Ukoyisa Ubuthathaka Bobuntu
“Ukunyamekela inyama kuthetha ukufa.”—ROMA 8:6.
1. Abanye bawugqala njani umzimba womntu, yaye nguwuphi umbuzo esifanele siwuqwalasele?
“NDIYA kukubonga ngenxa yokuba ngendlela eyoyikekayo ndenziwe ngokumangalisayo.” (INdumiso 139:14) Wavuma ngelitshoyo umdumisi uDavide ngoxa wayecinga ngenye yezinto ezidalwe nguYehova—umzimba womntu. Ngokwahlukileyo kuloo ndumiso icingisiswe kakuhle, kukho abafundisi bonqulo abawugqala umzimba njengetyholo lokuzimela nento yokusetyenziselwa ukwenza isono. Uye wabizwa ngokuba “sisambatho sokungazi, isiseko sobungendawo, amakhamandela okonakala, indlwana emnyama, ukufa okuphilayo, isidumbu esihamba ngeenyawo, ingcwaba eliphathekayo.” Liyinyaniso elokuba, umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Kwinyama yam, akuhlali nto ilungileyo.” (Roma 7:18) Kodwa ngaba oku kuthetha ukuba sibambiseke ngokungenakuzinceda kumzimba onesono?
2. (a) Kuthetha ntoni “ukunyamekela inyama”? (b) Nguwuphi umlo ‘wenyama’ ‘nomoya’ oqhubekayo ngaphakathi kubantu abanomnqweno wokukholisa uThixo?
2 Maxa wambi iZibhalo zibhekisela emzimbeni womntu ‘njengenyama.’ (1 Kumkani 21:27) Zikwasebenzisa igama elithi ‘inyama’ ukubonisa imeko yokuba sesonweni komntu njengenzala enesono ka-Adam owayenemvukelo. (Efese 2:3; INdumiso 51:5; Roma 5:12) Oko sakuzuz’ ilifa kuye kubangele ‘ubuthathaka benyama.’ (Roma 6:19) Yaye uPawulos walumkisa esithi: “Ukunyamekela inyama kuthetha ukufa.” (Roma 8:6) “Ukunyamekela inyama” kuthetha ukulawulwa nokuqhutywa yiminqweno yokungafezeki. (1 Yohane 2:16) Ngoko ukuba sizama ukukholisa uThixo, kukho umlo oqhubekayo phakathi kobumoya bethu notyekelo lwethu lokungafezeki olusiqhubela ekwenzeni “imisebenzi yenyama” ngalo lonke ixesha. (Galati 5:17-23; 1 Petros 2:11) Emva kokuchaza lo mlo ubuhlungu ungaphakathi kuye, uPawulos wadanduluka esithi: “Hayi usizana endilulo! Ngubani na oya kundihlangula kulo mzimba usisisulu sokufa?” (Roma 7:24) Ngaba uPawulos wayelixhoba lesilingo elingenakuzinceda? IBhayibhile iphendula ngohayi ongathandabuzekiyo!
Ubukho Besilingo Nesono
3. Abaninzi basigqala njani isono nesilingo, kodwa iBhayibhile ilumkisa njani nxamnye neso simo sengqondo?
3 Kwabaninzi namhlanje, isono yingcamango engamkelekiyo. Bambi bahlekisa ngako oku besithi igama elithi “isono” libinzana lakudala lokuchaza ubuthathaka bomntu. Abaqondi ukuba “sonke simele sibonakaliswe phambi kwesihlalo sokugweba sikaKristu, ukuze ngamnye afumane oko kumfaneleyo ngezinto ezenziwe ngomzimba, ngokwezinto aziqheliseleyo, enoba zezilungileyo okanye ezimbi.” (2 Korinte 5:10) Abanye banokuthetha ngokungakhathali besithi: “Ndingazixhathisa zonke izinto kodwa hayi isilingo!” Abanye abantu bahlala phakathi kwebutho labantu elikholelwa ekuzificeni, enoba kungokutya, isini, iziyolo, okanye ukufeza okuthile. Alaneli nje kukufuna yonke into kodwa liyifuna kanye ngoku! (Luka 15:12) Alikhangeli ngaphaya koyolo lwangoku, kuvuyo oluya kubakho kwixesha elizayo ‘lobomi benene.’ (1 Timoti 6:19) Noko ke, iBhayibhile isifundisa ukuba sicingisise nzulu yaye singakhangeli nje phambi kweenyawo zethu, siphephe nantoni na eya kusenzakalisa ngokomoya okanye ngenye indlela. Umzekeliso ophefumlelweyo uthi: “Onobuqili uyayibona intlekele azifihle; ke abangenamava badlula kuyo bafumane isohlwayo.”—IMizekeliso 27:12.
