Ubani Ongaba Umngane KaNkulunkulu?
UNGABA umngane kaNkulunkulu. Eminyakeni eyizi-4 000 edlule, indoda enguAbrahama yaba nokholo kuJehova uNkulunkulu. Lokhu kwabalelwa kuye njengokulunga, futhi leyonzalamizi yabizwa ngokuthi “umhlobo kaNkulunkulu.” (Jakobe 2:23) Ngakho uma unokholo kuJehova, nawe ungaba umngane kaNkulunkulu.
Abangane bavame ukumenyelwa esidlweni njengezivakashi. Eqinisweni, ingxenye yeHubo lama-23 elaziwa kakhulu liveza uNkulunkulu njengommemi-zivakashi onomusa. Lithi: “[Jehova] ulungisa itafula phambi kwami ebusweni bezitha zami; . . . Indebe yami iyachichima.”—IHubo 23:5.
Ngesinye isikhathi, yena lomhubi—iNkosi uDavide yakwaIsrayeli wasendulo—yabuza: “Jehova, ngubani oyakuhlala etendeni lakho na? Ngubani oyakwakha entabeni yakho engcwele na?” (IHubo 15:1) Ngokomfanekiso, lokhu kusho inkululeko yokukwazi ukuya kuJehova ngomthandazo nangokukhulekela okwamukelekayo. Yeka ilungelo elimangalisayo! Kungenzeka kanjani ukuba abantu abangaphelele bafanelekele ukuba abangane nezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu?
IHubo le-15 liyawuphendula lombuzo. Libala izimfuneko ezikhethekile eziyishumi okumelwe abafisela ukuba abangane nezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu bahlangabezane nazo. Ake sicabangele lezimfuneko ngayinye ngayinye, siqala ngevesi 2.
“Yilowo ohamba ngobuqotho nowenza ukulunga”
Inzalo ka-Abrahama yachuma kakhulu ngoba uAbrahama wayeqotho ngokokuziphatha ekuhambeni phambi kukaJehova. (Genesise 17:1, 2) “Ukuhamba” ngezinye izikhathi kusho ukuphishekela inkambo ethile ekuphileni. (IHubo 1:1; 3 Johane 3, 4) Ngabangane nezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu, akwanele ukuba ngowenkolo ethile, ukujabulela izakhiwo zayo ezihlotshisiwe, nokuhlanganyela emikhosini ehlelekile. Akubona bonke abathi “Nkosi, Nkosi,” noma abathi bayamazi uNkulunkulu abayojabulela izibusiso zoMbuso wakhe. (Mathewu 7:21-23; Thithu 1:16) Abangane bakaJehova ‘bahamba ngobuqotho’ emehlweni akhe futhi ‘benza ukulunga’ ngokuvumelana nezindinganiso zakhe.—Mika 6:8.
Lokhu kulahla zonke izinhlobo zokungathembeki, ukuziphatha okubi kobulili, nokonakala. UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe uyasitshela ukuthi kungani, ethi: “Manibe-ngcwele, ngokuba mina ngingcwele.” (1 Petru 1:16) Ingabe inkolo yakho iyanamathela ezindinganisweni zikaNkulunkulu eziphakeme, ibasusa ngisho nokubasusa ekuhlanganyeleni labo abenqaba ukwenza ngokuvumelana nezimfuneko zakhe? Ingabe ugcizelela ukuziphatha okulungile ngawe siqu nangomkhaya wakho? Uma kunjalo, uyobe uhlangabezana nemfuneko elandelayo okumelwe abangane nezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu bahlangabezane nayo.
