“Ihambo Yenu Mayibe Ntle Phakathi Kweentlanga”
“Bekani abantu bazo zonke iintlobo, yibani nothando ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela.”—1 PETROS 2:17.
1, 2. (a) Wathini umbhaleli othile wephephandaba ngamaNgqina kaYehova? (b) Kutheni amaNgqina kaYehova ezabalazela ukulondoloza imilinganiselo ephakamileyo yokuziphatha?
KWIMINYAKA eliqela eyadlulayo, umbhaleli wephephandaba eAmarillo, eTexas, eUnited States, watyelela iicawa ezahlukahlukeneyo kummandla ahlala kuwo waza wanikela ingxelo ngoko akufumanisileyo. Kukho iqela angakwazi ukulilibala. Wathi: “Kangangeminyaka emithathu, bendisiya kwiindibano zaminyaka le zamaNgqina kaYehova eAmarillo Civic Center. Njengoko ndandihambahamba phakathi kwawo, andizange ndibone namnye kuwo otshayayo, ovula itoti yebhiya okanye ndive othukayo. Ayengabona bantu bacocekileyo, abaziphethe kakuhle, abanxibe ngesidima, esona sihlwele sizolileyo ndakha ndadibana naso.” Kudla ngokubhalwa amazwi afanayo ngamaNgqina kaYehova. Kutheni amaNgqina edla ngokunconywa ngabantu abangavumelaniyo neenkolelo zawo?
2 Ngokuqhelekileyo, abantu bakaThixo banconywa ngenxa yokuziphatha kwabo kakuhle. Ngoxa ngokubanzi imigaqo yokuziphatha isiya iwohloka, amaNgqina kaYehova akujonga ukuziphatha kakuhle njengento ebalulekileyo, inxalenye yonqulo lwawo. Ayazi ukuba izenzo zawo ziyamchaphazela uYehova nabazalwana bawo abangamaKristu yaye ukuziphatha kwawo kakuhle kwenza inyaniso ayishumayelayo yamkeleke. (Yohane 15:8; Tito 2:7, 8) Ngoko ke, makhe sibone indlela esinokulondoloza ngayo ihambo entle size ngaloo ndlela siqhubeke siphakamisa igama elihle likaYehova nelamaNgqina akhe size sibone nendlela esizuza ngayo ngokwenjenjalo.
Intsapho YamaKristu
3. Zifanele zikhuselwe entwenini iintsapho zamaKristu?
3 Khawucinge ngehambo yethu entsatsheni. Incwadi ethi Die Neuen Inquisitoren: Religionsfreiheit und Glaubensnei (Inkundla Entsha Yokuncina Amakholwa: Inkululeko Yonqulo Nomona Ezicaweni), ebhalwe nguGerhard Besier noErwin K.Scheuch, ithi: “[KumaNgqina kaYehova] intsapho yeyona nto ifanele ikhuselwe ngokukhethekileyo.” Loo mazwi ayinyaniso, yaye namhlanje intsapho ifanele ikhuselwe kwizinto ezininzi. Abantwana ‘ababathobeli abazali’ nabantu abadala “abanawo umsa wemvelo” okanye ‘abakwazi ukuzeyisa.’ (2 Timoti 3:2, 3) Kwiintsapho ezininzi amaqabane ayalwa, nabazali baxhaphaza abantwana okanye bangabahoyi, yaye abantwana bayavukela, basebenzisa iziyobisi yaye baziphatha kakubi, okanye balishiye ikhaya. Konke oku kuyimiphumo yempembelelo etshabalalisayo ‘yomoya wehlabathi.’ (Efese 2:1, 2) Sifanele sikhusele iintsapho zethu kuloo moya. Njani? Ngokuthobela isiluleko nolwalathiso lukaYehova alulungiselele amalungu entsapho.
