athi kum, UnguThixo wam.”—Hoseya 2:23; Roma 11:25, 26.

¹⁶ Ukuba amaSirayeli okomoya ayengekho phantsi komnqophiso woMthetho kaMoses, ayeyinxalenye yohlanga olutsha ngasiphi isizinzi? UYehova wenza umnqophiso omtsha ngoYesu nolu hlanga lokomoya. (Hebhere 9:15) Xa uYesu wasungula iSikhumbuzo sokufa kwakhe, ngoNisan 14, 33 C.E., wagqithisa isonka newayini kubapostile abathembekileyo abali-11 waza wathi iwayini ifuzisela ‘igazi lomnqophiso.’ (Mateyu 26:28; Yeremiya 31:31-34) Njengoko kubaliswa kwingxelo kaLuka, uYesu wathi indebe yewayini ifuzisela ‘umnqophiso omtsha.’ (Luka 22:20) Kuzaliseka amazwi kaYesu, xa umoya oyingcwele wathululwa ngePentekoste kwaza kwazalwa uSirayeli kaThixo, uBukumkani bahluthwa kuSirayeli wokwenyama baza banikwa uhlanga olutsha, lokomoya. Endaweni yoSirayeli wokwenyama, ngoku olu hlanga lutsha lwalungumkhonzi kaYehova, obunjwe ngamangqina akhe.—Isaya 43:10, 11.

“IYerusalem Entsha”

17, 18. Uzuko olulindele amaKristu athanjisiweyo luchazwa njani kwincwadi yeSityhilelo?

¹⁷ Olunjani lona uzuko olulindele abo banelungelo lokuba nesabelo kubizo lwasezulwini! Yaye olunjani lona uvuyo okululo ukufunda ngezinto ezimangalisayo ezibalindeleyo! Incwadi yeSityhilelo isinika imibono echulumancisayo ngelifa labo lasezulwini. Ngokomzekelo, kwiSityhilelo 4:4, sifunda oku: ‘Kwisangqa etroneni apho [kaYehova] kukho iitrone ezimashumi mabini anane; phezu kweetrone ezo ndabona amadoda amakhulu amashumi mabini anamane, ehleli, ethiwe wambu ngeengubo ezimhlophe, enezithsaba zegolide entloko.’ La madoda makhulu angama-24 ngamaKristu athanjisiweyo, avusiweyo yaye ngoku akwisikhundla sawo sasezulwini asithenjiswe nguYehova. Izithsaba neetrone zawo zisikhumbuza ngobukhosi bawo. Kwakhona, khawucinge ngelungelo lawo eliphakamileyo nelimangalisayo lokukhonza engqonge itrone kaYehova!

¹⁸ KwiSityhilelo 14:1, sifumana omnye umbono wawo: “Ndabona, nantso iMvana imi phezu kwentaba yeZiyon, kumi nayo ikhulu elinamanci mane anesine lamawaka, benalo igama loYise libhaliwe emabunzini abo.” Apha sibona inani elilinganiselweyo laba bathanjiswa—bali-144 000. Isikhundla sabo sasebukhosini siyaqondwa kuba bami noKumkani obekwe etroneni nguYehova, “iMvana,” uYesu. Yaye bakwiNtaba yeZiyon yasezulwini. ENtabeni yaseZiyon yasemhlabeni kulapho kwakumi iYerusalem, isixeko sasebukhosini sakwaSirayeli. INtaba yeZiyon yasezulwini imela isikhundla esiphakamileyo sikaYesu neendlalifa ezingamadlelane naye, ababumba iYerusalem yasezulwini.—2 Kronike 5:2; INdumiso 2:6.

19, 20. (a) Yiyiphi intlangano yasezulwini amaKristu athanjisiweyo ayinxalenye yayo? (b) UYehova ubebanyula ebudeni baliphi ithuba abo babeza kuba ngabemi basezulwini?

¹⁹ Ngokuvisisana noku, kwakhona abathanjiswa abakuzuko lwabo lwasezulwini kuthethwa ngabo ‘njengeYerusalem entsha.’ (ISityhilelo 21:2) IYerusalem yasemhlabeni ‘yayingumzi woKumkani omkhulu’ yaye kulapha yayakhiwe khona itempile. (Mateyu 5:35) IYerusalem Entsha yasezulwini yintlangano yoBukumkani basebukhosini uMongami omkhulu, uYehova, noKumkani wakhe omiselweyo, uYesu, ngoku abalawula ngayo nenkonzo yobubingeleli eqhutywa ngayo njengoko iintsikelelo ezityebileyo zivela kwitrone kaYehova ukuze kuphiliswe uluntu. (ISityhilelo 21:10, 11; 22:1-5) Komnye umbono uYohane uva amaKristu athanjisiweyo athembekileyo, navusiweyo, kuthethwa ngawo ‘njengomfazi weMvana.’ Onjani wona ukukhuthaza umzekeliso obonisa ukusondelelana abaya kukunandipha noYesu nokuzithoba kwabo ngokuvumayo kuye! Khawube nomfanekiso-ngqondweni wovuyo oluya kubakho ezulwini xa owokugqibela wabo efumana umvuzo wakhe wasezulwini. Ekugqibeleni, ngoku “umsitho weMvana” unokuqalisa! Ngelo xesha loo ntlangano yasebukhosini yasezulwini iya kuba iphelele.—ISityhilelo 19:6-8.

²⁰ Ewe, iintsikelelo ezimangalisayo zilindele abo umpostile uPawulos wathi ngabo: “Kuba thina, singabemi basemazulwini.” (Filipi 3:20, NW) Phantse kangangeminyaka engamawaka amabini, uYehova ubenyula abantwana bakhe bokomoya yaye ebalungiselela ilifa lasezulwini. Ngokobungqina obukhoyo, lo msebenzi wokunyula nokulungiselela sele uza kugqitywa. Kodwa kukho okungakumbi okuza kulandela, njengoko kwatyhilwa kuYohane kumbono wakhe obhalwe kwiSityhilelo isahluko 7. Ngoko, ngoku kufuneka sinikele ingqalelo kwelinye iqela lamaKristu, yaye siza kuxubusha ngeli qela kwinqaku elilandelayo.

Uyakhumbula Na?

◻ Umoya usebenza ngaziphi iindlela ezahlukeneyo kwabo banelifa lasezulwini?

◻ Luluphi ulwalamano olusondeleyo abathanjiswa abalunandiphayo noYehova? noYesu?

◻ Ibandla lamaKristu athanjisiweyo lichazwa njani eBhayibhileni?

◻ USirayeli kaThixo wasekwa phantsi kwasiphi isizinzi esisemthethweni?

◻ Ngawaphi amalungelo asezulwini alindele amaKristu athanjisiweyo?

[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]

Ebudeni bethuba elimalunga neminyaka engamawaka amabini, uYehova wanyula abo babeza kulawula eBukumkanini basezulwini