Isahluko 17
Thola Ukulondeka Phakathi Kwabantu BakaNkulunkulu
1, 2. Isimo sesintu sifana kanjani nesabantu abasendaweni ecekelwe phansi isivunguvungu?
AKE sithi isivunguvungu esinamandla sicekele phansi indawo ohlala kuyo. Umuzi wakho ubhidlikile, futhi ulahlekelwe yiyo yonke impahla yakho. Akukho kudla. Isimo sibonakala singenathemba. Kusenjalo, kufika amalungiselelo osizo abengalindelekile. Unikezwa ukudla nezingubo zokugqoka eziningi. Wakhelwa indlu entsha. Ngokuqinisekile ubungambonga kakhulu umuntu owenze kwatholakala lamalungiselelo.
2 Kwenzeka okufanayo namuhla. Njengaleso sivunguvungu, ukuhlubuka kuka-Adamu no-Eva kwabangela umonakalo omkhulu ohlangeni lwesintu. Ikhaya lesintu eliyiPharadesi lalahleka. Kusukela ngaleso sikhathi, ohulumeni babantu baye bahluleka ukuvikela abantu empini, ebugebengwini, nasekuntulekeni kobulungisa. Inkolo iye yashiya abaningi belambele ukudla okungokomoya okunempilo. Nokho, ngomqondo ongokomoya uJehova uNkulunkulu manje ulungiselela ukudla, izingubo zokugqoka, nendawo yokukhosela. Ukwenza kanjani lokho?
“ISIGQILA ESIKHOLEKILE NESIQONDAYO”
3. UJehova uwadlulisela kanjani amalungiselelo esintwini, njengoba kuboniswa yiziphi izibonelo?
3 Ngokuvamile amalungiselelo osizo adluliselwa ngomzila ohleliwe, futhi ngendlela efanayo uJehova uye wenzela abantu bakhe ilungiselelo elingokomoya. Ngokwesibonelo, ama-Israyeli ‘ayeyibandla likaJehova’ iminyaka engaba ngu-1 500. Phakathi kwawo kwakunalabo ababekhonza njengomzila kaNkulunkulu wokufundisa ngoMthetho wakhe. (1 IziKronike 28:8; 2 IziKronike 17:7-9) Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., uJehova waveza inhlangano yobuKristu. Kwakhiwa amabandla, futhi asebenza ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwendikimba ebusayo eyayakhiwa abaphostoli namadoda amadala. (IzEnzo 15:22-31) Ngokufanayo namuhla, uJehova usebenzelana nabantu bakhe ngendikimba ehleliwe. Sikwazi kanjani lokhu?
4. “Isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” siye sabonakala singobani ezikhathini zanamuhla, futhi amalungiselelo kaNkulunkulu angokomoya enziwa atholakale kanjani?
4 UJesu wathi ngesikhathi sokuba khona kwakhe emandleni oMbuso, “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” sasiyotholakala silungiselela abalandeli baKhe “ukudla . . . ngesikhathi esifanele.” (Mathewu 24:45-47) Lapho uJesu emiswa njengeNkosi yasezulwini ngo-1914, lesi “sigqila” sabonakala singobani? Ngokuqinisekile sasingebona abefundisi beLobukholwa. Ngokuyinhloko, babefunza imihlambi yabo inkulumo-ze eyayisekela ohulumeni bamazwe akubo eMpini Yezwe I. Kodwa ukudla okungokomoya okufanele nokwakufika ngesikhathi kwakwabiwa iqembu lamaKristu eqiniso ayegcotshwe ngomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu futhi ayeyingxenye yalabo uJesu ababiza ngokuthi ‘umhlambi omncane.’ (Luka 12:32) LamaKristu agcotshiwe ashumayela ngoMbuso kaNkulunkulu esikhundleni sohulumeni babantu. Ngenxa yalokho, phakathi neminyaka edlule, izigidi ‘zezinye izimvu’ ezithambekele ekulungeni ziye zahlanganyela ‘nesigqila’ esigcotshiwe ekuqhubeni inkolo yeqiniso. (Johane 10:16) Esebenzisa “isigqila esikholekile” neNdikimba yaso Ebusayo, uNkulunkulu uqondisa abantu bakhe abahlelekile ukuba benze ukudla okungokomoya, izingubo zokugqoka, nendawo yokukhosela kutholakalele bonke abafisa ukuba nalamalungiselelo.
