Yenyanye Ngokuphelele Inkambo Yezwe Eyihlazo
“Bayamangala futhi baqhubeka benihlambalaza, ngoba anisaqhubeki nihamba nabo kulenkambo yesimo esifanayo esiphansi kakhulu sokonakala.”—1 PETRU 4:4, NW.
1. IBhayibheli liyichaza kanjani inkambo yezwe yokuqala leyo amaKristu amaningi ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka ayehamba ngayo?
‘ISIMO esiphansi kakhulu sokonakala.’ Yindlela umphostoli uPetru achaza ngayo isimo esiyihlazo leso abaningi ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka ababekuso bengakabi ngamaKristu. Ezinye izinguqulo zithi “ubishi lokuziphatha okuhlazisayo.” (The New American Bible); “izala lokuphila kokungazithibi” (The New Testament, ebhalwe nguKleist noLilly). Yini eyayikulesimo esiphansi kakhulu sokonakala? Umphostoli uphawula ngokuqondile amanyala, izinkanuko, ukudakwa, ukuminza, ukuxokozela, nokukhonza izithombe okuyichilo.—1 Petru 4:3, 4.
2. Kungani amaKristu namuhla kufanele anconywe?
2 Yeka umehluko okhona phakathi kwalelizwe nebandla lobuKristu leqiniso! UPetru wawatusa ngokufudumele amaKristu ayewabhalela ngokungaqhubeki ehamba nabangane bawo bakuqala bezwe kulolubishi, kulelizala, lobubi. Kusijabulisa kakhulu ukudlulisela ukuncoma okufanayo kumaKristu namuhla, lapho izimo zizimbi kakhulu kunalokho ezaziyikho ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka. OFakazi BakaJehova benza umzamo wenkuthalo ukuba baqhube ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile nokumsulwa okuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu wethu noBaba, okuhlanganisa ‘nokuzigcina singenacala lokwezwe.’ (Jakobe 1:27) Indinganiso yabo ephakeme yokuziphatha iletha udumo olukhulu egameni likaJehova.
3. Yayiyini imbangela yokudabuka kukaPawulu, njengoba kunjalo nakithi namuhla?
3 Nokho, ukuze bagcine indinganiso yabo ephakeme njengenhlangano ehlanzekile, abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezinye izikhathi kudingeka basole noma ngisho basuse ekuhlanganyeleni labo ngokuqhathaniswa abambalwa abazivumela ukuba baphinde bayengwe imikhuba yalelizwe eyonakele. Lokhu kuyadabukisa, futhi sizizwa njengoba umphostoli uPawulu azizwa lapho ebona isimo esifanayo ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka. Wabhala: “Ngokuba abaningi, enganitshela kaningi ngabo namanje nginitshela nangezinyembezi, bahamba beyizitha zesiphambano sikaKristu, abakuphela kwabo ngukubhujiswa, abankulunkulu wabo yisisu, nodumo lwabo lusehlazweni labo, abangabanaka okomhlaba.” (Filipi 3:18, 19) Thina ngabanye, singayigwema kanjani into enjalo ukuba ingenzeki kithi? Ngokufunda ukulingisa uJesu ekuthandeni izindinganiso zikaJehova eziphakeme zokulunga nangokuzonda ukungcola kwalelizwe.—Heberu 1:9.
Ungabheki Emuva
4. (a) Kungani kungenzeka ngathi ukuba siyengelwe ukuba sibuyele emikhubeni eyonakele yalelizwe? (b) Yini eyosisiza ukuba sigweme ukwakha isifiso esibi?
4 Ungalokothi uwabukele phansi amandla esono. Izinto ezikhangayo zalelizwe zinamandla futhi ziningi; uDeveli unobuqili futhi unonya; inhliziyo yomuntu iyakhohlisa. (1 Johane 2:15-17; 1 Petru 5:8; Jeremiya 17:9) Uma inhliziyo izimisele esifisweni sayo sokwenza okuthile, ngokuvamile ayisizwa iseluleko. Kungalesosizathu sithola izikhumbuzo eziningi kangaka eZwini likaNkulunkulu zokusisiza ukuba sigcine izinhliziyo zethu zizinikele kuJehova nasekwenzeni intando yakhe. Kubaluleke kakhulu ukuba singasivumeli isifiso esibi ukuba siqale ngisho nokuqala ukwakheka enhliziyweni. (Jakobe 1:14, 15; Mathewu 5:27-30) Kumelwe siqhubeke siqinisa izinhliziyo zethu ngezizathu zokuthi kungani kufanele sithande okulungile futhi sizenyanye ngokuphelele futhi sizilahle izindlela zalelizwe ezingcolile. Umphostoli uPawulu wakufingqa ngalendlela: “Uthando malungabi-nakuzenzisa; nenyanye okubi, nibambelele kokuhle.”—Roma 12:9.
