Ngaba Uyakwazi “Ukwahlula Okulungileyo Nokubi”?

“Qhubekani niqinisekisa ngoko kwamkelekileyo eNkosini.”—EFESE 5:10.

 1. Ubomi bunokuba nzima ngayiphi indlela namhlanje, yaye ngoba?

“NDAZI kakuhle, Yehova, ukuba ayikho semntwini wasemhlabeni indlela yakhe. Asikokomntu ohambayo ukwalathisa inyathelo lakhe.” (Yeremiya 10:23) Esi sibakala sibalulekileyo saphawulwa nguYeremiya sinentsingiselo ngakumbi kuthi namhlanje. Ngoba? Kungenxa yokuba siphila ‘kumaxesha amanqam ekunzima ukujamelana nawo,’ njengoko iBhayibhile yaxela kwangaphambili. (2 Timoti 3:1) Yonke imihla, sijamelana neemeko ezinzima ezifuna ukuba senze izigqibo. Enoba zinzulu okanye akunjalo, ezi zigqibo zinokuba nomphumo onzulu kwintlalo-ntle yethu—ngokwenyama, ngokweemvakalelo nangokomoya.

 2. Luluphi ukhetho olunokugqalwa njengento engenamsebenzi, ukanti amaKristu azahluleleyo alugqala njani olo khetho?

² Ukhetho esilwenzayo kubomi bethu bemihla ngemihla lunokugqalwa njengento esimele siyenze okanye into engenamsebenzi. Ngokomzekelo, suku ngalunye kufuneka sikhethe impahla esiza kuyinxiba, ukutya esiza kukutya, abantu esiza kubabona njalo njalo. Olu khetho phantse luyinto eqhelekileyo, akukho mfuneko yokuba sicingisise ngalo. Kodwa ngaba loo mibandela yinto nje engenamsebenzi ngokwenene? NjengamaKristu azahluleleyo, siluxhalabele ngokunzulu ukhetho esilwenzayo ngokuphathelele isinxibo nembonakalo yethu, ukutya nokusela, intetho nehambo yethu isoloko ibonisa ukuba singabakhonzi boYena Uphakamileyo, uYehova uThixo. Sikhumbula amazwi kampostile uPawulos athi: “Enoba niyatya okanye niyasela okanye nenza nantoni na eyenye, zonke izinto zenzeleni uzuko lukaThixo.”—1 Korinte 10:31; Kolose 4:6; 1 Timoti 2:9, 10.

 3. Luluphi ukhetho olunzulu ngokwenene?

³ Kukho nokhetho olunzulu nangakumbi. Ngokomzekelo, isigqibo sokutshata okanye sokuhlala ungatshatanga, ngokuqinisekileyo siba nemiphumo enzulu nehlala ihleli ubomi bomntu bonke. Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukukhetha iqabane elifanelekileyo lomtshato, oza kuhlala nalo ubomi bakho bonke, akuyondlwan’ iyanetha.a (IMizekeliso 18:22) Ukongezelela, ukukhetha abahlobo nabantu esinxulumana nabo, imfundo, umsebenzi wempangelo, ukuzonwabisa nokuzihlaziya, kunendima ebalulekileyo kubomi bethu bokomoya nakwintlalo-ntle yethu kanaphakade.—Roma 13:13, 14; Efese 5:3, 4.

 4. (a) Yintoni ekubalulekileyo ukuba sikwazi ukuyenza? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo esimele siyiqwalasele?

⁴ Ekubeni sijongene nolu khetho, ngokuqinisekileyo kubalulekile ukuba sikwazi ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi okanye oko kubonakala kulungile noko kulungileyo ngokwenene. IBhayibhile iyalumkisa: “Kukho indlela ethe tye phambi komntu, kodwa emva koko ziindlela zokufa.” (IMizekeliso 14:12) Ngaloo ndlela, sinokuzibuza: ‘Ndinokubuhlakulela njani ubuchule bokukwazi ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi? Sinokuphethukela phi ukuze sifumane ukhokelo oluyimfuneko xa sisenza izigqibo? Baye benza ntoni abantu bamandulo nabanamhlanje ngokuphathelele lo mba, yaye uye waba yintoni umphumo?’

