“Ibandla likaNkulunkulu likhethelwe ukuba isithunywa sensindiso yabantu. Lahlelelwa umsebenzi, futhi umsebenzi walo ukuhambisa ivangeli emhlabeni. Kusukela ekuqaleni kulokhu kuyicebo likaNkulunkulu ukuthi ibandla Lakhe libonakalise emhlabeni ukugcwala Kwakhe nokwenelisa Kwakhe. Amalunga ebandla, labo athe wababiza ukuba baphume ebumnyameni bangene ekukhanyeni Kwakhe okumangalisayo, kufanele babonise inkazimulo Yakhe” 1

Njengefa lokugcina ngaphambi kokwenyuka Kwakhe, iNkosi Yethu uJesu Kristu wanikeza uthumo olukhulu kubantu Bakhe. Ngaleso simemezelo esikhulu, ibandla lamiswa kulomhlaba wesono ukusebenzela ukuphenduka kwemiphefumulo. Ibandla lithunyiwe ukuhambisa ivangeli eliphakade kwizidalwa zonke. Isikhathi, amathalenta, nezinsiza zinikeziwe-bonke ngalenhloso njengomgomo wabo ophakeme.

Ngokubheka isimo esonakele kakhulu somhlaba wethu, njengebandla likaKristu, kufanele sizibuze ngempela ukuthi: “Ingabe zikhona yini izinto eziningi thina okufanele sizenzele uKristu-na? Asinakho yini ukuziphendulela okukhulu esingakunaki ngenye indlela-na? Asenzanga yini isivumelwano noJesu esingakasiphelelisi ohlangothini lwethu-na?

Sisithela ngaphansi kokuzithethelela, kodwa inking akubona ubukomanisi, noma ubuRoma, noma Inkululko, noma Okwanamuhla. Inkinga ukuthi singamaKristu alele! Ingabe lokhu engikwenzayo kuzongisiza ingunaphakade? Ingabe kukhulisa umsebenzi kaKristu-na? Uma kungenjalo, noma kuyini esikhetha ukukwenza, akusizi ngalutho. Omunye uke waqaphela ukuthi uNkulunkulu akahlosanga ngebandla Lakhe ukuthi libande lapho kukhona ubumnene kufanele kube ngumshini wokuchamusela okumele uzale abaphendukile abasha.

“Ikhaya elilodwa elihlelekile, eliqeqesheke kahle lisho okukhulu ngenxa yobuKrestu kunezintshumayelo zonke ezilethwayo. Umkhaya onjalo unikeza ubufakazi bokuthi abazali bathe baphumelela ekulandeleni izeluleko zikaNkulunkulu, nokuthi abantwana babo bazokhonza Yena ebandleni. Umfutho wabo uyakhula; ngoba njengoba babelana, bathola okunye futhi ukuba babelane ngakho. Ubaba nomama bathola usizi kubantwana babo, abanikeza abanye izeluleko abazithola ekhaya. Omakhelwane abahlala eduze kwabo bayasizakala, ngoba ngazo bayanotha okwesikhashana nangesikhathi saphakade.” 2

“[UNkulunkulu] ufisa ukubona kuphuma emakhayeni abantu bethu ixuku elikhulu labasha labo, ngenxa yomfutho wokwesaba uNkulunkulu emakhayeni abo, banikele izinhliziyo zabo Kuye, baqhubekela phambili ukunikeza inkonzo enkulu ekuphileni kwabo.” 3

Umpostoli uPawule uthi, “Anginayo intokozo enkulu kunaleyo yokuba ngizwe ukuthi abantwana bami bahamba eqinisweni” (3 Johane 1:4)

UNkulunkulu usibusisile ngabantwana abancane. Kungani asinike bona-na? Ukuba bakhuliselwe Yena. Kuyini ukuziphendulela kwethu-na? IBhayibheli lisitshela ukuthi: “Khulisa umntwana ngendlela eyakuba ngeyakhe; kuyakuthi lapho esekhulile, angasuki kuyo” (Izaga 22:6).

“Ukuphatha nokululeka abantwana ngumsebenzi wokuvangela ozothile lowo noma yimuphi owesilisa noma owesifazane ongazithathela wona….

