Ukuzinikezela Nenkululeko Yokuzikhethela
“UKristu wasikhululela inkululeko enjalo.”—GALATHIYA 5:1.
1. Amagama esiHeberu nawesiGreki ahunyushwe ngokuthi “ukuzinikezela” noma “ukugcotshwa” asebenza kuphi ngokuyinhloko?
ABALOBI beBhayibheli babesebenzisa amagama amaningana esiHeberu nawesiGreki ukuze badlulisele umqondo wokuhlukaniselwa ukukhonza injongo engcwele. EmaBhayibhelini esiNgisi, la magama ahunyushwe ngamagama anjengathi “dedication [ukunikezelwa],” “inauguration [ukugcotshwa],” noma “consecration [ukungcweliswa].” Ngezinye izikhathi la magama asetshenziswa mayelana nezakhiwo—ngokuvamile ithempeli likaNkulunkulu eJerusalema lasendulo kanye nokukhulekela okwakuqhutshwa lapho. Kuyaqabukela la magama esetshenziswa ngokuphathelene nezindaba nje zezwe.
Ukuzinikezela ‘KuNkulunkulu Ka-Israyeli’
2. Kungani uJehova ayengase abizwe ngokufanelekile ngokuthi “uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli”?
2 Ngo-1513 B.C.E., uNkulunkulu wakhulula ama-Israyeli ebugqilini baseGibithe. Ngokushesha ngemva kwalokho, wawahlukanisela ukuba isizwe sakhe esikhethekile, wawangenisa ebuhlotsheni bokuba nesivumelwano naye. Atshelwa: “Kalokhu uma nilalela nokulalela izwi lami, nigcine isivumelwano sami, niyakuba [impahla yami ekhethekile kuzo] zonke izizwe, ngokuba umhlaba wonke ungowami.” (Eksodusi 19:5; IHubo 135:4; qhathanisa ne-NW.) Njengoba ayesenze ama-Israyeli aba impahla yakhe ekhethekile, uJehova wayengabizwa ngokufanelekile ngokuthi “uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.”—Joshuwa 24:23.
3. Kungani uJehova ayengabonisi ukukhetha lapho ekhetha u-Israyeli njengesizwe sakhe?
3 Ngokwenza ama-Israyeli isizwe sakhe esizinikezele, uJehova wayengakhethi, ngoba nabangewona ama-Israyeli wabacabangela ngothando. Wayala abantu bakhe: “Uma umfokazi egogobele kuwe ezweni lakini, aniyikumhlupha. Umfokazi ogogobeleyo kini uyakuba-kini njengowokuzalwa ekhaya phakathi kwenu, umthande njengalokhu uzithanda wena, ngokuba naningabafokazi ezweni laseGibithe; nginguJehova uNkulunkulu wenu.” (Levitikusi 19:33, 34) Emakhulwini eminyaka kamuva, umbono kaNkulunkulu wagcizelelwa ngokunamandla kumphostoli uPetru, owavuma: “Ngokuqinisekile ngiyaqonda ukuthi uNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa ezizweni zonke umuntu omesabayo futhi asebenze ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.”—IzEnzo 10:34, 35.
4. Yayiyini imibandela yobuhlobo phakathi kukaNkulunkulu no-Israyeli, futhi ingabe ama-Israyeli aphila ngokuvumelana nayo?
4 Phawula futhi ukuthi ukuba yisizwe sikaNkulunkulu esizinikezele kwakunemibandela. Uma nje sasililalelisisa izwi likaNkulunkulu futhi sigcina isivumelwano sakhe sasiyoba ‘impahla yakhe ekhethekile.’ Ngokudabukisayo, ama-Israyeli ehluleka ukuhlangabezana nalezi zimfuneko. Ngemva kokwenqaba uMesiya owayethunyelwe nguNkulunkulu ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., alahlekelwa isikhundla sawo esiyilungelo. UJehova wayengaseyena “uNkulunkulu ka-Israyeli.” Futhi ama-Israyeli emvelo ayengasesona isizwe sikaNkulunkulu esizinikezele.—Qhathanisa noMathewu 23:23.
Ukuzinikezela ‘Kuka-Israyeli KaNkulunkulu’
5, 6. (a) Wayesho ukuthini uJesu ngamazwi akhe ayisiprofetho akuMathewu 21:42, 43? (b) ‘U-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu’ waba khona nini futhi kanjani?
