Bonakalisa Ukholo Lwakho Ngemisebenzi

“Ngoko ke, nalo ukholo, ukuba alunamisebenzi, lufile”—YAKOBI 2:17.

1. Kwakutheni ukuze amaKristu okuqala anikele ingqalelo kukholo nakwimisebenzi?

UBUKHULU becala amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ukholo lwawo lwalubonakala ngendlela awayephila ngayo. Umfundi uYakobi wabongoza onke amaKristu esithi: “Yibani ngabenzi belizwi, ningabi ngabevayo kuphela.” Wongezelela wathi: “Njengoko umzimba ngaphandle komoya ufile, ngokunjalo nokholo ngaphandle kwemisebenzi lufile.” (Yakobi 1:22; 2:26) Kwiminyaka engama-35 emva kokubhalwa kwala mazwi, ukholo lwamaKristu amaninzi lwalubonakala ngemisebenzi emihle. Okulusizi kukuba amanye ayengenjalo. UYesu walincoma ibandla laseSmirna; kodwa kwabaninzi ababekwibandla laseSardesi, wathi: “Ndiyazazi izenzo zakho, ukuba unegama lokuba uphilile, kodwa ufile.”—ISityhilelo 2:8-11; 3:1.

2. Nguwuphi umbuzo afanele amaKristu azibuze wona ngokholo lwawo?

² Ngokuvisisana noko, uYesu wakhuthaza abaseSardesi—nabanye ababeza kufunda la mazwi akhe—ukuba babonise uthando lwabo lokuqala ngenyaniso nokuze bagcine ulwalamano lwabo noThixo luluhle. (ISityhilelo 3:2, 3) Ngamnye kuthi usenokuzibuza oku: ‘Kuthekani ngezam izenzo? Ngaba imisebenzi yam ibonisa ukuba ndinokholo kuko konke endikwenzayo, nakwimibandela engenakuthanani ngokungqalileyo nokushumayela okanye iintlanganiso?’ (Luka 16:10) Zininzi iinkalo zobomi esinokuthetha ngazo, kodwa makhe sithethe ngenye kuphela: iimbutho zethu, kuquka nezo siba nazo emva kwemitshato yamaKristu.

Iimbutho Ezincinane

3. Ithini iBhayibhile ngeembutho?

³ Abaninzi kuthi bayakuvuyela ukumenywa kwiimbutho zamaKristu. UYehova ‘nguThixo onoyolo’ yaye ufuna abakhonzi bakhe bonwabe. (1 Timoti 1:11) Waphefumlela uSolomon ukuba aquke la mazwi ayinyaniso eBhayibhileni: “Ndaza ndayincoma imihlali, kuba kungekho nto ilulungele ngakumbi uluntu phantsi kwelanga kunokuba ludle, lusele, lube nemihlali, yaye oko kufanele kulupheleke ekusebenzeni kwalo nzima ngemihla yobomi balo.” (INtshumayeli 3:1, 4, 13; 8:15) Sinokuba nemihlali kwisidlo nentsapho okanye kwenye imbutho encinane yabanquli bokwenyaniso.—Yobhi 1:4, 5, 18; Luka 10:38-42; 14:12-14.

4. Ukuba ubani ulungiselela imbutho, yintoni amele acinge ngayo?

⁴ Ukuba ulungiselela imbutho kwaye ukulungele ukuthwala imbopheleleko yayo, umele ucingisise ngoko uceba ukukwenza, nokuba umema abazalwana abambalwa kwisidlo nokuze nincokole ngezinto ezakhayo. (Roma 12:13) Zama ukuba izinto “zenzeke ngolungelelwano” ukhokelwa ‘bubulumko baphezulu.’ (1 Korinte 14:40; Yakobi 3:17) Umpostile uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Enoba niyatya okanye niyasela okanye nenza nantoni na eyenye, zonke izinto zenzeleni uzuko lukaThixo. Kuphepheni ukuba zizikhubekiso.” (1 Korinte 10:31, 32) Ziziphi ezinye iinkalo ekufuneka ziqwalaselwe ngokukhethekileyo? Ukuqwalasela ezo nkalo kusengaphambili, kunokukunceda ukuze uqiniseke ukuba oko wena neendwendwe zakho nikwenzayo kuya kungqina ukholo lwenu ngemisebenzi.—Roma 12:2.

