Kungani Lidingeka iBandla
YiGosa uD. Todd Christofferson
WoMgwamanda WabaPhostoli AbaliShumi naMbili
Kunenzuzo ukuba kesicabange ngokuthi kungani uJesu Kristu ekhetha ukusebenzisa ibandla, iBandla Lakhe, ukwenza umsebenzi Wakhe nokaYise.
Empilweni yami yonke, ngithole ukwenama emoyeni ngesikhathi ngihamba imihlangano emikhulu yaleliBandla, futhi khona lapha eBandleni kube yilapho ngigcine sengiyazi khona iNkosi. Ngiyazi ukuthi bakhona labo abazi ukuthi nabo bahamba ngokwenkolo kodwa abakwenqabayo ukubamba iqhaza ebandleni noma abangasiboni ngisho isidingo sokubakhona kwendawo yokukhonza enjengalena. Kulaba imikhuba abayilandelayo yenkolo ngeyabo nje kuphela. Kodwa sithola ukuthi leliBandla lenziwa Nguye lowo esigxile Kuye ngokomoya—uJesu Kristu. Kunenzuzo ukuba kesicabange ngokuthi kungani Yena ekhetha ukusebenzisa ibandla, iBandla Lakhe, iBandla likaJesu Kristu labaNgcwele beziNsuku zokuGcina, ukwenza umsebenzi Wakhe nokaYise “ukufeza ukungafi nokuphila okuphakade komuntu.”1
Ivangeli likaJesu Kristu laqala ukushumayelwa ku-Adamu, futhi kwenziwa nezimiso ezibalulekile zevangeli, njengombhabhadiso, zenziwa ngohlelo lobuphristi olwalugxile emndenini.2 Kwathi uma abantu sebeqala ukwanda, uNkulunkulu wase ebiza abanye abaphrofethi, izithunywa, kanye nothisha. Siyafunda ukuthi ngezikhathi zikaMose, kwakukhona amagosa, abaphristi, kanye nabehluleli. Emlandweni oseNcwadini kaMormoni, u-Alima wasungula ibandla elalinabaphristi nothisha.
Kwase kuthi maphakathi nesikhathi, uJesu wase ehlela umsebenzi Wakhe ngendlela yokuthi ivangeli lalingashumayelwa ngasikhathi-sinye ezizweni zonke futhi nakubantu abehlukahlukene. Leyo nhlangano, iBandla likaJesu Kristu, lwalunesisekelo “sabaphostoli, nabaphrofethi, uJesu Kristu uqobo lwakhe eyitshe legumbi.”3 Kwakukhona nezinye izikhundla, njengabamashumi ayisikhombisa, amagosa, ababhishobhi, abaphristi, othisha, kanye namadikoni. UJesu waphinda walimisa futhi leliBandla kwelaseNtshonalanga emva koVuko Lwakhe.
Emva kokuhlubuka eqinisweni nokuhlakazeka kweBandla ayelihlelile ngesikhathi esasemhlabeni, iNkosi yaphinde yalimisa futhi iBandla likaJesu Kristu ngoMphrofethi uJoseph Smith. Inhloso yasemandulo isamile namanje: okungukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zevangeli likaJesu Kristu ngokunjalo nokwenziwa kwezimiso zensindiso—ngamanye amazwi, ukuletha abantu kuKristu.4 Manje, ngosizo lweBandla eselibuyiselwe, isethembiso sokuhlengwa sesiyafezeka ngisho nakulabo abayimimoya yabafileyo ababengazi lutho ngomusa woMsindisi ngesikhathi sabo sempilo yasemhlabeni.
