Yembathani Ubumnene!

“Njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu, abangcwele nabathandekayo, yembathani ububele benhliziyo, nesisa, nokuzithoba, nobumnene, nokubhekakade.”—KOLOSE 3:12.

 1-3. KweyabaseKolose 3:12-14, wathini umphostoli uPawulu ngobumnene nangezinye izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu?

UJEHOVA unikeza abantu bakhe izingubo zokugqoka ezingokomfanekiso ezingcono kakhulu. Eqinisweni, bonke abafisa ukuvunyelwa nguye kumelwe bagqoke isambatho esinemicu eyinguga yobumnene. Lemfanelo iyaduduza ngoba inciphisa ukucindezeleka ezimweni ezicindezelayo. Futhi iyavikela, ngoba iphebeza ukuxabana.

² Umphostoli uPawulu wanxusa amaKristu agcotshiwe ayekanye nawo: “Njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu, abangcwele nabathandekayo, yembathani ububele benhliziyo, nesisa, nokuzithoba, nobumnene, nokubhekakade.” (Kolose 3:12) Inkathi yegama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “yembathani” ibonisa isinyathelo okumelwe sithathwe ngomuzwa wokuphuthuma. Abagcotshiwe, ababekhethiwe, bengcwele, futhi bethandwa uNkulunkulu, kwakumelwe basheshe ekwembatheni izimfanelo ezinjalo ezinjengobumnene.

³ UPawulu wanezela: “Nibekezelelane, nithethelelane, uma umuntu enensolo komunye; njengokuba neNkosi yanithethelela, yenzani njalo nani. Kepha phezu kwakho konke lokho yembathani uthando oluyisibopho sokuphelela.” (Kolose 3:13, 14) Uthando, ubumnene, nezinye izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu zikwenza kube nokwenzeka ngoFakazi BakaJehova ukuba “bahlalisane ndawonye bemunye.”—IHubo 133:1-3.

Kudingeka Abelusi Abamnene

 4. AmaKristu eqiniso agqoka isembatho esithungwe ngaziphi izimfanelo?

⁴ AmaKristu eqiniso alwela ‘ukubulala amalungu awo asemhlabeni, ubufebe, nokungcola, nokuhuheka, nokukhanuka, nesangabe,’ futhi asebenzela ukukhumula noma isiphi isembatho esidala esinemicu yolaka, intukuthelo, ububi, ukuhlambalaza, nenkulumo engcolile. (Kolose 3:5-11) Akhumula “ubuntu obudala” (ngokwezwi nezwi, “umuntu omdala”) futhi embatha “ubuntu obusha” (noma, “umuntu omusha”), isembatho esifanelekile. (Efesu 4:22-24, Kingdom Interlinear) Isembatho sawo esisha, esithungwe ngesihawu, umusa, ukuthobeka kwengqondo, ubumnene, nokubhekakade, siwasiza ukuba axazulule izinkinga futhi aphile ukuphila kokwesaba uNkulunkulu.—Mathewu 5:9; 18:33; Luka 6:36; Filipi 4:2, 3.

 5. Liphathwa ngayiphi indlela ibandla lobuKristu eyenza kujabulise ukuba yingxenye yalo?

⁵ Abantu ababhekwa njengabaphumelelayo kulelizwe ngokuvamile banezinhliziyo ezilukhuni, baze banonya nokuba nonya. (IzAga 29:22) Yeka ukuthi isimo sihluka ngendlela eqabula kanjani phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova! Ibandla lobuKristu aliphathwa ngendlela abanye abantu abaqhuba ngayo ibhizinisi—ngendlela ephumelelayo kodwa enokhahlo engenza abantu bangajabuli. Kunalokho, kuyajabulisa ukuba ingxenye yebandla. Esinye isizathu siwukuthi ubumnene buyisici sokuhlakanipha esibonakaliswa amaKristu ngokuvamile futhi sibonakaliswa ikakhulukazi amadoda afanelekela ukufundisa akholwa kanye nawo. Yebo, injabulo ibangelwa isiyalo neseluleko esinikezwa ngabadala abafundisa “ngobumnene bokuhlakanipha.”—Jakobe 3:13.

