Liyini isonto?

IBandla, umzimba kaKristu, liwumphakathi wabo bonke abakholwa kuJesu Kristu futhi okuhlala kuye uMoya oNgcwele. Ibandla lithunywe ukushumayela ivangeli, ukufundisa konke uKristu akuyala ukuba abhapathizwe, futhi londle umhlambi. Ekufezeni lo msebenzi, iBandla, liholwa nguMoya oNgcwele, lithatha iBhayibheli njengesiqondiso futhi lihlezi liqondiswe kuJesu Kristu, inhloko yalo ephilayo (1. AbaseKorinte 12,13; AmaRoma 8,9; Mathewu 28,19-20; AbaseKolose 1,18; Kwabase-Efesu 1,22).

ISonto njengomhlangano ongcwele

"...isonto alidalwa ukuhlangana kwamadoda anemibono efanayo, kodwa ngomhlangano waphezulu [umhlangano] ..." (Barth, 1958: 136). Ngokombono wanamuhla, umuntu ukhuluma ngesonto lapho abantu bezinkolelo ezifanayo behlangana ukuze bakhulekele futhi bafundiswe. Nokho, lokhu akuwona umbono weBhayibheli ngokuphelele.

UKristu wathi uzolakha ibandla lakhe futhi amasango esihogo ngeke alinqobe (Mathewu 16,16-18). Akulona ibandla labantu, kodwa likaKristu, “ibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo” (1. UThimothi 3,15) futhi amabandla endawo “angamabandla kaKristu” (Roma 1 Kor6,16).

Ngakho-ke, ibandla lifeza injongo yaphezulu. Kuyintando kaNkulunkulu ukuba “singawashiyi amabandla ethu, njengoba nje abanye bejwayele ukwenza.” ( Hebheru 10,25). Isonto alikona ukuzikhethela, njengoba abanye bengase bacabange; kuyisifiso sikaNkulunkulu ukuba amaKristu ahlangane ndawonye.

Igama lesiGrikhi lesonto, elihambisana negama lesiHeberu elisho umhlangano, liyi-ekklesia, futhi lisho iqembu labantu ababizelwe injongo ethile. UNkulunkulu ubelokhu ebambe iqhaza ekwakheni imiphakathi yamakholwa. NguNkulunkulu oqoqa abantu esontweni.

ETestamenteni Elisha, amagama athi ibandla [ibandla] noma amabandla asetshenziswa ukuchaza amabandla asezindlini [amabandla asekhaya] ngendlela esingawabiza ngayo namuhla (KwabaseRoma 1)6,5; 1. AbaseKorinte 16,19; KwabaseFilipi 2), amabandla asemadolobheni (KwabaseRoma 16,23; 2. AbaseKorinte 1,1; 2. Thesalonika 1,1), amabandla ahlanganisa indawo yonke (IzE 9,31; 1. AbaseKorinte 16,19; KwabaseGalathiya 1,2), kanye nokuchaza wonke umphakathi wamakholwa emhlabeni owaziwayo.Ubudlelwane kanye nobunye

IBandla lisho ukuhlanganyela esidlweni sikaYise, iNdodana noMoya oNgcwele. AmaKristu angawokuhlanganyela kweNdodana yakhe (1. AbaseKorinte 1,9), kaMoya oNgcwele (Filipi 2,1) nobaba (1. UJohannes 1,3) esibizwa ngokuthi, njengoba sihamba ekukhanyeni kukaKristu, “sibe nenhlanganyelo omunye nomunye” (1. UJohannes 1,7). 

Labo abamukela uKristu bakhathalela “ukugcina ubunye bomoya esibophweni sokuthula” (Efesu 4,3). Nakuba kunokuhlukahlukana phakathi kwamakholwa, ubunye bawo bunamandla kunanoma yikuphi ukungezwani. Lomlayezo ugcizelelwa ngesinye sezingathekiso ezibaluleke kakhulu ezisetshenziswa ebandleni: ukuthi ibandla “lingumzimba kaKristu” (KwabaseRoma 1 Kor.2,5; 1. AbaseKorinte 10,16; I-12,17; Kwabase-Efesu 3,6; 5,30; AbaseKolose 1,18).

Abafundi bokuqala babevela ezizindeni ezahlukahlukene futhi ngokunokwenzeka babengadonsekeli ngokwemvelo ekuhlanganyeleni. UNkulunkulu ubiza amakholwa kuzo zonke izizinda zempilo ukuba abe ndawonye ngokomoya.

Amakholwa "amalunga omunye komunye" (1. AbaseKorinte 12,27; AmaRoma 12,5), futhi lokhu kuhlukana akudingekile ukuba kusongela ubunye bethu, ngoba “ngoMoya munye thina sonke sabhapathizwa sibe mzimba munye” (1. AbaseKorinte 12,13).