“Sidinga ukuba sishisekele ukuhambisa ivangeli emakhayeni ethu, ukuba silethe iZwi lokuphila phambi kwamalunga omkhaya nokubaholela ukuba bafune ikhaya embusweni kaNkulunkulu.” 4

Kuyinto enhle uma abazali beletha abantwana babo ukuba babusiswe futhi banikelwe kuNkulunkulu, kodwa lokho akwanele. Inyathelo elilandelayo libalulekile ukuba uqhubeke ukuthola lesosibusiso-sokufundisa umntwana ngokugcizelela inhloso yokuba akhonze uKristu ukukhulisa umbuso Wakhe. Wonke umntwana ubizelwe ukuba yithulusi lokusindisa abanye. Kukhona izindlela ezimbili zokusebenzela abantwana bethu: “Abantwana bangafundiselwa inkonzo yesono noma inkonzo yokulunga.” 5

“Nikeza amanye amahora akho okuphumula kubantwana bakho; hlanganyela nabo emsebenzini wabo nasemidlalweni yabo, ukuze uzuze ithemba labo. Zijwayeze ubungani nabo.” 6

Ungabanakho ukunikeza ukuqondisa, futhi umzuzu ngamunye uzobe ukhuluma njengomsakazo, uthumela kancane kancane izeluleko. Kodwa endaweni yokunikeza umntwana wakho imfundiso, kufanele ubanike inhliziyo yakho. Fundisa umntwana wakho okuningi ngokukhuma kancane.

“Wonke umama kufanele abenesikhathi sokunikeza abantwana bakhe lokuthandekisa okuncane okubaluleke kakhulu ngesikhathi besebancane noma sebekhulile. Ngalendlela uma uzobe ehlanganisa izinhliziyo zabantwana nokujabula kuye. Uzoba yilokhu uNkulunkulu ayikho kithi.”7

Sibafundisa kanjani abantwana bethu ukuba basebenze-na? Ngokubanika uthando. Bazali abathandekayo, ubuhle bokuphila kuchaza ukuzinikela ngothando kubantwana bakho nomlingane wakho, nikeza okhulile isandla sokusiza, ukulalela ngokunaka ubuhlungu bokuwa komuntu, unikele isipho sobukhona bakho kunoma ngubani odinga usizo lwakho.

Isikhathi sanamuhla siphiwe thina ukuze sife kumina sibe namava okuvuka kukaKristu.

“Wafela bonke, ukuze abaphilayo bangabe besaziphilela bona, kepha baphilele yena owabafelayo, wabuye wavuka” (2 Korinte 5:15).

Kukhona ukhiye owodwa wokuqeqesheka nokuchuma. UJesu uyachaza: Ukuze uhlamvu lukakolweni luthele isithelo, kufanele lufe. “Ngibethelwe noKristu: kodwa ukuphila engikuphilayo kalokhu enyameni, kepha uKristu uphila kimi” (Galathi 2:20, ngokwengezwa). Uma uKristu ephila phakathi kwethu, uzoba yini umphumela-na? Siphila ukuphila Kwakhe. Kwakunjani ukuphila Kwakhe ngesikhathi elapha emhlabeni? Ukuphila Kwakhe konke bekuyimpilo yokusebenza, egcwele uthando.

“Konke enakufunda, nakwamukela, nakuzwa, nakubona kimi, kwenzeni lokho” Filiphu 4:9 (ukugcizelela kuyengezwa.)

“Lowo ozoba ngongcwele ezulwini kufanele aqale ukuba ngongcwele emndenini wakhe. Uma obaba nomama bangamaKrestu eqiniso emindenini yabo, bebezoba ngamalunga alusizo ebandleni akwaziyo ukuphatha izindaba ebandleni nasemphakathini ngendlela efanayo abaphatha ngayo amakhaya abo. Bazali, inkolo yenu mayingabi inkolo yokuzisho, kodwa mayibe ngeyeqiniso….Ngaphandle kokuthi ubonise ukuthobeka, umusa, nokwamukela izihambi ekhaya lakho, inkolo yakho izobayize. Uma bekukhona amakhaya amaningi anenkolo yangempela, bekuzoba namandla amakhulu ebandleni.” 8

