Umhlahlandlela Wentombazana Ukuthuthukiswa Okunokuvumelana Kwesimilo Sasekristu

Umhlahlandlela Wentekanyana Ukuthuthukiswa Okunokuvumelana KweKharaktha YobuKristu

Inkolo Yeqiniso Ngokuyisisekelo Iyakuthuthuka

Ngokuba Harvey Newcomb

Ukuguquka okukhulu okokuziphatha nokokomoya, okubhalwe yiZibhalo ukuze kube londleko, kuqhathaniswa nguKristu nabapostoli nokuzalwa okusha, ngoba yiyo ukuqala kokuphila kokomoya. Icala lokuzalwa kabusha, noma kunjalo, lisebenza kuphela ekuguqukeni lokuqala, okuyinto esheshayo. Umguquki osemncane, ngakho, ubizwa ngokufanelekile yipostoli uPetro ngokuthi "umbwana osanda kuzalwa." Yiphutha elikhulu, ke, ukucabanga ukuthi umKristu yeqiniso, osekwimo efanele yengqondo, kufanele abheke emuva esikhathini sokuguquka kwake ukuze athole izivivinyo zakhe eziqine kakhulu zomnandi, noma kuba ubufakazi bakhe obukhulu bokuthi usemweni omuhle. Kungaba, ngempela, ngaleso sikhathi kunokwaziwa kakhulu, ngoba ukuguquka kusimodzini sokuziphatha kusimodzini sokuhlanjululwa kukhulu. Yekho, nokho, lokhu uguquko lungaphelelangi, nenxenye enkulu yomsebenzi "ukhulula umuntu omdala," - "ukubeka phansi umzimba nokuwugcina uphansi," usasele ukwenziwa; ngenkathi "umuntu omusha" kufanele akhule aze asuke ekubeni umntwana ukuya "kubude bomuntu ophelele kuKristu Jesu."

Inkosiso yangempela kumele, ngakho, ibe yinto ekhula njalo. Yile ndlela ebonakaliswa ngayo yonke imifanekiso etshebilwe ngayo ngamazwi kaNkulunkulu ukuchaza umsebenzi womusa enhliziyweni. Uyafananiswa nembewu yesardensi, ebeyeyona encane kunazo zonke imbewu. Kodwa, uma ikhula, iyakhula futhi isabalalise amagatsha ayo mpaka iwe yeyona enkulu kunazo zonke izityalo. Ubuhle nobufaneleke baleli lifanekiso aliyokwaziswa ngaphandle kokuthi sicabange ngamandla okukhula kwezityalo emazweni aseMpumalanga. Kodwa akumele sibinde njalo ukuthi leso sitshalo sikhule siwe sikhule ngokupheleleyo. Isiyintshungama esivulele ngokupheleleyo ukuze sibone ilanga lokuqala ekuseni; kodwa isheshe yoma. Futhi akumele sibinde njalo ukuthi leso sitshalo siyeke ukukhula, ngaphambi kokuthi sifike ekukhuleni. Uma siyeka ukukhula, kufanele kube khona isibungu esingcambu, noma isifo esibulalayo, esitawo sibangela ukuba shwile futhi sifile.

Umsebenzi womusa uyafananiswa nokuvubela; okuyinto encane ekuqaleni kangangokuthi ubukho bayo ekudleni cishe abukwazi ukubonakala. Kodwa uma iqala ukusebenza, iyanda futhi isabalalise mpaka konke kuvubelwe. Kodwa ukukhula kwayo kungavimbwa ngumchill; futhi inqubo ingaphinde ibuyiselwe, ukuze ingonakalisi ukhiqizo. Kwenye indlela umKristu uyakuthola kancane ukululama emiphumeleni eyingozi yokuhlubuka nokukhula komchill ekuthandweni kwakhe okuphandle.

Yena futhi, umusa ubandingkanwa nomcimezi ohlala njalo—umthombo, amanzi akhe agqumaka phezulu aze athumele umugele oqhubekayo. UCristu uthi, "Amanzi engiyomnika yena ayoba kuye umthombo wamanzi, agqumaka aze akhuphuke aye ekuphileni okuphakade." Ngathi ngalezo zwi zikhulunywa, iNkosi yethu yayihlezi phezu komthombo ojulile, ikhulumela nomfazi waseSamariya. Njengalokhu kwakuyisiko lakhe, wadweba imfundiso ezintweni ezazimzungezile. Waqondisa ukunaka kwakhe kude namanzi ayenokucisha ukoma kwabantu, waya emanzini aphilayo, akhazimulisa umphefumulo. Kodwa yena, angazi ukuthi ukhuluma ngani, wathi ufuna ukwazi ukuthi unako kanjani ukuthola amanzi aphilayo emthombeni ojulile, ngaphandle kwento yokudweba ngayo. Ngokukhombisa ubuhle bemanzi y ukuphila, wathi labo abadakayo kuyo bayakuba nayo kubo, igqumaka njalo yodwa, njengomthombo ogcwele.

