Abantu Abakhululekile Kodwa Abanesibopho Sokulandisa
“Niyakulazi iqiniso, neqiniso liyakunikhulula.”—JOHANE 8:32.
1, 2. (a) Inkululeko iye yaqokonyiswa kanjani emlandweni wesintu? (b) Ubani okunguye yedwa okhululeke ngempela? Chaza.
INKULULEKO. Yeka ukuthi lelo yigama elinamandla kangakanani! Isintu siye sabekezelela izimpi ezingenakubalwa nokuvukela kanye neziyaluyalu zomphakathi ezingenakubalwa ngenxa yesifiso sabantu sokukhululeka. IEncyclopedia Americana iqinisile uma ithi: ‘Entuthukweni yempucuko, awukho umqondo oye wafeza indima ebaluleke kakhulu kunenkululeko.’
2 Nokho, bangaki abantu abakhululeke ngempela? Bangaki abaziyo ngisho nokwazi ukuthi iyini inkululeko? IWorld Book Encyclopedia ithi: “Ukuze abantu bathole inkululeko ephelele, kumelwe ingabikho imingcele endleleni yabo yokucabanga, ukukhuluma, noma eyokwenza. Kumelwe bakwazi lokho abangakhetha kukho, futhi kumelwe babe namandla okuzinqumela ukuthi bakhetheni.” Ngenxa yalokhu, ingabe ukhona omaziyo okhululeke ngempela? Obani abangathi ‘abanayo imingcele endleleni yabo yokucabanga, ukukhuluma, noma yokwenza’? Eqinisweni, munye kuphela umuntu endaweni yonke ofanelwa yileyoncazelo—uJehova uNkulunkulu. Nguye yedwa onenkululeko ephelele. Nguye kuphela ongazikhethela noma ikuphi akuthandayo abese ekufeza naphezu kwakho konke ukuphikisa. ‘UnguMninimandla onke.’—IsAmbulo 1:8; Isaya 55:11.
3. Abantu ngokuvamile bajabulela inkululeko ngamuphi umbandela?
3 Kubantu abaphansi, inkululeko ingaba ngelinganiselwe kuphela. Ngokuvamile inikezwa noma iqinisekiswa igunya elithile futhi ihlobene nokuthobela kwethu lelogunya. Ngempela, cishe kuzo zonke izimo, umuntu angakhululeka kuphela uma eliqaphela igunya lalowo oqinisekisa inkululeko yakhe. Ngokwesibonelo, abantu abahlala ‘ezweni elikhululekile’ bajabulela izinzuzo eziningi, njengenkululeko yokuba nomaphi, inkululeko yokukhuluma, nenkululeko yenkolo. Yini eqinisekisa lenkululeko? Umthetho wendawo. Umuntu angayijabulela kuphela uma nje esawulalela umthetho. Uma eyisebenzisa kabi inkululeko yakhe futhi ephula umthetho, iziphathimandla zifuna ukuba alandise, futhi inkululeko yakhe ingase incishiswe kakhulu yisigwebo sejele.—Roma 13:1-4.
Inkululeko Yokwesaba UNkulunkulu—Ehambisana Nesibopho Sokulandisa
4, 5. Iyiphi inkululeko abakhulekeli bakaJehova abayijabulelayo, futhi yini ayofuna ukuba balandise ngayo?
4 Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka, uJesu wakhuluma ngenkululeko. Wathi kumaJuda: “Uma nimi ezwini lami, ningabafundi bami isibili; niyakulazi iqiniso, neqiniso liyakunikhulula.” (Johane 8:31, 32) Wayengakhulumi ngenkululeko yokukhuluma noma inkululeko yenkolo. Ngokuqinisekile wayengakhulumi ngokukhululeka ejokeni leRoma, lokho amaJuda amaningi ayekulangazelela. Cha, lena kwakuyinto eyigugu kakhulu, inkululeko engeke inikezwe yimithetho yomuntu noma imibono yombusi othile ongumuntu, kodwa enikezwa nguMbusi ophakeme wendawo yonke, uJehova. Kwakuwukukhululeka ekukholelweni ezeni, ukukhululeka ekuntuleni ulwazi kwenkolo, nokunye okuningi kakhulu. Inkululeko enikezwa nguJehova iyinkululeko yangempela, futhi iyohlala ikhona kuze kube phakade.