“Ikhaya lomKrestu libe yisifundo esinqabile, sifanekise ubuhle bezimiso zeqiniso zokuphila. Isifanekiso esinjalo sizoba amandla wokuhle emhlabeni….Njengoba abasha bephuma ekhayeni elinjalo, izifundo abazithole ekhaya babelana ngazo.” 9

Sifuna ukuthi abantwana bethu babe yizibonelo ezifanelekile zokulingiswa, futhi lokhu kuhle. Kuyisifiso esithobekile, kodwa abayikho namuhla ngumphumela walokhu bebekuphila ngayizolo. Lokhu esikutshalile izolo, sizokuvuna namuhla. Kubalulekile ukuthi obaba babe ngabapristi bomuzi, ekhaya. Omama bayadingeka ukuba bakhulise abantwana babo babakhulisele uNkulunkulu. Abantwana kumele bathintwe amandla angcwele. Futhi izwi eligqamile akufanele kube “ikusasa,” kodwa malibe “namuhla noma ungalisho.”

“Abantwana mabafundiswe besebencane ukuba basize, bazisize ngokwabo, basize nabanye.” 10

“Abazali mabafundise abantwana babo ukuthi ubuvila buyisono.

“Akukho okuholela kakhulu ngempela ebubini kunokususa wonke umthwalo ebantwaneni, ubashiye bengenzi lutho, bengenakuphila okuqondiwe, bangenzi lutho, noma bazigcine besebenza ngokuthanda kwabo.” 11

“Awekho amavila emzini wabakholwayo. Lonke ilunga lomndeni linomsebenzi onikwe wona, abanye inxenye ensimini yeNkosi okumele basebenze kuyo.” 12

“Yimaphi amandla endlela esifundisa ngayo abantwana bethu akhona phezu kwabo? Ingabe bazoba ngabakhwishizelayo noma bazobola bashabalale? Uma uzicabangela wena kuphela, uba ngumuntu ozidlayo, ozazisayo. Yiyo lendlela abantwana abazokhula ngayo, bazozitika ngalesosimo. Umphumela uzoba ukumbasha, isizukulwane esidangele, esingasebenzeli uNkulunkulu. UNkulunkulu nebandla Lakhe abadingi abazali nabantwana abagqiba amathalenta abo emhlabathini. Ibandla likaNkulunkulu lidinga izisebenzi ezikhuthele, hayi izibukeli.

“Isibani noma sisincane kangakanani, uma sigcinwa sikhanya ngokuthulile, singaba yindlela yokukhanyisa ezinye izibani eziningi.” 14

Ngokwemvelo yawo, umlilo ubeletha umlilo. Uma uzungezwe ezinye izinto ezivuthayo, uthatha ilangabi okhunini ukuqala umlilo. Kodwa ukusuka kwisibani esisodwa, izinkulungwane ezilishumi ziyokhelwa ngokufanayo. UJohane uMbhapathizi wakhuluma ukuthi lowo oza kuye “uzakumbhapathiza ngoMoya nangomlilo.” Lesi isidingo sethu esikhulu osukwini lwethu-ibandla elibhapathizwe ngomlilo. Yilokhu uSathane nombuso wakhe abakwesabayo, ibandla elokhelwe ngomlilo wothando olungcwele. Ngubani ongamelana nalo? Ukuthanda uNkulunkulu kuzoba ngathi umshini odala amandla ogesi-uzokusunduza ukuba wenze izinto ezinkulu wenzela uNkulunkulu. Wena omusha nabazali abathandekayo manje yisikhathi sokuba ningawucimi uMoya nivimbele amandla kaNkulunkulu, kodwa ukuba nikhule ekukholweni!

