Ngaba Uyakuxabisa Oko UThixo Akwenzileyo?
“Ukuba ubani uthanda ukundilandela, makazincame, awuthwale [“umthi wakhe wentuthumbo,” “NW”] imihla ngemihla, andilandele ke.”—LUKA 9:23.
1. Ziziphi ezinye zezipho ezimangalisayo uThixo asilungiselele zona?
UBOMI bethu sibuzuze kuThixo. Ukuba ebengamdalanga umntu, ngesingazange sizalwe. Kodwa uThixo wadala okungaphezu kobomi. Wasenza ukuba sikwazi ukunandipha izinto ezininzi: incasa yokutya, ubushushu belanga, isandi somculo, ukuhlaziya kwemini yentwasahlobo, ububele bothando. Ukongezelela, uThixo wasinika ingqondo nomnqweno wokufunda ngaye. Waphefumlela iBhayibhile, esinika ukhokelo olufanelekileyo, esibonisa indlela yokuphila ubomi obonwabisa ngakumbi, nethi isinike ithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade kwihlabathi elitsha lobulungisa. Kwakhona uThixo ulungiselele umoya wakhe oyingcwele, intsika yebandla ngalinye, namadoda nabafazi abakhulu abanothando abanokusinceda ukuze sihlale siqinile enkonzweni yakhe.—Genesis 1:1, 26-28; 2 Timoti 3:15-17; Hebhere 10:24, 25; Yakobi 5:14, 15.
2. (a) Yiyiphi eyona nto ibalaseleyo uThixo asenzele yona? (b) Ngaba sinokuzuza usindiso ngemisebenzi?
2 Ukongezelela kuko konke oko, uThixo wathumela uNyana wakhe wamazibulo ukuze asixelele okungakumbi ngoko uYise akulindele kuthi aze alungiselele “inkululeko ngokuhlawulelwa” kwabo bonke abaya kuyamkela. (Efese 1:7; Roma 5:18) Loo nyana, uYesu Kristu, wathi: “Wenjenje uThixo ukulithanda kwakhe ihlabathi, ude wancama uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yohane 3:16) Usindiso olunokuzuzwa ngaloo ntlawulelo lunexabiso elikhulu kangangokuba akukho ndlela yakuba nabani na abe unokwenza imisebenzi ethile ukuze aluzuze, ngokuqinisekileyo ingeyiyo nemisebenzi eyayisenziwa mandulo phantsi koMthetho kaMoses. Ngenxa yoko, uPawulos wabhala wathi: “Akagwetyelwa umntu ngokwasemisebenzini yomthetho, kuphela kungokukholwa kuYesu Kristu.”—Galati 2:16; Roma 3:20-24.
Ukholo Nemisebenzi
3. Wathini uYakobi ngokholo nemisebenzi?
3 Usindiso luzuzwa ngokholo, kodwa ukholo noxabiso ngako konke uThixo akwenzileyo lufanele lusishukumisele esenzweni. Lufanele lusishukumisele ekwenzeni izinto ezibonakalisa ukholo esinalo. Umntakwabo Yesu ngonina uYakobi wabhala esithi: “Ukholo, ukuba luthi lungabi namisebenzi, lufile ngokukokwalo.” Ehlabela mgama wathi: “Ndibonise ukholo lwakho olungenamisebenzi yakho; nam ndokubonisa ngokwasemisebenzini yam ukholo lwam.” UYakobi wabonisa ukuba kwaneedemon “ziyakholwa, zibe namanwele,” kodwa ngokucacileyo iidemon azenzi misebenzi yokuhlonel’ uThixo. Kwelinye icala, uAbraham, wayenokholo nemisebenzi. “Ukholo lwalusebenzisana nemisebenzi yakhe, lwenziwa lwagqibelela ukholo ngokwasemisebenzini.” UYakobi waphinda wathi: “Ukholo, ingekho imisebenzi, lufile nalo.”—Yakobi 2:17-26.
