Sibanjwe Yihange Eliyithemba, Sishukunyiswa Uthando

“Kusele ukholo, ithemba, uthando, lokhu kokuthathu; kodwa okukhulu kunakho konke lokhu uthando.”—1 KORINTE 13:13.

 1. Yisiphi isixwayiso umphostoli uPawulu asinika sona?

UMPHOSTOLI UPAWULU usixwayisa ngokuthi ukholo lwethu lungaphihlizeka, njengomkhumbi. Ukhuluma ngokuba “nokholo nonembeza omuhle, okuye kwakhaphezelwa eceleni ngabanye futhi baphihlizekelwa umkhumbi ngokuphathelene nokholo lwabo.” (1 Thimothewu 1:19) Ngekhulu lokuqala C.E., imikhumbi yayakhiwe ngokhuni. Ukufaneleka kwayo ukuba solwandle kwakuxhomeke esimweni sokhuni nasebucikweni eyayakhiwe ngabo.

 2. Kungani kumelwe umkhumbi wokholo lwethu wakhiwe kahle, futhi lokhu kudingani kithi?

² Lokho okungase kubizwe ngokuthi umkhumbi wokholo lwethu kumelwe kuhlale kuntanta olwandle oluyaluzayo lwesintu. (Isaya 57:20; IsAmbulo 17:15) Ngakho kumelwe kube okwakhiwe kahle, futhi lokho kuxhomeke kithi. Lapho “ulwandle” lwezwe lamaJuda nelamaRoma luwathukuthelela kakhulu amaKristu okuqala, uJude wabhala: “Bathandekayo, ngokuzakha okholweni lwenu olungcwele kakhulu, nangokuthandaza ngomoya ongcwele, zigcineni othandweni lukaNkulunkulu, kuyilapho nilindele isihe seNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ninombono wokuphila okuphakade.” (Jude 20, 21) Njengoba uJude akhuluma nangokulwela “ukholo olwanikelwa kwabangcwele,” amazwi athi “okholweni olungcwele kakhulu” angase abhekisele kuzo zonke izimfundiso zamaKristu, kuhlanganise nezindaba ezinhle zensindiso. (Jude 3) UKristu uyisisekelo salolo kholo. Kudingeka ukholo oluqinile ukuze sinamathele okholweni lweqiniso lwamaKristu.

Ukubhekana Nesivunguvungu “Sokwesatshwa Kwamahlelo”

 3. Abathile bakusebenzisa kanjani “ukwesatshwa kwamahlelo”?

³ Eminyakeni yamuva, kuye kwaba nezenzakalo ezishaqisayo eziningana zokuzibulala kwabantu abaningi kanyekanye, ukubulawa nokuhlasela kobuphekula okuhilela amahlelo omshoshaphansi. Kuyaqondakala ukuthi kungani abantu abaningi, kuhlanganise nabaholi bezombangazwe abaqotho, beye babonisa ukukhathazeka ngokuvikela abantu abangenacala, ikakhulukazi izingane, emahlelweni anjalo ayingozi. Ngokwenza lokhu, “unkulunkulu walesisimiso sezinto,” okungangabazeki ukuthi nguye oshoshozela lezi zenzo zobugebengu ezinyantisayo, uye wadala lokho abanye abakubiza ngokuthi ukwesatshwa kwamahlelo futhi ukusebenzisela ukulwa nabantu bakaJehova. (2 Korinte 4:4; IsAmbulo 12:12) Abanye baye basizakala ngalesi simo, benza umsebenzi wethu uphikiswe. Emazweni athile, baye benza imikhankaso ebonakala sengathi ihloselwe ukuvikela abantu “emahlelweni ayingozi,” kodwa babiza noFakazi BakaJehova ngalelo gama ngokungafanele, kanjalo besimangalela sakugigiyela. Lokhu kuye kwenza ukushumayela endlini ngendlu kwaba nzima emazweni athile aseYurophu futhi kuye kwabangela abanye abantu abebefunda iBhayibheli nathi ukuba bayeke ukufunda. Lokhu kuye kwabadikibalisa abanye babafowethu.

