Umsebenzi weSonto

Amasu esintu asekelwe ekuqondeni komuntu okulinganiselwe kanye nezinqumo ezinhle kakhulu abantu abangazenza. Ngokuphambene nalokho, isu likaNkulunkulu, idumela lakhe ezimpilweni zethu, lincike ekuqondeni okuphelele ngokuphelele kweqiniso eliyisisekelo nelokugcina. Lokho empeleni kuyinkazimulo yobuKristu: izinto zethulwa njengoba zinjalo. Ukuxilongwa kobuKristu kwazo zonke izifo emhlabeni, kusuka ezingxabanweni phakathi kwezizwe kuya ekuxabaneni komphefumulo womuntu, kunembile ngoba kukhombisa ukuqonda kwangempela kwesimo somuntu.

Izinhlamvu ze-NT zihlala ziqala ngeqiniso, sizibiza ngokuthi "imfundiso". Ababhali be-NT bahlala besibizela emuva eqinisweni. Yilapho kuphela lesisekelo seqiniso sibekiwe lapho bedlulela ezinkomba zokusebenza okusebenzayo. Kuwubuwula kanjani ukuqala nganoma yini enye ngaphandle kweqiniso.

Esahlukweni sokuqala sencwadi eya kwabase-Efesu, uPawulu wenza izinkulumo eziningi ezicacile mayelana nenhloso yesonto. Akukhona nje ngenhloso yaphakade, iphupho elithile lesikhathi esizayo, kepha inhloso yalokhu namanje. 

Isonto kufanele likhombise ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu

“Ngokuba wasikhetha kuye ngaphambi kokusekelwa kwezwe, ukuze sime singcwele, singenacala phambi kobuso bakhe.” ( Kwabase-Efesu 1,4). Lapha sibona ngokucacile ukuthi isonto aliwona nje umcabango kaNkulunkulu. Kwahlelwa kudala ngaphambi kokudalwa komhlaba.

Futhi yini into yokuqala uNkulunkulu anentshisekelo ngayo ngeSonto? Intshisekelo yakhe yokuqala akuyona okwenziwa yisonto, kepha yilokho isonto eliyikho. Ukuba phambili kuzokwandulela ukwenza, ngoba lokho esiyikho kunquma esikwenzayo. Ukuqonda isimilo sokuziphatha sabantu bakaNkulunkulu, kubalulekile ukuqonda imvelo yesonto. NjengamaKristu, kufanele sibe yizibonelo zokuziphatha emhlabeni, sikhombise isimilo nobumsulwa bukaJesu Kristu.

Kusobala ukuthi umKristu weqiniso, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi umbhishobhi omkhulu noma ikholwa elivamile, kufanele abubonise ngokucacile nangokugculisayo ubuKristu bakhe ngendlela aphila ngayo, akhuluma ngayo, aziphatha futhi asabela ngayo. Thina maKristu sabizelwa ukuba sime “singcwele futhi singenasici” phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Kufanele sibonakalise ubungcwele bakhe, leyo futhi inhloso yebandla.

Isonto lizokwembula inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu

UPawulu usinikeza enye injongo ngeBandla esahlukweni sokuqala sabase-Efesu “Wasimisela othandweni ngoJesu Kristu kubantwana abayakuba ngabakhe, ngokwentando yakhe ukuba sidumise inkazimulo yomusa wakhe” ( ivesi 5 . ). “Sifanele ukukhonza ngokudumisa inkazimulo yakhe, thina esithembele kuKristu kwasekuqaleni” (indima 12).

Khumbula! Isigwebo: “Thina esabeka ithemba lethu kuKristu kwasekuqaleni; ibhekisela kithina maKristu esimiselwe, esibiziweyo, ukuba siphilele udumo lwenkazimulo yakhe. Umsebenzi wokuqala webandla akusiyo inhlalakahle yabantu. Impela inhlalakahle yethu nayo ibaluleke kakhulu kuNkulunkulu, kodwa lokho akuwona umsebenzi oyinhloko webandla. Kunalokho, sakhethwa nguNkulunkulu ukuba sidumise inkazimulo yakhe, ukuze ngokuphila kwethu inkazimulo yakhe ibonakaliswe emhlabeni. Njengoba “Ithemba Labo Bonke” likubeka: “Manje kumelwe senze inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ibonakale kubo bonke ngokuphila kwethu.”

