Ukufeza Ubungcwele Sisoyika UThixo

“Masizihlambulule kuko konke ukudyobheka kwenyama nokomoya sibufeza ubungcwele, sisoyika uThixo.”—2 KORINTE 7:1.

 1. Sazi njani ukuba izithunywa zezulu ezikwizikhundla eziphakamileyo ziyabuqonda ubungcwele bukaYehova?

UYEHOVA unguThixo ongcwele. Izithunywa zezulu ezikwizikhundla eziphakamileyo ezulwini zikuvakalisa ngokuphandle ukuba ngcwele kwakhe. “Uyingcwele, uyingcwele, uyingcwele uYehova wemikhosi; buzalise ihlabathi lonke ubuqaqawuli bakhe.” Lawo ngamazwi achukumisayo ezadanduluka ngawo iiserafi ezabonwa embonweni ngumprofeti uIsaya kwinkulungwane yesibhozo Ngaphambi kweXesha Eliqhelekileyo. Ekupheleni kwenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, umpostile uYohane wabona imibono yoko kwakuza kwenzeka “ngemini yeNkosi,” esikuyo ngoku. Wabona izinto eziphilileyo ezine zingqonge itrone kaYehova waza waziva zidanduluka zingayeki zisithi: “Ingcwele, ingcwele, ingcwele iNkosi uSomandla, leyo yayikho, ikhoyo, izayo.” Ezi zibhengezo ziphindaphindwe kathathu ezenziwa zizidalwa zokomoya zikaYehova zasezulwini zibethelela ukuba ngcwele okubalaseleyo koMdali.—Isaya 6:2, 3; ISityhilelo 1:10; 4:6-8.

Ubungcwele Nokwahluka Kokuthile

 2. (a) Ziziphi iinkalo ezimbini obunazo ubungcwele, ibe uYehova ungcwele njani kwezi nkalo? (b) UMoses wabugxininisa njani ubungcwele bukaYehova?

² Ubungcwele abuthethi nje kuphela ukucoceka nobunyulu obungokonqulo kodwa kukwathetha ukwahluka kokuthile, okanye ukungcwaliseka. UYehova ucoceke, okanye unyulu ngokungenamlinganiselo; wahluke mpela kubo bonke abanye oothixo abangcolileyo beentlanga. Le nkalo yobungcwele bakhe, okanye ukungcwaliseka, yabalaseliswa nguMoses xa wavuma le ngoma: “Ngubani na onjengawe phakathi koothixo, Yehova? Ngubani na onjengawe, wena uvethe ubungcwele?”—Eksodus 15:11.

 3. Kungaziphi iindlela ekwakufuneka ukuba onke amaSirayeli abe ngcwele ngazo, ibe uYehova wawanceda njani kule nkalo?

³ UThixo ongcwele uYehova wayefuna ukuba amaSirayeli amandulo, awayengabantu bakhe abasemhlabeni, nawo abe ngcwele. Oku kwakuyimfuneko kungekuphela nje kubabingeleli nakubaLevi kodwa kwanakulo lonke uhlanga. UYehova wathi kuMoses: “Thetha kwibandla lonke loonyana bakaSirayeli, uthi kubo, Yibani ngcwele; kuba ndiyiNgcwele mna, Yehova, uThixo wenu.” (Levitikus 19:2) Ngokubhekisele koko, uYehova wawanika imithetho ukuze awancede ahlale ecocekile ngokomoya, ngokokuziphatha, ngokwasengqondweni, ngokwasemzimbeni nangokuzihlambulula, le nkalo ikhankanywa mva inxulumene nokunqula kwabo emnqubeni yaye, kamva, etempileni.

Abantu Abahluliweyo

 4, 5. (a) USirayeli wokwemvelo wayeluhlanga olungcwalisiweyo njani? (b) Yintoni efunekayo kumaSirayeli okomoya, ibe umpostile uPetros ukungqina njani oku?

⁴ Ngenxa yokuba amaSirayeli ayethobela imithetho kaThixo, aba ngawahlukileyo kwiintlanga ezazonakele awayephakathi kwazo. Aphawulwa njengabantu abahluliweyo, okanye abangcwalisiweyo, ukwenzela ukukhonza uThixo ongcwele uYehova. UMoses wawaxelela oku: “Ningabantu abangcwele kuYehova uThixo wakho; uninyule uYehova uThixo wakho, ukuba nibe ngabantu abayinqobo kuye, kunabantu bonke abaphezu komhlaba.”—Duteronomi 7:6.