 4. Kungani kungafanele ukuphikiswa kusidikibalise?

⁴ Nokho, kunokuba kusidikibalise, ukuphikiswa kufanele kusenze siqiniseke nakakhulu ukuthi siqhuba ubuKristu beqiniso. (Mathewu 5:11, 12) AmaKristu okuqala ayemangalelwa ngokuthi ayeyihlelo elivukela umbuso, futhi ‘kwakukhulunywa ngokumelene nawo’ yonke indawo. (IzEnzo 24:5; 28:22) Kodwa umphostoli uPetru waqinisekisa amakholwa ayekanye naye, ebhala: “Bathandekayo, ningakhungathekiswa ukusha okuphakathi kwenu, okwenzeka kini ngenjongo yokunilinga, njengokungathi nehlelwa yinto eyinqaba. Ngokuphambene nalokho, qhubekani nijabula njengoba nje ningabahlanganyeli ezinhluphekweni zikaKristu, ukuze nijabule futhi nichichime injabulo naphakathi nokwambulwa kwenkazimulo yakhe.” (1 Petru 4:12, 13) Ngokufanayo, ilungu lendikimba ebusayo yekhulu lokuqala labhala: “Kubhekeni njengenjabulo yodwa, bafowethu, lapho nihlangabezana nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene, njengoba nazi ukuthi lesisimo esivivinyiwe sokholo lwenu siveza ukukhuthazela. Kodwa vumelani ukukhuthazela kuphelelise umsebenzi wako, ukuze nibe abaphelele nabaphilile ezicini zonke, abangantuli lutho.” (Jakobe 1:2-4) Njengoba nje izivunguvungu eziyiziphepho zivivinya ukufaneleka komkhumbi olwandle, izivunguvungu zokuphikiswa ziyokwambula noma yibuphi ubuthakathaka emkhunjini wethu wokholo.

Usizi Luveza Ukukhuthazela

 5. Singaqiniseka kanjani ukuthi ukholo lwethu lugxilile lapho sisosizini?

⁵ Kungemva kokubhekana nezivunguvungu zokuhlupheka kuphela lapho amaKristu engaqiniseka khona ukuthi ayakwazi ukukhuthazela nokuthi ukholo lwawo lugxilile. Ukukhuthazela kwethu ‘kuyophelelisa umsebenzi wako’ olwandle olunezivunguvungu kuphela uma ‘singabaphelele nabaphilile ezicini zonke, abangantuli lutho,’ kuhlanganise nokholo oluqinile. UPawulu wabhala: “Ngazo zonke izindlela sizitusa njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu, ngokukhuthazelela okuningi, ngezinsizi, ngokuswela, ngobunzima.”—2 Korinte 6:4.

 6. Kungani kufanele ‘sethabe lapho sisezinsizini,’ futhi lokhu kuliqinisa kanjani ithemba lethu?

⁶ Izivunguvungu ezinjengeziphepho zosizi esingase sibhekane nazo ngezikhathi ezithile kufanele sizibheke njengamathuba okubonisa ukuthi umkhumbi wethu wokholo uqinile futhi unamandla. UPawulu wabhalela amaKristu aseRoma: “Masethabeni lapho sisezinsizini, njengoba sazi ukuthi usizi luveza ukukhuthazela; ukukhuthazela kona kuveza isimo sokwamukelwa; isimo sokwamukelwa sona siveza ithemba, futhi ithemba aliholeli ekudumazekeni.” (Roma 5:3-5) Ukuba abagxilile lapho silingwa kusenza samukeleke kuJehova. Lokhu nakho kuqinisa ithemba lethu.

Okwenza Abathile Baphihlizekelwe Umkhumbi

 7. (a) Njengoba kubonisa amazwi kaPawulu, abanye baphihlizekelwa kanjani umkhumbi ngokomoya? (b) Abanye baye baphambuka kanjani namuhla eqinisweni?