5 Ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi uJehova manje wayengasenasizwe esizinikezele? Cha. Ecaphuna umhubi, uJesu Kristu wabikezela: “Anikaze yini nifunde emiBhalweni ukuthi, ‘Itshe elaliwa abakhi yilo eliye laba itshe legumbi eliyinhloko. Lokhu kuye kwaba khona kuvela kuJehova, futhi kuyamangalisa emehlweni ethu’? Kungakho ngithi kini, Umbuso kaNkulunkulu uyothathwa kini unikwe isizwe esithela izithelo zawo.”—Mathewu 21:42, 43.
6 “Isizwe esithela izithelo zawo” kwaba ibandla lobuKristu. Lapho esesemhlabeni okwesikhashana, uJesu wakhetha abokuqala balabo ababeyoba amalungu alo. Kodwa ngosuku lwePhentekoste ngo-33 C.E., kwaba uJehova uNkulunkulu ngokwakhe owamisa ibandla lobuKristu ngokuthululela umoya wakhe ongcwele emalungwini alo okuqala, ayengu-120. (IzEnzo 1:15; 2:1-4) Njengoba umphostoli uPetru abhala kamuva, leli bandla elalisanda kwakhiwa labe seliba “uhlanga olukhethiweyo, ubupristi bobukhosi, isizwe esingcwele, isizwe sokuba yimpahla ekhethekile.” Lalikhethelwe ukwenzani? Ukuba ‘limemezele kabanzi ubuhle balowo owalibiza ukuba liphume ebumnyameni lingene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.’ (1 Petru 2:9) Abalandeli bakaKristu, abagcotshwe ngomoya kaNkulunkulu, manje base beyisizwe esizinikezele, ‘u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu.’—Galathiya 6:16.
7. Yini amalungu ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu ayeyoyijabulela, futhi ngenxa yalokho atshelwa ukuba agwemeni?
7 Nakuba amalungu esizwe esingcwele ‘ayeyisizwe sokuba yimpahla ekhethekile,’ ayengeke agqilazwe. Ngokuphambene, ayezojabulela inkululeko enkudlwana kunaleyo isizwe esizinikezele sika-Israyeli wemvelo esasinayo. UJesu wathembisa amalungu esikhathi esizayo alesi sizwe esisha wathi: “Niyolazi iqiniso, futhi iqiniso liyonikhulula.” (Johane 8:32) Umphostoli uPawulu waveza ukuthi amaKristu ayekhululiwe ezimfunekweni zesivumelwano soMthetho. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, wayala amakholwa ayekanye nawo aseGalathiya: “UKristu wasikhululela inkululeko enjalo. Ngakho-ke yimani niqinile, futhi ningazivumeli ukuba niphinde niboshelwe ejokeni lobugqila.”—Galathiya 5:1.
8. Kukusiphi isici ilungiselelo lobuKristu elinikeza kuso abantu inkululeko enkulu kuneyayikhona ngaphansi kwesivumelwano soMthetho?
8 Ngokungafani no-Israyeli wemvelo wasendulo, u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu uye wazilalelisisa izimfuneko zokuzinikezela kwakhe kuze kube namuhla. Akufanele kumangaze lokhu ngoba amalungu akhe ázikhethela ngokukhululekile ukulalela. Amalungu ka-Israyeli wemvelo ába azinikezele ngokuzalwa, kuyilapho amalungu ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu ázinikezela ngokuzikhethela. Ngakho ilungiselelo lobuKristu lahluka esivumelwaneni soMthetho samaJuda, esasiphoqa abantu ukuba babe abazinikezele, singabaniki inkululeko yokuzikhethela.
9, 10. (a) UJeremiya wabonisa kanjani ukuthi kwakuyoba noshintsho ngokuqondene nokuzinikezela? (b) Ungathi kungani kungewona wonke amaKristu azinikezele namuhla angamalungu ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu?
9 Umprofethi uJeremiya wabikezela ushintsho ngokuqondene nokuzinikezela lapho ebhala: “Bheka, izinsuku ziyeza, usho uJehova, lapho ngiyakwenza isivumelwano esisha nendlu kaIsrayeli nendlu kaJuda, kungenjengesivumelwano engasenzayo nawoyise mhla ngibabamba ngesandla ukubakhipha ezweni laseGibithe, isivumelwano sami abasaphula noma ngangiyinkosi yabo, usho uJehova. Kepha yilesi esiyisivumelwano engizakusenza nendlu kaIsrayeli emva kwalezozinsuku, usho uJehova: ngiyakufaka umthetho wami ezibilinini zabo, ngiwulobe ezinhliziyweni zabo, ngibe-nguNkulunkulu wabo, bona babe-ngabantu bami.”—Jeremiya 31:31-33.
