Ukuhlomela Ukulwa Nemimoya Emibi
“Sibambene . . . nabawomoya bobubi emkhathini.”—EFESU 6:12.
1. Yikuphi ukulwa amaKristu anakho, futhi kumelwe kuqhubeke isikhathi eside kangakanani?
UMA NJE imimoya emibi isekhona nezwe lisengaphansi kokubuswa yiyo, kufanele silwe ukuze singangeni ngaphansi kwethonya layo. Umphostoli uPawulu wabhala: “Hlomani izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu, ukuze nibe-namandla okumelana namaqhinga kaSathane, ngokuba asibambene negazi nenyama, kodwa sibambene nemibuso, namandla, nababusi bezwe balobubumnyama, nabawomoya bobubi emkhathini.”—Efesu 6:11, 12.
2. (a) Ngenxa yemizamo kaDeveli yakuqala, yikuphi okunye ukulwa esinakho? (b) IBhayibheli libonisa kanjani ukuthi isimo sibi kakhulu kangangokuthi sidinga ukukuhlomela lokhukulwa?
2 Nokho akukhona ukuhlasela kwangaphandle kwemimoya emibi kuphela okumelwe silwe nakho; okwenza ukulwa kwethu kube nzima ngokukhethekile ukungapheleli kwethu esakuzuza ngefa okwabangelwa ukuhluleka kuka-Adamu noEva ukumelana nemizamo kaDeveli yasekuqaleni. Njengoba iBhayibheli lisho: “Ngokuba imicabango yomuntu mibi kwasebusheni bakhe.” (Genesise 8:21; Roma 5:12) Ngisho nomphostoli uPawulu kwadingeka alwe ukuze enze okulungileyo. “Ngifumana kimina engithanda ukwenza okuhle,” echaza, “kukhona okubi kimi.” (Roma 7:21-23) IBhayibheli liyachaza, “Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwakho konke.” (Jeremiya 17:9) Yeka ukuthi kusobala kanjani ukuthi sidinga ukuhlomela ukulwa nemizamo yemimoya emibi yokusibangela ukuba senze okubi!
Ukulwa Nezifiso Ezibonakalayo
3. (a) Yini esingayifunda endleleni yokuqala uDeveli avelela ngayo uEva? (b) Umuntu ofuna izinto ezibonakalayo angase acabange kanjani?
3 Singaqiniseka ukuthi imimoya emibi iyozama ukuhlakulela kithi ukuthambekela kokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. Iyokwenza ukuba nakanjani silingwe izinto ‘zenkanuko yamehlo.’ (1 Johane 2:16) Khumbula indlela uSathane avelela ngayo uEva ekuqaleni, indlela adonsela ngayo ukunakekela emthini owawubukeka ungenacala nezithelo zawo ezenqatshelwe. Sekuvuswe isithakazelo sakhe ngomuthi nezithelo zawo, uEva waqala ukuphawula ukuthi “uyabukeka emehlweni, nokuthi umuthi unxanelekile ekuhlakaniphiseni.” Ngakho yini eyenzeka? “Wathatha izithelo zawo, wadla.” (Genesise 3:6) Imimoya emibi iyosebenzisa amasu afanayo, idlale ngesifiso sethu semvelo ngezinto ezibukeka zizinhle. Ngokungangabazeki iyona ebangela umcabango obonakala sengathi unokuhlakanipha oke uzwakale ngezinye izikhathi wokuthi: ‘Phela, uma kumelwe ngisebenzele ukuziphilisa ngisenokusebenza ngibe nemali eningi nezinto eziningi. Ngaleyondlela ngingapha nabanye.’
4. (a) Yikuphi ukuphana okuncomekayo, kodwa luhlobo luni lokupha olungalungile? (b) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zesikhathi esidlule zawela kuluphi ugibe okumelwe silugweme?
