Ukungasaziphileli Thina
“[UKristu] wafela bonke ukuze labo abaphilayo bangabe besaziphilela bona.”—2 KORINTE 5:15.
1, 2. Imuphi umyalo ongokomBhalo owashukumisela abalandeli bakaJesu bekhulu lokuqala ukuba banqobe ubugovu?
KWAKUWUBUSUKU bokugcina uJesu esemhlabeni. Emahoreni ambalwa nje, wayezonikela ngokuphila kwakhe ngenxa yabo bonke ababeyobonisa ukholo kuye. Ngalobo busuku, uJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe abathembekile izinto eziningi ezibalulekile. Zazihlanganisa nomyalo ophathelene nemfanelo eyayiyoba uphawu olubonakalisa abalandeli bakhe. Wathi: “Ngininika umyalo omusha, wokuba nithandane; njengoba nje nami nginithandile, ukuba nani nithandane. Bonke bayokwazi ngalokho ukuthi ningabafundi bami, uma ninothando phakathi kwenu.”—Johane 13:34, 35.
2 AmaKristu eqiniso kumelwe abonisane uthando lokuzidela futhi akhathalele izidingo zalabo akholwa nabo kuqala kunezawo. Akufanele anqikaze ngisho nokunqikaza ‘ukunikela ngomphefumulo wawo ngenxa yabangane bawo.’ (Johane 15:13) AmaKristu okuqala asabela kanjani kulo myalo omusha? Encwadini yakhe edumile ethi Apology, umlobi wekhulu lesibili uTertullian wacaphuna abanye bethi ngamaKristu: ‘Bhekani indlela abathandana ngayo; bhekani indlela abakulungele ngayo ngisho nokufelana.’
3, 4. (a) Kungani kufanele silwe nobugovu? (b) Sizokhuluma ngani kulesi sihloko?
3 Nathi kumelwe ‘siqhubeke sithwalisana imithwalo yomunye nomunye, kanjalo sigcwalise umthetho kaKristu.’ (Galathiya 6:2) Nokho, ubugovu bungesinye sezithiyo ezinkulu ekulaleleni umthetho kaKristu ‘nasekuthandeni uJehova uNkulunkulu wethu ngayo yonke inhliziyo, umphefumulo, nengqondo yethu futhi sithande omakhelwane bethu njengoba sizithanda thina.’ (Mathewu 22:37-39) Njengoba singaphelele sithambekele ekuzicabangeleni thina. Lokhu kuthambekela kwemvelo kuyakhula uma kuhlangana nezingcindezi zokuphila kwansuku zonke, umoya wokuncintisana esikoleni noma emsebenzini nokuciciyela ukuze nje siphile. Lokhu kuthambekela ebugovwini akunciphi. Umphostoli uPawulu waxwayisa: “Ezinsukwini zokugcina . . . abantu bayoba abazicabangela bona bodwa.”—2 Thimothewu 3:1, 2, Phillips.
4 Lapho esezoqeda inkonzo yakhe yasemhlabeni, uJesu wanika abafundi bakhe izinyathelo ezintathu ezazingabasiza ukuba banqobe ubugovu. Iziphi, futhi singazuza kanjani eziyalezweni zakhe?
Ikhambi Elisebenzayo!
5. Ngesikhathi eshumayela enyakatho yeGalile, uJesu wabembulelani abafundi bakhe, futhi kungani kwabashaqisa lokho?
5 UJesu wayeshumayela eduze kwaseKhesariya Filipi enyakatho yeGalile. Le ndawo enhle, ethulile, kungenzeka yayibonakala ifanelekela ukungcebeleka kunokuzincisha injabulo. Nokho, ngesikhathi elapho, uJesu waqala ukubonisa abafundi bakhe ukuthi “kumelwe aye eJerusalema futhi ahlupheke ngezinto eziningi ezivela emadodeni amadala nabapristi abakhulu nababhali, abulawe, avuswe ngosuku lwesithathu.” (Mathewu 16:21) Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba ukwambulwa kwale ndaba kwabashaqisa kangakanani abafundi bakaJesu, ngoba kuze kube yileso sikhathi babelindele ukuba uMholi wabo amise uMbuso wakhe emhlabeni!—Luka 19:11; IzEnzo 1:6.
