“Ukukhanya Kufikile Ezweni”
“Ukwahlulela kuyilokhu ukuba ukukhanya kufikile ezweni, kepha abantu bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya.”—JOHANE 3:19.
1. Kungani wonke umuntu kufanele abe nokukhathalela ngesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu?
ABANTU abaningi abakhathazeki kakhulu ngesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu. Abanye bakholelwa ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyobahlulela kahle uma beya njalo esontweni futhi bengabalimazi omakhelwane. Ngabaningi, izimfundiso zeLobukholwa ngesihogo somlilo nesihlanzo ziye zawujivaza wonke umqondo wesahlulelo saphezulu. Kodwa ukungakhathali okusakazekile namanga eLobukholwa ngeke kulishintshe iqiniso lokuthi ekugcineni bonke abantu bayokwahlulelwa uNkulunkulu. (Roma 14:12; 2 Thimothewu 4:1; IsAmbulo 20:13) Futhi okuningi kuyoxhomeka kulesahlulelo. Labo abahlulelwa kahle bayothola isipho sikaNkulunkulu sokuphila okuphakade, kanti labo abahlulelwa kabi bayothola inkokhelo egcwele yesono: ukufa.—Roma 6:23.
2. Siyini isisekelo sesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu?
2 Ngakho-ke, amaKristu eqiniso anokukhathalela ngesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu, futhi afuna ngenkuthalo ukumthokozisa. Angakwenza kanjani lokhu? KuJohane 3:19, uJesu usinikeza isihluthulelo. Uthi: “Ukwahlulela kuyilokhu ukuba ukukhanya kufikile ezweni, kepha abantu bathanda ubumnyama kunokukhanya, ngokuba imisebenzi yabo ibimibi.” Yebo, isahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu siyosekelwa ekutheni sithanda ukukhanya yini kunobumnyama.
“UNkulunkulu Ungukukhanya”
3. Buyini ubumnyama, futhi kuyini ukukhanya?
3 Ngomqondo ongokomoya, ubumnyama buhlangene nokungazi nokungabi nathemba okusezweni likaSathane—nakuba ngokuvamile uSathane ezenza “ingelosi yokukhanya.” (2 Korinte 4:4; 11:14; Efesu 6:12) Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ukukhanya kuhlangene nokuqonda nokukhanyiselwa okuvela kuJehova uNkulunkulu. UPawulu wakhuluma ngokukhanya lapho ebhala: “Ngokuba uNkulunkulu owathi: Akuvele ukukhanya ebumnyameni, kukhanye, nguyena owakhanyisa ezinhliziyweni zethu ukuba kukhanye ukwazi inkazimulo kaNkulunkulu ebusweni bukaKristu.” (2 Korinte 4:6) Ukukhanya okungokomoya kuhlangene eduze noJehova uNkulunkulu kangangokuba umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “UNkulunkulu ungukukhanya.”—1 Johane 1:5; IsAmbulo 22:5.
4. (a) UJehova uye wakwenza kanjani ukukhanya kwatholakala? (b) Singalubonakalisa ngayiphi indlela uthando ngokukhanya?
4 UJehova uye wenza ukukhanya kwatholakala ngezwi lakhe, namuhla elitholakala kalula lilotshwe eBhayibhelini Elingcwele. (IHubo 119:105; 2 Petru 1:19) Ngakho-ke, umhubi ngempela wayeveza uthando lwakhe ngokukhanya lapho ebhala: “Ngiyawuthanda umthetho wakho kangaka. Usuku lonke ngizindla ngawo. Umphefumulo wami uyagcina ubufakazi bakho; ngiyabuthanda kakhulu.” (IHubo 119:97, 167) Ingabe uthanda ukukhanya ngendlela umhubi ngokusobala ayekuthanda ngayo? Ingabe ulifunda njalo iZwi likaNkulunkulu, uzindle ngalo, futhi uzame kanzima ukusebenzisa lokho elikushoyo? (IHubo 1:1-3) Uma kunjalo, ufuna ukuthola isahlulelo esihle kuJehova.
“Ngingukukhanya Kwezwe”
5. Ukukhanya kwaphezulu kubhekisela kubani?
5 Ukukhanya okuvela kuJehova okunikeza ukuphila kubhekisela kuJesu Kristu ngokwakhe. Esethulweni seVangeli likaJohane, siyafunda: “Ukuphila kwakukuye [uJesu], ukuphila kwakungukukhanya kwabantu; ukukhanya kukhanya ebumnyameni, kepha ubumnyama abukwamukelanga.” (Johane 1:4, 5) Ngempela, uJesu uhlangene eduze nokukhanya kangangokuba ubizwa ngokuthi “ukukhanya okuqinisileyo okukhanyisa wonke umuntu.” (Johane 1:9) UJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Ngisekhona ezweni ngingukukhanya kwezwe.”—Johane 9:5.
