Ingabe Uyakwazi ‘Ukuhlukanisa Okulungile Nokungalungile’?
“Qhubekani niqinisekisa ukuthi kuyini okwamukelekayo eNkosini.”—EFESU 5:10.
1. Ukuphila kungaxaka kanjani namuhla, futhi ngani?
“NGIYAZI, Jehova, ukuthi indlela yomuntu ayikuye uqobo; akukuyo indoda ukuba ihambe, iqondise izinyathelo zayo.” (Jeremiya 10:23) Amazwi kaJeremiya anokuqonda asebenza nakakhulu kithi namuhla. Ngani? Ngoba siphila ‘ezikhathini ezibucayi okunzima ukubhekana nazo,’ njengoba iBhayibheli labikezela. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Zonke izinsuku, sibhekana nezimo ezixakayo, ezifuna senze izinqumo. Noma ngabe zinkulu noma zincane, lezi zinqumo zingayithonya ngokujulile inhlalakahle yethu—ngokomzimba, ngokomzwelo nangokomoya.
2. Yiziphi izinto ezingase zibonakale zingasho lutho, kodwa amaKristu azinikezele azibheka kanjani?
2 Ukukhetha okuningi esikwenza ekuphileni kwansuku zonke kungase kubhekwe njengokuvamile nokungasho lutho. Ngokwesibonelo, usuku ngalunye kumelwe sikhethe izingubo esizigqokayo, ukudla esikudlayo, abantu esibonana nabo, njalonjalo. Lezi zinto sizikhetha cishe ngokuzenzakalelayo, singacabanganga kangako. Kodwa ingabe izinto ezinjalo azisho lutho ngempela? NjengamaKristu azinikezele, ukukhetha esikwenzayo ekugqokeni nasekubukekeni kwethu, kwesikudlayo nesikuphuzayo, ekukhulumeni nasekuziphatheni kwethu sikukhathalela kakhulu ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuthi kubonisa ukuthi siyizinceku zoPhezukonke, uJehova uNkulunkulu. Sikhumbula amazwi omphostoli uPawulu: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi niyadla noma niyaphuza noma nenza noma yini enye, zonke izinto zenzeleni inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu.”—1 Korinte 10:31; Kolose 4:6; 1 Thimothewu 2:9, 10.
3. Yiziphi izinto ezingathi sína ngempela okumelwe sikhethe kuzo?
3 Kukhona nezinto ezingathi sína nakakhulu okumelwe sikhethe kuzo. Ngokwesibonelo, isinqumo sokushada noma sokuhlala ungashadile sikuthinta ngokujulile ngempela ukuphila komuntu. Okokuqala, ukukhetha umuntu ofanele ozoshada naye, nibambisane ekuphileni konke, akuyona neze into encane.a (IzAga 18:22) Ngaphezu kwalokho, abangane nabantu esikhetha ukuba kanye nabo, imfundo, umsebenzi, ezokuzijabulisa nokuzilibazisa kunethonya elikhulu empilweni yethu engokomoya—kanjalo nakuyinhlalakahle yethu yaphakade.—Roma 13:13, 14; Efesu 5:3, 4.
4. (a) Yiliphi ikhono elifiseleka kakhulu? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo edinga ukuhlolwa?
4 Njengoba sibhekene nakho konke lokhu, kuyafiseleka ngempela ukuba sibe nekhono lokuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile noma phakathi kokubonakala kulungile nokulunge ngempela. “Kukhona indlela ebonakala sengathi ilungile kumuntu, kepha ukuphela kwayo kuyindlela yokufa,” kuxwayisa iBhayibheli. (IzAga 14:12) Ngakho, singase sibuze: ‘Singalihlakulela kanjani ikhono lokuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile? Singabhekaphi ukuze sithole isiqondiso esisidingayo lapho senza izinqumo? Abantu besikhathi esidlule nabamanje baye benzenjani kulokhu, futhi umphumela waba yini?’
‘Ifilosofi Nenkohliso Eyize’ Yezwe
5. Lalinjani izwe ngesikhathi samaKristu okuqala?
5 AmaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayehlala ezweni elalibuswa yizindinganiso nemibono yamaGreki namaRoma. Kolunye uhlangothi, kwakukhona indlela yamaRoma yokuphila ngokunethezeka nokukhomba ngophakathi, eyayifiswa abaningi. Ngakolunye, ongqondongqondo bangaleso sikhathi babesha amashushu hhayi nje ngemibono yefilosofi kaPlato no-Aristotle kuphela kodwa nangeyamaqembu amasha, njengama-Epikhuru namaStoyiku. Lapho umphostoli uPawulu efika e-Athene ohambweni lwakhe lwesibili lwezithunywa zevangeli, wanqwamana nezazi zefilosofi ezingama-Epikhuru nezingamaStoyiku ezazizibona ziphakeme ‘kunaleli phoshophosho’ elinguPawulu.—IzEnzo 17:18.
