Niyemukelwa Endleleni Yokuphila Engcono Kakhulu!
“Kokubili uma siphila noma sifa, singabakaJehova.”—ROMA 14:8.
1. Yini uJesu ayifundisa ngendlela yokuphila engcono kakhulu?
UJEHOVA ufuna siphile ngendlela engcono kakhulu. Abantu bangaphila ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene kodwa yinye kuphela indlela engcono kakhulu. Akukho okungcono esingakwenza ngokuphila kwethu kunokukuvumelanisa neZwi likaNkulunkulu futhi sifunde eNdodaneni yakhe, uJesu Kristu. UJesu wafundisa abalandeli bakhe ukuba bakhulekele uNkulunkulu ngomoya nangeqiniso, futhi wabayala ukuba benze abafundi. (Math. 28:19, 20; Joh. 4:24) Ngokuphila ngokuvumelana neziyalezo zikaJesu, sijabulisa uJehova futhi uyasibusisa.
2. Ekhulwini lokuqala, abaningi basabela kanjani esigijimini soMbuso, futhi kwakusho ukuthi ukuba owaleyo “Ndlela”?
2 Lapho labo ‘abathambekele ngokufanele ekuphileni okuphakade’ beba amakholwa futhi bebhapathizwa, siba nezizathu ezinhle zokuthi kubo, “Siyanemukela endleleni engcono kakhulu yokuphila!” (IzE. 13:48) Phakathi nekhulu lokuqala leNkathi yethu Evamile, izinkulungwane zabantu abavela ezizweni ezihlukahlukene zamukela iqiniso futhi zabonisa obala ukuzinikela kwazo kuNkulunkulu ngokubhapathizwa. (IzE. 2:41) Labo bafundi bokuqala kwakuthiwa bangabaleyo “Ndlela.” (IzE. 9:2; 19:23) Le nkulumo yayifaneleka ngoba labo ababeba abalandeli bakaKristu babenamathela endleleni yokuphila eyayigxile okholweni kuJesu Kristu nasekulingiseni isibonelo sakhe.—1 Pet. 2:21.
3. Kungani abantu bakaJehova bebhapathizwa, futhi bangaki abaye bacwiliswa eminyakeni eyishumi edlule?
3 Umsebenzi wokwenza abafundi uye washesha kulezi zinsuku zokugcina futhi manje wenziwa emazweni angaphezu kuka-230. Eminyakeni eyishumi nje edlule, bangaphezu kuka-2 700- 000 abantu abaye benza isinqumo sokukhonza uJehova futhi babhapathizwa njengesibonakaliso sokuzinikezela kwabo kuye. Lokhu kuyisilinganiso sabantu abangaphezu kuka-5 000 masonto onke! Isinqumo sokubhapathizwa sisekelwe othandweni ngoNkulunkulu, olwazini ngemiBhalo nasekubeni nokholo kulokho ekufundisayo. Ukubhapathizwa kuyingqopha-mlando ekuphileni kwethu, ngoba kuphawula ukuqala kobuhlobo obuseduze noJehova. Kuyisibonakaliso futhi sokuthi siyamethemba ukuthi uyosisiza ukuba simkhonze ngokwethembeka, njengoba nje asiza izinceku zakhe zasendulo ukuba zihambe endleleni yakhe.—Isaya 30:21.
Kungani Kufanele Ubhapathizwe?
4, 5. Yisho ezinye zezibusiso nezinzuzo zokubhapathizwa.
4 Mhlawumbe usunolwazi ngoNkulunkulu, sewenze izinguquko ekuphileni kwakho futhi usungummemezeli ongabhapathiziwe. Iyancomeka intuthuko oyenzile. Kodwa usuzinikezele yini kuNkulunkulu ngomthandazo, futhi ingabe manje ufisa ukubhapathizwa? Kulokho okufundile eBhayibhelini, cishe usuyazi ukuthi ukuphila kwakho kufanele kugxile ekudumiseni uJehova, hhayi ekuzijabuliseni wena noma ekutholeni izinto ezibonakalayo kuphela. (Funda iHubo 148:11-13; Luka 12:15) Ngakho, iziphi ezinye zezibusiso nezinzuzo esizithola ngokubhapathizwa?