⁵ Kwakhona ukucoceka nokwahlulwa okunjalo kuyafuneka kuSirayeli wokomoya. Umpostile uPetros wabhalela abo babenyulelwe ukuba ngamaSirayeli okomoya ngokuthi: “Ngokwabantwana bolulamo, ningamilisi okweenkanuko zangaphambili ekungazini kwenu; nithi ke, ngokokwalowo ungcwele wanibizayo, nibe ngcwele nani ngokwenu kuyo yonke ihambo. Ngenxa enokuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Yibani ngcwele, ngokuba ndingcwele mna.”—1 Petros 1:1, 14-16.

 6, 7. (a) Achazwa njani amalungu ‘esihlwele esikhulu’ kwiSityhilelo isahluko 7, ibe yintoni ngokusengqiqweni efunekayo kuwo? (b) Yintoni eza kuqwalaselwa kwiziqendu ezilandelayo?

⁶ KwiSityhilelo isahluko 7, amalungu ‘esihlwele esikhulu’ achazwa ‘enjengami phambi kwetrone [kaYehova] naphambi kweMvana, ethiwe wambu ngeengubo ezinde ezimhlophe, athe azihlamba azenza mhlophe egazini leMvana.’ (ISityhilelo 7:9, 14) Iingubo zawo ezinde ezimhlophe zifuzisela ukuma kwawo okucocekileyo nokulungileyo phambi koYehova, athi awanike kona ngenxa yokholo lwawo kwigazi lentlawulelo likaKristu. Ngoko, ngokucacileyo, asikuphela nje kwamaKristu athanjisiweyo kodwa ‘kwanezinye izimvu’ zimele zihlale zicocekile ngokomoya nangokokuziphatha ukuze zinqule uYehova ngokwamkelekileyo.—Yohane 10:16.

⁷ Ngoku makhe siqwalasele indlela ekwakufuneka ukuba abantu bakaYehova bacoceke baze babe ngcwele ngayo kumaxesha awadlulayo nesizathu sokuba imigaqo efanayo isebenza kubantu bakaThixo namhlanje.

Ukucoceka Ngokomoya

 8. Kungaziphi izizathu awayemele amaSirayeli azigcine ahluke ngazo kunqulo lwamaKanan?

⁸ AmaSirayeli okwemvelo ayemele azigcine ahluke ngokungqongqo kwizenzo ezingcolileyo zonqulo zezinye iintlanga. Ethetha ngoMoses, uYehova wamxelela oku uSirayeli: “Zigcine, hleze wenze umnqophiso nabemi belo zwe ungena kulo; hleze babe ngumgibe phakathi kwakho. Nozidiliza izibingelelo zabo, niziqhekeze izimiso zabo zamatye [ezazisetyenziswa ngokunxibelelene nonqulo olungokwesini olwalungamasikizi], nibagawule ooAshera babo. Kuba akusayi kunqula thixo wumbi; kuba uYehova nguKhwele, igama lakhe, nguThixo onekhwele [okanye “uThixo ofuna ukuzinikela okungagogotye lutho,” umbhalo osemazantsi weNew World Translation Reference Bible]; hleze wenze umnqophiso nabemi belo zwe, baze bahenyuze ngokulandela oothixo babo, babingelele koothixo babo.”—Eksodus 34:12-15.

 9. Yiyiphi imiyalelo engqalileyo eyanikwa intsalela ethembekileyo eyashiya iBhabhiloni ngowama-537 B.C.E.?

⁹ Kwiinkulungwane kamva, uYehova waphefumlela uIsaya ukuba athethe la mazwi abuprofeti kwintsalela ethembekileyo eyayiza kubuyela kwaYuda ivela eBhabhiloni: “Mkani, mkani, phumani apho; musani ukuphatha nto iyinqambi; phumani phakathi kwayo; zenzeni nyulu, nina bathwali beempahla zikaYehova [ezaziza kusetyenziselwa ukubuyisela unqulo olunyulu etempileni eYerusalem].”—Isaya 52:11.

10, 11. (a) Yiyiphi imiyalelo efanayo eyanikwa amaSirayeli okomoya kwinkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo? (b) Le miyalelo iye yalandelwa njani ngokungakumbi ngowe-1919 nangowe-1935, ibe kungayiphi enye indlela abathi aba bathanjisiweyo kunye namaqabane abo bazigcine becocekile ngokomoya?

