Yini Ekushukumisela Ukuba Ukhonze UNkulunkulu?

“Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke nangezikhwepha zakho zonke.”—MARKU 12:30.

 1, 2. Yiziphi izinto ezivusa amadlingozi ezifezwayo ngokuphathelene nomsebenzi wokushumayela?

INANI langempela lemoto alinqunywa nje kuphela ukubukeka kwayo. Ungwengwezi lukapende lungase luthuthukise ukubukeka kwayo kwangaphandle, futhi umklamo obukeka kahle ungase ukhange lowo okungenzeka abe umthengi wayo; kodwa okubaluleke kakhulu izinto ezingabonakali kalula—injini ehambisa imoto, kanye nazo zonke ezinye izinto eziyiqondisayo.

² Kungokufanayo nangenkonzo yomKristu eya kuNkulunkulu. OFakazi BakaJehova bavamile emisebenzini yokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Unyaka ngamunye, amahora angaphezu kwayizigidi eziyinkulungwane asetshenziswa ekushumayeleni izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuqhutshwa izifundo zeBhayibheli eziyizigidi, futhi labo ababhapathizwayo babalelwa emakhulwini ezinkulungwane. Uma ungummemezeli wezindaba ezinhle, uye waba nengxenye—ngisho noma ingase ibonakale incane—kulezi zibalo ezivusa amadlingozi. Futhi ungaqiniseka ukuthi “uNkulunkulu akayena ongalungile ukuba akhohlwe umsebenzi [wakho] nothando [owalubonisa] kulo igama lakhe.”—Heberu 6:10.

 3. Ngaphandle kwemisebenzi, yini amaKristu okufanele ayikhathalele kakhulu, futhi ngani?

³ Nokho, ukubaluleka kwangempela kwenkonzo yethu—sisonke noma ngabanye—akulinganiswa nje kuphela ngamanani. Njengoba uSamuweli atshelwa, “umuntu ubheka okusemehlweni, kepha uJehova ubheka okusenhliziyweni.” (1 Samuweli 16:7) Yebo, okubalulekile kuNkulunkulu yilokho esiyikho ngaphakathi. Kuyavunywa, imisebenzi ibalulekile. Izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu zihlobisa imfundiso kaJehova futhi zikhange labo okungenzeka babe abafundi. (Mathewu 5:14-16; Thithu 2:10; 2 Petru 3:11) Nokho, imisebenzi yethu ayikuvezi konke. UJesu ovusiwe wayenesizathu sokukhathazeka ngokuphathelene nebandla lase-Efesu—naphezu komlando walo wemisebenzi emihle. “Ngiyazazi izenzo zakho,” elitshela. “Noma kunjalo, nginalokhu ngawe, ukuthi ulushiyile uthando owawunalo ekuqaleni.”—IsAmbulo 2:1-4.

 4. (a) Iyiphi indlela inkonzo yethu eya kuNkulunkulu engaba ngayo umsebenzi oyinsakavukela? (b) Kungani kunesidingo sokuzihlola?

⁴ Kukhona ingozi. Ngemva kwesikhathi esithile, inkonzo yethu eya kuNkulunkulu ingase ibe umsebenzi oyinsakavukela. Omunye wesifazane ongumKristu wayichaza ngalendlela: “Ngangiya enkonzweni yasensimini, emihlanganweni, ngitadisha, ngithandaza—kodwa konke kwakuzenzakalela, ngingezwa lutho.” Yiqiniso, izinceku zikaNkulunkulu kumelwe zituswe lapho zizikhandla naphezu kokuzizwa ‘ziphonswa phansi’ noma ‘zidangele.’ (2 Korinte 4:9; 7:6) Nokho, lapho inqubo yethu yobuKristu ingathuthuki, kudingeka sicinge ngaphakathi enjinini, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Ngisho nezimoto ezingcono ukuzedlula zonke zidinga ukulungiswa ngezikhathi ezithile; ngokufanayo, wonke amaKristu kudingeka azihlole njalo. (2 Korinte 13:5) Abanye bangayibona imisebenzi yethu, kodwa abanakukuqonda okushukumisa izenzo zethu. Ngakho-ke, ngamunye wethu kufanele akhathazeke ngalombuzo: ‘Yini engishukumisela ukuba ngikhonze uNkulunkulu?’

