Ukholo Lusishukumisela Esenzweni!
“Uyabona ukuthi ukholo [luka-Abrahama] lwasebenza kanye nemisebenzi yakhe futhi ukholo lwakhe lwapheleliswa ngemisebenzi yakhe.”—JAKOBE 2:22.
1, 2. Siyokwenzani uma sinokholo?
ABANINGI bathi banokholo kuNkulunkulu. Nokho, ukholo lokuzisholo lulodwa aluphili, lunjengesidumbu. “Nokholo uma lungenayo imisebenzi, lufile,” kubhala umfundi uJakobe. Wathi futhi u-Abrahama owayesaba uNkulunkulu wayenokholo ‘olwasebenza kanye nemisebenzi yakhe.’ (Jakobe 2:17, 22) Abaluleke ngani amazwi anjalo kithi?
2 Uma sinokholo lweqiniso, ngeke sigcine ngokukholelwa yilokho esikuzwa emihlanganweni yobuKristu. Siyonikeza ubufakazi bokholo ngoba singoFakazi BakaJehova abakhuthele. Yebo, ukholo luyosishukumisela ukuba sisebenzise iZwi likaNkulunkulu ekuphileni, lusishukumisele nasesenzweni.
Ukukhetha Akuhambisani Nokholo
3, 4. Ukholo kufanele luyithonye kanjani indlela esiphatha ngayo abanye?
3 Uma sinokholo lweqiniso kuNkulunkulu nakuKristu, ngeke sibonise ukukhetha. (Jakobe 2:1-4) Abanye uJakobe ayebabhalela babengabonisi ukungakhethi okudingekayo kumaKristu eqiniso. (Roma 2:11) Ngakho, uJakobe uyabuza: “Aniluphethe ukholo lweNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu, inkazimulo yethu, ngezenzo zokukhetha, akunjalo?” Uma umuntu ongakholwa ocebile, onezindandatho zegolide nezingubo eziwubukhazikhazi efika emhlanganweni kanye nomuntu ongakholwa ‘ompofu ogqoke izambatho ezingcolile,’ bobabili kwakufanele bamukelwe kahle, kodwa kwakunakekelwa ngokukhethekile abacebile. Babenikwa izihlalo “endaweni enhle,” kanti abantu abangakholwa abampofu kwakufanele bame noma bahlale phansi ngasezinyaweni zomunye.
4 UJehova walungiselelela abacebile nabampofu ngokufanayo umhlatshelo wesihlengo kaJesu Kristu. (2 Korinte 5:14) Ngakho-ke, uma besinganakekela abacebile kuphela, besingabe siyalushiya ukholo lukaKristu, ‘owaba mpofu ukuze sicebe ngobumpofu bakhe.’ (2 Korinte 8:9) Masingalokothi sahlulele abantu ngalendlela—ngesisusa esingalungile sokudumisa abantu. UNkulunkulu akakhethi, kodwa uma besingabonisa ukukhetha, besiyobe ‘sikhipha izinqumo ezimbi.’ (Jobe 34:19) Njengoba sinesifiso sokujabulisa uNkulunkulu, ngokuqinisekile ngeke siwele esilingweni sokubonisa ukukhetha noma ‘ukubabaza abantu ngenxa yenzuzo yethu siqu.’—Jude 4, 16.
5. Obani uNkulunkulu aye wabakhetha ukuba babe “abacebile okholweni,” futhi ngokuvamile labo abacebile ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo benzani?