‘UKUDLA NGESIKHATHI ESIFANELE’
5. Yisiphi isimo esingokomoya esikhona ezweni namuhla, kodwa uJehova wenzani ngalokhu?
5 UJesu wathi: “Umuntu akumelwe aphile ngesinkwa sodwa, kodwa ngawo wonke amazwi aphuma emlonyeni kaJehova.” (Mathewu 4:4) Nokho, ngokudabukisayo abantu abaningi abawanaki amazwi kaNkulunkulu. Njengoba kwabikezela umprofethi kaJehova u-Amose, ‘kunendlala, engeyona eyesinkwa, nokoma, okungekhona ukomela amanzi, kodwa ukomela ukuzwa amazwi kaJehova.’ (Amose 8:11) Ngisho nabantu abathanda inkolo kakhulu balambile ngokomoya. Nokho, intando kaJehova iwukuba “zonke izinhlobo zabantu zisindiswe futhi zifinyelele olwazini olunembile lweqiniso.” (1 Thimothewu 2:3, 4) Ngenxa yalokho, ulungiselela inala yokudla okungokomoya. Kodwa kungatholakalaphi?
6. UJehova uye wabondla kanjani ngokomoya abantu bakhe ezikhathini ezidlule?
6 Kuwo wonke umlando, uJehova uye wabela abantu bakhe ukudla okungokomoya njengeqembu. (Isaya 65:13) Ngokwesibonelo, abapristi bakwa-Israyeli babehlanganisa abesilisa, abesifazane, nabantwana ukuze bafundiswe uMthetho kaNkulunkulu njengeqembu. (Duteronomi 31:9, 12) Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwendikimba ebusayo, amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayehlela amabandla futhi abe nemihlangano ukuze bonke bafundiswe futhi bakhuthazwe. (Roma 16:5; Filemoni 1, 2) OFakazi BakaJehova balandela lesi sibonelo. Umenywa ngokufudumele ukuba ube khona kuyo yonke imihlangano yabo.
7. Ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu kuhlangene ngani nolwazi nokholo?
7 Yiqiniso, kungenzeka usufunde okuningi kakade esifundweni sakho siqu seBhayibheli. Mhlawumbe kunothile okusizile. (IzEnzo 8:30-35) Kodwa ukholo lwakho lungase lufaniswe nesitshalo esiyobuna futhi sife uma singanakekelwa ngokufanelekile. Ngakho, kumelwe wondliwe ngokufanele ngokomoya. (1 Thimothewu 4:6) Imihlangano yobuKristu inikeza isimiso esiqhubekayo semfundo eklanyelwe ukuba ikondle ngokomoya futhi ikusize ukuba uqhubeke ukhula okholweni njengoba wandisa ulwazi lwakho ngoNkulunkulu.—Kolose 1:9, 10.
8. Kungani sikhuthazwa ukuba siye emihlanganweni yoFakazi BakaJehova?
8 Imihlangano ifeza enye injongo ebalulekile. UPawulu wabhala: “Masicabangelaneni ukuze sivuselelane othandweni nasemisebenzini emihle, singakuyeki ukubuthana kwethu ndawonye.” (Heberu 10:24, 25) Igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “sivuselelane” lingase lisho futhi “ukulola.” Isaga seBhayibheli sithi: “Insimbi ilola insimbi, nomuntu ubuso bomunye.” (IzAga 27:17) Sonke sidinga ‘ukulolwa’ ngokuqhubekayo. Ukucindezela kwansuku zonke okusezweni kungaluthuntubeza ukholo lwethu. Lapho siya emihlanganweni yobuKristu, kuba nokukhuthazana. (Roma 1:11, 12) Amalungu ebandla alalela isiyalo somphostoli uPawulu ‘sokuqhubeka eduduzana futhi akhana,’ futhi izinto ezinjalo zilola ukholo lwethu. (1 Thesalonika 5:11) Ukuba khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu kubonisa nokuthi sithanda uNkulunkulu futhi kusinika amathuba okumdumisa.—IHubo 35:18.