10 Njengoba enomthetho kaNkulunkulu ‘ezibilinini zawo,’ njengokungathi ulotshwe ‘ezinhliziyweni zawo,’ amalungu ka-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu ashukunyiselwa ukuba aphile ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwawo. Isisusa sawo sinamandla kunesama-Israyeli emvelo, lawo ayezinikezele ngokuzalwa, hhayi ngokuzikhethela. Namuhla, lesi sisusa esinamandla sokwenza intando kaNkulunkulu, esiboniswa u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu, sikhona nakubakhulekeli abakanye naye abangaphezu kwezigidi ezinhlanu emhlabeni wonke. Nabo ngokufanayo baye banikezela ukuphila kwabo kuJehova uNkulunkulu ukuba benze intando yakhe. Nakuba laba bengenalo ithemba lokuphila kwasezulwini njengoba benjalo labo abakha u-Israyeli kaNkulunkulu, bayajabula ngethemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini. Babonisa ukwazisa u-Israyeli ongokomoya ngokusekela ngenkuthalo amalungu akhe ambalwa asasele ekufezeni isabelo sawo ‘sokumemezela kabanzi ubuhle balowo owawabiza ukuba aphume ebumnyameni angene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okumangalisayo.’
Ukuyisebenzisa Ngokuhlakanipha Inkululeko Evela KuNkulunkulu
11. Yiliphi ikhono umuntu adalwa enalo, futhi kufanele lisetshenziswe kanjani?
11 UNkulunkulu wadala abantu ngendlela yokuba bayazise inkululeko. Wabanika ikhono lokuzikhethela. Umbhangqwana wokuqala ongabantu wayisebenzisa inkululeko yawo yokuzikhethela. Nokho, ngokungahlakaniphi nangokungabi naluthando wakhetha lokho okwaholela wona nenzalo yawo enhlekeleleni. Nalokhu kubonisa ngokucacile ukuthi uJehova akalokothi aphoqe izidalwa ezihlakaniphile ukuba zithathe inkambo ephambene nezisusa noma izifiso zazo ezijulile. Futhi njengoba ‘uNkulunkulu ethanda umuphi onamileyo,’ okuwukuphela kokuzinikezela okwamukelekayo kuye yilokho okusekelwe othandweni, okwenziwa ngokuzithandela ngokwenama, okusekelwe enkululekweni yokuzikhethela. (2 Korinte 9:7) Noma yiluphi olunye uhlobo alwamukeleki.
12, 13. Kungayiphi indlela uThimothewu eyisibonelo sokuqeqeshwa kwezingane okufanele, futhi isibonelo sakhe siye sayiholelaphi intsha eningi?
12 Beyiqaphela ngokugcwele le mfuneko, oFakazi BakaJehova batusa ukuba umuntu azinikezele kuNkulunkulu, kodwa abalokothi baphoqe umuntu ukuba azinikezele, ngisho nezingane zabo siqu. Ngokungafani namasonto amaningi, oFakazi abazibhapathizi izingane zabo ziseyizinsana, njengokungathi kungenzeka ukuziphoqa ukuba zizinikezele ngaphandle kokuba zizikhethele zona ngokwazo. Isibonelo esingokomBhalo sokulandelwa yileso esalandelwa insizwa enguThimothewu. Lapho isingumuntu omdala, umphostoli uPawulu wayitshela: “Qhubeka ezintweni owazifunda futhi wathonyelwa ukuba uzikholelwe, wazi ukuthi wazifunda kubaphi abantu nokuthi kusukela uwusana uye wazi imibhalo engcwele, ekwazi ukukuhlakaniphisela insindiso ngokholo olumayelana noKristu Jesu.”—2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15.
13 Kuyaphawuleka ukuthi uThimothewu wazi imibhalo engcwele ngoba ayeyifundiswe kusukela esewusana. Wayeye wathonyelwa—wangaphoqelelwa—unina noninakhulu ukuba akholelwe izimfundiso zobuKristu. (2 Thimothewu 1:5) Ngenxa yalokho, uThimothewu wabona kuwukuhlakanipha ukuba umlandeli kaKristu futhi wayesezikhethela ngokwakhe ukuzinikezela kobuKristu. Ezikhathini zanamuhla, amashumi ezinkulungwane ezinsizwa nezintombi ezibazali bazo bangoFakazi BakaJehova aye alandela lesi sibonelo. (IHubo 110:3) Abanye abazange. Yindaba yokuzikhethela komuntu ngokwakhe.