4 Ngempela kuyancomeka ngofakazi bakaJehova banamuhla abanezinto eziningi ezibonakalayo ukuba bazihlanganyele nalabo abanokuncane, njengoba amaKristu akuqala ayenza emibuthanweni yawo yothando. (Juda 12) Kepha, kuthiwani uma umuntu enesisusa esingalé kwalokho, mhlawumbe anike omunye isipho ngoba azi ukuthi lowo usesimweni sokumnika amalungelo athile ebandleni lobuKristu? Lokho ngempela kungaba okungalungile! Futhi kungaba okungalungile ngokufanayo ngalowo owamukela isipho esinjalo ukuba asikhokhe ngohlobo olunjalo lomusa. Uma umuntu enza into enjalo, kungaqhathaniswa nokufumbathisa. Ngokuhlakanipha umKristu uyoqaphela ukuba angaweli ogibeni olunjalo, ugibe ezinye izikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu zakudala ezangena kulo lapho zinikwa izikhundla zomthwalo wemfanelo.—1 Samuweli 8:1-3; 2 IziKronike 19:6, 7.
5. Iyiphi ingozi ekhona uma izinto ezibonakalyo ziba ezibaluleke ngokudlulele ekuphileni komuntu?
5 Lapho izinto ezibonakalyo ziba ezivelele noma ezibaluleke ngokukhethekile ekuphileni komuntu, kungakhathaliseki isizathu sokuzisholo, lowomuntu usesimweni esiyingozi kakhulu. Yini engenzeka? Isimo esingokomoya singaminyaniseka, futhi ngokuvamile kuba-njalo. Kweminye yemifanekiso yakhe uJesu wachaza abathile abaye bafunda iqiniso likaNkulunkulu, ethi: “Baminyaniswe ngeminako nengcebo nezinjabulo zokuphila, bangatheli izithelo ezivuthiwe.” (Luka 8:14) Kepha ngisho noma ingokomoya lomKristu okhathalela ngokungafanele izinto ezibonakalayo lingaminyaniswa, ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi ubuqili obuqhutshwa imimoya emibi abuzange buphumelele?
6. Yimuphi umphumela inkambo yobuKristu yokulandela izinto ezibonakalayo engaba nawo kwakholwa nabo?
6 Cha, ngoba cabangela indlela inkambo yalowomuntu yokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo engabathinta ngayo abanye ebandleni. Ngokwesibonelo, uma amalungu asemasha ebandla athonyeka masinya ebona omunye umKristu ezikhandla ukuze athole imali eningi nezinto ezinhle, ingabe ngaleyondlela akhuthazwa ukuba afune uMbuso kaNkulunkulu kuqala? Yini oye wayiphawula? Akulona yini iqiniso ukuthi, ngemva kokuqaphela okubonakala kuyizinzuzo zokuba nezinto ezibonakalayo, abasha eqinisweni bathambekela ukuba nabo balandelele imigomo yezinto ezibonakalayo, mhlawumbe bazilimaze ngokomoya?
7. (a) Kungani isibonelo somdala ongumKristu eJalimane singesifanelekile? (b) Izwe liyilinganisa kanjani impumelelo, futhi amaKristu kufanele azibheke kanjani izimo zengqondo ezinjalo? (c) Ingabe kumelwe sibagxeke labo abanezinto ezibonakalayo?
