‘Qhubekani Nihamba Njengabantwana Bokukhanya’
“Nembathe umuntu omusha owadalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.”—EFESU 4:24.
1. Yini abakhulekeli bakaJehova ababusiswe ngayo? Ngani?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU ‘unguYise wokukhanya,’ futhi “ubumnyama abukho kuye nakanye.” (Jakobe 1:17; 1 Johane 1:5) INdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, yathi ngayo ngokwayo: “Mina ngingukukhanya kwezwe; ongilandelayo kasoze ahamba ebumnyameni, kodwa woba-nokukhanya kokuphila.” (Johane 8:12) Ngakho-ke, abakhulekeli bakaJehova beqiniso, abalandeli beNdodana yakhe, babusiswe ngokukhanyiselwa—okungokwengqondo, okungokokuziphatha, nokungokomoya—futhi ‘bakhanya njengezinkanyiso ezweni.’—Filipi 2:15.
2. Yimuphi umehluko owabikezelwa owawuzoba phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu nezwe?
2 Esikhathini eside ngaphambili, umprofethi u-Isaya waphefumlelwa ukuba abikezele lomehluko: “Bheka, ubumnyama buyasibekela umhlaba, nesigayegaye abantu; kepha uJehova uyaphuma phezu kwakho, nenkazimulo yakhe iyakubonakala phezu kwakho.” Eqinisweni, sonke isintu esihlukaniswe noNkulunkulu sikhulunyelwa njengesingaphansi kwamandla nethonya ‘lababusi bezwe balobubumnyama.’—Isaya 60:2; Efesu 6:12.
3. Yiziphi izizathu ezisenza sibe nesithakazelo esijulile eselulekweni sikaPawulu esifike ngesikhathi?
3 Umphostoli uPawulu wayekukhathalela kakhulu ukuba amaKristu akanye nawo ahlale ekhululekile ebumnyameni obunjalo. Wanxusa ukuba ‘angabe esahamba njengalokhu kuhamba abezizwe’ kodwa ‘aqhubeke ehamba njengabantwana bokukhanya.’ (Efesu 4:17; 5:8) Wayichaza futhi indlela ayengaphumelela ngayo ekwenzeni lokhu. Namuhla, ubumnyama nesigayegaye esisibekela izizwe kuye kwanda. Izwe liye lacwila ngokujulile obishini lokuwohloka kokuziphatha nokungokomoya. Abakhulekeli bakaJehova babhekene nempi esabeka ngokwandayo okumelwe bayilwe. Ngakho-ke, sinesithakazelo kulokho uPawulu akusho.
Funda NgoKristu
4. Yini uPawulu ayeyicabanga lapho ethi: “Animfundanga uKristu kanjalo”?
4 Ngemva kokuchaza izinto eziyize eziphishekelwayo nokungcola kwezwe, umphostoli uPawulu wabuye waphendulela ukunakekela kwakhe kumaKristu ayekanye nawo e-Efesu. (Siza ufunde eyabase-Efesu 4:20, 21.) UPawulu wayechithe cishe iminyaka emithathu eshumayela futhi efundisa kulowomuzi, futhi kumelwe ukuba wayejwayelane nabaningi ngokomuntu siqu ebandleni. (IzEnzo 20:31-35) Ngakho, lapho ethi, “nina animfundanga uKristu kanjalo,” wayezwakalisa ulwazi lwakhe siqu lokuthi amaKristu ase-Efesu ayengafundiswanga iqiniso eliyekelelayo nelixegisayo elalivumela izinhlobo zokuziphatha okubi kakhulu ayekuchaze emavesini 17-19. Wayazi ukuthi ayefundiswe ngokufanelekile nangokuqondile indlela yokuphila kwamaKristu eqiniso njengoba yaboniswa uJesu Kristu. Ngenxa yalesosizathu, ayengasahambi ebumnyameni njengoba kwakwenza abezizwe, kodwa ayengabantwana bokukhanya.