Nokho, amakholwa alalelayo awabangeli ukwahlukana ngokuphikisana nangokuma ngenkani; kunalokho, banika isitho ngasinye udumo, ukuze “kungabikho ukwahlukana emzimbeni,” kodwa ukuze “izitho zinakekelane ngokufanayo.”1. AbaseKorinte 12,25).

“Ibandla ... liwumzimba ohlanganyela ukuphila okufanayo—impilo kaKristu—(Jinkins 2001:219).
UPawulu futhi ufanisa ibandla "nendawo yokuhlala kaNkulunkulu ngoMoya." Uthi amakholwa “ahlanganiswe ndawonye” esakhiweni “esikhula sibe ithempeli elingcwele eNkosini” (Kwabase-Efesu 2,19-22). Ukhomba 1. AbaseKorinte 3,16 futhi 2. AbaseKorinte 6,16 futhi emcabangweni wokuthi ibandla liyithempeli likaNkulunkulu. Ngokufanayo, uPetru uqhathanisa ibandla ‘nendlu kamoya’ lapho amakholwa akha khona “ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele” ( NW )1. UPetrus 2,5.9).Umndeni njengesingathekiso sebandla

Kusukela ekuqaleni, iBandla belivame ukubizwa ngokuthi, futhi lisebenza njengohlobo lomndeni womoya. Amakholwa abizwa ngokuthi “abazalwane” nangokuthi “odade” (Roma 1 Kor6,1; 1. AbaseKorinte 7,15; 1. UThimothi 5,1-2; UJames 2,15).

Isono siyasihlukanisa nenjongo kaNkulunkulu ngathi, futhi ngamunye wethu uba nesizungu ngokomoya futhi abe yizintandane. Isifiso sikaNkulunkulu “siwukubuyisela ekhaya isizungu” ( IHubo 68,7) ukuletha labo abahlukanisiwe ngokomoya ekuhlanganyeleni kwebandla, “eliyindlu kaNkulunkulu” (Kwabase-Efesu 2,19).
Kulo “mndeni [umndeni] wokukholwa (KwabaseGalathiya 6,10), amakholwa angakhuliswa ngokuphephile futhi aguqulwe abe ngumfanekiso kaKristu ngoba ibandla, elihlangene neJerusalema (umuzi wokuthula) ongaphezulu (bheka neSambulo 21,10) kuqhathaniswa, “umama wethu sonke” (KwabaseGalathiya 4,26).

Umakoti kaKristu

Isithombe esihle seBhayibheli sikhuluma ngebandla njengomlobokazi kaKristu. Lokhu kubhekiselwa kukho ngomfanekiso emibhalweni ehlukahlukene, kuhlanganise nesiHlabelelo SeziHlabelelo. Isiqephu esibalulekile Iculo Lezingoma 2,10-16, lapho othandiweyo kamakoti ethi isikhathi sakhe sasebusika siphelile futhi manje isikhathi sokuhlabelela nenjabulo sesifikile (bheka namaHeberu 2,12), nalapho umakoti ethi: “Umngane wami ungowami futhi mina ngingowakhe” (St. 2,16). IBandla likaKristu, umuntu ngamunye nangamaqoqo, futhi ungoweBandla.

UKristu unguMyeni, “owalithanda ibandla, wazinikela ngenxa yalo” ukuze “libe-yibandla elikhazimulayo, elingenasisihla, nambimbi, nanto enjalo” (Efesu 5,27). Lobu budlelwane, uPawulu uthi, “buyimfihlakalo enkulu, kepha ngibubhekisa kuKristu nasebandleni” (Efesu. 5,32).

UJohane ukhuluma ngalesi sihloko encwadini yesAmbulo. UKristu onqobayo, iWundlu likaNkulunkulu, ushada noMlobokazi, iBandla (IsAmbulo 19,6-9; 2th1,9-10), futhi ndawonye bamemezela amazwi okuphila (IsAmbulo 21,17).

Kunezingathekiso ezengeziwe nezithombe ezisetshenziswa ukuchaza ibandla. IBandla lingumhlambi odinga abelusi abanakekelayo abalingisa ukunakekelwa kwabo ngokwesibonelo sikaKristu (1. UPetrus 5,1-4); kuyinsimu lapho kudingeka khona abasebenzi ukuze batshale futhi banisele (1. AbaseKorinte 3,6-9); Ibandla namalungu alo banjengamagatsha emvinini (Johane 15,5); ibandla lifana nesihlahla somnqumo (KwabaseRoma 11,17-enye).