6. Yini umuntu okumelwe ayenze ukuze azuze isahlulelo esihle esiholela ekuphileni okuphakade?
6 Ngakho-ke, labo abathanda ukukhanya bathanda uJesu futhi banokholo kuye. Akunakwenzeka ukuzuza isahlulelo esihle ngaphandle kukaJesu. Yebo, singazuza isahlulelo esihle kuphela ngokubheka kuye njengendlela kaNkulunkulu emisiwe yensindiso. UJesu wathi: “Okholwa yiNdodana unokuphila okuphakade; kepha ongakholwa yiNdodana kayikubona ukuphila, kodwa intukuthelo kaNkulunkulu ihlezi phezu kwakhe.” (Johane 3:36) Nokho, kusho ukuthini ukuba nokholo kuJesu?
7. Ukuba nokholo kuJesu kusho ukuba nokholo kubani omunye?
7 Okokuqala, uJesu ngokwakhe wathi: “Okholwa yimi kakholwa yimi kepha ngongithumileyo. Obona mina ubona ongithumileyo. Ngizé ezweni ngingukukhanya ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yimi angahlali ebumnyameni.” (Johane 12:44-46) Labo abathanda uJesu futhi abanokholo kuye kumelwe futhi babe nothando olujulile nokholo kuNkulunkulu noYise kaJesu, uJehova. (Mathewu 22:37; Johane 20:17) Noma yibaphi abasebenzisa igama likaJesu ekukhulekeleni kwabo kodwa bahluleke ukunikeza uJehova udumo olukhulu ngokwengeziwe ababonisi uthando loqobo ngokukhanya.—IHubo 22:27; Roma 14:7, 8; Filipi 2:10, 11.
“INxusa Eliyinhloko” LikaNkulunkulu
8. Ukukhanya kwaphezulu kwabhekisela kanjani kuJesu ngisho nangaphambi kokuzalwa kwakhe kobuntu?
8 Ukuba nokholo kuJesu kusho futhi ukwamukela ngokugcwele indima yakhe ezinjongweni zikaJehova. Ukubaluleka kwalendima kwaqokonyiswa lapho ingelosi ithi kuJohane: “Ubufakazi bukaJesu bungumoya wokuprofetha.” (IsAmbulo 19:10; IzEnzo 10:43; 2 Korinte 1:20) Kusukela esiprofethweni sokuqala ngqá e-Edene, zonke iziprofetho eziphefumlelwe phezulu ekugcineni ziphathelene noJesu nengxenye yakhe ekufezekeni kwezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu. Ngokufanayo, uPawulu watshela amaKristu aseGalathiya ukuthi isivumelwano soMthetho ‘sasingumlayi wokusiyisa kuKristu.’ (Galathiya 3:24) Lesosivumelwano sasendulo soMthetho sasiklanyelwe ukulungiselela isizwe ukuza kukaJesu njengoMesiya. Ngakho ngisho nangaphambi kokuzalwa kwakhe njengomuntu, ukukhanya okuvela kuJehova kwabhekisela kuJesu.
9. Ukuthanda ukukhanya kuye kwahilelani kusukela ngo-33 C.E.?
9 Ngo-29 C.E., uJesu waziletha ukuba abhapathizwe futhi wagcotshwa ngomoya ongcwele, ngaleyondlela eba uMesiya othenjisiwe. Ngo-33 C.E. wafa engumuntu ophelele, wavuswa, wenyukela ezulwini, futhi lapho wanikeza inani lokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yezono zethu. (Heberu 9:11-14, 24) Loluchungechunge lwezenzakalo lwaphawula inkathi yenguquko ekusebenzelaneni kukaNkulunkulu nabantu. UJesu manje ‘wayengumMeleli Oyinhloko wokuphila,’ ‘umMeleli Oyinhloko wensindiso,’ “umMeleli Oyinhloko noMphelelisi wokholo lwethu.” (IzEnzo 3:15, NW; Heberu 2:10, NW; 12:2, NW; Roma 3:23, 24) Kusukela ngo-33 C.E. kuqhubeke, abathandi bokukhanya baye bakuqaphela, futhi bakwamukela, ukuthi ngaphandle kukaJesu “ayikho insindiso ngomunye, ngokuba alikho futhi elinye igama phansi kwezulu elinikiwe ebantwini, esimelwe ukusindiswa ngalo.”—IzEnzo 4:12.
10. Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukulalela amazwi kaJesu?
10 Ukuba nokholo kuJesu kusho futhi ukumamukela ‘njengoLizwi,’ ‘noMluleki omangalisayo.’ (Johane 1:1; Isaya 9:6) Lokho uJesu akushoyo ngaso sonke isikhathi kubonisa iqiniso laphezulu. (Johane 8:28; IsAmbulo 1:1, 2) Ukumlalela kuyindaba yokufa nokuphila. UJesu watshela amaJuda osuku lwakhe: “Ozwa izwi lami, akholwe ngongithumileyo, unokuphila okuphakade; akayi ekwahlulelweni, kepha usephumile ekufeni, wangena ekuphileni.” (Johane 5:24) Ekhulwini lokuqala leminyaka C.E., labo abenza ngokuvumelana namazwi kaJesu bakhishwa ebumnyameni bezwe likaSathane futhi beza ekuphileni, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Kwathiwa balungile ngombono wokuba izindlalifa kanye naye eMbusweni wakhe wasezulwini. (Efesu 1:1; 2:1, 4-7) Namuhla, ukulalela amazwi kaJesu kuvula indlela ngabaningi yokuba kuthiwe balungile ngombono wokusinda eArmagedoni futhi bafinyelele ukuphila okuphelele kobuntu ezweni elisha.—IsAmbulo 21:1-4; qhathanisa noJakobe 2:21, 25.
“Inhloko Phezu Kwakho Konke”
11. Yiliphi igunya eliphakeme elanikezwa uJesu ngo-33 C.E.?
11 Ngemva kokuvuka kwakhe, uJesu wembulela abalandeli bakhe esinye isici sokukhanya. Wathi: “Ngiphiwe amandla onke ezulwini nasemhlabeni.” (Mathewu 28:18) Kanjalo uJesu wayephakanyiselwa esikhundleni esiphezulu kakhulu enhlanganweni kaJehova yendawo yonke. UPawulu unikeza eminye imininingwane lapho ethi: “[UNkulunkulu] emvusa [uJesu] kwabafileyo, wamhlalisa ngakwesokunene sakhe ezulwini, ngaphezu kwakho konke ukubusa, negunya, namandla, nobukhosi, namagama onke aphathwayo, kungekulelizwe lodwa kepha nakulo elizayo; wakubeka konke phansi kwezinyawo zakhe, wammisa abe-yinhloko phezu kwakho konke kulo ibandla.” (Efesu 1:20-23; Filipi 2:9-11) Kusukela ngo-33 C.E., ukuthanda ukukhanya kuye kwahlanganisa ukuqaphela lesikhundla sikaJesu esiphakeme.
12. Yini amaKristu agcotshiwe aye ayamukela ngenjabulo kusukela ekuqaleni, futhi aye akubonisa kanjani lokhu ngendlela engokoqobo?
12 Ekugcineni, sonke isintu kuyodingeka siqaphele igunya likaJesu. (Mathewu 24:30; IsAmbulo 1:7) Nokho, abathandi bokukhanya baye baliqaphela ngenjabulo kusukela khona kanye ekuqaleni. Amalungu agcotshiwe ebandla lobuKristu amukela uJesu ‘njengenhloko yomzimba, ibandla.’ (Kolose 1:18; Efesu 5:23) Lapho eba ingxenye yalowomzimba, ‘ayakhululwa emandleni obumnyama futhi abekwa embusweni weNdodana yothando lukaNkulunkulu.’ (Kolose 1:13) Kusukela lapho, alandela ngenkuthalo ubunhloko bukaJesu kuzo zonke izici zokuphila kwawo, futhi esikhathini sethu aye afundisa “ezinye izimvu” ukuba zenze okufanayo. (Johane 10:16) Ukuqaphela ubunhloko bukaJesu kuyimfuneko eyinhloko yokuthola isahlulelo esihle.
