Singabunezela Kanjani Ubuhle Okholweni Lwethu?
“Nelekele ubuhle ekukholweni.”—2 PETRU 1:5.
1, 2. Kungani kufanele silindele abantu bakaJehova ukuba benze okuhle?
UJEHOVA wenza izinto ngendlela enhle ngaso sonke isikhathi. Wenza okulungile nokuhle. Ngakho-ke, umphostoli uPetru wayengakhuluma ngoNkulunkulu njengokuwuyena owabiza amaKristu agcotshiwe ‘ngenkazimulo nobuhle baKhe.’ Ulwazi oluqondile ngoYise wasezulwini omuhle lwaluwabonisile ukuthi yini eyayidingekile ukuze aphishekele ukuphila kokuzinikela kwangempela kokwesaba uNkulunkulu.—2 Petru 1:2, 3.
2 Umphostoli uPawulu unxusa amaKristu ukuba ‘alingise uNkulunkulu njengabantwana abathandekayo.’ (Efesu 5:1) NjengoYise wasezulwini, abakhulekeli bakaJehova kufanele benze okuhle ngaphansi kwanoma isiphi isimo. Kodwa buyini ubuhle?
Lokho Ubuhle Obuyikho
3. “Ubuhle” buye bachazwa kanjani?
3 Izichazamazwi zanamuhla zichaza “ubuhle” ngokuthi “ubuhle bokuziphatha; ubuvi.” “Buyisenzo nokucabanga okufanele; ubuhle bobuntu.” Umuntu onemfanelo yobuhle ulungile. Imfanelo yobuhle iye yachazwa futhi ngokuthi “ukunamathela endinganisweni yokulungile.” Yiqiniso, ngamaKristu, “indinganiso yokuhle” imiswa uNkulunkulu futhi yenziwe yacaca eZwini lakhe eliNgcwele, iBhayibheli.
4. Yiziphi izimfanelo eziphawulwe kweyesi-2 Petru 1:5-7 umKristu okumelwe asebenze kanzima ukuze azihlakulele?
4 AmaKristu eqiniso azivumelanisa nezindinganiso zokulunga zikaJehova uNkulunkulu, futhi asabela ezithembisweni zakhe eziyigugu ngokubonisa ukholo. Aphinde alalele iseluleko sikaPetru: “Nengezela inkuthalo yonke nelekele ubuhle ekukholweni‚ nasebuhleni ukwazi‚ nasekwazini ukuzithiba‚ nasekuzithibeni ukukhuthazela‚ nasekukhuthazeleni ukumesaba uNkulunkulu‚ nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu ukuthanda abazalwane‚ nasekuthandeni abazalwane uthando.” (2 Petru 1:5-7) UmKristu kumelwe asebenze kanzima ukuze ahlakulele lezimfanelo. Lokhu akwenziwa ngezinsuku noma iminyaka embalwa kodwa kudinga umzamo oqhubekayo waso sonke isikhathi sokuphila komuntu. Phela, ukunezela ubuhle okholweni lwethu khona ngokwakho kuyinselele!
5. Buyini ubuhle ngokwalokho okushiwo imiBhalo?
5 Isazi sezichazamazwi uM. R. Vincent sithi umqondo wakuqala wegama lesiGreki elihunyushwe ngokuthi “ubuhle” wawubonisa “ubuhle obudlulele banoma yiluphi uhlobo.” UPetru wasebenzisa leligama lisebuningini lapho ethi amaKristu kwakufanele ashumayele “ngobuhle,” bukaNkulunkulu. (1 Petru 2:9, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Ngokwalokho okushiwo imiBhalo, ubuhle abuchazwa njengokungenzi lutho kodwa buchazwa “njengamandla okuziphatha, amandla ashukumisayo.” Lapho ekhuluma ngobuhle, uPetru wayecabanga ngobuhle bokuziphatha okunesibindi izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezilindeleke ukuba zibubonise futhi zibulondoloze. Nokho, njengoba singaphelele, ingabe ngempela singakwenza okuhle phambi kukaNkulunkulu?