5. Uyini umehluko phakathi kokuba seqinisweni ngendlela yokukha phezulu nokwenza iqiniso libe ngelethu?
5 Khona-ke, yeka indlela okubaluleke ngayo ‘ukufunda uKristu’ ngendlela efanelekile! Ingabe zikhona izindlela ezingalungile zokufunda uKristu? Yebo, ngokuqinisekile. Ngaphambili, kwabase-Efesu 4:14, uPawulu wayexwayise abazalwane: “Singabe sisaba-yizingane, sishukunyiswa okwamaza, sipheshulwa yimimoya yonke yezifundiso ngenkohliso yabantu, ngobuqili obunamacebo okudukisa.” Ngokusobala kwakukhona abathile ababefunde ngoKristu kodwa ababesahamba ngezindlela zezwe futhi ababezame ngisho nokushoshozela abanye ukuba benze kanjalo. Ingabe lokhu akusibonisi ingozi yokuba nje seqinisweni, njengoba abanye bekubeka kanjalo, okungafani nokwenza iqiniso libe ngelethu? Osukwini lukaPawulu labo ababenolwazi lokukha phezulu kuphela babedukiswa kalula nangokushesha ngabanye, futhi kungokufanayo nanamuhla. Ukuze avimbele lokhu, uPawulu waqhubeka wathi abase-Efesu kwakumelwe ngabe ‘babemzwile uKristu futhi bafundiswa kuJesu.’—Efesu 4:21.
6. Singafunda kanjani kuye, sizwe, futhi sifundiswe nguKristu namuhla?
6 Izinkulumo ezithi ‘ukufunda,’ ‘ukuzwa,’ nethi ‘ukufundiswa’ ezasetshenziswa uPawulu zonke zibonisa inqubo yokutadisha noma yokufunda, njengasesikoleni. Yebo, asinakukwazi ukuzwa, ukufunda kuye, noma ukufundiswa ngokuqondile uJesu ngokwakhe namuhla. Kodwa uqhuba umkhankaso womhlaba wonke wokufundisa ngeBhayibheli esebenzisa ‘inceku yakhe ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47; 28:19, 20) ‘Singamfunda uKristu’ ngokufanelekile nangokuqondile uma njalo sidla ukudla okungokomoya okufika ngesikhathi okulungiselelwa isigaba senceku, sikutadishe ngenkuthalo kungaba ngokomuntu siqu noma ebandleni, sizindle ngakho, futhi sisebenzise lokho esikufundayo. Masiqiniseke ukuthi siwasebenzisa ngokugcwele wonke lamalungiselelo ukuze sikwazi ukusho ngeqiniso ukuthi ‘simzwile futhi safundiswa kuye.’
7. Yikuphi ukubaluleka okungase kutholakale emazwini kaPawulu athi, “iqiniso likuJesu”?
7 Kuyathakazelisa ukuthi kweyabase-Efesu 4:21, ngemva kokugcizelela lenqubo yokufunda, uPawulu wanezela: “Njengokuba iqiniso likuJesu.” Abahlaziyi abathile beBhayibheli badonsela ukunakekela eqinisweni lokuthi uPawulu wayengavamile ukusebenzisa igama lomuntu siqu elithi Jesu ngokuqondile emibhalweni yakhe. Empeleni, lena ukuphela kwendawo elisetshenziswe kuyo kanjalo encwadini eya kwabase-Efesu. Ingabe kukhona ukubaluleka okukhethekile kulokhu? Mhlawumbe uPawulu wayedonsela ukunakekela esibonelweni esabekwa uJesu njengomuntu. Khumbula ukuthi uJesu wake wathi ngaye ngokwakhe: “Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila.” (Johane 14:6; Kolose 2:3) UJesu wathi: ‘Mina ngiyiqiniso’ ngoba akazange nje alikhulume futhi alifundise kuphela kodwa waphila ngalo futhi walibonakalisa. Yebo, ubuKristu beqiniso abuwona nje umqondo othile kodwa buyindlela yokuphila. ‘Ukufunda uKristu’ kuhlanganisa ukufunda ukumlingisa ngokuphila ngeqiniso. Ingabe wenza ukuphila kwakho kufane nokukaJesu? Ingabe ulandela izinyathelo zakhe eduze nsuku zonke? Kungokwenza kanjalo kuphela lapho singaqhubeka khona sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya.
