Ukuhlelelwa Ukukhonza UJehova
“Ngakushiya eKrethe ngenxa yalokhu ukuba uhlele okusaseleyo.”—THITHU 1:5.
1. Wathini umongameli wokuqala waseUnited States ngokuphathelene nokungafani kwemibono engokwenkolo?
ENCWADINI yakhe siqu ka-October 20, 1792, umongameli wokuqala waseUnited States, uGeorge Washington, wabhala: “Phakathi kwayo yonke inzondo eye yaba khona phakathi kwesintu, leyo ebangelwa ukungafani kwemibono engokwenkolo ibonakala ingegxile kakhulu futhi idumaza kakhulu, futhi kufanele isolwe kakhulu. Nganginethemba lokuthi inkambiso ekhanyiselwe nekhululekile, eye yavama kulenkathi yethu yamanje, okungenani yayiyohlanganisa amaKristu awo wonke amahlelo enkolo kangangokuba singabe sisaphinde sibone imibango engokwenkolo eqhubeka ize ifinyelele ezingeni lokuba ifake ukuthula komphakathi engozini.”
2. Abanye baye basabela kanjani ekwandeni kwezinkolo?
2 Namuhla, abaningi badabuke ngokufanayo ngobuningi bezinkolo futhi baye bagwema noma yikuphi ukuthintana nenkolo. Abanye bangamalungu esonto kodwa bakhuluma ‘ngobuhlobo babo siqu noNkulunkulu.’ Khona-ke ayini amaqiniso? Ingabe uNkulunkulu usebenzelana nabantu ngokomuntu ngamunye kuphela? IBhayibheli libonisani?
Ingabe UNkulunkulu Uyasikhathalela?
3. Usebenzisa imibhalo, ubungawuphendula kanjani umbuzo othi, Ingabe uNkulunkulu uyasikhathalela njengabantu ngabanye?
3 ImiBhalo yembula ukuthi uJehova uyakubonisa ukukhathalela kubantu ngabanye. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokuqondene nobuhlobo nabantu, iZwi likaNkulunkulu linamazwi anjengalawa: “Oklolodela ompofu usola uMenzi wakhe.” “Ocindezela ompofu usola uMenzi wakhe, kepha onomusa koswelayo uyamdumisa,” okungukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu. (IzAga 17:5; 14:31) Eqinisweni, “uNkulunkulu walithanda izwe [lesintu] kangaka, waze wanikela ngeNdodana yakhe ezelwe yodwa ukuba yilowo nalowo okholwa yiyo angabhubhi, kodwa abe-nokuphila okuphakade.” (Johane 3:16, 36) Ngokungaphezulu, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “Nembala ngiyabona ukuthi uNkulunkulu akabheki ubuso bamuntu, kodwa ezizweni zonke omesabayo nowenza ukulunga uyamukeleka kuye.” (IzEnzo 10:34, 35) Ngakho uJehova uyabanakekela abantu ngabanye futhi uyabamukela labo abamesabayo futhi benze okulungileyo.
4. Yimiphi imibuzo ephakamayo edinga ukuba siyicabangele?
4 IBhayibheli lithi futhi: “INkosi iyabazi abangabayo.” (2 Thimothewu 2:19) Kodwa ingabe lokhu kusho ukuthi abantu ngabanye lapha nalaphaya kuzo zonke izinhlangano zenkolo eziningi zomhlaba bayamukeleka kuNkulunkulu? Noma ingabe kumelwe kulindeleke ukuba abantu abanjalo bahlangane, bahlelelwe ukukhonza uJehova?
UJehova—UNkulunkulu Wokuhleleka
5. Izingelosi ezingcwele zisebenza kanjani ngokuhlobene noJehova?
5 IZwi likaNkulunkulu eliphefumlelwe lisinikeza umbono othile ngendlela yakhe yokwenza izinto. Ngokwesibonelo, cabangela amazulu angabonakali. Ingabe izimo lapho zingezesiphithiphithi? Akunjalo neze! Izigidigidi zezidalwa zomoya azizenzeli okwazo ngaphandle kukaJehova ngendlela engahlelekile. Kunalokho, siyafunda: “Bongani uJehova nina-zingelosi, zakhe, nina-maqhawe anamandla enenza okwezwi lakhe nilalela ukukhuluma kwezwi lakhe. Bongani uJehova nina-mabandla onke akhe, nina-zinceku zakhe enenza intando yakhe.” (IHubo 103:20, 21) Ngokusobala, izingelosi ezingcwele zihleleke kahle ukuze zikhonze uJehova.