13. UJesu waqala nini ukusebenzisa igunya loMbuso, futhi yini eye yalandela lapha emhlabeni?
13 Lapho enyukela ezulwini ngo-33 C.E., uJesu akazange asheshe alisebenzise ngokugcwele igunya lakhe. Nakuba eyiNhloko yebandla lobuKristu, walindela isikhathi esifanele sokusebenzisa igunya ngokugcwele esintwini sisonke. (IHubo 110:1; IzEnzo 2:33-35) Lesosikhathi safika ngo-1914, lapho uJesu ebekwa esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi yoMbuso kaNkulunkulu futhi ‘izinsuku zokugcina’ zalelizwe ziqala. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Kusukela ngo-1919, ukuqoqwa kwabagcotshiwe ababesasele kuye kwaqhubeka kwaze kwaphela. Ikakhulukazi kusukela ngo-1935, uJesu ubehlukanisela isintu ‘ezimvwini,’ eziyodla ifa “lombuso [ezi]wulungiselweyo,” ‘nasezimbuzini,’ eziyokuya “ekujezisweni okuphakade.”—Mathewu 25:31-34, 41, 46.
14. Isixuku esikhulu siye salubonakalisa kanjani uthando ngokukhanya, futhi uyoba yini umphumela kuso?
14 Ngokujabulisayo, izimvu ziye zabonakala ziziningi kulezinsuku zokugcina. Isixuku esikhulu sazo esibalelwa ezigidini siye sabonakala emhlabeni “sivela kuzo zonke izizwe, nemindeni, nabantu, nezilimi.” Njengabangane babo, abagcotshiwe, laba abanjengezimvu bayakuthanda ukukhanya. Baye “bahlanza izingubo zabo, bazenza zaba-mhlophe egazini leWundlu,” futhi bamemeza ngezwi elikhulu: “Insindiso ngekaNkulunkulu wethu ohlezi esihlalweni sobukhosi neyeWundlu.” Ngenxa yalokhu, isixuku esikhulu njengeqembu siyothola isahlulelo esihle. Amalungu aso “aphuma osizini olukhulu,” esinda ekubhujisweni kwalabo abathanda ubumnyama eArmagedoni.—IsAmbulo 7:9, 10, 14.
“Abantwana Bokukhanya”
15. Izenzo zethu zikubonisa ngayiphi indlela ukuzithoba kwethu eNkosini, uJesu Kristu?
15 Nokho, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ngabagcotshiwe noma ngabezinye izimvu, abathandi bokukhanya bazithoba ngayiphi indlela engokoqobo kuJesu njengalowo obekwe uNkulunkulu esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi noMahluleli wesikhashana? Enye indlela ingokuzama ukuba uhlobo lwabantu uJesu alwamukelayo. Ngesikhathi esemhlabeni uJesu wabonisa ukwazisa ngezimfanelo ezinjengobuqotho, ukuzinikela ngenhliziyo yonke, nokushisekela iqiniso, futhi ngokwakhe waba yisibonelo salezimfanelo. (Marku 12:28-34, 41-44; Luka 10:17, 21) Uma sifisa ukuthola isahlulelo esihle, kumelwe sihlakulele izimfanelo ezinjalo.
16. Kungani kubalulekile ukulahla imisebenzi yobumnyama?
16 Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi njengoba ubumnyama bezwe likaSathane buya buba bukhulu njengoba ukuphela kusondela. (IsAmbulo 16:10) Ngakho-ke amazwi uPawulu awabhalela abaseRoma afaneleka kakhulu: “Ubusuku sebuyaphela, imini isisondele. Ngakho-ke asilahle imisebenzi yobumnyama, sihlome izikhali zokukhanya. Asihambe ngokufaneleyo njengasemini, kungabi-ngokuminza nokudakwa, kungabi-ngobufebe namanyala, kungabi-ngokuxabana nomhawu.” (Roma 13:12, 13) Nakuba ukuphila okuphakade kuyisipho esivela kuNkulunkulu, ubuqotho bokholo lwethu nothando lwethu ngokukhanya bubonakala ngezenzo zethu. (Jakobe 2:26) Ngakho-ke, ngokwesilinganiso esikhulu isahlulelo esisitholayo siyoxhomeka ezingeni esenza ngalo imisebenzi emihle futhi sigweme imisebenzi emibi.
17. Kusho ukuthini ‘ukwembatha iNkosi uJesu Kristu’?
17 Ngemva kokunikeza iseluleko sakhe kwabaseRoma 13:12, 13, umphostoli uPawulu uphetha ngokuthi: “Yembathani iNkosi uJesu Kristu, ninganakekeli inyama kuvuswe izinkanuko.” (Roma 13:14) Kusho ukuthini ‘ukwembatha iNkosi uJesu Kristu’? Kusho ukuthi amaKristu kufanele alandele uJesu eduze, embathe, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso, isibonelo sakhe nobuntu bakhe, alwele ukuba njengoKristu. “Nabizelwa khona lokho,” kusho uPetru, “ngokuba uKristu wahlushwa ngenxa yenu, enishiyela isibonelo sokuba nilandele ezinyathelweni zakhe.”—1 Petru 2:21.
