Ungahlala Uhlanzekile Ekuziphatheni
“Yilokhu okushiwo uthando ngoNkulunkulu, ukuba sigcine imiyalo yakhe.”—1 JOHANE 5:3.
1. Yimuphi umehluko ekuziphatheni obonakala kubantu namuhla?
KUDALA, umprofethi uMalaki waphefumulelwa ukuba abikezele isikhathi lapho ukuziphatha kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu kwakuyohluka kakhulu kokwabantu abangamkhonzi uNkulunkulu. Umprofethi wabhala: “Bese nibuya, nahlukanise abalungileyo nababi, abamkhonza uNkulunkulu nabangamkhonziyo.” (Malaki 3:18) Leso siprofetho siyagcwaliseka namuhla. Ukugcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu, kuhlanganise naleyo efuna ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha, kuyinkambo ehlakaniphile neyiyonayona ekuphileni. Nokho, akuyona inkambo elula njalo. UJesu washo ngesizathu esihle ukuthi amaKristu kumelwe azikhandle ngamandla ukuze athole insindiso.—Luka 13:23, 24.
2. Yiziphi izingcindezi zangaphandle ezenza kube nzima kwabanye ukuhlala bemsulwa ekuziphatheni kwabo?
2 Kungani kunzima ukuhlala umsulwa ekuziphatheni kwakho? Esinye sezizathu ukuthi kunezingcindezi zangaphandle. Ezokuzijabulisa ziveza ubulili obungemthetho njengento ekhangayo, emnandi nebonisa ukukhula, zibe zishalazela imiphumela yabo emibi. (Efesu 4:17-19) Iningi labantu abavezwa behlanganyela ubuhlobo bobulili abashadile. Ngokuvamile amabhayisikobho nemibukiso yethelevishini kubonisa ubuhlobo bobulili phakathi kwabantu abangenasibopho komunye nomunye. Ngokuvamile, akukho mfudumalo nanhlonipho. Abaningi baye bachayeka emiyalezweni enjalo kusukela ebuntwaneni. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kunokucindezela kontanga okunamandla kokuzivumelanisa nesimo sanamuhla sokuziphatha okuyekelelayo, futhi ngezinye izikhathi labo abangazivumelanisi naso bahlekwa usulu noma bathukwe nokuthukwa.—1 Petru 4:4.
3. Yiziphi ezinye zezizathu ezenza abaningi emhlabeni bahileleke ekuziphatheni okubi?
3 Ukucindezela kwangaphakathi nakho kukwenza kube nzima ukuhlala umsulwa ekuziphatheni. UJehova wadala abantu baba nezifiso zobulili, futhi lezo zifiso zingaba namandla. Isifiso sihlobene kakhulu nalokho esikucabangayo, futhi ukuziphatha okubi kuhlobene nokucabanga okungavumelani nemicabango kaJehova. (Jakobe 1:14, 15) Ngokwesibonelo, ngokombiko wokuhlola kwamuva onyatheliswe kuyi-British Medical Journal, abaningi abahlanganyela ubulili ngokokuqala ngqá babemane befuna ukuzwa ukuthi bunjani ubulili. Abanye babekholelwa ukuthi iningi lontanga yabo liyahlanganyela ebulilini, ngakho nabo babefuna ukudela ubumsulwa babo. Kanti abanye bathi bathathwa yimizwa yabo noma “babemnanjana ngaleso sikhathi.” Uma sifuna ukujabulisa uNkulunkulu, kumelwe sicabange ngendlela ehlukile. Yikuphi ukucabanga okuyosisiza silondoloze ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha?
Zimisele Ngamandla
4. Ukuze sihlale simsulwa ekuziphatheni kwethu, kumelwe senzeni?
4 Ukuze sihlale simsulwa ekuziphatheni kwethu, kumelwe siqaphele ukuthi ukulandela inkambo yokuphila enjalo kuwufanele umzamo. Lokhu kuvumelana nalokho umphostoli uPawulu akubhalela amaKristu eRoma: “[Zitholeleni] ngokwenu intando kaNkulunkulu enhle neyamukelekayo nepheleleyo.” (Roma 12:2) Ukuqaphela ukuthi ubumsulwa bokuziphatha buwufanele umzamo kuhilela okungaphezu kokumane sazi ukuthi iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyakulahla ukuziphatha okubi. Kuhilela ukuqonda izizathu ezenza ukuziphatha okubi kulahlwe nokuthi kusizuzisa kanjani ukukugwema. Ezinye zalezi zizathu kuxoxiwe ngazo esihlokweni esandulele.