6. Yini umkhaya kaNowa owayiqalisa ngemva kukaZamcolo?
6 Kodwa kuthiwani ngabantu? Nokho, uZamcolo wosuku lukaNowa waqeda zonke izinhlangano zangaphambi kukaZamcolo okungenzeka zazikhona emhlabeni—ngaphandle kweyodwa. UNowa nabanye abayisikhombisa abasinda kuZamcolo baphuma emkhunjini njengenhlangano yomkhaya. Indaba eyayisemqoka kubo kwakuwukukhulekela uNkulunkulu ngobunye, ngoba siyafunda: “UNowa wamakhela uJehova ialtare, wathatha kuzo zonke izilwane ezihlambulukileyo, wanikela umnikelo wokushiswa ealtare.” Abasinda kuZamcolo abazange ngokushesha bahlukane ngokwenkolo, kodwa bonke babendawonye ngalesisehlakalo esibalulekile esaphumela esibusisweni, esiqondisweni nasesivumelwaneni esivela kuNkulunkulu. (Genesise 8:18–9:17) Yebo, ngemva kukaZamcolo, umkhaya kaNowa waqala unjengenhlangano ekhulekela uJehova.
7. Ngokuphathelene nenhlangano, yini esiyifundayo encwadini kaEksodusi?
7 Inzalo ka-Abrahama yayithandwa kakhulu uJehova, futhi akekho ongaphika ngokufanele ukuthi ngokuhamba kwesikhathi baba inhlangano eyisizwe. Phela, incwadi yeBhayibheli kaEksodusi kuphela ibonisa indlela abakhululwa ngayo ebugqilini baseGibithe futhi bahleleka njengenhlangano engokwasezulwini! Lencwadi ichaza uJehova njengoNkulunkuIu wenhlangano yasezulwini. Lapho amaIsrayeli elalela imithetho kaNkulunkulu, ayekwazi ukumkhulekela njengenhlangano ehlelekile, elondekile nejabulayo. Ngokungenakuphikwa ayehlelelwe ukukhonza uJehova.a
8. Yibuphi ubufakazi bokuhleleka okuhle obabonakala ngokuphathelene nenkonzo endaweni engcwele kaJehova yasemhlabeni?
8 Ubufakazi bokuhleleka okuhle babubonakala ngokuqondene nenkonzo endaweni engcwele kaJehova yasemhlabeni. Ngokwesibonelo, ngokuqondene namaLevi, siyafunda: “UDavide wabahlukanisa ngezigaba njengamadodana kaLevi: oGereshoni, noKohati, noMerari.” Ngokufanayo, “izigaba zamadodana ka-Aroni” zamiswa. Ngosizo lukaSadoki noAhimeleki “oDavide . . . babahlukanisa ngezigaba njengenkonzo yabo . . . Bahlukaniswa ngenkatho.” Ngezikhathi zamuva, siyafunda: “UJehoyada wamisa abalindi bendlu kaJehova ngesandla sabapristi bamaLevi abahlukaniswe endlini kaJehova bokunikela ngeminikelo yokushiswa kuJehova, njengokulotshiweyo emthethweni kaMose, ngentokozo nangokuhlabelela, njengokuhlela kukaDavide.” (1 iziKronike 23:2-6; 24:1-6; 2 IziKronike 23:18) Yebo, izigaba zabapristi namaLevi zazihlelelwe ukukhonza uJehova.
Kuthiwani NgobuKristu?
9. Yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi uJesu Kristu wahlela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bakhonze uJehova?
9 Lapho uJesu esemhlabeni, akazange atshele bonke labo ababekholelwa kuye ukuba bahambe ngokwehlukana bakhathalele kuphela ‘ubuhlobo bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu.’ Kunalokho, abafundi babuthana kuJesu, futhi phakathi kwabo wakhetha amadoda ayi-12 njengabaphostoli. Ukukhethwa kwabo kwenziwa ngemva kobusuku bokukhuleka futhi kanjalo ngosizo kanye nokuvunyelwa uJehova. (Luka 6:12-16) Lokhu kubonisa inhlangano yayinokusekelwa kwaphezulu. Ngokungaphezulu, uJesu wahlela abalandeli bakhe baba iqembu elifundiswe kahle labamemezeli boMbuso. Ngokwesibonelo wadlulisela iseluleko esidingekayo kubafundi abangama-70 abathuma ngendlela ehlelekile.—Luka 10:1-24.
