Ukuphelelisa Ubungcwele Ngokwesaba UNkulunkulu
“Masizihlambulule ekungcoleni konke kwenyama nokomoya, siphelelise ubungcwele ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu.”—2 KORINTE 7:1.
1. Sazi kanjani ukuthi izingelosi ezisesikhundleni esiphakeme ziyabuqaphela ubungcwele bukaJehova?
UJEHOVA unguNkulunkulu ongcwele. Izingelosi ezisesikhundleni esiphakeme ezulwini zimemezela ubungcwele bakhe ngamagama angagudli. “Ungcwele, ungcwele, ungcwele uJehova-Sebawoti, wonke umhlaba ugcwele inkazimulo yakhe.” Lokho kwakuwukumemeza okushukumisayo kwamaserafi abonwa embonweni umprofethi uIsaya ekhulwini leminyaka lesishiyagalombili B.C.E. Ekupheleni kwekhulu leminyaka lokuqala C.E., umphostoli uJohane wabona imibono yalokho okwakuzokwenzeka “ngosuku lweNkosi,” esikulo manje. Wabona izidalwa ezine eziphilayo zizungeze isihlalo sobukhosi sikaJehova futhi wazizwa zimemezela zingaphezi: “Ingcwele, ingcwele, ingcwele iNkosi uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke, owayekhona nokhona nozayo.” Lokhu kumemezela kathathu kwezidalwa zomoya zikaJehova zasezulwini kugcizelela ubungcwele boMdali obedlula konke.—Isaya 6:2, 3; IsAmbulo 1:10; 4:6-8.
Ukuba Ngcwele Nokuba Owahlukanisiwe
2. (a) Kunaziphi izici ezimbili ezisebungcweleni, futhi uJehova ungcwele kanjani kuzo zombili lezici? (b) UMose wabugcizelela kanjani ubungcwele bukaJehova?
2 Ubungcwele abusho inhlanzeko nobumsulwa obungokwenkolo kuphela kodwa busho nokuba owahlukanisiwe, noma ohlanzekile. UJehova uhlanzekile, noma umsulwa ngezinga eliphakeme; wahlukaniswe ngokuphelele nabo bonke onkulunkulu bezizwe abangcolile. Lesisici sobungcwele bakhe, noma ukuhlanzeka, sagcizelelwa uMose lapho ehlabelela: “Ngubani onjengawe-Jehova phakathi kwawonkulunkulu; ngubani onjengawe okhazimula ngobungcwele?”—Eksodusi 15:11.
3. Kungaziphi izindlela wonke amaIsrayeli okwakudingeka abe-ngcwele ngazo, futhi uJehova wawasiza kanjani kulokhu?
3 UNkulunkulu ongcwele uJehova wayefuna ukuba amaIsrayeli asendulo, abantu bakhe emhlabeni, nabo babengcwele. Lokhu kwakungafuneki kubapristi namaLevi kuphela kodwa nakuso sonke isizwe. UJehova wathi kuMose: “Yisho kuyo yonke inhlangano yabantwana bakwaIsrayeli, uthi kuyo: Niyakuba-ngcwele, ngokuba mina-Jehova uNkulunkulu wenu ngingcwele.” (Levitikusi 19:2) Ngaleyonjongo, uJehova wawanikeza imithetho yokuwasiza ukuba ahlale ehlanzekile ngokomoya, ngokokuziphatha, ngokwengqondo, ngokomzimba, nangokomthetho, lokhu kokugcina kuhlangene nokukhulekela kwabo etabernakele futhi kamuva, ethempelini.
Abantu Abahlukanisiwe
4, 5. (a) Kukanjani ukuthi uIsrayeli ongokwenyama wayeyisizwe esihlanziwe? (b) Yini edingekile ngamaIsrayeli angokomoya, futhi umphostoli uPetru ukuqinisekisa kanjani lokhu?
4 AmaIsrayeli ahluka ezizweni ezonakele ezaziwazungezile ngezinga ayelandela ngalo imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Ayehlukile njengabantu abahlukaniselwe noma abahlanzelwe inkonzo kaNkulunkulu ongcwele uJehova. UMose wawatshela: “Uyisizwe esingcwele kuJehova uNkulunkulu wakho: uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ukukhethile ukuba ube-yisizwe senzuzo yakhe phezu kwezizwe zonke ezisebusweni bomhlaba.”—Duteronomi 7:6.