7 Okuhlangenwe nakho komKristu ongumdala eJalimane, owayecebile, kungokuphawulekayo. Umzalwane ongumKristu, azi okuthile ngesimo sakhe sezimali, wabuza ukuthi kungani ehamba ngeVolkswagen (imoto ebiza kancane) futhi ehlala endlini evamile. Ethatha indaba ngokungathi sína, waphendula: ‘Kungoba uma bengihamba ngeMercedes Benz (imoto edulayo) futhi ngiphila ngendlela yokunethezeka, kungaba nomphumela olimazayo ngokomoya kubazalwane nodadewethu abangamaKristu.’ Yeka ukwehluka kwalesosimo kwesezwe! “Ukubukisa ngalokho anakho umuntu” kuyindlela yezwe. (1 Johane 2:16) Ngokwezwe, isilinganiso sokuphumelela siyinani lemali nezinto ezibonakalayo umuntu anazo. Kodwa sengathi kungebe njalo ebandleni lobuKristu! Sidinga ukuhloma ukuze kungabi bikho nakunye kuloluhlobo lokucabanga okungathonya ukucabanga kwethu nokwebandla lobuKristu. Ngesikhathi esifanayo ukuzinikela kwethu kuNkulunkulu nokwaneliseka kuyophumela ekubeni singabagxeki labo abeqisayo endleleni yabo yokuphila.—1 Thimothewu 6:6-8.
8. (a) Yisiphi isibonelo uJesu Kristu asibekela sona? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo esingazibuza yona ngokufanelekile?
8 Ngaso sonke isikhathi sidinga ukukhumbula isimo sengqondo seNkosi yethu, uJesu Kristu. Nakuba uKristu ayengaba nodumo olukhulu nengcebo, futhi ayengahlala ngokunethezeka, akazange azifune lezozinto. Ngezinye izikhathi wayengenakho ngisho nalokho abantu abaningi abakuqaphela njengezidingo zokuphila. (Mathewu 4:8, 9; 8:20) Kungani ayezidela kangaka? Ngenxa yokuthi ukubaluleka wayekuhlela ngokulandelana okufanele. Waqaphela ukuthi ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu kufanele kuze ngaphambi kwakho konke okunye. (Johane 4:34) Ingabe sibheka isibonelo sakhe, sizama ukusilingisa endleleni esiphila ngayo? Ikuphi ngempela esikuphilelayo—ukuphila okulula, okunethezekile manje noma ukuzuza ukuphila okuphakade esimisweni esisha sikaNkulunkulu?—Heberu 12:2, 3; 1 Petru 2:21-24; 3:14.
9. Yisiphi isikhali esingokomoya esisidingayo ukuze silwe nokuthambekela kokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, futhi lesikhali singasivikela kanjani?
9 Ekulweni kwethu ukuba sigcine imimoya emibi ingahlakuleli kithi ukuthambekela kokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, sidinga izikhali, izikhali ezingokomoya. Sidinga ukugqoka “isivikelo SOKULUNGA,” okusho ukuthi kumelwe senze okulungileyo emehlweni kaNkulunkulu. (Efesu 6:13, 14) Futhi into efanele ngathi ukuba siyenze manje ‘ukuzidela futhi silandele isibonelo sikaKristu,’ ngoba njengoba uJesu aqhubeka washo: “Ngokuba kuyakumsizani umuntu, uma ezuza izwe lonke, onakalelwe ukuphila kwakhe, na?” (Mathewu 16:24-27; qhathanisa noMathewu 6:33.) Esinye isikhali esibaluleke kakhulu “isihlangu SOKUKHOLWA.” (Efesu 6:16) Kufanele sikholelwe ngempela esimisweni esisha sikaNkulunkulu esizayo futhi singabheki kulesimiso esidala ukuba sanelise izifiso zethu. Singakhohlwa ukuthi ngokushesha sizophela, kanye nawo wonke umcebo waso.—1 Johane 7:192:17; Hezekeli 7:19.
10. Isiphi isikhali esibaluleke ngokukhethekile ekulweni nokuthambekela kokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, futhi ngani?
10 Kodwa ukuze silwe nezindlela zobuqili zezinto ezibonakalayo, sidinga ngokukhethekile isikhali esishiwo ngokulandelayo, okungukuthi, “isigqoko SENSINDISO.” Enye incwadi yomphostoli ithi kufanele sifake “isigqoko sibe-YITHEMBA LOKUSINDISWA.” (Efesu 6:17; 1 Thesalonika 5:8) Ukuba ne“themba lokusindiswa” kusho ukubheka phambili emvuzweni oyokhishwa uNkulunkulu singabheki emvuzweni wokuphila ngokunethezeka kulesisimiso sezinto.
