Siyintoni Isiseko SobuKristu Bokwenene?

NAMHLANJE, baninzi abantu abazibanga bengamaKristu kunabo bakulo naluphi na olunye unqulo. Kodwa iinkolelo zaba bathi bangamaKristu azifani, abamanyenanga, yaye maxa wambi bade babulalane. Kuyacaca ukuba abaninzi abangawo amaKristu okwenene. UYesu wathi ngomhla wethu, baninzi ababeya kuthi kuye, “Nkosi, Nkosi,” ngamany’ amazwi, bezibanga bengamaKristu, kodwa uya kuthi kubo: “Andizanga ndinazi; mkani kum, nina nenza okuchasene nomthetho.” (Mateyu 7:21, 23) Ngokuqinisekileyo, akukho namnye kuthi obengathanda ukuba phakathi kwaba! Ngoko sinokwazi njani ukuba singamaKristu okwenene?

Inyaniso ikukuba, zininzi izinto ezifunekayo ukuze ube ngumKristu wokwenene. UmKristu wokwenene ufanele abe nokholo olomeleleyo ngenxa yokuba “lungekho ukholo, akunakubakho ukumkholisa kakuhle [uThixo].” (Hebhere 11:6) Olo kholo lomeleleyo lufanele lukhatshwe yimisebenzi elungileyo. Umpostile uYakobi walumkisa ngelokuba “ukholo, ingekho imisebenzi, lufile.” (Yakobi 2:26) Ngaphezu koko, umKristu ufanele aliqonde igunya ‘lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Kodwa isiseko sobuKristu bokwenene sikokuthile okwahlukileyo kwezi zinto.

Siyintoni isiseko? Umpostile uPawulos wasichaza kwileta yakhe yokuqala eya kumaKorinte: “Ndingafanelana ndithetha ngeelwimi zabantu nezezithunywa zezulu; uthando ke ndingenalo, ndisuke ndaba yixina ehlokomayo, necangci elikhenkcezayo. Ndingafanelana ndinabo nobuprofeto, ndizazi iimfihlelo zonke, ndinako konke ukwazi; ndingafanelana ndinalo lonke ukholo, ngokokude ndisuse iintaba, uthando ke ndingenalo, andinto yanto. Ndingafanelana ndisamkelisa amahlwempu ngempahla yam yonke, nokuba ndithe umzimba wam ndawunikela ukuba utshiswe, uthando ke ndingenalo, akundincedi lutho.”—1 Korinte 13:1-3.

Ngoko uthando lusisiseko sobuKristu bokwenene. Kubalulekile yaye kuyafuneka ukuba nokholo, imisebenzi nonxulumano olulungileyo. Kodwa lungekho uthando, ezo zinto aziloncedo. Kutheni kunjalo nje?

Ngokusisiseko, kungenxa yohlobo uThixo esimnqulayo alulo. Umpostile uYohane wamchaza uYehova, uThixo wobuKristu bokwenyaniso, ngala mazwi: “UThixo uluthando.” (1 Yohane 4:8) UYehova uThixo unezinye iimpawu ezininzi, njengamandla, okusesikweni nobulumko, kodwa ekubeni ngokubalaseleyo enguThixo wothando, uya kufuna ukuba abanquli bakhe babe luhlobo olunjani lwabantu? Ngokuqinisekileyo, uya kufuna ukuba babe ngabantu abaxelisa yena nabahlakulela uthando.—Mateyu 5:44, 45; 22:37-39.

Intshukumisa Elungileyo

Ewe, uthando luwabangela amaKristu ukuba afane noThixo amnqulayo. Oko kuthetha ukuba iintshukumisa zawo ziyafana neentshukumisa zikaThixo. Yiyiphi eyona ntshukumisa eyashukumisela uYehova uThixo ukuba athumele uYesu emhlabeni ukuze asinike ithuba lokuzuza ubomi obungunaphakade? Luthando. “Wenjenje uThixo ukulithanda kwakhe ihlabathi, ude wancama uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo, ukuze bonke abakholwayo kuye bangatshabalali, koko babe nobomi obungunaphakade.” (Yohane 3:16) Ngoko, ifanele ibe yintoni intshukumisa yethu ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo? Kwakhona, luthando. “Ukumthanda uThixo kuko ukuthi, siyigcine imithetho yakhe.”—1 Yohane 5:3.

Ngaba kunokwenzeka ukumkhonza uThixo ngentshukumisa ephosakeleyo? Ewe. UPawulos wakhankanya abathile bomhla wakhe ababekhonza beqhutywa ngumona neenkani. (Filipi 1:15-17) Oko kunokwenzeka kuthi. Eli hlabathi linomoya omkhulu wokukhuphisana, yaye loo moya unokusichaphazela nathi. Sisenokuzigwagwisa ngokucinga ukuba siyazodlula ezinye izithethi okanye siyakwazi ukuhambisa uncwadi oluninzi kunabanye. Sisenokuthelekisa amalungelo ethu enkonzo nawomnye umntu size sizigwagwise ngawo—okanye sibe nomona. Umdala usenokuba nekhwele ngesikhundla sakhe sokuba negunya, ade afikelele nakwinqanaba lokudodobalisa inkqubela yomfana onobuchule obuthile. Ukunqwenela ingenelo yobuqu kusenokusishukumisela ukuba sihlakulele ubuhlobo namaKristu afumileyo ngoxa siwatyeshela lawo angamahlwempu.