6. (a) Amanye amaKristu okuqala alingelwa ukuba enzeni? (b) Yisiphi isixwayiso uPawulu asinikeza?
6 Ngakho-ke, kulula ukuqonda ukuthi kungani abathile phakathi kwamaKristu okuqala bakhangwa yimikhuba nendlela yokuphila enokubukisa yabantu ababebazungezile. (2 Thimothewu 4:10) Labo ababeyingxenye eyinhloko yaleso simiso babebonakala bejabulela izinzuzo eziningi, futhi babebonakala bekhetha izinto ezinengqondo. Kwakubonakala sengathi izwe linikeza okuthile okuyigugu okwakungatholakali endleleni yamaKristu yokuphila ngokuzinikezela. Nokho, umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa: “Xwayani: mhlawumbe kungase kube khona othile oyomuka nani njengezisulu zakhe ngefilosofi nenkohliso eyize ngokwesiko labantu, ngokwezinto zokucathula zezwe futhi hhayi ngokukaKristu.” (Kolose 2:8) Kungani uPawulu akhuluma kanjalo?
7. Kuyini ngempela ukuhlakanipha kwezwe?
7 UPawulu wanikeza leso sixwayiso ngoba ebona ingozi yangempela ekucabangeni kwalabo ababekhangwa yizwe. Ukusebenzisa kwakhe amazwi athi “ngefilosofi nenkohliso eyize” kuphawuleka ngokukhethekile. Igama elithi ‘ifilosofi’ ngokwezwi nezwi lisho “ukuthanda nokuphishekela ukuhlakanipha.” Lokho ngokwako kungase kube nenzuzo. Eqinisweni, iBhayibheli, ikakhulu encwadini yezAga, liyakukhuthaza ukuphishekela uhlobo olufanele lolwazi nokuhlakanipha. (IzAga 1:1-7; 3:13-18) Nokho, uPawulu wahlobanisa ‘ifilosofi’ “nenkohliso eyize.” Ngamanye amazwi, uPawulu wayebheka ukuhlakanipha okwakunikezwa yizwe njengokuyize nokukhohlisayo. Njengebhaluni eligcwele umoya, kwakubonakala kumumethe okuthile, kodwa kwakuwubala. Kwakuyoba yize ngempela, nenhlekelele imbala, ukukhetha okulungile nokungalungile ngokusekelwe kokuthile okuwubala ‘njengefilosofi nenkohliso eyize’ yezwe.
Labo Abathi ‘Okubi Kungokuhle Nokuhle Kungububi’
8. (a) Abantu bawafuna kobani amacebiso? (b) Luhlobo luni lwamacebiso anikezwayo?
8 Izinto azihlukile kakhulu namuhla. Cishe kuyo yonke imikhakha yolwazi lwabantu, kunenqwaba yezazi. Abeluleki bemishado nemikhaya, abalobi bezingosi zosizo, abelaphi abazibekayo, abafunda izinkanyezi, abasebenzelana nemimoya nabanye bakulungele ukunikeza amacebiso—ngemali ethile. Kodwa luhlobo luni lwamacebiso abawanikezayo? Ngokuvamile, izindinganiso zeBhayibheli zokuziphatha azishaywa mkhuba njengoba kusekelwa lokho okuthiwa ukuziphatha okusha. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho ikhuluma ngokwenqaba kukahulumeni ukubhalisa “imishado yabantu bobulili obufanayo,” ingosi yomhleli wephephandaba elivamile laseCanada i-Globe and Mail ithi: “Akunangqondo ukuthi kulo nyaka ka-2000, umbhangqwana othandanayo nozinikele komunye nomunye wenqatshelwa isifiso sawo esikhulu ngenxa nje yokuthi ungowobulili obufanayo.” Namuhla kunokuthambekela kokuvumela yonke into, ukungagxeki. Yonke into ibhekwa njengexhomeke kokuthile; ayisekho into elungile noma engalungile ngokuphelele.—IHubo 10:3, 4.