11. UMose wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayefake “isigqoko sibe-yithemba lokusindiswa”?
11 UMose wayesifakile lesisigqoko, “ithemba lokusindiswa.” Nakuba ayekhuliswe njengendodana yendodakazi kaFaro, wenqaba ukukhetha ‘ukuthokoza isikhashana esonweni’ endlini yobukhosi noma ukulandelela “ingcebo yaseGibithe.” Ngani? “Ngokuba wayebheke umvuzo.” UMose wazindla, noma wacabanga ngokujulile, ngezinto uJehova ayezithembisile. Kwakungekhona nje ukuthi uMose wayezwile noma wafunda ngoJehova. IBhayibheli lithi “ngokuba wakhuthazela sengathi uyambona ongabonwayo.” (Heberu 11:24-27) UJehova wayengokoqobo kuMose ngokufanayo nezithembiso zaKhe zokuphila okuphakade. Uma sizomelana ngokuphumelelayo nokuhlasela kukaSathane, ithemba lethu lokuphila phakade kumelwe libe eloqobo ngokufanayo kithi.
Ukulwa Nokuziphatha Okubi Kobulili
12. Yini imimoya emibi eye yayenza ukuze ibe nokuhlasela okuphumelelayo kumaKristu amaningi?
12 Njengoba kuphawuliwe esihlokweni esingaphambili, enye yezindlela eziyinhloko imimoya emibi ethola ngayo izisulu zempi iwukwenza ukuba amaKristu ahileleke ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili. Ifuna ukonakalisa isifiso sethu sobulili esisinikezwe uNkulunkulu—esenzelwe ukwaneliswa kuphela emshadweni. Cishe yonke indawo namuhla imimoya emibi iye yaphumelela ekubangeleni izimo, lapho amaKristu elingeka ukuba abe nobuhlobo bobulili ngaphandle kwamalungiselelo omshado. Yisiphi isikhali esiyosisiza ukuba silwe nalokuhlasela kwemimoya emibi?
13. UJosefa wabonisa kanjani ukuthi wayefake “isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga”?
13 Ukwembatha “isivikelo sesifuba sokulunga” kubalulekile. Sidinga ukuzimisela ngaso sonke isikhathi ukwenza lokho uJehova athi kulungile. (1 Korinte 6:18) UJosefa wayenaso lesikhali. Lapho umkaPotifari owayehlanyiswa ubulili emncenga nsuku zonke, “Lala nami,” uJosefa wathi: “Ngingenza kanjani lobobubi obungaka, ngone kuNkulunkulu, na?” (Genesise 39:7-12) Njengoba uJosefa enza, nathi sidinga ukucabanga ngemiphumela yokuhileleka ekuziphatheni kabi ‘izinhliziyo [zethu] ezikhohlisayo’ ezingakufisa.—Jeremiya 17:9.
14. Yini okumelwe siyicabangele eyosisiza ukuba sigweme ukuhileleka ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili?
14 Okokuqala, kufanele sicabange ukuthi uNkulunkulu uthinteka kanjani uma siphula umthetho wakhe. USathane uye wasola uJehova, ethi ngaphansi kovivinyo abantu abanakwethembeka kuYe. Ngakho uJehova uyanxusa: “Ndodana yami, hlakanipha, uthokozise inhliziyo yami ukuba ngiphendule ongisolayo.” (IzAga 27:11) Cabanga ngakho: Ingabe uyophula umthetho kaNkulunkulu wenze uSathane ajabule kodwa uNkulunkulu adumale? (AmaHubo 78:38-41) Uma umthanda ngempela uJehova, ungayenza kanjani into enjalo? Cabanga futhi, iyiphi into ewukuhlakanipha ukuyenza. UJehova kuphela ongakunika ukuphila okuphakade. Ngakho akukhona yini ukuhlakanipha ukwenza intando yakhe?—1 Johane 5:3; Roma 6:23.
