‘Ungalisebenzisi Lelizwe Kakhulu’
“Labo okumelwe basebenzelane nalelizwe akumelwe bangene bathi shí kulo. Ngisho lokhu ngoba izwe njengoba silazi liyadlula.”—1 KORINTE 7:31, “The Jerusalem Bible.”
1, 2. (a) Imuphi umbono ngekusasa lezwe abaningi abanawo namuhla? (b) UPawulu wathini ngezwe nokusetshenziswa kwalo?
“NGEKE umuntu akwazi ukubikezela izimangaliso nokudumazeka okungaphambili. . . . Kodwa, ngokuphamazela noma ngokubekile, izwe libonakala lithuthuka futhi lizothuthuka.” Sasho kanjalo isazi-mlando esidumile uH. G. Wells emashumini ambalwa eminyaka adlule. Naphezu kosizi olwandile nezinhlekelele, abaningi banomuzwa wokuthi isintu ngandlela-thile sizozixazulula izinkinga zaso, futhi izwe, njengoba silazi, liyoqhubeka likhona.
2 Nokho, ebhala ngaphansi kokuphefumlelwa kwaphezulu, umphostoli uPawulu ongumKristu wanikeza umbono ohlukile lapho enxusa ayekholwa kanye nabo: “Labo abasebenzisa lelizwe mababe njengabangalisebenzisi ngokugcwele; ngoba isimo salelizwe siyashintsha.” Enye inguqulo ithi: “Labo okumelwe basebenzelane nalelizwe akumelwe bangene bathi shí kulo. Ngisho lokhu ngoba izwe njengoba silazi liyadlula.” (1 Korinte 7:29-31, New World Translation; JB) Lesiseluleko sisho ukuthini ezincekwini zikaJehova uNkulunkulu namuhla?
“Izwe . . . Liyadlula”
3. Yini uPawulu akhuluma ngayo kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 7, futhi imaphi amanye amaphuzu awaveza lapho?
3 Kweyoku-1 Korinte isahluko 7 uPawulu wayexoxa ngomshado phakathi kwamaKristu. Nakuba ayencoma ukungashadi njengendlela engcono, wavuma ukuthi labo abangenela umshado ‘aboni.’ Kodwa wenezela ukuthi “bayakuba-nosizi enyameni,” ngoba umshado uletha ukukhathazeka okuthile. Ngokwesibonelo, ukugula kothandekayo kungaletha ukucindezeleka. Nakuba uPawulu engakhulumanga lapha ngoshushiso, lungabangela usizi olwengeziwe kubantu abashadile phakathi nesikhathi esinjalo uma abangane bomshado behlukanisiwe noma uma abazali behlukanisiwe nabantwana babo.—1 Korinte 7:25-28.
4. Ichaza ukuthini eyoku-1 Korinte 7:29?
4 UPawulu waqhubeka wathi: “Ngisho lokhu kodwa, bazalwane, ukuthi isikhathi sesinciphile; ngakho emva kwalokhu abanabafazi mababe-njengabangenabo.” (1 Korinte 7:29) Njengoba “isikhathi sesinciphile,” amaKristu ashadile akumelwe azinikele ngokuphelele emalungelweni omshado nasezibophweni kangangokuba lokhu kube ukuphila kwawo konke. Kunalokho, kumelwe abeke izithakazelo zoMbuso kuqala ekuphileni, nakuba engahluleki ukufeza imithwalo yemfanelo yomshado. (1 Korinte 7:3-5, 29-40) Njengoba siphila “ezinsukwini zokugcina,” sinesizathu esengeziwe sokulandela lesiseluleko esiphefumlelwe.—2 Thimothewu 3:1-5.
5. Liyini “izwe” okumelwe singalisebenzisi ngokugcwele?
5 Njengoba “isikhathi sesinciphile,” uPawulu wathi, “labo abasebenzisa lelizwe mababe njengabangalisibenzisi ngokugcwele.” (1 Korinte 7:29-31) Kulelivesi igama lesiGreki elihunyushwa ngokuthi “izwe” (kósmos) alibhekiseli esintwini ngokuqondile, njengoba kunjalo kuJohane 3:16, kodwa ekuphileni kwesintu nesimo sakho. Isintu sinamaqembu aso olimi, izizwe, imikhaya, abacebile nabampofu, nesimo esivamile esizungeze isintu futhi esisithintayo. (1 Korinte 14:10; Jakobe 2:5, 6; IsAmbulo 7:9; 14:6) Yebo, uPawulu wayebhekisela esimweni sokuphila kwabantu nalokho okuhilelekile kukho lapho ethi: “Uma nisebenzisa izwe, ningazami ukuthola kulo konke eningakuthola.”—1 Korinte 7:31; The New Testament in the Language of Today, kaWilliam F. Beck.
