“Londolozani Ukuziphatha Kwenu Kukuhle Phakathi Kwezizwe”
“Dumisani abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo, yibani nothando ngayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu.”—1 PETRU 2:17.
1, 2. (a) Wathini umlobeli othile wephephandaba ngoFakazi BakaJehova? (b) Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova belwela ukulondoloza izindinganiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha?
EMINYAKENI eminingana eyedlule, umlobeli othile wephephandaba e-Amarillo, eTexas, e-U.S.A., wavakashela amasonto ahlukahlukene akuleyo ndawo wayesebika akutholile. Kuneqembu elilodwa elavelela engqondweni yakhe. Wathi: “Iminyaka emithathu ngangiba khona emihlanganweni emikhulu yaminyaka yonke yoFakazi BakaJehova e-Amarillo Civic Center. Njengoba ngangihambahamba phakathi kwabo, angizange ngibone noyedwa umuntu okhela ugwayi, evula ikani likabhiya, noma ngizwe umuntu ethuka inhlamba. Babengabantu abahlanzekile, abaziphethe kahle, abagqoke ngesizotha, nabanomusa kunabo bonke engake ngababona.” Sekukaningi kubhalwa amazwi anjengalawa ngoFakazi BakaJehova. Kungani oFakazi bevame ukunconywa abantu abangakholwa nabo?
2 Ngokuvamile, abantu bakaNkulunkulu banconywa ngenxa yokuziphatha kwabo okuhle. Nakuba izindinganiso zabantu ziwohloka, oFakazi BakaJehova bazibheka njengeziyisibopho izindinganiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha, njengeziyingxenye yokukhulekela kwabo. Bayazi ukuthi izenzo zabo zimelela uJehova nabafowabo abangamaKristu nokuthi ukuziphatha kwabo okuhle kulikhulumela kahle iqiniso abalishumayelayo. (Johane 15:8; Thithu 2:7, 8) Ake sibone-ke ukuthi singakulondoloza kanjani ukuziphatha kwethu okuhle ngaleyo ndlela siqhubeke sisekela idumela elihle likaJehova noFakazi bakhe nokuthi singazuza kanjani ngokwenza kanjalo.
Umkhaya WamaKristu
3. Yini imikhaya yamaKristu okudingeka ivikelwe kuyo?
3 Cabanga ngokuziphatha kwethu emkhayeni. Incwadi ethi Die Neuen Inquisitoren: Religionsfreiheit und Glaubensneid (Abaqulisi Bamacala Abasha: Inkululeko Yenkolo Nomona Wenkolo), kaGerhard Besier no-Erwin K. Scheuch, ithi: “[KoFakazi BakaJehova] umkhaya yinto okumelwe ivikelwe ngokukhethekile.” Ayiqiniso lawo mazwi, futhi namuhla kuningi umkhaya odinga ukuvikelwa kukho. Kukhona izingane ‘ezingalaleli abazali’ nabantu abadala “abangenakho ukusondelana ngokomzwelo okungokwemvelo” noma “abangenakho ukuzithiba.” (2 Thimothewu 3:2, 3) Emikhayeni umama nobaba bayalwa, abazali bayazixhaphaza noma bangazinaki izingane zabo, izingane ziyadlubulunda, zisebenzisa izidakamizwa ziziphathe kabi, noma zeqe emakhaya. Konke lokhu kuwumphumela wethonya elonakalisayo ‘lomoya wezwe.’ (Efesu 2:1, 2) Kudingeka siyivikele imikhaya yethu kulowo moya. Kanjani? Ngokulalela isiyalo nesiqondiso uJehova asinika amalungu emikhaya.
4. Imiphi imithwalo yemfanelo amalungu emikhaya yamaKristu anayo komunye nomunye?
4 Imibhangqwana engamaKristu iyaqaphela ukuthi inezibopho ezingokomzwelo, ezingokomoya, nezingokwenyama komunye nomunye. (1 Korinte 7:3-5; Efesu 5:21-23; 1 Petru 3:7) Abazali abangamaKristu banemithwalo yemfanelo enzima ngokuqondene nezingane zabo. (IzAga 22:6; 2 Korinte 12:14; Efesu 6:4) Futhi njengoba izingane zasemikhayeni yamaKristu zikhula, zifunda ukuthi nazo zinezibopho. (IzAga 1:8, 9; 23:22; Efesu 6:1; 1 Thimothewu 5:3, 4, 8) Ukufeza izibopho zomkhaya kudinga umzamo, ukuzinikela nomoya wothando nokuzidela. Nokho, izinga wonke amalungu omkhaya afeza ngalo izibopho zawo ezivela kuNkulunkulu, yilona zinga ayoba isibusiso ngalo komunye nomunye kanye nasebandleni. Okubaluleke nakakhulu, adumisa uMsunguli womkhaya, uJehova uNkulunkulu.—Genesise 1:27, 28; Efesu 3:15.
