“Luhlobo Luni Lwabantu Enifanele Nibe Lulo!”
“Ekubeni ke zonke ezi zinto ziza kuchithakala, luhlobo luni lwabantu enifanele nibe lulo ngokuphathelele ihambo engcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo!”—2 PET. 3:11.
1. Kutheni isibongozo esikwileta yesibini kaPetros safika ngexesha elifanelekileyo kumaKristu ayephila ngexesha lakhe?
XA UMPOSTILE uPetros wayebhala ileta yakhe ephefumlelweyo yesibini, ibandla lamaKristu lalisele linyamezele intshutshiso eqatha, kodwa oku akuzange kulenze lingabi nanzondelelo lize lingakhuli. Ngoko uMtyholi weza nelinye iqhinga alaziyo ukuba lalikhe lasebenza ngaphambili. Njengoko uPetros ebonisa, uSathana wazama ukonakalisa abantu bakaThixo esebenzisa abafundisi bobuxoki ‘ababenamehlo azele lukrexezo nentliziyo eqeqeshelwe inkanuko.’ (2 Pet. 2:1-3, 14; Yude 4) Kungenxa yoko le nto uPetros kwileta yakhe yesibini ebabongoza ngokusuk’ entliziyweni ukuba bahlale bethembekile.
2. Eyesi-2 kaPetros isahluko 3 ithetha ngantoni, ibe yiyiphi imibuzo esifanele sizibuze yona?
2 UPetros wabhala wathi: “Ndikugqala kulungile, lo gama ndisekulo mnquba ukunivusa ngendlela yokunikhumbuza, ndisazi njengoko kunjalo ukuba ukudilika komnquba wam kuza kwenzeka kamsinya . . . Ngoko nam ndiza kwenza unako-nako wokuba ngalo lonke ixesha, emva kokumka kwam, nikwazi ukuzikhankanya ezi zinto.” (2 Pet. 1:13-15) UPetros wayezazi ukuba sele eza kufa, kodwa wayefuna izikhumbuzo zakhe zingalityalwa. Eneneni zaba yinxalenye yeBhayibhile yaye sinokuzifunda nanamhlanje. Isahluko 3 sencwadi yesibini kaPetros sibangela umdla kuthi, kuba sithetha “ngemihla yokugqibela” yale nkqubo yezinto nangokutshatyalaliswa kwamazulu nomhlaba wokomfuziselo. (2 Pet. 3:3, 7, 10) Uthini uPetros xa esiluleka? Ukusebenzisa isiluleko sakhe kunokusinceda njani ukuze sikholise uYehova?
3, 4. (a) Ngawaphi amazwi axhokonx’ iingcinga awathethwa nguPetros yaye sisiphi isilumkiso awasinikelayo? (b) Ziziphi iingongoma ezintathu esiza kuziqwalasela?
3 Emva kokuchaza ngokutshatyalaliswa kwehlabathi likaSathana, uPetros wathi: “Luhlobo luni lwabantu enifanele nibe lulo ngokuphathelele ihambo engcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo!” (2 Pet. 3:11, 12) Kuyabonakala ukuba wayengabuzi mbuzo kodwa wayethetha amazwi axhokonx’ iingcinga. UPetros wayesazi ukuba ngabo benza ukuthanda kukaYehova kuphela nababonakalisa iimpawu zakhe abaya kusindiswa ‘ngomhla wempindezelo’ ozayo. (Isa. 61:2) Ngoko, umpostile wongezelela wathi: “Nina, ke ngoko, zintanda, ekubeni ninolu lwazi kwangaphambili, zilindeni ukuze ningawexulwa nani [ngabafundisi bobuxoki] ngabantu abadelela umthetho nize niwe ekuqineni kwenu.”—2 Pet. 3:17.
