Isizotha SobuKristu—Isibonakaliso Sokuhlakanipha
“Ngomusa engiwuphiweyo ngisho kulowo nalowo phakathi kwenu ukuthi angacabangi athi mkhulu kunalokho afanele ukukucabanga, kodwa acabange kube-ngokuqonda, njengalokho uNkulunkulu abele lowo nalowo isilinganiso sokukholwa.”—ROMA 12:3.
1. Imaphi amaqiniso abonisa ukuthi isizotha asaziswa namuhla?
YEKA ukuthi bayingcosana kanjani namuhla abazisa isizotha futhi basibonakalise! Lena inkathi yokuphikisana okunzima nokuncintisana okudlulele. Izinhlanga, izizwe, izizwana, izinhlangano nabantu bezwe bonke bafuna ukuba ngabangcono kakhulu, ukuba phezulu. Noyedwa ofuna ukuba ozotholile. Lomoya uye wathinta ngisho nemikhaya, njengoba kungabonwa ngokuhlubuka kwentsha nenhlangano yenkululeko yabesifazane.
2. Kungani isimo soFakazi BakaJehova ngesizotha kungamelwe sibe esezwe?
2 Kodwa indlela yezwe ayinakuba indlela yamaKristu eqiniso. Cha, oFakazi BakaJehova baqaphela isibopho sabo sokulandela isibonelo esikhulu kakhulu sokuzotha lelizwe elake lasibona—uJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu. Okubonisa isizotha sikaJesu amazwi akhe: “INdodana ingenze-lutho ngokwayo.” “Ungibizelani ngokuthi ngimuhle na? Kakho omuhle, munye kuphela, uNkulunkulu.” (Johane 5:19; Luka 18:19) Yebo, bonke abafuna ukulandela eduze izinyathelo zikaJesu Kristu kumelwe babonise isizotha. Futhi, bonke abenza kanjalo abayikulahlekelwa, kodwa bayothola ukuthi inkambo yesizotha sobuKristu iyavuza futhi ngempela iwubufakazi bokuhlakanipha.
3. Igama elithi isizotha ngokuvamile lisetshenziswa ngaziphi izindlela?
3 Igama elithi “isizotha” lingase lisho “ukulinganiselwa ngobungako, ubuningi, noma izinga.” Noma lingabhekisela kulokho okumsulwa, okuphawulwa “ukungabi nalukhahlo, ukungabi luhlaza, noma ukungabi ongenamahloni ngezinto.” Khona-ke futhi, lingase lisho “ukuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwakho,” noma “ukungabi ozidlayo noma oziqhenyayo.”a Ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa kwaphezulu, umphostoli uPawulu wancenga abakholwa naye ukuba babonakalise isizotha, ngoba wabhala: “Ngomusa engiwuphiweyo ngisho kulowo nalowo phakathi kwenu ukuthi angacabangi athi mkhulu kunalokho afanele ukukucabanga, kodwa acabange kube-ngokuqonda, njengalokho uNkulunkulu abele lowo nalowo isilinganiso sokukholwa.” (Roma 12:3) Yebo, kudingekile ukuzicabangela njengabathile. Kodwa akumelwe sizicabangele ngokweqile, sinikeza ukubaluleka okweqile emakhonweni ethu emvelo noma izinzuzo esinazo.
Isizotha Nokuthobeka Akufani
4. (a) Igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwe ngokuthi “isizotha” livela kuphi emiBhalweni? (b) Kumelwe siphethe ngani ngencazelo yalo kuzAga 11:2?