5 UJakobe uveza abacebe ngempela futhi unxusa ukuba bonke baboniswe uthando ngokungakhethi. (Jakobe 2:5-9) ‘UNkulunkulu uye wakhetha abampofu ukuba babe abacebile okholweni nezindlalifa zombuso.’ Lokhu kungenxa yokuthi ngokuvamile abampofu basabela kangcono ezindabeni ezinhle. (1 Korinte 1:26-29) Njengesigaba, abacebile ngokwezinto ezibonakalayo bacindezela abanye ngokuqondene nezikweletu, amaholo nezinyathelo zomthetho. Bakhuluma okubi ngoKristu futhi basishushise ngoba siphethe igama lakhe. Kodwa masizimisele ukulalela “umthetho wobukhosi,” ofuna sibe nothando ngomakhelwane—sibathande ngokulinganayo abacebile nabampofu. (Levitikusi 19:18; Mathewu 22:37-40) Njengoba kunguNkulunkulu ofuna lokhu, ukubonisa ukukhetha ‘kuwukusebenza isono.’
‘Isihe Sethaba Phezu Kwesahlulelo’
6. Kungani siyobe siyizephulamthetho uma singasebenzelani nabanye ngesihe?
6 Uma sibonisa ukukhetha ngokungenasihe, siyizephulamthetho. (Jakobe 2:10-13) Ngokuthatha isinyathelo okungesona kulokhu, siba abephuli bayo yonke imithetho kaNkulunkulu. Ama-Israyeli ayengaphingi kodwa engamasela, ayeba ngabeqi boMthetho kaMose. NjengamaKristu, sahlulelwa “ngomthetho wabantu abakhululekile”—u-Israyeli ongokomoya osesivumelwaneni esisha, onomthetho waso ezinhliziyweni zawo.—Jeremiya 31:31-33.
7. Kungani labo abaqhubeka bebonisa ukukhetha bengenakulindela isihe kuNkulunkulu?
7 Uma sithi sinokholo kodwa siphikelela ekuboniseni ukukhetha, sisengozini. Labo abangenaluthando nasihe ukwahlulelwa kwabo ngeke kube nesihe. (Mathewu 7:1, 2) UJakobe uthi: “Isihe sethaba ngokunqobayo phezu kwesahlulelo.” Uma samukela ukuqondisa komoya kaJehova ongcwele ngokubonisa isihe njalo ekusebenzelaneni kwethu nabanye, ngeke silahlwe lapho sahlulelwa. Kunalokho, siyoboniswa isihe futhi ngaleyo ndlela sinqobe phezu kobulungisa obungaboneleli noma isahlulelo esibi.
Ukholo Luveza Imisebenzi Emihle
8. Siyini isimo somuntu othi unokholo kodwa ebe entula imisebenzi?
8 Ngaphandle kokusenza sibe nothando nesihe, ukholo luveza eminye imisebenzi emihle. (Jakobe 2:14-26) Yebo, ukholo lokuzisholo oluntula imisebenzi ngeke lusisindise. Yiqiniso, asinakuzuza ukuma okulungile phambi kukaNkulunkulu ngemisebenzi yoMthetho. (Roma 4:2-5) UJakobe akakhulumi ngemisebenzi eshukunyiswa isimiso somthetho, kodwa eshukunyiswa ukholo nothando. Uma sishukunyiswa yizimfanelo ezinjalo, ngeke sigcine ngokumfisela okuhle umkhulekeli esikanye naye oswele. Umfowethu noma udadewethu ohlubule noma olambile siyomnikeza usizo olungokoqobo. UJakobe uyabuza: ‘Uma utshela umzalwane oswele ukuthi: “Hamba ngokuthula, ufudumale futhi usuthe,” kodwa ungamniki izidingo, kunanzuzoni lokho?’ Akunayo. (Jobe 31:16-22) “Ukholo” olunjalo aluphili!
9. Yini ebonisa ukuthi sinokholo?
9 Kungenzeka sihlanganyela nabantu bakaNkulunkulu ngezinga elithile, kodwa yimisebenzi yenhliziyo yonke kuphela engafakazela ukuzisholo kwethu ukuthi sinokholo. Kuhle uma siye sayenqaba imfundiso kaZiqu-zintathu futhi sikholelwa ukuthi kunoNkulunkulu oyedwa weqiniso. Nokho, ukukholelwa kukodwa akulona ukholo. “Amademoni ayakholelwa,” futhi ‘aqhaqhazela’ ngokwesaba ngoba alindelwe ukubhujiswa. Uma sinokholo ngempela, luyosishukumisela ukuba siveze imisebenzi enjengokushumayela izindaba ezinhle nokupha esikholwa nabo abaswele, ukudla nezambatho. UJakobe uyabuza: “Kodwa ingabe uyathanda ukwazi, O wena muntu ongenangqondo [ongenalo ulwazi olunembile ngoNkulunkulu], ukuthi ukholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi alusebenzi?” Yebo, ukholo ludinga izenzo.