4. Ziziphi iimbopheleleko lungu ngalinye lentsapho yamaKristu elinazo kwelinye?
4 Amaqabane angamaKristu atshatileyo ayaqonda ukuba anembopheleleko engokwemvakalelo, engokomoya, nengokwenyama kwelinye iqabane. (1 Korinte 7:3-5; Efese 5:21-23; 1 Petros 3:7) Abazali abangamaKristu banembopheleleko enzulu kubantwana babo. (IMizekeliso 22:6; 2 Korinte 12:14; Efese 6:4) Yaye njengoko abantwana kwintsapho engamaKristu bekhula, bafunda ukuba nabo baneembopheleleko ezithile. (IMizekeliso 1:8, 9; 23:22; Efese 6:1; 1 Timoti 5:3, 4, 8) Ukusingatha iimbopheleleko zentsapho kufuna umgudu, ukuzimisela nomoya wothando nokuzincama. Noko ke, okukhona onke amalungu entsapho esingatha iimbopheleleko zawo azinikwe nguThixo, kokukhona lungu ngalinye liyintsikelelo kwelinye nasebandleni. Okona kubalulekileyo kukuba, azukisa uMsunguli weentsapho, uYehova uThixo.—Genesis 1:27, 28; Efese 3:15.
Ubuzalwana BobuKristu
5. Sifumana ziphi iintsikelelo ngokunxulumana namanye amaKristu?
5 NjengamaKristu, nathi sinembopheleleko kwamanye amakholwa ebandleni, yaye ikakhulu, ‘kubazalwana bethu abasehlabathini lonke.’ (1 Petros 5:9) Ulwalamano lwethu nebandla lubalulekile ukuze sihlale siphilile ngokomoya. Xa sinxulumana namanye amaKristu, siyazuza kubudlelane bawo obomelezayo nakukudla kokomoya okunesondlo okuvela ‘kwikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Ukuba sineengxaki, sinokuya kubazalwana bethu ukuze sifumane icebiso eliphilileyo elisekelwe kwimigaqo yeZibhalo. (IMizekeliso 17:17; INtshumayeli 4:9; Yakobi 5:13-18) Xa siswele, abazalwana bethu abasilahli kwesinomhlwa. Kuyintsikelelo ngokwenene ukuba yinxalenye yentlangano kaThixo!
6. UPawulos wabonisa njani ukuba sinembopheleleko kwamanye amaKristu?
6 Noko ke, asiyonxalenye yebandla nje ukuze sizuze; kodwa nathi sinikela ngokuthile. Enyanisweni uYesu wathi: “Kunoyolo ngakumbi ukupha kunokwamkela.” (IZenzo 20:35) Umpostile uPawulos wawubalaselisa umoya wokupha xa wabhala wathi: “Masilubambe nkqi uvumo lwasesidlangalaleni lwethemba lethu ngaphandle kokuxengaxenga, kuba uthembekile lowo uthembisileyo. Kanjalo masinyamekelane, sivuselelane eluthandweni nasemisebenzini emihle, singakutyesheli ukuhlanganisana kwethu ndawonye, njengoko kulisiko labathile ukwenjenjalo, kodwa masikhuthazane, ngokungakumbi njengoko nibona ukuba imini iyasondela.”—Hebhere 10:23-25.
7, 8. Siwubonakalisa njani umoya wokupha ebandleni lethu nakwamanye amaKristu akwamanye amazwe?
7 Ebandleni, senza “uvumo lwasesidlangalaleni lwethemba lethu” xa siphendula ebudeni beentlanganiso okanye sinenxaxheba kucwangciso ngandlel’ ithile. Ngokuqinisekileyo, ukuba nenxaxheba ngaloo ndlela kuyabakhuthaza abazalwana bethu. Kwakhona, siyabakhuthaza ngokuncokola nabo ngaphambi nangasemva kweentlanganiso. Elo lixesha esinokuxhasa ngalo abo babuthathaka, sithuthuzele abo badandathekileyo size someleze abagulayo. (1 Tesalonika 5:14) AmaKristu okwenyaniso anesisa xa kufikelelwa kolu hlobo lokupha, kungeso sizathu le nto inkoliso yabo beza kwiintlanganiso zethu okokuqala bechukunyiswa luthando abalubonayo phakathi kwethu.—INdumiso 37:21; Yohane 15:12; 1 Korinte 14:25.
