Izimfanelo Okumelwe Siziphishekele
‘Phishekela ukulunga, ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ukholo, uthando, ukukhuthazela nobumnene bomoya.’—1 THIM. 6:11.
1. Bonisa ukuthi igama elithi “phishekela” lisho ukuthini.
YINI oyicabangayo lapho uzwa igama elithi “phishekela” [noma “sukela”]?a Mhlawumbe ucabanga ngosuku lukaMose lapho amabutho aseGibhithe esukela ama-Israyeli, kanti azogcina ebhujisiwe oLwandle Olubomvu. (Eks. 14:23) Noma kungenzeka ucabanga ngengozi eyayingase yehlele umuntu wakwa-Israyeli wasendulo owayebulele othile engahlosile. Kwakumelwe asheshe abalekele komunye wemizi eyisithupha yesiphephelo eyayimisiwe. Ngaphandle kwalokho, ‘umphindiseli wegazi, ngenxa yokuthi inhliziyo yakhe iyashisa, wayengase amjahe lowo mbulali amfice, awushaye umphefumulo wakhe ufe.’—Dut. 19:6.
2. (a) Imuphi umklomelo uNkulunkulu acele amaKristu athile ukuba awuphishekele? (b) Iliphi ithemba uJehova alinikeza amaKristu amaningi namuhla?
2 Ngokungafani nezibonelo zeBhayibheli ezingenhla, cabanga ngesimo sengqondo esihle umphostoli uPawulu ayenaso: “Ngiphishekela emgomweni ukuze ngithole umklomelo wobizo lwaphezulu lukaNkulunkulu ngoKristu Jesu.” (Fil. 3:14) IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi ngamaKristu agcotshiwe angu-144 000, kuhlanganisa noPawulu, athola lowo mklomelo wokuphila kwasezulwini. Ayobusa umhlaba noJesu Kristu iMinyaka Eyinkulungwane. Yeka umgomo omangalisayo uNkulunkulu abacele ukuba bawuphishekele! Nokho, uquqaba lwamaKristu eqiniso namuhla lunethemba noma umgomo ohlukile. Ngothando, uJehova ulunikeza lokho u-Adamu no-Eva abakulahla, okungukuthi, ithemba lokuphila phakade epharadesi emhlabeni luyimiqemane.—IsAm. 7:4, 9; 21:1-4.
3. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi siyawazisa umusa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu?
3 Abantu abanesono abanakukuthola ukuphila okuphakade ngemizamo yabo yokwenza okuhle. (Isaya 64:6) Ukuphila okuphakade kutholakala kuphela ngokuba nokholo elungiselelweni likaNkulunkulu lothando lensindiso ngoJesu Kristu. Yini esingayenza ukuze sibonise ukuthi siyawazisa lo musa ongafanelwe kaNkulunkulu? Okunye esingakwenza ukulalela lo myalo: ‘Phishekela ukulunga, ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ukholo, uthando, ukukhuthazela nobumnene bomoya.’ (1 Thim. 6:11) Ukucabangela lezi zimfanelo kungasiza umuntu ngamunye wethu ukuba azimisele kakhudlwana ukuqhubeka eziphishekela “ngokugcwele.”—1 Thes. 4:1.
“Phishekela Ukulunga”
4. Kungani singaqiniseka ukuthi ukuphishekela “ukulunga” kubalulekile, futhi iziphi izinyathelo zokuqala umuntu okumelwe azithathe?
4 Kuzo zombili izincwadi azibhalela uThimothewu, umphostoli uPawulu wakhuluma ngezimfanelo okufanele ziphishekelwe, futhi isikhathi ngasinye waqala ngemfanelo ‘yokulunga.’ (1 Thim. 6:11; 2 Thim. 2:22) Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunamanye amavesi eBhayibheli asikhuthaza ngokuphindaphindiwe ukuba siphishekele ukulunga. (IzAga 15:9; 21:21; Isaya 51:1) Singaqala ukwenza lokhu ‘ngokungenisa ulwazi ngowukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo amthumileyo, uJesu Kristu.’ (Joh. 17:3) Ukuphishekela ukulunga kuyoshukumisela umuntu esenzweni—ukuba aphenduke ezonweni zangaphambili futhi ‘aguquke’ ukuze enze intando kaNkulunkulu.—IzE. 3:19.
5. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze sihlale singabantu abalungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu?
5 Izigidi eziphishekela ukulunga ngobuqotho ziye zanikezela ukuphila kwazo kuJehova futhi zabonisa lokho kuzinikezela ngobhapathizo lwamanzi. Uma usungumKristu obhapathiziwe, uyacabanga yini ukuthi indlela ophila ngayo kufanele ibonise—futhi kungenzeka isiyabonisa—ukuthi uyaqhubeka uphishekela ukulunga? Enye indlela esikubonisa ngayo lokhu iwukufuna ukuthola lokho iBhayibheli elithi ‘kulungile noma akulungile’ lapho kudingeka senze izinqumo ekuphileni. (Funda amaHebheru 5:14.) Ngokwesibonelo, uma ungumKristu ongashadile kodwa okhule ngokwanele ukuba angashada, ingabe uzimisele ngokuphelele ukugwema ukuthandana nomuntu ongeyena umKristu obhapathiziwe? Uyobe uphishekela ukulunga uma wenza kanjalo.—1 Kor. 7:39.
6. Kuhilelani ukuphishekela ukulunga ngobuqotho?
6 Ukuba olungile kuhlukile kunokuzibona ulungile noma ukuba “olunge ngokwedlulele.” (UmSh. 7:16) UJesu waxwayisa ngokuzishaya olungile ukuze ubonakale ungcono kunabanye. (Math. 6:1) Ukuphishekela ukulunga ngobuqotho kuhilela inhliziyo—ukulungisa imicabango, izimo zengqondo, izisusa nezifiso ezingalungile. Uma siqhubeka sikwenza lokhu, ayoba mancane amathuba okwenza izono ezingathí sina. (Funda izAga 4:23; qhathanisa noJakobe 1:14, 15.) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJehova uyosibusisa futhi asisize ekuphishekeleni ezinye izimfanelo zobuKristu ezibalulekile.
“Phishekela . . . Ukuzinikela Kokuhlonipha UNkulunkulu”
7. Kuyini “ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu”?
7 Ukuzinikela kuhlanganisa ukuba ozinikezele ngentshiseko noqotho. Esinye isichazamazwi seBhayibheli sithi igama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu” lisho “ukwesaba uNkulunkulu ngendlela enempilo nokuqikelela ukuba [lokho kumesaba] kunganciphi.” Ama-Israyeli ahluleka kaningi ukubonisa ukuzinikela okunjalo, njengoba kubonisa izenzo zawo zokungalaleli nangemva kokuba uNkulunkulu ewakhulule eGibhithe.
8. (a) Isono sika-Adamu saphakamisa muphi umbuzo? (b) “Imfihlo engcwele” yembulwa kanjani?
8 Kwahlale kuwumbuzo izinkulungwane zeminyaka ngemva kokona kuka-Adamu, umuntu ophelele, ukuthi, “Ukhona yini umuntu ongabonisa ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngokuphelele?” Phakathi nayo yonke leyo minyaka, akekho umuntu onesono owakwazi ukuphila ukuphila kokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ngokuphelele. Kodwa ngesikhathi sakhe esifanele, uJehova wayembula le “mfihlo engcwele.” Wadlulisela ukuphila kweNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa esibelethweni sikaMariya ukuze izalwe ingumuntu ophelele. Phakathi nakho konke ukuphila kwakhe kwasemhlabeni kuhlanganise nokufa kwakhe ngendlela eyihlazo, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuba ozinikezele ngentshiseko nokuba qotho ngokuphelele kuNkulunkulu weqiniso. Imithandazo yakhe yabonisa ukuthi wayemhlonipha uYise wasezulwini onothando. (Math. 11:25; Joh. 12:27, 28) Ngakho, uJehova waphefumulela uPawulu ukuba akhulume ‘ngokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’ lapho echaza ukuphila kukaJesu okuyisibonelo.—Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 3:16.