Ngabe iBandla Lakhe lizifeza kanjani izinhloso zeNkosi na? Kubalulekile ukwemukela ukuthi inhloso kaNkulunkulu ekugcineni wukuba siqhubekele phambili. Isifiso Sakhe wukuba “siphikelele sande ngomusa, [size sifumane] ukuphelela”5 kwakho konke Yena angasinika kona. Ukuze sizuze lokho kukhona okunye okudingekayo kunokuba sibe nogazi nje. Kudinga ukholo kuJesu Kristu, ukuphenduka ezonweni zethu, umbhabhadiso ngamanzi nangoMoya, kanye nokubekezela okholweni kuze kube sekugcineni.6 Akulula ukuba umuntu akwazi ukukwenza lokhu eyedwa, ngakho-ke okuyisona sizathu esikhulu sokuba iNkosi ibe nebandla wukuba kwakheke umphakathi wabaNgcwele abazosekelana “kulendlela engumngcingo nencane eholela ekuphileni okuphakade.”7
“Nguyena futhi [uKristu] owanika abanye ukuba babe ngabaphostoli, abanye abaphrofethi, abanye abavangeli, abanye abelusi nabefundisi;
“… Ngomsebenzi wokukhonza, ngokwakhiwa komzimba kaKristu:
“Size sifinyelele sonke ebunyeni bokukholwa, nasekwazini iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, ebudodeni obupheleleyo, esilinganisweni sobukhulu sokugcwala kukaKristu.”8
UJesu Kristu “ungumqambi nomphelelisi wokholo [lwethu].”9 Ukuzihlanganisa nomzimba kaKristu—iBandla —kuyingxenye ebalulekile yokubizwa ngegama Lakhe.10 Sitshelwa ukuthi iBandla lasemandulo “lalihlangana ndawonye njalo, ukuze lizile ukudla futhi likhuleke, nokuthi lixoxisane omunye nomunye mayelana nokuzuza kwemiphefumulo yabo”11 “futhi balalele izwi leNkosi.”12 Kunjalo naseBandleni lanamuhla. Sihlangene okholweni, siyafundisana futhi sakhane futhi sizabalazele ukuba ngabafundi abapheleleyo, “isilinganiso sobukhulu sokugcwala kukaKristu.” Sizabalazela ukusizana ukuze sifinyelele “ekwazini iNdodana kaNkulunkulu,”13 kuze kufike lolo suku lapho “bengasayikufundisana, kube yilowo nalowo nomakhelwane wakhe, …bethi, Yazi iNkosi: ngokuba bonke bayakungazi, kusukela kwabancane kuya kwabakhulu babo, kusho iNkosi.”14
KuleliBandla asifundi kuphela ngemfundiso kaNkulunkulu, kodwa futhi sizizwela thina ukuthi isebenza kanjani. Njengomzimba kaKristu, amalungu aleliBandla ayasizana ngezinto abhekana nazo nsuku-zonke empilweni. Sonke sinamaphutha, singona abanye siphinde soniwe nathi. Siyavivinyana ngalokho esikwenzayo okwehlukile kwabanye. Kulomzimba kaKristu, kumele siye ngaphezulu kwamagama amakhulu nje, kufanele “sizizwele thina” ngesikhathi sifunda “ukuhlala ndawonye ngothando.”15
Le nkolo ayiqondene nomuntu uqobo lwakhe kuphela, kodwa, sibizelwe ukuba sisizane sonke. Singamehlo, izandla, ikhanda, izinyawo, nezinye izitho zomzimba kaKristu, futhi ngisho “lezo zitho … ezingathi zibuthakathaka kunezinye, ziyadingeka ”16 Siyaludinga lolu bizo, futhi siyakudinga ukusizana.
Enye yamadoda ewadini lami yakhula ingenakho ukusekelwa ngabazali beyiphikisa ngokubamba iqhaza eBandleni. Ngelinye ilanga ikhuluma enkonzweni yathi: “Ubaba akaqondi kahle ukuthi kungani ngikhetha ukuya esontweni esikhundleni sokuyozijabulisa, kodwa ngiyakuthanda ngempela ukuya esontweni. EBandleni, sonke sisohambeni olufanayo, futhi okungihlaba umxhwele kulolu hambo yintsha eqinile, abantwana abamsulwa, nengikubonayo nengikufundayo kwabanye abadala. Kuyangiqinisa ukuhlangana nabanye futhi ngiyathokoza ngenjabulo yokuphila ivangeli.”