8 Sekunjalo, asithandi abo basebandleni lethu kuphela. Uthando lwethu silubonakalisa kubo bonke abazalwana bethu abasehlabathini liphela. Yiloo nto, ngokomzekelo, kukho ibhokisi yomnikelo yeNgxowa-mali yeeHolo ZoBukumkani kwiHolo yoBukumkani nganye. Kusenokwenzeka ukuba iHolo yethu yoBukumkani ikwimeko entle, kodwa siyazi ukuba amanye amaKristu amaninzi akwamanye amazwe akanandawo zifanelekileyo zokuhlanganisana. Xa sinikela kwiNgxowa-mali yeeHolo ZoBukumkani, sibonakalisa uthando kubantu abanjalo enoba asibazi.
9. Sisiphi isizathu esiyintloko esibangela ukuba amaNgqina kaYehova athandane?
9 Kutheni amaNgqina kaYehova ethandana? Kaloku, uYesu wawayalela ukuba enjenjalo. (Yohane 15:17) Yaye uthando analo phakathi kwawo bubungqina bokusebenza komoya kaThixo kumntu ngamnye nanjengeqela. Uthando yinxalenye ‘yesiqhamo somoya.’ (Galati 5:22, 23) Njengoko amaNgqina kaYehova efundisisa iBhayibhile, esiya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu, yaye ethandaza kuThixo rhoqo, kuwo uthando luyinto ezenzekelayo nangona ephila kwihlabathi apho ‘luya luphola uthando lwabaninzi.’—Mateyu 24:12.
Imbopheleleko Esinayo Kwihlabathi
10. Yiyiphi imbopheleleko esinayo kwihlabathi?
10 Ukukhankanya kukaPawulos “uvumo lwasesidlangalaleni lwethemba lethu” kusikhumbuza enye imbopheleleko. Olu vumo lwasesidlangalaleni luquka umsebenzi wokushumayela iindaba ezilungileyo kwabo bangekabi ngabo abazalwana bethu abangamaKristu. (Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Roma 10:9, 10, 13-15) Umsebenzi wokushumayela onjalo usesinye isenzo sokupha. Ukuze sibe nenxaxheba koku, kufuneka ixesha, amandla, ukulungiselela, ukuqeqeshwa nokusetyenziswa kobuncwane bethu. Sekunjalo, uPawulos kwakhona wabhala: “Ndinetyala kumaGrike nakumaBharbhari, kwizilumko nakwabangenangqiqo: ngoko ndinentumekelelo yokuzivakalisa iindaba ezilungileyo nakuni apho eRoma.” (Roma 1:14, 15) NjengoPawulos, masingabi ngamagqolo njengoko sihlawula eli “tyala.”
11. Yiyiphi imigaqo emibini yeZibhalo elawula ulwalamano lwethu nehlabathi, kodwa sekunjalo yintoni esiyiqondayo?
11 Ngaba sinenye imbopheleleko kwabo bangengawo amakholwa? Ngokuqinisekileyo kunjalo. Kakade ke, siyaqonda ukuba “ihlabathi liphela lisemandleni ongendawo.” (1 Yohane 5:19) Siyazi ukuba uYesu wathi ngabafundi bakhe: “Abayonxalenye yehlabathi, kanye njengoko nam ndingeyonxalenye yehlabathi.” Sekunjalo, siphila ehlabathini, sisebenza kulo, yaye sifumana uncedo kulo. (Yohane 17:11, 15, 16) Ngoko sineembopheleleko kwihlabathi. Ziziphi? Umpostile uPetros wawuphendula loo mbuzo. Kungekudala ngaphambi kokutshatyalaliswa kweYerusalem, wabhala incwadi eyayisiya kumaKristu aseAsia Minor, yaye kuloo ncwadi kukho umhlathi osinceda ukuba sibe nembono elungeleleneyo ngehlabathi.