¹⁰ Ngokufanayo, amaSirayeli okomoya namaqabane awo amele azilumkele ukuba angangcoliswa ziinkonzo zeli hlabathi ezinqula izithixo. Ebhalela amaKristu athanjisiweyo ebandla laseKorinte, umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Inakudibana kuni na ke itempile kaThixo nezithixo? Kuba nina niyitempile kaThixo ophilileyo; njengokuba watshoyo uThixo ukuthi, Ndiya kuhlala phakathi kwabo, ndihambe phakathi kwabo; ndibe nguThixo wabo, babe ngabantu bam bona. Kungoko ndithi, Phumani phakathi kwabo, nizahlule, itsho iNkosi, nento engcolileyo ningayichukumisi; ndandiya kunamkela.”—2 Korinte 6:16, 17.

¹¹ Ukususela ngowe-1919 amalungu acociweyo nasulungekisiweyo entsalela ethanjisiweyo aye akhululwa kwiinkonzo ezingacocekanga nezinqula izithixo zeBhabhiloni Enkulu. (Malaki 3:1-3) Aye asabela kula mazwi aphuma emazulwini athi: “Phumani kuyo, bantu bam, ukuze ningadlelani nayo ngezono zayo, nokuze ningamkeliswa kwizibetho zayo.” (ISityhilelo 18:4) Ukususela ngowe-1935 isihlwele esikhulu esandayo ‘sezinye izimvu’ naso siye sasabela kula mazwi ibe siye salushiya unqulo olungcolileyo olubuBhabhilonirha. Kwakhona abo bathanjisiweyo namaqabane abo bazigcina becocekile ngokomoya ngokuphepha onke amaqhina anokuwadibanisa neengcamango eziyingozi zabawexuki.—Yohane 10:16; 2 Yohane 9-11.

Ukucoceka Ngokokuziphatha

12. (a) Yiyiphi imithetho awathi ngayo uYehova wamisela umlinganiselo ophakamileyo wokuziphatha yamaSirayeli owawuwodlula lee oweentlanga ezaziwangqongile? (b) Yiyiphi imithetho eyayingqongqo ngokukhethekileyo kwabo babekwisikhundla sobubingeleli?

¹² Esebenzisa umnqophiso woMthetho, uYehova wamisela umlinganiselo ophakamileyo wokuziphatha kwamaSirayeli owawuyodlula lee imeko elihlazo yeentlanga ezaziwangqongile. Umtshato nobomi bentsapho yayizizinto ezazikhuselwe kwaSirayeli. Umthetho wesixhenxe kwiMithetho Elishumi wawukwalela ukukrexeza. Ubani owayekrexeza nowayehenyuza wayesohlwaywa ngokuqatha. (Duteronomi 22:22-24) Iintombi ezinyulu zazikhuselwe phantsi koMthetho. (Duteronomi 22:28, 29) Imithetho engomtshato yayingqongqo ngokukhethekileyo kwabo babekwisikhundla sobubingeleli. Umbingeleli omkhulu yena, kwakufuneka akhethe intombi enyulu ukuze ibe ngumfazi wakhe.—Levitikus 21:6, 7, 10, 13.

13. Afaniswa nantoni amalungu ‘omtshakazi’ kaKristu, ibe kungani kunjalo nje?

¹³ Ngokufanayo, uMbingeleli Omkhulu, uYesu Kristu, ‘unomtshakazi’ obunjwe li-144 000 lamaKristu athanjisiweyo achazwa ‘njenganyulu.’ (ISityhilelo 14:1-5; 21:9) Ayazilumkela ukuba angangcoliswa lihlabathi likaSathana yaye ahlala enyulu ngokwemfundiso nangokokuziphatha. Umpostile uPawulos wabhalela amaKristu athanjisiweyo aseKorinte oku: “Kuba ndiyanikhweletela ngekhwele likaThixo; kuba ndanendisa ndodeni-nye, ukuze ndinimise phambi koKristu niyintombi enyulu.” (2 Korinte 11:2) Kwakhona uPawulos wabhala oku: “Naye uKristu [walithanda] ibandla, wazinikela ngenxa yalo; ukuze alingcwalise, elihlambulule ngokuhlamba kwamanzi ngelizwi; ukuze alimise phambi kwakhe linobuqaqawuli, lilibandla elingenabala, elingenamibimbi nanye into enjalo, ukuze libe ngcwele, lingabi nasiphako.”—Efese 5:25-27.

14, 15. (a) Yintoni emele ihambisane nokuba nyulu ngokomoya kodidi lomtshakazi, ibe sisiphi isibhalo esibonisa oku? (b) Kutheni le nto kubonakala ukuba ukuba nyulu ngokokuziphatha okuyimfuneko kuyasebenza kwanakwezinye izimvu?