4. UYesu wathi yintoni abafanele bayenze abo bafuna ukumlandela?
4 Kwakhona uYesu wabonisa ukubaluleka kwemisebenzi elungileyo, esithi: “Malukhanye ngokunjalo ukhanyiselo lwenu phambi kwabantu; ukuze bayibone imisebenzi yenu emihle, bamzukise uYihlo osemazulwini.” “Ukuba ubani uthanda ukundilandela, makazincame, awuthwale [“umthi wakhe wentuthumbo,” NW] imihla ngemihla, andilandele ke.”a Ukuba ‘siyazincama,’ siyakuncama ukuzikhethela ngokwethu ikhondo lobomi. Siyaqonda ukuba yonke into siyizuza kuThixo, ngoko sizinikela kuye ukuze sibe ngabakhonzi bakhe, sifuna ukufunda nokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe, njengokuba uYesu wenzayo.—Mateyu 5:16; Luka 9:23; Yohane 6:38.
Ubomi Buyachaphazeleka
5. (a) Yintoni uPetros awabonisa ukuba ifanele ichaphazele ubomi bethu buphela? (b) Yiyiphi imisebenzi emihle awayincomelayo?
5 UPetros wabonisa ukuba ‘igazi elinqabileyo’ likaKristu elanikelwa ngenxa yethu, lixabiseke kangangokuba uxabiso esinalo ngalo lufanele lubonakale kuyo yonke indlela esiphila ngayo. Lo mpostile wadwelisa izinto ezininzi olumele uxabiso esinalo lusishukumisele ukuba sizenze. Waluleka esithi: ‘Lulahleni lonke ulunya.’ “Walangazeleleni, . . . amasi angawelizwi, angenankohliso.” ‘Vakalisani isidima salowo wanibizayo ukuba niphume ebumnyameni, ningene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’ ‘Phambukani ebubini, nenze okulungileyo.’ ‘Ziphenduleleni kumntu wonke obuzayo kuni ilizwi, ngalo ithemba elingaphakathi kwenu.’ “Ixesha [lenu] eliseleyo enyameni ningabi saliphilela ezinkanukweni zabantu, niliphilele ekuthandeni kukaThixo.”—1 Petros 1:19; 2:1, 2, 9; 3:11, 15; 4:2.
6. (a) AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala alubonakalisa njani ukholo lwawo? (b) Oku kufanele kusimisele wuphi umzekelo?
6 AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayephila ngokokholo lwawo. Lwayiguqula indlela awayecinga ngayo nobuntu bawo, lwawashukumisela ekubeni avisisanise ubomi bawo nokuthanda kukaThixo. Aba ziimbacu, axulutywa ngamatye, abethwa, avalelwa ezintolongweni, de abulawa kunokuba atyeshele ukholo lwawo. (IZenzo 7:58-60; 8:1; 14:19; 16:22; 1 Korinte 6:9-11; Efese 4:22-24; Kolose 4:3; Filemon 9, 10) Umbhali-mbali wamaRoma owaziwayo uTacitus, owazalwa malunga nowama-56 C.E., uthi amaKristu “ayephoselwa emlilweni ukuze atshe, ukuze abe zizikhanyiso zasebusuku, xa ukukhanya kwasemini kuphelile.” Ukanti awazange axengaxenge!—I-The Annals, Incwadi XV, isiqendu 44.
7. Yiyiphi imeko abantu abathile abasenokuzifumanisa bekuyo?
7 Kwamanye amabandla usenokufumana abantu abaye beza kwiintlanganiso kangangeminyaka emininzi. Bayayithanda intlangano kaYehova, bacinga ukuba abantu bakhe ngabona balungileyo kwabakha badibana nabo, bathetha kakuhle ngenyaniso, yaye bayayimela inyaniso kwabangaphandle. Kodwa kukho nto ithile engumqobo kubo, nto ithile ebathintelayo. Abazange balithabathe inyathelo elihle elathatyathwa ngabangama-3 000 ngomhla wePentekoste, elo wabuza ngalo umTopiya owayekholwa, okanye elo uHananiya wabongoza uSawule owayesakuba ngumtshutshisi ukuba alithabathe ngoko nangoko akuba eqondile ukuba ngokwenene uYesu wayenguMesiya. (IZenzo 2:41; 8:36; 22:16) Yintoni abayisweleyo abanjalo namhlanje? Kutheni bengakhange balithabathe inyathelo iBhayibhile elibiza ngokuthi “lukukubuzisa kuThixo kwesazela esilungileyo”? (1 Petros 3:21) Ukuba uzifumanisa ukule meko—yokuyazi inyaniso kodwa uthandabuza ukwenza into ngayo—ligqale eli nqaku njengelilungiselelwe wena ngenxa yokuba uthandwa ngokukhethekileyo.