5 Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: ‘[UJehova] ungumoya; kepha lapho umoya [kaJehova] ukhona, kukhona inkululeko.’ (2 Korinte 3:17, qhathanisa neNW) Phakathi namakhulu eminyaka uJehova ubesebenzelana nesintu ukuze abathembekile ekugcineni bajabulele uhlobo oluhle nolukhulu kakhulu lwenkululeko yabantu, “ukukhululeka kwenkazimulo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.” (Roma 8:21) Okwamanje, uJehova usinikeza inkululeko ethile ngokusebenzisa iqiniso leBhayibheli, futhi ufuna ukuba silandise uma siyisebenzisa kabi leyonkululeko. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Akukho-nto edaliweyo engabonakali phambi kwakhe, kepha konke kwambuliwe kusobala emehlweni akhe esiyakuzilanda kuye.”—Heberu 4:13.
6-8. (a) Iyiphi inkululeko uAdamu noEva abayijabulela, futhi babengalondoloza leyonkululeko ngamuphi umbandela? (b) Yini uAdamu noEva abazilahlekisela yona bona nenzalo yabo?
6 Isibopho sokulandisa kuJehova saqokonyiswa lapho abazali bethu bokuqala abangabantu, uAdamu noEva, besaphila. UJehova wabadala benesipho esiyigugu senkululeko yokuzikhethela. Uma nje babesebenzisa leyonkululeko yokuzikhethela ngokwethembeka, babejabulela ezinye izibusiso, njengokukhululeka ekwesabeni, ukukhululeka ekuguleni, ukukhululeka ekufeni, kanye nenkululeko yokuya kuBaba wabo wasezulwini ngonembeza ohlanzekile. Kodwa lapho beyisebenzisa kabi inkululeko yabo yokuzinqumela, konke lokho kwashintsha.
7 UJehova wabeka uAdamu noEva ensimini yase-Edene, futhi ukuze bajabule wabanikeza izithelo zayo yonke imithi yensimu—ngaphandle kowodwa. Lowomuthi wazigcinela wona; ‘kwakuwumuthi wokwazi okuhle nokubi.’ (Genesise 2:16, 17) Ngokugwema ukudla isithelo salowomuthi, uAdamu noEva babeyobe bavuma ukuthi nguJehova kuphela owayekhululekile ukubeka indinganiso yokuhle nokubi. Uma babenze ngokwethembeka bagwema ukudla isithelo esinqatshelwe, uJehova wayeyoqhubeka eqikelela ukuba bathole inkululeko eyengeziwe.
8 Ngokudabukisayo, uEva walalela ukusikisela kobuqili kweNyoka kokuthi kufanele ‘azazele’ ngokwakhe “okuhle nokubi.” (Genesise 3:1-5) Kwaqala yena ukudla isithelo esinqatshelwe, kwase kuba uAdamu. Ngenxa yalokho, lapho uJehova uNkulunkulu eza ezokhuluma nabo ensimini yase-Edene, baba namahloni futhi bacasha. (Genesise 3:8, 9) Manje base beyizoni ezase zilahlekelwe umuzwa wenkululeko yokuya kuNkulunkulu ngonembeza ohlanzekile. Ngenxa yalokhu, balahlekelwa futhi nawukukhululeka ekuguleni nasekufeni, kokubili bona ngokwabo nenzalo yabo. UPawulu wathi: “Isono sangena ezweni ngamuntu munye [uAdamu], nangesono kwangena ukufa, ngokunjalo ukufa kwafikela abantu bonke, lokhu bonke bonile.”—Roma 5:12; Genesise 3:16, 19.