5 Inhlanzeko nokwahlukaniswa okunjalo kuyadingeka futhi ngoIsrayeli ongokomoya. Umphostoli uPetru wabhalela labo ababekhethelwe ukuba amaIsrayeli angokomoya: “Njengabantwana abalalelayo ningalingisi izinkanuko zakuqala ekungazini kwenu, kodwa njengowanibizayo engcwele, manibe-ngcwele nani ekuhambeni konke, ngokuba kulotshiwe ukuthi: Manibe-ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.”—1 Petru 1:1, 14-16.
6, 7. (a) Amalungu ‘esixuku esikhulu’ achazwe kanjani kusAmbulo isahluko 7, futhi yini ngokunengqondo esidingekayo ngawo? (b) Yini ezocatshangelwa ezigabeni ezilandelayo?
6 KusAmbulo isahluko 7, amalungu ‘esixuku esikhulu’ achazwa ngokuthi ‘ami phambi kwesihlalo sobukhosi [sikaJehova] naphambi kweWundlu, embethe izingubo ezinde ezimhlophe,’ ‘ehlanzé izingubo zawo, azenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9, 14) Izingubo zawo ezimhlophe zifanekisela ukuma kwawo okuhlanzekile, kokulunga phambi kukaJehova, awanika khona ngenxa yokholo lwawo egazini likaKristu elihlengayo. Khona-ke, ngokucacile, akuwona amaKristu agcotshiwe kuphela kodwa “nezinye izimvu” kumelwe zihlale zihlanzekile ngokomoya nangokuziphatha ukuze zikhulekele uJehova ngendlela eyamukelekayo.—Johane 10:16.
7 Manje ake sicabangele indlela abantu bakaJehova esikhathini esidlule okwakudingeka bazibonakalise behlanzeke ngayo futhi bengcwele nesizathu sokuba izimiso ezifanayo zisebenze kubantu bakaNkulunkulu namuhla.
Inhlanzeko Engokomoya
8. Kungaziphi izizathu amaIsrayeli kwakufanele azigcine ehlukene nezinkolo zaseKhanani?
8 AmaIsrayeli angokwenyama kwakumelwe azigcine ehlukene ngokuphelele nemikhuba yenkolo engcolile yezinye izizwe. Ekhuluma ngoMose, uJehova watshela uIsrayeli: “Xwaya ukuba ungasenzi isivumelwano nabakhileyo ezweni oya kulo, funa babe-lugibe kuwe. Kepha niyakuwadiliza ama-altare abo, niziphahlaze izinsika zabo [ezazisetshenziswa ngokuqondene nokukhulekela ubulili okunengekayo], nibagawule oAshera babo, ngokuba awuyikukhonza omunye unkulunkulu, lokhu uJehova, igama lakhe linguMhawu, unguNkulunkulu onomhawu [noma, “uNkulunkulu ofuna ukuzinikela okukhethekile,” umbhalo waphansi weNew World Translation Reference Bible], funa wenze isivumelwano nabakhileyo ezweni, baye baphinge nawonkulunkulu babo, bahlabele onkulunkulu babo.”—Eksodusi 34:12-15.
9. Imiphi imiyalo eqondile eyanikezwa insali ethembekile eyashiya iBabiloni ngo-537 B.C.E.?
9 Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, uJehova waphefumlela uIsaya ukuba asho lamazwi esiprofetho ensalini ethembekile eyayizobuyela kwaJuda ivela eBabiloni: “Mukani, mukani, niphume lapha, ningathinti okungcolileyo, niphume phakathi kwalo, nizihlambulule nina eniphatha izitsha zikaJehova [ezazizosetshenziswa ekubuyiseleni ukukhulekela okumsulwa ethempelini eJerusalema].”—Isaya 52:11.
10, 11. (a) Imiphi imiyalo efanayo eyanikezwa amaIsrayeli angokomoya ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E.? (b) Lemiyalo iye yalandelwa kanjani ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1919 nango-1935, futhi kungayiphi enye indlela abagcotshiwe nabangane babo abazigcina ngayo behlanzekile ngokomoya?