‘Khumulani Umuntu Omdala’
8. Yimuphi umfanekiso uPawulu awusebenzisa kwabase-Efesu 4:22, 24, futhi kungani ufaneleka?
8 Ukuze abonise indlela ‘esingafunda ngayo uKristu’ ngokuphumelelayo futhi sihambe njengabantwana bokukhanya, uPawulu waqhubeka wathi kwabase-Efesu 4:22-24, kunezinyathelo ezintathu ezisobala okumelwe sizilandele. Esokuqala yilesi: “Nikhumule umuntu omdala ongowenkambo yokuqala, owonakala ngezinkanuko zenkohliso.” (Efesu 4:22) Amazwi athi “nikhumule” (“nilahle,” Kingdom Interlinear) nathi “nembathe” (evesini 24) akha umfanekiso wokukhumula nokwembatha ingubo. Lesi isingathekiso uPawulu ayesisebenzisa kaningi, futhi siyaphumelela. (Roma 13:12, 14; Efesu 6:11-17; Kolose 3:8-12; 1 Thesalonika 5:8) Lapho izingubo zethu zingcola noma ziba namabala, njengalapho sidla, sizishintsha ngethuba lokuqala elivelayo. Ingabe akufanele sikhathazeke ngendlela efanayo nganoma yikuphi ukungcola esimweni sethu esingokomoya?
9. Umuntu ubukhumula ngayiphi indlela ubuntu obudala?
9 Khona-ke, umuntu ubukhumula kanjani ubuntu obudala? Isenzo esithi “nikhumule” olimini lokuqala sikulokho okuthiwa inkathi engachaziyo. Sibonisa isenzo esithathwa kanye kuphela. Lokhu kusitshela ukuthi ‘umuntu omdala’ (“ubuntu obudala,” NW) kanye ‘nenkambo yethu yokuqala,’ kumelwe kukhunyulwe ngokuqiniseka nangokuwujuqu, nangokuphelele. Akukhona okuthile esingacabanga ngakho ngokuphumelelayo noma size ngisho sikungabaze. Ngani?
10. Kungani kumelwe ukuba umuntu azimisele futhi anqume ngokuwujuqu ukulahla ubuntu obudala?
10 Amazwi athi ‘owonakalayo’ abonisa ukuthi “umuntu omdala” usenkambweni eqhubekayo nethuthukayo yokuwohloka kokuziphatha, esuka esimweni esibi eya kwesibi ngokwengeziwe. Empeleni, ngenxa yokwenqaba ukukhanyiselwa okungokomoya, sonke isintu siwohloka ngokuqhubekayo. Lokhu kuwumphumela ‘wezinkanuko zenkohliso,’ kusho uPawulu. Izinkanuko zenyama ziyakhohlisa ngoba zingase zibonakale zingalimazi, kodwa ekugcineni ziyonakalisa. (Heberu 3:13) Uma zingavinjelwa, umphumela uyoba ukungcola nokufa. (Roma 6:21; 8:13) Kungakho ubuntu obudala kumelwe bulahlwe, bukhunyulwe ngokuwujuqu nangokuphelele, ngendlela okukhunyulwa ngayo ingubo endala, engcolile.
‘Umoya Wengqondo’ Omusha
11. Kumelwe kuqale kuphi ukuvuselela kabusha okungokomoya?
11 Umuntu ovuka odakeni akadingi nje ukukhumula izingubo zakhe ezingcolile kuphela kodwa udinga nokugeza kahle ngaphambi kokuba agqoke okuthile okusha nokuhlanzekile. Yilokho kanye uPawulu akuveza njengesinyathelo sesibili ekukhanyiselweni okungokomoya: “Nenziwe-basha emoyeni [“emandleni ashukumisa,” NW] wengqondo yenu.” (Efesu 4:23) Njengoba ebonisile ngaphambili, emavesini 17 no-18, abezizwe bahamba “ebuzeni bengqondo yabo” futhi ‘basebumnyameni bengqondo.’ Ngokunengqondo, ingqondo, isizinda sokucabanga nokuqonda, kulapho ukuvuselela kumelwe kuqale khona. Kungenziwa kanjani lokhu? UPawulu wachaza ukuthi kungokwenza amandla ashukumisa ingqondo yethu abe masha. Ayini lawomandla?
12. Ayini amandla ashukumisa ingqondo?
12 Ingabe amandla ashukumisa ingqondo yethu, uPawulu ayebhekisela kuwo, awumoya ongcwele? Cha. Inkulumo ethi ‘amandla ashukumisa ingqondo yenu’ ngokwezwi nezwi ifundeka kanje “umoya wengqondo yenu.” Akukho eBhayibhelini lapho umoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu ukhulunyelwa njengongowomuntu noma ungowengxenye yomuntu. Igama elithi “umoya” ngokuyisisekelo lisho “ukuphefumula,” kodwa liyasetshenziswa futhi eBhayibhelini “ekuboniseni amandla abangela ukuba umuntu abonise isimo esithile sengqondo, ubuntu, noma umzwelo noma ukuba athathe isinyathelo noma inkambo ethile.” (Insight on the Scriptures, Umqulu 2, ikhasi 1026) Ngakho ‘umoya wengqondo’ ungamandla ashukumisa ingqondo yethu, ukuthambekela kwengqondo yethu siqu.