Izithiyo Zesisusa Esifanele

 5. Imuphi umyalo uJesu athi ungowokuqala kunayo yonke?

⁵ Lapho ebuzwa ukuthi imuphi ongowokuqala kunayo yonke imithetho eyanikezwa u-Israyeli, uJesu akacaphunanga umyalo ogxile ekubukekeni kwangaphandle, kodwa ogxile esisuseni sangaphakathi: “Kumelwe uthande uJehova uNkulunkulu wakho ngenhliziyo yakho yonke nangomphefumulo wakho wonke nangengqondo yakho yonke nangezikhwepha zakho zonke.” (Marku 12:28-30) Ngaleyondlela uJesu waveza lokho okufanele kube amandla aqhubezelayo enkonzweni yethu eya kuNkulunkulu—uthando.

 6, 7. (a) Iyiphi indlela uSathane aye wahlasela ngayo umkhaya ngobuqili, futhi ngani? (2 Korinte 2:11) (b) Indlela umuntu akhuliswe ngayo ingasithonya kanjani isimo sakhe sengqondo ngokuphathelene negunya laphezulu?

⁶ USathane ufuna ukuthiya ikhono lethu lokuhlakulela imfanelo ebalulekile yothando. Ukuze afeze lokhu, enye indlela ayisebenzisayo iwukuhlasela umkhaya. Ngani? Ngoba lapha yilapho umbono wethu wokuqala nohlala njalo ngokuphathelene nothando wakheka khona. USathane usazi kahle isimiso seBhayibheli sokuthi lokho umuntu akufunde eseyingane kungaba usizo lapho esemdala. (IzAga 22:6) Lapho sisebancane, uzama ngobuqili ukusonta umcabango wethu ngokuphathelene nothando. ‘Njengonkulunkulu walesi simiso sezinto,’ uSathane ubona izinjongo zakhe zifezwa kahle lapho abaningi bekhulela emakhaya angezona izindawo zokukhosela ezinothando kodwa ayizinkundla zempi yenzondo, ulaka, nenhlamba.—2 Korinte 4:4; Efesu 4:31, 32; 6:4, umbhalo waphansi we-NW; Kolose 3:21.

⁷ Incwadi ethi Ukwenza Ukuphila Komkhaya Wakho Kujabulise yaphawula ukuthi indlela ubaba afeza ngayo indima yakhe yobuzali “ingaba nethonya eliphawulekayo esimweni sengqondo sakamuva sezingane zakhe ngokuphathelene negunya, kokubili elabantu nelaphezulu.”a Enye indoda engumKristu eyakhuliswa ngesandla esiqinile sikababa onokhahlo iyavuma: “Kimi, ukulalela uJehova kulula; ukumthanda kunzima kakhulu.” Yiqiniso, ukulalela kubalulekile, ngoba emehlweni kaNkulunkulu “ukulalela kuhle kunomhlatshelo.” (1 Samuweli 15:22) Kodwa yini engasisiza ukuba sidlulele ngalé kokulalela nje futhi sihlakulele uthando ngoJehova njengamandla ashukumisayo okukhulekela kwethu?

“Uthando UKristu Analo Luyasiphoqelela”

 8, 9. Umhlatshelo kaJesu wesihlengo kufanele ulushukumise kanjani uthando lwethu ngoJehova?