Iza Kuba Yimbutho Enjani?

5. Kutheni lowo ulungiseleli wembutho emele acingisise nzulu enoba kuza kubakho utywala nomculo kwimbutho?

⁵ Abantu abaninzi abalungiselela iimbutho kuye kufuneke bagqibe enoba kuza kubakho utywala kusini na. Akuyomfuneko ukuba kubekho utywala ukuze imbutho ibe yehlaziyayo. Khumbula kaloku ukuba uYesu wakha wenzela abantu abaninzi ababeze kuye isidlo—ngeentlanzi nezonka. Le ngxelo ayitsho ukuba wenza iwayini ngommangaliso, nakuba sisazi ukuba wayenokukwenza oko. (Mateyu 14:14-21) Ukuba ucinga ngokuba notywala kwimbutho yakho, qiniseka ukuba bulinganiselwe uze uqiniseke ukuba kukho nezinye iziselo zabo bangabuseliyo utywala. (1 Timoti 3:2, 3, 8; 5:23; 1 Petros 4:3) Ungaze wenze abanye bazive benyanzelekile ukuba basele into ‘eluma njengenyoka.’ (IMizekeliso 23:29-32) Kuthekani ngomculo? Ukuba imbutho yenu iza kuba nomculo, ngokuqinisekileyo uza kukhetha umculo ofanelekileyo, ucinga ngesingqi nangamazwi ezo ngoma. (Kolose 3:8; Yakobi 1:21) AmaKristu amaninzi afumanisa ukuba ukudlala iiKingdom Melodies okanye ukucula iingoma zoBukumkani kuyonwabisa. (Efese 5:19, 20) Kakade ke, umele uqiniseke nangesandi somculo ukuba asiphazamisi incoko yabanye okanye abamelwane.

6. Umamkeli-ndwendwe unokubonisa njani ukuba ukholo lwakhe luphilile kwincoko nakwizinto ezenziwa kwimbutho?

⁶ Kwimbutho zawo, amaKristu asenokuncokola ngezinto ezahlukahlukeneyo, anokufunda izinto ngokuvakalayo okanye kubaliswe ezinye izinto ezibangel’ umdla. Ukuba incoko iphelelwa sisidima, umamkeli-ndwendwe ngobuchule unokuzama ukuyibuyisela kwimilinganiselo yobuKristu. Umele aqiniseke ukuba akukho bani ofuna kumanyelwe yena kuphela. Ukuba oko kuyenzeka umele ngokuzolileyo angenelele aze afake abanye kuloo ncoko, mhlawumbi ngokuthetha nabaselula okanye avelise incoko equka abantu abaninzi. Bonke, abadala nabaselula, banokulivuyela eli xesha. Ukuba njengomququzeleli wembutho walathisa izinto ngobulumko nangobuchule, ‘ukuba nengqiqo kwakho kuya kwazeka’ kwabo bakhoyo. (Filipi 4:5) Baya kuqonda ukuba unokholo oluphilileyo, oluchaphazela zonke iinkalo zobomi.

Imitshato Namatheko Omtshato

7. Kutheni sifanele sicingisise nzulu xa siceba amatheko omtshato kunye neembutho ezifana nawo?

⁷ Enye indawo esizonwabisa kuyo kusemtshatweni. Abakhonzi bakaThixo bamandulo, kuquka uYesu nabafundi bakhe, babesiya kwizihlandlo zovuyo ezinjalo nakwiimbutho zezidlo. (Genesis 29:21, 22; Yohane 2:1, 2) Noko ke, kumaxesha anamhlanje, kuye kwabonakala ukuba ukuceba isihlandlo esifana nomtshato kufuna umgudu okhethekileyo ukuze kubekho ukulungelelana kobuKristu. Phofu ke, ezi mbutho ziqhelekile yaye kuzo sinokubonisa ukuba siphila ngokholo lobuKristu.

8, 9. Amanye amasiko emitshato akungqina njani oko kuchazwe kweyoku-1 kaYohane 2:16, 17?

