Ubuphristi kanye Namandla Ahlawulelayo kaMsindisi
Ukuze ifezeke inhloso kaBaba oseZulwini, amandla ahlawulelayo kaKristu kumele atholwe yibo bonke abantwana baNkulunkulu. Ubuphristi buletha lamathuba.
Ake sicabange ngerokhethi iyiswa lapho izotshuziswa khona ukuze ilungiselelwe ukusuka iye phezulu. Manje ake sibuke ngeso lengqondo sebeyivuthisa. Okubasa umlilo, kuguqulwa kwenziwe uphethiloli oshisayo, ophuma ngomfutho odingekayo ukududulela irokhethi emkhathini. Okokugcina ake siphinde sibuke ngeso lengqondo umthwalo ohlala phezu kwalerokhethi. Ukubaluleka kwalomthwalo kubonakala mzwukane ufika lapho kumele uye khona futhi usebenze ngendlela efanele. Awudingi ukuba usosayensi wamarokhethi ukuthi wazi ukuthi i-sethelayithi ebizayo yezokuxhumana komhlaba ayinalo usizo kangako uma ihleli igciniwe. Umsebenzi werokhethi ukuletha umthwalo okhokhelwayo.
Kusihlwa nje ngifisa ukuqhathanisa ubuphristi esibunikiwe nerokhethi futhi nethuba lokuzuza emandleni kaKristu ahlawulayo ngiliqhathanise nomthwalo olethwa yirokhethi.
Ngenxa yomnikelo ohlawulelayo, uJesu Kristu unamandla negunya lokuhlenga isintu sonke. Ukuze amandla Akhe ahlawulayo atholakale, unikeze amadoda asemhlabeni ingxenye yamandla Akhe negunya . Lamandla anikeziwe negunya kubizwa ngokuthi ubuphristi. Buvumela amadoda anikwe lobu buphristi ukuthi asize uBaba oseZulwini noJesu Kristu emsebenzini Wabo—wokuletha insindiso nokuphakanyiswa kwabantwana baNkulunkulu. Bukwazi ukwenza lokho ngoba bunika abantwana Bakhe ithuba lokuthola izibusiso zamandla ahlawulelayo kaMsindisi.
Amandla kaJesu Kristu ahlawulelayo abalulekile ngoba akekho kithi ongabuyela ekhaya lethu ezulwini ngaphandle kosizo. Empilweni yasemhlabeni, sihlala senza amaphutha futhi siphule imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Siba namabala ngenxa yesono futhi asikwazi ukuvunyelwa ukuba sibuyele emuva siyohlala noNkulunkulu. Sidinga amandla ahlawulelayo kaMsindisi ukuze sibuyisane noBaba oseZulwini. UJesu Kristu waphula izibopho zokufa, wavumela uvuko lwawo wonke umuntu. Usinika intethelelo yezono, okunemibandela yokuba sihloniphe imithetho nezimiso zevangeli Lakhe. Ngaye, sinikwa ukuphakanyiswa. Ithuba lokuzuza emandleni ahlawulelayo kaMsindisi kuwumthwalo wendalo okhokhelwayo obaluleke kakhulu.
Ukuze ifezeke inhloso kaBaba oseZulwini, amandla ahlawulelayo kaKristu kudingeka atholwe yibo bonke abantwana baNkulunkulu.1 Ubuphristi yibo obuletha lamathuba. Buyirokhethi. Ubuphristi bubaluleke kakhulu ngoba izimiso nezivumelwano ezidingekayo emhlabeni zenziwa ngegunya labo kuphela. Uma ubuphristi bungakwazi ukuletha ithuba lokuba abantu bazuze emandleni ahlawulelayo kaMsindisi, kuzoba yini inhloso yabo na? Kungaba yini isiqhumane esinkimbinkimbi sokuthi sinakwe nje kuphela? UNkulunkulu akaqondile ukuba ubuphristi bube yisifundo sangosuku lwangeSonto noma bube yithuba lokusiza nje kupela. Kodwa uqonde ukuthi bulethe umthwalo okhokhelwayo.