10. ImiBhalo ikubonisa kanjani ukuthi abalandeli bakaJesu bakuqala babehleleke kahle?
10 ImiBhalo yamaKristu yesiGreki ibonisa ngokusobala ukuthi abalandeli bakaJesu bakuqala babehlelwe kahle. Abazange bancike kuphela ekufundeni komuntu siqu imiBhalo. Kunalokho, kwamiswa amabandla ayehlangana njalo ukuze afunde iZwi likaNkulunkulu. Lawomabandla ayengazibusi, engaziphethe, kodwa ayesebenza ndawonye ngothando. Ngokwesibonelo, amabandla ayethumelelana imikhonzo efudumele, futhi amaqembu ahlelekile aseMakedoniya ‘anxusa kakhulu ecela umusa wokuhlanganyela ekukhonzeni’ ngokuthile ukuze asize “abangcwele” abaswele kwezinye izindawo. (1 Korinte 16:19, 20; 2 Korinte 8:1-7; Kolose 4:14-16) Yebo, amabandla akuqala amaKristu ayebambisana ngaphansi kokuqondisa kwendikimba ebusayo eyayakhiwe ngabaphostoli kanye namadoda amadala aseJerusalema.—IzEnzo 15:1–16:5.
11. Kungani kumelwe silindele ukuba “ibandla likaNkulunkulu” lihleleke kahle?
11 Umphostoli uPawulu wasiza ekumisweni kwamanye amabandla ahleleke kahle lawo aba khona ngenxa yesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu emsebenzini wokushumayela. Ngaphezu kwalokho, uPawulu wathi uJehova “kasiye owesiyaluyalu kepha ngowokuthula.” Umphostoli wabonisa futhi ukuthi “uNkulunkulu wawuhlanganisa umzimba” wabalandeli bakaJesu Kristu abagcotshiwe njengokuthanda kwaKhe. Khona-ke, kufanele silindele “ibandla likaNkulunkulu” ukuba libe elihleleke kahle futhi lisebenze ngokuthula, nangokuvumelana.—1 Korinte 14:33; 12:24; 1 Thimothewu 3:5.
12, 13. (a) Yini eye yashiwo ngokuphathelene namabandla ahlelwa abaphostoli bakaJesu? (b) Ngokuvumelana nesibonelo sekhulu lokuqala, ngobani abanakekela izindaba zebandla phakathi koFakazi BakaJehova?
12 Ngokuqondene nokuhleleka kwabalandeli bakaJesu, isazimlando uJ. L. von Mosheim wabhala: “Uma . . . lokho okungekhomKristu ongakungabaza, abaphostoli bakaJesu Kristu benza ngokweseluleko nangesiqondiso saphezulu, khona-ke leyondlela yamabandla akudala ayithola ebandleni laseJerusalema, eyamiswa futhi yahlelwa abaphostoli ngokwabo, kufanele ibhekwe njengeyaphezulu.”—Institutes of Ecclesiastical History, Ancient and Modern, umqulu I, amakhasi 67-8.
13 OFakazi BakaJehova bayaqiniseka ukuthi amabandla ekhulu lokuqala abalandeli bakaJesu ayehlelwe ngokuvumelana nentando yaphezulu. Ngokuvumelana nalesosibonelo, khona-ke, phakathi koFakazi namuhla ababonisi nezinceku ezikhonzayo bakhethwa umoya ongcwele ukuba banakekele izindaba zebandla—IzEnzo 20:28; Filipi 1:1.
14. (a) Amabandla obuKristu ekhulu lokuqala ayeqondiswa kanjani? (b) Kungani umphostoli uPawulu ashiya uThithu eKrethe?
14 Ngekhulu lokuqala, abaphostoli namadoda amadala aseJerusalema ayeqondisa yonke into emabandleni, nakuba amadoda athile ayeqondisa ezindaweni ezithile futhi ayengase anikeze abanye igunya. (IzEnzo 14:21-23; 15:1, 2) Ngokufanelekile, umphostoli uPawulu wabela umbonisi ongumKristu uThithu ukuba anakekele izindaba ezithile esiqhingini saseKrethe eMediterranean. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, uPawulu watshela uThithu: “Ngakushiya eKrethe ngenxa yalokhu ukuba uhlele okusaseleyo, umise amalunga emizini yonke, njengokuba ngakuyala.” (Thithu 1:5) Singaqiniseka ngempela ukuthi iziyalezo ezanikezwa ngencwadi eyayiya kuthithu zamsiza ukuba afeze lesosabelo ukuze amaKristu ayelapho abe ngahleleke kahle ukuba akhonze uJehova.
