Isikhokelo seNtombi Mncinci ekuphuhliseni okuNgqongileyo koKarakter yomKristu

Isikhokelo seNtombazana ekuphuhlisweni okuHarmonious of Christian Character

Inkolo yeqiniso iyonke iProgressive

NguHarvey Newcomb

Utshintsho olukhulu lokuziphatha kunye nomoya, olubhekiswe yiScriptures njengoluyimfuneko ekusindisweni, luthelekiswa nguKristu nabapostile njengokuzalwa okutsha, kuba lubhobho wokuphila komoya. Igama elithi ukuzalwa kwengcaina, nangona kunjalo, lisebenza kuphela kule tshintsho ekuqaleni kwalo, elikhawulezayo. Umguqukayo oselula, ngoko, ubizwa ngokufanelekileyo nguPetro umpostile njengomntwana "osandoyzalwa". Yiphutha elikhulu, ke, ukucinga ukuba umKristu oyinyaniso, oyena mntu ulungileyo, ufanele abejonge emva kwexesha lokuguquka kwakhe kwiindawo ezithile zokholo olusebenzayo, okanye kwi ubungqina obukhulu bokuba kwisimo esinobubele. Kungaba, eneneni, ngaxeshanye kube kubonakala ngakumbi, kuba utshintsho oluvela kwisimo senyama kwisimo sobubele bukhulu kakhulu. Noko ke, olu tshintsho aluphelelangi, yinxenye enkulu yomsebenzi "wokulahla umntu omdala,"- "ukubeka phantsi umzimba nokugcina phantsi"- ufunge ukwenziwa; ngelixa "umntu omtsha" ete phakha ukusuka ebomini bokungenalwazi ukuya "kubungakanani bomntu oyugqibeleleyo ekristu Yesu."

Inkolo yeqiniso, ngoko, kufanele ibe ngokwendalo iqhubekayo. Le yingqibelelo ecacileyo yazo zonke iimpawu ezisetyenziswe kwilizwi likaThixo ukuchaza umsebenzi wenceba ekhayeni. Iyafaniswa nembewu yesardadi, yiyo encinane kuzo zonke iimbewu. Kodwa, xa ichumile, iyakhula kwaye isasaze amagatsha ayo de ibe yiyo inkulu kuzo zonke izityalo. Ubuhle nobufanele bayo kule mpawu abuyi kuxabiswa ngaphandle kokuba siqwalasele ukukhula okunobomvu kwezityalo kumazwe aseMpumalanga. Kodwa asingalindelanga ukuba isityalo esinjalo sichume ngoko nangoko ukuya ebudala obupheleleyo. Yiyo uyakhula ngokukhawuleza ukuya ebudala obupheleleyo ukuze abonwe yilanga lokuqala la kwenzeka; kodwa ngokukhawuleza wobomula. Noko ke, asingalindelanga ukuba isityalo esinjalo siyeke ukukhula, ngaphambi kokuba sifike ebudala obupheleleyo. Ukuba siyeka ukukhula, kufuneka kube khona isimunyu esikwiingcambu, okanye isifo esibulalayo, esiya kwenza ukuba shwile wafe.

Umsebenzi wenceba uyafaniswa nomnandi; oyiyo ongabonakali kwasekuqaleni kangangokuba ubukho bawo ekudleni akunakubonwa. Kodwa xa uqala ukusebenza, uyakhula kwaye wande de kube yiyo yonke into. Noko ke, ukuqhubeka kwakhe kungacinezelwa ngumchilo; yaye inkqubo inakunyanyiswa, kangangokuba ingonzakalisi imveliso. Ngako oko, umKristu akanakubuyisela kwimiphumo eyenzakalisa yokubuya umva nokupholisa ekuthandweni kwakhe okungcwele.

Kwakhona, umusa ubandwa njengesipompo esiphilayo—isibompo, amanzi aso phuma aze athumele umsinga oqhubekayo. UCristo uthi, "Amanzi endiya kumnika aya kuba kuye umcenge wamanzi, ophuma aze agqume ku bomi obungunaphakade." Xa ezi zenziwa zathiwa, iNkosi yethu yayihleli phezu komcenge ophantsi, incoko nwendodakazi yaseSamariya. Njengoko yayi ngumkhwa wakhe, watsala imfundo kwizinto ezazimngqongileyo. Wadlulisela ingqalelo yakhe kude kude nawo amanzi ayenokucima ukoma kwendalo, ukuya emanzini aphilayo, abrefresha umphefumlo. Kodwa yena, angayiqondi, wabaza ukuba unako kanjani ukufumana amanzi aphilayo avela emcengeni ophantsi, ngaphandle kwento yokutsalwa nayo. Ukubonisa ubukhulu bamanzi obomi, wamtshela ukuba abo bayiselayo baya kuba nayo kubo, igquma ngokwawo, njengesibompo esigcweleyo.