Iyini Inkazimulo KaNkulunkulu? NguNkulunkulu uqobo, isambulo salokho uNkulunkulu ayikho nakwenzayo. Inkinga kulomhlaba ukungamazi kwawo uNkulunkulu. Akamqondi. Kukho konke ukufuna nokuzulazula ekufuneni kwakhe iqiniso, akamazi uNkulunkulu. Kodwa inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu kufanele yembule uNkulunkulu ukuze abonise izwe lokho ayikho ngempela. Lapho imisebenzi kaNkulunkulu kanye nesimo sikaNkulunkulu kuboniswa ngebandla, uyakhazinyuliswa. NjengoPawulu ku 2. KwabaseKorinte 4:6 kuyachaza:

Ngoba nguNkulunkulu owalaya ukuthi: “Ukukhanya makukhanye ebumnyameni!” Nguye owenze ukukhanya kukhanye ezinhliziyweni zethu, ukuze kukhanye ulwazi lwenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ebusweni bukaKristu.

Abantu bangabona inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ebusweni bukaKristu, esimweni sakhe. Futhi le nkazimulo, njengoba uPawulu esho, futhi itholakala “ezinhliziyweni zethu”. UNkulunkulu ubiza ibandla ukuthi liveze emhlabeni inkazimulo yesimilo sakhe esitholakala ebusweni bukaKristu. Lokhu kuyashiwo futhi kweyabase-Efesu 1:22-23 : “Wabeka zonke izinto ezinyaweni zakhe (uJesu) futhi wamenza inhloko yebandla eliwumzimba wakhe, ukugcwala kwalowo ogcwalisa zonke izinto kukho konke . Inkulumo enamandla leyo! Lapha uPawulu uthi konke lokho uJesu ayikho (ukugcwala kwakhe) kubonakala emzimbeni wakhe, futhi lelo yibandla! Imfihlo yebandla ukuthi uKristu uhlala kulo futhi umlayezo webandla emhlabeni uwukummemezela nokukhuluma ngoJesu. UPawulu uchaza lemfihlakalo yeqiniso ngebandla futhi kwabase-Efesu 2,19-22

Ngokunjalo, manje aniseyizihambi nabahlali, kepha senizizakhamizi ezigcwele nabangcwele kanye namalungu endlu kaNkulunkulu, nakhelwe phezu kwesisekelo sabaphostoli nabaprofethi, lowo uKristu Jesu uqobo lwakhe eyitshe legumbi kubo. Kuwo wonke amabhilidi, ahlanganiswe ngokuqinile, akhulela ethempelini elingcwele eNkosini, futhi kulokhu nawe uzokwakhiwa ube yindawo yokuhlala kaNkulunkulu emoyeni.

Nansi imfihlakalo engcwele yeBandla, liyindawo yokuhlala kaNkulunkulu. Uhlala kubantu bakhe. Lolu wubizo olukhulu lweBandla, lokwenza uKristu ongabonakali abonakale. UPawulu uchaza inkonzo yakhe siqu njengomKristu oyisibonelo kweyabase-Efesu 3.9:10 : “Nokubanika ukukhanyiselwa kubo bonke maqondana nokugcwaliseka kwemfihlakalo egoqiwe kusukela ezikhathini zasendulo kuNkulunkulu, uMdali wazo zonke izinto, ukuze ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okuhlukahlukene kungase kwaziswe emandleni neziphathimandla ezisezulwini ngebandla.”

Ngokusobala. Umsebenzi webandla uwukuba “ukuhlakanipha kukaNkulunkulu okuhlukahlukene makwaziwe.” Akwenziwa ukuba kwaziwe kubantu kuphela kodwa nasezingelosini ezibuka ibandla. Laba ‘ngamagunya namandla emikhathini.’ Ngaphandle kwabantu, kunezinye izidalwa ezinaka isonto futhi zifunde kulo.

Impela amavesi angenhla acacisa into eyodwa: ubizo ebandleni ukumemezela ngamazwi futhi sibonise ngesimo sethu sengqondo nangezenzo isimo sikaKristu esiphila kithi. Kufanele simemezele ubuqiniso bokuhlangana noKristu ophilayo oguqula ukuphila futhi sibonise lolo shintsho ngokuphila kokuzidela, okugcwele uthando. Kuze kube senza lokhu, akukho okunye esikwenzayo okuzosebenzela uNkulunkulu. Lolu wubizo lwebandla uPawulu akhuluma ngalo lapho ebhala kwabase-Efesu 4:1, “Ngiyanincenga-ke...nihambe ngokufanele ukubizwa enikwenzileyo.”