4. Sisiphi isilumkiso esanikelwa nguPawulos kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 10:12, 13?
4 Xa uPawulos wayebhalela amaKristu awayehlala eKorinte—isixeko esasisaziwa ngokuziphatha okubi—wanikela isilumkiso esisebenzisekayo nxamnye nesilingo namandla esono. Wathi: “Lowo ucinga ukuba umile makalumke angawi. Akukho sihendo sinibambileyo ngaphandle koko kuqhelekileyo ebantwini. Kodwa uThixo uthembekile, yaye akayi kuniyekela nihendwe ngaphaya koko ninokukuthwala, kodwa kunye nesihendo eso uya kwenza nendlela yokuphuma ukuze nikwazi ukusinyamezela.” (1 Korinte 10:12, 13) Sonke—abaselula nabadala, amadoda namabhinqa—sidibana nezilingo ezininzi esikolweni, emsebenzini okanye nokuba kuphi na. Ngoko ke, masihlolisise amazwi kaPawulos size sibone ukuba anayiphi na intsingiselo kuthi.
Musa Ukuzithemba Ngokugqithiseleyo
5. Kutheni ukuzithemba ngokugqithiseleyo kuyingozi?
5 UPawulos uthi: “Lowo ucinga ukuba umile makalumke angawi.” (1 Korinte 10:12) Ukuzithemba ngokugqithiseleyo kuyingozi. Kubonisa ukungasiqondi isono namandla aso. Ekubeni abantu abafana noMoses, uDavide, uSolomon nompostile uPetros bawela esonweni, ngaba sifanele sivakalelwe kukuba thina asikho sesichengeni? (Numeri 20:2-13; 2 Samuweli 11:1-27; 1 Kumkani 11:1-6; Mateyu 26:69-75) IMizekeliso 14:16 ithi: “Isilumko siyoyika size simke ebubini, kodwa isiyatha siyavutha ngumsindo sizithembile.” Ngaphezu koko, uYesu wathi: “Umoya unentumekelelo, kodwa inyama ibuthathaka.” (Mateyu 26:41) Ekubeni kungekho mntu ungafezekanga ongenayo iminqweno eyonakalisayo, kufuneka sisithabathe ngokunzulu isilumkiso sikaPawulos size sixhathise isilingo, kungenjalo sizibeka esichengeni sokuwa.—Yeremiya 17:9.
6. Sifanele sisixhobele nini yaye njani isilingo?
6 Kububulumko ukuyixhobela ingozi enokwenzeka ingalindelwanga. UKumkani uAsa waphawula ukuba isihlandlo soxolo sasilixesha elifanelekileyo lokuba alungiselele indlela yokuzikhusela. (2 Kronike 14:2, 6, 7) Wayesazi ukuba kwakungasayi kuba samnceda nganto ukulungiselela ukuzikhusela ngexesha awayehlaselwa ngalo. Ngokufanayo, elona xesha lifanelekileyo lokugqiba ngento esiya kuyenza xa kuvela izilingo kuxa sizolile engqondweni kungekabikho ngxaki. (INdumiso 63:6) UDaniyeli nabahlobo bakhe aboyika uThixo benza isigqibo sokuthembeka emthethweni kaYehova ngaphambi kokuba banyanzelwe ukutya izimuncumuncu zikakumkani. Ngenxa yoko, abazange babe mathidala ekunamatheleni koko babekukholelwa yaye abazange bakutye ukutya okungahlambulukanga. (Daniyeli 1:8) Ngaphambi kokuba kufike izilingo, masomeleze isigqibo sethu sokuhlala sicocekile ngokuziphatha. Siya kwandula ke sibe namandla okuxhathisa isono.
7. Kutheni kuthuthuzela ukwazi ukuba abanye baye basixhathisa ngempumelelo isilingo?
7 Enjani yona intuthuzelo esiyifumana kumazwi kaPawulos athi: “Akukho sihendo sinibambileyo ngaphandle koko kuqhelekileyo ebantwini”! (1 Korinte 10:13) Umpostile uPetros wabhala: “Yimani ngokunxamnye [noMtyholi], niqinile elukholweni, nisazi ukuba behlelwa kwaziimbandezelo ezifanayo nabazalwana benu bonke ehlabathini.” (1 Petros 5:9) Ewe, abanye baye bajamelana nezilingo ezifanayo yaye baye bazixhathisa ngempumelelo ngoncedo lukaThixo, nathi sinokwenjenjalo. Noko ke, njengamaKristu okwenyaniso aphila kwihlabathi elingendawo, sonke sinokulindela ukulingwa nokuba kunini na. Ngoko ke, sinokuba nalo njani ithemba lokoyisa ubuthathaka bobuntu nokufakwa esilingweni sokona?