Abafowethu AbangamaKristu
5. Yiziphi izibusiso esizithola ngokuzihlanganisa namanye amaKristu?
5 NjengamaKristu, sinemithwalo yemfanelo futhi kwesikholwa nabo ebandleni, nakulabo abayingxenye ‘yayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu ezweni.’ (1 Petru 5:9) Ubuhlobo bethu nebandla bubalulekile empilweni yethu engokomoya. Lapho sizihlanganisa namaKristu esikanye nawo, ubudlelwane bethu nawo buyasiqinisa futhi sithola ukudla okungokomoya okunomsoco okuvela ‘esigqileni esikholekile nesiqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Uma sinezinkinga, singaya kubafowethu ukuze sithole amacebiso ahluzekile asekelwe ezimisweni zomBhalo. (IzAga 17:17; UmShumayeli 4:9; Jakobe 5:13-18) Lapho siswele, abafowethu abasilahli. Yeka isibusiso okuyiso ukuba ingxenye yenhlangano kaNkulunkulu!
6. UPawulu wabonisa kanjani ukuthi sinemithwalo yemfanelo kwamanye amaKristu?
6 Nokho, injongo yokuba kwethu sebandleni ayikhona nje ukwamukela; sikulo futhi ukuze siphe. Yebo, uJesu wathi: “Kukhona injabulo eyengeziwe ekupheni kunekhona ekwamukeleni.” (IzEnzo 20:35) Umphostoli uPawulu waqokomisa umoya wokupha lapho ebhala: “Masikubambeni ngokuqinile ukulivuma kwasobala ithemba lethu ngaphandle kokuntengantenga, ngoba ukholekile lowo owathembisa. Futhi masicabangelaneni ukuze sivuselelane othandweni nasemisebenzini emihle, singakuyeki ukubuthana kwethu ndawonye, njengoba abanye benaleyonkambiso, kodwa sikhuthazane, futhi ikakhulu njengoba nibona usuku lusondela.”—Heberu 10:23-25.
7, 8. Sikubonisa kanjani ukuba abaphanayo ebandleni nakumaKristu akwamanye amazwe?
7 Ebandleni, ‘sivuma ithemba lethu’ lapho siphendula emhlanganweni noma sihlanganyela ngezinye izindlela esimisweni. Ukuhlanganyela okunjalo ngempela kuyabakhuthaza abafowethu. Siyabakhuthaza futhi ngokuxoxa nabo ngaphambi nangemva komhlangano. Leso yisikhathi esingaqinisa ngaso ababuthaka, siduduze abacindezelekile nabagulayo. (1 Thesalonika 5:14) AmaKristu aqotho apha ngesandla esivulekile ezicini ezinjalo, okuyisona sizathu esenza abaningi abaqalayo ukuba khona emihlanganweni yethu lubahlabe umxhwele uthando abaluzwa phakathi kwethu.—IHubo 37:21; Johane 15:12; 1 Korinte 14:25.
8 Noma kunjalo, uthando lwethu alupheleli ebandleni lethu. Luhlanganisa yonke inhlangano yabafowethu emhlabeni wonke. Yingakho ngokwesibonelo iHholo LoMbuso ngalinye linebhokisi lomnikelo leSikhwama SamaHholo OMbuso. Kungenzeka ukuthi elethu iHholo LoMbuso lisesimweni esihle, kodwa siyazi ukuthi izinkulungwane zamaKristu esikanye nawo kwamanye amazwe azinayo indawo ekahle yokuhlangana. Lapho sinikela eSikhwameni SamaHholo OMbuso, sibonisa uthando lwethu ngalawo maKristu, yize kungenzeka asiwazi ngokuwabona.
9. Isiphi isizathu esiyisisekelo esenza oFakazi BakaJehova bathandane?
9 Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bethandana? UJesu wabayala kanjalo. (Johane 15:17) Futhi ukuthandana kwabo kuwubufakazi bokuthi umoya kaNkulunkulu uyasebenza kubo ngabanye nanjengeqembu. Uthando lungesinye ‘sezithelo zomoya.’ (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Njengoba oFakazi BakaJehova betadisha iBhayibheli, beya emihlanganweni yobuKristu, futhi bethandaza njalo kuNkulunkulu, uthando luba yinto engokwemvelo kubo nakuba bephila ezweni lapho ‘uthando lwesibalo esikhulu selupholile.’—Mathewu 24:12.