9. Singakuphishekela kanjani ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu?
9 Asinakukubonisa ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu okuphelele ngoba sinesono. Kodwa singakuphishekela. Lokhu kudinga ukuba sisilandelisise isibonelo sikaKristu. (1 Pet. 2:21) Ngakho, ngeke sibe njengabazenzisi “abanesimo sokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kodwa bewaphika amandla ako.” (2 Thim. 3:5) Lokhu akusho ukuthi ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kweqiniso akuhlobene nokubukeka kwethu kwangaphandle. Kuhlobene impela. Ngokwesibonelo, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi sikhetha ingubo yomshado noma sinquma ukuthi sizogqokani lapho siya ezitolo, indlela esibukeka ngayo kufanele ngaso sonke isikhathi ivumelane nokusho kwethu ukuthi ‘sihlonipha uNkulunkulu.’ (1 Thim. 2:9, 10) Yebo, ukuphishekela ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kudinga ukuba sicabangele izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga ekuphileni kwethu kwansuku zonke.
“Phishekela . . . Ukholo”
10. Yini okumelwe siyenze ukuze ukholo lwethu luhlale luqinile?
10 Funda amaRoma 10:17. Ukuze umKristu abe nokholo oluqinile futhi alulondoloze, kumelwe aqhubeke ezindla ngamaqiniso ayigugu aseZwini likaNkulunkulu. “Inceku ethembekileyo neqondayo” iye yalungiselela izincwadi eziningi ezinhle. Incwadi ethi Umuntu Omkhulu Kunabo Bonke Owake Waphila, ethi Funda KuMfundisi Omkhulu nethi “Woza Ube Ngumlandeli Wami,” ziyizincwadi ezinhle kakhulu eziklanyelwe ukusisiza ukuba simazi kangcono uKristu, ngaleyo ndlela sikwazi ukumlingisa. (Math. 24:45-47) Isigaba senceku sibuye silungiselele imihlangano yebandla nemihlangano emikhulu futhi eminingi yayo igcizelela ‘izwi eliphathelene noKristu.’ Uyazibona yini izindlela ongawasebenzisa ngayo ngokwengeziwe la malungiselelo njengoba ukunaka “ngaphezu kokujwayelekile” lokho uNkulunkulu asilungiselela khona?—Heb. 2:1.
11. Umthandazo nokulalela kusiza ngani ekuphishekeleni kwethu ukholo?
11 Umthandazo ungesinye isici esisiza ekwakheni ukholo oluqinile. Abalandeli bakaJesu bake bamncenga: “Siphe ukholo olwengeziwe.” Nathi singazithoba sincenge uNkulunkulu ukuba asiphe lolo kholo. (Luka 17:5) Ukuze siluthole, kufanele sicele usizo lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu; ukholo lungesinye ‘sezithelo zomoya.’ (Gal. 5:22) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ukulalela imiyalo kaNkulunkulu kuqinisa ukholo lwethu. Ngokwesibonelo, singazikhandla senze okwengeziwe emsebenzini wokushumayela. Cishe lokho kuyosinika injabulo enkulu. Ukholo lwethu luyokhula nalapho sicabanga ngezibusiso ezitholakala ‘ngokufuna kuqala umbuso nokulunga kukaNkulunkulu.’—Math. 6:33.
“Phishekela . . . Uthando”
12, 13. (a) Uthini umyalo kaJesu omusha? (b) Iziphi izindlela ezibalulekile okumelwe siphishekele ngazo uthando olunjengolukaKristu?