Asiphelele Kodwa Sinayo Imfanelo Yobuhle
6. Nakuba singaphelele, kungani kungashiwo ukuthi singakwenza okuhle phambi kukaNkulunkulu?
6 Sizuzé ukungapheleli nesono njengefa, ngakho singase sizibuze ukuthi singakwenza kanjani ngempela okuhle phambi kukaNkulunkulu. (Roma 5:12) Ngokuqinisekile sidinga usizo lukaJehova uma sifuna ukuba nezinhliziyo ezihlanzekile, okuvela kuzo imicabango, amazwi, nezenzo ezinhle. (Qhathanisa noLuka 6:45.) Ngemva kokona noBati-Sheba, umhubi ophendukayo uDavide wancenga: “Nkulunkulu, dala kimi inhliziyo ehlanzekileyo, uvuse umoya oqinileyo phakathi kwami.” (IHubo 51:10) UDavide wathola intethelelo kaNkulunkulu nosizo ayeludinga ukuze aphishekele inkambo yobuhle. Ngakho, uma sone ngokungathi sína kodwa ngokuphenduka salwamukela usizo lukaNkulunkulu nabadala bebandla, singabuyela endleleni yobuhle futhi sihlale kuyo.—IHubo 103:1-3, 10-14; Jakobe 5:13-15.
7, 8. (a) Uma sifuna ukuhlala sinemfanelo yobuhle, yini edingekile? (b) Yiluphi usizo amaKristu analo ukuze abe nemfanelo yobuhle?
7 Ngenxa yokuba nesono esakuzuza njengefa, kumelwe siqhubeke silwa impi yangaphakathi ukuze senze lokho inkambo yobuhle ekudingayo kithi. Uma sifuna ukuhlala sinemfanelo yobuhle, ngeke sizivumele ukuba sibe izigqila zesono. Kunalokho, kumelwe sibe ‘izinceku zokulunga,’ sihlale sicabanga, sikhuluma, futhi senza izinto ngendlela evumelana nemfanelo yobuhle. (Roma 6:16-23) Yiqiniso, izifiso zethu zenyama nokuthambekela okunesono kunamandla, futhi sibhekene nempi phakathi kwalezinto nezinto ezinhle uNkulunkulu azifunayo kithi. Khona-ke, yini okumelwe yenziwe?
8 Phakathi kokunye, sidinga ukulandela iziqondiso zomoya ongcwele kaJehova, noma amandla ayisiphekupheku. Ngakho-ke kufanele silalele iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Hambani ngoMoya‚ khona aniyikufeza izinkanuko zenyama. Ngokuba inyama ikhanuka okuphambene noMoya‚ kepha uMoya ukhanuka okuphambene nenyama; ngokuba lezizinto ziyamelana‚ ukuze ningenzi lokho enikuthandayo.” (Galathiya 5:16, 17) Yebo, njengamandla okulunga, sinomoya kaNkulunkulu, futhi njengesiqondiso sokuziphatha okufanele, sineZwi lakhe. Futhi sinosizo lothando lwenhlangano kaJehova neseluleko ‘senceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Ngakho, singalwa impi ephumelelayo nokuthambekela ekoneni. (Roma 7:15-25) Yiqiniso, uma kwenzeka kufika umcabango ongcolile, kumelwe siwususe ngokushesha bese sithandazela usizo lukaNkulunkulu lokulwisana nanoma yisiphi isilingo sokwenza ngendlela entula ubuhle.—Mathewu 6:13.