“Okhuluma iqiniso enhliziyweni yakhe”
Uma sifuna ukuba abangane bakaNkulunkulu, akumelwe siqambe amanga noma siphendukele enkulumweni ethophayo nganhliziyo-mbili. (IHubo 12:2) Kumelwe ‘sikhulume iqiniso enhliziyweni yethu,’ singabi nalo nje ezindebeni zethu. Yebo, kumelwe sithembeke ngaphakathi futhi sinikeze ubufakazi ‘bokholo olungazenzisiyo.’ (1 Thimothewu 1:5) Abanye abantu baqamba amanga noma bakhuluma amanga amancane ukuze bangatholi idumela elibi. Abanye bayakopela ezivivinyweni zasesikoleni noma bagcwalisa ngokungeyikho amaphepha entela. Izenzo ezinjalo zibonisa ukuntuleka kothando lwalokho okuyiqiniso. Kodwa ukuba neqiniso nezenzo eziqotho kuvela kuzo kanye izinhliziyo zabangane bakaNkulunkulu. (Mathewu 15:18-20) Ababona abanezindlela zobugebengu noma abakhohlisayo.—IzAga 3:32; 6:16-19.
Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Ningaqambelani amanga. Khumulani ubuntu obudala kanye nezenzo zabo, nembathe ubuntu obusha.” (Kolose 3:9, 10, NW) Yebo, labo abalikhuluma ngempela iqiniso enhliziyweni yabo bazembathisa “ubuntu obusha.” Ingabe uthembeke ngokuphelele kuwena siqu nakwabanye, ukhuluma iqiniso enhliziyweni yakho? Uma unjalo, lokho kumelwe kuthinte okushoyo ngabanye.
“Ongahlebi ngolimi lwakhe”
Ukuze sihlangabezane nalemfuneko yezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu, akumelwe neze sikhulume kabi ngabanye. (IHubo 15:3) Isenzo sesiHeberu esihunyushwe ngokuthi ‘hleba’ sisuselwa egameni elimelela elithi “unyawo” futhi sisho “ukuhamba” futhi ngaleyondlela “ukuhambahamba.” AmaIsrayeli ayalwa: “Ungahambahambi ucetheza phakathi kwabantu bakho, ungamelani nokuphila kukamakhelwane wakho; nginguJehova.” (Levitikusi 19:16; 1 Thimothewu 5:13) Uma sihleba othile, simphuca idumela lakhe elihle, asinakuba abangane bakaNkulunkulu.
UDavide wathi: “Omhlebayo umakhelwane wakhe ngasese ngizakumqeda.” (IHubo 101:5) Nathi singazithulisa izinhlebi uma senqaba ukuzilalela. Futhi umthetho omuhle uwukungakhulumi lutho ngomuntu ngasese ebesingenakuthanda ukukusho phambi kwakhe. Kuhle uma silulawula ngaleyondlela ulimi lwethu. Nokho, yeka ukuthi kubaluleke kanjani ukuba silawule nezenzo zethu!
“Ongamoni umngane wakhe”
Okuphawulekayo lapha amazwi kaJesu athi: “Ngakho-ke konke nokungakanani enifuna ukuba abantu bakwenze kini, kwenzeni nani kanjalo kubo.” (Mathewu 7:12) Ukuze sijabulele umusa kaJehova, kumelwe sidede ekwenzeni okubi. Umhubi wathi: “Nina enithanda uJehova zondani okubi; uyagcina imiphefumulo yabamkhonzayo; uyabasindisa ezandleni zababi.” (IHubo 97:10) Ngakho uma sifuna ukuba abangane bakaNkulunkulu futhi asisize, kumelwe samukele izindinganiso zakhe.
Ukuxwaya okubi kuhlanganisa ukungoni noma ubani ebhizinisini noma ngezinye izindlela. Ngezwi nangesenzo, kumelwe singenzi lutho ukuze silimaze umngane wethu, kodwa kumelwe simenzele izinto ezinhle. Lokhu kungathinta zonke izici zokuphila. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho sishayela, singama ngomusa sidedele abahamba ngezinyawo ukuba badlule. Singasiza asebegugile, sikhuthaze abadangele, siduduze abalusizi. Maqondana nalokhu, uJehova ubeka isibonelo esivelele. Njengoba uJesu asho, uNkulunkulu “uphumisa ilanga lakhe phezu kwababi nabahle, anise imvula phezu kwabalungileyo nabangalungile.” (Mathewu 5:43-48) Okufana nokwenza okuhle kwabanye ukwenza ngokuvume lana nalokho umhubi akushoyo ngokulandelayo.