4 Ekubeni wayengomnye wabantu ‘ababenolwazi kwangaphambili,’ uPetros wayesazi ukuba ngemihla yokugqibela amaKristu kwakuza kufuneka azilinde ukuze agcine ingqibelelo yawo. Kamva, umpostile uYohane wasichaza ngokucacileyo isizathu soko. Wachaza ngokugxothwa kukaSathana ezulwini ‘nomsindo wakhe omkhulu’ nxamnye ‘nabo bagcina imiyalelo kaThixo nabanomsebenzi wokungqinela uYesu.’ (ISityhi. 12:9, 12, 17) Abakhonzi bakaThixo abathanjisiweyo nabanyanisekileyo, “nezinye izimvu” ezingamaqabane abo, baza koyisa. (Yoh. 10:16) Kuthekani ngathi njengabantu ngabanye? Ngaba siya kuhlala sigcine ingqibelelo yethu? Siya kuncedwa ukuba sikwazi ukwenjenjalo ukuba (1) sihlakulela iimpawu zobuthixo, (2) sihlala singenabala nasiphako ngokwenyama nangokomoya, yaye (3) sinembono elungeleleneyo ngezilingo. Makhe siqwalasele ezi ngongoma.
Hlakulela Iimpawu Zobuthixo
5, 6. Ziziphi iimpawu esifanele sizame ukuzihlakulela yaye kutheni oko kufuna “umgudu wenyameko”?
5 Ekuqaleni kweleta yakhe yesibini, uPetros wathi: “Yenzani umgudu wenyameko, nize elukholweni lwenu nongezelele isidima, esidimeni ulwazi, elwazini ukuzeyisa, ekuzeyiseni unyamezelo, ekunyamezeleni uzinikelo lobuthixo, kuzinikelo lobuthixo umsa wobuzalwana, kumsa wobuzalwana uthando. Kuba ukuba ezi zinto zikho kuni yaye ziyaphuphuma, ziya kunithintela ekubeni ngabangasebenzi nto okanye abangenasiqhamo ngokubhekisele kulwazi oluchanileyo lweNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu.”—2 Pet. 1:5-8.
6 Liyinyaniso elokuba, kufuneka senze “umgudu wenyameko” ukuze senze imisebenzi eya kusinceda sihlakulele iimpawu zobuthixo. Ngokomzekelo, ukuya kuzo zonke iintlanganiso zamaKristu, ukufunda iBhayibhile yonke imihla nokwenza ufundisiso lobuqu kufuna umgudu. Kusenokufuneka ukuzibhokoxa nokuceba kakuhle ukuze sibe noNqulo Lwentsapho rhoqo. Xa siziqhelisa ukwenza ezi zinto, kuba lula ukuqhubeka sizenza—ingakumbi xa sibona iingenelo zokwenjenjalo.
7, 8. (a) Bathini abanye ngoNqulo Lwentsapho? (b) Wena ungenelwa njani kuNqulo Lwentsapho?
7 Ethetha ngelungiselelo loNqulo Lwentsapho, omnye udade uthi: “Lisinceda sifunde ngezinto ezininzi.” Omnye uthi: “Ndandingafuni ukuba isifundo sencwadi sipheliswe. Ndandithanda sona kakhulu kunezinye iintlanganiso. Kodwa ngoku, njengokuba sisiba nengokuhlwa yoNqulo Lwentsapho, ndiyabona ukuba uYehova uyakwazi esikufunayo nexesha okuyimfuneko ngalo.” Enye intloko-ntsapho ithi: “UNqulo Lwentsapho lusinceda ngokwenene. Ukuba nesifundo esilungiselelwe thina njengesibini esitshatileyo kumnandi ngokwenene! Sobabini sivakalelwa kukuba esi sifundo siyasinceda ukuba sivelise isiqhamo somoya oyingcwele yaye intsimi siyithanda nangakumbi ngoku.” Enye intloko-ntsapho ithi: “Ngoku abantwana bayakwazi ukuzenzela uphando—yaye bayakunandipha. Eli lungiselelo lisenza siqiniseke ukuba uYehova uyazazi izinto ezisixhalabisayo yaye uyayiphendula imithandazo yethu.” Ngaba nawe uvakalelwa ngendlela efanayo ngeli lungiselelo lihle livela kuThixo?