10 Ngokufanayo, amaIsrayeli angokomoya nabangane bawo kumelwe bazigcine bengangcolisiwe izinkolo zalelizwe ezikhonza izithombe. Ebhalela amaKristu agcotshiwe ebandleni laseKorinte, umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Linakuvumelana kuni ithempeli likaNkulunkulu nezithombe na? Ngokuba thina siyithempeli likaNkulunkulu ophilayo, njengokuba washo uNkulunkulu ukuthi: Ngiyakuhlala phakathi kwabo, ngihambe phakathi kwabo; ngiyakuba-nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe-ngabantu bami. Ngakho-ke phumani phakathi kwabo, nahlukane nabo, isho iNkosi; ningathinti okungcolileyo; khona ngiyakunamukela.”—2 Korinte 6:16, 17.
11 Kusukela ngo-1919 amalungu ensali egcotshiwe ahlanziwe futhi acwengwa aye akhululwa ezinkolweni ezingcolile, ezikhonza izithombe zeBabiloni Elikhulu. (Malaki 3:1-3) Aye alalela isimemezelo sasezulwini: “Phumani kulo, bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nalo izono zalo, nokuba ningamukeli okwezinhlupho zalo.” (IsAmbulo 18:4) Kusukela ngo-1935 isixuku esikhulu esandayo ‘sezinye izimvu’ ngokufanayo siye salalela lesimemezelo futhi sayishiya inkolo yobuBabiloni engcolile. Abagcotshiwe kanye nabangane babo bazigcina behlanzekile ngokomoya ngokugwema konke ukuthintana nemiqondo yezihlubuki ebulalayo.—Johane 10:16; 2 Johane 9-11.
Inhlanzeko Engokokuziphatha
12. (a) Kungamiphi imithetho uJehova aphakamisa ngayo isimo sokuziphatha samaIsrayeli ngaphezulu kakhulu kwesezizwe ezaziwazungezile? (b) Imiphi imithetho eyayiqine ngokukhethekile kubapristi?
12 Ngesivumelwano soMthetho, uJehova waphakamisa isimo sokuziphatha samaIsrayeli ngaphezulu kakhulu kwesimo esilulazekile sezizwe ezaziwazungezile. Umshado nokuphila komkhaya kwakuyizimiso ezivikelekile kwaIsrayeli. Owesikhombisa eMithethweni Eyishumi wawukwenqabela ukuphinga. Kokubili ukuphinga nobufebe kwakunezijeziso ezinzima. (Duteronomi 22:22-24) Izintombi zazivikelekile ngaphansi koMthetho. (Duteronomi 22:28, 29) Imithetho yomshado yayiqine ngokukhethekile kubapristi. Ngokuqondene nompristi omkhulu, kwakudingeka akhethe intombi emsulwa eyoba ngumkakhe.—Levitikusi 21:6, 7, 10, 13.
13. Amalungu ‘omlobokazi’ afaniswa nobani, futhi ngani?
13 Ngokufanayo, umPristi Omkhulu, uJesu Kristu, ‘unomlobokazi’ owakhiwa amaKristu agcotshiwe ayizi-144 000, afaniswa ‘nezintombi.’ (IsAmbulo 14:1-5; 21:9) Azigcina engangcolisiwe yizwe likaSathane futhi ahlala emsulwa ngokwezimfundiso nangokokuziphatha. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhalalela amaKristu agcotshiwe eKorinte: “Ngiyanishisekela ngokushisekela kukaNkulunkulu, ngokuba nganendisela endodeni eyodwa ukuba nginiyise kuKristu niyintombi emhlophe.” (2 Korinte 11:2) UPawulu futhi wabhala: “NoKristu ulithandile ibandla, wazinikela ngenxa yalo ukuba alingcwelise, alihlambulule ngesigezo samanzi ngezwi, ukuze azimisele ibandla elinenkazimulo, lingenasisihla, nambimbi, nanto enjalo, kodwa libe-ngcwele lingenacala.”—Efesu 5:25-27.
14, 15. (a) Yini okumelwe ihambisane nobumsulwa obungokomoya besigaba somlobokazi, futhi imuphi umbhalo obonisa lokhu? (b) Kungani kusobala ukuthi izimfuneko ezifanayo zobumsulwa bokuziphatha ziyasebenza futhi nakwezinye izimvu?