“Wonke umfundi weqiniso uzalelwa umbuso kaNkulunkulu njengohambisa ivangeli. Lowo ophuza amanzi aphilayo uba ngumthombo wokuphila.” 15

“UNkulunkulu uzohamba phezu kwabantu abasezikhundleni ezithobekile ukuba bamemezele isigijimi seqiniso lanamuhla. Abaningi abanjalo bazohamba ngokushesha ukuya phansi naphezulu, beqhutshwa nguMoya kaNkulunkulu ukunikeza ukukhanya kulabo abasebumnyameni. Iqiniso liba ngumlilo emathanjeni abo, libagcwalise ngesifiso esivuthayo sokukhanyisela labo abahlezi ebumnyameni. Abaningi, naphakathi kwalabo abangafundile, bazomemezela izwi leNkosi. Abantwana bazocindezelwa nguMoya Ongcwele ukuba baqhubekele phambili ukumemezela isigijimi sasezulwini. UMoya uzothululwa phezu kwalabo abazinikela ekuhambiseni izwi. Besuka kwizibopho eziyimiyalo yabantu nokuhamba ngokuqaphela, bazohlangana nebutho leNkosi.” 16

Ngingakhulisa kanjani isipho leso esidingwa ngumhlaba kakhulu?

“Abasha badinga ukuba bafundiswe ukuthi ukuphila kusho umsebenzi ocophelelayo, wokuziphendulela, nokunakekela. Badinga uqeqesho oluzobenza basebenze-abesilisa nabesifazane abazomelana nokungalindelwe. Kumele bafundiswe uqeqesho olufanayo, umsebenzi ohanjiswa ngokomthetho obalulekile, kungesiso isiphephelo maqondana namalinganiso okuphila, kodwa njengosizo olusizungezile ukuze sikhule.” 17

1. Ubusha obukhulu. Omusha udinga ukufundiswa kahle ukuthi athande kanjani uKristu kakhulu kanye nombuso Wakhe, ukuthi bangazinikela kanjani ngenhliziyo yonke ekukhonzeni Yena. Nokuthi bangahlala belungela kanjani ukuzidela, nokuzinikela, noma yimuphi umsebenzi angababizela wona. Kuyadingeka ukuba sisebenze ngokufanele senzela uKristu yonke indawo-ekhaya noma sikude nasekhaya, kwixuku eliphezulu lomphakathi noma eliphansi. UKristu akazange amise ukuthi abasha baphile kwisimo sokuvama.

2. Abasha abanomqondo othuthukile. Ingabe amaKrestu asemasha anganeliseka kwisimo ezivamile emsebenzini wabo embusweni woMhlengi, kuyilapho abantu emhlabeni bezama ngamandla ukuphumelela ekwenzeni kwabo nasemisebenzini yabo-na? Qaphela indlela yokuphendukezela ukweyama kwakho kusizo oluNgcwele, ucabange ukuthi ukushiseka kwenhliziyo kuzobuyisela ukungabi nalwazi. Umyalo uthi: Wothanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngayo yonke inhliziyo yakho, nangawo wonke umphefumulo wakho, nangawo wonke amandla akho, nangayo yonke ingqondo yakho”-futhi lokhu kusebenza ngesilinganiso esifanayo sokukhonza iNkosi nokuyithanda. Abasha bethu badinga ingqondo elingene nehluzekile.

3. Intsha ezidelayo. “Thokoza okwesikhashana” akuyona into ongayibamba, kodwa okuthize okumele ukunikele. “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana Yakhe ezelwe yodwa….”UNkulunkulu wanikela ngoJesu njengeSipho, ukuze sibe ngabanikelayo. Manje ukudlula ngaphambili, kukhona isidingo sezinceku ezahlukaniselwe uKristu.

“Wonke umuntu omusha. Wonke umntwana, unomsebenzi okumele awenze ngenxa yodumo lukaNkulunkulu nokuphakamisa uluntu.

Abantu abasha abathandekayo, ningaba yizigqila zokuthanda izimpahla ezinhle noma intuthuko yokuba namakhono, isigqila sewashi lakho, i-phone, namanye amacebo, isigqila sokuthanda inhlala-kahle, isigqila sokungaqondi iphupho. Konke lokhu noma ezinye izindlela zokugqilazwa zisho impilo echithekile. Ukufana noKristu akusho ukukhwela isitebhisi sokuhlalisana; akusho ukukhathalele ukuba ngolawulayo, akusho ukuhlala ngokuthokomala, kodwa kunalokho, kusho ukuphana. Konke okubalulekile kakhulu kusekelwe ekupheni, futhi ukuphila impilo engenakho ukuphana kuyize. Ukupha kusho ukuthi unokwanele. Ingabe ugodla uKristu kuwe ukuba angaZinikeli? Uma ukwenza lokhu, angeke aphile ngaphakathi kwakho, kodwa endaweni yalokho uzohlala uyinceku yobugovu bakho.