⁷ Lapho uPawulu exwayisa ‘ngokuphihlizekelwa umkhumbi,’ wayecabanga ngabathile ‘ababewukhaphezele eceleni’ unembeza wabo omuhle base belahlekelwa ukholo lwabo. (1 Thimothewu 1:19) Abanye babo kwakungoHimenewu no-Aleksandru ababewele ekubeni yizihlubuki, baphambuka eqinisweni futhi bakhuluma ngokuchaphayo. (1 Thimothewu 1:20, umbhalo waphansi we-NW; 2 Thimothewu 2:17, 18) Namuhla, izihlubuki, eziphambukile eqinisweni, zishaya “isigqila esikholekile nesiqondayo” ngamazwi, empeleni ziluma isandla ebesizifunza ngokomoya. Ezinye zifana ‘nesigqila esibi,’ zisho ngezenzo ukuthi, “Inkosi yami ilibele.” (Mathewu 24:44-49; 2 Thimothewu 4:14, 15) Ziyaphika ukuthi ukuphela kwalesi simiso sezinto esibi kuseduze futhi zigxeka isigaba sesigqila esiphapheme ngokomoya ngokwenza abantu bakaJehova bahlale benomuzwa wokuphuthuma. (Isaya 1:3) Izihlubuki ezinjalo ziyaphumelela ‘ekuchitheni ukholo lwabanye,’ zibenza baphihlizekelwe umkhumbi ngokomoya.—2 Thimothewu 2:18.

 8. Yini eye yabangela abanye ukuba baphihlizekelwe umkhumbi wokholo lwabo noma bawuminzise?

⁸ Amanye amaKristu azinikezele aye aphihliza umkhumbi wokholo lwawo ngokukhaphezela eceleni onembeza bawo futhi azitika ekufuneni injabulo kwaleli zwe okungenakuzithiba nasekuziphatheni kwalo kabi ngokobulili. (2 Petru 2:20-22) Amanye futhi aminzisa imikhumbi yawo yokholo ngoba, ngokubona kwawo, isiphephelo esiyisimiso sezinto esisha asikakabonakali sivela emkhathizwe. Njengoba ehluleka ukubala izikhathi ngokuphathelene nokugcwaliseka kweziprofetho ezithile, futhi ehlehlisa “usuku lukaJehova” ezingqondweni zawo, ayakushiya ukukhulekela kweqiniso. (2 Petru 3:10-13; 1 Petru 1:9) Ngokushesha azithola esephindele emanzini adungekile nayaluzayo alesi simiso sezinto. (Isaya 17:12, 13; 57:20) Abanye abaye bayeka ukuzihlanganisa nebandla lobuKristu basakholelwa ukuthi liqhuba inkolo yeqiniso. Nokho, kusobala ukuthi bantula isineke nokukhuthazela okudingekayo ukuze balinde izwe elisha uJehova uNkulunkulu alithembisile. Kubo, ukuphila ePharadesi akufiki ngokushesha ngokwanele.

 9. Yini eyenziwa amaKristu ambalwa azinikezele, futhi la maqiniso kufanele asiholele ekubeni sicabangeleni?

⁹ AmaKristu ambalwa azinikezele kwezinye izingxenye zomhlaba abonakala sengathi asesonge oseyili bomkhumbi bawo wokholo. Umkhumbi usantanta emanzini, kodwa esikhundleni sokuphokophela phambili ngokholo olugcwele, aselehlisile ijubane. Njengoba ayedonswe yithemba ‘lePharadesi elizofika ngokushesha,’ amanye ayezimisele ukuzikhandla ukuze afinyelele kulo—ayeshiseka emsebenzini wokushumayela futhi eba khona njalo kuyo yonke imihlangano yebandla, eyesifunda neyesigodi. Kodwa njengoba manje esecabanga ukuthi ukufezeka kwamathemba awo kukude kunalokho ayekucabanga, aseye akunciphisa ukuzikhandla kwawo. Lokhu kubonakala emsebenzini wokushumayela owehlile, ukuphutha emihlanganweni nokungenqeni ukuphuthelwa yizingxenye zesimiso semihlangano emikhulu. Amanye asebenzisa isikhathi esengeziwe ekuzilibaziseni nasekutholeni izinto ezibonakalayo zokunethezeka. La maqiniso asiholela ekubeni sicabangele ukuthi yini okufanele ibe amandla ashukumisayo ekuphileni kwethu ngokuvumelana nokuzinikezela kwethu kuJehova. Ingabe intshiseko yethu enkonzweni yakhe kufanele ixhomeke ethembeni ‘lePharadesi elizofika ngokushesha’?