Qaphela indlela iNkosi uJesu uqobo Lwayo eqinisekisa ngayo lolu bizo esahlukweni sokuqala, ivesi 8 leZenzo. Ngaphambi nje kokuba uJesu anyukele kuYise, uthi kubafundi bakhe: “Nokho nizakwamukeliswa amandla, lapho uMoya oNgcwele esefika phezu kwenu, nibe-ngofakazi bami eJerusalema, nakulo lonke elaseJudiya neSamariya, kuze kube-sekupheleni kwezwe. umhlaba."
Injongo # 3: ISonto kufanele libe ngufakazi kaKristu.

Ukubizwa kwebandla kufanele kube ngufakazi, futhi ufakazi nguyena ochazwa futhi aboniswe. Umphostoli uPetru unezwi elihle ngokufakaza kweSonto encwadini yakhe yokuqala: “Nina-ke niluhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, ibandla elingcwele, abantu abakhethiweyo ukuba babe yimpahla yenu, nishumayele ukulunga kwalowo owanibiza niphume ebumnyameni ningene ebumnyameni ukukhanya okumangalisayo." (1. UPetrus 2,9)

Sicela uqaphele isakhiwo esithi “Ni.....futhi kufanele.” Lowo ngumsebenzi wethu oyinhloko njengamaKristu. UJesu Kristu uhlala kithi ukuze sibonise impilo nesimilo saKhe. Kungumthwalo wawo wonke umKristu ukuhlanganyela lolu bizo eBandleni. Bonke babiziwe, bonke bahlaliswe uMoya kaNkulunkulu, bonke balindeleke ukuba bafeze ubizo lwabo emhlabeni. Lona iphimbo elicacile elizwakala kulo lonke elase-Efesu. Ufakazi webandla ngezinye izikhathi ungathola ukuvezwa njengeqembu, kodwa umthwalo wokufakaza ungowomuntu siqu. Kungumthwalo wami kanye nawe siqu.

Kodwa bese kuvela enye inkinga: inkinga yobuKristu bamanga okungenzeka. Kulula kakhulu ebandleni, nakumKristu ngamunye, ukukhuluma ngokuchaza isimilo sikaKristu, nokwenza isimangalo esihle sokuthi uyakwenza. Abaningi abangewona amaKristu abawazi kahle amaKristu bazi kahle ngokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo ukuthi umfanekiso amaKristu akhona awuwona ngaso sonke isikhathi umfanekiso weqiniso weBhayibheli kaJesu Kristu. Ngenxa yalesi sizathu, umphostoli uPawulu usebenzisa amazwi akhethwe ngokucophelela ukuze achaze lobu buntu bangempela obunjengobukaKristu: “Ngokuthobeka konke nobumnene, ngokubekezela, njengabakhuthazelayo othandweni, futhi nikhuthalele ukugcina ubunye bomoya ngesibopho soMoya. ukuthula ” ( Efesu 4:2-3 )

Ukuthobeka, ukubekezela, uthando, ubunye nokuthula yizimpawu zeqiniso zikaJesu. AmaKristu kufanele abe ofakazi, kodwa angabi nokuzikhukhumeza nokudelela, angabi nesimo sengqondo “sobungcwele kunawe,” hhayi ngokuzikhukhumeza kokuzenzisa, futhi ngokuqinisekile angabi engxabanweni engcolile yesonto lapho amaKristu ephikisana namaKristu. Ibandla akufanele likhulume ngokwalo. Kufanele abe mnene, angagcizeleli amandla akhe noma afune ukuvelela okwengeziwe. IBandla alikwazi ukusindisa umhlaba, kodwa iNkosi yeBandla ingawusindisa. AmaKristu akufanele asebenzele iBandla noma asebenzise amandla awo empilo kulo, kodwa asebenzela iNkosi yeBandla.

Isonto alikwazi ukuphakamisa iNkosi yalo ngenkathi liziphakamisa. ISonto leqiniso alifuni ukuthola amandla emehlweni omhlaba, ngoba selinawo wonke amandla eliwadingayo avela eNkosini ehlala kulo.