9. Abantu ababhekwa njengahloniphekile emphakathini bavame ukwenzani?
9 Abanye babheka kwabaphumelelayo emphakathini nakwezezimali—abacebile nabadumile—njengezibonelo ekwenzeni izinqumo. Nakuba abacebile nabadumile bebhekwa njengabahloniphekile emphakathini wanamuhla, ngokuvamile izimfanelo ezinjengokwethembeka nokwethenjelwa bagcina ngokuzisho ngomlomo. Befuna amandla nemali, abaningi abakushayi mkhuba ukukhekheleza nokuphula izimiso zokuziphatha. Ukuze badume futhi bathandwe, abanye bazilahla kalula nje izimiso nezindinganiso ezamukelwayo, bakhethe ukuziphatha okuyinqaba nokushaqisayo. Umphumela uba umphakathi ozifunela inzuzo noyekelelayo, ophila ngokuthi, “Noma yini ivumelekile.” Kuyinto emangazayo yini ukuthi abantu badidekile futhi abaqiniseki ukuthi yini elungile nengalungile?—Luka 6:39.
10. Amazwi ka-Isaya mayelana nokuhle nokubi aye afezeka kanjani?
10 Imiphumela edabukisayo yezinqumo ezingahlakaniphile ezisekelwa esiqondisweni esinganembile ikuyo yonke indawo—imishado namakhaya ahlukene, ukusetshenziswa kabi kwezidakamizwa notshwala, amaqembu entsha anobudlova, ukungabi nasimilo, izifo ezidluliselwa ngobulili, uma sibala embalwa. Empeleni nje, singakulindela kanjani okuhlukile, kuyilapho abantu belahla zonke izindinganiso zokulungile nokungalungile? (Roma 1:28-32) Kunjengoba nje umprofethi u-Isaya asho: “Wo kubona abasho okubi ukuthi kungokuhle, nokuhle ukuthi kungububi, ababeka ubumnyama bube ngukukhanya, nokukhanya kube ngubumnyama, babeke nokubabayo kube ngubumtoti, nobumtoti bube ngokubabayo! Wo kubona abahlakaniphile emehlweni abo nabaqondile ekuboneni kwabo!”—Isaya 5:20, 21.
11. Kungani kungahlakaniphile ukuzethemba wena ekuhlukaniseni phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile?
11 Ukuthi uNkulunkulu wawenza alandisa lawo maJuda asendulo aba ‘ahlakaniphile emehlweni awo’ kwenza kubaluleke nakakhulu ukuba sigweme ukuzethemba thina ekuhlukaniseni phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile. Abantu abaningi namuhla bavumelana nombono wokuthi “vele ulalele okushiwo yinhliziyo yakho,” noma “yenza lokho onomuzwa wokuthi kulungile.” Ingabe leyo ndlela ihluzekile? Hhayi ngokweBhayibheli, elisho ngokucacile ukuthi: “Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwakho konke, futhi imbi; ngubani ongayazi na?” (Jeremiya 17:9) Ubungathembela yini kumuntu okhohlisayo nomubi ukuba akuqondise lapho wenza izinqumo? Lutho. Empeleni, cishe ubuyomane wenze okuphambene nalokho umuntu onjalo akutshela kona. Yingakho iBhayibheli lisikhumbuza: “Owethemba enhliziyweni yakhe uyisiwula; kepha ohamba ngokuhlakanipha uyakhululwa.”—IzAga 3:5-7; 28:26.
Ukufunda Lokho Okwamukelekayo KuNkulunkulu
12. Kungani kudingeka sizitholele ngokwethu “intando kaNkulunkulu”?
12 Njengoba kungafanele sithembele ekuhlakanipheni kwezwe noma kithi ngokwethu ekuhlukaniseni kokulungile nokungalungile, kufanele senzenjani? Phawula lesi seluleko somphostoli uPawulu esicacile nesingadidi: “[Yekani] ukulolongwa nifane nalesisimiso sezinto, kodwa maniguqulwe ngokushintsha ingqondo yenu, ukuze nizitholele ngokwenu intando kaNkulunkulu enhle neyamukelekayo nepheleleyo.” (Roma 12:2) Kungani kudingeka sizitholele ngokwethu intando kaNkulunkulu? EBhayibhelini, uJehova unikeza isizathu esingagwegwesi kodwa esinamandla, uthi: “Njengamazulu ephakeme kunomhlaba, kanjalo izindlela zami ziphakeme kunezindlela zenu, nemicabango yami kunemicabango yenu.” (Isaya 55:9) Ngakho, kunokuba sithembele kokwethu ukuqonda, noma emizweni yalokho okwanelisayo, siyayalwa: “Qhubekani niqinisekisa ukuthi kuyini okwamukelekayo eNkosini.”—Efesu 5:10.