Ithemba Lifaniswa Nehange

10, 11. UPawulu walifanisa nani ithemba lethu, futhi kungani kwakufaneleka lokhu kufanisa?

¹⁰ UPawulu waveza ukuthi uJehova wayethembise izibusiso eziyokuza ngo-Abrahama. Lo mphostoli wabe esechaza: “UNkulunkulu . . . wangenela ngesifungo, ukuze kuthi, ngezinto ezimbili ezingenakushintsheka [izwi lakhe nesifungo sakhe] okungenakwenzeka ngoNkulunkulu ukuba aqambe amanga kuzo, thina esibalekele esiphephelweni sibe nesikhuthazo esinamandla sokuba sibambe ithemba elibekwe phambi kwethu. Lelithemba sinalo njengehange lomphefumulo, kokubili liqinisekile futhi liqinile.” (Heberu 6:17-19; Genesise 22:16-18) AmaKristu agcotshiwe anikwe ithemba lokuphila okungenakufa ezulwini. Namuhla, iningi lezinceku zikaJehova linethemba elimangalisayo lokuphila okumi phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. (Luka 23:43) Ngaphandle kwethemba elinjalo, umuntu akanakuba nokholo.

¹¹ Ihange lomkhumbi liyinsimbi ewusizo kakhulu ekuphepheni, edingekayo nakanjani ekubambeni umkhumbi ungantanti ubaleke. Akukho tilosi elalingalokotha liphume echwebeni lingenalo ihange. Njengoba uPawulu ayeke waphihlizekelwa umkhumbi kaningana, wayekwazi ngokuzibonela ukuthi ukuphila kwabantu abasolwandle kwakuvame ukuxhomeka emahangeni omkhumbi wabo. (IzEnzo 27:29, 39, 40; 2 Korinte 11:25) Ekhulwini lokuqala, umkhumbi wawungenayo injini eyenza ukaputeni akwazi ukuwuqondisa ngokuthanda kwakhe. Imikhumbi yayithembela kakhulu emoyeni, ngaphandle kwemikhumbi yempi eyayinezigwedlo. Uma umkhumbi wakhe wawusengozini yokufuqeleka emadwaleni, okuwukuphela kwento ukaputeni ayengayenza kwakuwukwehlisa ihange futhi abhekane naleso sivunguvungu, ethembele ekutheni ihange lalingeke liphunyule ngaphansi olwandle. Ngakho-ke, uPawulu wafanisa ithemba lomKristu ‘nehange lomphefumulo, kokubili eliqinisekile futhi eliqinile.’ (Heberu 6:19) Lapho sihlaselwa yizivunguvungu zokuphikiswa noma sibhekana nokunye ukulingwa, ithemba lethu elimangalisayo liba njengehange elisenza sizimelele njengemiphefumulo ephilayo, ukuze umkhumbi wethu wokholo ungabaleki uye ezindaweni ezingajulile eziyingozi zokungabaza noma emadwaleni okuhlubuka adala inhlekelele.—Heberu 2:1; Jude 8-13.

12. Singakugwema kanjani ukuhlehla kuJehova?

¹² UPawulu waxwayisa amaKristu angamaHeberu: “Qaphelani, bafowethu, funa kukhule kunoma ubani kini inhliziyo embi entula ukholo ngokuhlehla kuNkulunkulu ophilayo.” (Heberu 3:12) Embhalweni wesiGreki, ‘ukuhlehla’ ngokwezwi nezwi kusho ‘ukuqhela,’ okungukuthi, ukuhlubuka. Kodwa singakugwema lokho kuphihlizekelwa umkhumbi ngokuphelele. Ukholo nethemba kuyosenza sikwazi ukunamathela kuJehova ngisho naphezu kwezivunguvungu ezimbi kakhulu zokuvivinywa. (Duteronomi 4:4; 30:19, 20) Ukholo lwethu ngeke lube njengomkhumbi ophonswa ngapha nangapha yimimoya yezimfundiso zezihlubuki. (Efesu 4:13, 14) Futhi njengoba siyobe sinethemba eliyihange lethu, siyokwazi ukubhekana nezivunguvungu zokuphila kokuba yizinceku zikaJehova.