8 Musa ukuvumela izinto ezingenamsebenzi ziphazamise uNqulo Lwentsapho. Esinye isibini esitshatileyo sithi: “Kwiiveki ezine ezidluleyo Lwesine ngamnye bekusibakho into esiphazamisayo kodwa asikhange siyivumele ukuba iphazamise isifundo sethu.” Kakade ke, ngamanye amaxesha kusenokufuneka nenze uhlengahlengiso kucwangciso lwenu. Sekunjalo, ningaze nilutyeshele uNqulo Lwentsapho—neveki le enye!
9. UYehova wamxhasa njani uYeremiya yaye yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo wakhe?
9 Umprofeti uYeremiya ungumzekelo omhle esifanele siwuxelise. Wayeyifuna inkxaso yokomoya kaYehova yaye wayixabisa kakhulu. Yamnceda ukuba akwazi ukuqhubeka eshumayela kubantu ababengenamdla. Wathi: “Ilizwi likaYehova laba . . . ngathi ngumlilo ovuthayo ovalelwe emathanjeni am.” (Yer. 20:8, 9) Yamnceda wakwazi nokunyamezela ixesha lobunzima xa kwakutshatyalaliswa iYerusalem. Namhlanje sineLizwi likaThixo elibhaliweyo nelipheleleyo. Xa silifunda ngenkuthalo size sibe nembono efana nekaThixo ngezinto, njengoYeremiya siya kukwazi ukunyamezela ngovuyo entsimini sihlale sithembekile xa silingwa size sihlale sicocekile ngokwenyama nangokomoya.—Yak. 5:10.
Hlala ‘Ungenabala Nasiphako’
10, 11. Kutheni sifanele senze unako-nako ukuze sihlale ‘singenabala nasiphako,’ yaye yintoni esifanele siyenze?
10 NjengamaKristu siyazi ukuba siphila kwimihla yokugqibela. Ngenxa yoko, asothuki xa sibona abantu behlabathi bethe phithi zizinto uYehova azithiyileyo, njengokubawa, ukuziphatha kakubi ngokwesini nogonyamelo. Icebo likaSathana linokuchazwa ngale ndlela: ‘Xa ungakwazi ukuboyikisa abantu bakaThixo, mhlawumbi unokubonakalisa.’ (ISityhi. 2:13, 14) Ngenxa yoko, sifanele sithobele isiluleko sikaPetros esithi: “Yenzani unako-nako ukuze ekugqibeleni [uThixo] anifumane ningenabala, ningenasiphako yaye niseluxolweni.”—2 Pet. 3:14.
11 Ibinzana elithi ‘yenza unako-nako’ liyafana nesinye isibongozo sikaPetros awasenza ngaphambilana esithi yenza “umgudu wenyameko.” Ngokucacileyo, uYehova—owaphefumlela uPetros ukuba abhale loo mazwi—uyazi ukuba sifanele sizibhokoxe ukuze sihlale ‘singenabala nasiphako,’ singadyojwa lihlabathi likaSathana elingcolileyo. Ukuzibhokoxa kuquka ukukhusela iintliziyo zethu ukuze zingaphenjelelwa yiminqweno emibi. (Funda iMizekeliso 4:23; noYakobi 1:14, 15.) Kukwaquka ukuma siqinile nxamnye nabo bangayiqondiyo indlela esiphila ngayo njengamaKristu ‘abahamba besitshabhisa.’—1 Pet. 4:4.
12. Sisiphi isiqinisekiso esisifumana kuLuka 11:13?
12 Ngenxa yokuba singafezekanga, kunzima ukwenza oko kulungileyo. (Roma 7:21-25) Sinokuba nethemba lokuba siya kuphumelela ukuba sicela uncedo kuYehova, obanika ngesisa umoya wakhe oyingcwele abo bamcela ngokunyanisekileyo. (Luka 11:13) Loo moya usinceda sivelise iimpawu ezimkholisayo uThixo nezisinceda sikwazi ukujamelana nezilingo eziya ziba zininzi njengoko imini kaYehova isondela.