5. Ngokuyinhloko, kungani amaKristu efuna ukuhlala emsulwa ekuziphatheni kwawo?
5 Nokho, empeleni kumaKristu izizathu ezinamandla kunazo zonke zokugwema ukuziphatha okubi kobulili zihlobene nobuhlobo bethu noNkulunkulu. Siye safunda ukuthi wazi okungcono kakhulu ngathi. Uthando lwethu ngaye luyosisiza ukuba sizonde okubi. (IHubo 97:10) UNkulunkulu unguMuphi wazo “zonke izipho ezinhle nazo zonke izipho eziphelele.” (Jakobe 1:17) Uyasithanda. Ngokumlalela kwethu sibonisa ukuthi siyamthanda futhi siyakwazisa konke asenzele kona. (1 Johane 5:3) Asifuni nakancane ukudumaza uJehova nokumzwisa ubuhlungu ngokwephula imiyalo yakhe yokulunga. (IHubo 78:41) Asifisi ukwenza into eyobangela ukuba indlela yakhe yokukhulekela engcwele nelungileyo kukhulunywe ngayo ngokuchapha. (Thithu 2:5; 2 Petru 2:2) Ngokuhlala simsulwa ekuziphatheni kwethu, senza oPhezukonke ajabule.—IzAga 27:11.
6. Kusiza kanjani ukwenza abanye bazi ngezindinganiso zethu zokuziphatha?
6 Lapho sesinqumile ukuhlala simsulwa ekuziphatheni kwethu, isivikelo esengeziwe siwukwenza abanye bazi ngalokho esizimisele ukukwenza. Yenza abantu bazi ukuthi uyinceku kaJehova uNkulunkulu nokuthi uzimisele ukulondoloza izindinganiso zakhe eziphakeme. Yindaba yokuphila kwakho, umzimba wakho nalokho okukhethayo. Yini ehilelekile? Ubuhlobo bakho obuyigugu noYihlo osezulwini. Ngakho kwenze kucace ukuthi ubuqotho bakho ekuziphatheni abuyona indaba yokubonisana. Yiba neqholo lokumelela uNkulunkulu ngokusekela izimiso zakhe. (IHubo 64:10) Ungalokothi ube namahloni okuxoxa nabanye ngalokho okukholelwayo ngokuziphatha. Ukukhuluma kungakuqinisa, kukuvikele futhi kukhuthaze nabanye ukuba balandele isibonelo sakho.—1 Thimothewu 4:12.
7. Singakulondoloza kanjani ukuzimisela kwethu ukuhlala simsulwa ekuziphatheni kwethu?
7 Okulandelayo, lapho sesinqumile ukulondoloza izindinganiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha futhi satshela abanye ukuthi simiphi, kumelwe sithathe izinyathelo zokunamathela kulokho esikunqumile. Enye indlela yokwenza lokhu iwukuqaphela lapho sikhetha abangane. “Ohamba nabahlakaniphileyo uyakuhlakanipha,” kusho iBhayibheli. Zihlanganise nalabo abanezindinganiso zokuziphatha ezifana nezakho; bazokuqinisa. Lo mbhalo uthi futhi: “Kepha umngane weziwula uyakushoshozelwa yizo.” (IzAga 13:20) Ngezinga okungenzeka ngalo, bagweme abantu abangase benze buthaka ukuzimisela kwakho.—1 Korinte 15:33.
8. (a) Kungani kufanele sondle izingqondo zethu ngezinto ezakhayo? (b) Yini okufanele siyigweme?
8 Ngaphezu kwalokho, kudingeka sondle izingqondo zethu ngezinto eziyiqiniso, ezingathi sína, ezilungileyo, ezimsulwa, ezithandekayo, okukhulunywa kahle ngazo, ezinhle nezikufanelekelayo ukudunyiswa. (Filipi 4:8) Lokhu sikwenza ngokukhetha esikubukayo, esikufundayo nomculo esiwulalelayo. Ukuthi izincwadi ezingcolile azinalo ithonya elonakalisayo kufana nokuthi izincwadi ezihlanzekile azinalo ithonya elihle. Khumbula, abantu abangaphelele bangawela kalula ekuziphatheni okubi. Ngakho izincwadi, omagazini, amafilimu nomculo okhuthaza imizwa yobulili ziyoholela ezifisweni ezingafanele, futhi leyo mizwa ingagcina iholele esonweni. Ukuze silondoloze ukuhlanzeka kokuziphatha, kumelwe sigcwalise izingqondo zethu ngokuhlakanipha kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.—Jakobe 3:17.