12. AmaKristu ‘angabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana,’ ngayiphi indlela, yaye yintoni afanele ayiphephe?
12 UPetros waqala ngokuthi: “Zintanda, ndiyanibongoza njengabaphambukeli nabemi bokwexeshana ukuba nizikhwebule kwiminqweno yenyama, enxamnye nomphefumlo.” (1 Petros 2:11) Ngengqiqo yokomoya, amaKristu okwenyaniso, ‘angabasemzini nabemi bokwexeshana’ kuba eyona nto anikela ingqalelo kuyo ebomini bawo lithemba lobomi obungunaphakade—abo bathanjisiweyo banethemba lokuya ezulwini yaye “ezinye izimvu” zinethemba lokuphila emhlabeni oza kuba yiparadesi. (Yohane 10:16; Filipi 3:20, 21; Hebhere 11:13; ISityhilelo 7:9, 14-17) Noko ke, yintoni iminqweno yenyama? Oku kuquka ukunqwenela ukuba sisityebi, ukuba ngodumileyo, umnqweno wokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini, neminqweno echazwa ‘njengomona’ ‘nokubawa.’—Kolose 3:5; 1 Timoti 6:4, 9; 1 Yohane 2:15, 16.
13. Iminqweno yenyama ‘inxamnye njani nomphefumlo wethu?’
13 Ngokwenene iminqweno enjalo ‘inxamnye nomphefumlo wethu.’ Yonakalisa ulwalamano lwethu noThixo ize ngaloo ndlela ibeke ithemba lethu lobuKristu (‘umphefumlo,’ okanye ubomi bethu) esichengeni. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba sihlakulela umnqweno wokuziphatha okubi, sinokuyinikela njani imizimba yethu “ibe yimibingelelo ephilayo, engcwele, eyamkelekileyo kuThixo”? Ukuba siwela kumgibe wokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo, ‘sibufuna njani kuqala ubukumkani?’ (Roma 12:1, 2; Mateyu 6:33; 1 Timoti 6:17-19) Elona khondo lihle kukulandela umzekelo kaMoses, size sizibhebhethe izilingo zeli hlabathi, size sibeke inkonzo kaYehova kuqala ebomini bethu. (Mateyu 6:19, 20; Hebhere 11:24-26) Lowo ngundoqo ekubeni ngabalungeleleneyo kulwalamano lwethu nehlabathi.
“Ihambo Yenu Mayibe Ntle”
14. Kutheni njengamaKristu sizabalazela ukuhlala siziphethe kakuhle?
14 Olunye ulwalathiso olubalulekileyo lufumaneka kumazwi kaPetros alandelayo: “Ihambo yenu mayibe ntle phakathi kweentlanga, ukuze, nokuba zithetha kakubi ngani njengabenzi-bubi, zithi ngokubona imisebenzi yenu emihle, zimzukise uThixo ngemini yokuvelela kwakhe.” (1 Petros 2:12) NjengamaKristu, sizabalazela ukuba ngumzekelo. Esikolweni siyazibhokoxa. Emsebenzini wengqesho, sikhuthele yaye sinyanisekile—enoba siqeshwe ngumntu ongenalwazelelelo. Kwintsapho eyahluleleneyo, indoda ekholwayo okanye umfazi uya kwenza umgudu okhethekileyo wokulandela imigaqo yobuKristu. Akusoloko kulula, kodwa siyazi ukuba ukuziphatha kwethu kakuhle kuyamkholisa uYehova yaye kudla ngokuba nemiphumo emihle kwabo bangengomaNgqina.—1 Petros 2:18-20; 3:1.