6. Kungani uJesu amkhuza ngamazwi aqinile uPetru?
6 UPetru washeshe “wambizela eceleni [uJesu] wamkhuza, ethi: ‘Yiba nomusa kuwe, Nkosi; ngeke neze ube nalesi siphetho.’” UJesu wasabela kanjani? “Efulathela, wathi kuPetru: ‘Yana emva kwami, Sathane! Uyisikhubekiso kimi, ngoba awucabangi imicabango kaNkulunkulu, kodwa eyabantu.’” Yeka ukuthi imibono yabo yayihlukene kanjani! UJesu wayeyamukela ngokuzithandela inkambo yokuzidela uNkulunkulu ayemabele yona—eyayiyoholela ekufeni kwakhe esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa ezinyangeni ezimbalwa. UPetru wayetusa inkambo yokunethezeka. Wathi: “Yiba nomusa kuwe.” Ngokungangabazeki uPetru wayenesisusa esihle lapho esho lokhu. Noma kunjalo, uJesu wamkhuza uPetru ngoba ngaleso sikhathi wayezivumele ukuba athonywe uSathane. Lokho uPetru ayekucabanga kwakungeyona “imicabango kaNkulunkulu, kodwa eyabantu.”—Mathewu 16:22, 23.
7. Njengoba kulotshwe kuMathewu 16:24, iyiphi inkambo uJesu ayitusa kubalandeli bakhe?
7 Nanamuhla sisawezwa amazwi afana nalawo uPetru awasho kuJesu. Ngokuvamile izwe lithi kumuntu ‘zicabangele’ noma lithi ‘uzikhandlelani kangaka?’ Ngakolunye uhlangothi, uJesu watusa isimo sengqondo esihluke ngokuphelele. Watshela abafundi bakhe: “Uma umuntu efuna ukungilandela, makazidele athathe isigxobo sakhe sokuhlushwa angilandele njalo.” (Mathewu 16:24) I-New Interpreter’s Bible, ithi: “La mazwi awabizi abantu bangaphandle ukuba babe abafundi, kunalokho anxusa labo asebesabele obizweni lukaKristu ukuba bazindle ngokushiwo ukuba umfundi.” Izinyathelo ezintathu uJesu azinikeza, njengoba zilotshwe kulo mBhalo, kumelwe zithathwe abantu asebengamakholwa. Ake sicabangele isinyathelo ngasinye ngesikhathi.
8. Chaza ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuzidela.
8 Okokuqala, kumelwe sizidele. Igama lesiGreki elisho “ukuzidela” libonisa ukuzimisela ukuthi cha ezifisweni zobugovu noma ezintweni ezikwenza unethezeke. Ukuzidela akuyona nje indaba yokudela izinjabulo ezithile ngezikhathi ezithile; futhi akusho ukuthi kumelwe sizincishe yonke injabulo noma sizihlukumeze. Ukuthi ‘asisebona abethu’ kusho ukuthi ngokuzithandela sinikela konke ukuphila kwethu nakho konke okwethu kuJehova. (1 Korinte 6:19, 20) Esikhundleni sokuba ukuphila kwethu kugxile kithi ngokwethu, sikugxilisa kuNkulunkulu. Ukuzidela kusho ukuzimisela ukwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, ngisho nalapho lokhu kuphambene nokuthambekela kwethu njengabantu abangaphelele. Sibonisa ukuthi sizinikele kuNkulunkulu kuphela lapho sizinikezela kuye bese sibhapathizwa. Kukho konke ukuphila kwethu sibe sesilwela ukuphila ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwethu.
9. (a) Lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, isigxobo sokuhlushwa sasimelelani? (b) Sisithatha kanjani isigxobo sethu sokuhlushwa?