Ukusebenzelana Nezwe
10. Sinamuphi umthwalo wemfanelo ngokuqondene nezwe?
10 Ukukhuluma kukaPawulu ‘ngokulivuma kwasobala ithemba lethu’ kusikhumbuza omunye umthwalo wemfanelo. Lokhu kuvuma kwasobala kuhlanganisa nomsebenzi wokushumayela izindaba ezinhle kulabo abangakabi abafowethu abangamaKristu. (Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Roma 10:9, 10, 13-15) Lokho kushumayela kungesinye futhi isenzo sokupha. Ukukwenza kudinga isikhathi, amandla, ukulungiselela, ukuqeqeshwa nokusebenzisa izimpahla zethu. Nokho, uPawulu wabhala wathi futhi: “Nginecala kokubili kumaGreki nasemaQabeni, kokubili kwabahlakaniphile nakwabangenangqondo: ngakho kimi kukhona ukulangazelela ukuba ngimemezele izindaba ezinhle nakini lapho eRoma.” (Roma 1:14, 15) NjengoPawulu, kwangathi singangaba abancishanayo njengoba sikhokha lesi “sikweletu.”
11. Iziphi izimiso ezimbili zomBhalo ezibusa ubudlelwane bethu nezwe, kodwa yini nokho esiyiqaphelayo?
11 Ikhona yini eminye imithwalo yemfanelo esinayo kulabo esingakholwa nabo? Ngokuqinisekile. Siyaqaphela ukuthi “lonke izwe lisemandleni omubi.” (1 Johane 5:19) Siyazi ukuthi uJesu wathi ngabalandeli bakhe: “Abayona ingxenye yezwe, njengoba nje nami ngingeyona ingxenye yezwe.” Noma kunjalo, siphila ezweni, sisebenza kulo, futhi siyazuza kulo. (Johane 17:11, 15, 16) Ngakho sinayo imithwalo yemfanelo ngokuqondene nezwe. Iyini? Umphostoli uPetru wawuphendula lowo mbuzo. Ngaphambi nje kokubhujiswa kweJerusalema, wabhalela amaKristu ase-Asia Minor, futhi indima ethile kuleyo ncwadi isisiza sibe nobudlelwane obulinganiselayo nezwe.
12. AmaKristu ‘angabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana’ ngamuphi umqondo, futhi ngenxa yalokho, yini okufanele ayigweme?
12 Okokuqala, uPetru wathi: “Bathandekayo, nginikhuthaza njengabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana ukuba niqhubeke nideda ezifisweni zenyama, okuyizo kanye ezilwa nomphefumulo.” (1 Petru 2:11) Ngomqondo ongokomoya, amaKristu eqiniso ‘angabafokazi nezakhamuzi zesikhashana’ ngokuthi ukuphila kwawo kugxile ethembeni lokuphila okuphakade—ezulwini kwagcotshwe ngomoya nasepharadesi elizayo lasemhlabeni ‘kwezinye izimvu.’ (Johane 10:16; Filipi 3:20, 21; Heberu 11:13; IsAmbulo 7:9, 14-17) Nokho, ziyini izifiso zenyama? Zihlanganisa izinto ezinjengokufisa ukuceba, ukufisa ukuvelela, izifiso ezingafanele zobulili, nezifiso ezichazwa ngokuthi “umona” “nokukhanuka.”—Kolose 3:5; 1 Thimothewu 6:4, 9; 1 Johane 2:15, 16.
13. Izifiso zenyama ‘zilwa kanjani nomphefumulo’ wethu?
13 Izifiso ezinjalo “zilwa nomphefumulo” wethu ngempela. Zilimaza ubuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu ngaleyo ndlela zibeke engozini ithemba lethu lobuKristu (“umphefumulo,” noma ukuphila kwethu). Ngokwesibonelo, uma sakha isithakazelo ezintweni ezinokuziphatha okubi, singazethula kanjani ‘singumhlatshelo ophilayo, ongcwele, owamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu’? Uma siwela ogibeni lokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, ‘singawufuna kanjani kuqala umbuso’? (Roma 12:1, 2; Mathewu 6:33; 1 Thimothewu 6:17-19) Inkambo engcono ukulandela isibonelo sikaMose, sifulathele izinto ezihehayo zezwe, senze ukukhonza uJehova kuze kuqala ekuphileni kwethu. (Mathewu 6:19, 20; Heberu 11:24-26) Lokho kuyisici esibalulekile ekubeni nobudlelwane obulinganiselayo nezwe.