15. Sazi njani ukuba ukuziphatha okuhle kwamaNgqina kaYehova kwaziwa ehlabathini lonke?
15 Isibakala sokuba inkoliso yamaNgqina kaYehova iphumelela ukuhlala igcine imilinganiselo emihle yokuziphatha ibonwa koko kuye kwapapashwa ngawo kwiminyaka edluleyo. Ngokomzekelo, iIl Tempo yaseItali yathi: “Abantu abasebenza namaNgqina kaYehova bawachaza njengabasebenzi abanyanisekileyo, abaqinisekileyo ngokholo lwabo kangangokuba basenokubonakala ngathi bathinjwe ingqondo lulo; sekunjalo, bafanele bahlonelwe ngokugcina kwabo ingqibelelo.” IHerald yaseBuenos Aires, eArgentina, yathi: “Ukutyhubela iminyaka amaNgqina kaYehova aye azingqina engabasebenzi abazibhokoxayo, abazimiseleyo, abanoqoqosho nabemi aboyika uThixo.” Umphengululi ongumRashiya uSergei Ivanenko wathi: “AmaNgqina kaYehova aziwa ehlabathini lonke njengabantu abagcina umthetho ngenzondelelo ingakumbi ekunyanisekeni kwabo ekuhlawuleni iirhafu.” Umphathi wesinye isakhiwo saseZimbabwe esasisetyenziswa ngamaNgqina kaYehova ukuze aqhube indibano yawo wathi: “Ndibona amaNgqina echola amaphepha yaye ecoca nezindlu zangasese. La mabala emidlalo ashiywe ecocekile kunangaphambili. Ulutsha lwenu luqeqeshekile. Akwaba ihlabathi lonke belizaliswe ngamaNgqina kaYehova.”
Ukuzithoba KwamaKristu
16. Luluphi ulwalamano esinalo namagosa karhulumente, yaye ngoba?
16 Kwakhona uPetros wathetha ngolwalamano lwethu nabo basemagunyeni. Uthi: “Ngenxa yeNkosi zithobeni kuyo yonke indalo engabantu: enoba kukukumkani njengowongamileyo, okanye kukwiirhuluneli njengezithunywe nguye ukuba ziphumeze isohlwayo kubenzi-bubi kodwa zidumise abenzi bokulungileyo. Kuba kukuthanda kukaThixo ukuba, ngokwenza kwenu okulungileyo, nibavale umlomo abo bathetha ngokungenangqiqo nangokungazi.” (1 Petros 2:13-15) Siyazixabisa izinto esizifumana kurhulumente onocwangco, yaye sikhokelwa ngamazwi kaPetros, siyayithobela imithetho yakhe size sihlawule iirhafu. Ngoxa silamkela ilungelo oorhulumente abalinikwe nguThixo lokohlwaya abo baphula umthetho, esona sizathu siyintloko sokuthobela abo basemagunyeni ‘kungenxa yeNkosi.’ Oku kukuthanda kukaThixo. Ngaphezu koko, asifuni ukuzisa ugculelo egameni likaYehova ngokohlwayelwa ukwaphula umthetho.—Roma 13:1, 4-7; Tito 3:1; 1 Petros 3:17.
17. Xa abantu ‘abangenangqiqo’ besichasa, sinokuqiniseka ngantoni?
17 Ngelishwa, abathile ‘abangenangqiqo’ kwabasemagunyeni bayasitshutshisa okanye basichase ngezinye iindlela—ngokusasaza ngathi ubuxoki. Sekunjalo, ngexesha elifanelekileyo likaYehova, obo buxoki buyabhencwa, baze bavalwe imilomo abo bathetha “ngokungazi.” Indlela esiziphatha ngayo njengamaKristu yaziwa nanguthathatha. Ngenxa yoko amagosa karhulumente athembekileyo adla ngokusincoma njengabantu abalungileyo.—Roma 13:3; Tito 2:7, 8.