13. Amazwi kaJesu akuJohane 17:3 asigcizelela kanjani isidingo sokwazi lokho okwamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu?
13 UJesu Kristu wagcizelela isidingo salokhu lapho ethi: “Lokhu kusho ukuphila okumi phakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, owukuphela kukaNkulunkulu weqiniso, nangalowo owamthuma, uJesu Kristu.” (Johane 17:3) Amazwi athi ‘ukungenisa ulwazi’ asho okujule kakhulu kunokumane ‘wazi.’ Ngokwe-Vine’s Expository Dictionary, “abonisa ubuhlobo phakathi komuntu owaziyo nento ayaziyo; kulokhu, lokho lo muntu akwaziyo kubalulekile kuye, okwenza kubaluleke nokwakha ubuhlobo.” Ukuba nobuhlobo nomuntu kusho okungaphezu kokumane wazi ukuthi ungubani lowo muntu noma wazi igama lakhe. Kuhilela nokwazi lokho akuthandayo nangakuthandi, ukwazi izimiso nezindinganiso zakhe—bese uzihlonipha.—1 Johane 2:3; 4:8.
Ukuqeqesha Amandla Ethu Okuqonda
14. UPawulu wathi uyini umehluko oyinhloko phakathi kwezingane ezingokomoya nabantu abavuthiwe?
14 Singalithola kanjani-ke ikhono lokuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile? Amazwi uPawulu awasho kumaKristu ekhulu lokuqala angamaHeberu anikeza impendulo. Wabhala: “Wonke umuntu ophuza ubisi akajwayelene nezwi lokulunga, ngoba uyingane. Kodwa ukudla okuqinile kungokwabantu abavuthiwe, labo okuthe ngokusebenzisa amandla abo okuqonda bawenza aqeqeshelwa ukuhlukanisa kokubili okulungile nokungalungile.” Lapha uPawulu waqhathanisa “ubisi,” ayeluchaze emavesini andulele ukuthi ‘luyizinto zokucathula zamazwi angcwele kaNkulunkulu,’ ‘nokudla okuqinile,’ ‘okungokwabantu abavuthiwe,’ ‘abenzé amandla abo okuqonda aqeqeshelwa ukuhlukanisa kokubili okulungile nokungalungile.’—Heberu 5:12-14.
15. Kungani kudingeka ukuzikhandla ukuze umuntu athole ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu?
15 Lokhu kusho ukuthi, okokuqala, kumelwe sizikhandle ukuze siziqonde ngokunembile izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu eziseZwini lakhe, iBhayibheli. Asifuni uhlu lwezinto okumelwe nokungamelwe sizenze, lusitshele ukuthi yini esingayenza nesingenakuyenza. IBhayibheli aliyona incwadi enjalo. Kunalokho, uPawulu wachaza: “Yonke imiBhalo iphefumulelwe uNkulunkulu futhi inenzuzo yokufundisa, yokusola, yokuqondisa izinto, yokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu afaneleke ngokugcwele, ayihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle.” (2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) Ukuze sizuze kulokho kufundisa, ukusola nokuyala, kumelwe sisebenzise ingqondo nekhono lethu lokucabanga. Lokhu kudinga umzamo, kodwa umphumela—owukuba ‘ofaneleka ngokugcwele, oyihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle’—uwufanele lowo mzamo.—IzAga 2:3-6.
16. Kusho ukuthini ukuba namandla okuqonda aqeqeshiwe?
16 Njengoba uPawulu abonisa-ke, abantu abavuthiwe ‘banamandla okuqonda aqeqeshelwe ukuhlukanisa kokubili okulungile nokungalungile.’ Nanku umnyombo wale ndaba. Amazwi athi ‘amandla abo okuqonda aqeqeshiwe’ ngokwezwi nezwi asho ukuthi “izitho zokuqonda ziqeqeshiwe (njengomvocavoci womzimba).” (Kingdom Interlinear Translation) Umvocavoci womzimba ongumakad’ ebona entweni ayisebenzisayo, njengezindophi ezilengayo noma umshayo ovundlile, angaphenduphenduka ngokuphazima kweso, kube sengathi awasebenzi kuye amandla adonsela phansi noma omunye umthetho wemvelo. Ngaso sonke isikhathi uzilawula ngokuphelele izitho zomzimba wakhe, futhi uvele azi ukuthi yini okumelwe ayenze ukuze akuphothule ngokuphumelelayo akwenzayo. Konke lokhu kuwumphumela wokuziqeqesha kanzima nokuprakthiza ngokuphindelela.