15. Yimuphi umbono labo abahileleka ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili abahluleka ukuwukhumbula?
15 AmaKristu ahlulwa ukuhlasela kukaSathane ngempela alahlekelwa umbono wawo ongokomoya. Ukuntula kwawo umbono ongokomoya kungaqhathaniswa nesimo senceku kaElisha. Khumbula ukuthi uElisha wayithandazela kanjani: “Jehova, ake uvule amehlo ayo ukuba ibone.” Futhi inceku yabona, “bheka, intaba yayigcwele amahashi nezinqola zomlilo nxazonke zakhe uElisha.” (2 AmaKhosi 6:15-17) Uyabona ukuthi ubani osibhekile? UJehova usibhekile, ngokufanayo noKristu nezingelosi. (AmaHubo 11:4; 34:7; Heberu 1:14; Mathewu 18:10) Kunjengokungathi singumbukwane. (Qhathanisa no-1 Korinte 4:9) Enaleliphuzu lokubheka elingokomBhalo, umuntu angahileleka kanjani, ekuziphatheni kabi kobulili lapho azi ukuthi izenzo zakhe zibhekiwe?
16. Yiziphi ezinye izinto, uma zicatshangelwa, eziyosisiza ukuba sigweme ukuhileleka ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili?
16 Futhi, uma ubungalandela inkambo yokubi, cabanga ngombono obekungawenza ngebandla lobuKristu. Abangaphandle bangaphetha ngokuthi oFakazi BakaJehova abehlukile ezweni, futhi, ngenxa yalokho, laba ababhekile bangase bahluleke ukusabela esigijimini esinikeza ukuphila. (2 Petru 2:2) Cabanga futhi, ngosizi inkambo enjalo engalubangela amalungu omkhaya wakho. (IzAga 10:1) Futhi, uma ushadile, zibuze: “Ngingayenza kanjani into embi kangaka kumngane wami? Ngiluhlobo luni lomuntu?” Uma ucabangela yonke into, ingabe ukuhlanganyela ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili akuyona into yobugovu, ukuba nombono omfushane neyobulima?
17, 18. (a) Iyiphi impi yesikhathi sokuphila kwakhe umphostoli uPawulu ayenayo, futhi wakwazi kanjani ukuphumelela? (b) Ngathi ukuba sihlome ngokuphelele, yini ebalulekile, futhi singayilandelela kanjani?
17 Yiqiniso, akulula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukugwema ukwenza okubi. Umphostoli uPawulu ngokwakhe ekuphileni kwakhe konke wayelwa nezifiso ezimbi ayeke waba isigqila sazo. Wabhala: “Ngiyawutuba umzimba wami, ngiwenza isigqila, ukuba mina engishumayeza abanye ngingaliwa mina uqobo.” (1 Korinte 9:27; Thithu 3:3) UPawulu ‘wazituba’ ngokwakhe. Wayeziphoqelela ukwenza lokho okulungileyo, ngisho nalapho umzimba wakhe ufisa ukwenza okubi. Kumelwe wenze okufanayo uma uzolwa impi ephumelelayo.
18 Ukuze ube ngohlome ngokuphelele udinga futhi ukuthandaza njalo kuNkulunkulu ukuba akusize. (Efesu 6:18) Nokho awunakuthandazela usizo bese ubuye ufunda izincwadi zokuziphatha okubi, uye emabhayisikobho okuziphatha okubi noma ucabange noma udlale ngothando nowobulili obuhlukile. Kumelwe usebenzele lokho okuthandazelayo!
Ukulwa Nokucabanga Kokuzibusa
19. (a) UJehova uye wabaqondisa kanjani abantu bakhe ngaso sonke isikhathi? (b) Ukucabanga kokuzibusa kubonakaliswa kanjani ngabanye abantu?