Ezinye zezinkumbulo ezithandekayo kakhulu zombhali zobuntwana bakhe, y umcimezi ohlala njalo owakhiwa edwaleni eduze kwendlu yakhe yobuntwana. Ukoma kakhulu amakhala wabathinta, futhi ngesikhathi esibandayo kakhulu sokobusika bakwaNyakatho, amakhala wayahezi aqandiswe. Imvamkele, njengoba evuka ekuseni, ngathi umoya obandayo uwisa emhlabeni, nezinto zonke zazingathi zivaliwe ngeqhwa, iqhwa negwele zazingathi zifutha emcimezini. Ngale ndlela, njengomugele oqhubekayo, imusa yethu iyakugeleza, ingathintwa ukoma noma ukhahlazo lwabanye, incibilikisa amaqhwa athi makhathazwe emhlabeni.

"Abadilike," kusho uDavide, "bayakuchuma njengomhlanga; bayakhula njengomsedari eLebanoni." Umhlanga uyaqhubeka ukhule futhi ande, ugcine amandla akhe nokuzala kwakhe mhlawumbe isikhathi eside kunanoma yisiphi esinye isihlahla. Uphinde wadume ngokukwazi kwakhe ukuzala owakhe uhlobo, impande yakhe ikhiqiza inqwaba yeziqu; futhi lapho itshalwa ngomcwaningi ophilayo ehlane, maduze nje kuzotholakala ihlathi elincane lezihlahla zomhlanga ezikhulayo eduze kwalo. Lesi yisihlahla esiwusizo kakhulu, njengoba yonke ingxenye yaso isetshenziselwa umsebenzi onenzuzo. Ukuchuma "njengomhlanga," yingakho, kuningi incazelo. Lokhu kungafezeka ngumKristu kuphela lapho ehamba phambili ekukhuleni kwakhe kwokomoya, enomthelela, ekwandiseni "izihlahla zokulunga" engadini yaSenye, futhi echichima emisebenzini yokuwusizo.

Umsedari uyisihlahla esihlala ubhlau. Akhukhishi njengamanye amasihlahla, ukuluhlaza kwawo, ahlale abonakala engenamphilo isigamu sonyaka, bese ekhula kakhulu futhi isizini encane; kodwa ukhula lwawo luyaqhubeka futhi luqinisekile. Uhlala eluhlaza njalo. Ukukhula njengomsedari, yingakho, kubonisa ukuqhubeka okuqinisekile ekuphileni kukaNkulunkulu.

Izimikhuthazo ezisikhuthaza ukuba sifune futhi sigcine izinga eliphakeme lokuzinikwa kuNkulunkulu, ziyizinga elphakeme kakhulu ezingavezwwa ezingqondweni zethu. Ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu budinga lokhu. Lokhu yinto enhle kakhulu. Yimbonifesti yezipiliso zikaNkulunkulu kubadali bakhe abahlakaniphile. Lokhu kubonakaliswa kunenziwa ngokubabonisa imisebenzi yakhe yokudala, ukuqondisa, kanye nomusa, futhi ngokucindezela umfanekiso wakhe wokuziphatha ezinhliziyweni zabo. Kulokhu kuphela ukujabula kwabo kuconsola. Ngakho, ekukhuthazeni ubuheke bakhe, uNkulunkulu wenza izinga elphakeme kakhulu lokuziphatha okuhle. Akukho okuweza kuwengeza ukujabula kwake: akukho okuweza kuwanciphisa. Uma indalo yonke yayizobhutshwa, uNkulunkulu ebenguye yedwa umuntu emuniverse, usengabenguye ngokupheleleyo obe nguNkulunkulu oziphakamisileyo futhi ojabulayo. Ngakho, akukho ubuzenzele kubuheke bakhe ekugcineni. Ubuhle bumdali buyinto ebalulekile ekulungeleni kwabakhandwa. Ukufisa ukumkhazimula uNkulunkulu, ngakho, kufanele kube yinto evamile ekulawuleni kwethu, intwasahlobo yezenzo zethu.