10. Kungani u-Abrahama ebizwa ngokuthi “uyise wabo bonke abanokholo”?
10 Ukholo lwenzalamizi eyayihlonipha uNkulunkulu u-Abrahama lwayishukumisela esenzweni. ‘Njengoyise wabo bonke abanokholo, kwathiwa ilungile ngenxa yemisebenzi ngemva kokuba inikele ngo-Isaka indodana yayo e-altare.’ (Roma 4:11, 12; Genesise 22:1-14) Kwakuyokwenzekani ukube u-Abrahama wayentule ukholo lokuthi uNkulunkulu angamvusa u-Isaka futhi afeze isithembiso saKhe senzalo eyayiyovela ngaye? Phela u-Abrahama wayengeke alokothe anikele ngendodana yakhe. (Heberu 11:19) “Ukholo” luka-Abrahama “lwapheleliswa,” noma lwenziwa lwaphelela, ngemisebenzi yakhe yokulalela. Kanjalo, “wagcwaliseka umbhalo [kaGenesise 15:6] othi: ‘U-Abrahama wabeka ukholo kuJehova, futhi kwabalelwa kuye njengokulunga.’” Imisebenzi ka-Abrahama yokuzama ukunikela ngo-Isaka yaqinisekisa ukusho kukaNkulunkulu ngaphambili ukuthi u-Abrahama wayelungile. Ngemisebenzi yokholo, wabonisa uthando lwakhe ngoNkulunkulu futhi wabizwa ngokuthi “umngane kaJehova.”
11. Sinabuphi ubufakazi bokholo endabeni kaRahabi?
11 U-Abrahama wabonisa ukuthi “umuntu kuzothiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi, hhayi ngokholo lodwa.” Kwaba njalo nangoRahabi, isifebe saseJeriko. ‘Kwathiwa ulungile ngemisebenzi, ngemva kokuba amukele izithunywa [ezingama-Israyeli] ngokufudumele futhi wazikhipha ngenye indlela,’ ukuze ziphambe izitha zazo zaseKhanani. Ngaphambi kokuhlangana nezinhloli zakwa-Israyeli, waqaphela uJehova njengoNkulunkulu weqiniso, futhi amazwi awasho kamuva nokuyeka kwakhe ubufebe kwanikeza ubufakazi bokholo lwakhe. (Joshuwa 2:9-11; Heberu 11:31) Ngemva kwalesi sibonelo sesibili sokholo olwaboniswa ngemisebenzi, uJakobe uthi: “Impela, njengoba umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, kanjalo nokholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile.” Uma umuntu efile, akukho mandla ashukumisayo, noma “umoya,” kuye, futhi akafezi lutho. Ukholo lokuzisholo lulodwa aluphili futhi alunamsebenzi njengesidumbu nje. Nokho, uma sinokholo lwangempela luyosishukumisela ezenzweni zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.
Lawula Lolo Lulimi!