5 Lapho usungumKristu ozinikezele, ukuphila kwakho kuyoba nenjongo enhle kakhulu. Uyojabula ngoba wenza intando kaNkulunkulu. (Roma 12:1, 2) Umoya ongcwele kaJehova uyoveza kuwe izimfanelo ezinjengokuthula nokholo. (Gal. 5:22, 23) UNkulunkulu uyoyiphendula imithandazo yakho, abusise nemizamo yakho yokuphila ngokuvumelana neZwi lakhe. Uyoyijabulela inkonzo yakho, futhi ukuphila ngendlela evunyelwa uNkulunkulu kuyoqinisa ithemba lakho lokuphila okuphakade. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kuyobonisa ukuthi ufuna ngempela ukuba ngomunye woFakazi BakaJehova.—Isaya 43:10-12.
6. Ukubhapathizwa kwethu kubonisani?
6 Ngokuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu nokubhapathizwa, senza kwaziwe ukuthi singabakaJehova. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Eqinisweni, akekho noyedwa kithi oziphilela yena kuphela, futhi akekho ozifela yena kuphela; ngoba kokubili uma siphila, siphilela uJehova, futhi uma sifa, sifela uJehova. Ngakho-ke kokubili uma siphila noma sifa, singabakaJehova.” (Roma 14:7, 8) UNkulunkulu uye wasihlonipha ngokusinikeza inkululeko yokuzikhethela. Lapho sinquma ngokuqinile ukuphishekela le ndlela yokuphila ngoba simthanda, senza inhliziyo yakhe ijabule. (IzAga 27:11) Ukubhapathizwa kwethu kuyisibonakaliso sokuzinikezela kwethu kuNkulunkulu futhi kuwukumemezela obala ukuthi uJehova unguMbusi wethu. Kubonisa ukuthi singasohlangothini lwakhe empikiswaneni yendawo yonke. (IzE. 5:29, 32) UJehova naye uba ngasohlangothini lwethu. (Funda iHubo 118:6.) Ukubhapathizwa kusivulela nendlela yokuthola ezinye izibusiso eziningi ezingokomoya manje nasesikhathini esizayo.
Sibusiswe Ngobuzalwane Obunothando
7-9. (a) Isiphi isiqinisekiso uJesu asinikeza labo abashiya zonke izinto bamlandela? (b) Sigcwaliseka kanjani isithembiso sikaJesu esilotshwe kuMarku 10:29, 30?
7 Umphostoli uPetru wathi kuJesu: “Bheka! Sishiyé zonke izinto sakulandela; siyotholani ngempela?” (Math. 19:27) Wayefuna ukwazi ukuthi ikusasa limphatheleni yena nabanye abafundi bakaJesu. Babedele lukhulu ukuze bazinikele ngokugcwele emsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso. (Math. 4:18-22) Isiphi isiqinisekiso uJesu abanikeza sona?
8 Ngokokulandisa okufanayo okukuMarku, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babeyoba ingxenye yobuzalwane obungokomoya. Wathi: “Akekho oshiyé indlu noma abafowabo noma odadewabo noma unina noma uyise noma abantwana noma amasimu ngenxa yami nangenxa yezindaba ezinhle ongeke athole ngokuphindwe ngekhulu manje kule nkathi yesikhathi, izindlu nabafowabo nodadewabo nonina nabantwana namasimu, kanye nokushushiswa, futhi esimisweni sezinto esizayo ukuphila okuphakade.” (Marku 10:29, 30) AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala, njengoLidiya, u-Akhwila, uPrisila noGayu, aphakathi kwalabo abaye bavula “izindlu” zabo futhi baba “abafowabo nodadewabo nonina” kwabakholwa nabo, njengoba uJesu ayethembisile.—IzE. 16:14, 15; 18:2-4; 3 Joh. 1, 5-8.