‘Intanda-bulumko Nenkohliso Elambathayo’ Yehlabathi

 5. Lalinjani ihlabathi awayephila kulo amaKristu okuqala?

⁵ AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayephila kwihlabathi ekwakuxhaphake kulo imilinganiselo yamaGrike neyamaRoma. Kwelinye icala, kwakukho amaRoma awayephila ubomi obutofo-tofo, obabunqweneleka kwabaninzi. Kanti kwelinye icala, iqela leenkcuba-buchopho zaloo mihla lalinemincili kungekuphela nje ngenxa yeengcamango zentanda-bulumko kaPlato noAristotle kodwa nangenxa yamaqela ezithandi-zobulumko ayesandul’ ukuvela, njengamaEpikure namaStoyike. Ekufikeni kukampostile uPawulos eAthene, kutyelelo lwakhe lwesibini lobuvangeli basemazweni, wadibana nezithandi-zobulumko zamaEpikure namaStoyike ezazivakalelwa kukuba zazisazi gqitha zona ‘kuneli pholopholo’ linguPawulos.—IZenzo 17:18.

 6. (a) Amanye amaKristu okuqala ahendelwa ukuba enze ntoni? (b) Sisiphi isilumkiso esanikelwa nguPawulos?

⁶ Ngoko ke, siyaqondakala isibakala sokuba abanye phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala batsaleleke kubomi obuqheleqhele obabuphilwa ngabantu ababebangqongile. (2 Timoti 4:10) Abo babephambili kuloo nkqubo babebonakala benandipha iingenelo ezininzi, yaye izigqibo ababezenza zazibonakala zisengqiqweni. Kwakubonakala kukho into exabiseke ngakumbi enokufumaneka ehlabathini eyayingenakufumaneka kubomi bomKristu ozahluleleyo. Noko ke, umpostile uPawulos walumkisa esithi: “Lumkani, ningathabatheki ziintanda-bulumko nayinkohliso elambathayo esekelwe kwizithethe zabantu, nakwizinto eziziziqalelo zehlabathi, kungekhona kuKristu.” (Kolose 2:8) Kwakutheni ukuze uPawulos athethe ngolo hlobo?

 7. Buxabiseke kangakanani ubulumko behlabathi?

⁷ UPawulos wanikela esi silumkiso ngenxa yokuba wayebona ingozi yoko kwakucingwa ngabo babetsalelekele ehlabathini. Ukusebenzisa kwakhe ibinzana elithi ‘iintanda-bulumko nenkohliso elambathayo’ kunentsingiselo ekhethekileyo. Igama elithi ‘intanda-bulumko’ ngokoqobo lithetha “ukuthanda ubulumko nokuba nosukelo lokuba nabo.” Loo nto ngokwayo inokuba yingenelo. Eneneni, iBhayibhile ngokukodwa kwincwadi yeMizekeliso, isikhuthaza ukuba sibe nosukelo lokufumana uhlobo olufanelekileyo lolwazi nobulumko. (IMizekeliso 1:1-7; 3:13-18) Noko ke, uPawulos wathetha ‘ngentanda-bulumko’ ‘nenkohliso elambathayo.’ Ngamany’ amazwi, uPawulos wabugqala ubulumko behlabathi njengobulambathayo nobuyinkohliso. Njengebhaloni evuthelweyo, babubonakala buqinile, kodwa kwakungekho nto bubaluleke ngayo. Ngokuqinisekileyo kwakuya kuba bubudenge, kwanengozi, ukusekela izigqibo zikabani ngokulungileyo nokubi kwinto engabalulekanga ngolo hlobo ‘njengentanda-bulumko elambathayo neyinkohliso’ yeli hlabathi.

