Basha—Phishekelani Imigomo Edumisa UNkulunkulu
“Ziqeqeshe unomgomo wokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.”—1 THIMOTHEWU 4:7.
1, 2. (a) Kungani uPawulu ancoma uThimothewu? (b) Intsha namuhla ‘iziqeqesha kanjani inomgomo wokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’?
“ANGINAYE omunye onesimo esinjengesakhe oyozinakekela ngobuqotho izinto eziphathelene nani. . . . Njengomntwana osebenza noyise wazigqilaza kanye nami ekuqhutshekiselweni phambili kwezindaba ezinhle.” (Filipi 2:20, 22) Umphostoli uPawulu wahlanganisa nala mazwi amnandi okuncoma encwadini ayibhalela amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala eFilipi. Wayekhuluma ngobani? NgoThimothewu, umngane wakhe omncane ayejikeleza naye. Cabanga ukuthi kumelwe ukuba uThimothewu wakhuthazeka kanjani ukuzwa uPawulu emqinisekisa ngale ndlela ukuthi uyamthanda futhi uyamethemba!
2 Intsha ephilayo ngokomoya njengoThimothewu ibilokhu iyigugu phakathi kwabantu bakaJehova. (IHubo 110:3) Namuhla, inhlangano kaNkulunkulu ibusiswe ngentsha eningi ekhonza njengamaphayona, izithunywa zevangeli, izisebenzi zokuzithandela zokwakha nezikhonzi zaseBethel. Enye okumelwe inconywe kakhulu yileyo ehlanganyela ngentshiseko emisebenzini yebandla ibe inakekela eminye imithwalo yemfanelo. Intsha enjalo ithola ukwaneliseka kwangempela okulethwa ukuphishekela imigomo edumisa uBaba wethu osezulwini, uJehova. Ngempela, ‘iziqeqesha inomgomo wokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.’—1 Thimothewu 4:7, 8.
3. Imiphi imibuzo ezocatshangelwa kulesi sihloko?
3 Njengomuntu osemusha, ingabe unemigomo eqondile engokomoya ozikhandlela ukuyifinyelela? Ungalutholaphi usizo nesikhuthazo ukuze wenze kanjalo? Ungamelana kanjani nezingcindezi zaleli zwe elithanda izinto ezibonakalayo? Iziphi izibusiso ongalindela ukuzithola uma uphishekela imigomo edumisa uNkulunkulu? Ake sithole izimpendulo zale mibuzo ngokucabangela ukuphila nomsebenzi kaThimothewu.
Isizinda SikaThimothewu
4. Chaza kafushane ngokuphila kukaThimothewu njengomKristu.
4 UThimothewu wakhulela eListra, umuzana osesifundazweni samaRoma saseGalathiya. Cishe wathola ubuKristu esanda kweva eminyakeni eyishumi nambili ngesikhathi uPawulu eshumayela eListra cishe ngo-47 C.E. UThimothewu washeshe wazakhela idumela elihle kakhulu phakathi kwabazalwane abangamaKristu bakuleyo ndawo. Lapho uPawulu ebuyela eListra eminyakeni emibili kamuva, futhi ezwa ngentuthuko kaThimothewu, wamkhetha ukuba ahambisane naye emsebenzini wakhe njengesithunywa sevangeli. (IzEnzo 14:5-20; 16:1-3) Njengoba uThimothewu evuthwa, waphathiswa imithwalo yemfanelo emikhudlwana kuhlanganise nomsebenzi obalulekile wokuqinisa abazalwane. Ngesikhathi uPawulu ebhalela uThimothewu esejele eRoma cishe ngo-65 C.E., uThimothewu wayekhonza njengomKristu ongumdala e-Efesu.
5. Ngokweyesi-2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15, iziphi izici ezimbili ezaba nomthelela esinqumweni sikaThimothewu sokuphishekela imigomo engokomoya?
5 Kusobala ukuthi uThimothewu wakhetha ukuphishekela imigomo engokomoya. Kodwa yini eyamshukumisela ukuba enze kanjalo? Encwadini yesibili uPawulu ayibhalela uThimothewu, wakhuluma ngezici ezimbili ezamshukumisa. Wabhala: “Qhubeka ezintweni owazifunda futhi wathonyelwa ukuba uzikholelwe, wazi ukuthi wazifunda kobani nokuthi kusukela usewusana uye wazi imibhalo engcwele.” (2 Thimothewu 3:14, 15) Ake siqale ngokuhlola indima amanye amaKristu ába nayo ezinqumweni zikaThimothewu.