Sishukunyiswa Uthando Nomoya Ongcwele

13, 14. (a) Kungani ihange lethemba lethu lilodwa linganele? (b) Kufanele kube yini engamandla ashukumisayo ekunikeleni inkonzo engcwele kuJehova, futhi ngani?

¹³ UmKristu ngeke afinyelele esimisweni esisha uma okuwukuphela kwesisusa sakhe sokukhonza uJehova kuyithemba lokuphila phakade emhlabeni oyipharadesi. Njengoba egcina ihange lakhe eliyithemba liyisici esimzimazisayo ekuphileni kwakhe, kudingeka anezele kulo nasokholweni lwakhe amandla ashukumisayo othando. UPawulu wagcizelela leli qiniso lapho ebhala: “Kusele ukholo, ithemba, uthando, lokhu kokuthathu; kodwa okukhulu kunakho konke lokhu uthando.”—1 Korinte 13:13.

¹⁴ Amandla asishukumisayo ekunikeleni inkonzo engcwele kufanele kube uthando olusuka enhliziyweni ngoJehova, sisabela othandweni olungenakulinganiswa analo ngathi. Umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Lowo ongenalo uthando akamazi uNkulunkulu, ngoba uNkulunkulu uluthando. Ngalokhu uthando lukaNkulunkulu lwabonakaliswa ngokuqondene nathi, ngoba uNkulunkulu wathumela iNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ezweni ukuze sizuze ukuphila ngayo. Kepha thina, sinothando, ngoba yena wasithanda kuqala.” (1 Johane 4:8, 9, 19) Ngenxa yokubonga kuJehova, esikukhathalela ngokuyinhloko kufanele kube ukubona ukungcweliswa kwegama lakhe elingcwele nokulwelwa kobukhosi bakhe obulungile, hhayi ukusindiswa kwethu.

15. Uthando lwethu ngoJehova luhlobene kanjani nendaba yobukhosi bakhe?

¹⁵ UJehova ufuna simkhonze ngoba sithanda yena, hhayi nje iPharadesi. I-encyclopedia yeBhayibheli ethi Insight on the Scripturesa ithi: “UJehova uthola inkazimulo ekutheni ubukhosi bakhe nokusekelwa kwabo yizidalwa zakhe kusekelwe othandweni ngokuyinhloko. Ufuna kuphela labo abathanda ubukhosi bakhe ngenxa yezimfanelo zakhe ezinhle nangenxa yokuthi bulungile, abakhetha obakhe ubukhosi kunanoma yibuphi obunye. (1Ko 2:9) Bakhetha ukukhonza ngaphansi kobukhosi bakhe kunokuba bazame ukuba bazimele—lokhu bekwenza ngenxa yokuthi bayamazi yena nothando lwakhe, ubulungisa nokuhlakanipha, abaqaphelayo ukuthi kukudlula kakhulu okwabo. (Hu 84:10, 11)”—UMqulu 2, ikhasi 275.

16. Uthando ngoJesu lungamandla ashukumisayo ngayiphi indlela ekuphileni kwethu?

¹⁶ NjengamaKristu, sibonisa futhi uthando ngoJesu lapho sisabela othandweni lwakhe ngathi. UPawulu wathi: “Uthando uKristu analo luyasiphoqelela, ngoba yilokhu esikwahlulele, ukuthi umuntu oyedwa wafela bonke; ngakho-ke, bonke bafile; futhi wafela bonke ukuze labo abaphilayo bangabe besaziphilela bona, kodwa baphilele yena owabafela futhi wavuswa.” (2 Korinte 5:14, 15) UKristu uyiso kanye isisekelo okwakhelwe kuso ukuphila kwethu okungokomoya, ukholo lwethu nethemba lethu. Uthando lwethu ngoKristu Jesu luqinisa ithemba lethu futhi lugxilise ukholo lwethu, ikakhulukazi ngezikhathi zokuvivinywa okusazivunguvungu.—1 Korinte 3:11; Kolose 1:23; 2:6, 7.