Abo Bathi “Okulungileyo Kubi Nokubi Kulungile”

 8. (a) Abantu baphethukela kubani ukuze bafumane icebiso? (b) Anjani amacebiso afumanekayo?

⁸ Izinto azahlukanga kangako namhlanje. Phantse kuzo zonke iinkalo zokuphila kwabantu, kukho iingcali ezininzi. Kukho abantu abacebisa ngemibandela ephathelele umtshato nentsapho, ababhali bemihlathi, abo bazibanga beziingcali zonyango, abavumisi ngeenkwenkwezi, oosiyazi nabanye, bakulungele ukunikela amacebiso—ngentlawulo. Kodwa banikela amacebiso anjani? Ngokufuthi, imilinganiselo yokuziphatha eseBhayibhileni ithatyathelw’ indawo koko kufane kubizwe ngokuba yimilinganiselo emitsha yokuziphatha. Ngokomzekelo, lithetha ngokungavumi kukarhulumente ukubhalisa “imitshato yabantu abangamafanasini,” inqaku elalikwiphephandaba laseKhanada elaziwayo i-The Globe and Mail lathi: “Ngonyaka wama-2000, kuyinto engekho ngqiqweni ukuba isibini esithandanayo nesizinikeleyo omnye komnye singavunyelwa ukuphumeza umnqweno osezintliziyweni zaso ngenxa nje yokuba singabesini esifanayo.” Abantu namhlanje banotyekelo lokunyamezelana, kunokuba bagxekane. Yonke into ijongwa njengexhomekeke kwiimeko, akusekho nto kuthiwa ilungile okanye iphosakele ngokupheleleyo.—INdumiso 10:3, 4.

 9. Yintoni edla ngokwenziwa ngabantu abagqalwa njengabahloniphekileyo phakathi kwebutho labantu?

⁹ Abanye babagqala abantu abaphumelelayo kwimibandela yentlalo nabanemali—abazizityebi nabadumileyo—njengabayimizekelo xa besenza izigqibo. Nangona abantu abazizityebi nabadumileyo begqalwa njengabahloniphekileyo kwibutho labantu banamhlanje, ngokufuthi abakuqheliseli oko bakuthethayo ngokuphathelele iimpawu ezifana nokunyaniseka nokuthembeka. Ngenxa yokuba benosukelo lokufumana igunya nenzuzo yemali, abantu abaninzi aboyiki ukutyeshela imigaqo yokuziphatha. Ukuze bafumane udumo, bambi ngokungakhathali bayayigatya imilinganiselo eyamkelekileyo baze bakhethe ukuziphatha ngendlela engaqhelekanga neyothusayo. Umphumo uye waba libutho labantu elinosukelo lokufumana inzuzo, oovula-zibhuqe abathi, “Yonk’ into yamkelekile.” Ngaba ingumnqa into yokuba abantu badideke ngokuphathelele okulungileyo nokuphosakeleyo?—Luka 6:39.

10. Aye angqineka eyinyaniso njani amazwi kaIsaya ngokuphathelele okulungileyo nokubi?

¹⁰ Umphumo olusizi wokwenza izigqibo zobudenge ngokusebenzisa ukhokelo olungachananga ubonakala kuyo yonk’ indawo—uqhawulo-mtshato nokuqhekeka kweentsapho, ukusetyenziswa kakubi kweziyobisi notywala, amaqela olutsha anogonyamelo, ukuziphatha kakubi, izifo ezidluliselwa ngeentlobano zesini, xa sikhankanya nje ezimbalwa. Eneneni, besinokulindela ntoni xa abantu betyeshela yonke imilinganiselo okanye ulwalathiso ngokuphathelele okulungileyo nokubi? (Roma 1:28-32) Kunjengokuba umprofeti uIsaya watshoyo: “Yeha ke abo bathi okulungileyo kubi nokubi kulungile, abo babeka ubumnyama endaweni yokukhanya nokukhanya endaweni yobumnyama, abo babeka ubukrakra endaweni yobumnandi nobumnandi endaweni yobukrakra! Yeha ke abo bazizilumko kwawabo amehlo nabaziingqondi phambi kobuso babo!”—Isaya 5:20, 21.