Kodwa ukuziphatha kukaNkulunkulu kuthuthukiswa njani ngokukhula kwethu emusa?

1. Kubonakaliswa kithina ngokucindezela umfanekiso wakhe ezinhliziyweni zethu, futhi ngokusinika ukutholakala kwemoya kokuhle, ukuhlanzeka, nobuhle, bemvelo yakhe yokuziphatha.

2. Kubonakaliswa kwabanye, ngakokhu sigcina ukuphila okungcwele; ngoba ngalokho umfanekiso wokuziphatha kaKristu uyaboniswa, njengobuhle belanga bubonakala ngokukhanya okubonakaliswa yinyanga.

3. Ubuhle bukaNkulunkulu buthuthukiswa ngokwenza abanye bajwayele ukuceba komusa wamahhala, futhi kubaletha kuKristu; ngoba, ngalokho, bamkela ukukhanya kwemoya ukuze babone ubuhle nobuheke bezipiliso zikaNkulunkulu, futhi umfanekiso wakhe uyacindezelwa emiphefumlweni yabo.

Kanjalo, sinazo izikhuthazo ezinkulu zokulwela ukuqhubeka kwezinto zikaThixo. IZwi likaThixo ligcwele izithembiso kubo bonke abafuna ukuzuza ukwazi okuphezulu ekwazini nasekungeneni kwikaThixo. Umprofethi uHoshea uthi, "Khona-ke siyakuwa, uma siqhubeka ukumazi uThixo: ukuphuma kwakhe kulungiswe njengokusa; yena utaweza kithi njengomvula, njengomvula wokuqala nowokugcina emhlabeni." Ukuphuma kwakhe, kubo abaqhubeka ukumazi, kutaweza njengokuqiniseka, njengokwejwayelekile, nokuqina, njengokubuya kwemini njalo; nanjengokuthuthuka njengokukhanya kwelanga, uma imisebe yalo iphuma empumalanga, iwa ngokukhanya nangamandla, hange iphonsa ukushisa okukhulu, nokukhanya okuqinisekile, okuqhenqileyo. "Uma siqhubeka ukumazi uThixo," izikhuthazo zethu zitaweza njengokuqiniseka, nokuhlangenwe kwethu kobuhle bukaThixo njengokuqiniseka, njengokulandelana kwebusuku nemini; nokuhlangana kwethu noThixo, nokwanda kokukhanya, kutaweza njengokuqina njengokuthuthuka kwelanga kusukela ekuseni kuze kube emini. Kungenzeka kube khona amafu athile; kodwa aya kuphela ngokushesha, iLanga Lokulunga liyaphuma linamimisebe emnandi nenjengqo yokukhanya.

Uyofika kithi njengemvula, njengemvula yokuqala neyokugcina emhlabeni.” EPalestina, imvula ayawi, njengakuleli lizwe, ngazo zonke izizini zonyaka; kodwa imvula enkulu iyawa, ukunisela umhlabathi ngesikhathi sokuhlwanyela, ukwenza isihlumelo sihlume sisikhule; futhi le mvula ichichima kakhulu kangangokuthi iqhubeka nokukhula kwezinto eziphilayo ngokuqhubeka okuzolile, kuze kube ngaphambi yeharvest, lapho imvula “yokugcina” iwela, ukupheleza isivuno – ukunika umzimba okusanhlamvu, ukuze lapho sekivuthwe, sibe sikhulu futhi sigcwele. Uma le mvula yokugcina ingawa, okusanhlamvu kuyancipha, futhi kuyabila, ukuze okusanhlamvu konakekele ngobuthi, futhi kuncishiswe ngobuningi. “Imvula yokuqala,” ngokuqondene nombhalo ocashuniwe, ibonakala ishoyo “ukuqabula okuvela phezulu,” okwenzeka engqondweni lapho “isihlumelo esihle” salowo uphondofeso sihluma kuqala; futhi, uma lokhu kuchichima, futhi umguquli osemncane “eqhubeka ukwazi iNkosi,” umgqugquzele wokuthi athole ngako uyamqhubeka enqubweni eqinile yokukhula kwabomoya, kuze kube “imvula yokugcina” ifike ukupheleza izithelo zakhe.