12. Kufanele benzeni abadala ebandleni?
12 Ukukhuluma nokufundisa nakho kunganikeza ubufakazi bokholo, kodwa kunesidingo sokuzithiba. (Jakobe 3:1-4) Njengabafundisi ebandleni, abadala banomthwalo nesibopho esikhulu sokulandisa kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho, kufanele bahlole izisusa nezimfanelo zabo ngokuthobeka. Ngalé kolwazi nekhono, lamadoda kumelwe abe nothando olujulile ngoNkulunkulu nangabakhulekeli abakanye nawo. (Roma 12:3, 16; 1 Korinte 13:3, 4) Abadala kumelwe basekele iseluleko sabo emiBhalweni. Uma umdala engase aphambuke ekufundiseni kwakhe futhi lokhu kubangele abanye izinkinga, angathola isahlulelo esibi kuNkulunkulu ngoKristu. Ngakho-ke abadala kufanele bathobeke futhi bakhuthale ekutadisheni, banamathele ngokwethembeka eZwini likaNkulunkulu.
13. Kungani sikhubeka ngezwi?
13 Ngisho nabafundisi abahle—eqinisweni, sonke—“siyakhubeka izikhathi eziningi” ngenxa yokungapheleli. Ukukhubeka ngezwi kungokunye kokushiyeka okuvame kakhulu nokungalimaza kakhulu. UJakobe uthi: “Uma noma ubani engakhubeki ngezwi, lowo uyindoda ephelele, ekwazi ukulawula nomzimba wayo wonke ngokungathi ngetomu.” Ngokungafani noJesu Kristu, asikwazi ukululawula ngokuphelele ulimi. Ukube siyakwazi, besingalawula wonke amanye amalungu omzimba. Kakade, amatomu nemikhala kwenza amahhashi aye lapho siwaqondisa khona, futhi ngephini elincane, ngisho nomkhumbi oqhutshwa yimimoya enamandla, ungaqondiswa ngokuthanda komqondisi.
14. UJakobe usigcizelela kanjani isidingo somzamo ukuze silawule ulimi?
14 Sonke kumelwe sivume ngokwethembeka ukuthi kudingeka umzamo wangempela ukuze silawule ulimi. (Jakobe 3:5-12) Uma eqhathaniswa nehhashi, mancane amatomu; kunjalo nangephini uma liqhathaniswa nomkhumbi. Futhi lapho luqhathaniswa nomzimba womuntu, ulimi luncane “kodwa nokho luzigabisa kakhulu.” Njengoba imiBhalo ikwenza kucace ukuthi ukuziqhayisa akumjabulisi uNkulunkulu, masifune usizo lwakhe ukuze sikugweme. (IHubo 12:3, 4; 1 Korinte 4:7) Kwangathi nathi singabamba ulimi lwethu lapho sicasukile, sikhumbule ukuthi ukokhela ihlathi kudinga nje inhlansi. Njengoba uJakobe ebonisa, “ulimi luwumlilo” okwazi ukudala umonakalo omkhulu. (IzAga 18:21) Phela, ulimi olungalawulwa “luyizwe lokungalungi”! Zonke izici ezimbi zaleli lizwe elingamhloniphi uNkulunkulu zihlobaniswa nolimi olungalawulwa. Lwenza izinto ezilimazayo ezinjengokunyundela nezimfundiso zamanga. (Levitikusi 19:16; 2 Petru 2:1) Ucabangani? Akufanele yini ukholo lwethu lusishukumisele ukuba sisebenze kanzima silawula ulimi lwethu?
15. Yimuphi umonakalo ongase udalwe ulimi olungalawulwa ngokungathi ngetomu?
15 Ulimi olungalawulwa ngokungathi ngamatomu ‘lusibeka amabala’ lusiqede. Ngokwesibonelo, uma sibanjwa siqamba amanga ngokuphindaphindiwe, singase saziwe njengabaqambimanga. Nokho, ulimi olungalawulwa ‘lulokhela kanjani isondo lokuphila okungokwemvelo’? Ngokwenza ukuphila kube njengomjikelezo omubi. Ibandla lonke lingase liphazanyiswe ulimi olulodwa olungalawulwa. UJakobe ukhuluma ‘ngeGehena,’ iSigodi SikaHinomu. Njengoba sake sasetshenziselwa ukwenza imihlatshelo ngezingane, saba indawo yokushisa amabibi aseJerusalema. (Jeremiya 7:31) Ngakho iGehena liwuphawu lokubhubhisa. Ngomqondo othile, ulimi olungalawulwa lunamandla eGehena abhubhisayo. Uma singalulawuli ngokungathi ngetomu ulimi lwethu, thina ngokwethu singase sibe izisulu zomlilo esiwokhele. (Mathewu 5:22) Singase sixoshwe nokuxoshwa ebandleni ngenxa yokuthuka othile.—1 Korinte 5:11-13.