14 Lobumsulwa obungokomoya bomlobokazi kaKristu kumelwe buhambisane nenhlanzeko yokuziphatha emalungwini akhe. Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Ningadukiswa. Nazifebe, nabakhonza isithombe, naziphingi . . . abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu. Babenjalo abanye kini, kepha senahlanzwa, senangcweliswa.”—1 Korinte 6:9-11.
15 Ukuthi izimfuneko ezinjalo zobumsulwa bokuziphatha ziyasebenza nakwezinye izimvu kuyabonakala lapho sicabangela labo uNkulunkulu angeke abenze ingxenye yamazulu akhe amasha nomhlaba wakhe omusha othenjisiwe. Siyafunda: ‘Kepha . . . abanengekayo, nababulali, nezifebe . . . , isabelo sabo siyakuba-sechibini elivutha umlilo nesibabule, okungukufa kwesibili.’—IsAmbulo 21:1, 8.
Umshado Ohloniphekile
16, 17. (a) Imiphi imiBhalo ebonisa ukuthi ukungashadi akuyona imfuneko yokuhlanzeka kokuziphatha? (b) UmKristu angakubonisa kanjani ukwesaba uNkulunkulu okufanele ekukhetheni umngane womshado, futhi kungani kungenakuba ukuhlakanipha ukungasinaki isimiso sobuphostoli?
16 Ukuze ahlale ehlanzekile ngokokuziphatha, amalungu agcotshiwe esigaba somlobokazi kanye nezinye izimvu akudingekile ukuba ahlale engashadile. Ukungashadi okuyimpoqo akukho ngokomBhalo. (1 Thimothewu 4:1-3) Ubuhlobo bobulili phakathi kwefindo lomshado abubona obungahlanzekile. IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Ukuganana makuhlonishwe yibo bonke, umbhede ungabi-nasisihla ngokuba izifebe neziphingi uNkulunkulu uyakuzahlulela.”—Heberu 13:4.
17 Nokho, umKristu ofisela ‘ukuphelelisa ubungcwele ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu’ akufanele azizwe ekhululekile ukuba angashada nanoma ubani ngokuthanda kwakhe. Ngaphambi nje kokuba aluleke amaKristu akanye nawo ukuba ‘azihlambulule ekungcoleni konke kwenyama nokomoya, aphelelise ubungcwele ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu,’ umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Maningaboshelwa ejokeni linye nabangakholwayo, ngokuba kunakuhlanganyela kuni ukulunga nokungalungi na? . . . Unasabelo sini okholwayo nongakholwayo na?” (2 Korinte 6:14, 15; 7:1) Njengelungu labantu bakaJehova abahlukanisiwe nabahlanzekile, indoda noma owesifazane ongumKristu ofisela ukushada uyokwamukela isimiso sobuphostoli sokwenza kanjalo ‘eNkosini kuphela,’ okungukuthi, ngokukhetha othile oyinceku kaJehova ezinikezele, ebhapathiziwe, nethembekile. (1 Korinte 7:39) Ngokufanayo nanamuhla, njengasesikhathini esidlule, ngokuqinisekile kungaba ubuwula ngabazinikezele phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu ukungasinaki leseluleko esingokomBhalo. (Qhathanisa noDuteronomi 7:3, 4; Nehemiya 13:23-27.) Ngeke kube ukubonisa ukumesaba okuhle uJehova, iNkosi yethu Enkulu.—Malaki 1:6.
18. Kungayiphi enye indlela amaKristu angagcina ngayo imishado yawo ihloniphekile?
18 Ngaphezu kwalokho, kwaIsrayeli, imithetho yayibeka imingcele ezenzweni zobulili ngisho naphakathi kwefindo lomshado. Indoda kwakufanele iyeke ukuba nobuhlobo nomkayo lapho eya esikhathini. (Levitikusi 15:24; 18:19; 20:18) Lokhu kwakudinga ukucabangela kothando nokuzithiba emadodeni akwaIsrayeli. Ingabe amaKristu kufanele angabacabangeli abafazi bawo? Umphostoli uPetru uthi amadoda angamaKristu kufanele ahlale nomkawo “ngokokwazi,” okungukuthi, ngokwazi isakhiwo sabo “njengalokhu owesifazane eyisitsha esibuthakathaka.”—1 Petru 3:7.
