Ukumanyana KwamaKristu Kuzukisa UThixo

‘Kuzabalazele ngokunyamekileyo ukugcina ubunye bomoya.’—EFE. 4:3.

 1. AmaKristu ase-Efese enkulungwane yokuqala amzukisa njani uThixo?

UKUMANYANA kwamalungu ebandla lamaKristu kwiEfese yamandulo kwamzukisa uThixo oyinyaniso, uYehova. Kwelo ziko lichumileyo lezorhwebo, abanye abazalwana abangamaKristu babezizityebi ezazinamakhoboka, ngoxa abanye babengamakhoboka yaye mhlawumbi bengamahlwempu. (Efe. 6:5, 9) Abanye babengamaYuda awafunda inyaniso kwiinyanga ezintathu umpostile uPawulos awashumayela ngazo kwindlu yesikhungu. Bambi babefudula benqula uArtemis beqhelisela nobugqi. (IZe. 19:8, 19, 26) Ngokucacileyo, ubuKristu bokwenyaniso badibanisa abantu beemvelaphi ezininzi. UPawulos waphawula ukuba ukumanyana kwebandla kuyamzukisa uYehova. Lo mpostile wathi: “Kuye makube luzuko ngalo ibandla.”—Efe. 3:21.

 2. Yintoni eyayisongela umanyano lwamaKristu ase-Efese?

² Noko ke, umanyano lwebandla lase-Efese lwalusongelwa. UPawulos walumkisa abadala wathi: “Phakathi kwenu kuya kusuka amadoda aze athethe izinto ezijijekileyo ukuze abatsale abafundi emva kwawo.” (IZe. 20:30) Kwakhona, abanye abazalwana babesenawo umoya owahlukanisayo, lowo uPawulos wathi ‘usebenza koonyana bokungathobeli.’—Efe. 2:2; 4:22.

Ileta Ebalaselisa Umanyano

3, 4. Ileta kaPawulos eya kwabase-Efese ikubethelela njani ukubaluleka komanyano?

³ UPawulos waphawula ukuba ukuze amaKristu aqhubeke esebenzisana, afanele enze umgudu wokugcina umanyano. UThixo waphefumlela uPawulos ukuba abhale ileta eya kwabase-Efese yaye into ephambili awayethetha ngayo apho lumanyano. Ngokomzekelo, uPawulos wathetha ngenjongo kaThixo ‘yokuhlanganisela zonke izinto kwakhona kuKristu.’ (Efe. 1:10) Kwakhona wafanisa amaKristu namatye awahlukahlukeneyo ekwakhiwa ngawo. “Isakhiwo siphela, esihlonyelwe ndawonye ngemvisiswano, sikhulela ekubeni yitempile engcwele kaYehova.” (Efe. 2:20, 21) Ngaphezulu, uPawulos wabalaselisa ukumanyana kwamaKristu angamaYuda nabeeNtlanga waza wakhumbuza abazalwana ukuba baphuma kumthombo omnye. Wathi uYehova ‘nguBawo, ebizwa ngaye yonke intsapho ezulwini nasemhlabeni.’—Efe. 3:5, 6, 14, 15.

⁴ Njengoko sihlola isahluko 4 seyabase-Efese, siya kusiqonda isizathu sokuba kufuneke senze umgudu ukuze sigcine umanyano, indlela uYehova asinceda ngayo ukuze simanyane, nesimo sengqondo esiya kusinceda sihlale simanyene. Kutheni ungasifundi sonke esi sahluko ukuze ungenelwe ngakumbi kwesi sifundo?

Isizathu Sokuba Kufuneke Umgudu Ukuze Kulondolozwe Umanyano

 5. Kutheni iingelosi zikaThixo zinokukhonza ngomanyano kodwa kutheni kunokuba nzima ngathi ukugcina umanyano?

⁵ UPawulos wabongoza abazalwana base-Efese ukuba ‘bakuzabalazele ngokunyamekileyo ukugcina ubunye bomoya.’ (Efe. 4:3) Ukuze uqonde isizathu sokuba oku kufune umgudu, cinga ngeengelosi zikaThixo. Azikho izinto ezimbini eziphilayo emhlabeni ezifana twatse, ngoko sinokugqiba kwelokuba, nezigidi zeengelosi uYehova uzenze zahluka. (Dan. 7:10) Sekunjalo, ziyakwazi ukukhonza uYehova ngomanyano kuba ziyamphulaphula yaye zenza ukuthanda kwakhe. (Funda iNdumiso 103:20, 21.) Ngoxa iingelosi ezithembekileyo zineempawu ezintle ezahlukahlukeneyo, namaKristu aneempawu zokungafezeki ezahlukahlukeneyo. Oku kunokubangela ukuba kube nzima ukugcina umanyano.