Ukoyisa Imiqobo Yobhaptizo
8. Ukuba akuzange ube ngumfundi okhutheleyo, liliphi ikhondo lobulumko ofanele ulithabathe ngoku?
8 Yintoni esenokuba ixabe endleleni yakho? Inqaku elandulela eli libonise ukuba bambi balufumanisa ufundisiso lobuqu luyingxaki. UThixo wasinika iingqondo ezimangalisayo, kwaye ulindele ukuba sizisebenzise ekumkhonzeni. Bambi abantu abangazange bafunde kwaukulesa baye bazibhokoxa koku ukuze bafunde okungakumbi ngoThixo nangeenjongo zakhe. Kuthekani ngawe? Ukuba sele ukwazi ukufunda, ngaba ngokwenene uyafundisisa, njengokuba abemi baseBhereya benzayo, ‘bezincina izibhalo imihla ngemihla’ ukubona ukuba ezi zinto zinjalo na? Ngaba uye wabuphanda “ububanzi, nobude, nobunzulu, nokuphakama” kwayo inyaniso? Ngaba uye wemba nzulu ngokwaneleyo eLizwini likaThixo? Ngaba uye wayifumana indlela elichukumisa ngayo ngenene? Ngaba uye wakhulisa umnqweno wokwenene wokwazi ukuthanda kukaThixo? Ngaba uyilambele ngokwenene inyaniso?—IZenzo 17:10, 11; Efese 3:18.
9. Yintoni elungileyo ofanele uyenze ukuba unengxaki nothile abandleni?
9 Maxa wambi abantu bayazilazila ngenxa yengxaki yokwenene okanye abayicingelayo abaye banayo nothile ebandleni. Ngaba kukho mntu uthile oye wakona ngokunzulu? Yandula ke ulandele ukhokelo oluboniswe ngamazwi kaYesu athi: “Yiya umohlwaye inguwe naye ninedwa.” (Mateyu 18:15) Usenokumangaliswa kukufumanisa ukuba loo mntu akazi kwaloo nto yokuba ukonile. Kodwa kwanokuba uyazi, ‘usenokumzuza umzalwana wakho,’ njengokuba uYesu watshoyo. Kwakhona usenokumnceda akuphephe ukukhubekisa omnye. Ngaphezu koko, xa ucinga ngako oko, ngokwenene ngubani omkhonzayo—nguloo mntu okanye nguThixo? Ngaba uthando lwakho ngoThixo luncinane kangangokuba uya kuvumela nayiphi na impazamo yomntu ongafezekanga iphazamisane nothando lwakho Ngaye?
10, 11. Yintoni ofanele uyenze ukuba isono esithile sangasese besikubangela ukuba urhoxe?
10 Isono sangasese sisenokubangela ubani akuhlehlise ukubhaptizwa. Oku kusenokuba yinto eyenzeke kwixesha elidlulileyo, okanye kusenokuba likhondo eliphosakeleyo eliqhubekayo. Ukuba oku kuyingxaki yakho, ngaba eli asiloxesha lokulungisa lo mbandela? (1 Korinte 7:29-31) Kuye kwafuneka ukuba abantu abaninzi bakaYehova benze inguqulelo kubomi babo. IBhayibhile ithi: “Guqukani ke ngoko, nibuye, ukuze zicinywe izono zenu; ngokokuze afike amathuba okuphumza, evela ebusweni beNkosi.”—IZenzo 3:19.