9. Obani abaziwa njengabayisebenzisa kahle inkululeko ethile ababeyijabulela?
9 Nokho, isintu saqhubeka sinenkululeko yokuzikhethela, futhi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abanye abantu abangaphelele bayisebenzisa ngokwethembeka ukuze bakhonze uJehova. Amagama abanye babo siye sagcinelwa wona kusukela endulo. Amadoda anjengoAbela, uEnoke, uNowa, uAbrahama, uIsaka, noJakobe (obizwa nangokuthi uIsrayeli) ayizibonelo zabantu abasebenzisa inkululeko ethile ababesayijabulela ukuze benze intando kaNkulunkulu. Futhi ngenxa yalokho izinto zabahambela kahle.—Heberu 11:4-21.
Inkululeko Yabantu BakaNkulunkulu Abakhethiwe
10. Zaziyini izici zesivumelwano uJehova asenza nabantu bakhe abakhethekile?
10 Ezinsukwini zikaMose, uJehova wakhulula abantwana bakwaIsrayeli—ngalesosikhathi ababebalelwa ezigidini—ebugqileni baseGibithe futhi wenza isivumelwano nabo esabenza baba abantu bakhe abakhethekile. Ngaphansi kwalesivumelwano, amaIsrayeli ayenelungiselelo lobupristi nesimiso semihlatshelo yezilwane eyayisibekela izono zawo ngendlela elinganiselwe. Kanjalo, ayenenkululeko yokusondela kuNkulunkulu ekukhulekeleni. Futhi ayenesimiso semithetho nemiyalo eyayiwagcina ekhululekile emikhubeni yokukholelwa ezeni nasekukhulekeleni kwamanga. Kamuva, ayeyothola iZwe Lesithembiso njengefa lawo, enesiqinisekiso sokuthola usizo lwaphezulu ekumelaneni nezitha zawo. Ukuhlanganyela kwamaIsrayeli esivumelwaneni kwakunesibopho sokuba agcine uMthetho kaJehova. AmaIsrayeli awamukela ngokuzithandela lombandela, ethi: “Konke akukhulumileyo uJehova siyakukwenza.”—Eksodusi 19:3-8; Duteronomi 11:22-25.
11. Yini eyaba umphumela lapho uIsrayeli ehluleka ukugcina uhlangothi lwakhe lwesivumelwano ayesenze noJehova?
11 Eminyakeni engaphezu kuka-1 500, amaIsrayeli ayekulobobuhlobo obukhethekile noJehova. Kodwa ngaso sonke isikhathi ayehluleka ukugcina lesivumelwano. Ngokuphindaphindiwe ayeyengwa ukukhulekela kwamanga futhi agqilazwe ukukhulekela izithombe nokukholelwa ezeni, ngakho uNkulunkulu wawavumela ukuba enziwe izigqila ngokoqobo yizitha zawo. (AbAhluleli 2:11-19) Esikhundleni sokujabulela izibusiso ezikhululayo ezivela ekugcineni isivumelwano, ajeziswa ngenxa yokusephula. (Duteronomi 28:1, 2, 15) Ekugcineni, ngo-607 B.C.E., uJehova wavumela lesizwe ukuba senziwe izigqila eBabiloni.—2 IziKronike 36:15-21.
12. Yini ekugcineni eyaba sobala ngokuphathelene nesivumelwano soMthetho kaMose?
12 Lesi kwakuyisifundo esinzima. Kwakufanele afunde kuso ukubaluleka kokugcina uMthetho. Nokho, ngemva kweminyaka engu-70, lapho amaIsrayeli ebuyela ezweni lawo, ayesalokhu ehluleka ukugcina isivumelwano soMthetho ngokufanele. Cishe eminyakeni eyikhulu ngemva kokubuya kwawo, uJehova wathi kubapristi bakaIsrayeli: “Nichezukile endleleni, nikhubekisile abaningi emthethweni; nisonakalisile isivumelwano sikaLevi.” (Malaki 2:8) Ngempela, ngisho nabaqotho kakhulu phakathi kwamaIsrayeli babengayifinyeleli indinganiso yoMthetho ophelele. Esikhundleni sokuba ube yisibusiso, ngokwamazwi omphostoli uPawulu, waba ‘yisiqalekiso.’ (Galathiya 3:13) Ngokusobala, kwakudingeka okuthile okungaphezu kwesivumelwano soMthetho kaMose ukuze kulethwe abantu abathembekile, abangaphelele enkululekweni ekhazimulayo yabantwana bakaNkulunkulu.