Sinokusixhathisa Isilingo!
8. Yiyiphi indlela esisiseko yokuphepha isilingo?
8 Indlela esisiseko yokuyeka ‘ukuba ngamakhoboka esono’ kukusiphepha isilingo xa kunokwenzeka. (Roma 6:6) IMizekeliso 4:14, 15, iyasibongoza isithi: “Musa ukungena emendweni wabangendawo, ungahambi ngqo uye endleleni yababi. Yiphephe, ungadluli ngakuyo; phambuka kuyo, uze udlule.” Ngokufuthi siye sazi kusengaphambili enoba iimeko ezithile zinokusikhokelela esonweni. Ngoko ke, into esimele siyenze njengamaKristu ‘kukudlula,’ siphephe nabani na nantoni na nayiphi na indawo enokuvuselela iminqweno ephosakeleyo ize isenze sibe neminqweno engacocekanga.
9. Kubethelelwa njani eZibhalweni ukusaba kwiimeko ezilingayo?
9 Ukusaba kwimeko elingayo yenye indlela esisiseko yokoyisa isilingo. UPawulos waluleka: “Sabani kulo uhenyuzo.” (1 Korinte 6:18) Wabhala esithi: “Sabani kulo unqulo-zithixo.” (1 Korinte 10:14) Lo mpostile walumkisa noTimoti ukuba asabe ekunqweneleni izinto eziphathekayo ngokugqithiseleyo, ‘nakwiinkanuko zobutsha.’—2 Timoti 2:22; 1 Timoti 6:9-11.
10. Yiyiphi imizekelo emibini engafaniyo ebonisa ukubaluleka kokusibaleka isilingo?
10 Khawucinge ngemeko kaKumkani wakwaSirayeli uDavide. Ngoxa wayesinga-singa eluphahleni lebhotwe lakhe, wabona umfazi omhle ehlamba, yaye intliziyo yakhe yazaliswa yiminqweno ephosakeleyo. Wayefanele ukusuka kolo phahla asibaleke esi silingo. Kunoko, wabuzisa ngaloo mfazi—uBhatshebha—yaye imiphumo yaba mibi. (2 Samuweli 11:1–12:23) Kwelinye icala, wasabela njani uYosefu xa umfazi wenkosi yakhe owayeziphethe kakubi wamcela ukuba alale naye? Ingxelo iyasixelela: “Nakubeni wayethetha kuYosefu imihla ngemihla, akazange yena amphulaphule ukuba alale ecaleni kwakhe, aqhubeke enaye.” Nakuba yayingekabikho imiyalelo ephuma kuMthetho kaMoses ngelo xesha, uYosefu wamphendula ngokuthi: “Ndingathini ukwenza obu bubi bukhulu kangaka ndize eneneni ndone kuThixo?” Ngenye imini wambamba, esithi: “Ndilale!” Ngaba uYosefu wahlala apho ezama ukuqiqa naye? Akunjalo. “Wasaba, waphumela phandle.” UYosefu akazange asivumele esi silingo sokuziphatha kakubi ngokwesini. Wabaleka!—Genesis 39:7-16.
11. Yintoni ekusenokufuneka siyenze ukuba silingwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo?
11 Maxa wambi ukubaleka kugqalwa njengobugwala, kodwa ukusuka ngokoqobo kwimeko ethile ngokufuthi kuba likhondo lobulumko. Mhlawumbi silingwa ngokuphindaphindiweyo emsebenzini. Nangona sisenokungakwazi ukutshintsha kulo msebenzi, zisenokubakho ezinye iindlela zokushenxa kwezo meko zilingayo. Kufuneka siyibaleke nantoni esiyaziyo ukuba iphosakele, yaye sifanele sizimisele ukwenza okulungileyo kuphela. (Amosi 5:15) Kwezinye iindawo, ukubaleka isilingo kunokuthetha ukuphepha amajelo abonisa amanyala kwi-Internet neendawo zolonwabo ezithandabuzekayo. Kusenokuthetha ukulahla iphephancwadi okanye ukufuna abahlobo abatsha—abo bathanda uThixo nabanokukwazi ukusinceda. (IMizekeliso 13:20) Enoba yintoni na esibeka esilingweni sokona, siya kuba silumkile xa sizimisela ukuyichasa.—Roma 12:9.