5. Kungani kuhlakaniphile ukuhlolisisa izisusa zethu nezifiso?
5 Ngenxa yengozi yokuphambuka enkambweni yobuKristu, kuwukuhlakanipha ngathi ngabanye ukuba siqhubeke sihlola izisusa zethu, izifiso zethu, imigomo yethu. Ingabe wena ngokomuntu siqu unjengalawo maKristu uPetru akwazi ukuwancoma ngokungabuyeli ‘kulesisimo esiphansi kakhulu sokonakala’? Noma ingabe ngezinye izikhathi ubonakalisa isimo sengqondo somkaLoti, owabheka emuva ngokulangazela ezintweni ayekhululwe kuzo?—Genesise 19:26; Luka 17:31-33.
Ububi Buyanda “Ezinsukwini Zokugcina”
6, 7. (a) Yisiphi isimo sengqondo ngenjabulo iBhayibheli elithi sasiyophawula ‘izinsuku zokugcina’? (b) Abantu bezwe babukisa kanjani ngokucabanga kwabo okungcolile nezenzo?
6 Cabanga okwesikhashana ngezwe esizithola sikulo ekupheleni kwalelikhulu lama-20 leminyaka. Yeka ukwanda kobubi! Njengoba umphostoli uPawulu abikezela, amadoda nabesifazane ‘bangabathanda injabulo kunokuthanda uNkulunkulu.’ Ngempela, ‘abantu ababi nabakhohlisi baqhubekela phambili ebubini, bedukisa, bedukiswa.’—2 Thimothewu 3:1, 4, 13.
7 Ukuphinga, ubufebe, ubungqingili babesilisa nobabesifazane, nokukhipha izisu—lokhu namanye amazwi kuye kwaba yizinkulumo ezivamile. Izinto ezinjalo kukhulunywa ngazo ngokukhululeka nangokuvunyelwa emsakazweni nakuthelevishini nasemaqenjini enkolo nawemfundo. Izithombe ezingcolile zithengwa kakhulu futhi zitholakala kalula kubo bonke. Amanye amabhayisikobho athandwa kakhulu, imidlalo yasesiteji, nemidlalo ewuchungechunge yethelevishini kuhlanganisa izindaba ezihlobene nokuziphatha okubi kohlobo oluthile. Yeka ukuthi sibonga kanjani ngokungabi yingxenye yalokhu! Futhi yeka ukuthi sidinga ukulwa kanzima kanjani ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi inkulumo-ze enjalo ewumshoshaphansi ayizithinti izinhliziyo zethu!
8. Ngokuqondene nemikhuba yokuziphatha okubi yalelizwe, iBhayibheli lithi yini okufanele siyenze nokungafanele siyenze?
8 AmaKristu ahlakaniphile alalela isixwayiso sikaPawulu: “Ubufebe, nakho konke ukungcola, noma isangabe, makungaphathwa nangegama phakathi kwenu, njengokuba kufanele abangcwele, . . . nihlole ukuthi kuyini okuthandeka eNkosini, . . . Ngakho-ke bhekisisani ukuthi nihamba kanjani, kungabi njengabangahlakaniphile kepha njengabahlakaniphileyo.” UPawulu wathi kunalokho kufanele sicabange ngezinto eziyiqiniso, ezilungileyo, ezimhlophe, ezithandekayo, nezitusekayo.—Efesu 5:3-16; Filipi 4:8.
9. Yini engenzeka kalula uma sikhetha ukuzijabulisa okungabazekayo?
9 Ingabe usigcina ngokucophelela leseluleko esihle engqondweni lapho ukhetha okokuzijabulisa? Khumbula, lapho silalela ngokwengeziwe izinto ezonakele, umkhuba wezwe wokuphila ubonakala wamukeleka ngokwengeziwe, ungemubi kangako. Singase ngisho nangasese siqale ukuthanda noma ukulingisa labo abayizilomo emidlalweni noma ezintweni zokuzijabulisa abenza izinto ezinjalo. Qaphela noma yikuphi ukuthambekela okunjalo.