6, 7. (a) ‘Isimo salelizwe sishintsha’ kanjani? (b) Iliphi iphuzu umphostoli uJohane aliveza maqondana nekusasa lezwe?
6 UPawulu wabonisa futhi ukuthi amaKristu akumelwe ‘alisebenzise ngokugcwele izwe’ ngoba “isimo salelizwe siyashintsha.” Lelizwe linjengezigcawu ezishintshayo esiteji. Nakuba singase sibonakale sikhanga, abadlali baso nokuhlelwa kuyashintsha. Abantu bayavela ‘esiteji,’ futhi abanye benza ngokuzidla. Kodwa ngokushesha bayamuka nesizukulwane sabo futhi bakhohlakale. (UmShumayeli 1:4) Esikhathini sethu, ‘ikhethini selizosuswa’ kulelizwe elidala! Ngempela, “izwe njengoba silazi liyadlula.”—1 Korinte 7:31, JB.
7 Umphostoli uJohane waveza iphuzu elifanayo, ethi: “Izwe liyadlula kanye nenkanuko yalo; kepha owenza intando kaNkulunkulu uhlala kuze kube-phakade.” (1 Johane 2:15-17) UJohane ngokusobala wayesho ukuthi umphakathi wabantu abangalungile wawuzodlula ngembubhiso yaphezulu, njengoba izwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu langaphambi kukaZamcolo lashatshalaliswa. (Heberu 11:7; 2 Petru 2:5; 3:6) Yebo, abantu abangalungile bayodlula nesimiso sezinto samanje sabantu nayo yonke into esiyinikezayo.
8. Nakuba lelizwe lidlula, iliphi ithemba amaKristu analo, futhi kumelwe likuthinte kanjani ukusebenzisa kwethu izwe?
8 Njengoba abantu abathanda ukulunga basinda kuZamcolo, ngakho uJesu wabonisa ukuthi abanye bayosinda “osizini olukhulu” olusondela ngokushesha. (Mathewu 24:21, 22, 36-39; qhathanisa nesAmbulo 7:9-17.) Osekwakheka kakade “umhlaba omusha,” umphakathi wabantu abayophila kulomhlaba ngaphansi kokubusa koMbuso. (2 Petru 3:13; IsAmbulo 21:1; qhathanisa neHubo 96:1.) Ngakho uma thina ngokwethu sinethemba lokusinda nelokuphila okuphakade oHlelweni Olusha, kungani simelwe sinikele isikhathi sethu esiningi namandla ezweni elidlulayo?
‘Kancane Ngangokunokwenzeka’
9. Kungaziphi izindlela zokulinganisela ofakazi bakaJehova abangalisebenzisa ngazo lelizwe ngokufanele?
9 Njengofakazi bakaJehova abaphila kulesisimiso sezinto, ‘asinakuphuma ezweni’ ngokoqobo. (1 Korinte 5:9, 10) Ngakho singalisebenzisa lelizwe ngendlela yokulinganisela, efanele, nenemincele. Ngokwesibonelo, njengoba sikhokha izintela zethu, siyafaneleka ukuthola izinkonzo ezithile ezenziwa “amandla ombuso” kahulumeni. (Roma 13:1-7) Sizisebenzisa ngokufanele izinkonzo zokuposa, zamaphoyisa nezinye izinkonzo ezingokomthetho, njengezinto zokuhamba. Ngenxa yayiphi injongo? Ukuze siphile kahle futhi siqhubeke nomsebenzi esiwunikezwe uNkulunkulu wokufakaza ngoMbuso. Kodwa njengoba singenakulisebenzisa lelizwe “ngokugcwele,” zonke izinto ezinjalo zisetshenziswa kuphela ngokwesilinganiso sokuba zikhonze izithakazelo zobuKristu.
10. (a) Ukuphila kwethu kumelwe kugxile kuphi? (b) UJesu wakufanekisa kanjani ukubaluleka okukhulu koMbuso? (c) Uma izithakazelo zoMbuso nobuhlobo noJehova kusho okukhulu kithi, lokhu kuyokuthinta kanjani ukusebenzisa kwethu lelizwe?