 6. Kungani abadala abangamaKristu kumelwe babe mnene?

⁶ Umoya, noma isimo sengqondo esivelele sabantu bakaNkulunkulu sifuna ukuba amadoda aphathiswé ukuba ngababonisi ebandleni abe mnene, acabangele, futhi abe aqondayo. (1 Thimothewu 3:1-3) Izinceku zikaJehova zinjengezimvu ezinesizotha, hhayi izimbuzi ezidazayo, iminyuzi enenkani, noma izimpisi ezihahayo. (IHubo 32:9; Luka 10:3) Njengoba zinjengezimvu, zidinga ukuphathwa ngobumnene nangothando. (IzEnzo 20:28, 29) Yebo, uNkulunkulu ulindele ukuba abadala babe mnene, babe nomusa, uthando, nokubekezela ekusebenzelaneni kwabo nezimvu zakhe.—Hezekeli 34:17-24.

 7. Iyiphi indlela abadala okufanele bayale ngayo abanye noma basize ngayo abagulayo ngokomoya?

⁷ ‘Njengenceku kaKristu,’ umdala ‘kudingeka abe mnene kubo bonke, abe nesu lokufundisa, abekezele, abalaye ngomoya omnene abamelene naye, kumbe uNkulunkulu angabanika ukuphenduka, baze balazisise iqiniso.’ (2 Thimothewu 2:24, 25) Abelusi abangamaKristu kufanele babonise ukucabangela kothando lapho bezama ukusiza abagulayo ngokomoya, ngoba izimvu ezikaNkulunkulu. Abadala akumelwe baziphathe ngendlela umalusi oqashiwe abengaziphatha ngayo kodwa kudingeka babe mnene, njengoMalusi Omuhle, uJesu Kristu.—Johane 10:11-13.

 8. Kwenzekani kuMose owayemnene, futhi ngani?

⁸ Umdala ngezinye izikhathi angase akuthole kunzima ukulondoloza umoya omnene. “UMose wayemnene kunabo bonke abantu ababesebusweni bomhlaba.” (Numeri 12:3) Nokho, lapho amaIsrayeli ephelelwe amanzi eKadeshi, axabana noMose futhi ambeka icala ngokuwahola ewakhipha eGibithe ewayisa ehlane eliwugwadule. Naphezu kwakho konke lokho uMose ayekukhuthazelele ngokuthobeka, waphahluka, wakhuluma ngokhahlo. Yena noAroni bama phambi kwabantu futhi badonsela ukunakekela kubo ngokwabo, uMose wathi: “Yizwani manje nina-bahlubuki; siyakunivezela yini amanzi kulelidwala na?” UMose wabe eseshaya idwala ngentonga kabili, futhi uNkulunkulu wabangela ukuba kuphume “amanzi amaningi” ukuze kuphuze abantu nezilwane zabo. UJehova wathukuthela ngoba uMose noAroni babengazange bamngcwelise, ngakho uMose wancishwa ilungelo lokuholela amaIsrayeli eZweni Lesithembiso.—Numeri 20:1-13; Duteronomi 32:50-52; IHubo 106:32, 33.

 9. Ubumnene bomdala bungavivinywa kanjani?

⁹ Ubumnene bomdala ongumKristu nabo bungase buvivinywe ngezindlela ezihlukahlukene. Ngokwesibonelo, uPawulu waxwayiswa uThimothewu ngokuthi kwakungaba khona othile ‘okhukhumele’ futhi ‘ophethwe ukubuzana nokuphikisana ngamazwi.’ UPawulu wanezela: “Okuvela kukho umhawu, nombango, nokuhlambalaza, nokuzindla okubi, nokuxabana kwabantu abangqondo yabo yonakele, abamukwé iqiniso.” Umbonisi uThimothewu kwakungamelwe enze izinto ngokhahlo kodwa kwakumelwe ‘azibalekele lezozinto,’ futhi kwakumelwe ‘ajonge ukulunga, nokumesaba uNkulunkulu, nokukholwa, nothando, nokubekezela, nobumnene.’—1 Thimothewu 6:4, 5, 11.

10. Yini uThithu okwakumelwe ayikhumbuze amabandla?

¹⁰ Nakuba abadala kudingeka babe mnene, kumelwe bakumelele ngokuqinile okulungileyo. UThithu wayenjalo, ekhumbuza ababehlanganyela namabandla aseKrethe ukuba “bangahlambalazi-muntu, bangabi-yizilwi, babe-ngabavileyo, bebonakalisa ubumnene obukhulu kubantu bonke.” (Thithu 3:1, 2) Ukuze abonise ukuthi kungani amaKristu kufanele abe mnene kubo bonke, uThithu kwakumelwe abonise indlela uJehova ayeye waba nomusa nothando ngayo. UNkulunkulu wayengasindisanga abakholwayo ngenxa yanoma yiziphi izenzo zokulunga ababezenzile kodwa ngenxa yomusa wakhe ngoJesu Kristu. Ubumnene nokubekezela kukaJehova kusho insindiso nakithi. Ngakho-ke, njengoThithu abadala bosuku lwanamuhla kufanele bakhumbuze amalungu amabandla ukuba azithobe kuNkulunkulu, amlingise ngokuphatha abanye ngendlela emnene.—Thithu 3:3-7; 2 Petru 3:9, 15.