“GQOKANI UTHANDO”
9. UJehova uye wasibeka kanjani isibonelo ekuboniseni uthando?
9 Pawulu wabhala: “Gqokani uthando, ngoba luyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.” (Kolose 3:14) Ngomusa uJehova uye wasilungiselela lengubo yokugqoka. Kanjani? AmaKristu angabonisa uthando ngoba lungesinye sezithelo zomoya ongcwele kaJehova ezivela kuNkulunkulu. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) UJehova ngokwakhe uye wabonisa uthando olukhulu kakhulu ngokuthumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuze sibe nokuphila okumi phakade. (Johane 3:16) Lokhu kubonakaliswa okukhulu kothando kwasinikeza isibonelo sokubonisa lemfanelo. “Uma kuyilendlela uNkulunkulu asithanda ngayo,” kubhala umphostoli uJohane, “khona-ke nathi ngokwethu singaphansi kwesibopho sokuthandana.”—1 Johane 4:11.
10. Singazuza kanjani ‘kuyo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu’?
10 Ukuba khona kwakho emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso kuyokunika ithuba elihle kakhulu lokubonisa uthando. Lapho, uyothola izinhlobonhlobo zabantu. Ngokungangabazeki uyozizwa ukhangwa abaningi babo zisuka nje. Yiqiniso, ubuntu abufani ngisho naphakathi kwalabo abakhonza uJehova. Mhlawumbe esikhathini esidlule ubumane ubazibe abangenazo izithakazelo noma izimfanelo ezinjengezakho. Nokho, amaKristu kumelwe ‘abe nothando ngayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu.’ (1 Petru 2:17) Ngakho-ke, zibekele umgomo wokujwayelana nalabo abaseHholo LoMbuso—ngisho nabantu abangalingani nawe ngeminyaka, abanobuntu, uhlanga, noma izinga lemfundo elihlukile. Cishe uyothola ukuthi ngamunye wabo wenza kahle kakhulu emfanelweni ethile emenza athandeke.
11. Kungani kungafanele uphazanyiswe izinhlobonhlobo zobuntu phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova?
11 Ukungafani kobuntu ebandleni akudingekile ukuba kukuphathe kabi. Ngokwesibonelo, ake ucabange ngezimoto eziningi zihamba eceleni kwakho emgwaqweni. Azihambi ngesivinini esifanayo zonke, futhi azikho esimweni esifanayo zonke. Ezinye sezihambe amakhilomitha amaningi, kodwa ezinye, njengawe, zisanda kuqala. Nokho, naphezu kwakho konke lokhu kungafani zonke zihamba emgwaqweni. Kunjalo nangabantu abakha ibandla. Akubona bonke ababa nezimfanelo zobuKristu ngesivinini esifanayo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, akubona bonke abasesimweni esifanayo ngokomzimba noma ngokomzwelo. Abanye sebeneminyaka eminingi bekhulekela uJehova; abanye basanda kuqala. Kodwa, bonke bahamba endleleni eya ekuphileni okumi phakade, ‘behlangene ngokufanele emqondweni ofanayo nasendleleni efanayo yokucabanga.’ (1 Korinte 1:10) Ngakho-ke, bheka izimfanelo ezinhle hhayi ubuthakathaka balabo abasebandleni. Ukwenza kanjalo kuyoyijabulisa inhliziyo yakho, ngoba uyoqaphela ukuthi uNkulunkulu uphakathi kwalaba bantu ngempela. Futhi ngokuqinisekile yilapha lapho ufuna ukuba khona.—1 Korinte 14:25.
12, 13. (a) Uma othile ebandleni ekona, yini ongayenza? (b) Kungani kubalulekile ukungabambi igqubu?
12 Njengoba bonke abantu bengaphelele, ngezinye izikhathi othile ebandleni angase asho noma enze into ekuphatha kabi. (Roma 3:23) Umfundi uJakobe wabhala eqinisile: “Sonke siyakhubeka izikhathi eziningi. Uma noma ubani engakhubeki ngezwi, lowo uyindoda ephelele.” (Jakobe 3:2) Uyosabela kanjani uma othile ekona? Isaga seBhayibheli sithi: “[Ukuqonda, NW] komuntu kubambezela intukuthelo yakhe; kuludumo lwakhe ukudlula esiphambekweni.” (IzAga 19:11) Ukuba nokuqonda kusho ukubona ngalé kwalokho isimo esiyikho, ukubona izici ezisithekile ezibangela umuntu akhulume noma enze ngendlela ethile. Abaningi bethu basebenzisa ukuqonda okukhulu ukuze bathethelele amaphutha abo siqu. Kungani singakusebenzisi futhi ukuze siqonde futhi sisibekele ukungapheleli kwabanye?—Mathewu 7:1-5; Kolose 3:13.