9 Isinyathelo sesibili siwukuthi kumelwe sithathe isigxobo sethu sokuhlushwa. Ekhulwini lokuqala, isigxobo sokuhlushwa sasimelela ukuhlupheka, ihlazo, nokufa. Ngokuvamile, izephula-mthetho kuphela ezazibulawelwa esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa noma kulengiswe izidumbu zazo esigxotsheni. Ngokusebenzisa le nkulumo, uJesu wabonisa ukuthi umKristu kumelwe akulungele ukwamukela ukushushiswa, ukweyiswa, noma ngisho nokufa, njengoba engeyona ingxenye yezwe. (Johane 15:18-20) Izindinganiso zethu zobuKristu zisenza sihluke, ngakho izwe lingase ‘lisihlambalaze.’ (1 Petru 4:4) Lokhu kungenzeka esikoleni, emsebenzini, noma ngisho ekhaya imbala. (Luka 9:23) Noma kunjalo, sizimisele ukubekezelela ukweyiswa izwe ngoba asisaziphileli thina. UJesu wathi: “Niyajabula lapho abantu benihlambalaza, benishushisa futhi besho yonke inhlobo yento embi ngani, beniqambela amanga ngenxa yami. Jabulani nigxumagxume ngenjabulo, ngoba umvuzo wenu mkhulu emazulwini.” (Mathewu 5:11, 12) Kakade, okubaluleke ngempela ukwamukelwa uNkulunkulu.
10. Ukulandela uJesu njalo kuhilelani?
10 Okwesithathu, uJesu Kristu wathi kumelwe simlandele njalo. Ngokwe-Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, kaW. E. Vine, elithi ukulandela lisho ukuba umata—“umuntu ohambisana nothile endleleni.” Eyoku-1 Johane 2:6 ithi: “Lowo othi uhlala emunye [noNkulunkulu] ungaphansi kwesibopho ngokwakhe sokuqhubeka ehamba njengoba nje lowo [uKristu] ahamba.” Wahamba kanjani uJesu? Indlela uJesu ayemthanda ngayo uYise wasezulwini nabafundi bakhe yayingenaso neze isikhala sobugovu. UPawulu wabhala: “[UKristu] akazijabulisanga yena.” (Roma 15:3) Ngisho nalapho ekhathele noma elambile, uJesu wabeka izidingo zabanye ngaphambi kwezakhe. (Mathewu 6:31-34) UJesu wazikhandla ngamandla nasemsebenzini wokushumayela ngoMbuso nokufundisa. Akufanele yini simlingise njengoba siwufeza ngentshiseko umsebenzi esiwunikiwe ‘wokwenza abantu bazo zonke izizwe babe abafundi, sibafundise ukugcina konke uJesu akuyalile’? (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Kukho konke lokhu, uKristu wayesishiyela isibonelo, futhi kumelwe ‘silandele izinyathelo zakhe eduze.’—1 Petru 2:21.
11. Kungani kubalulekile ukuba sizidele, sithathe isigxobo sethu sokuhlushwa, bese silandela uJesu Kristu njalo?
11 Kubalulekile ukuba sizidele, sithathe isigxobo sethu sokuhlushwa bese sisilandela njalo iSibonelo sethu. Ngokwenza lokhu silwa nobugovu—isithiyo sangempela ekuboniseni uthando lokuzidela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu wathi: “Noma ubani ofuna ukusindisa umphefumulo wakhe uyolahlekelwa yiwo; kodwa noma ubani olahlekelwa ngumphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yami uyowuthola. Ngoba kuyoba nanzuzoni kumuntu uma ezuza izwe lonke kodwa alahlekelwe umphefumulo wakhe? noma, yini umuntu angayinikeza ukuze enane umphefumulo wakhe?”—Mathewu 16:25, 26.
Asikwazi Ukukhonza Amakhosi Amabili
12, 13. (a) Yini eyayikhathaza umbusi osemusha owacela iseluleko sikaJesu? (b) Isiphi iseluleko uJesu asinika le nsizwa, futhi ngani?
12 Ezinyangeni ezimbalwa uJesu egcizelele isidingo sokuba abafundi bakhe bazidele, umbusi othile osemusha weza kuye wathi: “Mfundisi, buhle buni okumelwe ngibenze ukuze ngithole ukuphila okuphakade?” UJesu wamtshela ukuba ‘agcine imiyalo njalo’ wabe esebalula eminye yayo. Le nsizwa yathi: “Ngiyigcinile yonke le.” Kusobala ukuthi lo mlisa wayeqotho futhi wayenze konke okusemandleni akhe ukuba alalele imiyalo yoMthetho. Ngakho wabuza: “Yini engisayintula?” Ephendula, uJesu wacela le nsizwa ukuba yenze into engavamile, wathi: “Uma ufuna ukuphelela, hamba uthengise okungokwakho uphe abampofu, khona-ke uyoba nomcebo ezulwini, bese uza ube ngumlandeli wami.”—Mathewu 19:16-21.