Ubuhle Nemicabango Yethu
9. Ubuhle budinga hlobo luni lokucabanga?
9 Imfanelo yobuhle iqala endleleni umuntu acabanga ngayo. Ukuze sijabulele umusa waphezulu, kumelwe sicabange ngezinto ezilungileyo, nezinhle. UPawulu wathi: “Bazalwane‚ konke okuyiqiniso‚ konke okuhloniphekayo‚ konke okulungileyo‚ konke okumhlophe‚ konke okuthandekayo‚ konke okutusekayo‚ noma kukhona okuhle‚ noma kukhona okubongekayo‚ zindlani ngalokho.” (Filipi 4:8) Sidinga ukugxilisa izingqondo zethu ezintweni ezilungile, ezimhlophe, futhi noma yini engeyinhle akufanele isikhange. UPawulu wayengathi: “Enakufunda, nakwamukela, nakuzwa, nakubona kimi, kwenzeni lokho.” Uma sifana noPawulu—sicabanga, sikhuluma, futhi senza okuhle—siyoba abangane abahle, nezibonelo ezinhle ekuphileni kobuKristu, futhi ‘uNkulunkulu wokuthula uyakuba-nathi.’—Filipi 4:9.
10. Ukusebenzisa eyoku-1 Korinte 14:20 ekuphileni komuntu siqu kuyosisiza kanjani ukuba sihlale sinalemfanelo yobuhle?
10 Uma sifisa ukuhlala sicabanga okuhle futhi ngaleyondlela sithokozise uBaba wethu wasezulwini, kudingeka sisebenzise iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Ningabi-ngabantwana ngengqondo‚ kanti ebubini nibe-yizingane‚ kepha engqondweni nibe-ngabakhulileyo.” (1 Korinte 14:20) Lokhu kusho ukuthi njengamaKristu asifuni ukuba nolwazi noma okuhlangenwe nakho kwezinto ezimbi. Kunokuba sivumele izingqondo zethu zonakaliswe ngalendlela, ngokuhlakanipha sikhetha ukuhlala singenakho okuhlangenwe nakho futhi singenacala njengezingane ngokuphathelene nalokhu. Ngesikhathi esifanayo, sikuqonda ngokugcwele ukuthi ukuziphatha okubi nokwenza okungalungile kuyisono phambi kukaJehova. Isifiso esiqotho esisuka enhliziyweni sokumjabulisa ngokuba sibe nalemfanelo yobuhle siyosizuzisa, ngoba siyosishukumisela ukuba sigweme izinhlobo ezingcolile zokuzijabulisa namanye amathonya onakalisa ingqondo alelizwe elisemandleni kaSathane.—1 Johane 5:19, qhathanisa ne-NW.
Ubuhle Nenkulumo Yethu
11. Ukuba nemfanelo yobuhle kudinga hlobo luni lwenkulumo, futhi ngokuphathelene nalokhu, yiziphi izibonelo esinazo kuJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu?
11 Uma imicabango yethu imihle, lokhu kufanele kukuthonye kakhulu lokho esikushoyo. Ukuze sibe bahle kudingeka sibe nenkulumo ehlanzekile, eneqiniso, neyakhayo. (2 Korinte 6:3, 4, 7) UJehova “unguNkulunkulu weqiniso.” (IHubo 31:5, NW) Uthembekile kukho konke ukusebenzelana kwakhe nabantu, futhi izithembiso zakhe ziqinisekile ngoba akawaqambi amanga. (Numeri 23:19; 1 Samuweli 15:29; Thithu 1:2) INdodana kaNkulunkulu, uJesu Kristu, ‘igcwele umusa neqiniso.’ Ngesikhathi isemhlabeni, yayikhuluma iqiniso njalo njengoba yayilithole kuYise. (Johane 1:14; 8:40) Ngaphezu kwalokho, uJesu ‘akenzanga isono, akufunyanwanga nankohliso emlonyeni wakhe.’ (1 Petru 2:22) Uma ngempela siyizinceku zikaNkulunkulu noKristu, siyokhuluma iqiniso futhi sibe qotho ekuziphatheni, njengokungathi ‘siboshwe ngeqiniso.’—Efesu 5:9; 6:14.