Zuza Emathonyeni Amahle
6. Ikuphi ukuqeqeshwa uThimothewu akuthola, futhi wasabela kanjani?
6 UThimothewu wakhulela emkhayeni owawuhlukene ngokwenkolo. Uyise wayengumGreki, kanti unina, u-Evnike, noninakhulu uLowisi babengamaJuda. (IzEnzo 16:1) U-Evnike noLowisi bamfundisa amaqiniso kusukela ewusana, besebenzisa imiBhalo YesiHebheru. Ngemva kokuba bephendukele ebuKristwini, akungabazeki ukuthi baba nethonya ekumshukumiseleni ukuba akholelwe izimfundiso zobuKristu. Ngokusobala, uThimothewu wakusebenzisa ngokugcwele lokhu kuqeqeshwa okuhle kangaka. UPawulu waphawula: “Ngiyalukhumbula ukholo olukuwe olungenabo neze ubuzenzisi, olwahlala kuqala kunyokokhulu uLowisi nakunyoko u-Evnike, kodwa engiqinisekayo ukuthi lukhona nakuwe futhi.”—2 Thimothewu 1:5.
7. Isiphi isibusiso intsha eningi esijabulelayo, futhi lokhu kungayizuzisa kanjani?
7 Namuhla, intsha eningi ibusiswe ngokuba nabazali nogogo nomkhulu abesaba uNkulunkulu, abakubonayo ukubaluleka kwemigomo engokomoya njengoLowisi no-Evnike. Ngokwesibonelo, uSamira usakhumbula izingxoxo ezinde ayevame ukuba nazo nabazali bakhe ngesikhathi esemusha. Uyalandisa: “Umama nobaba bangifundisa ukuba nombono kaJehova ngezinto nokuba ngenze umsebenzi wokushumayela ube into eza kuqala. Ngaso sonke isikhathi bebengigqugquzela ukuba ngiphishekele inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele.” USamira wasamukela leso sikhuthazo sabazali bakhe futhi manje ujabulela ilungelo lokukhonza njengelungu lomkhaya waseBethel ezweni lakubo. Uma abazali bakho bekukhuthaza ukuba ugxile emigomweni engokomoya, sicabangele ngokujulile iseluleko sabo. Bakufunela okungcono kakhulu ekuphileni.—IzAga 1:5.
8. UThimothewu wazuza kanjani ebudlelwaneni bobuKristu obakhayo?
8 Kubalulekile futhi ukuba ufune abangane abakhayo phakathi kwamaKristu. UThimothewu waziwa kakhulu abadala abangamaKristu ebandleni lakubo nelase-Ikoniyu, elaliqhele ngamakhilomitha angaba ngu-30. (IzEnzo 16:1, 2) Waba umngane omkhulu kaPawulu, umuntu owayeshiseka. (Filipi 3:14) Izincwadi zikaPawulu zibonisa ukuthi uThimothewu wayesamukela iseluleko futhi wayeshesha ukulingisa izibonelo zokholo. (1 Korinte 4:17; 1 Thimothewu 4:6, 12-16) UPawulu wabhala: “Uye wayilandela eduze imfundiso yami, inkambo yami yokuphila, injongo yami, ukholo lwami, ukubekezela kwami, uthando lwami, ukukhuthazela kwami.” (2 Thimothewu 3:10) Yebo, uThimothewu wasilandela eduze isibonelo sikaPawulu. Ngokufanayo, uma usondelana nabantu abaqinile ngokomoya ebandleni, bayokusiza ukuba ube nemigomo engokomoya emihle.—2 Thimothewu 2:20-22.
Tadisha “Imibhalo Engcwele”
9. Ngaphandle kokukhetha abangane abahle, yini okumelwe uyenze ukuze ‘uziqeqeshe unomgomo wokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu’?
9 Ingabe ukufinyelela imigomo engokomoya kudinga nje ukukhetha abangane abahle kuphela? Cha. NjengoThimothewu, kudingeka ukuba uhlolisise “imibhalo engcwele.” Kungenzeka ukutadisha akuyona into oyikhonzile, kodwa khumbula ukuthi noThimothewu kwadingeka ukuba ‘aziqeqeshe enomgomo wokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.’ Abasubathi bavame ukuzikhandla izinyanga eziningi beziqeqesha ukuze bafinyelele umgomo wabo. Ngokufanayo, kudingeka ukuzidela nokuzikhandla ukuze ufinyelele imigomo engokomoya. (1 Thimothewu 4:7, 8, 10) Ungase ubuze, ‘Kodwa ukutadisha iBhayibheli kungangisiza kanjani ukuba ngifinyelele imigomo yami?’ Ake sicabangele izindlela ezintathu.