Amakhoboka KaThixo
18. NjengamaKristu, ziziphi iindlela esinokukuphepha ngayo ukuyisebenzisa kakubi inkululeko yethu?
18 Ngoku uPetros ulumkisa esithi: “Yibani njengabantu abakhululekileyo, ukanti ningayithabathi inkululeko yenu, njengesigqubuthelo sobubi, kodwa njengamakhoboka kaThixo.” (1 Petros 2:16; Galati 5:13) Namhlanje, ulwazi lwethu ngenyaniso yeBhayibhile lusikhulula kwiimfundiso zobuxoki zonqulo. (Yohane 8:32) Ngaphezu koko, sinenkululeko yokuzikhethela, yaye sinokuzenzela izigqibo. Sekunjalo, asiyisebenzisi kakubi le nkululeko. Xa sikhetha abahlobo, iimpahla, indlela yokuzilungisa neyokuzonwabisa—ukutya nokusela—asilibali ukuba amaKristu okwenyaniso ngamakhoboka kaThixo, akazikholisi. Sikhetha ukukhonza uYehova kunokuba sibe ngamakhoboka eminqweno yethu yenyama okanye iifashoni nezimbo zehlabathi.—Galati 5:24; 2 Timoti 2:22; Tito 2:11, 12.
19-21. (a) Sibajonga njani abo banegunya ehlabathini? (b) Abanye baye balubonisa njani ‘uthando ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela?’ (c) Yiyiphi eyona mbopheleleko yethu ibalulekileyo?
19 UPetros uhlabela mgama esithi: “Bekani abantu bazo zonke iintlobo, yibani nothando ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela, moyikeni uThixo, yibani nembeko kukumkani.” (1 Petros 2:17) Ekubeni uYehova uThixo evumela abantu bongamele ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo sibonakalisa intlonelo efanelekileyo kwabo bantu. Side sibathandazele, ukuze basivumele siqhubeke nobulungiseleli bethu ngoxolo nangozinikelo lobuthixo. (1 Timoti 2:1-4) Noko ke, kwangaxeshanye, ‘sinothando ngomanyano lwabazalwana luphela.’ Sisoloko sisenza okuhle kungekhona okubi kubazalwana bethu abangamaKristu.
20 Ngokomzekelo, xa olunye uhlanga lwaseAfrika lwaludlavuzwe lugonyamelo lobuhlanga, indlela amaNgqina kaYehova ayeziphethe ngayo njengamaKristu yayibonakala kumntu wonke. Iphephandaba iReformierte Presse laseSwitzerland lathi: “Ngowe-1995, iAfican Rights . . . yakwazi ukubonisa indlela ezinye iicawa ezaba negalelo ngayo [kolu ngquzulwano] ngaphandle kwamaNgqina kaYehova.” Xa iindaba zezi ziganeko zihambis’ umzimba zasasazeka ehlabathini, ngokukhawuleza amaNgqina kaYehova eYurophu athumela ukutya nezinto zonyango kubazalwana bawo kwakunye nabanye ababekwelo lizwe lixhwalekileyo. (Galati 6:10) Athobela amazwi akwiMizekeliso 3:27 athi: “Musa ukwala nokulungileyo kwabo kuselungelweni labo ukukufumana, xa kusemandleni esandla sakho ukukwenza.”
21 Noko ke, kukho imbopheleleko ebaluleke ngakumbi kunokuhlonela nje amagunya awongamileyo nokuthanda abazalwana bethu. Yiyiphi loo mbopheleleko? UPetros wathi: “Moyikeni uThixo.” Sinembopheleleko enkulu kakhulu kuYehova kunaye nawuphi na omnye umntu. Oko kuyinyaniso njani? Yaye sinokubonakalisa njani ulungelelwano kwimbopheleleko yethu kuThixo nakumagunya awongamelayo? Le mibuzo iya kuphendulwa kwinqaku elilandelayo.
Ngaba Uyakhumbula?
• Ziziphi iimbopheleleko amaKristu anazo entsatsheni?
• Sinokuwubonakalisa njani umoya wokupha ebandleni?
• Ziziphi iimbopheleleko esinazo kwihlabathi?
• Ziziphi iinzuzo ezinokubakho ngenxa yokugcina umlinganiselo ophakamileyo wokuziphatha?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
Intsapho yamaKristu inokulubangela njani uvuyo olukhulu?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]
Kutheni amaNgqina kaYehova ethandana?
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 10]
Ngaba sinokubonakalisa uthando kubazalwana bethu enoba asibazi?