Amawadi namagatsha eBandla ahlanganyela kanye ngesonto ukuze kuphunyulwe futhi kuvuselelwane, kuba yisikhathi lapho sishiya khona umhlaba ngemuva—iSabatha. Kuba yisikhathi “sokuzijabulisa eNkosini,”17 isikhathi sokuzwa ukwelapheka emoyeni okuza ngesidlo esingcwele, isikhathi sokuthola ukuvuselelwa kwesethembiso sikaMoya Wakhe ukuba ube nathi.18
Esinye sezibusiso ezinkulu zokuba yingxenye yomzimba kaKristu, nakuba kungabonakali njengesibusiso okwamanje, wukusolwa ngesono nangamaphutha. Sithanda ukuba nezaba nezizathu zamaphutha esiwenzayo, futhi kwesinye isikhathi asazi kahle ukuthi yikuphi okufanele sikulungise nokuthi kufanele sikwenze kanjani lokho. Ngaphandle kwalabo abangasisola “ikakhulukazi ngesikhathi esifanele, uma beqhutshwa uMoya oNgcwele,”19 ngeke saba nakho ukukhuthalela ukushintsha siyilandele ngokugcwele iNkosi. Ukuphenduka okomuntu ngamunye, kodwa ukuhlanganyela kuleyondlela enobuhlungu kwesinye isikhathi kukhona kuleliBandla.20
Kulenkulumo yeBandla njengomzimba kaKristu, zimbili izinto okufanele sizikhumbule. Okokuqala, asizabalazeli ukuguqukela eBandleni kodwa kuKristu nasevangelini Lakhe, lolo guquko lwenzeka ngosizo lweBandla.21 INcwadi kaMormoni ikubeka kahle kakhulu uma ithi abantu “ba phendukela eNkosini, futhi ba hlanganyela ebandleni likaKristu. ”22 Okwesibili, kufanele sikhumbule ukuthi ekuqaleni, iBandla lalingumndeni, ngisho nanamhlanje njengoba kokubili kumiswe ngokwehlukana, umndeni neBandla kuyasizana kuqinisane. Akukho okuthatha indawo yokunye, futhi ngempela iBandla, ngisho linakho konke okuhle, alikwazi ukuthatha indawo yabazali. Okuyisona sifundo sevangeli ngokunjalo nezimiso zobuphristi ezenziwa eBandleni wukuthi imindeni inikwe amandla okuzuza ukuphila okuphakade.
Kukhona esinye isizathu esikhulu sokuba uMsindisi asebenze ngebandla, iBandla Lakhe, leso sizathu wukufeza izinto ezidingekayo ezingenakufezwa ngumuntu ngamunye noma abantu abambalwa. Isibonelo esicace kakhulu salokhu yingesikhathi kubhekwana nokweswela. Kuyiqiniso ukuthi siyabhekelana ngezidingo zabanye singabantu nemindeni, “siphana omunye nomunye okwenyama nokukamoya njengokwezidingo zabo kanye nezimfuno zabo.”23 Kodwa uma sindawonye eBandleni, sikwazi kakhulu ukunakekela abampofu nabeswele, futhi baningi kakhulu asebekwazi ukuzimela.24 Phezu kwalokho, leliBandla, iziNhlangano zalo zokuSiza, ngokunjalo nemigwamanda yalo yobuphristi konke kuyakwazi ukuletha usizo kwabaningi ezindaweni eziningi ezithintekile ngenxa yezibhicongo, yizimpi, nokuhlushwa.
Ngaphandle kwamandla akhona eBandleni Lakhe, umsebenzi woMsindisi wokuthunywa ukuyisa ivangeli emhlabeni wonke ubungeke wenzeke.25 Ngabe azikho izikhiye zabaphostoli, ukwakhiwa, usizo lwemali, nokuzinikela kwezinkulungwane ngezinkulungwane zabefundisi abadingekayo ukufeza lo msebenzi. Khumbula lokhu, “leliVangeli loMbuso liyoshunyayelwa kuwo wonke umhlaba, libe wubufakazi ezizweni zonke, futhi emva kwalokho isiphelo siyofika.”26
LeliBandla likwazi ukwakha futhi lisebenzise amathempeli, izindlu zeNkosi, lapho kwenziwa khona izimiso ezibalulekile nezivumelwano. UJoseph Smith wathi injongo kaNkulunkulu ekuqoqeni abantu Bakhe kunoma yisiphi isikhathi emhlabeni “wukwakhela iNkosi indlu lapho Yena engembulela abantu Bakhe khona izimiso zendlu Yakhe nezinkazimulo zombuso Wakhe, afundise abantu indlela yensindiso, ngokuba kukhona izimiso nemigomo ethile, okuthi uma ifundiswa futhi kuphilwa ngayo, kufanele lokho kwenziwe endaweni noma endlini eyakhelwe lokho.”27
Uma kukhona okholwa wukuthi zonke izindlela ziya ezulwini, noma akukho okufunekayo ukuze umuntu azuze insindiso, lowo muntu ngeke asibone isidingo sokumemezela ivangeli noma izimiso nezivumelwano ukuze kuhlengwe abaphilayo nabafileyo. Kodwa asikhulumi nje kuphela ngokungafi kodwa futhi sikhuluma nangokuphila okuphakade, futhi-ke ukuze umuntu akuzuze lokho indlela yevangeli kanye nezimiso ibaluleke kakhulu. Futhi uMsindisi udinga kube khona ibandla ukuze lezo zinto zitholwe yibo bonke abantwana baNkulunkulu—abaphilayo nabafileyo.