Ezinye zeenkumbulo ezithandekayo kakhulu zengumbhali zobomi bakhe bokuqala, zisipompo esiphilayo esivela kwilitye kufuphi nekhaya lakhe lobuntwana. Akukho sicakakazi esinzima esakuchaphazela, kwaye ngamaxesha angabandi kakhulu ebusika bakwaNyakatho, asinakukhenkceka. Rhoqo, xa evuka kusasa, xa umoya ovuthayo uvutha ejikeleze indlu, nantso into yonke ibingumfusa obandayo, iqhwa kunye neziqhwa ziya kuba zifutha ejikeleze isipompo. Ngako, njengesipompo esizinzileyo, imusa yethu igwale, ingachaphazwa sicakakazi okanye ukhathazeko lwabanye, iyancibilikisa iintliziyo ezibandayo ezingqongileyo.

"Abulungileyo," kusho uDavide, "baya kuchuma njengomthi wepalm; uyakhula njengomthi wespruce eLebanoni." Umthi wepalm uyaqhubeka ukhula nokwanda, uze uhlale unamandla nokuzala mhlawumbi ngaphezu kweminye imithi. Uye waziwa nangokukwazi kwakhe ukuzala owakhe uhlobo, ingcambu yakhe ivelisa iisuckers eziningi; yaye xa ityalwa ngumthombo ophilayo ehlangreni, kungekudala kuya kufumaneka umthi wepalm ohlangene wokhula ejikelezile. Lo ngomthi owusizo kakhulu, yonke inxenye yakhe inokusetyenziswa ngokuqham. "Ukuchuma njengomthi wepalm," ke ngoko, kunentsingiselo enkulu. Oku kungafezekiswa nguKristu kuphela xa ehamba phambili ekukhuleni kwakhe ngokomoya, enegalelo, ngapom influence, ekwandeni kwe "miti yokulungisa" egadini yeNkosi, yaye ekhula kakhulu kwimisebenzi yokusetyenziswa.

Umthi wespruce unguhlaza. Akhukhuphi amagqabi akhe, njengomthi omningi, uze ashiye ukhangeleke ngathi afile isigamu sonyaka, uze akhule kwakhona ngesizathu esincinane; kodwa ukhula lwakhe luyaqiniseka. Uhlaza njalo. Ukhula njengomthi wespruce, ke ngoko, kubonisa ukuqhubeka okuzinzileyo ebomini boThixo.

Iinjongo ezikhuthaza ukuba sifune kwaye sigcine umgangatho ophakamileyo wokholo, zezona ziphezulu ezinokuboniswa engqondweni yethu. Uzuko lukaThixo ludinga oko. Oku ngowona uhlelo luncedo. Ngumbonifestwa wobugcisa boThixo kubhishelo zakhe ezinengqi. Lo mbonifestwa wenziwa ngokubabonisa imisebenzi yakhe yenkuthalo, uThixo ngokwakhe, nenceba yakhe, nokubonakalisa umfanekiso wakhe wokuziphatha ezintliziyweni zabo. Kuko oko kukonzeka kwabo usakhitho. Ngokukhuthaza uzuko lakhe, uThixo usebenzisa owona uhlelo lokuthanda kwabanye. Akukho nto inokongeza kuso sakhe usakhitho: akukho nto inokunciphisa. Ukuba indalo yonke ibingekho, uThixo ebenguye yedwa ebomini, usenguye ngokugqibeleleyo uzuko noxolo kuye. Akukho ke ukuzingca kuye ekuziseni uzuko lakhe. Uzuko loMdali luyimfuneko kubhleko bendalo. Umnqweno wokumzukisa uThixo, ke ngoko, ube yingasikhulu yindlela yethu, entwasahlobo yentshukumo zethu.

Kodwa uyakhula njani uzuko lukaThixo ngokukhula kwethu ngomhla?