9 Lokho uJesu akusho kugcwaliseka ngezinga elikhulu namuhla. “Amasimu” ashiywa abalandeli bakhe abhekisela endleleni yokuziphilisa abaningi abahlanganisa nezithunywa zevangeli, amalungu omkhaya waseBethel, izikhonzi zokuzithandela zomhlaba wonke nabanye abaye bayidela ukuze bathuthukise izithakazelo zoMbuso emazweni ahlukahlukene. Abafowethu nodadewethu abaningi baye bashiya amakhaya abo ukuze benze ukuphila kwabo kube lula, futhi siyajabula lapho sizwa okuhlangenwe nakho kwabo okubonisa indlela uJehova aye wabanakekela ngayo nendlela inkonzo yabo eye yabajabulisa ngayo. (IzE. 20:35) Ngaphezu kwalokho, zonke izinceku zikaJehova ezibhapathiziwe zingathola isibusiso ‘sokufuna kuqala umbuso kaNkulunkulu nokulunga kwakhe’ njengengxenye yobuzalwane bobuKristu bomhlaba wonke.—Math. 6:33.
Siphephile “Endaweni Esithekile”
10, 11. Iyini ‘indawo esithekile yoPhezukonke,’ futhi singangena kanjani kuyo?
10 Ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kuholela nakwesinye isibusiso esicebile—ilungelo lokuhlala “endaweni esithekile yoPhezukonke.” (Funda iHubo 91:1.) Lena indawo engokomfanekiso ephephile nelondekile—isimo sokuvikeleka ekulimaleni okungokomoya. ‘Iyindawo efihlekile’ ngoba abantu abangenawo umbono ongokomoya nabangathembeli kuNkulunkulu abayazi. Lapho siphila ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwethu kuJehova futhi sibonisa ukuthi simethemba ngokuphelele, empeleni sisuke sithi kuye: “Wena uyisiphephelo sami nenqaba yami, uNkulunkulu wami, engiyothembela kuye.” (IHu. 91:2) UJehova uNkulunkulu uba yindawo yethu yokuhlala elondekile. (IHu. 91:9) Ukhona ongafuna okungaphezu kwalokhu?
11 Ukungeniswa “endaweni esithekile” kaJehova kusho nokuthi siye sabusiswa ngelungelo lokuba nobuhlobo bomuntu siqu naye. Lokhu kuqala ngokuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa. Ngemva kwalokho, sibe sesibuthuthukisa lobo buhlobo bethu naye ngokusondelana naye ngokutadisha iBhayibheli, ngokuthandaza ngobuqotho nangokumlalela ngokugcwele. (Jak. 4:8) Akekho oye wasondelana kakhulu noJehova ukudlula uJesu, ongazange nanini antengantenge ekuthembeleni kwakhe kuMdali. (Joh. 8:29) Ngakho-ke, masingalokothi singabaze uJehova noma isifiso namandla akhe okusisiza ukuba sifeze isifungo sethu sokuzinikezela. (UmSh. 5:4) Amalungiselelo angokomoya uNkulunkulu awenzele abantu bakhe awubufakazi obuqand’ ikhanda bokuthi usithanda ngempela futhi ufuna siphumelele ekumkhonzeni.
Masilazise Ipharadesi Lethu Elingokomoya
12, 13. (a) Liyini ipharadesi elingokomoya? (b) Singakwazi kanjani ukusiza abasanda kuhlanganyela?
12 Ukuzinikezela nokubhapathizwa kusivulela nendlela yokuba sihlale epharadesi elingokomoya elibusisekile. Liyisimo esingokomoya esiyigugu esisihlanganyela namanye amaKristu anokuthula noJehova uNkulunkulu nanomunye nomunye. (IHu. 29:11; Isaya 54:13) Izwe alinalutho olungaqhathaniswa kufaneleke nepharadesi lethu elingokomoya. Lokhu kubonakala kahle kakhulu emihlanganweni yezizwe, lapho abafowethu nodadewethu bezizwe, izilimi nezinhlanga eziningi behlangana khona ngokuthula, ngobunye nangothando lobuzalwane.