4 Ezinguqulweni eziningi zeBhayibheli, ukuzotha kudidaniswa nokuthobeka. Igama lesiHeberu elihunyushwa ngokuthi “ukuzotha” livela kuphela kuzAga 11:2 nakuMika 6:8. Lisho ukuthini? Lingasho ukuba nesizotha, ukuhlonipha, ubumsulwa noma ukuba nokucoceka komuntu siqu. Nokho, lingabhekisela futhi ekubeni oqaphele ukulinganiselwa kwakho. KuMika 6:8 leligama lesiHeberu lingasho noma ikuphi kokubili, ngoba lapho simane sikhuthazwa ukuba ‘sizothe ekuhambeni noNkulunkulu wethu.’ Kodwa akunjalo ngezAga 11:2, ezifundeka kanje: “Lapho kufika [ukugabadela], kufika nehlazo; kepha [kwabazothileyo] kukhona ukuhlakanipha.” Lapha isizotha siqhathaniswa nokugabadela. Okuphambene nokugabadela lapha kuboniswa kuwukuzotha ngengqondo yokungazicabangeli kakhulu, ukuba ngoqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwakho.
5, 6. Umehluko phakathi kokuthobeka nesizotha ungachazwa kanjani ngokuqondene noJehova uNkulunkulu?
5 Kunomehluko phakathi kokuba othobekile nokuba ozothile. Ngokwesibonelo, ngoJehova uNkulunkulu, umhubi uDavide wathi: “Nokuthobeka kwakho kungikhulisile.” (IHubo 18:35, NW) Ngempela, kwakungenxa yokuthi uJehova wayezimisele ukuzithoba, noma ukuzehlisa ukuze aqaphele uDavide futhi asebenzelane naye ngokubekezela okwenza waba inkosi enkulu kwaIsrayeli. Kanjalo futhi siyafunda ngokuphathelene noJehova: “Ngubani onjengoJehova uNkulunkulu wethu, ohlezi phezulu, ozithoba ukubona ezulwini nasemhlabeni, na?” (IHubo 113:5, 6) Akukho kungabaza ngakho—uMdali uphakeme kangangokuthi kumelwe ehle ukuze aqaphele izinto ezisemazulwini naphezu komhlaba.
6 Kodwa singakhuluma yini ngoJehova njengozothile ngomqondo wokuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwakhe? Ngokusobala ngeke! Singakhuluma kanjani ngokulinganiselwa ngokuphathelene noNkulunkulu, ngoba akanamkhawulo ngokuhlakanipha namandla, ongenaphutha ngokuphelele nophelele ngokulunga nowuthando olwenziwe samuntu ngempela? Ngokuphelele akekho noyedwa ongaqhathaniswa naye ngokufanele.—Isaya 40:12-31.
7. (a) Kungani kungashiwo ukuthi umuntu angase athobeke kodwa antule isizotha? (b) Lokhu kungabonakala kanjani endabeni yomphostoli uPetru?
7 Ngakolunye uhlangothi, kungenzeka ngabantu ukuba bathobeke kodwa bantule isizotha. Bangase bathobeke, babe mnene ngenhliziyo, futhi nokho bangalisebenzisi ikhono lokucabanga ngokucacile ukuze baqaphele ukulinganiselwa kwabo. Ngokwesibonelo, umphostoli uPetru ngokuqinisekile wayeyindoda ethobekile. Lapho ebona uJesu enza isimangaliso esabonisa ikhono lokulawula ngisho nezidalwa eziphilayo olwandle, uPetru wawa phansi ezinyaweni zikaJesu, ethi: “Suka kimi, Nkosi, ngokuba ngingumuntu oyisoni.” (Luka 5:8) Futhi sifunda ukuthi bobabili uJesu nomphostoli uPawulu bamsola uPetru. Kodwa akukho lapho sithola khona ukuthi uPetru wathukuthela ngokusolwa okunjalo. (Mathewu 16:21-23; Galathiya 2:11-14; 2 Petru 3:15, 16) Ngokungangabazeki, uPetru wayengumphostoli othobekile, ophansi. Kodwa ingabe ngempela wayezothile ngomqondo wokuba ngoqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwakhe? Hhayi njalo. Uma ayenjalo, wayengeke aphikelele ngokuthi ngisho nakuba abanye abaphostoli bengayishiya iNkosi yabo yena wayengenakukwenza lokho—kuphela ukuba ahluleke ngokudabukisa kangaka, ephika uJesu kathathu!—Marku 14:29, 30, 66-72.