Kungani Kufanele Sihleleke Kahle Namuhla?
15, 16. Kungaziphi izizathu ezinikezwe lapha esingasho ngazo ukuthi labo abamukeleka kuJehova abanakuba ‘nobuhlobo bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu’ futhi basakazeke kuzo zonke izinhlangano zezwe zenkolo?
15 Kuze kube manje, kuye kwaboniswa ngokomBhalo ukuthi ukuhleleka okuhle kwakuwuphawu lwezinceku zikaJehova ezikhathini ezidlule. Ngakho-ke, izimo zingezifanayo nanamuhla. Futhi kunezizathu ezinhle zokuthi kungani ofakazi bakaJehova banamuhla kumelwe bahleleke kahle.
16 Labo abamukeleka kuJehova ngeke ngamunye abe ‘nobuhlobo bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu’ futhi basakazeke kuzo zonke izinhlangano zezwe ezingokwenkolo. UJehova ufuna ukukhulekela kweqiniso futhi sekuseduze ukuba alethe isiphelo seBabiloni Elikhulu, umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga. (Johane 4:24; Jakobe 1:27; IsAmbulo 18:1-18) Ngokungaphezulu, ubunye buyadingeka kumaKristu eqiniso. Ikakhulukazi namuhla, kumelwe abe ndawonye enhlanganweni eyodwa ukuze avumelane ngokugcwele neseluleko somphostoli uPawulu: “Kepha ngiyanincenga, bazalwane, ngegama leNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu ukuba nikhulume-zwilinye nonke, kungabikho ukwahlukana phakathi kwenu, kodwa nipheleliswe emqondweni munye nasekuboneni kunye.”—1 Korinte 1:10.
17. Amazwi akumaHeberu 10:24, 25 abonisa kanjani ukuthi izinceku zikaJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu zonke kumelwe zibe ingxenye yenhlangano eyodwa?
17 Ngokungaphezulu, amaKristu eqiniso akumelwe ayeke ukuhlangana kwawo ndawonye emihlanganweni yazikhathi zonke. Ikakhulu namuhla, njengoba isiphelo salesimiso sezinto sisondela. (Heberu 10:24, 25) Ngokusobala, ukuze zilandele lesoseluleko esiphefumlelwe izinceku eziqotho zikaJehova uNkulunkulu noJesu Kristu zonke kumelwe zibe ingxenye yenhlangano eyodwa.
18. (a) U-1 Johane 1:3 ubonisa kanjani ukuthi wonke amaKristu agcotshiwe kumelwe abe ndawonye enhlanganweni eyodwa? (b) Abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshwe ngomoya baye bajoyinwa obani ‘kulesikhathi sokugcina,’ futhi ayini amaqiniso ngokuphathelene nokubambisana phakathi kwabo bonke oFakazi BakaJehova?
18 ImiBhalo ifuna kube nokudlelana phakathi kwabalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe. Ngokuqondene nalokhu, umphostoli uJohane wabhala: “Lokho esikubonileyo, sakuzwa, sinishumayeza khona nani, ukuze nani nibe-nenhlanganyelo [ubunye, ukudlelana] nathi. Kodwa thina sinenhlanganyelo noYise naneNdodana yakhe uJesu Kristu.” (1 Johane 1:3, Byington; New World Translation) Uma abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshiwe ngamunye ‘wayenobuhlobo bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu’ kuphela futhi bengahlanganisiwe ndawonye enhlanganwei eyodwa, babengabujabulela kanjani lobobunye, ubungane noma inhlanganyelo? Lesidingo singahlangatshezwa kuphela ngokuba abahlelekile. Namuhla, abalandeli bakaJesu abagcotshwe ngomoya baye bajoyinwa “isixuku esikhulu” ‘sezinye izimvu.’ Ngokwencazelo kaJesu yabanjengezimvu, kufanele silindele lezi “ezinye izimvu” ukuba zibambisane ngokugcwele nabalandeli bakhe abagcotshiwe kangangokuba bonke bendawonye babe “mhlambi munye” ngaphansi kwakhe ‘njengomalusi oyedwa.’ (IsAmbulo 7:9; Johane 10:16) Futhi lokhu yilokho kanye esikuthola phakathi kwezinceku zikaJehova ‘kulesikhathi sokuphela.’ (Daniyeli 12:4) Njengobuzalwane obubodwa obuzungeze umhlaba wonke, bonke oFakazi BakaJehova bahleleke kahle ukuze bakhonze uNkulunkulu.—Qhathanisa no-1 Petru 2:17.