⁸ Isisusa esikhulu kunazo zonke ekuhlakuleleni uthando lomphefumulo wonke ngoJehova ukwazisa ngomhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu. “Ngalokhu uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwabonakaliswa ngokuqondene nathi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ezweni ukuze sizuze ukuphila ngayo.” (1 Johane 4:9) Lapho nje sesisiqonda futhi sisazisa, lesi senzo sothando sivusa ukusabela kothando. “Sinothando, ngoba [uJehova] wasithanda kuqala.”—1 Johane 4:19.

⁹ UJesu wasamukela ngokuzithandela isabelo sakhe sokukhonza njengoMsindisi wabantu. “Ngalokhu sesiyalwazi uthando, ngoba lowo wanikela umphefumulo wakhe ngenxa yethu.” (1 Johane 3:16; Johane 15:13) Uthando lukaJesu lokuzidela kufanele luvuse ukusabela kokwazisa kithi. Ngokwesibonelo: Ake sithi uye wahlengwa ekuminzeni. Ingabe ubungamane nje uye ekhaya, uzisule, futhi ukhohlwe yikho? Ngokuqinisekile akunjalo! Ubuyozizwa ukweleta umuntu okophulile. Phela, ukweleta lowo muntu ukuphila kwakho. Ingabe akukhona lokho kanye esikukweleta uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu? Ngaphandle kwesihlengo, ngamunye wethu ubeyominza esonweni nasekufeni, ngomqondo ongokomfanekiso. Kunalokho, ngenxa yalesi senzo esikhulu sothando, sinethemba lokuphila kuze kube phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—Roma 5:12, 18; 1 Petru 2:24.

10. (a) Singasenza kanjani isihlengo sibe into esebenza kithina siqu? (b) Uthando uKristu analo lusiphoqelela kanjani?

¹⁰ Zindla ngesihlengo. Senze sisebenze kuwe siqu, njengoba kwenza uPawulu: “Ngempela, ukuphila engikuphila manje enyameni ngikuphila ngokholo eNdodaneni kaNkulunkulu, eyangithanda futhi yazinikela ngenxa yami.” (Galathiya 2:20) Ukuzindla okunjalo kuyophemba isisusa esisuka ekujuleni kwenhliziyo, ngoba uPawulu wabhalela abaseKorinte: “Uthando uKristu analo luyasiphoqelela, ngoba . . . wafela bonke ukuze labo abaphilayo bangabe besaziphilela bona, kodwa baphilele yena owabafela futhi wavuswa.” (2 Korinte 5:14, 15) I-Jerusalem Bible ithi uthando lukaKristu “luyasinqoba.” Lapho sizindla ngothando lukaKristu, siyaphoqeleleka, sishukunyiswa ngokujulile, sinqotshwe ngisho nokunqotshwa. Luthinta izinhliziyo zethu futhi lusishukumisele esenzweni. Njengoba inguqulo kaJ. B. Phillips ikubeka ngamanye amazwi, “wona kanye umthombo wezenzo zethu uthando lukaKristu.” Noma yiluphi olunye uhlobo lwesisusa alunakuziveza izithelo ezihlala njalo kithi, njengoba kuboniswa isibonelo sabaFarisi.

“Niqaphele Imvubelo YabaFarisi”

11. Chaza isimo sengqondo sabaFarisi ngokuphathelene nemisebenzi engokwenkolo.

¹¹ AbaFarisi bakwenza kwaba yize ukukhulekelwa kukaNkulunkulu. Esikhundleni sokugcizelela uthando ngoNkulunkulu, bagcizelela imisebenzi njengento yokulinganisa ingokomoya. Ukukhathalela kwabo ngokweqile imithetho eningiliziwe kwabenza babonakala belungile ngaphandle, kodwa ngaphakathi ‘babegcwele amathambo abantu abafileyo nayo yonke inhlobo yokungahlanzeki.’—Mathewu 23:27.