Omaye Ababangelwa Ukuntuleka Kwesizotha
8. Kungani kungashiwo ukuthi konke ukuhlupheka endaweni yonke kwaqala ngokuntula isizotha?
8 Akukhona nje ukuthi ukuntula isizotha kwaletha umaye kumphostoli uPetru kuphela kodwa kungashiwo futhi ukuthi bonke omaye emhlabeni—yebo, abasendaweni yonke—baqala ngokuntuleka kwesizotha. Kanjani? Kwakungenxa yokuntula isizotha ukuthi isidalwa esithile esiyingelosi saba uSathane uDeveli. Sahluleka ukuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwaso njengesidaliwe. Singenelisiwe isikhundla uJehova asabela sona, safuna ukulingana noNkulunkulu. Kamuva lesisimo sokuqhosha saboniswa lapho uDeveli ethembisa uJesu yonke imibuso yezwe ngesenzo esisodwa nje sokukhulekela. Kodwa njengoba uJesu akhumbuza lowoMlingi, ukukhulekela kungokukaJehova kuphela. Ukuntula kukaSathane isizotha, okwakuyinkambo futhi okuseyinkambo yokugabadela, kuye kwaphumela ehlazweni kuye futhi ekugcineni kuyosho ukubhujiswa kwakhe.—Mathewu 4:8-10; Heberu 2:14.
9. Kukuziphi izici uEva abonakalisa kuzo ukuntula isizotha?
9 Ukuntula isizotha ngokufanayo kwabonakala kuyincithakalo kuEva, “unina wabo bonke abaphilayo.” (Genesise 3:20) Umqondo wokuba njengoNkulunkulu, wokuzazela yena okuhle nokubi, wakhanga kuye. Ngani? Ngoba wahluleka ukusebenzisa isizotha. Ukuba wazigcina ezothile, wayengamtshela uMlingi: ‘Kungani kumelwe ngifune ukuba njengoNkulunkulu? Nganeliseke ngokuphelele ngelungiselelo likaNkulunkulu, ukuba ngibe umsizi ka-Adamu ophelele. Ngaphandle kwalokho, kungcono ngibuze kuAdamu ngalokhu, ngoba ungitshele ngomyalo wokungasidli lesithelo.’ Kodwa cha. UEva wahlubuka ekuzotheni, ngokuhlobene noMenzi wakhe nomyeni wakhe. Ukuntula isizotha kwalahlekisela uEva ukuphila kwakhe futhi kwathonya indoda yakhe ukuba ithathe inkambo yokuzibulala. Ngakho ingabe isizotha sibalulekile? Yebo, sibaluleke kangako!—Genesise 3:1-19.
10. Kungani sonke sikuthola kunzima ukuba ngabazothe ngempela?
10 Sonke kubonakala ukuthi siye sazuza ngefa kubazali bethu bokuqala ukuthambekela okuthile kokubonakalisa ukuntula isizotha. Njengoba uNkulunkulu asho ngemva kukaZamcolo, “imicabango yomuntu mibi kwasebusheni bakhe.” (Genesise 8:21) Kanjalo, lapho uDavide ehlelwe izono ezinkulu wayengancenga uNkulunkulu: “Bheka, ngazalelwa ebubini, umame wangithabatha esonweni.” (IHubo 51:5) Futhi kungakho uJehova uNkulunkulu ayengathi ngomprofethi wakhe uJeremiya: “Inhliziyo iyakhohlisa ngaphezu kwakho konke, futhi imbi; ngubani ongayazi na?”—Jeremiya 17:9.