10, 11. Kungani imiBhalo iyokushukumisela ukuba ufinyelele imigomo engokomoya? Bonisa.
10 Okokuqala, imiBhalo iyokunikeza amandla ashukumisayo afanele. ImiBhalo yembula ubuntu obuhle kakhulu bukaBaba wethu osezulwini, isenzo sakhe sothando esikhulu kunazo zonke asenzela sona nezibusiso zaphakade azigcinele izinceku zakhe ezithembekile. (Amose 3:7; Johane 3:16; Roma 15:4) Njengoba ulwazi lwakho ngoJehova lukhula, nothando lwakho ngaye luyokhula, kanjalo nesifiso sakho sokunikezela ukuphila kwakho kuye.
11 Intsha eningi engamaKristu ithi isifundo seBhayibheli somuntu siqu esiqhutshwa njalo siye sayisiza kakhulu ukuba yenze iqiniso libe elayo. Ngokwesibonelo, u-Adele wakhulela emkhayeni wamaKristu kodwa wayengakaze azibekele imigomo engokomoya. Uyalandisa: “Abazali bami babeya nami eHholo LoMbuso, kodwa ngangingenaso isifundo somuntu siqu futhi ngingalaleli emihlanganweni.” Ngemva kokuba udadewabo ebhapathiziwe, u-Adele waqala ukucabanga nzulu ngeqiniso. “Ngazibekela umgomo wokulifunda lonke iBhayibheli. Ngangifunda ingxenye encane bese ngibhala amaphuzu engangisanda kuwafunda. Asekhona wonke lawo manothi engangiwabhala. Kwangithatha unyaka ukuliqeda.” Ngenxa yalokho, u-Adele washukunyiselwa ukuba anikezele ukuphila kwakhe kuJehova. Naphezu kokukhubazeka ngokomzimba okungathí sina, manje uyiphayona noma umshumayeli wesikhathi esigcwele.
12, 13. (a) Ukutadisha iBhayibheli kuyosiza umuntu osemusha ukuba enze ziphi izinguquko, futhi kanjani? (b) Nikeza izibonelo zokuhlakanipha okusebenzayo okuseZwini likaNkulunkulu.
12 Okwesibili, iBhayibheli liyokusiza ukuba wenze izinguquko ezidingekayo ebuntwini bakho. UPawulu watshela uThimothewu ukuthi “imibhalo engcwele” “inenzuzo yokufundisa, yokusola, yokuqondisa izinto, yokuyala ekulungeni, ukuze umuntu kaNkulunkulu afaneleke ngokugcwele, ayihlomele ngokuphelele yonke imisebenzi emihle.” (2 Thimothewu 3:16, 17) Ngokuzindla njalo ngezinto ezihlobene neZwi likaNkulunkulu nangokusebenzisa izimiso zeBhayibheli, uyobe uvumela umoya kaNkulunkulu ukuba uthuthukise ubuntu bakho. Lokho kuyokhulisa ngaphakathi kuwe izimfanelo ezibalulekile, njengokuthobeka, ukukhuthazela, inkuthalo nothando oluqotho ngamanye amaKristu. (1 Thimothewu 4:15) UThimothewu wayenazo lezi zimfanelo futhi zamenza waba usizo olukhulu kokubili emabandleni ayewakhonza nakuPawulu.—Filipi 2:20-22.
13 Okwesithathu, iZwi likaNkulunkulu liyinqolobane yokuhlakanipha okusebenzayo. (IHubo 1:1-3; 19:7; 2 Thimothewu 2:7; 3:15) Liyokusiza ukuba ukhethe abangane bakho ngokuhlakanipha, ukhethe ukuzijabulisa okuhlanzekile, futhi ukwazi ukubhekana kahle nenqwaba yezinye izinselele. (Genesise 34:1, 2; IHubo 119:37; 1 Korinte 7:36) Ukwenza izinqumo ezihlakaniphile manje kubalulekile ekufinyeleleni kwakho imigomo engokomoya.