10 Asinakukwazi ukuvumela izithakazelo zezwe zisibuse. Kunalokho, sidinga ukugxilisa ukuphila kwethu ebuhlotsheni bethu noJehova, ekumkhulekeleni kwethu nasenkonzweni yethu kuye. Ingabe izenzo zethu ziyabonisa ukuthi ‘ubuhlobo noNkulunkulu’ bubaluleke ngempela kithi? (Jobe 29:4) Futhi ingabe siyakuqaphela ukubaluleka okukhulu kwezinto ezingokomoya? UJesu Kristu wabonisa ubugugu boMbuso ‘ngeparele elilodwa’ elibaluleke kangangokuba umthengi “wathengisa ngakho konke anakho, walithenga.” (Mathewu 13:45, 46) Kanjalo uJesu wabonisa ukuthi umuntu owazisa ukubaluleka kwangempela kokuzuza uMbuso uyozimisela ukwehlukana nanoma iyiphi ingcebo yalomhlaba ukuze awuzuze. Uma uMbuso nezithakazelo zawo, futhi ikakhulukazi ubuhlobo noJehova, kusho okukhulu kangako kithi, siyogcina “konke ukuxhumana nezwe . . . kukuncane ngangokunokwenzeka.”—1 Korinte 7:31, Phillips.
“Asamukelanga Umoya Wezwe”
11, 12. (a) Uyini “umoya wezwe”? (b) AmaKristu aye amukela muphi umoya, futhi uhluke kanjani kulomoya wezwe?
11 Esinye isizathu sokungalisebenzisi lelizwe ngokugcwele siwukuthi akunakwenzeka ukujabulela ubuhlobo noJehova uma ‘sisenomoya wezwe.’ (1 Korinte 2:12) Umoya noma amandla ashukumisayo aqondisa izwe lomphakathi wabantu abangalungile angawobudemoni futhi amelene noNkulunkulu. Ngaphansi kokuqondisa kukaDeveli, izwe lizijabulisa ngobugovu nezifiso zenyama eyonakele, okuphumela ebutheni noJehova uNkulunkulu.—Johane 14:30; Efesu 2:1-3; 1 Johane 5:19.
12 Umphostoli uPawulu waqhathanisa umoya wezwe nomoya kaNkulunkulu futhi wathi ngokuqondene namaKristu: “Kepha thina asamukelanga umoya wezwe kodwa umoya ovela kuNkulunkulu.” (1 Korinte 2:12) Njengoba indlela yezwe yokucabanga nokuziphatha kumelene nethonya lomoya ongcwele kaNkulunkulu nesiyalo esitholakala eZwini lakhe, abantu abesaba uNkulunkulu kumelwe babalekele umoya walo. Esikhundleni salokho, abathanda uJehova bahlakulela futhi babonise ngokufanele isithelo somoya ongcwele esiwuthando, ukujabula, ukuthula, ukubekezela, umusa, ububele, ukholo, ubumnene nokuzithiba.—Galathiya 5:22, 23.
13. Yini uJohane ayibhala ku-1 Johane 4:1-6, futhi ingabe lokhu kunokuthintana okuthile nokusebenzisa kwethu izwe?
13 Ngokuthakazelisayo, umphostoli uJohane osekhulile wabonisa ukuthi “umoya” weqiniso kaNkulunkulu weza ngebandla lobuKristu leqiniso, hhayi ngemithombo yezwe engesiyo eyobuKristu. Khona-ke wathi: “Omaziyo uNkulunkulu uyasizwa, ongesiye okaNkulunkulu akasizwa.” Kuyiqiniso, isihloko sikaJohane ‘sasiwumoya.’ Kodwa waveza iphuzu lokuthi amaKristu ‘awakhulumi okuvela ezweni.’ (1 Johane 4:1-6) Ngakho kungani kumelwe sisebenzise izwe kakhulu?