Ubumnene Buqondisa Umeluleki Ohlakaniphile

11. NgokweyabaseGalathiya 6:1, 2, iseluleko kufanele sinikezwe kanjani?

¹¹ Kuthiwani lapho imvu engokomfanekiso yonile? UPawulu wathi: “Bazalwane, uma umuntu ehlelwa yisiphambeko, nina-bomoya mbuyiseni onjalo ngomoya wobumnene; uzibheke wena, funa uyengwe nawe. Thwalisanani imithwalo yenu, nigcwalise kanjalo umthetho kaKristu.” (Galathiya 6:1, 2) Iseluleko siba esiphumelela ngokwengeziwe uma sinikezwa ngomoya wobumnene. Ngisho nalapho abadala bezama ukululeka umuntu othukuthele, kufanele babonise ukuzithiba, beqaphela ukuthi ‘ulimi oluthambileyo luphula amathambo.’ (IzAga 25:15) Umuntu olukhuni njengethambo angathanjiswa yinkulumo eshiwo ngobumnene, futhi ubulukhuni bakhe bungase buphele.

12. Umoya omnene umsiza kanjani umeluleki?

¹² UJehova unguMfundisi omnene, futhi indlela yakhe yobumnene yokufundisa iyaphumelela ebandleni. Lokhu kunjalo ikakhulukazi lapho abadala bekuthola kudingekile ukweluleka labo abafuna usizo olungokomoya. Umfundi uJakobe wabhala: “Ngubani ohlakaniphileyo nowaziyo phakathi kwenu na? Makakhombise ngenkambo enhle imisebenzi yakhe ngobumnene bokuhlakanipha.” Ubumnene busuka enhloniphweni nasekubongeni ngenxa ‘yokuhlakanipha kwaphezulu,’ okuhambisana nokukuqaphela ngesizotha ukulinganiselwa komuntu siqu. Umoya omnene kanye nokuthobeka kuvikela umeluleki ukuba angakhulumi amazwi futhi enze amaphutha onakalisayo futhi kwenza ukuba kube lula ukwamukela iseluleko sakhe.—Jakobe 3:13, 17.

13. ‘Ubumnene bokuhlakanipha’ buyithinta kanjani indlela iseluleko esinikezwa ngayo?

¹³ ‘Ubumnene bokuhlakanipha’ buvimbela umeluleki ukuba angabi ophahluka ngokungacabangi noma abe nokhahlo. Nokho, ukucabangela ubungane noma ukufuna ukuthandwa ngothile akumelwe kushukumisele umdala ukuba asho izinto eziklanyelwe ukuthenga amehlo esikhundleni sokusinikeza ngobumnene iseluleko esiqondile esisekelwe eZwini likaNkulunkulu. (IzAga 24:24-26; 28:23) Iseluleko uAmnoni asithola kumzala wakhe sasanelisa isifiso sakhe, kodwa walahlekelwa ukuphila kwakhe. (2 Samuweli 13:1-19, 28, 29) Ngakho-ke, abadala bosuku lwanamuhla akumelwe balulaze izimiso zeBhayibheli ngenjongo yokudambisa unembeza womuntu othile, ngoba ukwenza kanjalo kungafaka ukuphila kwakhe engozini. NjengoPawulu, abadala akumelwe bakugweme ukutshela abanye “sonke iseluleko sikaNkulunkulu.” (IzEnzo 20:26, 27, qhathanisa neNW; 2 Thimothewu 4:1-4) Umeluleki ovuthiwe ongumKristu ubonisa ukwesaba uNkulunkulu futhi unikeza iseluleko esilungile ngobumnene bokuhlakanipha.