 6. Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esinokusinceda sikwazi ukusebenzisana nabazalwana abanobuthathaka obungafaniyo nobethu?

⁶ Xa abantu abangafezekanga bezama ukusebenzisana, kunokuvela iingxaki. Ngokomzekelo, kuthekani ukuba umzalwana onomoya wobulali unengxaki yokufika emva kwexesha yaye ukhonza uYehova nomzalwana okwaziyo ukugcina ixesha kodwa ongakwaziyo ukulawula umsindo? Ngamnye wabo usenokuphazamiseka ngenxa yobuthathaka bomnye kodwa usenokulibala ukuba naye unobakhe ubuthathaka. Aba bazalwana banokukhonza njani kunye ngomanyano? Phawula indlela esinokubanceda ngayo isimo sengqondo esikhuthazwa nguPawulos kula mazwi alandelayo. Cinga nangendlela esinokulondoloza ngayo umanyano ngokuhlakulela eso simo sengqondo. UPawulos wathi: ‘Ndiyanibongoza ukuba nihambe ngokufanelekileyo, ngokuthobeka okupheleleyo kwengqondo nobulali, ninokuzeka kade umsindo, ninyamezelana ngothando, nikuzabalazela ngokunyamekileyo ukugcina ubunye bomoya kumxokelelwane omanyanisayo woxolo.’—Efe. 4:1-3.

 7. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuzabalazela ukumanyana namanye amaKristu angafezekanga?

⁷ Ukufunda ukukhonza uThixo ngomanyano kunye nabanye abantu abangafezekanga kubalulekile kuba linye kuphela iqela labanquli bokwenyaniso. “Mnye umzimba, mnye nomoya, kwananjengokuba nabizelwa thembeni linye elo nabizelwa kulo; inye iNkosi, lunye ukholo, lunye ubhaptizo; mnye uThixo noYise wabo bonke abantu.” (Efe. 4:4-6) UYehova usebenzisa umoya wakhe kwiqela elinye labantu yaye lilo kuphela alisikelelayo. Ukuba sinokukhutyekiswa ngumntu othile ebandleni, ngaba ikho indawo esinokubalekela kuyo? Ayikho enye indawo esinokuva kuyo amazwi obomi obungunaphakade.—Yoh. 6:68.

“Izipho Ezingabantu” Zikhuthaza Umanyano

 8. Yintoni esetyenziswa nguKristu ukuze asincede simelane nempembelelo eyahlukanisayo?

⁸ UPawulos wenza umzekelo ngento eyayiqhelekile kumajoni exesha lamandulo ebonisa indlela uYesu awalungiselela ngayo “izipho ezingabantu” ukuze amanyanise ibandla. Ijoni eloyisileyo lalibuya nomthinjwa welinye ilizwe ukuze aze kuba likhoboka, ancedise inkosikazi yalo ngemisebenzi yasekhaya. (INdu. 68:1, 12, 18) Ngokufanayo, ukoyisa kukaYesu ihlabathi kwamenza wafumana amakhoboka amaninzi azinikela ngokuzithandela. (Funda eyabase-Efese 4:7, 8.) Uye wabasebenzisa njani abo bathinjwa? “Bambi wabanika ukuba babe ngabapostile, bambi babe ngabaprofeti, bambi babe ngabavangeli, bambi babe ngabalusi nabafundisi, ngenjongo yokulungiswa kwabo bangcwele, ukwenzela umsebenzi wobulungiseleli, ukuze kwakhiwe umzimba kaKristu, de sonke sifikelele kubunye bokholo.”—Efe. 4:11-13.

 9. (a) “Izipho ezingabantu” zisinceda njani ukuba sihlale simanyene? (b) Kutheni le nto onke amalungu ebandla efanele afak’ isandla kumanyano lwebandla?

⁹ Njengabalusi abanothando, ezi ‘zipho zingabantu’ ziyasinceda ukuba sihlale simanyene. Ngokomzekelo, xa umdala webandla ephawula ukuba abazalwana ababini ‘bayakhuphisana,’ unokufak’ isandla kumanyano lwebandla ngokubaluleka ngasese ukuze ‘abalungise ngomoya wobulali.’ (Gal. 5:26–6:1) Njengabafundisi, ezi ‘zipho zingabantu’ ziyasinceda sakhe ukholo olomeleleyo olusekelwe kwiimfundiso zeBhayibhile. Ngaloo ndlela, zikhuthaza umanyano zize zisincede ukuba sibe ngamaKristu aqolileyo. UPawulos wathi zenza oku “ukuze singabi saba ziintsana, sikhukuliswa ngamaza yaye siphetshethwa yiyo yonke imimoya yeemfundiso zabakhohlisi abalahlekisa abantu ngobuqhokolo.” (Efe. 4:13, 14) Onke amaKristu afanele afak’ isandla kumanyano lwabazalwana, kanye njengokuba lungu ngalinye elisemzimbeni wethu linceda amanye amalungu.—Funda eyabase-Efese 4:15, 16.