1. Umbonakaliswa kithi ngokubonakalisa umfanekiso wakhe ezintliziyweni zethu, nokusinika ukubonwa kwemoya kobuhle, ubuhlambi, nobunandi, bendalo lakhe lokuziphatha.

2. Umbonakaliswa kwabanye, kulokhu sigcina ubomi obungcwele; kuba ngaloo ndlela umfanekiso wokuziphatha kukaKristu ubonakaliswa, njengokukhanya okuqaqambileyo kwelanga kubonakala ngokukhanya okubonakalayo kwenyanga.

3. Uzuko lukaThixo lukhuthazwa ngokwenza abanye baqhelane nobutyebi benkuthalo yasimahla, nokubaletha kuKristu; kuba ngaloo ndlela, bafumana ukukhanya kwemoya ukuze babone ubunandi nozuko lobugcisa boThixo, umfanekiso wakhe ungcwatyiwe ebishelo zabo.

Ngokunjalo, sinazo iinkuthazo ezinkulu zokulwela inkqubela phambili kwizinto zikaThixo. Ilizwi likaThixo ligcwele izithembiso kubo bonke abazithandazayo ukufika kokuphezulu ekuwazini uThixo nongcwele. Umprofeti uHoseya uthi, "Emva koko siya kwazi, ukuba silandela ukumwazi uYehova: ukuphuma kwakhe kucwangcisiwe njengokusa; yaye uya kuza kuthi njengomvula, njengomvula wokuqala nowokugqibela emhlabeni." Ukuphuma kwakhe, kwabo balandelayo ukumwazi, kuya kuba njengokuqinisekileyo, nanjengoko kunjalo, nanjengokuzinzileyo, njengokubuya kwemini yonke; nanjengokunyuka kwelanga, xa imiqadi yalo iphuma empumalanga, yaye iyanda ekukhanyeni nakuqina, de yehlele ubushushu obutshisayo, nokuqaqamba okuzinzileyo, kokukhanya okugqibeleleyo. "Ukuba silandela ukumwazi uYehova," iindlela zethu ziya kuba njengokuqinisekileyo, amava ethu obumnandi bukaYehova nanjengokuqinisekileyo, njengokulandelana okuzinzileyo kobusuku nemini; intsebenziswano yethu noThixo, nokuwaanda kokukhanya, kuya kuba njengokuqinileyo njengokunyuka kwelanga ukusuka ekuseni kuze kube emini. Kusenokubakho amafu okwenzeka; kodwa aya kuchithwa ngokukhawuleza, iLanga loBulungisa liya kuphuma limene imiqadi emnandi nokuqaqamba okuchevu.

Uyakuza njengomvula kuthi, njengomvula wokuqala nowokugqibela emhlabeni. EPalestina, umvula aweli, njengakulelizwe, ngazo zonke iinxalenye zonyaka; kodwa imvula enzima iyaxhoba, ukunkcenkcesha umhlaba ngexesha lokuhlwaya, ukwenza imbewu igqabhe kwaye ikhule; yaye le mvula inzima kangangokuba iyayikhulisa imityholo ngokuhamba kwangoku, de kube kufuphi nexesha lokuvuna, xa umvula wokugqibela uxhoba, ukuze ugqibeleze isivuno – ukunika umzimba kwimbewu, ukuze xa ivutha, ingaba nkulu yaye igcwele. Ukuba lo mvula wokugqibela aweli, imbewu iyancipha, yaye iyabila, ukuze okusanywa konakaliswe ngumgangatho, yaye kunciphe ngobungakanani. Umvula wokuqala, ke, ekubhekiselwe kuye kwisicatshulwa esixhulwayo, ubonakala ubonisa loo “nkcazelo evela phezulu,” inkalo yomphefumlo engamava xa “imbewu elungileyo” yelizwi lokuqala iqabhe; yaye, ukuba oku kukuninzi, yaye umguqukileyo osemncinci uya “kulandela ukwazi uYehova,” loo mpembelelo ayamkeleyo iya kumphefumlela kwinkambo ethe rhoqo yokhula lomoya, de umvula wokugqibela ufike ukuze ugqibeleze imithela yakhe.