13 Masingakhohlwa nanini ukuthi kumelwe sithethelele abanye ukuze nathi sithole intethelelo kaJehova. (Mathewu 6:9, 12, 14, 15) Uma siphila ngeqiniso, siyobaphatha ngothando abanye. (1 Johane 1:6, 7; 3:14-16; 4:20, 21) Ngakho-ke, uma uba nenkinga nothile ebandleni, yilwa nokubamba igqubu. Uma ugqoke uthando, uyolwela ukuyixazulula inkinga, futhi ngeke unqikaze ukuxolisa uma kunguwe owonile.—Mathewu 5:23, 24; 18:15-17.
14. Yiziphi izimfanelo okufanele sizigqoke?
14 Izingubo zethu zokugqoka ezingokomoya kufanele zihlanganise nezinye izimfanelo ezihlobene kakhulu nothando. UPawulu wabhala: “Gqokani ukusondelana okunesisa kobubele, umusa, ukuthobeka kwengqondo, ubumnene, nokubhekakade.” Lezi zimfanelo, ezihlanganiswe uthando, ziyingxenye ‘yobuntu obusha’ bokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. (Kolose 3:10, 12) Ingabe uyowenza umzamo wokugqoka ngalendlela? Uma ikakhulukazi ugqoka uthando lobuzalwane uyoba nophawu olwenza abafundi bakaJesu bahluke, ngoba wathi: “Bonke bayokwazi ngalokhu ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.”—Johane 13:35.
INDAWO YOKULONDEKA
15. Kungayiphi indlela ibandla linjengendawo yokukhosela?
15 Ibandla futhi linjengendawo yokukhosela, isiphephelo esivikelekile lapho ungase uzizwe ulondeke khona. Kulo uyothola abantu abanezinhliziyo eziqotho abalwela ukwenza okulungile emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. Abaningi babo baye bayeka yona lemikhuba emibi nezimo zengqondo okungenzeka ulwela ukuzinqoba. (Thithu 3:3) Bangakusiza, ngoba sitshelwa ukuba ‘siqhubeke sithwalelana imithwalo.’ (Galathiya 6:2) Njengoba kulindelekile, ukuphishekela inkambo eholela ekuphileni okumi phakade ekugcineni kuwumthwalo wemfanelo wakho siqu. (Galathiya 6:5; Filipi 2:12) Nokho, uJehova ulungiselele ibandla lobuKristu ukuba libe indlela enhle kakhulu yokusiza nokusekela. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi izinkinga zakho zicindezela kangakanani, unomthombo wokusekelwa oyigugu—ibandla elinothando eliyokusekela ezikhathini zokuhlupheka noma ukuswela.—Qhathanisa noLuka 10:29-37; IzEnzo 20:35.
16. Yiluphi usizo abadala bebandla abalunikezayo?
16 Phakathi kwalabo abayohlanganyela ekukusekeleni ‘kunezipho ezingabantu’—abadala bebandla abamisiwe, noma ababonisi, abelusa umhlambi ngokuzithandela nangentshiseko. (Efesu 4:8, 11, 12; IzEnzo 20:28; 1 Petru 5:2, 3) Ngokuqondene nabo, u-Isaya waprofetha: “Umuntu uyakuba-yindawo yokucashela umoya nesivikelo esivunguvungwini njengemifula yamanzi endaweni eyomileyo, njengomthunzi wedwala ezweni eliyethileyo.”—Isaya 32:2.
17. (a) Luhlobo luni losizo uJesu afuna ukulunikeza ngokukhethekile? (b) Yiliphi ilungiselelo uNkulunkulu athembisa ukulenzela abantu bakhe?