18. Yiziphi izinguquko ezinkulu ezingase zidingeke uma sifisa ukuthola isahlulelo esihle?
18 Lokhu ngokuvamile kuye kwahilela izinguquko ezinkulu ekuphileni komKristu. “Ngokuba kade naningubumnyama,” kusho uPawulu, “kepha manje ningukukhanya eNkosini; hambani njengabantwana bokukhanya, ngokuba izithelo zokukhanya zisebuhleni bonke nasekulungeni naseqinisweni.” (Efesu 5:8, 9) Bonke abenza imisebenzi yobumnyama ababona abathandi bokukhanya futhi ngeke bathole isahlulelo esihle ngaphandle kokuba benze inguquko.
“Nina Ningukukhanya Kwezwe”
19. Kungaziphi izindlela ezihlukahlukene umKristu angabonakalisa ngazo ukukhanya?
19 Ekugcineni, ukuthanda ukukhanya kusho ukubonisa ukukhanya ukuze abanye bakubone futhi kubakhange. “Nina ningukukhanya kwezwe,” kusho uJesu. Futhi wanezela: “Makukhanye ukukhanya kwenu phambi kwabantu ukuba babone imisebenzi yenu emihle, badumise uYihlo osezulwini.” (Mathewu 5:14, 16) Imisebenzi emihle yomKristu ihlanganisa ukubonisa lonke uhlobo lobuhle nokulunga neqiniso, njengoba ukuziphatha okunjalo okuhle kunikeza ubufakazi obunamandla beqiniso. (Galathiya 6:10; 1 Petru 3:1) Ihlanganisa ngokukhethekile ukukhuluma nabanye ngeqiniso. Namuhla, lokhu kusho ukuhlanganyela emkhankasweni womhlaba wonke wokushumayela “lelivangeli lombuso . . . ezweni lonke, kube-ngubufakazi ezizweni zonke.” Futhi, kusho ukubuyela ngesineke kwabathakazelayo, sitadishe iBhayibheli nabo, futhi sibasize ukuba, nabo, bakhiqize imisebenzi yokukhanya.—Mathewu 24:14; 28:19, 20.
20. (a) Ukukhanya kukhanya kakhulu kangakanani namuhla? (b) Yiziphi izibusiso ezicebile ezijatshulelwa yilabo abasabelayo ekukhanyeni?
20 Osukwini lwethu, ngenxa yomsebenzi wokushumayela ngentshiseko kwamaKristu athembekile, izindaba ezinhle zizwakala emazweni angaphezu kuka-200, futhi ukukhanya kukhanya ngendlela engakaze ibonwe ngaphambili. UJesu wathi: “Mina ngingukukhanya kwezwe; ongilandelayo kasoze ahamba ebumnyameni, kodwa woba-nokukhanya kokuphila.” (Johane 8:12) Yeka injabulo okuyiyo ukuhlanganyela ekugcwalisekeni kwalesithembiso! Ukuphila kwethu kucebe kakhulu manje njengoba singasaphuphutheki ebumnyameni bezwe likaSathane. Futhi amathemba ethu amangalisa ngempela njengoba sibheke phambili esahlulelweni esihle esivela kuMahluleli kaJehova omisiwe. (2 Thimothewu 4:8) Yeka ukuthi bekuyoba okudabukisa kanjani uma bekungathi sesifikile ekukhanyeni, sibuye sihlehlele ebumnyameni futhi sithole isahlulelo esibi! Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizoxoxa ngendlela esingahlala ngayo siqinile okholweni.
Ungachaza?
◻ Siyini isisekelo sesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu?
◻ Iyiphi indima eyinhloko uJesu anayo ngokuphathelene nezinjongo zikaNkulunkulu?
◻ Sibonisa kanjani ukuthi singaphansi kukaJesu njengalowo uJehova ambeke esihlalweni sobukhosi njengeNkosi?
◻ Singazibonakalisa kanjani ‘singabantwana bokukhanya’?
◻ Kulobubumnyama bezwe, kungayiphi indlela ukukhanya kukhanya ngendlela engakaze ibonwe?
[Isithombe ekhasini 10]
Ekugcineni, sonke isintu kuyodingeka siqaphele igunya likaJesu
[Isithombe ekhasini 12]
Sibonisa ukuthi siyakuthanda ukukhanya uma sikubonakalisa kwabanye