Ukuhlakulela Isimo Sengqondo Esitsha

10. Ukuziphatha okubi kunokulubek’ engozini njani umanyano lwethu?

¹⁰ Ngaba uye waphawula ukuba isahluko sesine seleta kaPawulos eya kwabase-Efese sibonisa ukuba eyona nto engundoqo kumanyano lwamaKristu kukuba nothando? Emva koko, sibonisa oko kubandakanyekileyo ekuboniseni uthando. Ngokomzekelo, ukuphila ngendlela yothando kunokuthintela ukuhenyuza nokuziphatha okubi. UPawulos wabongoza abazalwana bakhe ukuba ‘bangaqhubeki behamba njengokuhamba kweentlanga.’ Abo bantu ‘babengasaziva konke konke, yaye babezinikele kwihambo evakalala.’ (Efe. 4:17-19) Abantu behlabathi esiphila kulo abaziphethe kakubi balubek’ engozini umanyano lwethu. Baqhula ngohenyuzo, bacula ngalo, bayalubukela ngenjongo yokuzonwabisa yaye babandakanyeka kulo ngokufihlakeleyo okanye ngokuphandle. Kanti kwanokudlala ngeemvakalelo, okusenokuquka ukuzenza ngathi unomdla kumntu othile ngoxa ungenanjongo yokutshata naye, kunokukwahlukanisa noYehova kunye nebandla. Ngoba? Kuba oku kunokukukhokelela kuhenyuzo. Nomntu otshatileyo odlala ngeemvakalelo zomnye umntu aze agqibele ngokukrexeza, unokwahlukanisa abantwana nabazali yaye unokwahlukanisa iqabane elimsulwa neqabane lalo lomtshato. Ngokwenene oku kunokubahlukanisa abantu! Wayefanele uPawulos ukuthi: “Animfundanga enjalo uKristu.”—Efe. 4:20, 21.

11. IBhayibhile ikhuthaza amaKristu ukuba enze luphi utshintsho?

¹¹ UPawulos wabethelela ingongoma yokuba sifanele siyeke ukucinga ngezinto ezingakhiyo kunoko sifanele sihlakulele isimo sengqondo esiya kusenza sikwazi ukuhlala ngokumanyeneyo nabanye. Wathi: “Nifanele nibulahle ubuntu obudala obuvisisana nehambo yenu yangaphambili nobonakaliswe yiminqweno [yobuntu obudala] ekhohlisayo; . . . mawahlaziyeke amandla engqondo yenu, nambathe ubuntu obutsha obadalwa ngokokuthanda kukaThixo ngobulungisa bokwenyaniso nokunyaniseka.” (Efe. 4:22-24) ‘Anokuhlaziyeka njani amandla eengqondo zethu’? Ukuba sibonakalisa uxabiso yaye siyacingisisa ngezinto esizifunda eLizwini likaThixo nangomzekelo omhle esiwumiselwe ngamaKristu aqolileyo, sinokuphumelela kwimigudu yokwambatha ubuntu obutsha “obadalwa ngokokuthanda kukaThixo.”

Hlakulela Indlela Entsha Yokuthetha

12. Ukuthetha inyaniso kunokubanceda njani abantu ukuba bahlale bemanyene yaye kutheni kunzima kwabanye ukuthetha inyani?

¹² Kubalulekile ukuthetha inyaniso kumalungu eentsapho zethu okanye kumalungu ebandla. Ukuthetha ngokuphandle, ngokukhululekileyo nangobubele kunokubamanyanisa abantu. (Yoh. 15:15) Kodwa kuthekani ukuba umntu uxokisa umntakwabo? Xa umntu efumanisa ukuba umntakwabo umxokisile, uyayeka ukumthemba. Unokusiqonda isizathu sokuba uPawulos athi: “Ngamnye kuni makathethe inyaniso nommelwane wakhe, ngenxa yokuba singamalungu omnye elomnye.” (Efe. 4:25) Umntu oqhele ukuxoka, mhlawumbi owaqala ukuxoka esemncinane, unokukufumanisa kunzima ukuthetha inyani. Kodwa uYehova uya kuyixabisa imigudu ayenzayo yokuzama ukutshintsha yaye uya kumnceda.

13. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekuyekeni intetho etshabhisayo?