Ukhetha Ukuba Isigqila Sikabani?
14. EyamaRoma 6:16 isitshelani ngenkululeko ephelele?
14 Akekho umuntu okhululeke ngokuphelele. Wonke umuntu unenkululeko elinganiselwe yimithetho yemvelo, njengomthetho wamandla adonsela phansi, ongenakushaywa indiva kungabi nasijeziso. Nangomqondo ongokomoya, akekho umuntu okhululeke ngokuphelele. UPawulu wathi: “Anazi yini ukuthi uma niqhubeka nizethula kunoma ubani njengezigqila ukuba nimlalele, niyizigqila zakhe ngoba niyamlalela, kungaba ezesono ngombono wokufa noma zokulalela ngombono wokulunga?”—Roma 6:16.
15. (a) Abantu bazizwa kanjani ngokuba izigqila, kodwa yini iningi eligcina liyenza? (b) Yimiphi imibuzo efanelekayo esingase sizibuze yona?
15 Umqondo wokuba isigqila sothile awuthandeki kubantu abaningi. Nokho, ezweni lanamuhla iqiniso liwukuthi abantu ngokuvamile bazivumela ukuba balawulwe futhi bathonywe ngezindlela eziningi ezicashile kangangokuthi bagcina benza lokho abanye abafuna bakwenze, bengathandi. Ngokwesibonelo, ezokukhangisa nezokuzijabulisa zizama ukuphoqa abantu ukuba bafane, zibabekele izindinganiso okufanele bazilandele. Izinhlangano zezombangazwe nezenkolo zenza abantu basekele imibono nemigomo yazo, hhayi ngokusebenzisa amaphuzu agculisayo ngaso sonke isikhathi, kodwa ngokuvamile ngokusebenzisa umuzwa wabo wobunye noma ukwethembeka. Njengoba uPawulu athi ‘siyizigqila zalabo esibalalelayo,’ ngamunye wethu wenza kahle ngokuzibuza, ‘Ngiyisigqila sikabani? Ubani onethonya elinamandla kakhulu ezinqumweni zami nasendleleni yami yokuphila? Ingabe abefundisi benkolo, abaholi bezombangazwe, izinkinsela ezingosomabhizinisi noma abantu abathile kwezokuzijabulisa? Ngilalela bani—uNkulunkulu noma abantu?’
16. AmaKristu ayizigqila zikaNkulunkulu ngamuphi umqondo, futhi yimuphi umbono ofanele ngobugqila obunjalo?
16 AmaKristu awabheki ukulalela uNkulunkulu njengokuphucwa inkululeko yomuntu ngokungadingekile. Ngokuzithandela asebenzisa inkululeko yawo njengeSibonelo sawo, uJesu Kristu, enza izifiso nezinto eziza kuqala kuwo kuvumelane nentando kaNkulunkulu. (Johane 5:30; 6:38) Aba ‘nomqondo kaKristu,’ ezithoba kuye njengeNhloko yebandla. (1 Korinte 2:14-16; Kolose 1:15-18) Lokhu kufana nowesifazane oshadayo futhi abambisane nendoda ayithandayo ngokuzithandela. Eqinisweni, indikimba yamaKristu agcotshiwe kukhulunywa ngayo njengentombi emsulwa ethembisene umshado noKristu.—2 Korinte 11:2; Efesu 5:23, 24; IsAmbulo 19:7, 8.
17. Yini bonke oFakazi BakaJehova abaye bakhetha ukuba yiyo?
17 Ngamunye woFakazi BakaJehova, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi unethemba lasezulwini noma lasemhlabeni, uye wazinikezela ngokwakhe kuNkulunkulu ukuba enze intando yakhe futhi alalele yena njengoMbusi. UFakazi ngamunye uye wazikhethela ngokwakhe ukuzinikezela ukuba abe isigqila sikaNkulunkulu kunokuba aqhubeke eyisigqila sabantu. Lokhu kuvumelana neseluleko somphostoli uPawulu: “Nathengwa ngenani; yekani ukuba izigqila zabantu.”—1 Korinte 7:23.