19. Kungani ukufeza ukuthunywa kokushumayela kufuna ukubambisana phakathi kwenhlangano eqondiswa umoya owodwa?
19 Ukufeza ukuthunywa kokushumayela nokwenza abafundi nakho kudinga ukubambisana phakathi kwenhlangano eyodwa enobunye. (Mathewu 28:19, 20; IzEnzo 1:6-8) Uma ngamunye othi ungumKristu ‘wayenobuhlobo bomuntu siqu noNkulunkulu’ kuphela futhi ehlanganyela nanoma iliphi iqembu elingokwenkolo, ukuthunywa kokufakaza kwakungafezwa kanjani? Phela, abanye ngokomphumela, bebengathi “Shiboleti” futhi abanye bathi “Siboleti”! (AbAhluleli 12:4-6) Abezwa izigijimi ezinjalo ezingafani bebengakwazi kanjani okumelwe bakukholelwe? AmaKristu agcotshiwe kufanele ‘akhuthalele ukugcina ubunye bomoya ngesibopho sokuthula,’ futhi phakathi kwawo kufanele kube ‘neNkosi eyodwa, inkolo eyodwa, umbhapathizo owodwa; noNkulunkulu oyedwa, uYise wabo bonke.’ (Efesu 4:1-6) Kumelwe kube nokuvumelana phakathi kwawo wonke amaKristu eqiniso, isigijimi esinobunye, ukuze abantu bezwe okuqondile, babe nokholo oluqotho kuNkulunkulu weqiniso futhi babize egameni likaJehova ngethemba lokusindiswa. Ngokungaphezulu, inhlangano eqondiswa umoya owodwa kufanele isetshenziswe ngokuphathelene nokuthunywa kwalabo bashumayeli beqiniso ‘bezindaba ezinhle.’—Roma 10:11-15.
20. Iyiphi inhlangano eyodwa manje egcwalisa uMathewu 24:14, futhi yibuphi ubufakazi obukhona bokuthi uNkulunkulu ujabulela umsebenzi ohlelwe kahle kanjalo?
20 Khona-ke futhi, ekuhambisaneni nesiprofetho sikaJesu Kristu ngokuphathelene ‘nokuba khona kwakhe’ kanye “nokuphela kwezwe,” kufanele kube nenhlangano eyodwa ebumbene ‘eshumayela ezweni lonke, kube ubufakazi ezizweni zonke, andukuba kufike ukuphela.’ (Mathewu 24:3, 14) Namuhla, oFakazi BakaJehova kuphela abamemezela izindaba ezinhle zokuthi uMbuso ubusebenza emazulwini kusukela ngo-1914 noJesu Kristu njengeNkosi. Kunabangaphezu kwezi-2 650 000 balabamemezeli boMbuso abahleleke kahle, futhi isibalo sabo sanda ngokushesha ngenxa yesibusiso sikaNkulunkulu.—Isaya 43:10-12; 60:22.
21. Ngokuqondene nenhlangano kaJehova, yini esizoyicabangela ngokulandelayo?
21 ‘Kulezinsuku zokugcina’ ezinzima, yeka ilungelo okuyilo ukuba phakathi koquqaba oluhleleke kahle kangaka ukuba bakhonze uJehova! (2 Thimothewu 3:1) Kunesizathu esinengqondo esingokomBhalo ngabo bonke abazinikezele ngenhliziyo yonke kuNkulunkulu ukuba baqhubeke bekhonza ngokwethembeka nabantu bakhe abahlelekile. Futhi njengoba sizobona, kunezizathu ezinhle zokwakha ikusasa elilondekile nelijabulisayo nenhlangano kaJehova.
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a Siza ubheke INqabayokulinda kaDecember 1, 1983, amakhasi 24-28.
Ubungathini?
◻ Izingelosi ezingcwele zisebenza kanjani ngokuhlobene noJehova?
◻ Yibuphi ubufakazi bokuhleleka okuhle obabukhona kuIsrayeli wasendulo?
◻ Ungabonisa kanjani ngokomBhalo ukuthi abalandeli bakaJesu bakuqala babehleleke kahle?
◻ Kungani ukushumayela ngesigijimi soMbuso kudinga ukubambisana phakathi kwenhlangano eyodwa?
[Isithombe ekhasini 23]
Ngosuku lukaDavide, izigaba zabapristi namaLevi zazihlelelwe ukukhonza uJehova
[Isithombe ekhasini 24]
Indikimba ebusayo yanikeza ukuqondisa emabandleni ekhulu lokuqala ayehleleke kahle