“Ongamhlazi umakhelwane wakhe”
Sonke siyawenza amaphutha, futhi yeka indlela esibonga ngayo lapho abangane bethu bekhetha ukusibekela leziphambeko ezincane! Besiyodumala uma umngane oseduze eveza kwabanye ubuthaka bethu obuncane kodwa obudumazayo. Abanye abantu benza lokhu ukuze basuse ukunakekela emaphutheni abo siqu noma ukuze bazenze babonakale bebakhulu kunabanye. Kodwa izenzo ezinjalo azibafanele labo abafisa ukuba abangane bakaNkulunkulu.
“Osibekela isiphambeko ufuna uthando, kepha onokondisa indaba wahlukanisa abahlobo,” kusho izAga 17:9. Yebo, akumelwe sizame ukusibekela ukona okungathi sína. (Levitikusi 5:1; IzAga 28:13) Kodwa uma sifuna ukuba abangane bakaNkulunkulu, ngeke sizithathe, noma sizamukele njengeziyiqiniso, izindaba eziletha isihlamba kubangane bethu abaqotho. (1 Thimothewu 5:19) Abangane bakaNkulunkulu bakhuluma kahle ngezinceku zikaNkulunkulu kunokuba basakaze amahemuhemu ngazo, benezela kulokho abanakho kakade okuvela ezihlambeni ezimbi ezishiwo abantu abangamesabi uNkulunkulu. Abangane nezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu bayaqaphela ukuthi bangobani abangane babo, ngoba uDavide uyanezela evesini 4:
“Obuka onengekayo ngokuzakumenyanya”
Befuna izinzuzo zobugovu, abanye abantu baba abangane babantu abacebile noma abavelele ngisho noma bonakele. (Qhathanisa noJuda 16.) Kodwa asinakuba abangane bakaJehova uma singabangane babantu ababi. Kumelwe sizonde ububi kangangokuthi singafuni ukuba abangane balabo ababenzayo. (Roma 12:9) INkosi yakwaIsrayeli uJehoramu yayiyimbi kangangokuthi umprofethi uElisha wayitshela: “Kuphila kukaJehova-Sebawoti engimi phambi kwakhe, uma bengingamazisi uJehoshafati iNkosi yakwaJuda, ngempela, ngingeze ngakubheka ngingeze ngakubona.” (2 AmaKhosi 3:14) Ukuze sibe abangane bakaNkulunkulu, kumelwe silalele isixwayiso sikaPawulu: “Ukujwayelana nababi konakalisa ukuziphatha okuhle.”—1 Korinte 15:33.
Khona-ke, uma sikwazisa ukuba abangane bakaJehova siyokwenqaba ukuba abangane nabenzi bobubi. Siyokwenza kuphela umsebenzi odingekile nabo. Abangane bethu siyobakhetha ngenxa yokuba kwabo nobuhlobo obuhle noNkulunkulu, hhayi ngenxa yokuma kwabo ezweni. Siyobakhetha ngokuhlakanipha abangane uma sinenhlonipho yokwesaba uNkulunkulu. Maqondana nalokhu, phawula imfuneko yesikhombisa okumelwe izivakashi zikaJehova zihlangabezane nayo.
“Kepha ebazisa abamesabayo uNkulunkulu”
Ukuze sibe abangane nezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu, kumelwe simesabe. IzAga 1:7 zithi: “Ukumesaba uJehova kungukuqala kokuhlakanipha.” Kuyini “ukumesaba uJehova”? Kuwukwesaba kokumhlonipha uNkulunkulu nokwesaba okunempilo ukumdumaza. Lokhu kuphumela olwazini lweqiniso, esiyalweni esisindisa ukuphila, nasekuhlakanipheni kwaphezulu okuyisiqondiso esiqinisekile.