Lokho Inkululeko YobuKristu Eyikho
13. Yisiphi isisekelo esingcono senkululeko esalungiselelwa ekugcineni?
13 Leyonto eyengeziwe kwakuwumhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu. Cishe ngonyaka ka-50 C.E., uPawulu wabhalela ibandla lamaKristu agcotshiwe eGalathiya. Wachaza indlela uJehova ayewakhulule ngayo ebugqilini besivumelwano soMthetho wayesethi: “UKristu wasikhulula ukuba sibe-nenkululeko; ngakho-ke yimani niqine, ningabe nisaboshelwa ejokeni lobugqila.” (Galathiya 5:1) UJesu wabakhulula ngaziphi izindlela abantu?
14, 15. Kungaziphi izindlela ezimangalisayo uJesu akhulula ngazo amaJuda akholwayo kanye nabangemaJuda?
14 Ngemva kokufa kukaJesu, amaJuda ayemamukele njengoMesiya futhi aba ngabafundi bakhe aba ngaphansi kwesivumelwano esisha, esathatha indawo yesivumelwano soMthetho esidala. (Jeremiya 31:31-34; Heberu 8:7-13) Ngaphansi kwalesivumelwano esisha, wona—namakholwa angemaJuda lawo kamuva ahlanganyela nawo—aba yingxenye yesizwe esisha, esingokomoya, esathatha indawo kaIsrayeli ongokwenyama njengabantu bakaNkulunkulu abakhethekile. (Roma 9:25, 26; Galathiya 6:16) Njengoba ayekulesosikhundla, ajabulela inkululeko uJesu ayithembisa lapho ethi: ‘Iqiniso liyakunikhulula.’ Ngaphandle kokuwakhulula esiqalekisweni soMthetho kaMose, iqiniso lakhulula amaKristu angamaJuda kuwo wonke amasiko acindezelayo abaholi benkolo ababewabeke phezu kwawo. Futhi lakhulula amaKristu angemaJuda ekukhonzeni izithombe nasekukholelweni ezeni kokukhulekela kwawo kwangaphambili. (Mathewu 15:3, 6; 23:4; IzEnzo 14:11-13; 17:16) Futhi kwakukhona okwengeziwe.
15 UJesu, lapho ekhuluma ngeqiniso elikhululayo, wathi: “Ngiqinisile, ngiqinisile ngithi kini: Yilowo nalowo owenza isono uyisigqila sesono.” (Johane 8:34) Selokhu uAdamu noEva bona, bonke abantu abake baphila bebeyizoni futhi ngaleyondlela beyizigqila zesono. UJesu kuphela owayehlukile, futhi umhlatshelo kaJesu wakhulula abakholwayo kulobobugqila. Yiqiniso, babesalokhu bengaphelele futhi benesono ngokwemvelo. Nokho, manje babengaphenduka ezonweni zabo futhi bacele intethelelo ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu, beqiniseka ukuthi izicelo zabo zaziyozwiwa. (1 Johane 2:1, 2) Ngesisekelo somhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo, uNkulunkulu wathi balungile, futhi babengasondela kuye ngonembeza ohlanzekile. (Roma 8:33) Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba isihlengo savula ithemba lokuvuselwa ekuphileni okungenasiphelo, iqiniso labakhulula ngisho nasekwesabeni ukufa.—Mathewu 10:28; Heberu 2:15.