Ungabanjwa Ukucabanga Kwalelizwe
10. Uyini umbono wokuphila owawusetshenziswa amaEpikhuru ekhulu lokuqala leminyaka?
10 Osukwini lukaPawulu abaningi babevumela ifilosofi yamaEpikhuru, ayephilela injabulo, ukwanelisa imizwelo. Babethi, lapho ukufa kukufica, konke kuphelile ngawe. Ngakho kungani ungatholi yonke injabulo engatholakala ekuphileni lapho usaphila, ngoba ungase ufe kusasa.
11. Abantu abaningi bezwe namuhla bawalingisa kanjani amaEpikhuru ekucabangeni kwawo nasezenzweni?
11 Abaningi namuhla banesimo sengqondo esifanayo. Bazitika ngokungenamahloni ngezinjabulo zazo zonke izinhlobo, bengacabangi nakancane ukuthi ukuziphatha kwabo kubathinta kanjani abanye. Kubona, uNkulunkulu akekho noma, uma ekhona, akabunikezi ubufakazi bokukhathalela izindaba zabantu. Njengoba umuntu ewumkhiqizo wokuziphendukela kwemvelo—njengoba besho—empeleni akudingekile ukuba baziphendulele kunoma ubani ngaphandle kwabo ngokwabo nomphakathi abahlala kuwo. Kunesaba ngisho nesokwenza njengezilwane. Uma imikhuba yokuziphatha okubi elahlwa yiBhayibheli ijabulisa emizwelweni, ngokuqinisekile akumelwe basolwe. Abantu abanjalo bazindla ngokuthi kungani kumelwe baphile ukuphila kokuzikhuza nokokukhungatheka, uma sonke siphelela endaweni eyodwa—ithuna?
12, 13. (a) Iyini ingozi uma amaKristu engavikelekile ekucabangeni kwezwe? (b) Wawuyini umsuka walenkinga eKorinte? (c) Yini okufanele yenziwe ukuze sizivikele ekuthonyweni umbono wokuphila wobugovu?
12 Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi amanye amaKristu eKorinte abonakala eye athonywa yiloluhlobo lokucabanga. Lapho ebhalela ibandla elalilapho, uPawulu wavuma ukuthi “uma abafileyo bengavuki,” khona-ke yayiyoba nengqondo ethile inkulumo evamile yalolosuku: “Masidle, siphuze, ngokuba ngomuso sizakufa.” Kodwa ukudalula ngokushesha lokucabanga okudukile: “Ningakhohliswa; ukujwayelana nababi konakalisa ukuziphatha okuhle. Phaphamani ngokufaneleyo, ningoni; ngokuba abanye kabamazi uNkulunkulu; ngisho lokhu ukuba nibe namahloni.”—1 Korinte 15:32-34.
13 Phawula indlela uPawulu afinyelela ngayo umsuka wenkinga yalawomaKristu aseKorinte. Ukucabanga kwawo okubi kwakuvela kubangane ababi. Singafunda kulokhu. Uma singaqaphile, singaqala ukucabanga ukuthi kufanele sinambithe ezinye zezinjabulo ezinqatshelwe ngaphambi kokuba sibe abakhule kakhulu ukuba singazijabulela noma singakafi. Uma sinokuthambekela okuthile kokucabanga ngalendlela, sidinga ukushintsha indlela yethu yokucabanga ngokushesha. Kanjani? Khumbula ukuthi lombono wobugovu awuzinaki izindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga. Ubonisa ukuntula ukholo ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu eziqinisekile, kuhlanganise nethemba lovuko. Ngisho nangombono ongokoqobo, labo abaphila ukuphila okonakale bazilethela ubuhlungu benhliziyo obuningi nezinkathazo. Ukuze bathole umbono oqondile, badinga ‘ukuphaphama ngokufaneleyo.’ Abanakukwazi ukucabanga ngokufanele nangokuphapheme uma ‘bengamazi uNkulunkulu.’