Indlela Onokuba Luncedo Ngayo Umthandazo
12. Sicela ntoni kuThixo xa sithandaza sisithi: “Ungasingenisi ekuhendweni”?
12 UPawulos unikela esi siqinisekiso sikhuthazayo: “UThixo uthembekile, yaye akayi kuniyekela nihendwe ngaphaya koko ninokukuthwala, kodwa kunye nesihendo eso uya kwenza nendlela yokuphuma ukuze nikwazi ukusinyamezela.” (1 Korinte 10:13) Enye indlela asinceda ngayo uYehova kukuphendula imithandazo yethu yokucela uncedo lokuhlangabezana nesilingo. UYesu Kristu wasifundisa ukuba sithandaze sithi: “Ungasingenisi ekuhendweni, kodwa sihlangule kulowo ungendawo.” (Mateyu 6:13) Ephendula imithandazo enjalo esuk’ entliziyweni, uYehova akayi kusiyekela esilingweni; uya kusihlangula kuSathana nakwizenzo zakhe zobuqhophololo. (Efese 6:11, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW eneembekiselo) Sifanele sicele uThixo ukuba asincede siziqonde izilingo aze asiphe amandla okuzixhathisa. Ukuba siyambongoza ukuba angasivumeli soyisakale xa silingwa, uya kusinceda ukuze singoyiswa nguSathana, ‘lowo ungendawo.’
13. Yintoni esifanele siyenze xa sijamelene nesilingo esingapheliyo?
13 Kufuneka sithandaze ngokusuk’ entliziyweni ingakumbi xa sijamelene nesilingo esingapheliyo. Ezinye izilingo zisenokusibangela sibe nomvandedwa, iingcinga nezimo zengqondo ezisikhumbuza ngokucacileyo indlela esibuthathaka ngayo. (INdumiso 51:5) Ngokomzekelo, sinokwenza ntoni ukuba sikhathazwa ziingcinga zoqheliselo olungendawo esakha sabandakanyeka kulo ngaphambili? Kuthekani ukuba sijamelene nesilingo sokubuyela kulo? Kunokuba nje uzame ukucinezela iimvakalelo ezinjalo, thetha noYehova ngalo mbandela ngomthandazo—ngokuphindaphindiweyo ukuba kuyimfuneko. (INdumiso 55:22) Ngamandla eLizwi lakhe nomoya oyingcwele, unokusinceda sicoce iingqondo zethu notyekelo esinalo olungacocekanga.—INdumiso 19:8, 9.
14. Kutheni umthandazo ubalulekile ukuze sihlangabezane nobuthathaka bobuntu?
14 Ephawula ukuba abapostile bakhe bayozela kumyezo waseGetsemane, uYesu wabongoza: “Hlalani nilindile yaye nithandaze ngokuqhubekayo, ukuze ningangeni ekuhendweni. Kambe ke, umoya unentumekelelo, kodwa inyama ibuthathaka.” (Mateyu 26:41) Enye indlela yokoyisa isilingo kukuphaphela iintlobo ezahlukahlukeneyo zezilingo uze uphawule iindlela ezenzeka ngazo ngokuchuliweyo. Kubalulekile nokuba sisithandazele ngokukhawuleza isilingo ukuze sixhobe ngokomoya size silwe naso. Ngenxa yokuba isilingo sisihlasela kwiinkalo esibuthathaka kuzo, asinakukwazi ukusixhathisa sisodwa. Umthandazo ubalulekile ngenxa yokuba amandla kaThixo anokusixhasa ukuze sikwazi ukuzikhusela nxamnye noSathana. (Filipi 4:6, 7) Sisenokufuna uncedo lokomoya nemithandazo ‘yamadoda amakhulu ebandla.’—Yakobi 5:13-18.
Ukuxhathisa Isilingo
15. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekuxhathiseni isilingo?