12. Ngemva kokuba uJesu elaphe indoda ethile, abaFarisi bazibonakalisa kanjani benenhliziyo engazweli?

¹² Ngesinye isikhathi uJesu ngobubele welapha indoda eyayinesandla esomile. Yeka ukuthi kumelwe ukuba lomuntu wayejabule kanjani ngokuthola ukuphulukiswa okusheshayo kwesifo ngokungangabazeki esasibangela ukungakhululeki okukhulu ngokomzimba nangokomzwelo! Nakuba kunjalo, abaFarisi abazange bajabule naye. Kunalokho, bagxeka ngokungadingekile ngenxa yemidanti ethile—yokuthi uJesu wayenikeze usizo ngeSabatha. Njengoba babekhathalela ngokweqile indlela enemidanti ababechaza ngayo uMthetho, abaFarisi balahlekelwa ngokuphelele yilokho okwakushiwo uMthetho. Yingakho uJesu ‘ayelusizi ngokuphelele ngenxa yokungazweli kwezinhliziyo zabo’! (Marku 3:1-5) Ngaphezu kwalokho, waxwayisa abafundi bakhe: “Niqaphele imvubelo yabaFarisi nabaSadusi.” (Mathewu 16:6) Izenzo zabo nezimo zabo zengqondo zidaluliwe eBhayibhelini ukuze sizuze.

13. Isiphi isifundo esisitholayo esibonelweni sabaFarisi?

¹³ Isibonelo sabaFarisi sisifundisa ukuthi kudingeka sibe nombono okahle ngokuphathelene nemisebenzi. Ngempela, imisebenzi ibalulekile, ngoba ‘ukholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile.’ (Jakobe 2:26) Nokho, abantu abangaphelele banokuthambekela kokwahlulela abanye ngalokho abakwenzayo kunalokho abayikho. Ngezinye izikhathi, singase ngisho nathi sizahlulele ngalendlela. Singase sizigcine simatasa kakhulu ngomsebenzi wethu, njengokungathi lokhu kuwukuphela kwesici esinqumayo sengokomoya lethu. Singase sikhohlwe ukubaluleka kokuhlola izisusa zethu. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 5:12.) Singase sibe abagcini-mthetho abangontamo-lukhuni ‘abahluza insensane baginge ikamela,’ abalalela umthetho njengoba unjalo kuyilapho bengayinaki injongo yawo.—Mathewu 23:24.

14. AbaFarisi babefana kanjani nendebe noma isitsha esingahlanzekile?

¹⁴ Lokho abaFarisi ababengakuqondi ukuthi uma umuntu emthanda ngempela uJehova, izenzo zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu ziyolandela ngokuzenzekelayo. Ingokomoya lisuka ngaphakathi liye ngaphandle. UJesu wabalahla ngokunamandla abaFarisi ngenxa yokucabanga kwabo okunephutha ngokuphathelene nalokhu, ethi: “Maye kinina, babhali nabaFarisi, bazenzisi! ngoba nihlanza ingaphandle lendebe nelesitsha, kodwa ngaphakathi kugcwele impango nokungalinganiseli. MFarisi oyimpumputhe, hlanza kuqala ingaphakathi lendebe nelesitsha, ukuze nengaphandle lako lihlanzeke.”—Mathewu 23:25, 26.

15. Nikeza izibonelo ezibonisa ukuthi uJesu ubheka ngalé kokubukeka kwangaphandle.

¹⁵ Ukubonakala kwangaphandle kwendebe, isitsha, noma ngisho nesakhiwo kwembula okuncane kakhulu. Abafundi bakaJesu bamangaliswa ubuhle bethempeli laseJerusalema, uJesu alibiza ngokuthi “umhume wabaphangi” ngenxa yalokho okwakuqhubeka ngaphakathi. (Marku 11:17; 13:1) Okwakuyiqiniso ngethempeli kuyiqiniso ngezigidi zamaKristu okuzisholo, njengoba umlando weLobukholwa ubonisa. UJesu wathi wayezokwahlulela abanye ababenza ‘imisebenzi yamandla’ egameni lakhe ‘njengezisebenzi zokungabi namthetho.’ (Mathewu 7:22, 23) Ngokuphambene kakhulu, wathi ngokuphathelene nomfelokazi owanikela ngenani lemali cishe elalinganakwa nokunakwa ethempelini: “Lomfelokazi ompofu ukhalakathisele okungaphezulu kunabo bonke labo abakhalakathisela imali emabhokisini omcebo . . . Yena, ekusweleni kwakhe, ukhalakathisele konke abenakho, okokuziphilisa kwakhe konke.” (Marku 12:41-44) Ukwahlulela okuziphikisayo? Akunjalo neze. Kuzo zombili lezizimo, uJesu waveza umbono kaJehova. (Johane 8:16) Wabona izisusa ezaziyimbangela yemisebenzi futhi wahlulela ngokuvumelana nazo.