Kuhlangenwe nakho kwabakristu abenze ukuqhubeka okukhulu ekuphileni okuhloniphekileyo, kukhona into efanana kakhulu nale “mvula yokugcina.” Baqhubeka benqubekela phambili, emva kokuguqulwa kwabo, njalo bekhula, mhlawumbe, ngokuqhubeka okuncane kunamanye amaxesha kunamanye, njengokukhula kwezinto eziphilayo lapho izinto zingabonakali ziqhubeka. Kodwa, ekugcineni, emva kokulandela ngokuthembeka ukwazi iNkosi, bamkela amafutha amasha aphuma phezulu. Umoya weNkosi uthululelwa kubo futhi, njengemvula “yokugcina,” ukupheleza ukukhula kwezimphawu zabakristu. Kungenzeka, ekhulwini lokhula eMpumalanga, ukuthi, isomiso sinamandla kangangokuthi sibangela okusanhlamvu kuthotomele, futhi, mhlawumbe, sibonakale njengokuthi sizomomotheka futhi sibale.

Kwa njalo, imvula yenu, ngaphambi kwalolu hlelo olusha engilokhu ngilikhuluma, umKristu uyiswa ezilingweni ezinkulu, imvula izilingo ezidlula amandla, nokukholwa, lokho okwakungaphambili kwalo, isipiliyoni sakhe sokuqala sokuxolelwa. Kodwa, uma ukukhanya kunokuqhuma engqondweni yakhe, uyiswa ekhuphuka "endaweni ebanzi," behlola "ubuhle beNkosi," nobukhazikhazi bezisikelelo zakhe, ngombono ocacile kunangaphambili. Izicefu zokuqiniseka okupheleleyo ziqhuma engqondweni yakhe, nopokhele lwakhe lugeleza njengesifula esingalomi. Unokutholwa okusha nokucacile kobukhazikhazi bukaNkulunkulu, nalolo myama olungcwele nelikhazikhazi ngokungenakusho, "uNkulunkulu wabonakala emzimbeni." Umoya wakhe uyakhuphuka ezindleleni zikaNkulunkulu, yize wehliseka kakhulu kuye, wathobeka phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Ushintshe "umoya wokugqilaza" ngomoya wokutholwa." Ingqondo yakhe ikhona "ephokheleleni lomusa, igxile kuNkulunkulu." Le "imvula yokugcina" yenza izithelo zakhe zivuthwe. Uthando lwakhe, nenjabulo yakhe, njengokwakho konke ukuzwela kwakhe okuyisisa, zihlanzekile, zikomoya, nokuxubana okuncane kwemizwa yabantu; ukholo lwakhe luyaqina, lucace, luthize; ukhuthaphalala kwakhe kuyaqina; uyabana, umnene, mthobekile, aguquguqe, ekhona emthanjeni wakhe, ekhona konke; uyathekeliza izithelo ngokhuthaphalala; izithelo zakhe ziyaqhubeka, zibonwa, ebusweni bezisikelelo zikaNkulunkulu. Futhi, kwabaningi, lokhu kupholisa kuphindeka, imvula ekhona isikhathi eside somKristu, kubabangela bazohlala "bazalisa izithelo ngesikhathi sabo".