‘Londoloza Ukuziphatha Okuhle’
14. Kungani njengamaKristu silwela ukulondoloza ukuziphatha okuhle?
14 Esinye isiqondiso esibalulekile sitholakala emazwini kaPetru alandelayo: “Londolozani ukuziphatha kwenu kukuhle phakathi kwezizwe, ukuze kuthi, entweni ezikhuluma kabi ngani kuyo njengokungathi ningabenzi bokubi, zikhazimulise uNkulunkulu ngosuku lokuhlola kwakhe.” (1 Petru 2:12) NjengamaKristu, silwela ukuba yisibonelo. Esikoleni siyazikhandla. Emsebenzini sikhuthele futhi sithembekile—yize umqashi wethu ebonakala eqisa kwakufunayo. Emkhayeni ohlukene ngokwenkolo, indoda noma umfazi okholwayo wenza umzamo okhethekile wokulandela izimiso zobuKristu. Akulula ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa siyazi ukuthi ukuziphatha kwethu okuyisibonelo kuyamjabulisa uJehova futhi ngokuvamile kuba nomphumela omuhle kwabangebona oFakazi.—1 Petru 2:18-20; 3:1.
15. Sazi kanjani ukuthi ukuziphatha koFakazi BakaJehova okusezingeni eliphakeme kuqashelwa kabanzi?
15 Impumelelo yeningi loFakazi BakaJehova ekulondolozeni izindinganiso ezinhle ibonakala kulokho okuye kwabhalwa ngabo kuyo yonke le minyaka. Ngokwesibonelo, i-Tempo yase-Italy yathi: “Abantu abasebenza noFakazi BakaJehova babachaza njengabantu abayizisebenzi ezithembekile, abaqiniseka ngokholo lwabo kangangokuthi kungase kubonakale sengathi luyabahlanyisa; noma kunjalo bafanelwe inhlonipho ngenxa yesimilo sabo esihle.” I-Herald yaseBuenos Aires, e-Argentina, yathi: “Kuyo yonke le minyaka oFakazi BakaJehova baye babonakala beyizakhamuzi ezikhuthele, ezinesizotha, ezongayo nezesaba uNkulunkulu.” Isazi saseRussia uSergei Ivanenko sathi: “Emhlabeni wonke oFakazi BakaJehova baziwa ngokugcina umthetho okungenaphutha ikakhulu ngobuqotho babo ekukhokheni izintela.” EZimbabwe, umphathi wenkundla ethile esetshenziswa oFakazi BakaJehova uma benomhlangano wathi: “Ngiye ngibone abanye oFakazi becosha amaphepha behlanza nezindlu zangasese. Inkundla isala ihlanzeke kakhulu kunakuqala. Intsha yenu iziphethe kahle. Sengathi ngabe wonke umhlaba ubugcwele oFakazi BakaJehova.”
Ukuzithoba KwamaKristu
16. Sidlelana ngani neziphathimandla zezwe, futhi ngasiphi isizathu?
16 UPetru ukhuluma nangobudlelwane bethu neziphathimandla zezwe. Uthi: “Ngenxa yeNkosi zithobeni kuyo yonke indalo engabantu: kungakhathaliseki ukuthi enkosini njengephakeme noma kubabusi njengabathunywe yiyo ukuba banikeze isijeziso kubenzi bokubi kodwa badumise abenzi bokuhle. Ngoba injalo intando kaNkulunkulu, ukuze ngokwenza okuhle ninqande inkulumo yokungazi yabantu abangenangqondo.” (1 Petru 2:13-15) Siyazazisa izinzuzo esizithola kohulumeni abahlelekile, silalela nemithetho yabo futhi sikhokhe nezintela zabo njengoba siqondiswa amazwi kaPetru. Nakuba sivuma ukuthi ohulumeni banelungelo abalinikwe uNkulunkulu lokujezisa izephula-mthetho, ngokuyinhloko sithobela iziphathimandla zezwe “ngenxa yeNkosi.” Yintando kaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, asifuni ukuhlazisa igama likaJehova ngokujeziselwa ukwenza okubi.—Roma 13:1, 4-7; Thithu 3:1; 1 Petru 3:17.
17. Lapho “abantu abangenangqondo” besiphikisa, yini esingaqiniseka ngayo?
17 Ngeshwa, abanye “abantu abangenangqondo [noma abangaboniseki]” abayiziphathimandla bayasishushisa noma basiphikise ngezinye izindlela—njengokugqugquzela imikhankaso yokusininda. Noma kunjalo, ngesikhathi sikaJehova esifanele, njalo amanga abo ayadaluleka, ‘inkulumo yabo yokungazi’ inqandeke. Idumela esinalo ekuziphatheni kwethu kobuKristu liyazikhulumela. Yingakho izikhulu zikahulumeni eziqotho zivamile ukusitusa njengabantu abenza okuhle.—Roma 13:3; Thithu 2:7, 8.