Ngaphezu kwalokho, iSonto kufanele libekezele futhi lithethelele, lazi ukuthi imbewu yeqiniso idinga isikhathi sokuhluma, isikhathi sokukhula, nesikhathi sokuthela izithelo. Isonto akufanele lidinge ukuthi umphakathi wenze ngokungazelelwe izinguquko ezisheshayo ngephethini esinesikhathi eside yamiswa. Esikhundleni salokho, isonto kufanele libe yisibonelo soshintsho oluhle kwezenhlalo ngokugwema okubi, lenze ubulungiswa futhi ngaleyo ndlela lisakaze imbewu yeqiniso, bese iba nezimpande emphakathini futhi ekugcineni ilethe izithelo zenguquko.

Isibonakaliso esivelele sobuKristu bangempela

Encwadini yaso ethi The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, isazi-mlando u-Edward Gibbon sithi ukuwa kweRoma akubangelwa yizitha ezihlaselayo kodwa ukuwohloka kwangaphakathi. Kule ncwadi kunendima uSir Winston Churchill ayibamba ngekhanda ngoba wayithola ifaneleka futhi iyafundisa. Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi lesi siqephu sikhuluma ngeqhaza lebandla embusweni owohlokayo.

“Ngenkathi inhlangano enkulu (uMbuso WamaRoma) ihlaselwa ubudlova obusobala futhi incishwa ukubola kancane, inkolo ehlanzekile nethobekile yangena kancane ezingqondweni zabantu, yakhulela ngokuthula nangokuzithoba, yavuswa ukumelana, futhi ekugcineni yamiswa. indinganiso yesiphambano emanxiweni eCapitol.” Yiqiniso, uphawu oluvelele lokuphila kukaJesu Kristu kumKristu uthando. Uthando olwamukela abanye njengoba benjalo. Uthando olunesihe futhi oluthethelelayo. Uthando olufuna ukuqeda ukungezwani, ukuhlukana nobudlelwano obuphukile. UJesu wathi kuJohane 13:35 , “Ngalokho bonke bayakukwazi ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.” Lolo thando aluboniswa ngombango, ukuhaha, ukuziqhayisa, ukuntula isineke, noma ubandlululo. Kuphambene kakhulu nokuhlukumeza, ukunyundela, inkani nokwehlukana.

Lapha sithola amandla ahlanganisayo enza ukuthi ibandla likwazi ukufeza inhloso yalo emhlabeni: uthando lukaKristu. Sibukhombisa kanjani ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu? Ngothando lwethu! Siveza kanjani inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu? Ngothando lwethu! Sibufakazela kanjani ubuqiniso bukaJesu Kristu? Ngothando lwethu!
I-NT ayisho lutho ngamaKristu ahileleka kwezombangazwe, noma ukuvikela "izindinganiso zomndeni," noma ukukhuthaza ukuthula nobulungisa, noma ukuphikisa izithombe ezingcolile zobulili, noma ukuvikela amalungelo aleli qembu noma lelo qembu elicindezelwe. Angisho ukuthi amaKristu akufanele abhekane nalezi zinkinga. Kusobala ukuthi umuntu akanakuba nenhliziyo egcwele uthando ngabantu futhi angazikhathazi ngezinto ezinjalo. Kodwa i-NT ayisho okuncane ngalezi zinto, ngoba uNkulunkulu uyazi ukuthi ukuphela kwendlela yokuxazulula lezi zinkinga nokulungisa ubudlelwano obuphukile iwukwethula uguquko olusha ezimpilweni zabantu - ukuguquguquka kwempilo kaJesu Kristu.

Yimpilo kaJesu Kristu edingeka kakhulu kwabesilisa nabesifazane. Ukususwa kobumnyama kuqala ngokwethulwa kokukhanya. Ukususwa kwenzondo kuqala ngokwethulwa kothando. Ukususwa kokugula nenkohlakalo kuqala ngokwethulwa kwempilo. Kumele siqale ukwethula uKrestu ngoba yilolo ubizo lwethu esibizelwe kulo.

Ivangeli lakhula esimweni senhlalo esifana nesethu: Kwakuyisikhathi sokungabi nabulungisa, ukuhlukana kwezinhlanga, ubugebengu obudlangile, ukuziphatha okubi okudlangile, ukungaqiniseki kwezomnotho nokwesaba okusakazekile. Ibandla lokuqala lazabalaza ukuphila ngaphansi koshushiso olungapheli nolubulalayo esingakwazi nokukucabanga namuhla. Kodwa ibandla lokuqala alizange likubone ukubizwa kwalo ekulweni nokungabi nabulungisa nokucindezelwa noma ekuphoqeleleni “amalungelo” alo. Ibandla lokuqala labona umsebenzi walo njengobonakalisa ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu, ukuveza inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, nokufakaza ngobuqiniso bukaJesu Kristu. Futhi wakwenza ngokubonisa ngokucacile uthando olungenamkhawulo kubantu bakubo kanye nakulabo abangaphandle.