14. Obani abangeke balidle ifa lezibusiso zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu, nokho yini uPawulu ayivuma ngokuphila kwabanye kwesikhathi esidlule?
14 Umphostoli uPawulu wenza kwacaca ekuqaleni encwadini yakhe eya kwabaseKorinte ukuthi izifebe, iziphingi, abakhonza izithombe, ongqingili, amasela, abahahayo, izidakwa, izithuki, nabaphangi, bonke abanjena ababebaningi eKorinte, babengenakuba yingxenye yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Wenezela: “Babenjalo abanye kini, kepha senahlanzwa, senangcweliswa.” Ukuhlanzwa kwabo ngalendlela kwabonisa amandla eZwi likaNkulunkulu nawomhlatshelo wesihlengo. (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ngokuqinisekile, ukubuyela ekungcoleni kwalelizwe elidala kwakuyoba ubuwula obukhulu!
15. Yiluphi ulimi olunemifanekiso uPetru alusebenzisa ukuze achaze isimo salabo ababuyela emikhubeni engcolile yalelizwe?
15 UPetru wathi: “Ngokuba uma bebuye bahilelwe, bahlulwe yikho, sebebalekele ukungcola kwezwe ngokuyazi iNkosi noMsindisi uJesu Kristu, khona ukugcina kwabo kubi kunokuqala. Kubehlele njengokwesaga esiqinisileyo esithi: Inja yabuyela ebuhlanzweni bayo, nokuthi: Ingulube igezwe qede yaphindela ukuzibhixa odakeni.” (2 Petru 2:20, 22) Amazwi ashubile! Nokho, amazwi anamandla ayadingeka ngezinye izikhathi ukugcizelela kithina ukungathi sina kweseluleko esinikezwayo. Lesixwayiso esanikezwa amaKristu ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka singesifaneleka ngokwengeziwe kithina namuhla.
Sivuna Lokho Esikuhlwanyelayo
16. Umuntu ‘ukuvuna’ ngaziphi izindlela ‘lokho akuhlwanyelayo’ uma ephila ukuphila kokonakala?
16 AmaKristu abubona nxazonke ubufakazi bokuthi ukuphila kokuziphatha okubi, okonakele kwalelizwe kuyingozi, kuyabulala. (Roma 1:18-32) Endimeni yobulili nje kuphela, cabanga ngobuhlungu benhliziyo nokuhlupheka okuwumphumela lapho kungekho ukuhlonishwa komthetho kaNkulunkulu ngokuziphatha: imikhaya echithekile, ukukhulelwa okungemthetho, ukukhishwa kwezisu, ukudlwengula, ukuxhashazwa kwabantwana, nezifo ezithathelwana ngobulili, ukubala nje izinto ezimbalwa. Khona-ke, kunezinkinga zezempilo eziba khona lapho umzimba usetshenziswa kabi ngokudla nangokuphuza ngokweqile, nokusebenzisa imilaliso ukuze nje uthole injabulo. Ukuvumela ukuhaha ngokuvamile kuphumela ekuntshontsheni nasekuphambeni. Akukho noma yikuphi ukweqiwa komthetho kaNkulunkulu okungaphumeli ekulimaleni okungokomzimba noma ngokomzwelo kumoni. Kunjengoba umphostoli uPawulu akhumbuza amaKristu: “Ningaduki; uNkulunkulu akahlekwa. Ngokuba lokho akuhlwanyelayo umuntu, lokho wokuvuna. Ngokuba ohlwanyelela inyama yakhe uyakuvuna ukubhubha kuyo inyama; kepha ohlwanyelela uMoya uyakuvuna ukuphila okuphakade kuMoya.”—Galathiya 6:7, 8.
17. Kungani umKristu kufanele ashukunyiselwe ukuphila ngezindinganiso zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga?