12 Funda eyoku-1 Thimothewu 5:1, 2. UPawulu wanikeza iseluleko esisebenzayo sendlela amaKristu angabonisana ngayo uthando. Ukuzinikela kwethu kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kumelwe kuhlanganise nokulalela umyalo kaJesu omusha ‘wokuthandana’ njengoba naye asithanda. (Joh. 13:34) Umphostoli uJohane wathi: “Noma ubani onezinto zaleli zwe zokusekela ukuphila futhi abone umfowabo eswele nokho amvalele umnyango wobubele bakhe besisa, uthando lukaNkulunkulu luhlala ngayiphi indlela kuye?” (1 Joh. 3:17) Uyakhumbula yini ulubonisa ngokoqobo uthando?
13 Enye indlela esiphishekela ngayo uthando ukuba ngabathethelelayo, singababambeli amagqubu abafowethu. (Funda eyoku-1 Johane 4:20.) Kunalokho, sifuna ukwenza okushiwo yilesi seluleko esiphefumulelwe: “Qhubekani nibekezelelana futhi nithethelelana ngokukhululekile uma umuntu enesizathu sokukhononda ngomunye. Njengoba nje uJehova anithethelela ngokukhululekile, yenzani kanjalo nani.” (Kol. 3:13) Ukhona yini ebandleni ongasisebenzisa kuye lesi seluleko? Ingabe uzomthethelela?
“Phishekela . . . Ukukhuthazela”
14. Yini esingayifunda ebandleni laseFiladelfiya?
14 Kulula ukuzikhandla ukuze sifinyelele umgomo othile wesikhashana, kodwa akulula uma lowo mgomo unzima noma uthatha isikhathi eside kunalokho ebesikulindele. Ngokusobala, ukuphishekela umgomo wokuphila okuphakade kudinga ukukhuthazela. INkosi uJesu yatshela ibandla laseFiladelfiya: “Ngenxa yokuthi uligcinile izwi lokukhuthazela kwami, nami ngiyokugcina ukuba ungangeni ehoreni lokuvivinywa.” (IsAm. 3:10) Yebo, uJesu wafundisa ngesidingo sokukhuthazela—imfanelo esisiza ukuba singapheli amandla lapho sibhekene nezinkinga nokulingwa. Kumelwe ukuba lapho bebhekene nokuvivinywa okuningi kokholo lwabo abazalwane basebandleni lekhulu lokuqala laseFiladelfiya babonisa ukukhuthazela esingakulingisa. Ngakho, uJesu wabaqinisekisa ukuthi wayezoqhubeka ebasiza phakathi novivinyo olukhulu kakhulu olwaluseza.—Luka 16:10.
15. Yini uJesu ayifundisa ngokukhuthazela?
15 UJesu wayazi ukuthi abalandeli bakhe babeyozondwa izihlobo zabo ezingakholwa nayizwe lonkana, ngakho wabakhuthaza okungenani izikhathi ezimbili ngala mazwi: “Lowo okhuthazele kwaze kwaba sekupheleni nguye oyosindiswa.” (Math. 10:22; 24:13) UJesu wabonisa nendlela abafundi bakhe ngaleso sikhathi ababengathola ngayo amandla okukhuthazela. Komunye umfanekiso, wafanisa inhlabathi enamadwala nabantu ‘abamukela izwi likaNkulunkulu ngenjabulo’ kodwa bawe lapho bebhekene novivinyo lokholo. Kodwa wafanisa abalandeli bakhe abathembekile nenhlabathi enhle ngoba ‘bagcina’ izwi likaNkulunkulu futhi ‘bathela izithelo ngokukhuthazela.’—Luka 8:13, 15.
16. Iliphi ilungiselelo lothando eselisize izigidi zabantu ukuba bakhuthazele?
16 Uyiphawulile yini imfihlo yokukhuthazela? Kumelwe ‘siligcine’ izwi likaNkulunkulu, lihlale liphila ezinhliziyweni nasezingqondweni zethu. Ukuba ne-Nguqulo Yezwe Elisha YemiBhalo Engcwele—inguqulo yeBhayibheli enembile nefundeka kalula—ngezilimi eziningi ngokwandayo kuye kwenza kwaba lula futhi kwasenza sakwazi ukwenza lokhu. Ukuzindla ngendinyana ethile yeZwi likaNkulunkulu nsuku zonke kuyosisiza ukuba sithole amandla esiwadingayo ukuze siqhubeke sithela izithelo “ngokukhuthazela.”—IHu. 1:1, 2.