19 Njengoba sitadisha iBhayibheli sifunda ukuthi uJehova ngaso sonke isikhathi uhola izinceku zakhe ngendlela ehlelekile. Futhi njengoba nasekhulwini lokuqala kwakunenhlangano yeqiniso eyodwa kuphela yobuKristu, ngokufanayo namuhla uJehova usebenzisa inhlangano eyodwa kuphela. (Efesu 4:4, 5; Mathewu 24:45-47) Nokho kukhona abanye abaphawula ukuthi inhlangano iye yenza ukulungisa okuthile ngaphambili, ngakho bathi: “Lokhu kubonisa ukuthi nathi kumelwe sizinqumele lokho esikukholelwayo.” Lokho ukucabanga kokuzibusa. Kungani kuyingozi kangaka?
20. (a) Ukucabanga kokuzibusa kuwubufakazi bani? (b) Yini eyosisiza ukuba sigweme ukubeka imibono yethu ngaphambi kweyenhlangano? (c) Isiphi isibonelo sekhulu lokuqala okufanelekile ngathi ukusilandela?
20 Ukucabanga okunjalo kuwubufakazi bokuzidla. Futhi iBhayibheli lithi: “Ukuzidla kuyandulela ukubhujiswa, nomoya oziqhenyayo wandulela ukuwa.” (IzAga 16:18) Uma sicabanga ukuthi sazi kangcono kunenhlangano, kumelwe sizibuze: “Okokuqala sawafunda kuphi amaqiniso eBhayibheli? Sasiyoyazi yini indlela yeqiniso ukuba kwakungeve kungenxa yokuqondisa kwenhlangano? Empeleni, singaqhubeka yini ngaphandle kokuqondisa kwenhlangano kaNkulunkulu?” Cha, angeke!—Qhathanisa nezEnzo 15:2, 28, 29; 16:4, 5.
21. (a) Singaphumelela kanjani kuphela empini yethu? (b) Yini okungamelwe siyikhohlwe. futhi luhlobo luni lokuphila esidinga ukuluphila?
21 Uma sicabangela imimoya emibi enamandla elwa nathi, kumelwe sivume ukuthi ngokwethu besingeke siphumelele. Kodwa ngosizo lukaNkulunkulu, nokusekela kwenhlangano yakhe—abazalwane bethu emhlabeni wonke—asinakwehlulwa. (AmaHubo 118:8-12; 1 Petru 5:9) Nokho, akumelwe neze sikhohlwe ukuthi sisempini engokomoya, nokuthi isikhathi sempi akusona isikhathi sokuphumula, sokujabulela ukuzilibazisa kuphela nezinjabulo zokuphila. Kunalokho, kuyisikhathi sokuziqeqesha ngamandla, sokuqapha nokuzidela. Isitha siye sakwazi ukuthola abanye kithi ukuba banganaki futhi laba baye baba izisulu zempi. Sengathi lokhu kungenzeke kithi! Ngeke kwenzeke uma sihlala sihlome “izikhali zonke zikaNkulunkulu” futhi ‘simelane namaqhinga kaSathane.’—Efesu 6:11, 12.
Ingabe Ungayiphendula Lemibuzo?
□ Lapho izinto ezibonakalayo ziba ezivelele ngokukhethekile ekuphileni komKristu, yiziphi izinkinga ezingadaleka ngalowomuntu nabanye ebandleni?
□ Yini engasisiza ukuba silwe nokuthambekela kokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo?
□ Yini engasisiza ukuba sigweme ukuhlulwa ukuziphatha okubi kobulili?
□ Buyini ubufakazi bokucabanga kokuzibusa, futhi yini engasisiza ukuba sikugweme?
[Isithombe ekhasini 20]
Uma umKristu eba oqhoshayo, ebukisa ngezinto anazo ekuphileni, yimuphi umphumela okungaba nawo kwamanye amalungu ebandla?