Isizathu sokugcina engizosimbula sokuba iNkosi imise iBandla Layo sihluke kakhulu kunezinye—leliBandla vele lingumbuso kaNkulunlulu emhlabeni.
Ngesikhathi iBandla likaJesu Kristu labaNgcwele beziNsuku zokuGcina lisasungulwa ngeminyaka yo- 1830, iNkosi yasho lokhu kuMphrofethi uJoseph Smith, “Phakamisani izinhliziyo zenu futhi nithokoze, ngokuba umbuso ungowenu, noma ngamanye amazwi, izikhiye zebandla zinikiwe.”28 Ngegunya lalezi zikhiye, abaphathi zikhundla baleliBandla bagcina imfundiso kaMsindisi imsulwa ngokunjalo nezimiso Zakhe zingaguquliwe.29 Basiza ukulungiselela labo abafisa ukuzithola, behlulele ngokuphathelene nokufaneleka kwalabo abafisa ukuzithola, bese beyazenza.
Ngalezi zikhiye zombuso, izinceku zeNkosi zinamandla okubona iqiniso namanga, ziphinde nazo zikwazi ukusho ngegunya ukuthi, “Kusho iNkosi.” Ngebhadi, abanye bayalizonda leliBandla ngoba befuna ukuba nelabo iqiniso, kodwa eqinisweni kuyisibusiso esikhulu ukuthola “ulwazi lwezinto njengoba zinjalo, futhi njengoba zazinjalo, futhi njengoba zizoza”30 uma iNkosi ithanda ukuzembula. LeliBandla liyazivikela futhi lizikhiphe izambulo zikaNkulunkulu—imibhalo engcwele eqinisiweyo.
Ngesikhathi uDaniyeli etolika iphupho lenkosi yaseBabele uNebukadinesari, elalazisa inkosi “okuyakuba-khona ngezinsuku ezizayo,”31 washo nokusho ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wasezulwini uyakumisa umbuso ongasoze wachithwa nobukhosi bawo bungayikushiyelwa kwabanye abantu, kepha uyakuchoboza, uqede yonke [eminye] imibuso, wona uqobo ume phakade.”32 LeliBandla liyilowo mbuso wesiphrofetho wezinsuku zokugcina, ongenziwanga ngezandla zomuntu kodwa omiswe nguNkulunkulu wasezulwini futhi oginqikayo uya phambili njengetshe “elaqheshulwa entabeni kungengazandla” lagcwala umhlaba wonke.33
Lidalelwe ukuba lisungule iSiyoni ukulungiselela ukubuya nokubusa kukaJesu Kristu ngeminyaka eyizigidi. Ngaphambi kwalolo suku, alizukuba ngumbuso oqondene nombangazwe—njengoba noMsindisi asho wathi, “Umbuso wami awusiwo owaleli izwe.”34 Kodwa, yilapho kutholakala khona igunya Lakhe emhlabeni, yilapho kunikwa khona izivumelwano Zakhe ezingcwele, yilapho kugcinwa khona amathempeli Akhe, umvikeli nomemezela iqiniso Lakhe, yindawo yokuhlanganela abakwa-Israyeli abahlakazeke yonke indawo, futhi yindawo “yokuvikeleka, nokuphepha kuso isichotho, nakulo ulaka uma seluthululwa lungaxutshiwe emhlabeni.”35
Ngiphetha ngokunxusa nangomkhuleko owenziwa nguMphrofethi:
“Bizani iNkosi, ukuze umbuso wayo uqhubekele phambili emhlabeni, ukuze abantu abakuwo bawemukele, futhi balungiselele izinsuku ezizofika, lapho iNdodana yoMuntu iyoza phansi isuka ezulwini, yembethe ukukhanya kwenkazimulo yayo, ukuzohlangana nombuso kaNkulunkulu omiswe emhlabeni.
“Ngalokho-ke, sengathi umbuso kaNkulunkulu ungaqhubeka, ukuze umbuso wasezulwini ufike, ukuze wena, O Nkulunkulu, ukhazimuliswe ezulwini nasemhlabeni, ukuze izitha zakho zinqotshwe; ngokuba olwakho udumo, namandla nenkazimulo, phakade naphakade.”36
Egameni likaJesu Kristu, ameni.