⁸ Abantu abaninzi abayazi kwaye abayinanze nganto imilinganiselo kaThixo. Bacinga ukuba uvumelekile uvula zibhuqe kumatheko emitshato okanye kulapho kuthetheleleka khona ukuphuncukelwa sisimilo. Kwiphephancwadi laseYurophu, omnye umtshakazi osandul’ ukutshata wathi ngomtshato wakhe ongayiwayo: ‘Sahamba ngeenqwelo zamahashe amane silandelwa zezinye iinqwelo zamahashe ali-12, kukhwele iqela elidlala umculo. Ukutya kwakumuncis’ iintupha yaye kudlalwa umculo omyoli; yayisisihikahika somtshato. Kanye ngohlobo endandifuna ngalo, ndandingathi ndingukumkanikazi ngaloo mini.’

⁹ Nakuba amasiko eendawo ngeendawo esahluka, ezi ngcamango zichaza kanye oko umpostile uYohane wabhala ngako xa wathi: “Kuba konke okusehlabathini—inkanuko yenyama nenkanuko yamehlo nokuqhayisa ngezinto zobu bomi—akuphumi kuBawo, kodwa kuphuma ehlabathini.” Khawufan’ ucinge nje, amaKristu aza kutshata, sel’ efuna “isihikahika somtshato” ohamba netheko elingayiwayo. Kaloku, xa esenza amalungiselelo omtshato amele acinge ngala mazwi: “Lowo wenza ukuthanda kukaThixo uhleli ngonaphakade.”—1 Yohane 2:16, 17.

10. (a) Xa sithetha ngomtshato osengqiqweni, kutheni ukuceba kwangaphambili kubalulekile? (b) Sinokwenziwa njani isigqibo ngabantu abamele bamenywe?

¹⁰ AmaKristu atshatayo kufuneka abe sengqiqweni aze abe nolwazelelelo kwaye iBhayibhile inokuwanceda. Nakuba usuku lomtshato isisihlandlo esibalulekileyo, ayazi ukuba sisiqalo nje somtshato wamaKristu amabini akhangele phambili ekuphileni ngonaphakade. Akanyanzelekanga ukuba enze isihikahika somtshato. Ukuba akhetha ukwenza imbutho, aya kucinga ngohlobo lwembutho ayifunayo aze abale neendleko. (Luka 14:28) Kubomi bawo njengamaKristu, indoda iya kuba yintloko njengokuba iZibhalo zibonisa. (1 Korinte 11:3; Efese 5:22, 23) Ngaloo ndlela umyeni ubophelelekile ngoko kwenzeka kwitheko lomtshato. Kambe ke, ngothando uya kugqiba noza kuba liqabane lakhe ngemibandela efana nokuba ngoobani abaya kumenywa okanye abakwaziyo ukubamema kwelo theko. Akunakwenzeka ukuba bameme zonke izihlobo nezalamane; ngoko ke, kukho izigqibo ezimele zenziwe. Abo batshatayo bafanele babe nentembelo yokuba ukuba abakwazi ukumema amanye amaKristu oko akuyi kuwakhubekisa, aya kuyiqonda imeko.—INtshumayeli 7:9.

“Umalathisi Wetheko”

11. Yintoni enokwenziwa ngumalathisi wetheko emtshatweni?

¹¹ Ukuba abo batshatayo bakhetha ukwenza itheko lomtshato, banokuqiniseka njani ukuba eso sihlandlo sinesidima? Sele kuyiminyaka emininzi ngoku, amaNgqina kaYehova ebona ubulumko bokusebenzisa oko kwakuchazwe kwimbutho uYesu awaya kuyo eKana. Kwakukho “umalathisi wetheko,” ngokuqinisekileyo wayengumnquli kaThixo oqolileyo. (Yohane 2:9, 10) Ngokufanayo, umyeni osisilumko uya kukhetha umKristu oqolileyo ngokomoya ukuze asingathe le mbopheleleko. Emva kokuva oko umyeni akunqwenelayo emtshatweni, umalathisi wetheko unokwenza ngokweminqweno yakhe ukususela ekuqaleni ukusa ebudeni belo theko.