14. Kungani umdala kufanele aqaphele ukuba angenzi izinqumo abanye okufanele bazenzele zona?

¹⁴ Ubumnene obuhambisana nokuhlakanipha kwasezulwini buyovimbela umdala ekufuneni izinto ngokhahlo. Kufanele futhi aqaphele ukuthi akufanelekile futhi akukhona ukuhlakanipha ukuba enzele omunye umuntu izinqumo okufanele azenzele zona ngokwakhe. Umdala angabhekana nemiphumela uma ebekade enzele abanye izinqumo, futhi angahlanganyela ecaleni lanoma imuphi umphumela omubi. Umdala angadonsela ukunakekela kulokho iBhayibheli elikushoyo, kodwa uma ungekho umthetho ongokomBhalo ngokuqondene naleyondaba, ukwahlulela komuntu siqu nonembeza kumelwe kunqume ukuthi yini azoyenza noma angeke ayenze. Njengoba uPawulu asho: “Yilowo nalowo uyakuthwala owakhe umthwalo.” (Galathiya 6:5; Roma 14:12) Nokho, umuntu obuzayo angase asizwe ukuba enze isinqumo esifanele ngokuba umdala abuze imibuzo esiza lowomuntu ukuba acabange ngemibhalo ehlobene nezindlela ezihlukahlukene ezikhona angakhetha kuzo.

15. Yini okufanele yenziwe uma umdala engayazi impendulo yombuzo obuziwe?

¹⁵ Uma umdala engayazi impendulo yombuzo othile, akufanele aphendule ngenjongo yokulondoloza isithunzi. Ubumnene bokuhlakanipha buyomvimbela ekuqageleni nasekubeni mhlawumbe anikeze impendulo engafanele kamuva engabangela ukucindezeleka. Kukhona “isikhathi sokuthula nesikhathi sokukhuluma.” (UmShumayeli 3:7; qhathanisa nezAga 21:23.) Umdala kufanele ‘akhulume’ kuphela lapho eyazi impendulo yombuzo noma eye wenza ukucwaninga okwanele ukuze anikeze impendulo enembile. Kuwukuhlakanipha ukungayiphenduli imibuzo edinga impendulo ecatshangelwayo.—IzAga 12:8; 17:27; 1 Thimothewu 1:3-7; 2 Thimothewu 2:14.

Ukubaluleka Kwabeluleki Abaningi

16, 17. Kungani kungokufanelekile ukuba abadala bathintane nabanye?

¹⁶ Umthandazo nokutadisha kuyosiza abadala ukuba baphendule imibuzo futhi basingathe izinkinga ezinzima, kodwa kufanele kukhunjulwe ukuthi “ngobuningi babeluleki [amasu] ayakuma.” (IzAga 15:22) Ukuthintana nabanye abadala kuba nomphumela wokuhlanganiswa ndawonye okunenzuzo kokuhlakanipha. (IzAga 13:20) Akubona bonke abadala abanokuhlangenwe nakho noma ulwazi lweBhayibheli okulinganayo. Ngakho, ubumnene bokuhlakanipha kufanele bushukumisele abadala abangenakho okuhlangenwe nakho okuningi ukuba bathintane nabadala abanolwazi oluningana nokuhlangenwe nakho okwengeziwe, ikakhulukazi lapho kudingeka ukuba kusingathwe udaba olungathi sína.

¹⁷ Lapho kukhethwa abadala ukuba basingathe udaba olungathi sína, basengalufuna usizo ngasese. UMose wakhetha “amadoda anamandla amesabayo uNkulunkulu, amadoda athembekileyo, azonda inzuzo engalungile” ukuze amsize ekwahluleleni amaIsrayeli. Nakuba ayengabadala, ayengenalo ulwazi nokuhlangenwe nakho okuningi njengoMose. Ngakho, ‘izindaba ezilukhuni azidlulisela kuMose, kepha zonke izindaba ezincane zahlulelwa yiwo uqobo.’ (Eksodusi 18:13-27) Khona-ke, uma kudingekile abadala abasingatha icala elinzima namuhla bangafuna usizo ngokufanelekile kubabonisi abanokuhlangenwe nakho, nakuba bengazenzela ngokwabo isinqumo sokugcina.

18. Lapho kusingathwa izindaba zokwahlulela, yiziphi izici ezingujuqu eziqinisekisa ukuthi izinqumo ezizokwenziwa zingezifanele?

¹⁸ IMishnah yamaJuda ithi kwaIsrayeli labo ababakha izigungu zokwahlulela zamadolobhana babehlukahluka ngenani kuye ngokuthi icala lingelingathi sína kangakanani. Kubaluleke ngempela ukuba khona kwabeluleki abaningi, nakuba amanani kungewona kuphela aqinisekisa ukuthi into ethile ilungile, ngoba iningi lingalenza iphutha. (Eksodusi 23:2) ImiBhalo nomoya kaNkulunkulu kuyizici ezingujuqu eziqinisekisa ukuthi izinqumo ezizokwenziwa zingezifanele yini. Ukuhlakanipha nobumnene kuyoshukumisela amaKristu ukuba azithobe kulezici.