16. Ngenxa yomonakalo ongase udalwe ulimi olungalawulwa, yini okufanele siyenze?
16 Njengoba kungenzeka uye wakufunda eZwini likaNkulunkulu, uJehova wathi umuntu kufanele athotshelwe indalo eyizilwane. (Genesise 1:28) Futhi kunezinhlobo eziningi zezilwane eziye zenziwa zathamba. Ngokwesibonelo, izinkozi eziqeqeshiwe ziye zasetshenziselwa ukuzingela. ‘Izinto ezinwabuzelayo’ uJakobe akhuluma ngazo zingase zihlanganise izinyoka ezilawulwa abathonyi bezinyoka. (IHubo 58:4, 5) Umuntu angalawula ngisho nemikhomo, kodwa njengabantu abanesono asikwazi ukulwenza luthambe ngokuphelele ulimi. Nokho, kufanele sigweme amazwi achaphayo, ahlabayo, noma anyundelayo. Ulimi olungalawulwa lungaba yithuluzi eliyingozi eligcwele ubuthi obubulalayo. (Roma 3:13) Ngokudabukisayo, izindimi zabafundisi bamanga zasusa amanye amaKristu okuqala kuNkulunkulu. Ngakho masingalokothi sizivumele sinqotshwe amazwi ezihlubuki anobuthi, kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ayakhulunywa noma abhaliwe.—1 Thimothewu 1:18-20; 2 Petru 2:1-3.
17, 18. Yikuphi ukuguquguquka okuphawulwe kuJakobe 3:9-12, futhi kufanele senzeni ngokuphathelene nalokhu?
17 Ukholo kuNkulunkulu nesifiso sokumjabulisa kungasivikela ekuhlubukeni futhi kungasivikela ekusebenziseni ulimi ngokuguquguqukayo. Ebhekisela ekuguquguqukeni kwabanye, uJakobe uthi ‘ngolimi situsa uBaba wethu, uJehova, futhi siqalekise abantu ababa khona ngomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu.’ (Genesise 1:26) UJehova unguBaba wethu ngokuthi “unika bonke abantu ukuphila nomoya nazo zonke izinto.” (IzEnzo 17:24, 25) Futhi unguYise wamaKristu agcotshiwe ngomqondo ongokomoya. Sonke ‘singokomfanekiso kaNkulunkulu’ ngokuqondene nezimfanelo ezingokwengqondo nezokuziphatha, kuhlanganise nothando, ubulungisa nokuhlakanipha, ezisenza sihluke ezilwaneni. Khona-ke, kufanele sibe nezenzo ezinjani uma sinokholo kuJehova?
18 Uma besingaqalekisa abantu, lokho bekungasho ukuthi sithi mabehlelwe okubi. Njengoba singebona abaprofethi abaphefumulelwe ngokwaphezulu, abagunyazwe ukwehlisela umuntu okubi, inkulumo enjalo ingabonisa inzondo engenza ukutusa kwethu uNkulunkulu kube yize. Akufanelekile ukuba kuphume kokubili “ukubusisa nokuqalekisa” emlonyeni owodwa. (Luka 6:27, 28; Roma 12:14, 17-21; Jude 9) Yeka ukuthi bekungaba isono kangakanani ukuhlabelelela uNkulunkulu izindumiso emihlanganweni bese kamuva sikhuluma okubi ngesikholwa nabo! Amanzi amtoti nababayo awanakuphuphuma emthonjeni owodwa. Njengoba nje ‘umkhiwane ungenakuthela iminqumo,’ namanzi anosawoti awanakuveza amanzi amtoti. Kukhona okungalungile ngokomoya uma thina okufanele sikhulume okuhle, siphikelela ekukhulumeni amazwi amabi. Uma sinalowo mkhuba, masithandazele usizo lukaJehova ukuze siyeke ukukhuluma ngaleyo ndlela.—IHubo 39:1.