Labo abamesabayo uJehova banamathela ezindinganisweni zakhe zokulunga ngisho noma lokhu kuphumela ekuhlekweni usulu. Ngokwesibonelo, abaningi bayagcona lapho labo abesaba uNkulunkulu besebenza ngokuzikhandla, bethembeka emsebenzini, noma befuna ukusiza abanye ngokomoya. Kodwa umuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu ubabheka kanjani abantu abanjalo abaqotho? ‘Uyabazisa abamesabayo uJehova,’ ebabheka njengabayigugu kakhulu, ngisho noma lokhu kusho ukuhlanjalazwa kanye nabo. Ingabe unayo inhlonipho enjalo ngalabo abesaba uNkulunkulu? Ecaphuna enye imfuneko okumelwe sibe nayo ukuze sizuze umusa waphezulu, umhubi uyanezela:
“Ofunga ngokuzakumlimaza, nokho angalaphuli izwi lakhe”
Isimiso lapha singesokufeza izithembiso zethu, njengoba uNkulunkulu enza. (1 AmaKhosi 8:56; 2 Korinte 1:20) Ngisho noma sithola kamuva ukuthi ukwenza lokho esikuthembisile kunzima kakhulu, akumelwe sishintshe ingqondo yethu futhi siphule isithembiso sethu. Lapha izingcaphuno zeSeptuagint yesiGreki, iPeshitta yesiSyriac, neVulgate yesiLatin zithi, “ofungé kumakhelwane wakhe.” Uma sifunga ukuthi sizokwenza okuthile noma senza isifungo sangempela, kumelwe siqikelele ukuthi siyasifeza. (UmShumayeli 5:4) Yebo, uma sithola ukuthi okuthile esikuthembisile akukho emiBhalweni, akumelwe sikwenze.
UJoshuwa akazange asephule isivumelwano nabaseGibeyoni nakuba kamuva athola ukuthi babemkhohlisile ukuze asenze. (Joshuwa 9:16-19) Ngakho kumelwe sibe amadoda, abesifazane, nabantu abasebasha abalifezayo izwi lethu. Masingazenzi izithembiso kwabanye bese sibashiya obishini lapho amathuba akhanga ngokwengeziwe esivulekela. UJesu wathi: “Izwi lenu malibe-ngelokuthi: Yebo, yebo; qhabo qhabo.” (Mathewu 5:37) Ikakhulukazi labo abazinikezele kuJehova kumelwe bazimisele ukugcina isithembiso sabo sokumkhonza phakade njengoFakazi bakhe. Ngaphandle kokugcina izithembiso, kumelwe sibe abacabangelayo ezindabeni ezingokwezimali, njengoba uDavide ebonisa kuyiHubo le-15, ivesi 5.
“Ongatsheleki-muntu imali yakhe ukuba izale”
Imali ebolekelwa izinjongo zebhizinisi ngokufanelekile ingabuyiselwa nenzalo. Kodwa lapho uDavide wayesho ‘ukutsheleka’ abampofu ‘imali.’ UMthetho kaMose washo ngokuqondile: “Uma utsheleka ompofu wabantu bami okuwe imali, awuyikumphatha njengabatshelekisi; ningabizi-nzalo kuye.” (Eksodusi 22:25; Levitikusi 25:35, 36) Lapho uNehemiya ethola abampofu behlupheka njengezisulu zabaxhaphazi, wakuqeda ukuxhaphaza okunjalo.—Nehemiya 5:1-13.
Egameni elithi “inzalo,” uDavide wasebenzisa igama lesiHeberu elisuselwa kwelinye elisho “ukuluma.” Lokhu kusho ukuthi abaxhaphazi abanobugovu babeshwabadela abampofu nokuncane ababenakho. Ngokucacile, kungcono kakhulu ukusiza abampofu ngaphandle kokulindela imbuyiselo. UJesu waveza iphuzu elinjalo ngokuthi: “Uma wenza isidlo sasemini noma esakusihlwa, . . . mema abampofu, nezinyonga, nezimpumputhe; uyakubusiswa-ke, ngokuba bangekwenanisele; uyakwenaniselwa ekuvukeni kwabalungileyo.” (Luka 14:12-14) Umuntu ofisa ukuba umngane nesivakashi sikaNkulunkulu ubengeke alokothe asizakale ngendlela embi ngobumpofu bukamakhelwane wakhe futhi ubeyokwenza ngokuvumelana nalokho umhubi aqhubeka ekusho.