12. Uma sifuna ukuba nemfanelo yobuhle, yiziphi izinhlobo zenkulumo esiyozigwema?
12 Uma sinemfanelo yobuhle, kunezinhlobo zenkulumo esiyozigwema. Siyoqondiswa iseluleko sikaPawulu: “Konke okubabayo, nentukuthelo, nolaka, nomsindo, nokuhlambalaza makususwe kini kanye nakho konke okubi.” “Kepha ubufebe, nakho konke ukungcola, noma isangabe, makungaphathwa nangegama phakathi kwenu, njengokuba kufanele abangcwele, nehlazo, nokubheda, nokulawula, okuyizinto ezingafanele, kepha kunalokho makube-ngukubonga.” (Efesu 4:31; 5:3, 4) Abanye bayokuthola kuqabula ukuba phakathi kwethu ngoba izinhliziyo zethu ezilungile zisishukumisela ukuba sigweme inkulumo engeyona eyobuKristu.
13. Kungani amaKristu kufanele alawule ulimi lwawo?
13 Isifiso sokujabulisa uNkulunkulu nesokusho izinto ezinhle siyosisiza ukuba silawule ulimi. Ngenxa yokuthambekela ekoneni, ngezinye izikhathi sonke siyakhubeka ngezwi. Nokho, umfundi uJakobe uthi “uma-ke sifaka amatomu emilonyeni yamahhashi,” ayasilalela aye nomaphi lapho siwaqondisa khona. Ngakho, kufanele sizikhandle ekufakeni amatomu olimini bese sizama ukulusebenzisa kuphela ngezindlela ezinhle. Ulimi olungalawulwa “luyizwe lokungalungi.” (Jakobe 3:1-7) Lonke uhlobo lwemikhuba emibi yalelizwe elingamesabi uNkulunkulu luhlobene nolimi olungaqeqeshiwe. Yilona olubangela izinto ezilimazayo njengobufakazi bamanga, ukuthuka, nokunyundela. (Isaya 5:20; Mathewu 15:18-20) Futhi lapho ulimi olungalawulwa lusho izinto ezingcolile, ezihlabayo, noma eziwukunyundela, lusuke lugcwele ushevu obulalayo.—IHubo 140:3; Roma 3:13; Jakobe 3:8.
14. Yikuphi ukuba mbaxambili okumelwe amaKristu akugweme lapho ekhuluma?
14 Njengoba uJakobe ebonisa, ngeke kuhambisane ‘ukubonga iNkosi’ ngokukhuluma kahle ngoNkulunkulu kodwa bese silusebenzisa kabi ulimi ‘ekuqalekiseni abantu’ sikhulume kabi ngabo. Yeka indlela okuyisono ngayo ukucula izingoma ezidumisa uNkulunkulu emihlanganweni yebandla bese siyahamba siyokhuluma kabi ngesikholwa nabo! Amanzi amnandi nababayo awanakuphuma emthonjeni owodwa. Uma sikhonza uJehova, abanye banelungelo lokulindela ukuba sikhulume izinto ezinhle kunokuba sikhulume amazwi angathandeki. Ngakho-ke masigweme inkulumo embi kodwa sifune ukukhuluma izinto eziyozuzisa esihlanganyela nabo futhi zibakhe ngokomoya.—Jakobe 3:9-12.