12. Yintoni amele umyeni ayicingisise kusengaphambili ngokuphathelele ukusetyenziswa kweziselo ezinxilisayo?

¹² Ngokuvisisana nesiqendu 5, abanye bakhetha ukungabi nazo iziselo ezinxilisayo kumatheko emitshato yabo, besoyikela ukuba kubekho abantu abaza kugxobha isihlandlo sabo sovuyo nolonwabo. (Roma 13:13; 1 Korinte 5:11) Phofu ke, ukuba bakhetha ukuba kubekho utywala, umyeni umele aqiniseke ukuba busetyenziswa ngomlinganiselo ofanelekileyo. Yayikho iwayini kumtshato uYesu awayekuwo eKana, yaye wenza iwayini esemagqabini. Okubangel’ umdla kukuba, umalathisi wetheko wathi: “Wonke omnye umntu ukhupha iwayini entle kuqala, aze xa abantu beyotyiwe, ibe yenganeno. Wena uye wayibeka iwayini entle de kwangoku.” (Yohane 2:10) Ngokuqinisekileyo, uYesu wayengakhuthazi ubunxila, kaloku wayebujonga njengesenzo esiphosakeleyo. (Luka 12:45, 46) Into eyayithethwa ngumalathisi wetheko yayikukuba wayekhe abone kwamanye amatheko omtshato iindwendwe zinxile zingazazi namagama. (IZenzo 2:15; 1 Tesalonika 5:7) Ngenxa yoko, umyeni nomalathisi wetheko ongumKristu othembekileyo, bamele baqiniseke ukuba bonke abakhoyo balandela lo myalelo ucacileyo: “Musani ukunxila yiwayini, ekukho kuko uburheletyo.”—Efese 5:18; IMizekeliso 20:1; Hoseya 4:11.

13. Yintoni abamele bayiqwalasele abo batshatayo ukuba baza kuba nomculo kwitheko lomtshato, yaye ngoba?

¹³ Njengakwezinye iimbutho, ukuba kukho umculo, isandi sawo simele siqwalaselwe ukuze singaphazamisi abo bafuna ukuncokola. Omnye umdala wathi: “Njengoko kuya kusihlwa, nencoko isiba shushu okanye kuqala umjuxuzo, ngamanye amaxesha umculo udlalelwa phezulu. Nakuba uqala ngathi udlalelwa phantsi, usenokuba yingxolo uze wenze abanye bangakwazi ukuncokola. Itheko lomtshato lixesha lokuba nonxulumano nabanye esinqula nabo. Hayi indlela ebekuya kuba kubi ngayo ukuba umculo ubunokudubaduba elo thuba!” Nalapha ke, umyeni nomalathisi bamele baphumeze imbopheleleko yabo, bangayekeli kubantu bomculo ukuze balawule isandi somculo nokuba baqashiwe okanye akunjalo. UPawulos wabhala wathi: “Nakuphi na enikwenzayo ngelizwi okanye ngomsebenzi, yenzani izinto zonke egameni leNkosi uYesu.” (Kolose 3:17) Xa iindwendwe zigoduka emva kwesidlo somtshato (okanye itheko lomtshato), ngaba ziya kukhumbula umculo ngendlela ebonisa ukuba abo batshatayo benze zonke izinto egameni likaYesu? Le yindlela ekumele kube yiyo.

14. Yiyiphi inkumbulo emyoli amaKristu afanele abe nayo ngomtshato?

¹⁴ Enyanisweni, ukulungiselela umtshato kunokuba yinkumbulo emyoli. UAdam noEdyta, abasele beneminyaka engama-30 betshatile, bathi xa bethetha ngomnye umtshato ababeye kuwo: “Kwakuvakala ukuba kukho umoya wobuKristu. Umculo wawudumisa uYehova kodwa kukho nezinye iindlela ezifanelekileyo zokuzonwabisa. Ukungqungqa nomculo kwakungezizo ezona zinto ziphambili. Kwakuvuyisa kwaye kusakha ukuba lapho, yonke into yayivisisana nemilinganiselo yeBhayibhile.” Kucacile ukuba umyeni nomtshakazi banokwenza lukhulu ekubonakaliseni ukholo ngemisebenzi.