“Yilwa Ukulwa Okuhle”
14. Kungani ukuphishekela imigomo engokomoya kungeyona inkambo elula?
14 Ukwenza imigomo edumisa uJehova ize kuqala kuyinkambo yokuhlakanipha kodwa akulula neze. Ngokwesibonelo, lapho kumelwe ukhethe umsebenzi wokuphila kwakho konke ungase ucindezelwe kakhulu yizihlobo, ontanga nothisha abanezinhloso ezinhle abakholelwa ukuthi imfundo ephakeme nomsebenzi oholela kahle kuyisihluthulelo sempumelelo nenjabulo yangempela. (Roma 12:2) NjengoThimothewu, kuyodingeka ukuba ‘ulwe ukulwa okuhle kokholo’ ukuze ‘ubambisise ukuphila okuphakade’ uJehova afuna ukukunika kona.—1 Thimothewu 6:12; 2 Thimothewu 3:12.
15. Ikuphi ukuphikiswa okungenzeka ukuthi uThimothewu wabhekana nakho?
15 Uvivinyo lungase lube lukhulu ngokwengeziwe ikakhulukazi lapho amalungu omndeni angakholwa engahambisani nezinqumo zakho. Kungenzeka ukuthi uThimothewu kwadingeka ukuba anqobe ukuphikiswa kwalolo hlobo. Ngokwenye incwadi, umkhaya wakubo kungenzeka “wawusesigabeni sabafundile nabadla izambane likapondo.” Uyise cishe wayelindele ukuba aphishekele imfundo ephakeme futhi aqhube ibhizinisi lasekhaya.a Cabanga indlela okumelwe ukuba uyise wasabela ngayo lapho ethola ukuthi uThimothewu wayekhetha ukuhlanganyela noPawulu emsebenzini wezithunywa zevangeli oyingozi futhi ongaqinisekile ngokwezomnotho!
16. Omunye osemusha wabhekana kanjani nokuphikiswa umzali?
16 Intsha engamaKristu namuhla ibhekana nezinselele ezifanayo. UMatthew, okhonza ehhovisi legatsha loFakazi BakaJehova, uyakhumbula: “Lapho ngiqala ukukhonza njengephayona ubaba wadumala kakhulu. Waba nomuzwa wokuthi ‘ngangidlale’ ngemfundo yami ngokwenza umsebenzi wokuhlanza ukuze ngizisekele enkonzweni. Wayengigcona, angikhumbuze njalo ukuthi ingakanani imali engangiyoyithola ukube ngangisebenza umsebenzi wesikhathi esigcwele.” UMatthew wabhekana kanjani nalokho kuphikiswa? Uthi: “Ngalondoloza isimiso esiqinile sokufunda iBhayibheli futhi ngaphikelela emthandazweni ikakhulukazi ngezikhathi lapho kwakuyoba lula khona ukuba ngihluthuke.” Ukuzimisela kukaMatthew kuye kwavuzwa. Njengoba iminyaka iqhubeka, ubuhlobo bakhe noyise baba ngcono. UMatthew uye wasondelana nanoJehova kakhulu. Uthi: “Ngimbonile uJehova enginakekela, engikhuthaza futhi engivikela ekwenzeni izinqumo ezimbi. Bengingeke ngizijabulele zonke lezi zinto ukube angizange ngizikhandlele ukufinyelela imigomo engokomoya.”
Gxila Emigomweni Engokomoya
17. Abanye bangase ngephutha babadikibalise kanjani labo abahlela ukungenela inkonzo yesikhathi esigcwele? (Mathewu 16:22)
17 Inselele ecashile ekuphishekeleni kwakho imigomo engokomoya ingase ivele ngisho nakwabanye esikholwa nabo. Bangase babuze: ‘Kungani kumelwe uphayone? Ungaphila impilo evamile futhi uqhubeke uhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela. Zitholele umsebenzi okahle ukuze uqiniseke ukuthi ulondekile ngokwezimali.’ Lesi seluleko singase sizwakale sisihle, kodwa uma ungase usisebenzise, ingabe ngempela uyobe uziqeqesha unomgomo wokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu?
18, 19. (a) Ungakwazi kanjani ukuhlala ugxile emigomweni engokomoya? (b) Chaza ukuthi ikuphi ukuzidela wena njengomusha okwenzayo ngenxa yoMbuso.