Njengomfanekiso wombuso kaNkulunkulu manje nasesikhathini esizayo, ibandla lifana nembewu yesinaphi emila ibe isihlahla lapho izinyoni zezulu zithola khona isiphephelo.3,18-19); nanjengemvubelo edabula inhlama yezwe (Luka 13,21), njll.IBandla njengeMishini

Kusukela ekuqaleni, uNkulunkulu wabiza abantu abathile ukuba benze umsebenzi Wakhe emhlabeni. Wathumela u-Abrahama, uMose kanye nabaphrofethi. Wathumela uJohane uMbhapathizi ukuba alungisele uJesu Kristu indlela. Khona-ke wathumela uKristu ngokwakhe ukuze sisindiswe. Uphinde wathumela uMoya wakhe oNgcwele ukuthi amise ibandla lakhe njengethuluzi levangeli. IBandla nalo lithunyelwa emhlabeni. Lo msebenzi wevangeli uyisisekelo futhi ugcwalisa amazwi kaKristu ngesikhathi ethumela abalandeli bakhe emhlabeni ukuze baqhubeke nomsebenzi ayewuqalile (Johane 1)7,18-21). Lena incazelo yegama elithi “imishini”: ukuthunyelwa nguNkulunkulu ukufeza injongo Yakhe.

Isonto alisona isiphetho futhi akufanele libe khona ngokwalo kuphela. Lokhu kungabonakala eTestamenteni Elisha, kuZenzo. Ukusabalalisa ivangeli ngokushumayela nokutshala amabandla kwakuwumsebenzi omkhulu kuyo yonke incwadi (IzE 6,7; 9,31; I-14,21; I-18,1-ishumi nesithupha; 1. AbaseKorinte 3,6 njll.).

UPawulu ubhekisela emabandleni kanye namaKristu athile abamba iqhaza “ebudlelwaneni bevangeli” (Filipi 1,5). Balwa naye ngenxa yevangeli (Efesu 4,3).
Kwakuyibandla lase-Antiyokiya elathumela uPawulu noBarnaba ohambweni lwabo lobufundisi (Izenzo 1 Kor3,1-enye).

Ibandla laseThesalonika “laba isibonelo kuwo wonke amakholwa eMakedoniya nase-Akhaya.” Kubo “izwi leNkosi laduma, kungekuphela eMakedoniya nase-Akhaya, kodwa nasezindaweni zonke. Ukholo lwakhe kuNkulunkulu lwadlulela ngalé kokulinganiselwa kwakhe (2. Thesalonika 1,7-enye).

Imisebenzi yeSonto

UPawulu ubhala ukuthi uThimothewu kwakufanele azi ukuthi kufanele aziphathe kanjani “endlini kaNkulunkulu, eyibandla likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, insika nesisekelo seqiniso” ( NW ).1. UThimothi 3,15).
Kwesinye isikhathi abantu bangezwa ukuthi ukuqonda kwabo iqiniso kuyiqiniso kunokuqonda kweBandla ngalo okuvela kuNkulunkulu. Ingabe kungenzeka lokhu uma sikhumbula ukuthi iBandla “liyisisekelo seQiniso”? IBandla yilapho iqiniso lisungulwa ngokufundiswa kweZwi (Johane 17,17).

Ebonakalisa “ukugcwala” kukaJesu Kristu, iNhloko yakhe ephilayo, “egcwalisa zonke izinto kukho konke” ( Efesu 1,22-23), iBandla leTestamente Elisha lihlanganyela emisebenzini yenkonzo (IzE 6,1-6; UJames 1,17 njll.), ekuhlanganyeleni (IzE 2,44-45; Jude 12, njll.), ekusetshenzisweni kwezimiso zebandla (IZenzo zabaPhostoli 2,41; I-18,8; I-22,16; 1. AbaseKorinte 10,16-ishumi nesithupha; 11,26) nasekukhonzeni (IzE 2,46-47; AbaseKolose 4,16 njll.).

Amabandla aye ahlanganyela ekwesekaneni, okwaboniswa usizo olwanikezwa ibandla laseJerusalema ngesikhathi sokuswelakala kokudla (1. AbaseKorinte 16,1-3). Ukuhlolisisa izincwadi zomphostoli uPawulu kubonisa ukuthi amasonto ayexhumana futhi exhumene. Alikho isonto elaba lodwa.

Ukufunda ngempilo yebandla eTestamenteni Elisha kwembula iphethini yokuziphendulela kwebandla emagunyeni ebandla. Ibandla ngalinye laliziphendulela emagunyeni ebandla ngaphandle kwesakhiwo salo sobufundisi noma sokuphatha. Umuntu angabona ukuthi ibandla leTestamente Elisha laliyinhlanganyelo yamabandla endawo abanjwe ndawonye ngokuziphendulela ngokuhlanganyela esikweni lokukholwa kuKristu njengoba kwafundiswa abaphostoli (2. Thesalonika 3,6; 2. AbaseKorinte 4,13).

isiphetho

Ibandla liwumzimba kaKristu futhi lihlanganisa bonke labo abaqashelwa uNkulunkulu njengamalungu “amabandla abangcwele” (1. AbaseKorinte 14,33). Lokhu kubalulekile ekholweni ngoba ukuhlanganyela ebandleni kuyindlela uBaba asigcina ngayo futhi asisekele kuze kube sekubuyeni kukaJesu Kristu.

nguJames Henderson