Izilingo Mazikwenze Womelele
13. Xa sijamelene nezilingo, yintoni eya kusinceda sikwazi ukunyamezela?
13 Logama nje sisekule nkqubo indala yezinto, siza kuhlangabezana nezilingo ezahlukahlukeneyo. Kunokuba udakumbe, kutheni ezi zilingo ungazigqali njengethuba lokuqinisekisa uthando lwakho ngoThixo nokomeleza ukholo lwakho kuye naseLizwini lakhe? Umfundi uYakobi wathi: “Kugqaleni kuluvuyo olukhulu, bazalwana bam, xa nihlangabezana nezilingo ezahlukahlukeneyo, nisazi nje ukuba ukuvavanywa kokholo lwenu kuvelisa unyamezelo.” (Yak. 1:2-4) Khumbula ukuba “uYehova uyakwazi ukubahlangula esilingweni abantu abanozinikelo lobuthixo.”—2 Pet. 2:9.
14. Ukukhuthaza njani umzekelo kaYosefu?
14 Cinga ngomzekelo kaYosefu unyana kaYakobi, owathengiswa ebukhobokeni ngabantakwabo. (Gen. 37:23-28; 42:21) Ngaba uYosefu waphelelwa lukholo ngenxa yoko kuphathwa ngenkohlakalo? Ngaba wamqumbela uThixo ngenxa yokuba evumele ukuba ahlelwe bobu bubi? ILizwi likaThixo lithi akunjalo! Ngapha koko, izilingo zikaYosefu azizange ziphelele apho. Kamva, watyholwa ngokudlwengula waza wavalelwa entolongweni. Noko ke, akazange agungqe ekuzinikeleni kwakhe kuThixo. (Gen. 39:9-21) Kunoko, izilingo zamomeleza waza wavuzwa ngokutyebileyo.
15. Yintoni esinokuyifunda kumzekelo kaNahomi?
15 Kuyavunywa ukuba izilingo zinokusenza buhlungu zize zisidimaze. Mhlawumbi noYosefu wayevakalelwa ngaloo ndlela ngamanye amaxesha. Ngokuqinisekileyo nabanye abakhonzi bakaThixo abathembekileyo babevakalelwa ngaloo ndlela. Cinga ngoNahomi owafelwa ngumyeni wakhe noonyana bakhe ababini. Wathi “Musani ukundibiza ngokuba ndinguNahomi. Ndibizeni ngokuba ndinguMara [elithetha uBukrakra], kuba uSomandla wenze ukuba kube krakra kakhulu kum.” (Rute 1:20, 21) Wayefanele uNahomi ukuvakalelwa ngaloo ndlela. Noko ke, njengoYosefu akazange aphelelwe lukholo aze ayishiye ingqibelelo yakhe. UYehova walivuza elo bhinqa. (Rute 4:13-17, 22) Ngaphezulu, kumhlaba oyiParadesi ozayo, uya kulungisa wonke umonakalo owenziwe nguSathana nehlabathi lakhe elingendawo. “Izinto zangaphambili aziyi kukhunjulwa, zinganyuki zithi qatha entliziyweni.”—Isa. 65:17.
16. Simele siwujonge njani umthandazo yaye ngoba?
16 Kungakhathaliseki nokuba ziziphi izilingo esijamelana nazo uThixo uya kusomeleza. (Funda eyabaseRoma 8:35-39.) Nangona uSathana engasoze ayeke ukuzama ukusidimaza, akayi kuphumelela ukuba sihlala ‘siphilile engqondweni size sikuphaphele ukuthandaza.’ (1 Pet. 4:7) UYesu wathi: “Hlalani niphaphile, ngoko, lonke ixesha nisenza isikhungo ukuze niphumelele ekubalekeni zonke ezi zinto zimiselwe ukubakho, nasekumeni phambi koNyana womntu.” (Luka 21:36) Phawula igama elisetyenziswe nguYesu elithi “isikhungo,” elithetha ukuthandaza ngokunyanisekileyo. Xa wayesibongoza ukuba senze isikhungo, uYesu wayegxininisa ukuba eli lixesha lokuba siluthabathe nzulu ulwalamano lwethu naye noYise. Ngabo bamkholisayo kuphela abaya kuba nethemba lokusinda ngemini kaYehova.