13 Ipharadesi elingokomoya esilijabulelayo lihluke kakhulu esimweni esidabukisayo izwe elikuso namuhla. (Funda u-Isaya 65:13, 14.) Ukumemezela isigijimi soMbuso kusenza sibe nelungelo lokumemela abanye kuleli pharadesi elingokomoya. Kuyisibusiso nokusiza labo abasanda kuzihlanganisa nebandla futhi abayozuza uma bengathola ukuqeqeshwa enkonzweni. Ngokuqondiswa abadala, singase sibe nelungelo lokusiza abathile abasanda kuhlanganyela, njengoba nje u-Akhwila noPrisila ‘bachazela u-Apholo indlela kaNkulunkulu ngokuqonde ngokwengeziwe.’—IzE. 18:24-26.
Qhubeka Ufunda KuJesu
14, 15. Iziphi izizathu ezinhle zokuqhubeka sifunda kuJesu?
14 Sinezizathu ezinhle zokuqhubeka sifunda kuJesu. Ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni, uJesu wachitha izigidigidi zeminyaka esebenza noYise. (IzAga 8:22, 30) Wayazi ukuthi indlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila igxile ekukhonzeni uNkulunkulu nasekufakazeni ngeqiniso. (Joh. 18:37) Kwakusobala kuJesu ukuthi noma iyiphi enye indlela yokuphila yayiyoba eyobugovu nengenalo ikusasa. Wayazi ukuthi wayeyovivinywa kakhulu futhi abulawe. (Math. 20:18, 19; Heb. 4:15) NjengeSibonelo sethu, wasifundisa indlela yokugcina ubuqotho.
15 Ngemva nje kokubhapathizwa kwakhe, uSathane wamlinga ukuba ayiyeke le ndlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila—kwaba nhlanga zimuka nomoya. (Math. 4:1-11) Lokhu kusifundisa ukuthi kungakhathaliseki ukuthi uSathane wenzani, singabugcina ubuqotho bethu. Cishe uyogxila kulabo abacabangela ukubhapathizwa nakulabo abasanda kubhapathizwa. (1 Pet. 5:8) Ukuphikiswa kungase kuvele ngamalungu omkhaya anezinhloso ezinhle kodwa angatshelwanga iqiniso ngathi. Noma kunjalo, ukuvivinywa ngale ndlela kusinikeza amathuba okubonisa izimfanelo ezinhle zobuKristu, njengenhlonipho nekhono lokungacasuli, lapho siphendula imibuzo nalapho sifakaza. (1 Pet. 3:15) Ngakho, lezi zinto ezisehlelayo zingaba nemiphumela emihle kulabo abasilalelayo.—1 Thim. 4:16.
Namathela Endleleni Yokuphila Engcono Kakhulu!
16, 17. (a) Iziphi izimfuneko ezintathu zokuphila eziyisisekelo ezikuDuteronomi 30:19, 20? (b) UJesu, uJohane noPawulu bakusekela kanjani lokho uMose akuloba?
16 Eminyakeni engaba ngu-1 500 ngaphambi kokuba uJesu eze emhlabeni, uMose wakhuthaza ama-Israyeli ukuba akhethe indlela yokuphila engcono kakhulu ayengayikhetha ngaleso sikhathi. Wathi: “Ngimisa amazulu nomhlaba njengofakazi ngokumelene nani namuhla, bokuthi ngibeke ukuphila nokufa phambi kwakho, isibusiso nesiqalekiso; kumelwe ukhethe ukuphila ukuze uqhubeke uphila, wena nenzalo yakho, ngokuthanda uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho, ngokulalela izwi lakhe nangokunamathela kuye.” (Dut. 30:19, 20) U-Israyeli akazange athembeke kuNkulunkulu, kodwa izimfuneko ezintathu uMose athi zazidingeka ukuze siphile azikashintshi. Zaphinde zashiwo uJesu nabanye.