‘Ngamunye Ngokwamandla Akhe Siqu’

16. Kungani kungadingekile ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuba siqhathanise umsebenzi wethu nowomunye umKristu?

¹⁶ Uma izisusa zethu zifanelekile, asikho isidingo sokulokhu senza ukuqhathanisa. Ngokwesibonelo, akufezi lutho ukulwela ukuncintisana ngokusebenza isikhathi esifanayo naleso esisetshenzwa omunye umKristu enkonzweni noma ukufuna ukufeza okulingana nalokho okufezwa yilowo muntu ekushumayeleni. UJesu wathi uthande uJehova ngenhliziyo, ingqondo, umphefumulo, nezikhwepha zakho zonke—hhayi okomunye umuntu. Amakhono, amandla okuphikelela, nezimo zomuntu ngamunye kuyahluka. Uma isimo sakho sikuvumela, uthando luyokushukumisela ekubeni usebenzise isikhathi esiningi enkonzweni—mhlawumbe ngisho nanjengesikhonzi esiyiphayona lesikhathi esigcwele. Nokho, uma ulwa nokugula, isikhathi osisebenzisa enkonzweni singase sibe ngaphansi kwalokho obungakufisa. Ungadangali. Ukukholeka kuNkulunkulu akulinganiswa ngamahora. Njengoba unezisusa ezimsulwa, uyoba nesizathu sokujabula. UPawulu wabhala: “Yilowo nalowo makahlole umsebenzi wakhe siqu, khona-ke uyoba nesizathu sokwethaba ngokuqondene naye yedwa, hhayi ngokuziqhathanisa nomunye umuntu.”—Galathiya 6:4.

17. Ngamazwi akho siqu, chaza kafushane umfanekiso wamatalenta.

¹⁷ Cabangela umfanekiso kaJesu wamatalenta, njengoba ulotshwe kuMathewu 25:14-30. Umuntu owayesezoya kude wabiza izigqila zakhe futhi waziphathisa okungokwakhe. “Esinye wasinika amatalenta amahlanu, esinye amabili, kanti esinye elilodwa, ngasinye ngokwamandla aso siqu.” Lapho inkosi ibuya ukuze ilungise izindaba nezigqila zayo, yatholani? Isigqila esasinikwe amatalenta amahlanu sazuza amanye amatalenta amahlanu ngaphezulu. Ngokufanayo, isigqila esasinikwe amatalenta amabili sazuza amanye amabili ngaphezulu. Isigqila esasinikwe italenta elilodwa saligqiba emhlabathini futhi asenzanga lutho ukuze sandise ingcebo yenkosi yaso. Inkosi yasihlaziya kanjani lesi simo?

18, 19. (a) Kungani inkosi ingazange iqhathanise isigqila esanikezwa amatalenta amabili nesigqila esanikezwa amatalenta amahlanu? (b) Yini umfanekiso wamatalenta osifundisa yona ngokuphathelene nokutusa nokuqhathanisa? (c) Kungani isigqila sesithathu sathola isahlulelo esibi?