17. Yimaphi amandla amakhulu uJehova asinika wona, futhi ukubaluleka kwawo kuboniswe kanjani kuzEnzo 1:8 nakweyabase-Efesu 3:16?

¹⁷ Nakuba uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu neNdodana yakhe lungamandla ayinhloko ashukumisayo ekuphileni kwethu njengamaKristu, uJehova usinikeza okunye okusishukumisayo, kusinike umfutho namandla okuqhubeka enkonzweni yakhe. Lokho kungamandla akhe asebenzayo, noma umoya ongcwele. Igama lesiHeberu nelesiGreki ahunyushwe ngokuthi “umoya” ngokuyisisekelo abhekisela ekuvunguzeni ngamandla komoya. Imikhumbi kaseyili njengaleyo eyayigitshelwa uPawulu yayithembela emandleni angabonakali omoya ovunguzayo ukuze ifike lapho iya khona. Ngokufanayo, sidinga uthando nokusebenza kwamandla kaNkulunkulu angabonakali ukuze umkhumbi wethu wokholo usiqhubekisele phambili ekukhonzeni uJehova.—IzEnzo 1:8; Efesu 3:16.

Masiphokophele Phambili Lapho Silibangise Khona!

18. Yini eyosenza sikwazi ukukhuthazelela noma yikuphi ukuvivinywa kokholo lwethu esikhathini esizayo?

¹⁸ Ukholo nothando lwethu kungase kuvivinywe kakhulu ngaphambi kokuba sifike esimisweni esisha sezinto. Kodwa uJehova uye wasilungiselela ihange ‘kokubili eliqinisekile futhi eliqinile’—ithemba lethu elimangalisayo. (Heberu 6:19; Roma 15:4, 13) Lapho sibhekana nokuphikiswa noma okunye ukulingwa, singakhuthazela uma sibanjwe ngokuqinile yihange eliyithemba lethu. Ngemva kokuba esinye isivunguvungu sesiye sadamba kodwa singakaqali esinye, masizimisele ukuqinisa ithemba lethu futhi silwenze lube namandla ukholo lwethu.

19. Singawugcina kanjani umkhumbi wokholo lwethu usemzileni oyiwonawona futhi ufinyelele indawo ephephile eyizwe elisha likaNkulunkulu?

¹⁹ Ngaphambi kokukhuluma ‘ngehange lomphefumulo,’ uPawulu wathi: “Sifisa ukuba yilowo nalowo kini abonise inkuthalo efanayo [“asheshe kakhudlwana,” umbhalo waphansi we-NW] ukuze abe nesiqinisekiso esigcwele sethemba kuze kube sekupheleni, ukuze ningabi abavilaphayo, kodwa nibe abalingisi balabo okuthi ngokholo nangokubekezela bazuze izithembiso njengefa.” (Heberu 6:11, 12) Njengoba siqhutshwa uthando ngoJehova neNdodana yakhe futhi sithola amandla omoya ongcwele, masigcine umkhumbi wokholo lwethu usemzileni oyiwonawona kuze kube yilapho sifika endaweni ephephile eyizwe elisha elithenjiswe nguNkulunkulu.

[Umbhalo waphansi]

Ukubukeza

◻ Yisiphi isixwayiso uPawulu asinika sona ngokuqondene nokholo lwethu?

◻ Abathile baye baphihlizekelwa kanjani umkhumbi ngokomoya, futhi abanye balinciphisa kanjani ijubane?

◻ Iyiphi imfanelo yokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu okudingeka ihambisane nokholo lwethu?

◻ Yini eyosenza sikwazi ukufinyelela endaweni ephephile eyizwe elisha elithenjiswe nguNkulunkulu?

[Isithombe ekhasini 16]

Umkhumbi wokholo lwethu kumelwe wakhiwe kahle ukuze umelane nezivunguvungu zokuphila

[Isithombe ekhasini 17]

Ukholo lwethu lungaphihlizeka njengomkhumbi

[Isithombe ekhasini 18]

Ithemba liyihange lokuphila kwethu njengamaKristu