“Phishekela . . . Ubumnene Bomoya” Nokuthula
17. (a) Kungani “ubumnene bomoya” bubaluleke kakhulu? (b) UJesu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayenomoya omnene?
17 Akekho umuntu ojabulayo lapho kuthiwa ushó noma wenzé okuthile engakwenzanga. Lapho abantu besolwa kungafanele, ngokuvamile bayathukuthela baphike. Yeka ukuthi kungcono kanjani ukubonisa “ubumnene bomoya”! (Funda izAga 15:1.) Ukuhlala umnene lapho usolwa kungafanele kudinga ukuzibamba okukhulu. UJesu Kristu wabeka isibonelo esiphelele kulesi sici. “Lapho ethukwa, akaphindiselanga ngokuthuka. Lapho ehlupheka, akasongelanga, kodwa waqhubeka ezibeka kulowo owahlulela ngokulunga.” (1 Pet. 2:23) Asinakulindela ukwenza kahle njengoJesu kulesi sici, kodwa singazama yini ukusebenzela ekuthuthukiseni izinga esibonisa ngalo umoya omnene?
18. (a) Buhle buni obufezwa ukuba nomoya omnene? (b) Iyiphi enye imfanelo esikhuthazwa ukuba siyiphishekele?
18 Kwangathi ‘ngaso sonke isikhathi singakulungela ukuvikela’ izinkolelo zethu njengoJesu, ‘senze kanjalo ngomoya omnene nangenhlonipho ejulile.’ (1 Pet. 3:15) Yebo, uma sinomoya omnene, singanqanda ukungaboni ngaso linye kungabi yizingxabano ezinkulu, lapho sikhuluma nabantu enkonzweni yethu nalapho sinamanye amaKristu. (2 Thim. 2:24, 25) Ubumnene busenza sibe nokuthula. Mhlawumbe yingaleso sizathu uPawulu encwadini yakhe yesibili ayibhalela uThimothewu afaka ‘nokuthula’ phakathi kwezimfanelo okumelwe ziphishekelwe. (2 Thim. 2:22; qhathanisa neyoku-1 Thimothewu 6:11.) Yebo, “ukuthula” kungenye yezimfanelo imiBhalo esikhuthaza ukuba siyiphishekele.—IHu. 34:14; Heb. 12:14.
19. Njengoba sesixoxe ngezimfanelo zobuKristu ezingu-7, yini ozimisele ukuyiphishekela, futhi ngani?
19 Sixoxe kafushane ngezimfanelo zobuKristu ezingu-7 esikhuthazwa ukuba siziphishekele—ukulunga, ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ukholo, uthando, ukukhuthazela, umoya omnene nokuthula. Yeka ukuthi kuba kuhle kanjani lapho abazalwane nodade kuwo wonke amabandla bezama ngawo wonke amandla ukuzibonisa ngokwengeziwe lezi zimfanelo eziyigugu! Lokhu kudumisa uJehova, kumenze akwazi ukusilolonga ngabanye, kube udumo kuye.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Igama lolimi lokuqala uPawulu alisebenzise lapha ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “ukujaha, ukusukela, ukuxosha futhi ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso lisho ukuphishekela into ethile ngentshiseko, ukuzama ukuyifinyelela noma ukuyithola.”
Amaphuzu Okuzindla
• Yini ehilelekile ekuphishekeleni ukulunga nokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu?
• Yini eyosisiza ukuba siphishekele ukholo nokukhuthazela?
• Uthando kufanele luyithonye kanjani indlela esisebenzelana ngayo nabanye?
• Kungani kudingeka siphishekele umoya omnene nokuthula?
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
UJesu waxwayisa ngokuzishaya olungile ukuze uhlabe abantu umxhwele
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Singaphishekela ukholo ngokuzindla ngamaqiniso eZwi likaNkulunkulu
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Singaphishekela uthando nomoya omnene