11. Kutheni kungebobulumko ukuthembela kwisiqu sikabani ekufumaniseni okulungileyo nokubi?

¹¹ Ekubeni uThixo wawaphendulisayo loo maYuda amandulo awaba ‘zizilumko emehlweni awo’ kubaluleke nangakumbi kuthi ukuphepha ukuthembela kwiziqu zethu ngokuphathelele okulungileyo nokubi. Abantu abaninzi namhlanje bayavumelana nengcamango ethi “yenza oko intliziyo yakho ithi kwenze,” okanye “yenza oko uvakalelwa kukuba kulungile.” Ngaba leyo yindlela esengqiqweni? Ayivumelani neBhayibhile, leyo ngokucacileyo ithi: “Intliziyo inenkohliso kunayo nantoni na yaye iyatyhudisa. Ngubani na onokuyazi?” (Yeremiya 17:9) Ngaba ubuya kuthembela kukhokelo lomntu onenkohliso notyhudisayo xa usenza izigqibo? Nakanye. Eneneni, mhlawumbi ubuya kwenza ngokuchaseneyo noko ukuxelelwa nguloo mntu. Kungenxa yoko le nto iBhayibhile isikhumbuza oku: “Okholosa ngentliziyo yakhe usisiyatha, kodwa ohamba ngobulumko uya kusinda.”—IMizekeliso 3:5-7; 28:26.

Ukufunda Oko Kwamkelekileyo KuThixo

12. Kutheni kufuneka sikungqine ngokwethu “ukuthanda kukaThixo”?

¹² Ekubeni singamele sithembele kubulumko behlabathi okanye kwiziqu zethu ngokuphathelele okulungileyo nokubi, yintoni esifanele siyenze? Phawula esi siluleko sicacileyo sivela kumpostile uPawulos esithi: “Musani ukumilisa okwale nkqubo yezinto, kodwa guqukani ngokutshintsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nikungqine ngokwenu ukulunga nokwamkeleka nokugqibelela kokuthanda kukaThixo.” (Roma 12:2) Kutheni kufuneka sikungqine ngokwethu ukuthanda kukaThixo? EBhayibhileni, uYehova usinika isizathu esicacileyo kodwa esinamandla, esithi: “Njengoko amazulu ephakamile kunomhlaba, ngokunjalo neendlela zam ziphakamile kuneendlela zenu, neengcamango zam kuneengcamango zenu.” (Isaya 55:9) Ngaloo ndlela, kunokuba sithembele kokwethu ukuqonda okanye kwindlela esivakalelwa ngayo, siyalulekwa: “Qhubekani niqinisekisa ngoko kwamkelekileyo eNkosini.”—Efese 5:10.

13. Amazwi kaYesu akuYohane 17:3 ayigxininisa njani imfuneko yokwazi oko kwamkelekileyo kuThixo?

¹³ UYesu Kristu wagxininisa imfuneko yokuba senjenjalo xa wathi: “Oku kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, nangalowo umthumileyo, uYesu Kristu.” (Yohane 17:3) Ibinzana elithi “ukungenisa ulwazi” linentsingiselo enzulu, alithethi nje “ukwazi.” Ngokutsho kweVine’s Expository Dictionary, “libonisa unxulumano olukhoyo phakathi komntu owaziyo noko akwaziyo; yaye kule nkalo, oko kwaziwayo kuxabisekile okanye kubalulekile kulowo waziyo, yaye ngenxa yoko kubalulekile ukwakha olo lwalamano.” Ukuba nolwalamano nomntu kuthetha okungakumbi kunokwazi nje ukuba loo mntu ungubani okanye ukwazi igama lakhe. Kubandakanya nokwazi oko akuthandayo noko angakuthandiyo, ukwazi imigaqo nemilinganiselo yakhe—size siyihlonele.—1 Yohane 2:3; 4:8.