¹³ UYehova usifundisa ukuba sihlonelane yaye simanyane ebandleni nasentsatsheni ngokusibekela imiqathango kwindlela esithetha ngayo. “Makungaphumi lizwi libolileyo emlonyeni wenu . . . Mabususwe kuni bonke ubukrakra bolunya nomsindo nengqumbo nokumemeza nokutshabhisa nabo bonke ububi.” (Efe. 4:29, 31) Enye into enokusinceda siphephe ukuthetha kakubi, kukuhlakulela ukuba nentlonelo kwabanye. Ngokomzekelo, indoda ethetha rhabaxa nomfazi wayo ifanele izame ukutshintsha isimo sengqondo sayo ingakumbi xa iye yafunda ngendlela uYehova awaxabisa ngayo amabhinqa. UThixo uwathambisa ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele amanye amabhinqa ewanika ilungelo lokulawula njengookumkani kunye noKristu kwixa elizayo. (Gal. 3:28; 1 Pet. 3:7) Ngokufanayo, nomfazi othanda ukungxolisa umyeni wakhe ufanele atshintshe isimo sengqondo sakhe emva kokufunda ngendlela uYesu awayezibamba ngayo xa ecatshukisiwe.—1 Pet. 2:21-23.

14. Kutheni ukugqabhuka ngumsindo kuyingozi?

¹⁴ Nokungakwazi ukubamba umsindo kuyafana nokutshabhisa. Nako kunokubahlukanisa abantu. Umsindo ufana nomlilo. Xa ungalawulwa unokubangela ingxaki. (IMize. 29:22) Xa umntu efuna ukuchaza into engamphathanga kakuhle umele azibambe angabi nomsindo ukuze angaxabani nabantu abathandayo. AmaKristu afanele azifundise ukuxolela, angabi nenzondo aze ayeke ukuthetha ngaloo ngxabano kwakhona. (INdu. 37:8; 103:8, 9; IMize. 17:9) UPawulos wathi kumaEfese: “Qumbani, kodwa ningoni; malingatshoni ilanga nicaphukile, ningamvuleli indawo uMtyholi.” (Efe. 4:26, 27) Ukungakwazi ukubamba umsindo kunokuvulela uMtyholi ithuba lokusahlukanisa okanye lokubangela ingxabano ebandleni.

15. Ukuthatha izinto zabanye kunokuba nawuphi umphumo?

¹⁵ Ukuba nentlonelo ngempahla yabanye kunokubangela umanyano ebandleni. Siyafunda: “Lowo ubayo makangabi seba.” (Efe. 4:28) Abantu bakaYehova ngokubanzi bayathembana. Ukuba umKristu ngenxa yeso sizathu, uthatha into yomnye umntu, unokuluchitha olo manyano.

Ukuthanda UThixo Kuyasimanyanisa

16. Sinokulomeleza njani umanyano lwethu ngentetho eyakhayo?

¹⁶ Simanyene kwibandla lamaKristu kuba sonke siyamthanda uThixo wethu yaye ngenxa yoko sifuna ukuphatha abanye ngothando. Ngenxa yombulelo ngobubele esibenzelwa nguYehova, sifuna ukwenza umgudu wokusebenzisa esi siluleko: ‘Into eniyithethayo mayibe yelungele ukwakha njengoko kusenokuba yimfuneko, ukuze ibanike oko kukholekileyo abevayo. Yibani nobubele omnye komnye, nibe nemfesane, nixolelane ngesisa kanye njengokuba noThixo wanixolelayo ngesisa ngaye uKristu.’ (Efe. 4:29, 32) UYehova onobubele uyasixolela nangona singafezekanga. Ngaba nathi asifanele simxelise ngokuxolela abanye ngokungafezeki kwabo?

17. Kutheni sifanele senze umgudu wokulondoloza umanyano?

¹⁷ Ukumanyana kwabantu bakaThixo kuzukisa uYehova. Umoya wakhe uyasinceda ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo ukuba sigcine umanyano. Ngokuqinisekileyo asifuni kulwisana nokhokelo lomoya. UPawulos wathi: “Musani ukuwenza buhlungu umoya oyingcwele kaThixo.” (Efe. 4:30) Umanyano lwethu luxabisekile yaye sifanele silukhusele. Lubangela ulonwabo kwabo bamanyeneyo yaye luzukisa uYehova. “Ngoko ke, yibani ngabaxelisa uThixo, njengabantwana abaziintanda, nize niqhubeke nihamba eluthandweni.”—Efe. 5:1, 2.

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

• Sisiphi isimo sengqondo esibangela ukuba amaKristu amanyane?

• Yiyiphi indlela yokuziphatha enokubangela umanyano?

• Indlela esithetha ngayo inokusinceda njani simanyane?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]

Abantu abaneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo bamanyene

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]

Ngaba uyayiqonda ingozi yokudlala ngeemvakalelo zomnye umntu?