Ukulimala okuncane kumarokhethi kungadala ukuba angakwazi ukwenza umsebenzi wawo. Izivalo ezintengentenge nokukhathala komzimba kungenza irokhethi ukuthi ingasebenzi kahle. Ukuqapha ukuba ubuphristi bube nezivalo ezintengentenge nokukhathala komzimba, njengokomfanekiso, uNkulunkulu uvikela kokubili ukunikwa nokusetshenziswa kwabo.2 Ukunikwa kobuphristi kuvikelwe yizikhiye zobuphristi, okungamalungelo obumongameli anikwe umuntu.3 Ukusetshenziswa kobuphristi nakho kuvikelwe yizikhiye zobuphristi ngokunjalo nezivumelwano ezenziwa yilabo abaphethe ubuphristi. Ngakho-ke ukusetshenziswa kobuphristi kuphethwe yizikhiye zobuphristi ngokunjalo nezivumelwano. Indoda inikwa yodwa umsebenzi wobuphristi futhi lowo msebenzi awuzimeli wodwa ngaphandle kwaleyo ndoda;4 ubuphristi akuwona umthombo wamandla azimele ongenasimo.
UbuPhristi bukaMelkisedeki nobuka-Aroni butholakala ngesivumelwano.5 UNkulunkulu ubeka imigomo umuntu ayamukele. Kafushane nje, abanikwe ubuphristi benza isivumelwano sokusiza uNkulunkulu emsebenzini Wakhe. Ekuqaleni kwalesi sikhathi, uJesu Kristu wachaza ukuthi isivumelwano sobuphristi “siqiniswa phezu kwenu ukuze nizuze ngaso, futhi hhayi ukuze kuzuze nina kuphela, kodwa ukuze kuzuze umhlaba wonke…ngokuba abezi kimi.”6
Lokhu kufundisa ukuthi inhloso yobuphristi ukumema abanye ukuthi beze kuKristu ngokubasiza bathole ivangeli elibuyisiwe. Sinobuphristi khona sizosiza abantwana baBaba oseZulwini ukuthi bakhululwe emthwaleni wesono sabo futhi bafane Naye. Ngobuphristi, amandla obuNkulunkulu ayabonakala ezimpilweni zabo bonke abenza futhi bazigcine izivumelwano zevangeli futhi nabathola izimiso ezihambisana nabo.7 Yiyona ndlela sonke ngabanye esiza ngayo kuKristu, sihlanzwe futhi sibuyisane noNkulunkulu. Amandla ahlawulayo kaKristu uyawathola ngobuphristi, obuletha umthwalo okhokhelwe.
Izivumelwano noNkulunkulu zenziwa ngeqiniso nangesizotha. Indoda kumele izilungiselele, ifunde ngalezo zivumelwano futhi izenze lezo zovumelwano ngenhloso yokuzigcina. Isivumelwano siba yisethembiso sakho. Ukuhumusha umbhali wemidlalo wamaNgisi uRobert Bolt, indoda yenza isivumelwano uma ifuna ukuzibophezela esithembisweni ngendlela eyehlukile. Uzihlanganisa neqiniso lesethembiso namandla akhe. Uma indoda yenza isethembiso, izibamba yona uqobo njengamanzi ezandleni zayo. Uma ivula iminwe yayo, ayidingi ukuba nethemba lokuthi izozithola futhi. Umuntu ophula isethembiso akasenabo ubuyena azozibophezela ngabo noma isiqinisekiso angasinikeza.8
Onobuphristi buka-Aroni wenza isivumelwano sokugwema bonke ububi, asize abanye babuyisane noNkulunkulu, futhi alungiselele ukuthola ubupristi bukaMekisedeki.9 Lemithwalo yemfanelo engcwele igcwaliseka ngesikhathi efundisa, ebhabhadisa, eqinisa amalungu eBandla futhi emema abanye ukuthi balemukele ivangeli. Lena yimisebenzi yakhe efana ne “rokhethi”. Uma esesibuyisela, uNkulunkulu wethembisa ithemba, ukuxolelwa, ukusetshenzelwa yizingelosi, kanye nezikhiye zevangeli lokuphenduka kanye nokubhabhadiswa.10