Izinyathelo Eziholela Ekuziphatheni Okubi
9-11. Njengoba kulandisa uSolomoni, yiziphi izinyathelo ezaholela kancane kancane insizwa ethile ekuziphatheni okubi?
9 Ngokuvamile, kunezinyathelo ezibonakalayo eziholela ekuziphatheni okubi. Isinyathelo ngasinye sikwenza kube nzima ngokwengeziwe ukubuya. Phawula indlela lokhu okuchazwa ngayo kuzAga 7:6-23. USolomoni uphawula “insizwa [“eswele inhliziyo,” NW],” noma entula isisusa esihle. Le nsizwa ‘idlula esitaladini eduze negumbi lakhe [owesifazane othengisa ngomzimba], iya endlini yakhe, sekuhwelela kusihlwa, esigayegayeni sobusuku nobumnyama.’ Nanto iphutha layo lokuqala. Kuhwalele, “inhliziyo” yayo ayiyiqondisi nje kunoma yimuphi umgwaqo, kodwa iyiqondisa kulowo eyaziyo ukuthi ngokuvamile kuba khona owesifazane oyisifebe.
10 Ngokulandelayo siyafunda: “Bheka, isihlangabezwa ngowesifazane; izingubo zakhe zingezesifebe, enobuqili enhliziyweni.” Manje le nsizwa iyambona! Ingajika iphindele ekhaya, kodwa lokho sekunzima kunakuqala, ikakhulu njengoba inesimilo esibuthakathaka. Lona wesifazane uyayibamba ayiqabule. Njengoba isivumile ukuqatshulwa, manje ilalela amazwi akhe okuyenga: “Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula yayingifanele,” kusho lona wesifazane. “Namuhla sengigcwalisile izithembiso zami.” Imihlatshelo yeminikelo yokuthula yayihlanganisa inyama, ufulawa, amafutha newayini. (Levitikusi 19:5, 6; 22:21; Numeri 15:8-10) Ngokukhuluma ngayo, kungenzeka wayesikisela ukuthi unalo ingokomoya, futhi ngesikhathi esifanayo, kungenzeka wayeyitshela ukuthi kunenala yezinto ezimnandi ezidliwayo neziphuzwayo endlini yakhe. Uyayincenga: “Woza sizanelise ngothando kuze kuse, sijabule ngokuthandana.”
11 Kulula ukubona umphumela. “Ngokuthopha kwezindebe zakhe uyamyenga.” Le nsizwa imlandela “njengenkabi iya ekuhlatshweni” ‘nanjengenyoni isheshela ogibeni.’ USolomoni uphetha ngamazwi asangulukisayo: ‘Ayazi ukuthi [ugibe] lubekelwe ukuphila kwayo.’ Ukuphila kwayo kuhilelekile ngoba “uNkulunkulu uyokwahlulela izifebe neziphingi.” (Heberu 13:4) Yeka isifundo esinamandla kokubili kwabesilisa nabesifazane! Kufanele sigweme ukuthatha ngisho nezinyathelo zokuqala zendlela eyoholela ekubeni singamukelwa nguNkulunkulu.
12. (a) Isho ukuthini inkulumo ethi ‘ukuswela inhliziyo’? (b) Singasakha kanjani isimilo esiqinile?
12 Phawula ukuthi insizwa ekule ndaba ‘yayiswele inhliziyo.’ Le nkulumo isitshela ukuthi imicabango yayo, izifiso zayo, lokho eyayikuthanda, imizwelo nemigomo yayo kwakungavumelani nalokho uNkulunkulu akwamukelayo. Ubuthakathaka bayo bokuziphatha baholela enhlekeleleni. Kulezi ‘zinsuku zokugcina’ ezibucayi, ukwakha isimilo esiqinile kudinga umzamo. (2 Thimothewu 3:1) UNkulunkulu wenza ilungiselelo lokusisiza. Ulungiselela imihlangano yebandla lobuKristu ukuze asikhuthaze endleleni okuyiyonayona futhi asihlanganise nabanye abanomgomo ofanayo nowethu. (Heberu 10:24, 25) Kukhona abadala bebandla abaselusayo basifundise izindlela zokulunga. (Efesu 4:11, 12) SineZwi likaNkulunkulu, iBhayibheli, elisiqondisayo. (2 Thimothewu 3:16) Futhi ngaso sonke isikhathi sinethuba lokuthandazela umoya kaNkulunkulu ukuba usisize.—Mathewu 26:41.
Ukufunda Ezonweni ZikaDavide
13, 14. INkosi uDavide yahileleka kanjani esonweni esibi kakhulu?