Ngamava ebelikhulu loo Kristu abahambeleyo kwinkqubela phambili enkulukazi ebomini bungcwele, kukho into eyenzeka kakhulu ekufaneka nale “mvula wokugqibela.” Baqhubele phambili kwinkambo ethe rhoqo, emva kokuguqulwa kwabo, besenza inkqubela, nangona, mhlawumbi, kungebonakali kangako ngamanye amaxesha kunanganye, njengoko kukho amaxesha ekutyholeni xa izinto zibonakala zingenakho ukukhula. Kodwa, ekugqibeleni, emva kokulandela ngokuthembeka ukwazi uYehova, bafumana uncuthu olutsha oluvela phezulu. Umoya kaYehova uthululelwa kubo kwakhona, njengomvula wokugqibela, ukuze ugqibeleze ukhula lweempawu zobelikhulu. Kungenzeka, ekulimeni kwemityholo eMpumalanga, ukuba, ngaphambi kokuba umvula wokugqibela, ukoma kube kakhulu kangangokuba okusanywa kuye kupande, yaye, mhlawumbi, kubonakale ngathi kuya koma yaye kubile.

Ngoko, rhoqo, ngaphambi kokuba ndawo yeli phando litsha endithetha ngalo, umKristu ulethwa kwiimvavanyo ezinkulu, rhoqo ezidlula, ngamandla okuvavanya nange amandla okuqiniseka, koko kwakhe kwali phambili phantsi kwamhlanga yakhe yokuqala yenceba yokuxolela. Kodwa, xa ukukhanya kunoku phinda kuphuke engqondweni yakhe, ulethwa kubaphandle "kwindawo ebanzi," behlola "ubuhle beNkosi," ne uzuku lwenceba yakhe, ngombono ocacileyo ngakumbi kunakuqala. Ubuncwane bokholo olupheleleyo bungena engqondweni yakhe, na uxolo lwakhe luhamba njengesijokezi esingomisi. Unazo iziphimo ezitsha nezi cace ngakumbi zobuzuko bukaThixo, nango kwelo gquma linthakazeleleyo nelingavumi ukuchazwa, "uThixo wabonakala emzimbeni." Umphefumlo wakhe uphakanyiswa kwiindlela zikaThixo, nangona edanile kuye, ebhukuziwe phambi koThixo. Utshintshe "umoya wobugqila" ngom "oya wokamkela." Ingqondo yakhe ikhona "kuxolo olugqibeleleyo, oluzinzi kuThixo." Kwaye le "imvula yokugqibela" izisa iziqhamo zakhe ukuvuthwa. Uthando lwakhe noyolo, kunye nazo zonke iimvakalelo zakhe zokholo, zicocekile yaye zikomoya, zine ngxube yepassion yabantu; ukholo lwakhe luqinile, lucace, yaye luzinzi; ukholo lwakhe lomelezwa; unomonde, unobulali, unomthondo, unokuthula, unokuzithoba, ehambelana ngakumbi ekhathazekile yaye ezolile kuThixo. Ngokwenyani yaye ngokwenene "uzisa isiqhamo ngomonde;" isiqhamo sakhe sihlala, yaye sibonwa, kubuhle benceba yakaThixo. Kwaye, kwabantu abaninzi, oku kupholisa kuhlaziywa, ngokuqhubekayo, ubomi bakhe bukaKristu, buhamba buvundele "isiqhamo ebesilindelwe ngo xesha lalo."