Onobuphristi bukaMelkisedeki wenza isivumelwano sokufeza imithwalo yemfanelo ehambisana nobuphristi buka-Aroni nokukhulisa ubizo lwakhe kubuphristi bukaMelkisedeki.11 Ukwenza lokhu ngokugcina imiyalelo ehambisana nesivumelwano. Lemiyalelo ibala “ukunaka ngokukhuthala amazwi okuphila okuphakade” ngokuphila ngawo wonke amazwi aphuma emlonyeni kaNkulunkulu,12 efakaza ngoJesu Kristu kanye nomsebenzi Wakhe wezinsuku zokugcina,13 engazikhukhumezi ngalezi zinto,14 futhi eba ngumngani kaMsindisi, emethemba njengoba umngani engenza.15
Uma esesibuyisela, uNkulunkulu wethembisa ukuthi onobuphristi bukaMelkisedeki uzothola izikhiye zokuqonda izimfihlakalo zikaNkulunkulu. Uzophelela du ukuze akwazi ukuma phambi kukaNkulunkulu. Uzokwazi ukufeza indima yakhe emsebenzini wensindiso. uJesu Kristu uzomlungiselela indlela futhi abe naye. UMoya oNgcwele uyoba senhliziyweni yaleyo ndoda enobuphristi, futhi izingelosi zizoyithwala. Umzimba wakhe uyoqiniswa futhi uvuselelwe. Uyoba indlalifa ezibusisweni zikaAbrahama futhi, nomkakhe, babe izindlalifa ndawonye noJesu Kristu embusweni kaBaba oseZulwini.16 Lezi “izethembiso eziyigugu nezikhulukazi.”17 Azikho izethembiso ezidlula lezi.
Kumuntu ngamunye othola ubupristi bukaMelkisedeki, uNkulunkulu uyasiqinisekisa isivumelwano sakhe ngesifungo.18 Lesi sifungo siqondene nobuphristi bukaMelkisedeki kuphela,19 futhi nguNkulunkulu ofungayo, hhayi lowo onobuphristi.20 Ngenxa yokuthi lesi simo esingafani nezinye sibandakanya amandla negunya lakhe laphezulu, uNkulunkulu usebenzisa isifungo, ulimi olunamandla kakhulu angalusebenzisa, ukusiqinisekisa ngobunjalo besethembiso Sakhe esingenakuguqulwa.
Mibi imiphumela yokuphula lesi sivumelwano sobuphristi ngokunjalo nokusilahla impela.21 Ukunganaki nokungakhathaleli ubizo lobuphristi kufana nokuletha umzimba ontengentenge engxenyeni yerokhethi. Kubeka engozini isivumelwano sobuphristi ngoba kungadala ukungaphumeleli emsebenzini wokuthunywa. Ukungayihloniphi imiyalo kaNkulunkulu kuphula isivumelwano. Kulowo ongaphendukile nohlezi esiphula isivumelwano, izibusiso ezethenjisiwe ziyahoxiswa.
Ngagcina sengibuqonda ngokugcwele ubudlelwano phakathi kwerokhethi “lobuphristi” nomthwalo okhokhelwayo “oyithuba lokuzuza emandleni aKristu ahlawulelayo” eminyakeni eminingi eseyadlula. Ngenye impelasonto nganginemisebenzi emibili okwakudingeke ngiyenze. Owodwa kwaku ngowokwakha isikhonkwane sokuqala ezweni thizeni,omunye kwakuwukuba nengxoxo emfushane nensizwa bese, uma konke kwakuhamba kahle, ngibuyisele ubuphristi bakhe kanye nezibusiso zethempeli. Le nsizwa eyayineminyaka engamashumi amathathu yangena eBandleni iseyintsha. Yawenza ngempumelelo umsebenzi wayo wokushumayela ivangeli. Kodwa ngesikhathi ibuya ekhaya, yalahlekelwa yindlela yayo, futhi yalahlekelwa ubulungu bayo eBandleni. Emva kweminyaka, “kwasa kuyo,”22 kwathi ngosizo lwabaholi bobuphristi abathandekayo namalungu anomusa, yaphenduka yemukelwa futhi ngokubhabhadiswa eBandleni.
Kamuva, yafaka isicelo sokubuyiselwa ubuphristi bayo nezibusiso zethempeli . Sahlela isikhathi sokubonana sangoMgqibelo ekuseni ngo10 endlini yokukhonzela. Ngesikhathi ngifika ngaphambi kwesikhathi ngenxa yeminye imihlangano engangize kuyo lensizwa yayisikhona. Yayisifisa kakhulu ukubuyiselwa ubuphristi futhi, yayingasakwazi ukulinda.