16. Kukanjani inkululeko yobuKristu yayihlanganisa abaningi kunoma iyiphi inkululeko izwe eliyinikezayo?
16 Ngendlela emangalisayo, inkululeko yobuKristu yavulekela amadoda nabesifazane kungakhathaliseki isimo sabo, ngokombono wabantu. Abantu abampofu, iziboshwa, ngisho nezigqila, zazingakhululeka. Ngakolunye uhlangothi, abavelele bezizwe abenqaba isigijimi esiphathelene noKristu babesesebugqilini bokukholelwa ezeni, besono, nobokwesaba ukufa. Akufanele siyeke ukubonga uJehova ngalenkululeko esiyijabulelayo. Ayikho into izwe eliyinikezayo ecishe ilingane nayo.
Ukukhululeka Kodwa Ube Unesibopho Sokulandisa
17. (a) Abanye ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka balahlekelwa kanjani inkululeko yobuKristu? (b) Kungani kungafanele sikhohliswe yilokho okubonakala kuyinkululeko ezweni likaSathane?
17 Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka, kungenzeka iningi lamaKristu agcotshiwe lathokoza ngenkululeko yalo futhi lalondoloza ubuqotho balo kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kwakudingani. Nokho, ngokudabukisayo abanye banambitha inkululeko yobuKristu nazo zonke izibusiso zayo base beyenqaba, bephindela ebugqilini bezwe. Kungani benza kanjalo? Ngokungangabazeki ukholo lwabaningi lwaba buthakathaka, futhi bamane nje ‘bakhukhuleka.’ (Heberu 2:1) Abanye ‘balahla ukukholwa nonembeza omuhle, bafelwa umkhumbi wokukholwa.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:19) Mhlawumbe bagxila ekuthandeni izinto ezibonakalayo noma endleleni yokuphila yokuziphatha okubi. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba silondoloze ukholo lwethu futhi silwakhe, sihlale simatasa esifundweni somuntu siqu, ekuhlanganyeleni, emthandazweni, nasemsebenzini wobuKristu! (2 Petru 1:5-8) Kwangathi singelokothe siyeke ukwazisa inkululeko yobuKristu! Yiqiniso, abanye bangase balingwe ukuyekethisa abakubona ngaphandle kwebandla, becabanga ukuthi labo abasezweni bakhululeke kakhudlwana kunathi. Nokho, empeleni lokho okubonakala kuyinkululeko ezweni ngokuvamile kumane nje kuwukunganaki. Uma singezona izigqila zikaNkulunkulu, siyizigqila zesono, futhi lobobugqila bunenkokhelo ebuhlungu.—Roma 6:23; Galathiya 6:7, 8.
18-20. (a) Abanye baba kanjani “yizitha zesigxobo sokuhlushwa”? (b) Abanye ‘bayenza’ kanjani ‘inkululeko yabo yaba yisigubuzelo sokubi’?
18 Ngaphezu kwalokho, encwadini yakhe kwabaseFilipi, uPawulu wabhala: “Abaningi, enganitshela kaningi ngabo namanje nginitshela nangezinyembezi, bahamba beyizitha [“zesigxobo sokuhlushwa,” NW] sikaKristu.” (Filipi 3:18) Yebo, kwakukhona ababekade bengamaKristu abaphenduka izitha zokholo, mhlawumbe beba izihlubuki. Yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kangakanani ukuba singalandeli inkambo yabo! Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPetru wabhala: “[Yibani] njengabakhululekileyo, kodwa kungabi-njengabenza ukukhululeka kube-yisigubuzelo sokubi kepha njengezinceku zikaNkulunkulu.” (1 Petru 2:16) Umuntu angayenza kanjani inkululeko yakhe ibe yisigubuzelo sokubi? Ngokwenza izono ezingathi sína—mhlawumbe ngokuyimfihlo—kuyilapho esahlanganyela nebandla.