11. Iziphi izimo emhlabeni wonke ezibangelwa ukuntula isizotha?
11 Ukuhlupheka okungaka emhlabeni kungenxa yokuntula isizotha! Kuthinta zonke izinhlanga, izizwe, izizwana futhi ngisho namalungu emikhaya. Imibuso yezizwe zaseMpumalanga noma ezaseNtshonalanga ayizimisele ukuqaphela ukulinganiselwa kwayo. Ngamunye ufuna ukuba phezulu. Abantu bolunye uhlanga bazizwa bengaphezu kwabolunye uhlanga. Eqinisweni, kubikwa ukuthi ingxabano phakathi kwezinhlanga ezithile zaseAfrika ngokuvamile kuvela ngenxa nje yokuthi uhlanga ngalunye luzimisele ukubonakalisa ukuphakama kwalo okucatshangelwayo.
12. (a) Ikuphi ukulimala okubangelwa ukuntula isizotha kwamanye amadoda? (b) Yini ewumphumela wokuntula isizotha kubafazi abaningi?
12 Kuthiwani ngokuntuleka kwesizotha emikhayeni? Ezimweni eziningi, kokubili amadoda nabafazi baye babanga ukungezwani ngokuntula kwabo isizotha. Ngenxa yesimo sawo esingcono ngokomzimba nangokomnotho, amadoda ngokuvamile athambekela ekubeni ozwilakhe noma ukuziphatha njengobasi, okubangela ukungathokozi okukhulu komkhaya. Ngokungangabazeki lokhu ngokwengxenye kuye kwazala inhlangano yenkululeko yabesifazane, emangalela abesilisa ngokweqisa egunyeni labo. Kodwa kuthiwani ngabesifazane, ikakhulu abafazi? Labo abantula isizotha ngokuvamile baye bavuna ukungathokozi okukhulu, kuhlanganise nokwehlukana kwemikhaya. (Galathiya 6:7, 8) Abesifazane abanjalo baye bangayinaka imfuneko eyisisekelo engokomBhalo yokuthi “bathobele amadoda abo kungathi kukuyo iNkosi.” (Efesu 5:21-23, 33; 1 Korinte 11:3, 7-10) Phakathi kwabesifazane bezwe, kukhona futhi okusobala nokusakazeke kabanzi ukuntuleka kwesizotha ngokuphathelene nesimilo esihle. Ngokugabisa ngokubukeka kwabo okungokomzimba ngendlela abakhuluma ngayo, abagqoka ngayo nabaziphatha ngayo, laba besifazane kumelwe bahlanganyele icala lokuvama kobundindwa, ukungathembeki kwemishado namakhaya ahlukene.
13. Isiphi isithelo ukuntula isizotha okuye kwasikhiqiza phakathi kwentsha namuhla?
13 Lapho kunezibonelo ezinhle zesizotha phakathi kwentsha yanamuhla, enye ibonisa ukuntuleka kwaso okwethusayo. Ngenxa yokuhluleka ukubonakalisa lemfanelo, intsha eningi ayibabekezeleli abadala kunayo noma igxeka amaphutha enziwa ilabo besizukulwane esidala. Kodwa, nokho, ikuphi ukuhlakanipha abanye balaba abasha abakubonisayo ngokuphathelene nokuluthwa imilaliso, ubudakwa, ukushayela ngokungakhathali noma ukuhileleka endleleni yokuphila kokuziphatha okubi? Uma intsha enjalo ibizothile, ibiyolalela abadala kunayo futhi izuze eselulekweni esihle abanokuhlangenwe nakho abanjalo abangasinikeza.
Isizotha SobuKristu—Sihlakaniphe Ngempela!