Ukuqeqesha Amandla Ethu Okuqonda

14. UPawulos wathi yintoni umahluko phakathi kweentsana zokomoya nabantu abaqolileyo?

¹⁴ Ngoko ke, sinokubufumana njani ubuchule bokwahlula okulungileyo nokubi? Sifumana impendulo kumazwi kaPawulos awawabhalela amaKristu angamaHebhere enkulungwane yokuqala. Wabhala: “Wonk’ ubani osasela ubisi akaqhelananga nelizwi lobulungisa, kuba ulusana. Kodwa ukutya okuqinileyo kokwabantu abaqolileyo, abo bathe ngokuwasebenzisa amandla abo okuqonda bawaqeqeshela ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi.” Apha uPawulos uthelekisa “ubisi,” olo kwindinyana engaphambili aluchaza ngokuthi ‘zizinto eziziziqalelo zezibhengezo ezingcwele zikaThixo,’ ‘nokutya okuqinileyo,’ ‘kwabantu abaqolileyo,’ abo ‘baqeqeshela amandla abo okuqonda ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi.’—Hebhere 5:12-14.

15. Kutheni kufuneka sizibhokoxe ukuze sizuze ulwazi oluchanileyo ngoThixo?

¹⁵ Okokuqala, oku kuthetha ukuba simele sizibhokoxe ukuze siyiqonde ngokuchanileyo imilinganiselo kaThixo eseLizwini lakhe, iBhayibhile. Apha asithethi ngoludwe lwemithetho esixelela oko simele sikwenze nesimele singakwenzi. IBhayibhile asiyoncwadi injalo. Kunoko, uPawulos wachaza: “Sonke iSibhalo siphefumlelwe nguThixo kwaye siyingenelo ekufundiseni, ekohlwayeni, ekulungelelaniseni izinto, ekuqeqesheleni ebulungiseni, ukuze umntu kaThixo awufanelekele aze awuxhobele ngokupheleleyo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo.” (2 Timoti 3:16, 17) Ukuze singenelwe koko kufundiswa, ukohlwaywa noqeqesho, simele sisebenzise ingqondo yethu namandla ethu okuqonda. Oku kufuna umgudu, kodwa loo mgudu ufanelekile xa sicinga ngokuba oko kusenza ‘siwuxhobele ngokupheleleyo wonke umsebenzi olungileyo.’—IMizekeliso 2:3-6.

16. Kuthetha ukuthini ukuqeqesha amandla kabani okuqonda?

¹⁶ Emva koko, njengoko uPawulos wabonisayo, abantu abaqolileyo ‘baqeqesha amandla abo okuqonda ukuze bakwazi ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi.’ Apha sifikelela koyena ndoqo. Ibinzana elithi ‘baqeqesha amandla abo okuqonda’ ngokoqobo lithetha ukuba “baqeqesha izivamvo zabo (njengomntu owenza umthambo).” (Kingdom Interlinear Translation) Umntu onamava ekwenzeni umthambo esebenzisa isixhobo esithile, ngephanyazo unokuntinga aye phezulu abuye anyathele okanye abambelele kweso sixhobo asisebenzisayo nto leyo enokwenza kubonakale ngathi awukho umthetho womxhuzulane kwakunye neminye imithetho yemvelo. Uyakwazi ukuwulawula umzimba wakhe ngalo lonke ixesha, yaye ubonakala eliqonda ngokuzenzekelayo inyathelo elilandelayo amele alithabathe ukuze aphumelele ukwenza loo mthambo. Konke oku kungumphumo wokuqhubeka ewuqeqesha ngokungqongqo umzimba wakhe.