Yenza Ngokuhlakanipha Kwaphezulu
19. Uma siqondiswa ukuhlakanipha kwasezulwini, singabathonya kanjani abanye?
19 Sonke siyakudinga ukuhlakanipha ukuze sikhulume futhi senze izinto ezifanele labo abanokholo. (Jakobe 3:13-18) Uma sinokwesaba okunenhlonipho ngoNkulunkulu, usinika ukuhlakanipha kwasezulwini, ikhono lokusebenzisa ulwazi ngokufanele. (IzAga 9:10; Heberu 5:14) IZwi lakhe lisifundisa indlela yokubonisa ‘ubumnene bokuhlakanipha.’ Futhi ngenxa yokuthi simnene, sikhuthaza ukuthula kwebandla. (1 Korinte 8:1, 2) Noma yibaphi abazigabisa ngokuba abafundisi abahle babakholwa nabo ‘baqambela iqiniso lobuKristu amanga,’ elilahla ukuzazisa kwabo. (Galathiya 5:26) “Ukuhlakanipha” kwabo “okwasemhlabeni”—kwabantu abanesono abadediselwe kude noNkulunkulu. “Okobulwane,” njengoba kuwumphumela wokuthambekela kwenyama. “Okobudemoni” imbala, ngoba imimoya emibi iyaqhosha! (1 Thimothewu 3:6) Ngakho-ke masenze ngokuhlakanipha nokuthobeka ukuze singenzi lutho oluzodala isimo ezingachuma kuso ‘izinto ezimbi’ ezinjengokunyundela nokukhetha.
20. Ungakuchaza kanjani ukuhlakanipha kwasezulwini?
20 “Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu okokuqala kumsulwa,” kusenza sihlanzeke ekuziphatheni nangokomoya. (2 Korinte 7:11) “Kunokuthula,” njengoba kusishukumisela ukuba siphishekele ukuthula. (Heberu 12:14) Ukuhlakanipha kwaphezulu kusenza ‘sibe nengqondo,’ singabi ozwilakhe nabantu okunzima ukusebenzelana nabo. (Filipi 4:5) Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu “kuyashesha ukulalela,” kukhuthaza ukulalela ukufundisa kwaphezulu nokubambisana nenhlangano kaJehova. (Roma 6:17) Ukuhlakanipha okuvela phezulu kusenza futhi sibe nesihe, nobubele. (Jude 22, 23) Njengoba kugcwele “izithelo ezinhle,” kushukumisa ukukhathalela abanye nezenzo ezivumelana nobuhle, ukulunga neqiniso. (Efesu 5:9) Futhi njengabenzi bokuthula, sijabulela “isithelo sokulunga” esichuma ezimweni ezinokuthula.
21. NgokukaJakobe 2:1–3:18, ukholo lwethu kuNkulunkulu kufanele lusishukumisele kuziphi izenzo?
21 Khona-ke, ngokucacile, ukholo lusishukumisela esenzweni. Lusenza singakhethi, sibe nesihe, futhi sikhuthale emisebenzini emihle. Ukholo lusisiza ukuba silawule ulimi nokuba senze ngokuhlakanipha kwasezulwini. Kodwa akugcini lapha esingakufunda kulencwadi. UJakobe unesinye iseluleko esingasisiza ukuba siziphathe ngendlela efanele labo abanokholo kuJehova.
Ungaphendula Kanjani?
◻ Yini engalungile ngokubonisa ukukhetha?
◻ Ukholo luhlobene kanjani nemisebenzi?
◻ Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukulawula ulimi?
◻ Kunjani ukuhlakanipha kwasezulwini?