Hlala Uxakekile Enkonzweni KaYehova
17. Ukuba kunzima ukushumayela kwintsimi okuyo, imizekelo yabaprofeti bamandulo inokukunceda njani?
17 Ukuxakeka zizinto zokomoya kuyasihlaziya. Oku kusenza sikhumbule amazwi kaPetros athi: “Luhlobo luni lwabantu enifanele nibe lulo ngokuphathelele ihambo engcwele nezenzo zozinikelo lobuthixo!” (2 Pet. 3:11) Eyona nto iphambili esifanele siyenze, kukuvakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo. (Mat. 24:14) Liyinyaniso elokuba, kusenokuba nzima ukushumayela kwezinye iindawo, mhlawumbi ngenxa yenkcaso okanye ngenxa yokuxakeka kwabantu. Nabakhonzi bakaYehova bamandulo babenengxaki efanayo. Kodwa abazange banikezele, baqhubeka beshumayela isigidimi sikaThixo “kaninzi-ninzi.” (Funda eyesi-2 yeziKronike 36:15, 16; Yer. 7:24-26) Yintoni eyabancedayo ukuze banyamezele? Babeqonda ukuba isabelo sabo sivela kuYehova kungekhona ebantwini. Kwakhona babekujonga njengelungelo ukuthwala igama likaThixo.—Yer. 15:16.
18. Umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoBukumkani uya kuba naliphi igalelo ekuzukisweni kwegama likaThixo?
18 Nathi sinelungelo lokuvakalisa igama likaYehova nenjongo yakhe. Cinga ngoku: Ngenxa yokushumayela kwethu, iintshaba zikaThixo aziyi kukwazi ukuzithethelela ngemini yomsindo wakhe. NjengoFaro wamandulo, ziya kwazi ukuba nguYehova ozigwebayo. (Eks. 8:1, 20; 14:25) Kwangaxeshanye, uYehova uya kubavuza abakhonzi bakhe abathembekileyo ngokwenza kucace ukuba bebengabameli bakhe.—Funda uHezekile 2:5; 33:33.
19. Sinokubonisa njani ukuba siyawuxabisa umonde kaYehova?
19 Ngasekupheleni kweleta yakhe yesibini, uPetros wabhalela amaKristu wathi: “Wugqaleni umonde weNkosi yethu njengosindiso.” (2 Pet. 3:15) Masiwuxabise umonde kaYehova. Sinokukwenza njani oku? Ngokuhlakulela iimpawu ezimkholisayo, ngokuhlala ‘singenabala nasiphako,’ ngokuba nembono elungeleleneyo ngezilingo nangokuhlala sixakekile kumsebenzi woBukumkani. Ngokwenjenjalo, siya kufumana iintsikelelo ezingenasiphelo eziya kubakho ‘kumazulu amatsha nakumhlaba omtsha.’—2 Pet. 3:13.
Ngaba Uyakhumbula?
• Unokuzihlakulela njani iimpawu zobuthixo?
• Sinokuhlala njani ‘singenabala yaye singenasiphako’?
• Yintoni esinokuyifunda kuYosefu noNahomi?
• Kutheni ukushumayela kulilungelo elingenakuthelekiswa nanto?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Yintoni enokuninceda nina madoda neentsapho zenu nihlakulele iimpawu zobuthixo?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]
Yintoni esinokuyifunda kwindlela uYosefu awajamelana ngayo nezilingo?