Ubuhle Nezenzo Zethu
15. Kungani kubaluleke kangaka ukugwema ukuphendukela ezindleleni zokukhohlisa?
15 Njengoba imicabango nenkulumo yamaKristu kumelwe kube kuhle, kuthiwani ngezenzo zethu? Ukuba nemfanelo yobuhle ekuziphatheni kuwukuphela kwendlela yokuthola ukuvunyelwa uNkulunkulu. Ayikho inceku kaJehova engalahla ubuhle, ikhethe ukuba ephambukayo nekhohlisayo, bese icabanga ukuthi uNkulunkulu uyozamukela izinto ezinjalo. IzAga 3:32 zithi: “Ophambeneyo uyisinengiso kuJehova, kepha abaqotho bayisifuba sakhe.” Uma sibazisa ubuhlobo bethu noJehova uNkulunkulu, lawomazwi ashukumisa ingqondo kufanele asinqande lapho siceba ukwenza izinto ezilimazayo noma ukwenza noma yini ephambene. Phela, phakathi kwezinto eziyisikhombisa eziyisinengiso emphefumulweni kaJehova kukhona “nenhliziyo eceba imicabango emibi”! (IzAga 6:16-19) Ngakho-ke, masizigweme izenzo ezinjalo senze okuhle, kube yinzuzo kubantu esikanye nabo nodumo kuBaba wethu wasezulwini.
16. Kungani amaKristu kungamelwe ahlanganyele ezenzweni zokuzenzisa?
16 Ukuze sibonise imfanelo yobuhle kudingeka sithembeke. (Heberu 13:18, qhathanisa ne-NW.) Umuntu owumzenzisi, ozenzo zakhe ziyashayisana namazwi akhe, akanayo imfanelo yobuhle. Igama lesiGreki elithi “umzenzisi” (hy·po·kri·tesʹ) lisho “ophendulayo” futhi lisho umdlali wasesiteji. Njengoba abadlali bamaGreki namaRoma babefaka izembozo zobuso, leligama labe selisetshenziswa njengesingathekiso esisho othile ozenzisayo. Abazenzisi “bangabantu abangathembekile.” (Qhathanisa uLuka 12:46 noMathewu 24:50, 51, NW.) Ubuzenzisi (hy·poʹkri·sis) bungase futhi busho ububi nobuqili. (Mathewu 22:18; Marku 12:15; Luka 20:23) Yeka indlela okudabukisa ngayo lapho umuntu othembayo ekhohliswa ngokumomotheka, ukuthopha, nezenzo zokuzenzisa nje kuphela! Kodwa siyajabula lapho sazi ukuthi sisebenzelana namaKristu athembekile. Futhi uNkulunkulu uyasibusisa ngokuba ngabahle nabangazenzisi. Labo ababonisa ‘uthando lobuzalwane olungazenzisi’ ‘nabanokholo olungazenzisi’ bathola ukuvunyelwa nguye.—1 Petru 1:22; 1 Thimothewu 1:5.
Ubuhle Buwubuvi Obubonakaliswa Ngezenzo
17, 18. Lapho sibonakalisa isithelo somoya sobuvi, siyosebenzelana kanjani nabanye?
17 Uma sinezela ubuhle okholweni lwethu, siyolwela ukugwema ukucabanga, ukukhuluma, nokwenza izinto ezingamukeleki kuNkulunkulu. Nokho, ukubonisa ubuhle bobuKristu kudinga futhi ukuba sibe nobuhle obubonakaliswa ngezenzo. Eqinisweni, ubuhle buye bachazwa ngokuthi ubuvi. Ubuvi buyisithelo somoya ongcwele kaJehova, abuwona nje umkhiqizo womzamo womuntu. (Galathiya 5:22, 23) Lapho sibonisa lesithelo somoya sobuvi, siyoshukumiseleka ukuba sibacabangele kahle abanye futhi sibatuse ngezimfanelo zabo ezinhle naphezu kokungapheleli kwabo. Ingabe baye bakhonza uJehova ngokwethembeka iminyaka eminingi? Khona-ke kufanele sibabonise inhlonipho futhi sikhulume kahle ngabo nangenkonzo yabo abayenzela uJehova. UBaba wethu wasezulwini uyaluqaphela uthando abalubonisa ngegama lakhe nemisebenzi yabo emihle yokholo, nathi kufanele senze kanjalo.—Nehemiya 13:31b; Heberu 6:10.