¹⁴ Oku kuba nyulu ngokomoya komtshakazi kaKristu kumele kuhambisane nokucoceka ngokokuziphatha kwamalungu akhe. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Musani ukulahlekiswa; abenza umbulo, nabakhonzi bezithixo, nabakrexezi . . . abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo. Naye ninjalo ke inxenye yenu; kuloko nahlanjululwayo, kuloko nangcwaliswayo.”—1 Korinte 6:9-11.

¹⁵ Isibakala sokuba obo bunyulu bokomoya buyimfuneko bukwasebenza nakwezinye izimvu sibonakala xa siqwalasela abo uYehova angayi kubaquka kwidinga lakhe lamazulu nomhlaba omtsha. Sifunda oku: ‘Ke bona abangamasikizi, nababulali, nabenzi bombulo, isabelo sabo siya kuba sedikeni elivutha umlilo nesulfure. Oko kukufa kwesibini.’—ISityhilelo 21:1, 8.

Umtshato Obekekileyo

16, 17. (a) Ziziphi izibhalo ezibonisa ukuba ukungatshati akuyomfuneko enokuthanani nokucoceka ngokokuziphatha? (b) UmKristu unokukubonakalisa njani ukoyika uThixo okufanelekileyo ekukhetheni iqabane lomtshato, ibe kutheni le nto bekuya kuba bubudenge ukungasinanzi isalelo sompostile?

¹⁶ Ukuze ahlale ecocekile ngokokuziphatha, amalungu athanjisiweyo odidi lomtshakazi nezinye izimvu akuyomfuneko ukuba ahlale engatshatanga. Ukungatshati okusisinyanzelo akusekelwanga eZibhalweni. (1 Timoti 4:1-3) Iintlobano zesini ezenziwa ngabantu abatshatileyo azikokungcola. ILizwi likaThixo lithi: “Umtshato mawubekeke ngeendlela zonke, nesilili masingadyojwa; ke abenza umbulo nabakrexezi, uThixo uya kubagweba.”—Hebhere 13:4.

¹⁷ Noko ke, umKristu onqwenela ‘ukufeza ubungcwele esoyika uThixo’ akafanele azive ekhululekile ukuba atshate naye nabani na amthandayo. Ngaphambi nje kokuba umpostile uPawulos aluleke amaKristu angoowabo ukuba ‘azihlambulule kuko konke ukudyobheka kwenyama nokomoya, ebufeza ubungcwele, esoyika uThixo,’ wathi: “Musani ukunxulumana nabolunye uhlobo, abangakholwayo ke; kuba kunakwabelana kuni na ubulungisa nokuchasa umthetho? . . . Unasahlulelwano sini na okholwayo nongakholwayo?” (2 Korinte 6:14, 15; 7:1) Njengelungu labantu bakaYehova abahluliweyo nabacocekileyo, indoda okanye ibhinqa elingumKristu elifuna ukutshata liya kusamkela isalelo sompostile sokwenza oko “kuphela ngokwaseNkosini,” oko kukuthi, ngokukhetha uthile ongumkhonzi kaYehova ozahluleleyo, obhaptiziweyo nothembekileyo. (1 Korinte 7:39, NW) Ngokuqinisekileyo nanamhlanje, njengakumaxesha amandulo, kunokuba bubudenge ukuba abanye phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo abazahluleleyo abebeya kungasinanzi esi siluleko singokweZibhalo. (Thelekisa iDuteronomi 7:3, 4; Nehemiya 13:23-27.) Bekuya kuba kukungabonakalisi loyiko olufanelekileyo ngeNkosi yethu eZukileyo, uYehova.—Malaki 1:6.

18. Kungayiphi enye indlela anokuthi amaKristu agcine umtshato wawo ubekekile?

¹⁸ Ngaphezu koko, kwaSirayeli, imithetho yamisela imida kwimicimbi yesini naphakathi kweqhina lomtshato. Indoda yayingamele ibe neentlobano nomfazi wayo ebudeni bokuba sexesheni kwakhe. (Levitikus 15:24; 18:19; 20:18) Oku kwafuna ukuba amadoda angamaSirayeli abonakalise ulwazelelelo olunothando nokuzeyisa. Ngaba amaKristu afanele angabonakalisi lwazelelelo kangako kubafazi bawo? Umpostile uPetros uthi amadoda angamaKristu afanele ahlale nabafazi bawo “ngokokwazi,” oko kukuthi, ukwazi indlela abenziwe ngayo “njengesona sitya siethe-ethe.”—1 Petros 3:7.