17. Kumelwe sibe njengabavocavoci bomzimba ngamuphi umqondo?
17 Nathi kumelwe sibe abaqeqeshwe njengomvocavoci womzimba, ngokomoya, uma sifuna ukuqiniseka ukuthi izinqumo nokukhetha esikwenzayo kunengqondo ngaso sonke isikhathi. Kumelwe ngaso sonke isikhathi sizilawule ngokuphelele izingqondo nezitho zethu zomzimba. (Mathewu 5:29, 30; Kolose 3:5-10) Ngokwesibonelo, uyawaqeqesha yini amehlo akho ukuba angabuki izinto ezinokuziphatha okubi noma izindlebe zakho ukuba zingalaleli umculo noma inkulumo eyonakalisayo? Kuyiqiniso ukuthi izinto ezinjalo ezingahlanzekile zisizungezile. Nokho, kusaxhomeke kithi ukuthi siyazivumela yini ukuba zigxile ezinhliziyweni nasezingqondweni zethu. Singalingisa umhubi owathi: “Angizukubeka phambi kwamehlo ami into embi; ukwenza kwabahlubukayo ngiyakuzonda; akuyikunamathela kimi. . . . Okhuluma amanga akayikuma phambi kwamehlo ami.”—IHubo 101:3, 7.
Qeqesha Amandla Akho Okuqonda Ngokuwasebenzisa
18. Lisikiselani igama elithi “ngokuwasebenzisa” emazwini kaPawulu achaza ukuqeqeshwa kwamandla okuqonda?
18 Khumbula ukuthi amandla ethu okuqonda siwaqeqesha “ngokuwasebenzisa” ukuze akwazi ukuhlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile. Ngamanye amazwi, njalo lapho kudingeka senze isinqumo, kufanele sifunde ukusebenzisa amandla ethu engqondo ukuze sibone ukuthi yiziphi izimiso zeBhayibheli ezihilelekile nokuthi zingasetshenziswa kanjani. Kwenze umkhuba ukucwaninga ezincwadini zeBhayibheli ezilungiselelwa “yisigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo.” (Mathewu 24:45) Yebo, singalucela usizo lwamaKristu avuthiwe. Nokho, umzamo esiwenzayo wokutadisha iZwi likaNkulunkulu, kanye nomthandazo wokucela isiqondiso nomoya kaJehova, kuyosilethela imivuzo emikhulu ekugcineni.—Efesu 3:14-19.
19. Yiziphi izibusiso esingazithola uma siqhubeka siqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda?
19 Njengoba siqhubeka siqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda, umgomo uwukuba “singabe sisaba izingane sijikijeleka ngapha nangapha sengathi sijikijelwa amagagasi futhi siyiswa lé nalé yiyo yonke imimoya yemfundiso ngokukhohlisa kwabantu, ngobuqili ekuklameni isiphambeko.” (Efesu 4:14) Kunalokho, ngokusekelwe olwazini nasekuqondeni esinako ngalokho okwamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu, singazenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile, ezinkulu nezincane, ezisizuzisayo, zakhe abakhulekeli esikanye nabo, futhi ngaphezu kwakho konke, zijabulise uBaba wethu osezulwini. (IzAga 27:11) Yeka ukuthi lokho kuyisibusiso nesivikelo kangakanani kulezi zikhathi ezibucayi!
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ohlwini lwezenzakalo ezingaphezu kwezingu-40 ezibangela ukucindezeleka kunazo zonke ekuphileni kwabantu, olwahlelwa nguDkt. Thomas Holmes noRichard Rahe, ezintathu zokuqala ukushonelwa umngane womshado, isehlukaniso nokuhlala ngokwahlukana. Ukushada kungokwesikhombisa.
Ungachaza?
• Yiliphi ikhono elidingekayo ekwenzeni izinqumo ezinengqondo?
• Kungani kungahlakaniphile ukubheka kubantu abavelele noma ukwethembela emizweni yethu lapho sihlukanisa phakathi kokulungile nokungalungile?
• Kungani kufanele siqiniseke ngalokho okwamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu lapho senza izinqumo, futhi singakwenza kanjani lokho?
• Kusho ukuthini ‘ukuqeqesha amandla ethu okuqonda’?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Ukubheka kwabacebile nabadumile ukuze uthole isiqondiso kuyize
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Njengomvocavoci womzimba, kumelwe sizilawule ngokuphelele izingqondo zethu nezitho zethu zomzimba