Izipho Zomtshato

15. Nguwuphi umgaqo weBhayibhile esinokuwusebenzisa ngokuphathelele izipho zomtshato?

¹⁵ Kumazwe amaninzi kuqhelekile ngabahlobo nezalamane ukuba babaphe izipho abo batshatayo. Ukuba ukhetha ukwenjenjalo, yintoni ofanele uyikhumbule? Khumbula ukuba umpostile uYohane wathetha ‘ngokuqhayisa ngezinto zobu bomi.’ Wanxulumanisa ukuqhayisa okunjalo ‘nehlabathi elidlula nenkanuko yalo,’ kungekhona namaKristu abonakalisa ukholo lwawo ngemisebenzi. (1 Yohane 2:16, 17) Ngokwembono ephefumlelweyo ekuYohane, ngaba abo batshatayo bamele bawafunde esidlangalaleni amagama abantu ababaphe izipho? AmaKristu aseMakedoniya naseAkhaya enza iminikelo kubazalwana eYerusalem, kodwa akukho ngxelo ibonisa ukuba amagama abo abhengezwa ekuhleni. (Roma 15:26) AmaKristu amaninzi anikela ngezipho anokufuna ukuba angaziwa ukuze akuphephe ukucel’ injezu. Kulo mba, khawuqwalasele isiluleko sikaYesu esifumaneka kuMateyu 6:1-4.

16. Abo batshatayo banokukuphepha njani ukukrun’ iintliziyo zabanye ngenxa yezipho zomtshato?

¹⁶ Ukuchaza amagama abantu ababaphe izipho kunokuvus’ umoya ‘wokhuphiswano,’ kukhangelwa esona sipho sibhetele okanye esona sinexabiso eliphezulu. Ngaloo ndlela amaKristu atshatayo ngobulumko ayakuphepha ukuwathi pahaha amagama abantu ababaphe izipho. Ngaloo ndlela bayakuphepha ukukrun’ iintliziyo zabanye mhlawumbi abangakhange bakwazi ukubapha izipho. (Galati 5:26; 6:10) Ewe, akukho nto iphosakeleyo ngomyeni nomtshakazi ukuba bafun’ ukwazi lowo ubaphe isipho esithile. Basenokufunda ikhadi elihambisana neso sipho, kodwa lingafundwa esidlangalaleni. Nakwizinto ezincinane nezobuqu ezifana nokuthenga, ukupha okanye ukwamkela isipho somtshato, sonke sifanele sibonise ukuba ukholo lwethu luchaphazela imisebenzi yethu.a

17. Yintoni emele ibe lusukelo lwamaKristu ngokuphathelele imisebenzi yokholo lwawo?

¹⁷ Ukubonisa ukholo lwethu kuthetha okungaphezulu nje kunokuziphatha kakuhle, ukuya kwiintlanganiso zebandla nokushumayela. Ngamana sonke singanokholo oluphilileyo noluchaphazela konke esikwenzayo. Ewe, sinokwenza ukholo lwethu lube nemisebenzi ‘eyenziwe ngokupheleleyo,’ kuquka nakwiinkalo esithethe ngazo ngasentla.—ISityhilelo 3:2.

18. Amazwi akuYohane 13:17 anokungqinwa njani eyinyaniso kwimitshato yamaKristu neembutho zawo?

¹⁸ Emva kokuba uYesu emisele umzekelo omhle kubapostile bakhe abathembekileyo ngokuhlamba iinyawo zabo, wathi: “Ukuba niyazazi ezi zinto, ninoyolo ukuba nithi nizenze.” (Yohane 13:4-17) Kwiindawo esihlala kuzo namhlanje, kusenokwenzeka ukuba akuyomfuneko okanye akuqhelekanga ukuhlamba iinyawo zabantu, njengokuhlamba iinyawo zeendwendwe. Njengokuba sele sibonile kweli nqaku, kukho ezinye iinkalo zobomi bethu esinokubonisa ngazo ukholo lwethu ngezenzo zothando nokucingela abanye kuquka nabo babakho kwiimbutho namatheko emitshato yamaKristu. Oku kunjalo kungakhathaliseki ukuba siyatshata okanye siziindwendwe emtshatweni okanye kwenye imbutho yolonwabo yamaKristu afuna ukubonisa ukholo lwawo ngemisebenzi.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

Unokuphendula Uthini?

Unokulubonakalisa njani ukholo:

• xa uququzelela imbutho?

• xa uququzelela umtshato okanye itheko lawo?

• xa usipha okanye usamkela isipho?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 24]

Nokuba umema imbinana yabantu, khokelwa “bubulumko baphezulu”