Hleze angeke wenza izinto ezinkulu; angeke wabizwa ngokuti ungumqashi webandla. Awukho umsebenzi okuthiwa mncane kakhulu futhi awukho nomkhulu kakhulu. Abaningi bafuna ukuguqula umhlaba, kodwa kaningi akekho ofuna ukwenza umsebenzi omncane owenza umuntu ngamunye azizwe ethandwa. Isilinganiso ophana ngaso yisilinganiso owamukela ngaso.

“Akulona ilungelo lokuhlanganyela noJesu-na? Akuyona inhlonipho yokuhlanganyela emsebenzini omkhulu wokusindisa imiphefumulo, ukwenza inxenye yomsebenzi esashiyelwa wona nguMsindisi wethu? Akukho noyedwa ongaphana ngesibusiso kwabanye ngaphandle kokuba asizakala ngokwakhe. “Ophuzisayo uyakuphuziswa naye” (Izaga 11:25).’“ 19

“Ukukholwa kwethu ukuba lithele izithelo zemisebenzi emihle, ngoba ukukholwa ngaphandle kwemisebenzi kufile. Wonke umsebenzi owenziwe, wonke umnikelo owenziwe egameni likaJesu, uletha umvuzo omkhulu kakhulu. Kusenzo ngasinye sokusebenza, uNkulunkulu uyakhuluma futhi unikeza isibusiso Sakhe. Kodwa ufuna kithi ukuzinikela okuphelele kwamandla. Ingqondo nenhliziyo, umzimba wethu, kufanele unikelwe Kuye, noma sizosilela ukuba ngamaKrestu eqiniso.” 20

“Kepha-nina yibani namandla, zingadangali izandla zenu: ngokuba umsebenzi wenu uyakuba nomvuzo wawo” (2 Izikronike 15:7).

Basha abathandekayo, bazali abathandekayo, philani imihla yonke kungathi nibhekene nokugula okungalapheki. Nikela namuhla lokhu okwamukela kuKristu. Umhlaba udinga kakhulu ukwembulwa kothando lukaNkulunkulu. Ngifisa ukuthi emva kweminyaka eyikhulu yokubakhona, kweRefom Movement ingazamazama ngaphansi kwamandla othando neqiniso likaKristu. Ngiyakhuleka ngokushiseka ukuthi leMovement ingabi ngesolekayo, kodwa ukuba ingaqubuka njenge-ntabamlilo, nomhlaba wonke uzungezwe uthando lukaNkulunkulu.

Ingabe, muntu omusha othandekayo, nani bazali abathandekayo, nizohlanganisani ngokushesha ukuthi leMovement ingagcwalisa umhlaba wonke ngenkazimulo kaNkulunkulu? Lokuzamazama kothando luzofinyelela kumaphethelo wonke womhlaba –futhi lizohlaba ingunaphakade liqhubekele phambili. Ukukhetha kungokwakho. Khetha ngokuhlakanipha. Khetha ukushisekela uKristu. Yiba ngukukhanya!

The Acts of the Apostles, p. 9.

The Adventist Home, p. 32 [Ukugcizelela kuyengezwa.]

Counsel to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 131. [Ukugcizelela kuyengezwa.]

Child Guidance, p. 476.

Counsel to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 108.

The Adventist Home, p. 192.

Ibid., p. 197.

Ibid., pp. 317-319. 32 [Ukugcizelela kuyengezwa.]

Ibid., p. 31. [Ukugcizelela kuyengezwa.]

Ibid., p. 283.

Ibid., p. 284.

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 454.

The Adventist Home, p. 287.

Ibid., p. 32.

The Desire of Ages, p. 195.

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 7, pp. 26, 27.

Education, p.215

The Adventist Home, p. 280.

Counsels on Health, p. 508.

Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 145.