¹⁸ Okokuqala, ake sicabangele izigqila ezanikezwa amatalenta amahlanu namabili ngokulandelana. Esigqileni ngasinye kulezi, inkosi yathi: “Wenze kahle, sigqila esihle nesikholekile!” Ingabe yayiyokusho yini lokhu esigqileni esasinamatalenta amahlanu ukube sasizuze amabili kuphela? Cishe akunjalo! Ngakolunye uhlangothi, ayizange ithi encekwini eyayizuze amatalenta amabili: ‘Kungani ungazuzanga amahlanu? Bheka isigqila esikanye nawe nokuthi kungakanani esingizuzele khona!’ Cha, inkosi enobubele efanekisela uJesu, ayizange iqhathanise. Yabela amatalenta “ngasinye ngokwamandla aso siqu,” futhi ayizange ilindele ukuthola okungaphezu kwalokho ngasinye esasingakunikeza. Zombili lezi zigqila zathola ukutuswa okulinganayo, ngoba zombili zasebenzela inkosi yazo ngomphefumulo wonke. Sonke singafunda kulokhu.

¹⁹ Yiqiniso, isigqila sesithathu asizange situswe. Eqinisweni, salahlelwa ngaphandle ebumnyameni. Njengoba sasamukele italenta elilodwa kuphela, kwakungenakulindeleka ukuba siveze okuningi njengesigqila esinamatalenta amahlanu. Nokho, sona asizange sizame ngisho nokuzama! Isahlulelo saso esibi sabangelwa ngokuyinhloko isimo senhliziyo yaso “esibi nesivilaphayo,” esabonisa ukuntula uthando ngenkosi.

20. UJehova ukubheka kanjani ukulinganiselwa kwethu?

²⁰ UJehova ulindele ukuba ngabanye simthande ngezikhwepha zethu zonke, kodwa yeka indlela okujabulisa ngayo ukwazi ukuthi “uyakwazi ukubunjwa kwethu; uyakhumbula ukuthi siluthuli”! (IHubo 103:14) IzAga 21:2 zithi “uJehova ulinganisa izinhliziyo”—hhayi izibalo. Uqonda noma ikuphi ukulinganiselwa esingenakukulawula, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi kungokwezimali, kungokomzimba, kungokomzwelo, noma kungezinye izindlela. (Isaya 63:9) Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ulindele ukuba sisebenzise yonke ingcebo esinayo ngangokusemandleni ethu. UJehova uphelele, kodwa lapho esebenzelana nabakhulekeli bakhe abangaphelele, akalindeli ukuphelela. Akayena umuntu ongacabangeli ekusebenzelaneni kwakhe nabantu futhi akalindeli izinto ezingenakwenzeka.

21. Uma inkonzo yethu kuNkulunkulu ishukunyiswa uthando, imiphi imiphumela emihle eyolandela?

²¹ Ukuthanda uJehova ngenhliziyo, umphefumulo, ingqondo, ngezikhwepha zethu zonke “kubaluleke ngaphezu kwayo yonke iminikelo ephelele yokushiswa nemihlatshelo.” (Marku 12:33) Uma sishukunyiswa uthando, khona-ke siyokwenza konke esingakwenza enkonzweni kaNkulunkulu. UPetru wabhala ukuthi uma izimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, kuhlanganise nothando, “zikhona kini futhi zichichima, ziyonivimbela ningabi abangasebenzi noma abangatheli ngokuqondene nolwazi olunembile ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”—2 Petru 1:8.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ukubukeza

◻ Yini okufanele ibe amandla ashukumisayo ngokuphathelene nenkonzo yethu eya kuNkulunkulu?

◻ Uthando lukaKristu lusiphoqelela kanjani ukuba sikhonze uJehova?

◻ Yini abaFarisi ababeyikhathalela ngokweqile okumelwe siyigweme?

◻ Kungani kungahlakaniphile ukulokhu siqhathanisa inkonzo yethu neyomunye umKristu?

[Izithombe ekhasini 16]

Amakhono, amandla okuphikelela, nezimo zabantu ngabanye ziyehluka