13. Kungani ukuthambekela kwengqondo yethu kumelwe kwenziwe kube kusha?
13 Ukuthambekela okungokwemvelo kwengqondo engaphelele kusezintweni ezithintekayo, ezenyama, nezibonakalayo. (UmShumayeli 7:20; 1 Korinte 2:14; Kolose 1:21; 2:18) Ngisho nakuba umuntu elahla ubuntu obudala kanye nemikhuba yabo emibi, uma ukuthambekela kwengqondo yakhe enesono kungashintshiwe, esikhathini esithile esizayo kuyomphoqelela ukuba aphindele kulokho ayekulahlile. Ingabe lokhu akukhona yini okuhlangenwe nakho kwabaningi abaye bazama, ngokwesibonelo, ukuyeka ukubhema, ukuphuza ngokweqile, noma eminye imikhuba emibi? Uma babengenzanga mizamo yokuba benziwe basha emandleni ashukumisa ingqondo yabo, cishe ukubuyela emuva kwakungenakugwemeka. Noma yikuphi ukuguquka kwangempela kumelwe kuhilele ukwenziwa kwengqondo ibe yintsha.—Roma 12:2.
14. Amandla ashukumisa ingqondo angenziwa kanjani abe masha?
14 Khona-ke, umuntu uwenza kanjani lawomandla abe masha ukuze enze ingqondo yakhe ithambekele endleleni eqondile? Isenzo esithi “nenziwe-basha” embhalweni wesiGreki sisenkathini yamanje, sibonisa isinyathelo esiqhubekayo. Ngakho kungokuqhubeka sitadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu leqiniso nangokuzindla ngalokho elikushoyo lapho lamandla ashukumisa ingqondo engenziwa khona abe masha. Ososayensi basitshela ukuthi ebuchosheni bethu, ukwaziswa okusesimweni sezimpawu zikagesi noma ezamakhemikhali kuhamba kusuka kuyi-neuron kuya kwenye, kudlula ezintweni eziwahlanganisayo okuthiwa ama-synapse. “Inkumbulo yohlobo oluthile iyakheka kuyi-nerve synapse lapho loluphawu ludlula, lushiya ngasemuva umbhalo walo siqu,” kusho incwadi ethi The Brain. Lapho loluphawu olufanayo ludlula ngokulandelayo, izingqamuzana zemizwa ziyaluqaphela futhi zisabele ngokushesha ngokwengeziwe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lokhu kwakha indlela entsha yokucabanga kumuntu. Njengoba siphikelela ekungeniseni ukwaziswa okunempilo okungokomoya, kwakheka indlela entsha yokucabanga, futhi amandla ashukumisa ingqondo yethu enziwa abe masha.—Filipi 4:8.
“Nembathe Umuntu Omusha”
15. Ubuntu obusha busha ngamuphi umqondo?
15 Ekugcineni, uPawulu uthi: “Nembathe umuntu omusha [“ubuntu obusha,” NW] owadalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.” (Efesu 4:24) Yebo, umKristu wembatha ubuntu obusha. Igama elithi “obusha” lapha, alibhekiseli esikhathini, kodwa libhekisela emfanelweni. Lokho kusho ukuthi, abubusha ngomqondo wokuthi bungobamuva. Buwubuntu obusha ngokuphelele, ‘obudalwe ngokukaNkulunkulu.’ KwabaseKolose 3:10, uPawulu wasebenzisa ulimi olufanayo futhi wathi “wenziwa-musha . . . ngokomfanekiso walowo owamdalayo.” Lobubuntu obusha bakheka kanjani?
16. Kungani kungase kuthiwe ubuntu obusha ‘budalwe ngokukaNkulunkulu’?
16 UJehova uNkulunkulu wadala abantu bokuqala ababili, u-Adamu no-Eva, ngomfanekiso waKhe futhi bamfuza. Banikwa izimfanelo zokuziphatha nezingokomoya ezabenza bahluka endalweni eyizilwane futhi baba ngaphezulu kakhulu kwayo. (Genesise 1:26, 27) Ngisho nakuba ukuhlubuka kwabo kwafaka sonke isintu esonweni nokungapheleli, thina, njengenzalo ka-Adamu, sisakwazi ukubonisa izimfanelo zokuziphatha nezingokomoya. Intando kaNkulunkulu iwukuthi labo ababonisa ukholo emhlatshelweni wesihlengo kufanele balahle ubuntu obudala futhi bajabulele “ukukhululeka kwenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.”—Roma 6:6; 8:19-21; Galathiya 5:1, 24.