13 UJesu wabona ukuthi ukuze le nsizwa ikhonze uJehova ngomphefumulo wonke, kwakudingeka ihlukane nesithikamezo esikhulu ekuphileni kwayo—umcebo wayo wezinto ezibonakalayo. Umfundi wangempela kaKristu akakwazi ukukhonza amakhosi amabili. ‘Akakwazi ukuba yisikhonzi sikaNkulunkulu neseNgcebo.’ (Mathewu 6:24) Kudingeka abe ‘neso elihle’ eligxile ezintweni ezingokomoya. (Mathewu 6:22) Uma umuntu ehlukana nezinto zakhe abese ezinika abampofu wenza isenzo sokuzidela. Njengoba lo mbusi osemusha ayezolahlekelwa ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo, esikhundleni sazo, uJesu wamthembisa ilungelo eliyigugu kakhulu lokuqongelela ingcebo ezulwini—ingcebo eyayiyosho ukuphila okuphakade futhi ekugcineni eyayiyomholela ethubeni lokubusa noKristu ezulwini. Le nsizwa yayingakulungele ukuzidela. “Yahamba ilusizi, ngoba yayinempahla eningi.” (Mathewu 19:22) Nokho, abanye abalandeli bakaJesu basabela ngendlela ehlukile.
14. Abadobi abane basabela kanjani lapho uJesu ebamema ukuba bamlandele?
14 Eminyakeni emibili ngaphambili, uJesu wayedlulisele isimemo esithi asifane kubadobi abane abangoPetru, u-Andreya, uJakobe, noJohane. Ababili kubo wayebathole bedoba, kanti ababili babelungisa amanetha abo. UJesu wathi kubo: “Ngilandeleni, ngizonenza abadobi babantu.” Bobane bagcina belishiyile ibhizinisi labo lokudoba balandela uJesu ukuphila kwabo konke.—Mathewu 4:18-22.
15. Omunye uFakazi kaJehova wanamuhla wazidela kanjani ukuze alandele uJesu?
15 AmaKristu amaningi namuhla aye alingisa isibonelo salaba badobi abane kunesombusi osemusha ocebile. Aye adela ingcebo nethuba lokuzenzela igama kuleli zwe ukuze akhonze uJehova. UDeborah uthi: “Lapho ngineminyaka engu-22, kwadingeka ngenze isinqumo esibalulekile.” Uyachaza: “Nganginezinyanga ezingaba yisithupha ngifunda iBhayibheli, futhi ngangifuna ukunikezela ukuphila kwami kuJehova, kodwa ekhaya babengafuni nokuzwa. Babengosozigidi, futhi benomuzwa wokuthi ukuba kwami uFakazi kwakuyobathunaza emphakathini. Banginika amahora angu-24 okunquma ukuthi ngikhethani—ukuphila kokunethezeka noma iqiniso. Uma ngingahlukani noFakazi ngokuphelele, ngangizokhishwa efeni lakithi. UJehova wangisiza ngenza isinqumo esifanele futhi wanginika amandla okuphila ngokuvumelana naso. Sengineminyaka engu-42 ngisenkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, futhi angizisoli nakancane. Ngokufulathela ukuphila kobugovu, kokuphishekela injabulo, ngiye ngabalekela ubuze nokungajabuli engikubonayo kwabaningi emndenini wakithi. Mina nomyeni wami siye sasiza abantu abangaphezu kwekhulu ukuba bafunde iqiniso. Laba bantwana abangokomoya bayigugu kimi ngaphezu kwanoma iyiphi ingcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo.” Izigidi zabanye oFakazi BakaJehova zivumelana naye. Awuvumi yini nawe?
16. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi asisaziphileli thina?
16 Isifiso sokungaziphileli thina siye sashukumisela oFakazi BakaJehova abayizinkulungwane ukuba bakhonze njengamaphayona, noma abamemezeli boMbuso besikhathi esigcwele. Abanye, abazimo zabo azibavumeli ukuba bahlanganyele enkonzweni yesikhathi esigcwele, bahlakulela umoya wobuphayona futhi basekele umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso ngangokusemandleni abo. Abazali babonisa umoya ofanayo lapho benikela ngesikhathi sabo esiningi futhi bedela izithakazelo zabo ukuze baqeqeshe izingane zabo ngokomoya. Sonke, ngandlela-thile, singabonisa ukuthi izithakazelo zoMbuso ziza kuqala ekuphileni kwethu.—Mathewu 6:33.