14. Kungani isizotha sifaneleke kangaka ebuhlotsheni bethu noJehova uNkulunkulu?
14 Ukubonakaliswa kwesizotha sobuKristu ngempela kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha. Okokuqala, kuphumela ebuhlotsheni obuhle noJehova. Eqinisweni, uNkulunkulu ufuna ukuba sizothe ekuhambeni naye. (Mika 6:8, NW) Ngaphezu kwalokho, isizotha sifaneleke kakhulu kithina lapho sicabanga ngesikhala esikhulu phakathi kwethu noMenzi wethu onamandla wonke nowaphakade. Ingani kuye izizwe zinjengothuli esilinganisweni nanjengethonsi lamanzi eliwa ebhakedeni! (Isaya 40:15) Ukuzotha kuyosibangela ukuba sesabe ukudumaza uJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi lokho ngokuqinisekile “kungukuqala kokuhlakanipha.”—IHubo 111:10.
15. Isizotha singaba iluphi usizo kumzalwane ongumKristu?
15 Isizotha futhi sithuthukisa ubuhlobo obuhle nofakazi bakaJehova esikanye nabo. Siyokwenza umzalwane ongumKristu angalweli ukuthola amalungelo enkonzo. Isizotha siyomenza akwazi ukulinganiselwa kwakhe, ukuntula kwakhe ulwazi nokuhlangenwe nakho ezicini ezithile uma kuqhathaniswa nabanye. Siyomenza futhi akhathalele ukuthuthukisa ukufaneleka kwakhe okungokomoya kunokukhathalela ukuba nesikhundla sokuba inceku ekhonzayo noma umdala. Uma eqhubeka esebenzisa ngokugcwele wonke amathuba okukhula ngolwazi nokuba usizo kwabakholwa naye, kungase kuze njengento engalindelekile kuye lapho etuswa futhi emiswa esikhundleni somthwalo wemfanelo ebandleni. Lokho kuye kwaba njalo ezimweni eziningi.
16. Kungani ukubonakalisa isizotha kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha kwabesifazane abangamaKristu?
16 Isizotha futhi siyinkambo yokuhlakanipha ngodade ebandleni. Lokhu kuyiqiniso hhayi nje endabeni yesimilo esihle kuphela, nakuba nakho kubalulekile. (1 Thimothewu 2:9, 10; Thithu 2:3-5) Lapho eqaphele ukulinganiselwa kwakhe nendima ayabelwe ebandleni, owesifazane ongumKristu uyoqondisa inkulumo yakhe ngesizotha. Uyogwema ukuba okhuluma ngokweqile nokhuluma ngokugxeka indlela abadala abamisiwe abaphatha ngayo izindaba.—Qhathanisa noJuda 8, 9, 16.
17, 18. (a) Kungani intsha kumelwe ibonakalise isizotha kubazali bayo? (b) Isiphi isibonelo esingokomBhalo esinikezwe lapha esibonisa ukuthi kuhlakaniphile ukuqaphela iseluleko sabantu abadala?
17 Ngokufanayo, isizotha entsheni siwukubonakaliswa kokuhlakanipha. Abasha bazenza bathandeke kwabanye uma beziphatha ngokuzothile. IZwi likaNkulunkulu libayala ngokufanele ukuba bahloniphe oyise nonina futhi babalalele “ezintweni zonke.” (Kolose 3:20; Efesu 6:1-3) Kudinga isizotha ukwenza lokho futhi hhayi ukucabanga ukuthi intsha ihlakaniphile kunabazali bayo. Futhi ingabe awubakweleti yini abazali bakho ukubonga? Bakuletha emhlabeni. Kusuka kuleso sikhathi kuze kube manje, abazali bakho baye bakulungiselela ukudla, izembatho, indawo yokuhlala, imfundo, ukuzilibazisa nemfundo engokomoya. Ngakho-ke, ingabe inhlonipho ngokwayo ibingeke yini ikushukumisele ekuboniseni isizotha kubo?