17. Kungani ukulunga nokwethembeka kuyizici ezivelele zobuntu obusha?
17 Ukulunga kweqiniso nokwethembeka kuyizimfanelo ezimbili uPawulu aziqokomisa njengesici sobuntu obusha. Lokhu kugcizelela ngokwengeziwe ukuthi ubuntu obusha benziwa bube busha ngokomfanekiso waLowo owabudalayo. IHubo 145:17 liyasitshela: “UJehova ulungile ezindleleni zakhe zonke, unomusa emisebenzini yakhe yonke.” Futhi isAmbulo 16:5 sithi ngoJehova: “Ulungile wena okhona nowawukhona, oNgcwele.” Ngempela, ukulunga nokwethembeka kuyizimfanelo ezibalulekile ukuze siphile ngokuvumelana nokudalwa ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu, sibonakalisa inkazimulo yakhe. Kwangathi singafana noZakariya, uyise kaJohane uMbhapathizi, owashukunyiswa umoya ongcwele ukuba adumise uNkulunkulu ngokunika abantu baKhe ‘ilungelo lokumkhonza bengenakwesaba ngokwethembeka nangokulunga.’—Luka 1:74, 75.
‘Qhubekani Nihamba Njengabantwana Bokukhanya’
18. UPawulu uye wasisiza kanjani ukuba sizibone njengoba zinjalo izindlela zezwe?
18 Ngemva kokucabangela ngokuningiliziwe amazwi kaPawulu kweyabase-Efesu 4:17-24, sinokuningi esingacabanga ngakho. Emavesini 17 kuya ku-19, uPawulu usisiza ukuba sibone izindlela zezwe njengoba zinjalo. Ngokwenqaba ulwazi lukaNkulunkulu nangokuqinisa izinhliziyo zabo kuye, labo abasesezweni baye bazehlukanisa nomthombo wokuphila kweqiniso. Ngenxa yalokho, bengenanjongo yeqiniso noma isiqondiso, imizamo yabo igcina iwubuwula futhi iyize. Bacwila ngokujule ngisho nangokwengeziwe ekonakaleni kokuziphatha nokungokomoya. Yeka isimo esidabukisayo! Futhi yeka isizathu esinamandla esinaso sokuba sizimisele ukuqhubeka sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya!
19. Yisiphi isikhuthazo sokugcina esisithola kuPawulu sokuba siqhubeke sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya?
19 Khona-ke, emavesini 20 no-21, uPawulu ugcizelela ukubaluleka kokufunda iqiniso ngobuqotho ukuze singamane nje sihlangane neqiniso kodwa siphile ngalo njengoba kwenza uJesu. Ekugcineni, emavesini 22 kuya ku-24, usiyala ukuba sikhumule ubuntu obudala futhi sembathe obusha—ngokuwujuqu, nangokuzimisela. Okwamanje, kumelwe siqhubeke siqondisa ukuthambekela kwengqondo yethu endleleni enempilo, nengokomoya. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, kumelwe sibheke kuJehova ukuze sithole usizo njengoba siqhubeka sihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya. “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu owathi: Akuvele ukukhanya ebumnyameni, kukhanye, nguyena owakhanyisa ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuba kukhanye ukwazi inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ebusweni bukaKristu.”—2 Korinte 4:6.
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
◻ ‘Singamfunda kanjani uKristu’ namuhla?
◻ Kungani ubuntu obudala kumelwe bukhunyulwe ngokuwujuqu?
◻ Ayini amandla ashukumisa ingqondo, futhi enziwa kanjani abe masha?
◻ Yiziphi izimfanelo ezibonakalisa ubuntu obusha?
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
UJesu wathi: “Mina ngiyindlela, neqiniso, nokuphila”
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
“Nikhumule umuntu omdala kanye nezenzo zakhe”—ulaka, ukuthukuthela, ububi, ukuhlambalaza, inkulumo eyihlazo, nokuqamba amanga.—Kolose 3:8, 9
[Isithombe ekhasini 17]
“Nembathe umuntu omusha owadalwa ngokukaNkulunkulu ekulungeni nasebungcweleni beqiniso.”—Efesu 4:24