Uthando Lukabani Olusiqhubezelayo?
17. Yini esishukumisela ukuba sizidele?
17 Akulula neze ukulandela inkambo yothando lokuzidela. Kodwa cabanga ngalokho okusiqhubezelayo. UPawulu wabhala: “Uthando uKristu analo luyasiqhubezela, ngoba yilokhu esikubonile, ukuthi umuntu oyedwa wafela bonke . . . Futhi wafela bonke ukuze labo abaphilayo bangabe besaziphilela bona, kodwa baphilele lowo owabafela wabuye wavuswa.” (2 Korinte 5:14, 15) Yilolu thando lukaKristu olusiqhubezela ukuba singabe sisaziphilela thina. Yeka ukuthi luyisisusa esinamandla kangakanani! Njengoba uKristu asifela, asizizwa yini sibophekile ngaphakathi ukuba simphilele? Ingani ukwazisa uthando olujulile uNkulunkulu noKristu abasibonise lona kwasishukumisela ukuba sinikezele ukuphila kwethu kuNkulunkulu futhi sibe abafundi bakaKristu.—Johane 3:16; 1 Johane 4:10, 11.
18. Kungani inkambo yokuzidela izuzisa?
18 Ingabe ukungaziphileli thina kuyazuzisa? Esehambile umbusi osemusha ocebile owayenqabe isimemo sikaKristu, uPetru wathi kuJesu: “Bheka! Sishiyé zonke izinto sakulandela; siyotholani ngempela?” (Matthewu 19:27) UPetru nabanye abaphostoli babezidele ngempela. Wawuyoba yini umvuzo wabo? UJesu waqale wakhuluma ngelungelo ababeyoba nalo lokubusa naye ezulwini. (Mathewu 19:28) Ngaso leso sikhathi, uJesu wabhekisela ezibusisweni bonke abalandeli bakhe ababeyozijabulela. Wathi: “Akekho oshiyé indlu noma abafowabo noma odadewabo noma unina noma uyise noma abantwana noma amasimu ngenxa yami nangenxa yezindaba ezinhle ongeke athole ngokuphindwe ngekhulu manje kule nkathi yesikhathi . . . futhi esimisweni sezinto esizayo ukuphila okuphakade.” (Marku 10:29, 30) Sithola okuningi ngaphezu kwalokho esikudelile. Obaba, omama, abafowethu, odadewethu nabantwana abangokomoya ababalulekile yini kakhulu ngaphezu kwanoma yini esiye sayidela ngenxa yoMbuso? Ubani owaphila ukuphila okuzuzisa ngokwengeziwe—uPetru noma umbusi osemusha ocebile?
19. (a) Injabulo yangempela ixhomekephi? (b) Sizoxoxa ngani esihlokweni esilandelayo?
19 UJesu wabonisa ngamazwi nangezenzo zakhe ukuthi injabulo itholakala ngokupha nangokukhonza, hhayi ngobugovu. (Mathewu 20:28; IzEnzo 20:35) Uma singasaziphileli thina kodwa silandela uKristu njalo, kwamanje saneliseka kakhulu ekuphileni futhi sibe nethemba lokuphila okuphakade esikhathini esizayo. Yebo, lapho sizidela, uJehova uba uMnikazi wethu. Ngakho-ke siba yizigqila zikaNkulunkulu. Kungani lobu bugqila buzuzisa? Buzithinta kanjani izinqumo esizenzayo ekuphileni? Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngale mibuzo.
Usakhumbula?
• Kungani kufanele silwe nokuthambekela kwethu ebugovwini?
• Kusho ukuthini ukuzidela, sithathe isigxobo sethu sokuhlushwa, bese silandela uJesu njalo?
• Yini esishukumisela ukuba singabe sisaziphilela thina?
• Kungani ukuphila ukuphila kokuzidela kuzuzisa?
[Isithombe ekhasini 11]
“Yiba nomusa kuwe ngokwakho, Nkosi”
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
Yini eyavimbela umbusi osemusha ukuba alandele uJesu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 15]
Uthando luqhubezela oFakazi BakaJehova ukuba babe abamemezeli boMbuso abashisekayo