18 Ukwethembela kubazali bakho ngokuzothile nokwamukela iseluleko sabo kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha. Ngenxa yokuhlangenwe nakho kwabo, ngokuqinisekile banokuhlakanipha okwengeziwe kunawe. Izwe ligcwele isiyaluyalu, hhayi ngenxa yokuntula ulwazi kodwa ngenxa yokuntula ukuhlakanipha okunengqondo. “Balilahlile izwi likaJehova, banakuhlakanipha kuni na?” (Jeremiya 8:9) Ngisho nasendabeni yomuntu siqu enjengokukhetha umngane wakho wokuphila, uyobe uhlakaniphile uma ngokuzothile uqaphela ngokufanelekile ukwahlulela kwabazali bakho, ngoba bayakuthanda futhi banezifiso ezingcono kakhulu ngawe. Bangakunikeza iseluleko esingcono kakhulu kunokuba kungenza ontanga yakho. Iqiniso, singase singabi esithopha kangako, kodwa siyoba esingcono kuwe. IBhayibheli lembula ukuthi iNkosi uRehobowamu yakwaIsrayeli wasendulo yalahlekelwa ingxenye enkulu yombuso wayo ngenxa yokuntula kwayo isizotha. Yenqaba iseluleko samadoda amadala ayengabeluleki bakayise yakhetha ukulandela iseluleko esithophayo sontanga, izinsizwa ezazikhule nayo. Zazingenakho okuhlangenwe nakho futhi zinombono omfushane njengoba yayinjalo nayo.—1 AmaKhosi 12:1-24.
19. Isizotha singasisebenzela kanjani kahle emsebenzini wethu wokufakaza?
19 Isizotha sobuKristu siyosisebenzela kahle lapho sifakaza ngegama likaJehova uNkulunkulu noMbuso, ngendlela evamile noma ngokwethukela. Uma sikhuluma ngokuzethemba okukhulu, singase sihlabe izilaleli ezithile umxhwele kodwa sixoshe ezinye eziningi. Ngazo zonke izikhathi, kumelwe sibhekise ukunaka kuJehova uNkulunkulu neZwi lakhe, hhayi kithina. Okushaya emhloleni kakhulu lapha yiseluleko: “Mngcweliseni uKristu abe-yiNkosi ezinhliziyweni zenu, nihlale ningabalungele ukubaphendula bonke abanibuza isizathu sethemba elikini, kodwa kube-ngobumnene [nangenhlonipho ejulile, NW].” (1 Petru 3:15, 16) Ukuzotha kuyokwenza kube lula ukubonisa ubumnene nenhlonipho ejulile.
20. (a) Kuze kube lapha, yini esiye sayifunda ngesizotha nokuntuleka kwaso? (b) Imuphi umbuzo osalayo?
20 Ngokukhanyayo, ngalokhu osekushiwo singabona ukuthi ukulimala okungakanani okuye kwenzeka esintwini ngenxa yokuntula isizotha. Siye sabona futhi ukuthi isizotha ngokungangabazeki siyinkambo yokuhlakanipha. Lamaphuzu kumelwe asisize ukuba sihlakulele isizotha. Iluphi usizo oluqhubekayo esingaluthola ekuhlakuleleni isizotha sobuKristu?
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Webster’s Third New International Dictionary
Ungakhumbula Yini?
□ Kungani oFakazi BakaJehova kungamelwe babe nesimo sezwe mayelana nesizotha?
□ Umuntu angathobeka kanjani kodwa engazothile?
□ Kungani sonke sikuthola kunzima ukuba sizothe ngempela?
□ Kungani kufaneleke kangaka ukuba sibe abazothile ebuhlotsheni bethu noJehova?
□ Isizotha singasisiza kanjani emsebenzini wethu wokufakaza?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
UJesu ngesizotha wenza lokho okwakuqondiswa uYise wasezulwini
[Isithombe ekhasini 15]
Isizotha sobuKristu siphumela ebuhlotsheni obuhle noNkulunkulu nofakazi bakaJehova abakanye nathi