Ukuhamba ‘Endleleni Yobungcwele’
19, 20. (a) Chaza indlela ebanzi elandelwa iningi lesintu. (b) Abantu bakaJehova kumelwe bahluke kanjani ezweni likaSathane? (c) Iyiphi indlela elandelwa abantu bakaNkulunkulu, yavulwa nini, futhi obani kuphela abavunyelwe ukuhamba ngayo?
19 Lokhu okwandulelayo kugcizelela igebe elanda njalo elahlukanisa abantu bakaJehova nezwe likaSathane. Isimiso sezwe sezinto samanje siyayekelela futhi sizitika ngokuqhubekayo. UJesu wathi: “Ngenani ngesango elincane; ngokuba isango libanzi nendlela inkulu eyisa ekubhujisweni; baningi abangena khona.” (Mathewu 7:13) Leyondlela ebanzi ilandelwa iningi lesintu. Uma sicaphuna umphostoli uPetru, iyindlela ‘yamanyala, nezinkanuko, nokudakwa, nokuminza, nokuxokozela, nokukhonza izithombe okuyichilo,’ indlela eholela ‘emsindweni wokushinga.’ (1 Petru 4:3, 4) Ukuphela kwayo ukubhujiswa.
20 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abantu bakaNkulunkulu bahamba endleleni ehlukile, indlela ehlanzekile ehanjwa abantu abahlanzekile. Ukuvuleka kwalendlela esikhathini sokuphela kwabikezelwa umprofethi uIsaya, owabhala: “Kuyakuba-khona umendo nendlela eyakuthiwa iNdlela yobuNgcwele; ongcolileyo akayikuhamba ngayo.” (Isaya 35:8) Ikhulumela lesiprofetho, incwadi ethi Ukulondeka Komhlaba Wonke Ngaphansi ‘KweNkosi Yokuthula’ ithi: “Ngo-1919 umendo ongokomfanekiso wazivulekela izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezijabulayo. Labo ababefuna ukuba ngcwele emehlweni kaJehova yibona abahamba ‘ngalowomendo,’ ‘iNdlela yobuNgcwele.’ . . . Namuhla, njengoba sesingene shí ‘esiphelweni sesimiso sezinto,’ ‘lowomendo’ ovela phezulu usavulekile. Izindimbane zabantu abanokwazisa . . . zingena endleleni yepharadesi elingokomoya, ‘iNdlela yobuNgcwele.’”a
21. Izinceku zikaJehova kumelwe zizehlukanise kanjani futhi ngasiphi isizathu esixukwini sikaDeveli, futhi yini ezocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo?
21 Yebo, insali egcotshiwe yamaIsrayeli angokomoya nabangane bayo, ezinye izimvu, namuhla bazibonakalisa bengabantu abahlukanisiwe nezwe likaSathane, ubungcwele obungasasho lutho kulo. Ayikho into engcwele esixukwini sikaDeveli esihamba ‘endleleni enkulu eyisa ekubhujisweni.’ Abangcolile ngokomoya nangokokuziphatha kuphela kodwa ngezindlela eziningi bangcolile ngokomzimba futhi ukubonakala kwabo kuwubudlabha uma sisho okumbalwa. Nokho, umphostoli uPawulu uthi: “Masizihlambulule ekungcoleni konke kwenyama nokomoya, siphelelise ubungcwele ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu.” (2 Korinte 7:1) Ukuthi kungaziphi izindlela abantu bakaNkulunkulu okufanele banakekele ngazo ukuba bahlanzeke engqondweni nasezimbeni kuzocatshangelwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Isahluko 16, amakhasi 134-5.
Amaphuzu Okubukeza
◻ Kunaziphi izici ezimbili ezisebungcweleni, kungani kungashiwo ukuthi uJehova ungcwele ngezinga eliphakeme?
◻ Kungaziphi izindlela ezimbili amaIsrayeli okwakumelwe azibonakalise ngazo eyisizwe esingcwele?
◻ Yini efunekayo ngamaIsrayeli angokomoya nangabangane bawo, ezinye izimvu?
◻ Ukwesaba kwethu uNkulunkulu kufanele kukuthinte kanjani ukukhetha kwethu umngane womshado?
◻ Yiziphi izindlela ezimbili ezingalandelwa namuhla, futhi kungani kumelwe kwenziwe ukukhetha okucacile?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
IZwi likaNkulunkulu lithi: “Ukuganana makuhlonishwe”