Ingaphandle lomug

Noma ubani ofuna imiBhalo esekela iziteleka, imibhikisho, ukuduba, nezinye izenzo zezombangazwe ukuze kubhekwane nokusilela komphakathi uzodumala. UJesu wabiza lokhu ngokuthi, "Ukugezwa kwangaphandle." Uguquko lweqiniso lobuKristu lushintsha abantu ngaphakathi. Uhlanza ingaphakathi lenkomishi. Ayishintshi nje amagama angukhiye akuphosta egqokwe umuntu. Ishintsha inhliziyo yomuntu.

Amasonto avame ukushibilika lapha. Bakhathazeka ngokweqile ngezinhlelo zepolitiki, kungaba kwesokudla noma kwesobunxele. UKristu weza emhlabeni ukuguqula umphakathi, kodwa hhayi ngezenzo zepolitiki. Icebo lakhe ukuthi aguqule umphakathi ngokuguqula umuntu lowo kulowo mphakathi ngokubanika inhliziyo entsha, ingqondo entsha, ukuphinda baziqondise kabusha, indlela entsha, ukuzalwa okusha, impilo entsha evukile kanye nokufa komuntu uqobo nobugovu. Lapho umuntu eguqulwa ngale ndlela, sinomphakathi omusha.

Lapho siguqulwa ngaphakathi, lapho ingaphakathi licwengisisiwe, umbono wethu wonke ngobudlelwano babantu uyashintsha. Lapho sibhekene nokungqubuzana noma ukuphathwa kabi, sivame ukusabela ngomqondo "weso ngeso". Kodwa uJesu usibizela ohlotsheni olusha lwempendulo: "Busisani abanizingelayo." Umpostoli uPawuli usibizela kuloluhlobo lwempendulo lapho ebhala, “Yibani mqondo munye phakathi kwenu.....Ningabuyiseli okubi ngokubi.....Unganqotshwa ngokubi, kodwa nqoba okubi ngokuhle” . ( Roma 12:14-21 )

Umlayezo uNkulunkulu awuphathise ibandla ngumyalezo ophazamisa kakhulu owake wezwa emhlabeni. Ngabe kufanele siwuhlehlise lo myalezo sihambisane nezenzo zepolitiki nezenhlalo? Ngabe kufanele saneliswe yiqiniso lokuthi isonto liba nje yinhlangano yezwe, yezepolitiki noma yezenhlalo? Ngabe sithembele ngokwanele kuNkulunkulu, siyavumelana naye ukuthi uthando lobuKrestu, oluhlala esontweni lakhe, luzoguqula lo mhlaba hhayi amandla ezepolitiki nezinye izindlela zokuxhumana?

UNkulunkulu usibiza ukuthi sibe ngabantu abanokwethenjelwa ekusabalaliseni lezi zindaba ezinhle zikaJesu Kristu ezinqala, eziphazamisayo nezishintsha impilo kuwo wonke umphakathi. ISonto kumele liphinde lingene kwezentengiselwano nezimboni, ezemfundo nokufunda, ezobuciko nempilo yomndeni kanye nezikhungo zethu zenhlalo ngalo myalezo onamandla, oguqula, futhi ongenakuqhathaniswa. INkosi uJesu Kristu ovukile weza kithi ukuzotshala kithi impilo yakhe engapheli. Ukulungele futhi uyakwazi ukusiguqula sibe ngabantu abanothando, ababekezelayo nabathembekile, ukuze siqiniswe ukubhekana nazo zonke izinkinga nazo zonke izinselelo empilweni. Lo ngumyalezo wethu ezweni elikhathele eligcwele ukwesaba nokuhlupheka. Lona ngumyalezo wothando nethemba esililetha emhlabeni odlubulundayo nongenathemba.

Siphilela ukukhombisa ubungcwele bukaNkulunkulu, siveze inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, futhi sifakazele iqiniso lokuthi uJesu weza ukuzokwenza abesilisa nabesifazane bahlanzeke ngaphakathi nangaphandle. Siphilela ukuthandana nokukhombisa uthando lobuKristu emhlabeni. Leyo yinhloso yethu, lokho ukubizwa kweBandla.

ngu-Michael Morrison