15 Ngaphandle kokuphepha isilingo xa kunokwenzeka, simele sisixhathise ngamandla de sidlule okanye de iimeko zitshintshe. Xa uYesu wayelingwa nguSathana, waxhathisa de uMtyholi wahamba. (Mateyu 4:1-11) Umpostile uYakobi wabhala: “Mchaseni uMtyholi, wonibaleka.” (Yakobi 4:7) Ukuxhathisa kuqala ngokwakha iingqondo zethu ngeLizwi likaThixo size senze isigqibo esiqinileyo sokuba siya kunamathela kwimilinganiselo yakhe. Senza kakuhle ukucengceleza size sicamngce ngezibhalo eziziintloko ezithetha ngobuthathaka bethu. Bekuya kuba bubulumko ukuya kumKristu oqolileyo—mhlawumbi umdala—esinokumxelela ngezinto ezisixhalabisayo nesinokucela uncedo kuye xa sifikelwa sisilingo.—IMizekeliso 22:17.
16. Sinokuhlala njani siziphethe kakuhle?
16 IZibhalo ziyasibongoza ukuba sambathe ubuntu obutsha. (Efese 4:24) Oku kuthetha ukuvumela uYehova ukuba asixonxe aze asiguqule. Ebhalela iqabane lakhe awayesebenza nalo uTimoti, uPawulos wathi: “Phuthuma ubulungisa, uzinikelo lobuthixo, ukholo, uthando, unyamezelo, umoya wobulali. Yilwa umlo omhle wokholo, bubambe ngokuqinileyo ubomi obungunaphakade owabizelwa kubo.” (1 Timoti 6:11, 12) ‘Sinokuphuthuma ubulungisa’ ngokufundisisa iLizwi likaThixo ngenkuthalo ukuze sifumane ulwazi olunzulu ngobuntu bakhe size siziphathe ngokuvisisana nemilinganiselo yakhe. Ucwangciso olupheleleyo lwemisebenzi yobuKristu nalo lubalulekile, njengokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo nokuya kwiintlanganiso. Ukusondela kuThixo nokusebenzisa onke amalungiselelo okomoya kuya kusinceda sikhule ngokomoya size sihlale siziphethe kakuhle.—Yakobi 4:8.
17. Sazi njani ukuba uThixo akayi kusishiya xa silingwa?
17 UPawulos uyasiqinisekisa ukuba akukho silingo siya kuba ngaphezu kwamandla esiwanikwe nguThixo okulwa naso. UYehova ‘uya kwenza nendlela yokuphuma ukuze sikwazi ukusinyamezela.’ (1 Korinte 10:13) Eneneni, uThixo akasivumeli isilingo ukuba sisongamele kangangokuba singabi nawo amandla okomoya awaneleyo okugcina ingqibelelo ukuba siqhubeka sithembele kuye. Ufuna siphumelele ekusixhathiseni isilingo sokwenza okuphosakeleyo emehlweni akhe. Ngaphezu koko, sinokuba nokholo kwidinga lakhe elithi: “Andiyi kuze ndikushiye, ndingayi kuze ndikutyeshele.”—Hebhere 13:5.
18. Kutheni sinokuqiniseka ukuba sinokuboyisa ubuthathaka bobuntu?
18 UPawulos wayeqinisekile ngoko kwakuya kuba ngumphumo kumlo wakhe nxamnye nobuthathaka bobuntu. Akazange azigqale njengosizana lwexhoba elingenakuzinceda leminqweno yenyama yakhe. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, wathi: “Indlela endibaleka ngayo asiyiyo eyokungaqiniseki; indlela endalathisa ngayo izithonga zam yeyokuze ndingabethi umoya; kodwa ndiyawuqoba umzimba wam ndize ndiwuphathe njengekhoboka, ukuze, emva kokuba ndishumayele kwabanye, mna ngokwam ndingabi ngongakholekanga ngandlel’ ithile.” (1 Korinte 9:26, 27) Nathi sinokulwa ngokuphumelelayo nxamnye nenyama engafezekanga. Esebenzisa iZibhalo, iimpapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni, iintlanganiso zamaKristu namaKristu aqolileyo esikhonza nawo, uBawo wethu osemazulwini onothando uyasikhumbuza ngokuthe rhoqo aze asincede ukuba sisukele ikhondo elithe tye. Ngoncedo lwakhe, sinokuboyisa ubuthathaka bobuntu!
Uyakhumbula Na?
• Kuthetha ntoni “ukunyamekela inyama”?
• Sinokusixhobela njani isilingo?
• Sinokwenza ntoni ukuze sihlangabezane nesilingo?
• Unayiphi indima umthandazo ekuhlangabezaneni nesilingo?
• Sazi njani ukuba ubuthathaka bobuntu bunokoyiswa?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]
IBhayibhile ayifundisi ukuba singamaxhoba angenakuzinceda eminqweno yenyama yethu
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
Ukusaba esilingweni yenye indlela esisiseko yokuphepha isono