“Ongamukeli umvuzo ngongenacala”
Ukufumbathisa kunomphumela owonakalisayo. AmaIsrayeli ayalwa: “Ungafunjathiswa isipho, ngokuba isipho siphuphuthekisa amehlo ohlakaniphileyo, siphendukezela amazwi olungileyo.” (Duteronomi 16:19) Kubi ngokukhethekile ukwamukela ukufunjathiswa ukuze ulimaze “ongenacala,” mhlawumbe ngokushintsha ubufakazi basenkantolo. Yeka ukuthi uJuda Iskareyothe wayengonyanyeka kanjani ngokwamukela ukufunjathiswa ukuze akhaphele uJesu ongenacala!—Mathewu 26:14-16.
Singase sizibheke njengabangenacala kulendaba. Kodwa ingabe sike salingelwa ukuba sikhokhe imali ukuze siphume esimweni esiphoxayo? Umprofethi uSamuweli akazange amukele “umvuzo,” noma ukufunjathiswa. (1 Samuweli 12:3, 4) Sonke kumelwe siziphathe ngaleyondlela uma sifuna ukuba abangane nezivakashi zikaNkulunkulu.
“Owenza lokhu akayikuzanyazanyiswa naphakade”
Ngemva kwencazelo yalo enezici eziyishumi zomuntu oqotho, iHubo le-15 liphetha ngazwi angenhla. Angase asenze ukuba sihlaziye inkolo yethu. Uma iwukholo lweqiniso, kumelwe isifundise (1) ukuhamba ngobuqotho nokwenza ukulunga, (2) ukukhuluma iqiniso ngisho nasenhliziyweni, (3) ukugwema ukuhleba abanye, futhi (4) ukubalekela ukwenza noma yini embi. Inkolo eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu (5) iyosivimbela ukuba singabahlazi abangane bethu abaqotho futhi (6) iyosenza sigweme ukuhlanganyela nabantu abenyanyekayo. Ukholo lweqiniso luyosishukumisela ukuba (7) sihloniphe labo abesaba uJehova, (8) sifeze esithembise ukuthi siyokwenza uma kungokufanelekile, (9) siphe abampofu ngaphandle kokuba sibakhokhise inzalo, futhi (10) singalokothi samukele ukufunjathiswa ngomuntu ongenacala.
UDavide akasho ukuthi noma ubani ofundayo, ezwe, akhulume, noma ngisho akholelwe kulezizinto ‘akayikuzanyazanyiswa.’ Lokhu kuyokwenzeka kuphela kumuntu “owenza lokhu.” Ukholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi yokulusekela lufile futhi aluphumeli ekwamukelweni kwaphezulu. (Jakobe 2:26) Abenzi bokuhle okukhulunywa ngabo kumaHubo 15 ngeke bazanyazanyiswe, ngoba uJehova uyobavikela futhi abasekele.—IHubo 55:22.
Yebo, kunokwengeziwe ekukhulekeleni okumsulwa kunamaphuzu ayishumi abalwe kumaHubo 15. Abalandeli bakaJesu kamuva bafunda ezinye izinto ngokukhulekela uNkulunkulu “ngomoya nangeqiniso.” (Johane 4:23, 24) Nawe ungenza kanjalo, ngoba bakhona abantu abenza lezizinto namuhla. Ukuhlanganyela njalo nalaboFakazi BakaJehova nokutadisha iBhayibheli kuyokwakha ithemba lokuphila epharadesi lasemhlabeni lapho ungaba khona isivakashi nomngane kaNkulunkulu phakade.