11 Kungakhathaliseki ukuba yintoni oyenze kwixesha elidlulileyo, unokuguquka, ubuye, uze ucele ukuba uThixo akuxolele. “Bhubhisani ngoko amalungu enu asemhlabeni: umbulo, ukungcola, ukuthabatheka okuhlazisayo, inkanuko embi . . . nizihlubile nje umntu omdala, kunye nezenzo zakhe, nambatha lowo umtsha, uhlaziyelwa ekwazini okutsha, ngokomfanekiselo walowo wamdalayo.” Ubomi bakho unokubuvisisanisa neendlela zakhe, ube nesazela esicocekileyo, uze ube nethemba lobomi obungunaphakade kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha lobulungisa. Ngaba oko akuwufanelanga nawuphi na umgudu onokufuneka?—Kolose 3:5-10; Isaya 1:16, 18; 1 Korinte 6:9-11; Hebhere 9:14.
12. Yintoni ofanele uyenze ukuba icuba, ukusebenzisa kakubi utywala, okanye ukukhotyokiswa ziziyobisi kuyakuthintela ukuba ube nesazela esicocekileyo?
12 Ngaba ukusebenzisa icuba, ukubusebenzisa kakubi utywala, okanye ukuba likhoboka leziyobisi kuyinto ekuthintelayo ukuba ube nesazela esicocekileyo? Ngaba imikhwa enjalo esongela ubomi ayibonakalisi ukungasihloneli isipho esimangalisayo sikaThixo sobomi? Ukuba yimikhwa enjalo le ikuthintelayo, ngokuqinisekileyo eli lixesha lokuyilungisa. Ngaba unokude ulahlekelwe bubomi bakho ngenxa yemikhwa enjalo? UPawulos wathi: “Masizihlambulule kuko konke ukudyobheka kwenyama nokomoya sibufeza ubungcwele, sisoyika uThixo.” Ngaba uzixabisa ngokwaneleyo iindlela zikaThixo ezicocekileyo nezibubulungisa ukuba wenze oko?b—2 Korinte 7:1.
Izinto Eziphathekayo
13, 14. (a) IZibhalo zithini ngosukelo lwezinto eziphathekayo? (b) Kutheni kubalulekile ukubeka izinto zasezulwini kuqala?
13 Ihlabathi lanamhlanje libeka impumelelo ‘nokuqhayisa kukabani ngezinto anazo ebomini’ phantse ngaphambili kwayo yonke enye into. Kodwa uYesu wawafanisa “amaxhala eli phakade, nokulukuhla kobutyebi” “nameva” athi aliminxe ilizwi likaThixo. Wakwabuza esithi: “Kumnceda ntoni na umntu, ukuba uthe wazuza ihlabathi liphela, waza wonakalelwa ke ngumphefumlo wakhe?”—1 Yohane 2:16, NW; Marko 4:2-8, 18, 19; Mateyu 16:26.
14 UYesu wabonisa ukuba uThixo uye walungiselela ukuba iintaka zizuze ukutya neenyibiba zasendle ukuba zivelise iintyatyambo ezintle. Wandula ke wabuza esithi: “Nina nibeke phi na ke, ukuzigqitha iintaka! . . . Wobeka phi na ke kuni [uThixo], [“ukunambesa,” NW]?” Ngobulumko, uYesu wasixelela ukuba ‘singazixhalabisi’ ngezinto eziphathekayo. Wathi: “Funani ubukumkani bukaThixo nina, zaye zonke ezo zinto ziya kongezelelwa kuni.” Wabonisa ukuba sifanele sibeke izinto zasezulwini kuqala kuba ‘apho bukhona ubutyebi bethu, yoba lapho nentliziyo yethu.’—Luka 12:22-31; Mateyu 6:20, 21.
Inkonzo Yokuhlonela UThixo Ngoncedo LukaThixo
15. Luluphi ukhuthazo oluhle esilufumana kumzekelo wamaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala?
15 Ngaba ukunikela ubungqina kwabanye kubonakala kuyingxaki kuwe? Ngaba ukuba neentloni kuyakuthintela? Ukuba kunjalo, kubalulekile ukukhumbula ukuba amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayevakalelwa ngendlela esivakalelwa ngayo namhlanje. UThixo akazange anyule izilumko namagorha amaninzi, kodwa wanyula ‘izinto ezingenamandla zehlabathi, ukuze adanise izinto ezomeleleyo.’ (1 Korinte 1:26-29) Iinkokeli zonqulo ezazinamandla zabachasa aba bantu “bangenakwazi” zaza zabayalela ukuba bangaphindi bashumayele. Enza ntoni la maKristu? Athandaza. Acela kuThixo ukungafihlisi, yaye wawanika. Ngenxa yoko, isigidimi sawo salizalisa elaseYerusalem yaye kamva sagungqisa ihlabathi lonke!—IZenzo 4:1-4, 13, 17, 23, 24, 29-31; 5:28, 29; Kolose 1:23.