17 Eyokuqala, ‘kumelwe sithande uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu.’ Sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda uNkulunkulu ngokuphila ngokuvumelana nezindlela zakhe zokulunga. (Math. 22:37) Eyesibili, ‘kumelwe silalele izwi likaJehova’ ngokutadisha iZwi lakhe nangokulalela imiyalo yakhe. (1 Joh. 5:3) Ukuze senze lokhu, kudingeka sibe khona njalo emihlanganweni yobuKristu lapho kuxoxwa khona ngeBhayibheli. (Heb. 10:23-25) Eyesithathu, ‘kumelwe sinamathele kuJehova.’ Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sibhekana nani, masibonise ukholo njalo kuNkulunkulu futhi silandele iNdodana yakhe.—2 Kor. 4:16-18.
18. (a) INqabayokulinda yalichaza kanjani iqiniso ngo-1914? (b) Kufanele sizizwe kanjani ngokukhanya kweqiniso namuhla?
18 Yeka ukuthi kuyisibusiso kangakanani ukuphila ngokuvumelana neqiniso leBhayibheli! Ngo-1914, kwakhishwa lesi simemezelo esibalulekile kuyi-Nqabayokulinda: “Anisho yini ukuthi singabantu ababusisiwe nabajabulayo? UNkulunkulu wethu akeve yini ethembekile? Uma ekhona umuntu owazi okungcono kunalokhu, makakwamukele. Uma kwenzeka noma ubani kini ekuthola lokho, sethemba ukuthi uyositshela. Thina asazi lutho olungcono noma olucishe lufike kulokho esikuthole eZwini likaNkulunkulu. . . . Alukho ulimi noma usiba olungachaza ukuthula, injabulo nesibusiso ulwazi olucacile ngoNkulunkulu weqiniso oluye lwakuletha ezinhliziyweni nasekuphileni kwethu. INdaba yokuHlakanipha, uBulungisa, aMandla noThando lukaNkulunkulu isanelisa ngokugcwele isidingo sengqondo nenhliziyo yethu. Sigculisekile. Asifisi lutho ngaphandle kokwenza le Ndaba emangalisayo icace ngokwengeziwe ezingqondweni zethu.” (INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi ka-December 15, 1914, amakhasi 377-378) Yileyo ndlela nathi esizizwa ngayo ngokukhanya nangeqiniso elingokomoya. Ngempela, thina manje sinesizathu esikhulu sokujabula ngokuthi ‘sihamba ekukhanyeni kukaJehova.’—Isaya 2:5; IHu. 43:3; IzAga 4:18.
19. Kungani labo abafanelekela ukubhapathizwa kufanele bathathe leso sinyathelo ngaphandle kokulibala?
19 Uma ufuna ‘ukuhamba ekukhanyeni kukaJehova’ kodwa ungakabi umKristu ozinikezele nobhapathiziwe, ungalibali. Yenza noma yini edingekayo ukuze uhlangabezane nezimfuneko eziseBhayibhelini zokubhapathizwa—indlela eyingqayizivele yokubonisa ukubonga ngalokho uNkulunkulu noKristu abasenzele khona. Nika uJehova into eyigugu kakhulu kuwe—ukuphila kwakho. Bonisa ukuthi uzimisele ukwenza intando yakhe ngokulandela iNdodana yakhe. (2 Kor. 5:14, 15) Asingabazi ukuthi lena indlela engcono kakhulu yokuphila!
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
• Kubonisani ukubhapathizwa kwethu?
• Iziphi izibusiso esizithola ngokuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu nokubhapathizwa?
• Kungani ukufunda kuJesu kubaluleke kakhulu?
• Yini eyosisiza ukuba sinamathele endleleni engcono kakhulu yokuphila?
[Isithombe ekhasini 25]
Ukubhapathizwa kwakho kubonisa ukuthi uye wakhetha indlela yokuphila engcono kakhulu
[Izithombe ekhasini 26]
Ingabe ‘usendaweni esithekile’ ephephile?