Kukhona okuthile okufana nalokhu "imvula yokugcina" esenzweni sabangcwele beBhayibheli, njengakoweJobho, phakathi nokuhlolwa kwakhe, nakwaDavide noPhethro, emva kokuwa kwabo. Kanjalo, siyathola nakwizikhumbuzi zabantu abavelele beKristu, njengakwaBunyan, uNkosikazi Edwards, (umkakwaJonathan Edwards,) uEdward Payson, uJames Brainerd, uTaylor, uGriffin, nabanye abaningi. UNkosikazi Edwards, isikhathi eside, wajabula, njengoba etshilo, "izicefu zokuqiniseka okugcwele." Uzizwa "ukuzinikela okungaphazanyeki nokuphelele kuNkulunkulu, mayelana nempilo noma ukugula, ukulula noma ubuhlungu, impilo noma ukufa; nokuzinikela okuphelele kwempilo yabangane bakhe abaseduze emhlabeni." Uphinde azizwe "uxolo olumnandi nokuthula kwengqondo, ngaphandle kwawolwe ukumphazamisa; ukujabula njalo kuzo zonke izenzo zemvelo noProvidence; ukufinyelela okumangalisayo kuNkulunkulu ngokuthandaza, ekhuluma naye ngendlela enzwakalisayo, njengokungathi uNkulunkulu uphila emhlabeni; izimpendulo ezivamile, ezicacile, nezokuzwa, zokuthandaza; izinyembezi zonke ziwab wab; izinkathazo zonke nezihlupho zempilo zikhohlwe, ngaphandle kwentlungu yesono; ukwenza yonke into ngenxa yenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu, ngokujabula okungaphazanyeki, ukuthula, nojolo." Ngasikhathi esifanayo, wabandakanya emisebenzini yempilo yansuku zonke ngokucopheleleyo okukhulu, ezibona njengengxenye yenselelo kaNkulunkulu; nalapho ezenziwa ngenxa yalesi sizathu, etshilo ukuthi ziyathokozisa njengokuthandaza uqobo. Uphinde abonise "ukukhathazeka okukhulu ukugwema isono sonke, nokwenza yonke imisebenzi yezokuziphatha. Uyena owonakalisayo ekwenzeni yonke imisebenzi yezokuhlalisana; abonisa ukungabi nacala kwempilo nengxoxo; ukuthula okukhulu, ukuhalalisela, nobumnandi bomoya; wab esola, ngokucopheleleyo okukhulu, zonke izinto azibonayo njengokushiyeka kwakhe kwakhe."

Kodwa laba bantu bafika kule ndawo ephakeme ekuphileni kweKhristu? Yize ngokubonga kwamahhala, ok sovereignty — nokho hhayi ngomsebenzi wokuziphatha. Uma sifuna ukusebenzisa izindlela ezifanayo, singafinyelela ekupheleni okufanayo; futhi lokho ngaphandle kokuthobisa ukuthembela kwethu kuNkulunkulu, noma isobekenzayo ekunikezeni kwake ububele; ngoba uqoke izindlela, njengokuphela. Ekukhulumeni ngokufinyelela kuka-Mrs. Edwards, umyeniwe wathi, "UMrs. Edwards wayesekhulelwe isikhathi eside, ngendlela engavamile, ekhulayo ngobubele; futhi ekhuphuka, ngendlela ebonakalayo, kuya elothweni eliphezulu kuNkulunkulu, ekhululwa emhlabeni, nasekuphokoreni phezu kwesono nokulingwa, ngokokuhlushwa okukhulu nokulwa, nokulwa isikhathi eside nesono, nokuthandaza nokusebenza ngokuzikhandla ekulweleni, nokuzinikela kwengqondo ekusebenziseni zonke izindlela. Lokhu ukhula lwalihambisana, hhayi kuphela nokwanda okukhulu kwezinto zenkolo, kodwa nokuguquka okubonakalayo kokuziphatha kwangaphandle; ikakhulukazi ngokuphila ngaphezu kwemhlaba, nasekuphokoreni okukhulu nokuqinile ekuphileni ngendlela yokulwela nokuzilahla; ukugcina ukulwa kweKhristu phansi kokulingwa, nokunqoba, ngezikhathi, phansi kokuhlushwa okukhulu; ukuphishekela ukuthula okunganyakazi, okungathintwa, phansi kwezinguquko nezingozi zesikhathi, njengamasizini okudolora okukhulu, nokuziphatha kwengozi yokufa ngokushesha."

Sithola ama-akhawunti ezilinganayo zokuhlupheka nezinkinga ekuphileni kwabanye. Yilokhu esingakwazi ukukulindela. Ivumelana nempilo yobuKristu, njengoba kuchazwe kwilizwi likaNkulunkulu. “Ngokuhlupheka okuningi yiyo ndlela esingena ngayo embusweni wezulu.” Yilokhu ndlela okufanele sihambe ngayo, uma singenza ukungena khona. Kufanele senze ubuzenkhe impi enkulu yempilo, okufanele yonke into enye inikeze indawo. Kufanele sibandakanye emsebenzini ngomphefumulo wethu wonke, sibheke kuKristu ngenamandla ngokumelene nezitha zethu zikamoya; silandele isibonelo sikaPawuli, “ngokuhohlwa kwezinto ezingemuva, nokwelula phambili kwezinto eziya phambili; ncwenga kumkhondo womklomelo wokubizwa okuphezulu kukaNkulunkulu ekristu Jesu;” khona-ke siyabhekisisa njengabanqobi ekugcineni, “ngomuntu ongatshengile kithu, wanikela yena ngenxa yethu.”