‘Masizigcine Singabi-Nacala Lokwezwe’
14. AmaKristu agcotshiwe nabangane bawo abazinikezele bami kanjani ‘njengabangesibo abezwe’?
14 Ukuqashwa neminye imisebenzi kwenza ukuba ofakazi bakaJehova kudingeke “basebenzelane nezwe” ngezindlela ezithile. Kodwa akumelwe “singene sithi shí kulo” ngenxa yesinye futhi isizathu. (JB) UJesu wathi abalandeli bakhe “abasibo abezwe.” (Johane 17:14) UJehova, ngoKristu, uye walungiselela usindiso kulelizwe elingaphansi kokuphatha kukaSathane. (Kolose 1:13, 14) Ngokulalela iqiniso elimbuliwe leZwi likaJehova, amaKristu agcotshiwe aye angcweliswa, noma enziwa aba ngcwele, ahlukaniselwa ukusetshenziswa uNkulunkulu enkonzweni yakhe. Kanjalo, kanye nabangane bawo abazinikezele “besixuku esikhulu,” bami behlukile njengabange“sibo abezwe” elinganamatheli eqinisweni likaJehova. (IsAmbulo 7:9; Johane 17:16, 17; Jakobe 1:18; 1 Petru 1:22) Yeka ukuthi kungaba okungafanelekile kanjani ngabantu abanjalo ukusebenzisa lelizwe ngokugcwele!
15. NgokukaJakobe 1:27, ukukhulekela okuhlanzekile nokumsulwa kubizelani?
15 Ukungabi “owezwe” kusho ukungathathi hlangothi ezingxabanweni zezombangazwe zalelizwe. (Mathewu 22:21; Johane 18:36, 37) Abalandeli abagcotshiwe bakaKristu nabangane babo abazinikezele kumelwe nabo bagweme ubufebe obungokomoya ngokuba nobungane nezwe. Kufuneka bahlanzeke ngokuziphatha nangokomoya. (Efesu 4:25-32; Jakobe 4:4) Khona-ke ukuze sikhulekele uJehova ngokuhlanzekile nangokumsulwa, kumelwe ‘sizigcine singenacala lokwezwe’ ngokungathathi imibono, ukukhuluma nokuziphatha okujwayelekile esintwini esinesono esihlukaniswe noNkulunkulu. (Jakobe 1:27) Kumelwe sihlale sikhululekile ekonakaleni kwezwe, ebudloveni, emacebweni amabi, njalonjalo. Yebo, isidingo soku‘zigcina singenacala lokwezwe’ singesinye isizathu esibalulekile ‘sokungasebenzisi izwe ukuze sithole konke esingakuthola.’—Beck.
Masihlale ‘Singcwele KuNkulunkulu Wethu’
16. Kungani amaIsrayeli kwakumelwe enze “insephe emiphethweni” yezingubo zawo?
16 Abantu bakaJehova bayahluka ezweni maqondana namathemba, izifiso nokuvumelana kahle nentando kaNkulunkulu wabo ongcwele. (Eksodusi 39:30) Kumelwe bazibonakalise bengcwele kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho-ke, abantu bakwaIsrayeli wasendulo kwakumelwe benze “insephe emiphethweni yezingubo zabo,” nemisho eluhlaza ngenhla kwensephe. Kwakumelwe benze lokhu ukuze ‘bangafani’ nabakwaMowabi, abaseGibithe noma abanye futhi ukuze bakhunjuzwe ukuthi kwakumelwe bahluke njengabantu bakaJehova nokuthi kwakumelwe bamlalele, ‘babe-ngcwele kuNkulunkulu.’ (Numeri 15:37-41) Isifiso sokuba ‘ngcwele kuNkulunkulu wethu’ kumelwe sisishukumisele ukuba siqaphe ekusebenziseni izwe.
17. Umgomo wezwe wokuzuza umnotho ungabulimaza kanjani ubuhlobo bethu noJehova?
17 Imigomo yezwe ihilela ukuceba, udumo nemisebenzi engakhi ngokomoya engase ithuntubeze ukholo lomKristu. Ngokwesibonelo, ukusukela izinto ezibonakalayo nomnotho, uma kuvunyelwa ukuba kuthathe indawo esemqoka ekuphileni kwethu, kungase kusiyengele ekwenzeni okubi ngenxa yezinzuzo zobugovu, kanjalo silimaze ubuhlobo bethu noJehova. (IzAga 28:20; qhathanisa noJeremiya 5:26-28; 17:9-11.) Ngempela, labo abasebenzisa lelizwe ngezinga lokuba benze ukufuna izinto ezibonakalayo kube ukukhathalela okuyinhloko basengozini yokuhileleka emikhubeni yokungathembeki nasekulahlekelweni ukholo lwabo ngenxa yokungazinaki izinto ezingokomoya. Umuntu oba ophumelelayo ebhizinisini noma ophenduka isicebi angase futhi ‘akhukhumale’ aphakamise imibono yakhe siqu ngokuziqhenya ngaphezu kweseluleko esivela ebandleni likaNkulunkulu. (1 Thimothewu 6:9, 10, 17) Lokhu ngokuqinisekile akuyona indlela yokuhlala ‘singcwele kuNkulunkulu wethu.’