Ukufakaza Ngobumnene

19. Ubumnene bubasiza kanjani abantu bakaJehova ukuba bafakaze kwabanye?

¹⁹ Ubumnene futhi busiza izinceku zikaJehova ukuba zifakaze kubantu abanezimo zengqondo ezihlukahlukene. (1 Korinte 9:22, 23) Ngenxa yokuthi uJesu wayefundisa ngobumnene, abantu abathobekile babengamesabi, njengoba babesaba abaholi benkolo abanokhahlo. (Mathewu 9:36) Yebo, izindlela zakhe zobumnene zakhanga “izimvu,” hhayi “izimbuzi” ezimbi. (Mathewu 25:31-46; Johane 3:16-21) Nakuba uJesu asebenzisa amagama aqinile lapho ekhuluma nabazenzisi abanjengezimbuzi, oFakazi BakaJehova kumelwe babe mnene lapho bememezela izigijimi zesahlulelo sikaNkulunkulu namuhla ngoba abanakho ukuqonda negunya okufana nalokho uJesu ayenakho. (Mathewu 23:13-36) Njengoba bezwa isigijimi soMbuso sishunyayelwa ngobumnene, ‘bonke [abathambekele, NW] ekuphileni okuphakade bayakholwa,’ njengoba kwenza abantu abanjengezimvu abezwa uJesu.—IzEnzo 13:48.

20. Umfundi weBhayibheli uzuza kanjani lapho efundiswa ngobumnene?

²⁰ Kutholakala imiphumela emihle ngokufakaza nokufundisa abanye ngobumnene nangokubakhanga ngokusebenzisa amaphuzu anengqondo, izimiso zeBhayibheli, neqiniso. “Mngcweliseni uKristu abe-yiNkosi ezinhliziyweni zenu,” kubhala uPetru, “nihlale ningabalungele ukubaphendula bonke abanibuza isizathu sethemba elikini, kodwa kube-ngobumnene nangokwesaba.” (1 Petru 3:15, 16) Umfundi ofundiswa ngendlela yobumnene angagxilisa ingqondo ekwazisweni kunokuba aphazanyiswe noma akhutshekiswe nokukhutshekiswa yindlela enokhahlo nokuphikisana. NjengoPawulu, izikhonzi ezifundisa ngobumnene zingathi: “Asibekeli-muntu nasinye isikhubekiso nangokukodwa, funa inkonzo yethu isolwe.” (2 Korinte 6:3) Ngisho nabaphikisi ngezinye izikhathi basabela kahle kulabo abafundisa ngobumnene.

Ubumnene Buyadingeka Kubo Bonke

21, 22. Ubumnene bubazuzisa kanjani bonke abantu bakaJehova?

²¹ Ubumnene bobuKristu akumelwe buboniswe ngenjongo yokuhlaba umxhwele labo abangaphandle kwenhlangano kaJehova. Lemfanelo ibalulekile futhi ebuhlotsheni obukhona phakathi kwabantu bakaNkulunkulu. (Kolose 3:12-14; 1 Petru 4:8) Amabandla ayakhiwa ngokomoya lapho abadala abamnene nezinceku ezikhonzayo besebenza ndawonye ngokuzwana. Ukubonisa ubumnene nezinye izimfanelo zokwesaba uNkulunkulu kubalulekile kubo bonke abantu bakaJehova ngoba “munye umthetho” osebenza kubo bonke.—Eksodusi 12:49; Levitikusi 24:22.

²² Ubumnene bunengxenye ekuthuleni nasenjabulweni yabantu bakaNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, bufanele bube yingxenye yemicu yezimfanelo ezakha isembatho esigqokwa yiwo wonke amaKristu ekhaya, ebandleni, nakwezinye izindawo. Yebo, zonke izinceku zikaJehova kudingeka zembathe ubumnene.

Ubungaphendula Kanjani?

◻ Kungani abadala abangamaKristu kumelwe babe mnene?

◻ Ubumnene bumqondisa kanjani umeluleki ohlakaniphile?

◻ Kungani kubalulekile ukuba kube nabeluleki abaningi?

◻ Kungani kunenzuzo ukufakaza ngobumnene?

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Abantu bakaJehova banjengezimvu futhi badinga ukuphathwa ngobumnene

[Umthombo]

Garo Nalbandian

[Isithombe ekhasini 19]

Ubumnene benza abantu bakaJehova bakwazi ukufakaza kubantu abanezimo zengqondo ezihlukahlukene