17. Sifanele sifane ngayiphi ingqiqo nomntu owenza umthambo?

¹⁷ Nathi simele siqeqesheke njengomntu owenza umthambo, ngokwengqiqo yokomoya, ukuba sifuna ukuqiniseka ngokuba sengqiqweni kwezigqibo nokhetho esilwenzayo. Ngalo lonke ixesha simele sikwazi ukuzilawula ngokupheleleyo izivamvo zethu namalungu ethu omzimba. (Mateyu 5:29, 30; Kolose 3:5-10) Ngokomzekelo, ngaba uyawaqeqesha amehlo akho ukuba angajongi izinto ezibonisa ukuziphatha okubi okanye iindlebe zakho ukuba zingaphulaphuli umculo okanye intetho ethob’ isidima? Liyinyaniso elokuba singqongwe zezo zinto zingcolileyo. Noko ke, kuxhomekeke kuthi enoba siyazivumela zihlale ezintliziyweni nasezingqondweni zethu kusini na. Sinokuxelisa umdumisi owathi: “Andiyi kubeka nantoni na yobutshijolo phambi kwamehlo am. Ndikuthiyile ukwenza kwabo baphambukayo; akunamatheli kum. . . . Yena ke nabani na othetha ubuxoki, akayi kumiselwa ngokuqinileyo phambi kwamehlo am.”—INdumiso 101:3, 7.

Qeqesha Amandla Akho Okuqonda Ngokuwasebenzisa

18. Lithetha ukuthini ibinzana elithi “ngokuwasebenzisa” awathetha ngalo uPawulos xa wayecacisa ngokuqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda?

¹⁸ Khumbula ukuba amandla ethu okuqonda sinokuwaqeqeshela ukwahlula okulungileyo nokubi “ngokuwasebenzisa”. Ngamany’ amazwi, xa simele senze izigqibo, ngalo lonke ixesha sifanele sifunde ukusebenzisa amandla ethu okuqonda ukuze siqonde imilinganiselo yeBhayibhile ebandakanyekileyo nendlela enokusetyenziswa ngayo. Kwenze umkhwa ukuphanda kwiimpapasho zeBhayibhile ezilungiselelwe ‘ngekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45) Kakade ke, sinokufuna uncedo kumaKristu aqolileyo. Sekunjalo, umgudu esiwenzayo wokufundisisa iLizwi likaThixo, nokuthandaza kuYehova sicele ukhokelo nomoya wakhe, uya kusinceda kakhulu ekuhambeni kwexesha.—Efese 3:14-19.

19. Sinokuzuza ziphi iintsikelelo ukuba siqhubeka siqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda?

¹⁹ Njengoko siqhubeka siqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda, injongo yethu kukuze “singabi saba ziintsana, sikhukuliswa ngamaza yaye siphetshethwa yiyo yonke imimoya yeemfundiso zabakhohlisi abalahlekisa abantu ngobuqhokolo.” (Efese 4:14) Kunoko, ngokusekelwe kulwazi nokuqonda esinako ngoko kwamkelekileyo kuThixo, sinokwenza izigqibo zobulumko, ezinzulu nezingekho nzulu kangako, eziyingenelo kuthi, ezinokubakha abanye abanquli, yaye ngaphezu kwako konke ezikholisa uBawo wethu osemazulwini. (IMizekeliso 27:11) Enjani yona intsikelelo nenkuselo kula maxesha amanqam!

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Ngaba Unokuchaza?

• Bubuphi ubuchule obufunekayo ukuze senze izigqibo zobulumko?

• Kutheni kungebobulumko ukujonga kubantu abadumileyo okanye ukuthembela kwindlela esivakalelwa ngayo xa sisenza isigqibo ngokulungileyo nokubi?

• Kutheni sifanele siqiniseke ngoko kwamkelekileyo kuThixo xa sisenza izigqibo, yaye sinokukwenza njani oko?

• Kuthetha ukuthini ‘ukuqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda’?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]

Ukujonga kubantu abazizityebi nabadumileyo xa sifuna ukhokelo kulilize

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]

Njengomntu owenza umthambo, simele sikwazi ukuzilawula ngokupheleleyo zonke izivamvo zethu namalungu ethu omzimba