Ukufunda Ukuze Sizuze
18. Umuntu ongase abe uFakazi ulufanelekela nini ubhapathizo?
18 Ngaphambi kokuba umuntu afanelekele ukuba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova, kumelwe ahlangabezane nezimfuneko ezingokomBhalo. Abadala bayaqaphela lapho benquma ukuthi othile ofuna ukuba uFakazi ukuqonda ngempela yini lokho okushiwo ukuzinikezela kobuKristu. Ingabe ufuna ngempela ukuba omunye woFakazi BakaJehova? Ingabe uzimisele ukuphila ngokuvumelana nalokho okuhambisana nalokhu? Uma kungenjalo, akakufanelekeli ukubhapathizwa.
19. Kungani kungekho sizathu sokugxeka umuntu onquma ukuba inceku kaNkulunkulu ezinikezele?
19 Nokho, uma umuntu ehlangabezana nazo zonke izimfuneko, kungani kufanele agxekwe ngokuzenzela isinqumo ngokuzithandela sokuvuma ukuba athonywe uNkulunkulu neZwi laKhe eliphefumulelwe? Ingabe ukuvuma ukuba umuntu athonywe uNkulunkulu akwamukeleki kunokuvuma ukuba athonywe abantu? Noma ingabe lokhu kuzuzisa kancane? OFakazi BakaJehova abacabangi kanjalo. Bavumelana ngenhliziyo yonke namazwi kaNkulunkulu alotshwa u-Isaya: “NginguJehova uNkulunkulu wakho okufundisile okukusizayo, okuholile ngendlela omelwe ukuhamba ngayo.”—Isaya 48:17.
20. Iqiniso leBhayibheli libakhulula kuziphi izici abantu?
20 Iqiniso leBhayibheli likhulula abantu ekukholelweni izimfundiso zenkolo ezingamanga, njengokuhlushwa phakade esihogweni somlilo. (UmShumayeli 9:5, 10) Kunalokho, lenza izinhliziyo zabo zigcwale ukubonga ngethemba langempela ngabafileyo—uvuko olwenziwa lwenzeka ngesisekelo somhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu. (Mathewu 20:28; IzEnzo 24:15; Roma 6:23) Iqiniso leBhayibheli likhulula abantu ekukhungathekeni kokwethembela ezithembisweni zezombangazwe ezihlale zingafezwa. Kunalokho, libangela ukuba izinhliziyo zabo zichichime injabulo ngenxa yokwazi ukuthi kakade uMbuso kaJehova usuyabusa emazulwini futhi ngokushesha nje uzobusa kuwo wonke umhlaba. Iqiniso leBhayibheli likhulula abantu emikhubeni okuthi nakuba ithandeka enyameni enesono, ihlaze uNkulunkulu futhi idale umonakalo ongaba ukunqamuka kobuhlobo, ukugula nokufa ngaphambi kwesikhathi. Ngamafuphi, ukuba isigqila sikaNkulunkulu kuzuzisa kakhulu kunokuba isigqila sabantu. Eqinisweni, ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu kunikeza isithembiso sezinzuzo “kulenkathi yesikhathi . . . futhi esimisweni sezinto esizayo ukuphila okumi phakade.”—Marku 10:29, 30.
21. OFakazi BakaJehova bakubheka kanjani ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu, futhi siyini isifiso sabo?
21 OFakazi BakaJehova namuhla abazange babe ingxenye yesizwe esizinikezele ngokuzalwa njengoba ayenjalo ama-Israyeli asendulo. OFakazi bayingxenye yebandla lamaKristu azinikezele. UFakazi ngamunye obhapathiziwe uye waba uFakazi ngokusebenzisa inkululeko yakhe yokuzikhethela lapho ezinikezela. Ngempela, koFakazi BakaJehova, ukuzinikezela kubangela ubuhlobo obufudumele bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu obuphawuleka ngokumkhonza ngokuzithandela. Bafisa ngenhliziyo yonke ukulondoloza lobu buhlobo obujabulisayo, banamathele phakade enkululekweni uJesu Kristu abakhululela yona.
Ungaphendula Uthini?
◻ Kungani uNkulunkulu ayengakhethi lapho ekhetha u-Israyeli ukuba abe ‘impahla yakhe ekhethekile’?
◻ Ungathi kungani ukuzinikezela kobuKristu kungahileli ukulahlekelwa yinkululeko?
◻ Ziyini izinzuzo zokuzinikezela kuJehova uNkulunkulu?
◻ Kungani kungcono ukuba inceku kaJehova kunokuba isigqila sabantu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Kwa-Israyeli wasendulo, ukuzinikezela kuNkulunkulu kwakuya ngokuzalelwa kukho
[Isithombe ekhasini 16]
Ukuzinikezela kobuKristu kuya ngokuzikhethela