16. Yintoni esiyifundayo ‘kwilifu elingakanana lamangqina’ elichazwe kumaHebhere isahluko 11?
16 Ngaloo ndlela, ukoyika abantu akufanele nanini na kusithintele kwinkonzo kaThixo. AmaHebhere isahluko 11 asixelela ‘ngelifu elikhulu lamangqina’ awayengoyiki mntu, koko esoyika uThixo. Sifanele sibonakalise ukholo olufanayo. Umpostile wabhala: “Sinelifu elingakanana nje elisingqongileyo lamangqina, masithi nathi, siwubekile nxamnye wonke umthwalo, naso isono esinokusirhawula ngokusisulu, silubaleke ngomonde ugqatso olubekwe phambi kwethu.”—Hebhere 12:1.
17. Luluphi ukhuthazo uThixo awalunikela ngoIsaya?
17 UThixo unokubanceda ngokugqithiseleyo abakhonzi bakhe. UMdali wendalo iphela wamxelela oku uIsaya: “Ke bona abathembele kuYehova baya kuhlaziyeka emandleni; banyuke ngamaphiko njengeenkozi. Baya kugidima bangadinwa, bahambe bangatyhafi.”—Isaya 40:31.
18. Unokuloyisa njani uloyiko ukuze ube nesabelo ekushumayeleni ngoBukumkani?
18 AmaNgqina akhutheleyo nawonwabileyo owabona kwibandla lasekuhlaleni aliqaqobana nje kuphela eliyinxalenye yabakhonzi abakhutheleyo bazwenibanzi abangaphezulu kwezigidi ezithathu ezinesiqingatha. Ayakuvuyela ukuba nenxaxheba kumsebenzi uYesu Kristu awawuxela kwangaphambili ngala mazwi: “Ezi ndaba zilungileyo zobukumkani ziya kuvakaliswa kulo elimiweyo liphela, zibe bubungqina kuzo zonke iintlanga; kwandule ke ukufika ukuphela.” Ukuba ukuba nenxaxheba ekushumayeleni ngoBukumkani kubonakala kuyingxaki kuwe nangona ukufanelekela ukwenjenjalo, kutheni ungaceli iNgqina eliqhuba kakuhle kubulungiseleli ukuba lihambe nawe ukuze ukwazi ukuba nesabelo kulo msebenzi wokushumayela? Ngokwenene uThixo unikela ‘amandla ayincamisa,’ yaye uya kumangaliswa kukufumanisa indlela ezisa uvuyo ngokwenene ngayo le nkonzo yokuhlonela uThixo.—Mateyu 24:14; 2 Korinte 4:7; bona kwaneNdumiso 56:11; Mateyu 5:11, 12; Filipi 4:13.
19. Nguwuphi umsebenzi wokufundisa uYesu awayalela abalandeli bakhe ukuba bawenze?
19 UYesu ulindele ukuba abo basixabisayo isigidimi soBukumkani baxakeke siso. Wathi: “Hambani ngoko niye kuzenza abafundi zonke iintlanga, nibabhaptizela egameni loYise, loNyana, loMoya oyiNgcwele; nibafundisa ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniwisela umthetho ngazo.”—Mateyu 28:19, 20.