13 Nokho ngokudabukisayo, ngisho nezinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezivelele ziye zahileleka ekuziphatheni okubi kobulili. Omunye umuntu onjalo kwakuyiNkosi uDavide, owayesenamashumi eminyaka ekhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka. Akungabazeki ukuthi wayemthanda kakhulu uNkulunkulu. Nokho, wangena wagamanxa enkambweni yesono. Njengensizwa echazwe nguSolomoni, kunezinyathelo ezaholela esonweni sikaDavide zase zisenza saba yinkimbinkimbi.
14 UDavide wayeseqinile impela ngaleso sikhathi, mhlawumbe esanda kweva eminyakeni engu-50. Esophahleni lwendlu yakhe, wabona uBati Sheba omuhle egeza. Wabuza ngaye wathola ukuthi ungubani. Wathola ukuthi umyeni wakhe, u-Uriya, wayephakathi kwabavimbezele iRaba, umuzi wakwa-Amoni. UDavide wayala ukuba uBati Sheba alethwe esigodlweni sakhe walala naye. Kamuva, izinto zaxaka—uBati Sheba wathola ukuthi uDavide umkhulelisile. Enethemba lokuthi u-Uriya wayezolala nomkakhe, uDavide wambiza ukuba abuye empini. Ngaleyo ndlela, kwakuzobonakala sengathi u-Uriya onguyise womntwana kaBati Sheba. Kodwa u-Uriya akayanga emzini wakhe. Esenkingeni yokugqiba isono sakhe, uDavide wabe esephindisela u-Uriya eRaba emphathise incwadi eya enduneni yebutho ethi u-Uriya makabekwe lapho ezobulawa khona. U-Uriya wafa kanjalo, uDavide wayeseshada nomfelokazi kungakaziwa ukuthi ukhulelwe.—2 Samuweli 11:1-27.
15. (a) Isono sikaDavide sadalulwa kanjani? (b) UDavide wasabela kanjani lapho uNathani emsola ngobuhlakani?
15 Kwabonakala sengathi icebo likaDavide lokugqiba isono sakhe laliphumelele. Kwadlula izinyanga. Wazalwa umntwana—indodana. Uma kuwukuthi uDavide wayecabanga ngalesi senzakalo lapho eqamba iHubo 32, kusobala ukuthi unembeza wakhe wawumhlupha. (IHubo 32:3-5) Nokho, lesi sono sasingafihlekile kuNkulunkulu. IBhayibheli lithi: “Leyo nto eyenziwe nguDavide yayiyimbi emehlweni kaJehova.” (2 Samuweli 11:27) UJehova wathumela umprofethi uNathani, owabhekana noDavide ngobuhlakani ngalokho ayekwenzile. UDavide wasivuma ngokushesha isono sakhe wancenga uJehova ukuba amthethelele. Ukuphenduka kwakhe okuqotho kwamenza wabuyisana noNkulunkulu. (2 Samuweli 12:1-13) UDavide akakucasukelanga ukusolwa. Kunalokho, wabonisa isimo sengqondo esichazwe kumaHubo 141:5: “Olungileyo makangishaye, kungumusa kimi; angisole, kungamafutha ekhanda; ikhanda lami malingawenqabi.”
16. Yisiphi isixwayiso necebiso uSolomoni alinikezayo mayelana neziphambeko?
16 USolomoni, owayeyindodana yesibili kaDavide noBati Sheba, kungenzeka ukuthi wayecabanga ngale nkathi emuncu ekuphileni kukayise. Kamuva wabhala: “Ofihla iziphambeko zakhe akayikuphumelela, kepha ozivumayo uyakuthola umusa.” (IzAga 28:13) Uma siwela esonweni esibi, kufanele silalele lesi seluleko esiphefumulelwe, esiyisixwayiso necebiso ngesikhathi esifanayo. Kufanele sisivume kuJehova futhi siye kubadala bebandla ukuze sithole usizo. Omunye wemithwalo ebalulekile yabadala ukulungisa labo abaye bawela ekoneni.—Jakobe 5:14, 15.
Ukukhuthazelela Imiphumela Yesono
17. Nakuba uJehova ezithethelela izono, yini angasivikeli kuyo?
17 UJehova wamthethelela uDavide. Ngani? Ngoba uDavide wayeyindoda eqotho, enesihe kwabanye, nangenxa yokuthi ukuphenduka kwakhe kwakuqotho. Noma kunjalo, uDavide akavikelwanga emiphumeleni emibi eyalandela. (2 Samuweli 12:9-14) Kungokufanayo nanamuhla. Nakuba uJehova engabaletheli okubi abaphendukayo, akabavikeli emiphumeleni yezenzo zabo ezingalungile. (Galathiya 6:7) Eminye imiphumela yokuziphatha okubi kobulili kungaba yisehlukaniso, ukukhulelwa okungafunwa, isifo esidluliselwa ngobulili nokulahlekelwa ukwethenjwa nokuhlonishwa.