Ukuhamba ‘Endleleni Engcwele’

19, 20. (a) Chaza indlela ephangaleleyo oluhamba ngayo uninzi loluntu. (b) Abantu bakaYehova bamele bahluke njani kwihlabathi likaSathana? (c) Nguwuphi umendo abahamba ngawo abantu bakaThixo, wavulwa nini, ibe ngoobani kuphela abavunyelwe ukuhamba ngawo?

¹⁹ La mazwi angasentla abalaselisa umsantsa osoloko usanda owahlula abantu bakaYehova kwihlabathi likaSathana. Le nkqubo yezinto yehlabathi ikhoyo iya isiba nguvula-zibhuqe yaye izifica ngokungakumbi. UYesu wathi: “Ngenani ngesango elimxinwa; ngokuba libanzi isango, iphangalele nendlela esa entshabalalweni; baninzi ke abangena ngalo.” (Mateyu 7:13) Abona bantu baninzi kuluntu bahamba ngale ndlela ibanzi. Xa sicaphula amazwi ompostile uPetros, le ndlela ihamba “eburheletyweni, ezinkanukweni, ekutshisweni yiwayini, ezindywaleni, emithayini, nasekukhonzeni izithixo,” ndlela leyo ekhokelela ‘kummelelo wokuzibhubhisa.’ (1 Petros 4:3, 4) Loo ndlela isinga entshabalalweni.

²⁰ Kwelinye icala, abantu bakaThixo bahamba ngendlela eyahlukileyo, indlela ecocekileyo ekuhamba kuyo abantu abacocekileyo. Ukuvulwa kwale ndlela kwixesha lokuphela kwaxelwa kwangaphambili ngumprofeti uIsaya, owabhala oku: “Kuya kubakho umendo khona, kubekho indlela, kuthiwe ukubizwa kwayo, yindlela engcwele le. Akuyi kudlula nto iyinqambi ngayo.” (Isaya 35:8) Igqabaza ngesi siprofeto, incwadi ethi Ukunqabiseka Kwehlabathi Lonke Phantsi ‘KoMthetheli Woxolo’ ithi: ‘Ngowe-1919 umendo wokomfuziselo wavulwa nto leyo eyabangela uvuyo kubakhonzi bakaThixo. Abo babefuna ukuba ngcwele emehlweni kaYehova yayingabo babehamba ngaloo “mendo,” “indlela engcwele.” Namhlanje, njengoko siphakathi “ekuphelisweni kwephakade,” loo “mendo” ulungiselelwe nguThixo uhleli uvuliwe. Inginginya yabantu abanoxabiso ingena kwindlela yeparadisi yokomoya, “iNdlela eNgcwele.”’a

21. Kukanjani yaye kutheni le nto abakhonzi bakaYehova bemele bazahlule kwisihlwele sabantu bakaMtyholi, ibe yintoni eza kuqwalaselwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?

²¹ Ewe, intsalela ethanjisiweyo yamaSirayeli okomoya namaqabane ayo, azezinye izimvu, bayazahlula namhlanje njengabantu abahluliweyo kwihlabathi likaSathana, ekuthe kulo ingcamango yokuba ngcwele yaba yinto engento. Akukho nto ingcwele kwisihlwele sabantu bakaMtyholi abahamba ‘ngendlela ebanzi nephangaleleyo esa entshabalalweni.’ Asikuko nokuba abacocekanga nje kuphela ngokomoya nangokokuziphatha kodwa kwiinkalo ezininzi abacocekanga nangokomzimba yaye inkangeleko yabo, ubuncinane yeyobuxelegu. Kanti, umpostile uPawulos uthi: “Sizihlambulule kuko konke ukudyobheka kwenyama nokomoya, sibufeza ubungcwele, sisoyika uThixo.” (2 Korinte 7:1) Into yokuba ziziphi iindlela abafanele abantu bakaThixo babe ngabacoceke ngazo engqondweni nasemzimbeni iya kuqwalaselwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Iingongoma Zempinda

◻ Ziziphi iinkalo ezimbini ezikhoyo kubungcwele, ibe kutheni le nto kusenokuthiwa uYehova ungcwele ngokungenamlinganiselo?

◻ Ziziphi iindlela ezimbini awayefanele amaSirayeli azingqine ngazo ukuba ayeluhlanga olungcwele?

◻ Yintoni ekufuneka eyenzile amaSirayeli okomoya namaqabane awo, ezinye izimvu?

◻ Ukoyika kwethu uThixo kufanele kuluchaphazele njani ukhetho lwethu lweqabane lomtshato?

◻ Ziziphi iindlela ezimbini ekunokuhanjwa ngazo namhlanje, ibe kutheni kumele kwenziwe ukhetho olucacileyo?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]

ILizwi likaThixo lithi: “Umtshato mawubekeke”