Isonto

Isithombe esihle seBhayibheli sikhuluma ngeBandla njengomlobokazi kaKristu. Lokhu kubhekiselwa kukho ngokufanekisa emibhalweni ehlukahlukene, okuhlanganisa neNgoma Yezingoma. Iphuzu elibalulekile 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 buhlobo, 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 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