17 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, yeka ukuthi imiBhalo inikeza izizathu ezinamandla kanjani zokunamathela ezindinganisweni zikaNkulunkulu. Yeka ukuthi kuyiqiniso kangakanani lokho iZwi likaNkulunkulu elikushoyo: “Umuntu othembekileyo uyakuvama izibusiso”! (IzAga 28:20) Labo abenyanya inkambo yalelizwe eyihlazo bagwema imiphumela esabekayo yokuphila okonakele. Bajabulela ubuhlobo obuhlanzekile nabafowabo nodadewabo, noNkulunkulu wabo, uJehova. Ngaphezu kwalokho, banethemba elihle lokwamukela umklomelo wokuphila okuphakade ezweni elisha likaNkulunkulu. Manje njengoba siqhubeka siphila ekupheleni kwalesimiso sezinto, labo ‘abezinye izimvu’ bananethemba elikhethekile lokuphila phakathi ‘nosizi olukhulu’ futhi bangafi. Banethemba elingenakungatshazwa lokuthi, uma ukufa kufika ngaphambi kwalokho, uNkulunkulu uthembisa ukuvusa bonke abasemathuneni enkumbulo. (Johane 5:28, 29; 10:16; IsAmbulo 7:14) Ngenxa yakho konke lokhu, kungani noma ubani engase acabange ngisho nokwesikhashana ngokuhileleka emikhubeni enyanyekayo yalelizwe?—Roma 6:19-23; 1 Petru 4:1-3.
18. (a) UJehova uyosibonisa kanjani isahlulelo sakhe ngokumelene “nabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu” ‘osizini olukhulu’? (b) Ngokuqondene nokwahlulela, uJehova uziveza kanjani ngokwakhe emazwini akhe okugcina alotshiwe eBhayibhelini?
18 IBhayibheli libonisa ngokucacile ukuthi siphila engxenyeni yokugcina yalokho elikubiza ngokuthi “isiphelo sesimiso sezinto.” (Mathewu 24:3, NW) UPetru wathi “izulu nomhlaba okukhona manje kubekelelwe umlilo ngalo lona lelizwi, kulindele usuku lokwahlulela nolokubhubha kwabantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu.” (2 Petru 3:7) Uma lolusuku lokulandisa oselunesikhathi eside lulindelwe lufika, ukuzisholo kokuthi umuntu angazenzela ngaphandle kukaNkulunkulu nokuthi ukuziphatha kwakhe okubi, nokunobudlova kumane nje kuwumkhiqizo wokuziphendukela kwemvelo kuyophelela emoyeni. (Kolose 3:5, 6) Lalela indlela uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe, achaza ngayo umphumela walabo abamkhonzayo nowalabo abangamkhonzi emazwini akhe okugcina alotshwe eBhayibhelini: “Bheka, ngiyeza masinyane, nomvuzo wami unami ukumnika yilowo nalowo njengokomsebenzi wakhe. . . . Babusisiwe abahlanza izingubo zabo ukuba bathole ilungelo labo emthini wokuphila, bangene emzini ngamasango. Ngaphandle kukhona izinja, nabathakathi, nezifebe, nababulali, nabakhonza izithombe, nabo bonke abathanda nabenza amanga.”—IsAmbulo 22:12-15.
19. Kufanele kube yini ukuzimisela kwethu njengoba sibheke ikusasa?
19 Njengoba isimo sokuziphatha kwalelizwe siqhubeka siba sibi, yiba ngozimisele ngokugxilile ukuthokozisa uJehova ngokwenza okuhlanzekile, okutusekayo, nokulungile. Qhubeka ukhandlekela umklomelo wokuphila. Yenqaba ukuhlehliselwa ‘esimweni esiphansi kakhulu sokonakala’ salelizwe, esiwumgodi wokufa. Unganqoba empini yokulwa nomcabango owonakele uma uyenyanya ngokuphelele inkambo yalelizwe eyihlazo!
Ubungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Kungani kunengozi yokuhileleka emikhubeni eyihlazo yalelizwe?
◻ Kungani sidinga ukuqaphela lapho sikhetha okokuzijabulisa?
◻ Yikuphi ukucabanga okuyingozi okungasithonya kalula uma sijwayelana namaEpikhuru osuku lwanamuhla?
◻ Siyini isahlulelo sikaJehova ngokumelene nalabo ababuyela ngokungaphenduki enkambweni yalelizwe eyihlazo?
◻ Yiziphi izibusiso eziphambi kwalabo abazigcina behlanzekile ekuziphatheni okunengekayo kwalelizwe?
[Isithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Ukuyenyanya ngokuphelele inkambo yalelizwe eyihlazo kuyosiza izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ukuba zivunyelwe ukungena ezweni elisha lokulunga
[Isithombe ekhasini 18]
Ukuzijabulisa kwalelizwe okuyihlazo kungabamba umKristu ongaqaphile