Kukho into efana nale "imvula yokugqibela" kwamava abantu abathembekileyo kuBible, njengoJob, ekudakaleni kwakhe, noDavide noPetro, emva kokuwela kwabo. Kanjalo, siyayifumana kwimemoirs yabaseKristu abadumileyo, njengoBunyan, uMama Edwards, (umfazi kaJonathan Edwards,) uEdward Payson, uJames Brainerd, uTaylor, uGriffin, nabanye abaninzi. UMama Edwards, ixesha elide, wajabula, njengoko wayesithi, "ubutyebi bokholo oluqinisekileyo." Uziva "ukuzinikela okungaphazanywa konke kuThixo, ngokuphathelele impilo okanye ukugula, ukhululeke okanye intlungu, ubomi okanye ukufa; nokuzi nikela konke kobomi babahlobo bakhe abasondeleyo emhlabeni." Uyeziva "uxolo olumnandi noku qaqamba kwengqondo, ngaphandle kwlifu lokuphazamisa; uvuyo oluqhubekayo kuzo zonke izenzo zenzululwazi nezoLawulo; ukufikelela okumangalisayo kuThixo ngomthandazo, ethetha naye ngokubonakalayo, kakhulu kungenzeka ukuba uThixo wayepho emhlabeni; iimpendulo ezithe ngqo, ezicacileyo, nezokuziva, nezokuziphatha emthandazweni; zonke iinyembezi ziwshaywa; iintlungu zangaphambili kunye nosizi lwe ubomi buye balityalwa, ngaphandle kokuzila ngenxa yesono; ukwenza yonke into ngokuThixo, ngovuyo oluqhubekayo nolu ngaphazanywa, uxolo, nojoyina." Ngaxeshanye wayezibandakanya kwimisebenzi yeqhelo yobomi ngokuzikhandla okukhulu, ezithatha njengengxenye yenkonzo kuThixo; kwaye, xa yenziwe kule nto, wayesithi ziyamthokozisa njengomthandazo uqobo. Uye wabonisa "ukukhathazeka okukhulu ukuphepha isono ngese, nokugcwalisa yonke imisebenzi yemoral; wayexubile kakhulu ekwenzeni yonke imisebenzi yentlalo nendlela; wabonisa ukungabi nabo nobubi bobomi nencoko; uThixo omkhulu, ukuthamisa, nokuthula komoya; wathintelwa, ngokuyazi, zonke izinto awayezithathela njengokungaphumeleli kwakhe."

Kodwa bafike njani aba bantu kule ndawo iphakamileyo ebomini bamaKristu? Nangona ngokubonga simahla, ubukhosi—kodwa kwakungekho ngumsebenzi ongaqondakaliyo. Ukuba siza kuzisebenzisa iindlela ezifanayo, sinokufikelela ekupheleni okufanayo; kwaye ngaphandle kokuthoba kuxhomekekeko kwethu kuThixo, okanye ubukhosi bakhe ekusasazeni ubukhosi bakhe; kuba ubhaptiza iindlela, kunye nokuphela. Xa kuthethwa ngokufika kuka-Mrs. Edwards, umyeni wakhe uthi, "UMrs. Edwards wayesekonze ixesha elide, ngendlela engavamile, ekhula ngobukhosi; kwaye ephakama, ngenyathelo elinokubonakala, ukuya eluthandweni olukhulu kuThixo, ukungabamri kwilizwe, nokulawula phezu kwezono netemptshoni, ngokuzama okukhulu nezingqubu, nokulwa ixesha elide ukulwa nezonzo, nokuthandaza ngokukhulu nokusebenza ngokholo, nokuzibandakanya kwengqondo ekusebenziseni iindlela zonke. Lo kukhula bekungekho kuphela ngokunyuka okukhulu kweentando zolwazi, kodwa ngokuguquka okubonakalayo kokuziphatha kwangaphandle; ngokucopheleleyo ekulaleni ngaphezu kwehlabathi, nango kuhle kwindawo yokuzinikela nokuzila; ukugcina umkhondo wamaKristu phantsi kweetemptshoni, nokoyisa, kwangexesha, phantsi kwezilingo ezinkulu; ukunyamezela ekhuselekile, ekhangeleke, nengathinzi, phantsi kweenguqu nakwenzeka kwexesha, ezifana namaxesha entlungu enkulu, kunye nomngcipheko ocacileyo wokufa kwangoko. "

Sifumana iingxelo zeemvavanyo ezifanayo kunye nemizabalazo kubomi babanye. Le yinto esinokuyilindela. Iyahambelana nobomi bobuKristu, njengoko kuchaziwe kwilizwi likaThixo. “Ngokudanduluka okukhulu yindlela esingena ngayo kwuBukumkani beZulu.” Le yindlela ekufuneka sihambe ngayo, ukuba singenza njalo. Kufuneka senze ubunyingayi bube yinto enkulu yobomi, ekufuneka yonke enye into ithathe indawo yayo. Kufuneka siyenze le nto ngenyamezelo yethu yonke, sijonge kuKristu ngamandla angokuchasana neentshaba zethu zokomoya; silandela umzekelo kaPawulos, “Ndilibala elokuhleza ndisikhumbule esingaphambili, ndisolonga kwinto ezayo; ndisายามa ngokuqinileyo ukuya kumpawu womvuzo wokubizwa kwangaphakathi kukaThixo okuyo uKristu Yesu;” yaye ke siza kuba ngaboyisileyo ekugqibeleni, “ngokuye owathandayo, owaziphaferayo ngenxa yethu.”