Ngesikhathi sengxoxo yethu, ngayikhombisa incwadi eyayichaza ukuthi uMongameli uThomas S. Monson wayesibheke yena qobo isicelo sayo futhi nguye owayegunyaze lengxoxo. Lensizwa eyayinesibindi yakhala. Ngase ngimtshela ukuthi usuku lwengxoxo yethu lwalungezukuba nanto etheni evela kwabakhulu ethinta impilo yakhe. Wabukeka edidekile uma ezwa lokho. Ngamazisa ukuthi emva kokubuyisela izibusiso zakhe, emabhukwini eBandla kuyovela yonke imininingwane yezinsuku zokuqala mhla ebhabhadiswa, eqiniswa, egcotshelwa ebuphristini ngokunjalo nangamhla enikwa isipho somoya. Waphinde wafikelwa wumunyu futhi.
Ngamcela ukuba afunde kwiMfundiso neziVumelwano.
“Bhekani, lowo ophendukile ezonweni zakhe, nguye lowo othethelelwe, futhi mina, iNkosi, angibe ngisazikhumbula.
“Ngalokhu niyokwazi uma umuntu ephenduka ezonweni zakhe—bhekani, uyozivuma futhi azishiye.”23
Izinyembezi zaphinde amehlo akhe okwesithathu. Ngase ngibeka izandla zami ekhanda lakhe, futhi egameni likaJesu Kristu nangegunya lobuphristi bukaMelkisedeki, nangokugunyazwa nguMongameli weBandla, ngabuyisela ubuphristi bakhe nezibusiso zethempeli.
Injabulo eyafika kithi sobabili yaba nkulu kakhulu. Waye sazi ukuthi wayesegunyaziwe futhi ukuthi abuphathe aphinde abusebenzise ubuphristi bukaNkulunkulu. Waye sazi ukuthi izibusiso zakhe zethempeli zase zinamandla ngokuphelele futhi. Wabonakala enokujabula ekwenzeni kwakhe enentokozo. Ngaba nokuzigqaja ngaye, futhi ngangizwa ukuthi noBaba oseZulwini wayezigqaja ngaye.
Emva kwalokho, isikhonkwane sahleleka. Imihlangano yayihanjelwe abaNgcwele ababegcwele umdlandla nokwethembeka, futhi kwasekelwa ubumongameli obuhle besikhonkwane. Kepha kimi lesi sikhathi somlando sokuhlela isikhonkwane sokuqala kulelizwe senganyelwa yintokozo engaba nayo, ngesikhathi ngibuyisela izibusiso kulensizwa.
Sekungikhanyele ukuthi inhloso yokuhlela isikhonkwana, noma ukusebenzisa ubuphristi bukaNkulunkulu nganoma iyiphi indlela, ukusiza uBaba oseZulwini noJesu Kristu emsebenzini Wabo—ukuba balethe amathuba okuhlengwa nokuphakanyiswa kubantwana baNkulunkulu. Njengoba irokhethi inenhloso yokuletha umthwalo okhokhelwayo, lobu phristi buletha ivangeli laJesu Kristu, elivumela wonke umuntu ukuba enze isivumelwano futhi athole izimiso ezihambisana nalezo zivumelwano. “Igazi elihlawulayo likaKristu”24 lingasebenza ezimpilweni zethu ngesikhathi sizwa ithonya elingcwelisayo likaMoya oNgcwele futhi sithole nezibusiso uNkulunkulu azethembisile.
Ngaphezu kokuhlonipha imithetho nezimiso zevangeli, ngiyakumema ukuba wenze futhi ugcine izivumelwano zobuphristi. Sithole isifungo sikaNkulunkulu nesithembiso Sakhe. Khulisa imithwalo yakho yemfanelo yobuphristi ukuze usize uBaba oseZulwini noJesu Kristu. Busebenzise ubuphristi ukuze ulethele abanye amathuba enzuzo avela emandleni ahlawulayo kaMsindisi! Ngesikhathi ukwenza lokho, zinkulu izibusiso ezizoza kuwe nomndeni wakho. Ngiyafakaza ukuthi uMhlengi uyaphila futhi nguye oqondisa lomsebenzi, egameni likaJesu Kristu, amen.