17 Lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, ukwengamela okunjalo kothando kwabaholi benkolo kwakuntuleka ngokudabukisayo. Isimo sabantu samthinta ngokujulile, futhi wafuna ukubasiza ngokukhethekile ngokomoya. UJesu wabadabukela ngoba ‘babephundleke futhi behlakazeke njengezimvu ezingenamalusi.’ (Mathewu 9:36) Yeka ukuthi lokhu kukuchaza kahle kanjani ukuhlupheka kosuku lwanamuhla kwabaningi abakhuthazelela izinkinga ezidabukisayo abangenabani abangathola kuye usizo olungokomoya nenduduzo! Kodwa abantu bakaJehova bayaluthola usizo olungokomoya, ngoba wathembisa: “Ngiyakumisa phezu kwayo abelusi abayakuyalusa; ayisayikwesaba, ayiyikuphela amandla, ayisayikujeziswa.”—Jeremiya 23:4.
18. Kungani kufanele siye kumdala uma sidinga usizo olungokomoya?
18 Jwayelana nabadala abamisiwe ebandleni. Banokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi ekusebenziseni ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu, ngoba baye bahlangabezana nezimfanelo zokuba ababonisi ezibekwe eBhayibhelini. (1 Thimothewu 3:1-7; Thithu 1:5-9) Unganqikazi ukuya komunye wabo lapho udinga usizo olungokomoya ukuze unqobe umkhuba othile noma imfanelo ephikisana nezimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu. Uyothola ukuthi abadala balalela isiyalo sikaPawulu: “Nikhulume ngokududuzayo nemiphefumulo ecindezelekile, nisekele ababuthakathaka, nibe ababhekakade kubo bonke.”—1 Thesalonika 2:7, 8; 5:14.
JABULELA UKULONDEKA NABANTU BAKAJEHOVA
19. Yiziphi izibusiso uJehova azinikeze labo abafuna ukulondeka enhlanganweni yakhe?
19 Nakuba manje siphila phakathi kwezimo zokungapheleli, uJehova usilungiselela ukudla, izingubo zokugqoka, nendawo yokukhosela engokomoya. Yiqiniso, kumelwe silindele izwe elisha likaNkulunkulu elithenjisiwe ukuze sithole izinzuzo zepharadesi elingokoqobo. Kodwa labo abayingxenye yenhlangano kaJehova njengamanje bajabulela ukulondeka kwepharadesi elingokomoya. Ngokuqondene nabo, uHezekeli waprofetha: ‘Bayohlala belondekile, bangesatshiswa-muntu.’—Hezekeli 34:28; IHubo 4:8.
20. UJehova uyosibuyisela kanjani nganoma yini esingase siyidele ukuze simkhulekele?
20 Yeka indlela esibonga ngayo ngokuthi uJehova wenza amalungiselelo angokomoya othando ngeZwi lakhe nenhlangano! Sondela kubantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ungazindeli ngoba wesaba lokho abangane noma izihlobo ezingase zikucabange ngawe ngenxa yokungenisa ulwazi ngoNkulunkulu. Abanye bangase baphikise ngoba uzihlanganisa noFakazi BakaJehova futhi uya emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso. Kodwa uNkulunkulu uyokubuyisela kakhulu nganoma yini oyidelayo ukuze umkhulekele. (Malaki 3:10) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu wathi: “Akekho oshiyé indlu noma abafowabo noma odadewabo noma unina noma uyise noma abantwana noma amasimu ngenxa yami nangenxa yezindaba ezinhle ongeke athole ngokuphindwe kayikhulu manje kulenkathi yesikhathi, izindlu nabafowabo nodadewabo nonina nabantwana namasimu, kanye nokushushiswa, futhi esimisweni sezinto esizayo ukuphila okumi phakade.” (Marku 10:29, 30) Yebo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi yini oyishiyile noma okumelwe uyikhuthazelele, ungathola ubungane obujabulisayo nokulondeka okungokomoya phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu.
HLOLA ULWAZI LWAKHO
Singubani “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo”?
Singubani “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo”?
Yiliphi ilungiselelo uJehova alenzile ukuze sondliwe ngokomoya?
Abasebandleni lobuKristu bangasisiza kanjani?
[Isithombe esigcwele ikhasi ekhasini 165]