19 Khumbula uDiyotrefe. UJohane wathi ngaye: “UDiyotrefe othanda ukuba abe-mkhulu [ebandleni] akasamukeli thina. . . . Akabamukeli abazalwane yena, nabavumayo uyabanqabela, abakhiphe ebandleni.” (3 Johane 9, 10) UDiyotrefe wasebenzisa inkululeko yakhe njengesigubuzelo sezifiso zakhe siqu zobugovu.
20 Umfundi uJuda wabhala: “Sebengenile ngokunyenya abantu abathile okwalotshwa ngabo phambili endulo ukuthi bayakwehlelwa yilokhukulahlwa, abangamesabi uNkulunkulu, bephendukezela umusa kaNkulunkulu wethu ube-ngamanyala, bephika uMbusi oyedwa neNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.” (Juda 4) Nakuba babehlanganyela nebandla, labantu babeyithonya elonakalisayo. (Juda 8-10, 16) KusAmbulo sifunda ukuthi emabandleni asePhergamu naseThiyathira, kwakunamahlelo, ukukhulekelwa kwezithombe, nokuziphatha okubi. (IsAmbulo 2:14, 15, 20-23) Yeka ukusetshenziswa kabi kwenkululeko yobuKristu!
21. Yini elindele labo abasebenzisa kabi inkululeko yabo yobuKristu?
21 Yini elindele labo abayisebenzisa kabi ngalendlela inkululeko yabo yobuKristu? Khumbula lokho okwenzeka kuIsrayeli. UIsrayeli wayeyisizwe esikhethiwe sikaNkulunkulu, kodwa ekugcineni uJehova wamlahla. Ngani? Ngenxa yokuthi amaIsrayeli asebenzisa ubuhlobo bawo noNkulunkulu njengesigubuzelo sokubi. Aqhosha ngokuthi ayengamadodana ka-Abrahama kodwa enqaba uJesu, iMbewu ka-Abrahama noMesiya okhethiwe kaJehova. (Mathewu 23:37-39; Johane 8:39-47; IzEnzo 2:36; Galathiya 3:16) “UIsrayeli kaNkulunkulu” ewonke ngeke abe ongathembekile ngendlela efanayo. (Galathiya 6:16) Kodwa noma yimuphi umKristu obangela ukungcola okungokomoya noma okungokokuziphatha ekugcineni uyobhekana nesijeziso, ngisho nesahlulelo esinzima. Sonke sinesibopho sokulandisa ngendlela esiyisebenzisa ngayo inkululeko yethu yobuKristu.
22. Iyiphi injabulo etholwa yilabo abasebenzisa inkululeko yabo yobuKristu ekubeni yizigqila zikaNkulunkulu?
22 Yeka indlela okungcono ngayo ukuba yisigqila sikaNkulunkulu futhi ngaleyondlela sikhululeke ngempela. UJehova kuphela onikeza inkululeko ebaluleke ngempela. Isaga sithi: “Ndodana yami, hlakanipha, uthokozise inhliziyo yami ukuba ngiphendule ongisolayo.” (IzAga 27:11) Masisebenzise inkululeko yethu yobuKristu ekulweleni uJehova. Uma senza kanjalo, ukuphila kwethu kuyoba nenjongo, siyojabulisa uBaba wethu wasezulwini, futhi ekugcineni siyoba phakathi kwalabo abajabulela inkululeko ekhazimulayo yamadodana kaNkulunkulu.
Ungachaza?
◻ Ubani okunguye yedwa okhululeke ngempela?
◻ Iyiphi inkululeko uAdamu noEva abayijabulela, futhi kungani yabalahlekela?
◻ Iyiphi inkululeko amaIsrayeli ayeyijabulela lapho egcina isivumelwano sawo ayesenze noJehova?
◻ Iyiphi inkululeko eyatholwa yilabo abamukela uJesu?
◻ Abanye ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka balahlekelwa noma bayisebenzisa kabi kanjani inkululeko yabo yobuKristu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Inkululeko uJesu ayinikeza yayingcono kakhulu kunanoma iyiphi inkululeko umuntu angayinikeza