20. Ukuba uqhubela phambili ngokomoya, nguwuphi umbuzo kungekudala osenokuba ufanelekile?
20 Ngaba uxabiso onalo ngeentsikelelo zikaThixo, “ngegazi elinqabileyo” likaYesu, nangethemba elimangalisayo lobomi obungunaphakade lukushukumisela esenzweni? (1 Petros 1:19) Ngaba uye wabuvisisanisa ubomi bakho neemfuneko zikaThixo zobulungisa? Ngaba uba nesabelo rhoqo ekwenzeni abafundi? Ngaba uzincamile waza wabahlulela kuThixo ubomi bakho? Ukuba impendulo kule mibuzo nguewe oqinisekileyo, kusenokuba lixesha elifanelekileyo lokuba ubuze omnye wabadala ebandleni okulo kwaumbuzo ofana nalowo wabuzwa ngumTopiya owayekholwa kuFilipu: “Kwala ntoni na ukuba ndingabhaptizwa?”—IZenzo 8:36.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a IThe Jerusalem Bible, ikubeka oku ngokuthi “ukuzinikela.” Inguqulelo kaJ. B. Phillips ithi “ukunikela lonke ilungelo kuye.” IThe New English Bible ithi “ukuzishiya ngasemva izilangazelelo zakho zobuqu.”
b Ukuze ufumane inkcazelo engokuyeka imikhwa enjalo, bona IMboniselo, ka-Agasti 1, 1981, iphepha 3-13; Disemba 1, 1973, iphepha 542-8; noVukani!, kaJanuwari 8, 1983, iphepha 3-14; Novemba 8, 1981, iphepha 19-27. Ezi zisenokufumaneka kwithala leencwadi kwiHolo yoBukumkani yasekuhlaleni yamaNgqina kaYehova.
Uyakhumbula Na?
◻ Ziziphi izizathu ezikhethekileyo esifanele sibe nombulelo ngazo kuThixo?
◻ Ukholo noxabiso lufanele lusishukumisele ukuba senze ntoni?
◻ Ziziphi iingxaki ezinokuba zikho phakathi kwethu nokuthobela kwethu uThixo, kwaye yintoni esinokuyenza ngazo?
◻ Yiyiphi imibuzo abantu abangekabhaptizwa abanokuzibuza yona?
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 18]
‘Ndiluhlobo olunjani “lomhlaba” mna?’
UYesu wenza umzekeliso ngendoda eyahlwayela imbewu. Yimbi imbewu yawela ecaleni kwendlela yaza yatyiwa ziintaka. Enye yawela kumhlaba olulwalwa. Le yahluma, kodwa kwathi kwakuphuma ilanga, yabuna yaza yafa. Kwakhona enye imbewu yawela phakathi kwameva yaza yaminxwa. UYesu wathi ezi ntlobo zintathu zazimela: eyokuqala, umntu ‘olivayo ilizwi lobukumkani, kodwa angaliqondi’; eyesibini, ngothi alamkele ilizwi kodwa atyekiswe bubushushu ‘bembandezelo nokuba yintshutshiso’; yaye eyesithathu, ngumntu elithi kuye “ixhala leli phakade, nokulukuhla kobutyebi, kuliminxe ilizwi.”
Kodwa kwakhona uYesu wathetha ngenye imbewu eyawela kumhlaba omhle. Wathi: “Ngulowo ulivayo ilizwi aliqonde; othi yena okunene axakathe iziqhamo.”—Mateyu 13:3-8; 18-23.
Kusenokuba kuhle ukuzibuza: ‘Ndiluhlobo olunjani “lomhlaba” mna?’
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 19]
Bafela ukholo lwabo
Ngaba kukho mntu umaziyo obeya kukhetha ukufa kunokuba atyeshele ukholo lwakhe? Amawaka amaNgqina kaYehova aye akwenza oko. KwiThe Nazi State and the New Religions: Five Case Studies in Non-Conformity, uGqr. Christine E. King wabhala esithi: “INgqina elinye kwamabini laseJamani lavalelwa entolongweni, elinye kwamane laphulukana nobomi balo.”
Xa umbono owoyikekayo wasezinkampini ekugqibeleni waphelayo, ngowe-1945, “amaNgqina ayandile yaye awazange alalanise.” KwiThe Nazi Persecution of the Churches, uJ. S. Conway wabhala esithi ngamaNgqina: “Akukho limbi ihlelo elabonakalisa uzimiselo olunjalo ngoxa lwalujamelene nobugrogrisi obupheleleyo bamaGestapo.”
AmaNgqina kaYehova awazange atshutshiswe ngenxa yezobupolitika okanye ubuhlanga. Kunoko, ngokupheleleyo eva ubunzima ngenxa yothando lwawo ngoThixo nokwala kwawo ukuphazamisa izazela zawo eziqeqeshwe yiBhayibhile.