18 Ubuhle busenza sibekezele, sibe ngabaqondayo, nabanozwela. Uma umkhulekeli kaJehova esikanye naye ecindezelekile, siyozwelana naye futhi simduduze, njengoba noBaba wethu wasezulwini esiduduza. (2 Korinte 1:3, 4; 1 Thesalonika 5:14) Siyazwelana nalabo abasosizini, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokulahlekelwa othandekayo ngokufa. Uma singase sikwazi ukwenza noma yini ukuze sidambise ubuhlungu, siyokwenza, ngoba umoya omuhle ushukumisa isenzo sothando nesomusa.
19. Cishe abanye bayosiphatha kanjani uma sibonakalisa imfanelo yobuhle ekucabangeni, kwesikukhulumayo, nasezenzweni?
19 Njengoba nje sibusisa uJehova ngokukhuluma kahle ngaye, cishe nabanye bayosibusisa uma sicabanga, sikhuluma, futhi senza okuhle. (IHubo 145:10) Isaga esihlakaniphile sithi: “Izibusiso zisekhanda lolungileyo, kepha umlomo wababi uyafihla ubudlwangudlwangu.” (IzAga 10:6) Umuntu omubi nonobudlova untula imfanelo yobuhle ebingamenza athandeke kwabanye. Uvuna akutshalayo, ngoba abantu ngeke ngobuqotho bambusise ngokukhuluma kahle ngaye. (Galathiya 6:7) Yeka indlela okungcono ngayo ngalabo abacabanga, bakhulume, futhi benze ngezindlela ezinhle njengezinceku zikaJehova! Bazuza uthando, ukwethenjwa, nokunhlonishwa abanye, abashukunyiselwa ukuba bababusise futhi bakhulume kahle ngabo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ubuhle babo bokwesaba uNkulunkulu buphumela esibusisweni sikaJehova esingenakulinganiswa.—IzAga 10:22.
20. Imicabango emihle, inkulumo, nezenzo kungaba namuphi umphumela ebandleni labantu bakaJehova?
20 Imicabango, inkulumo, nezenzo ezinhle kuyolizuzisa ngempela ibandla labantu bakaJehova. Lapho abantu abakholwa ndawonye bethandana, becabangelana ngenhlonipho, uthando lobuzalwane luyachuma phakathi kwabo. (Johane 13:34, 35) Inkulumo enhle, kuhlanganise nokutusa nesikhuthazo esiqotho, kubangela umuzwa ofudumele wokubambisana nowobunye. (IHubo 133:1-3) Futhi izenzo ezijabulisayo, nezinhle zishukumisa abanye ukuba basabele ngendlela efanayo. Ngaphezu kwakho konke, ukusebenzisa ubuhle bobuKristu kuphumela ekutholeni ukuvunyelwa nesibusiso sikaBaba wethu wasezulwini omuhle, uJehova. Khona-ke kwangathi singakwenza umgomo wethu ukusabela ezithembisweni zikaNkulunkulu eziyigugu ngokubonisa ukholo. Futhi ngazo zonke izindlela masenze umzamo oqotho wokwenezela ubuhle okholweni lwethu.
Zithini Izimpendulo Zakho?
◻ Ungabuchaza kanjani “ubuhle,” futhi kungani abantu abangaphelele bengaba nalemfanelo yobuhle?
◻ Ubuhle budinga hlobo luni lwemicabango?
◻ Ubuhle bufanele buyithonye kanjani inkulumo yethu?
◻ Ubuhle bufanele bube namuphi umphumela ezenzweni zethu?
◻ Yiziphi ezinye izinzuzo zokuba nemfanelo yobuhle?
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Njengoba amanzi amnandi nababayo engeke aphume emthonjeni owodwa, abanye ngokufanelekile balindela ukuba izinceku zikaJehova zisho izinto ezinhle kuphela