18 Kubonakala sengathi amanye amaKristu osuku lukaThimothewu ayecabanga ngendlela ecishe ifane nale. (1 Thimothewu 6:17) Ukuze asize uThimothewu agcine iso lakhe lisemigomweni engokomoya, uPawulu wamkhuthaza, ethi: “Umuntu okhonza njengesosha akazihileli kwezentengiselwano, ukuze akwazi ukuthola ukwamukelwa yilowo owambhalisa njengesosha.” (2 Thimothewu 2:4) Isosha elisemsebenzini alikwazi ukuvumela ukuthikanyezwa iminako ephishekelwa abantu abangekho empini. Ukuphila kwalo nokwabanye kuxhomeke ekuhlaleni kwalo lilungele ukufeza imiyalo yomkhuzi walo. Njengesosha elingaphansi kukaKristu, kumelwe nawe ugxile emgomweni owodwa futhi ugweme ukuzigaxa eminakweni engadingeki yezinto ezibonakalayo engase ikuvimbele ukuba uyifeze ngokugcwele inkonzo yakho esindisa ukuphila.—Mathewu 6:24; 1 Thimothewu 4:16; 2 Thimothewu 4:2, 5.
19 Kunokuphishekela ukuphila okungenazinkathazo, hlakulela umoya wokuzidela. “Njengomunye wabebutho likaKristu Jesu, kulungele ukuphila ngaphandle kwezinto ezithokomalisayo.” (2 Thimothewu 2:3, The English Bible in Basic English) Ngesikhathi ekanye noPawulu, uThimothewu wafunda imfihlo yokwaneliseka ngisho nasezimweni ezinzima kakhulu. (Filipi 4:11, 12; 1 Thimothewu 6:6-8) Nawe ungenza okufanayo. Uzimisele yini ukuzidela ngenxa yoMbuso?
Izibusiso Zamanje Nezesikhathi Esizayo
20, 21. (a) Yisho ezinye zezibusiso ezitholakala ngokuphishekela imigomo engokomoya. (b) Uzimisele ukwenzani?
20 UThimothewu wakhonza noPawulu iminyaka engaba ngu-15. Wazibonela kwakhiwa amabandla amasha njengoba izindaba ezinhle zisakazekela cishe kuyo yonke indawo esenyakatho yeMedithera. Ukuphila kwakhe kwakuthakazelisa futhi kwanelisa ngaphezu kwalokho okwakuyoba yikho ukube wayekhethe ukuphila ukuphila “okuvamile.” Ngokuphishekela imigomo engokomoya, nawe ungavuna izibusiso ezingokomoya eziyigugu. Uyosondela kuJehova, uthandwe futhi uhlonishwe ngamanye amaKristu. Esikhundleni sobuhlungu nokukhungatheka okuwumphumela wokuphishekela ingcebo yezinto ezibonakalayo, uyothola injabulo yangempela elethwa ukupha ngokungenabugovu. Okuyigugu kunakho konke, ‘uyobambisisa ukuphila kwangempela’—ukuphila okuphakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi.—1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10, 17-19; IzEnzo 20:35.
21 Ngakho uma ungakenzi kanjalo, sikukhuthaza ukuba uqale masinyane ukuziqeqesha unomgomo wokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ebandleni sondelana nalabo abangase bakusize ukuba uzikhandlele ukufinyelela imigomo engokomoya, futhi ufune isiqondiso sabo. Yenza isifundo somuntu siqu sasikhathi sonke seZwi likaNkulunkulu size kuqala ekuphileni kwakho. Zimisele ukumelana nomoya waleli zwe wokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. Khumbula ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuthi uNkulunkulu “osinika zonke izinto ngokucebile ukuze sizijabulele” ukuthembisa ukuthi ungathola izibusiso ezicebile kokubili manje nasesikhathini esizayo uma ukhetha imigomo emdumisayo.—1 Thimothewu 6:17.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Umphakathi wamaGreki wawuyazisa kakhulu imfundo. UPlutarch, owayephila ngesikhathi sikaThimothewu, wabhala: “Ukuthola imfundo eyanele kuwumthombo nempande yakho konke okuhle. . . . Ngithi yiyona eholela futhi esiza umuntu ukuba aziphathe kahle futhi ajabule. . . . Zonke ezinye izinzuzo zingokwenyama, azibalulekile kangako, futhi akudingekile ukuba sizikhathaze kakhulu ngazo.”—Moralia, I, “The Education of Children.”
Uyakhumbula?
• Intsha ingalutholaphi usizo lokuzikhandlela ukufinyelela imigomo engokomoya?
• Kungani ukutadishisisa iBhayibheli kubaluleke kangaka?
• Intsha ingamelana kanjani nethonya laleli zwe lokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo?
• Iziphi izibusiso ezitholakala ngokufuna imigomo engokomoya?
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
UThimothewu waphishekela imigomo emihle
[Izithombe ekhasini 25]
Imaphi amathonya amahle asiza uThimothewu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 26]
Ingabe uzikhandlela ukufinyelela imigomo engokomoya?