Izigqila ZikaNkulunkulu
18. NjengamaKristu, singakugwema kanjani ukusebenzisa kabi inkululeko yethu?
18 Manje uPetru uyaxwayisa: “Yibani njengabantu abakhululekile, kodwa nokho ningaphathi inkululeko yenu njengesembozo sobubi, kodwa njengezigqila zikaNkulunkulu.” (1 Petru 2:16; Galathiya 5:13) Namuhla, ukwazi kwethu amaqiniso eBhayibheli kusikhulula ezimfundisweni zenkolo ezingamanga. (Johane 8:32) Ngaphezu kwalokho, sinenkululeko yokuzinqumela, singazikhethela esikufunayo. Noma kunjalo, asiyisebenzisi kabi inkululeko yethu. Lapho sikhetha abangane, izingubo zokugqoka, indlela yokuzilungisa, okokuzijabulisa—ngisho nokudliwayo nokuphuzwayo—siyakhumbula ukuthi amaKristu eqiniso ayizigqila zikaNkulunkulu, awazijabulisi wona. Sikhetha ukukhonza uJehova kunokuba sibe izigqila zezifiso zethu zenyama noma zezimfashini zezwe.—Galathiya 5:24; 2 Thimothewu 2:22; Thithu 2:11, 12.
19-21. (a) Sizibheka kanjani iziphathimandla zezwe? (b) Abanye baye balubonisa kanjani ‘uthando ngayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu’? (c) Uyini umthwalo wethu wemfanelo obaluleke kunayo yonke?
19 UPetru uqhubeka athi: “Dumisani abantu bazo zonke izinhlobo, yibani nothando ngayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu, mesabeni uNkulunkulu, bonisani udumo ngenkosi.” (1 Petru 2:17) Njengoba uJehova uNkulunkulu evumela abantu ukuba babe sezikhundleni ezihlukahlukene zegunya, sibabonisa udumo olufanele labo bantu. Singaze sibathandazele nokubathandazela, ukuze basivumele siqhubeke nenkonzo yethu ngokuthula nangokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. (1 Thimothewu 2:1-4) Nokho, ngesikhathi esifanayo, ‘sinothando ngayo yonke inhlangano yabafowethu.’ Ngaso sonke isikhathi esikwenzayo sikwenzela ukuzuzisa abafowethu abangamaKristu, hhayi ukubalimaza.
20 Ngokwesibonelo, lapho elinye izwe lase-Afrika linikizwa udlame lobuzwe, ukuziphatha kobuKristu koFakazi BakaJehova kwaphawuleka. Iphephandaba laseSwitzerland i-Reformierte Presse labika: “Ngo-1995, i-African Rights . . . yakwazi ukuveza ubufakazi bokuthi wonke amasonto aba nesandla [kulokhu kubulalana] ngaphandle koFakazi BakaJehova.” Lapho izindaba zalesi sibhicongo zifika kwamanye amazwe, ngokushesha oFakazi BakaJehova baseYurophu bathumela ukudla nemithi kubafowabo nakwabanye kulelo zwe. (Galathiya 6:10) Balalela amazwi ezAga 3:27 athi: “Ungagodleli abaninikho okuhle, lapho kusemandleni esandla sakho ukukwenza.”
21 Nokho kukhona umthwalo wemfanelo obaluleke ngaphezu kodumo okumelwe silunikeze iziphathimandla zezwe nangaphezu ngisho kothando okumelwe sithande ngalo abafowethu. Uyini? UPetru wathi: “Mesabeni uNkulunkulu.” UJehova simkweleta okungaphezu kwalokho esikukweleta nanoma imuphi umuntu. Kanjani? Futhi singalinganisela kanjani phakathi kwezibopho esinazo kuNkulunkulu nalokho esikukweleta iziphathimandla zezwe? Le mibuzo izophendulwa esihlokweni esilandelayo.
Uyakhumbula?
• AmaKristu anamiphi imithwalo yemfanelo emkhayeni?
• Singaba kanjani abaphanayo ebandleni?
• Sinamiphi imithwalo yemfanelo ngokuqondene nezwe?
• Iziphi ezinye zezinzuzo zokulondoloza ukuziphatha okusezingeni eliphakeme?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Umkhaya wamaKristu ungaba kanjani umthombo wenjabulo enkulu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova bethandana?
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
Singalubonisa yini uthando ngabafowethu noma singakaze sibabone?