18. (a) UPawulu wathi ibandla laseKorinte maliyisingathe kanjani indaba yomuntu owayeziphethe kabi kakhulu ngokobulili? (b) UJehova ulubonisa kanjani uthando nesihe ezonini?
18 Uma siye sona ngokungathi sína ngokwethu, kulula ukuzizwa sidangele lapho sibhekene nemiphumela yamaphutha esiwenzile. Nokho, akufanele sivumele lutho lusivimbe ukuba siphenduke futhi sibuyisane noNkulunkulu. Ekhulwini lokuqala, uPawulu wabhalela abaseKorinte ethi mabakhiphe ebandleni umuntu owayefeba nesihlobo segazi. (1 Korinte 5:1, 13) Ngemva kokuba lowo muntu ephenduke ngobuqotho, uPawulu wayala ibandla: ‘Mthetheleleni ngomusa futhi nimduduze, niluqinisekise uthando lwenu ngaye.’ (2 Korinte 2:5-8) Kulesi seluleko esiphefumulelwe, sibona uthando nesihe sikaJehova ezonini eziphendukayo. Izingelosi ezulwini ziyajabula lapho isoni siphenduka.—Luka 15:10.
19. Ukudabuka ngokufanele ngenxa yenkambo engalungile kungaholela kuziphi izinzuzo?
19 Nakuba sidabuka ngenxa yenkambo engalungile, ukuzisola kungasisiza ‘sixwaye ukuba singaphinde sibhekise ubuso bethu ebubini.’ (Jobe 36:21) Ngempela, imiphumela ebuhlungu yesono kufanele isenze sigweme ukuphinde sone. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uDavide wasebenzisa isenzakalo esibuhlungu esasimehlele ngenxa yokuziphatha kwakhe okuyisono ukuba eluleke abanye. Wathi: “Ngiyakufundisa abaphambukayo izindlela zakho; nezoni ziyakuphendukela kuwe.”—IHubo 51:13.
Injabulo Itholakala Ngokukhonza UJehova
20. Yiziphi izinzuzo eziwumphumela wokulalela izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga?
20 “Bayajabula labo abezwa izwi likaNkulunkulu nabaligcinayo!” kusho uJesu. (Luka 11:28) Ukulalela izimfuneko zikaNkulunkulu zokulunga kuletha injabulo manje nasesikhathini esizayo esingenakuphela. Uma siye sahlala sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni kwethu, singaqhubeka kuleyo nkambo ngokusebenzisa wonke amalungiselelo uJehova awenzele ukusisiza. Uma siye sawela ekuziphatheni okubi, makusiqinise idolo ukwazi ukuthi uJehova uzimisele ukuthethelela labo abaphenduka ngobuqotho, futhi masizimisele ukuba singalokothi sisiphinde leso sono.—Isaya 55:7.
21. Ukusebenzisa siphi isiyalo somphostoli uPetru okungasisiza sihlale sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni kwethu?
21 Ngokushesha leli zwe elingalungile lizodlula kanye nazo zonke izimo zalo zengqondo nemikhuba yokuziphatha okubi. Ngokulondoloza ubumsulwa bokuziphatha, siyozuza manje naphakade. Umphostoli uPetru wabhala: “Bathandekayo, njengoba nilindele lezizinto, yenzani konke okusemandleni enu ukuba ekugcineni anithole ningenabala, ningenasici futhi nisekuthuleni. . . . Ninalolulwazi kusengaphambili, qaphani ukuba ningamuki nabo ngesiphambeko sabantu abadelela umthetho futhi niwe ekugxileni kwenu siqu.”—2 Petru 3:14, 17.
Ungachaza?
• Kungani kungaba nzima ukuhlala sihlanzekile ekuziphatheni kwethu?
• Yiziphi ezinye zezindlela zokusekela ukuzimisela kwethu ukulandela izindinganiso eziphakeme zokuziphatha?
• Yiziphi izifundo esingazifunda ezonweni zensizwa eshiwo nguSolomoni?
• Isibonelo sikaDavide sisifundisani ngokuphenduka?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Ukwenza abanye bazi ukuthi umiphi endabeni yokuziphatha kuyisivikelo
[Izithombe ekhasini 16, 17]
Ngenxa yokuthi uDavide waphenduka ngobuqotho, uJehova wamthethelela