18. Kungani kungamelwe sibe nomgomo wezwe wokuthola izinto ezibonakalayo ngobuningi?
18 UJesu ngokufanele wathi: “Zenzeleni nina abahlobo ngokukaMamona ongalungile, ukuze kuthi, [abaNgane benu basezulwini, uJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu] banamukele ezindlini eziphakade.” (Luka 16:9) Ngakho, nakuba sidinga izinto ezibonakalayo ezithile futhi singasebenzisa izinto ezinjalo ekuthuthukiseni izithakazelo zoMbuso futhi sibe nabangane basezulwini, umgomo wezwe wokuthola lezizinto ngobuningi akumelwe uvunyelwe wonakalise inhliziyo yethu.—Luka 12:34.
19. Kumelwe siwubheke kanjani umgomo wezwe wokuthola udumo?
19 Omunye umgomo wezwe ungowokuthola isikhundla, ubukhulu nodumo. Ngokuvamile lokhu kufuna iminyaka yemfundo ephambili, izikhundla eziphakeme emphakathini nokufanayo. Kodwa abantu abafuna udumo lwabo siqu emiBhalweni bafaniswa nalabo abadla uju oluningi, olungase lubangele isicanucanu. Ngakho siyafunda: “Ukudla izinyosi eziningi akukuhle, nokuzifunela udumo akusilo udumo.” (IzAga 25:16, 27) Ngokufanayo, ukudumisa amaqhawe ezwe nezihlabani kuphambene nombhalo, into abazali abangamaKristu ngezinye izikhathi abangathanda ukuyiveza ngomusa kubantwana babo. (Qhathanisa nezEnzo 12:21-23.) Ngokuqinisekile, umbono ofanele ezintweni ezinjalo uyadingeka futhi uma sifuna ukuhlala ‘singcwele kuNkulunkulu wethu’ futhi ukuze sigweme ukusebenzisa izwe ngokugcwele.
‘Ungalisebenzisi Izwe Ngokugcwele’
20, 21. Kungani kungamelwe silisebenzise ngokugcwele izwe?
20 Ngakho-ke, njengofakazi bakaJehova abathembekile, akumelwe silisebenzise ngokugcwele izwe. ‘Akumelwe singene sithi shí kulo’ ngoba (1) “isikhathi sesinciphile”; (2) “izwe njengoba silazi liyadlula”; (3) ukuphila kwethu kumelwe kugxile ebuhlotsheni bethu obuyigugu noJehova; (4) kumelwe sibonise umoya kaNkulunkulu, hhayi owezwe; (5) sidinga ukungabi ‘nacala lokwezwe’; futhi (6) kumelwe sizigcine ‘singcwele kuNkulunkulu wethu.’
21 Singakwenza konke lokhu kuphela ngosizo lukaJehova. (Qhathanisa noZakariya 4:6.) Njengoba sinethemba elimangalisayo loMbuso, akumelwe sifune ukusebenzisa izwe kakhulu, njengokungathi elikunikezayo ukuphela kwento esinayo. Kodwa yini engasisiza ngempela ukuba simelane nezindlela zezwe nezifiso?
Uyakhumbula?
□ Liyini “izwe” elishiwo kweyoku-1 Korinte 7:31?
□ Njengoba “isimo salelizwe siyadlula,” amaKristu kumelwe akubheke kanjani ukusebenzisa izwe?
□ AmaKristu angase asebenzise lelizwe ngokufanele kuze kube kuliphi izinga?
□ Uyini “umoya wezwe,” kodwa uyini umoya oboniswa abathanda uJehova?
□ Abantu bakaJehova bahluka kanjani ezweni maqondana nezinhloso?
[Isithombe ekhasini 19]
Umthengi wathengisa konke anakho ukuze athenge ‘iparele elilodwa elinenani elikhulu’
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Insephe ezingutsheni zawo zakhumbuza amaIsrayeli ukuthi kwakumelwe azibonise engcwele kuJehova. Isifiso sokuba ‘ngcwele kuNkulunkulu wethu’ kumelwe sisenze siqaphele ekusebenziseni izwe