Ezi zinto zisenokwenzeka ngenxa yokuba asifezekanga. Phofu ke, ukuba—njengoYehova—senza uthando lube yintshukumisa yethu eyintloko, siya kululwa utyekelo olunjalo. Ukuzingca, umnqweno wokuzizukisa, okanye ikratshi lokuzikhukumalisa linokulongamela uthando lwethu, khon’ ukuze ‘singancedwa lutho.’—IMizekeliso 11:2; 1 Korinte 13:3.

Uthando Kwihlabathi Elizingcayo

UYesu wathi abalandeli bakhe ‘babengayi kuba ngabehlabathi.’ (Yohane 17:14) Sinokukuphepha njani ukoyiswa yimpembelelo yehlabathi elisingqongileyo? Uthando luya kusinceda. Ngokomzekelo, namhlanje abantu ‘bathanda iziyolo kunokuba bathande uThixo.’ (2 Timoti 3:4) UYohane wasilumkisa ukuba singabi njalo. Wathi: “Musani ukulithanda ihlabathi, kwanezinto ezisehlabathini. Ukuba kukho othi alithande ihlabathi uthando lukaYise alukho kuye. Ngokuba konke okusehlabathini, inkanuko yenyama, nenkanuko yamehlo, noqhankqalazo lobu bomi, asikokuphuma kuye uYise, kokuphuma ehlabathini.”—1 Yohane 2:15, 16.

Sekunjalo, ukuyiphepha ngokupheleleyo “inkanuko yenyama, nenkanuko yamehlo akuyondlwan’ iyanetha.” Esona sizathu sokuba ezi zinto zithandwe sikukuba zinomtsalane ongathethekiyo enyameni yethu. Ngaphezu koko, namhlanje kukho iziyolo ezininzi gqitha nezahlukileyo kwezo zazikho ngomhla kaYohane, ngoko ukuba ngelo xesha inkanuko yamehlo yayiyingxaki, iyingxaki ngokukhethekileyo ngoku.

Okubangel’ umdla kukuba iziyolo ezininzi zale mihla ezifumaneka ehlabathini zona ngokwazo aziphosakalanga. Akukho nto iphosakeleyo ngokuba nendlu enkulu, inqwelo-mafutha yodidi, umabonwakude okanye umatshini westereo. Akwaphuli namnye umthetho weBhayibhile ngokuthabatha uhambo olude olubangel’ umdla uze ube nekhefu elichulumancisayo. Ngoko, isilumkiso sikaYohane sinayiphi ingongoma? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, ukuba izinto ezinjalo ziba zezibaluleke gqitha kuthi, zivelisa ngaphakathi kuthi umoya wokuzingca, wokuthanda izinto eziphathekayo nowekratshi. Yaye umzamo wokwamkela imali ukuze sizifumane unokusithintela ekumkhonzeni uYehova. Kwanokuzinandipha izinto ezinjalo kudla ixesha, yaye nakubeni ukuziphumza ngomlinganiselo osengqiqweni kuhlaziya, ixesha lethu lisikelwe umda, ngenxa yemfanelo yethu yokufundisisa iBhayibhile, ukuhlangana namaKristu esikhonza nawo ukuze sinqule yaye sishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani.—INdumiso 1:1-3; Mateyu 24:14; 28:19, 20; Hebhere 10:24, 25.

Kwesi sizukulwana sithanda izinto eziphathekayo, kufuna ukuzimisela ukuze ‘sibeke tanci uBukumkani bukaThixo’ nokuxhathisa ingcamango ‘yokusebenza ngeli hlabathi.’ (Mateyu 6:33; 1 Korinte 7:31) Ukuba nokholo olomeleleyo kuya kusinceda. Kodwa ngokukhethekileyo, uthando lokwenene ngoYehova nangabamelwane bethu luya kusomelezela ukuxhathisa izinto ezisenokuthi, ngoxa zona ngokwazo zingaphosakalanga, zisithintele ‘ekuzaliseni ubulungiseleli bethu.’ (2 Timoti 4:5) Ngaphandle kothando olunjalo, ubulungiseleli bethu ngokulula bunokuphelela ekubeni ngumzamo nje wokudlulisela usana kunina.

Uthando Ebandleni

UYesu wakubalaselisa ukubaluleka kothando xa wathi: “Ngayo le nto baya kwazi bonke, ukuba ningabafundi bam, ukuba nithe nathandana.” (Yohane 13:35) Abadala bebeya kulichithela ntoni ixesha elininzi kangaka besalusa yaye benceda amaKristu abakhonza nawo ukuba bebengawathandi? Ibandla beliya kuba libunyamezelela ntoni ubuthathaka babanye—kuquka nobabadala—ukuba bekungengenxa yothando? Uthando luwashukumisela amaKristu ukuba ancedane ngokoqobo xa esiva ukuba abanye baswele. (IZenzo 2:44, 45) Ngamaxesha entshutshiso, amaKristu ayakhuselana yaye ade afelane nokufelana. Ngoba? Ngenxa yothando.—Yohane 15:13.

Ngamanye amaxesha obona bungqina bukhulu bothando bubonakala kwizinto ezincinane. Umdala, osele exinezeleke ngumthwalo womsebenzi onzima, kusenokuza kuye umKristu akhonza naye ezokumchazela kwakhona ngesikhalazo esivakala singabalulekanga kulo mdala. Ngaba lo mdala ufanele acaphuke? Kunokuba akuvumele oku kube ngunobangela wokungavisisani, uqhubana ngomonde nangobubele nomzalwana wakhe. Bawuxubusha kunye lo mbandela, ibe oku kuyabuqinisa kwakhona ubuhlobo babo. (Mateyu 5:23, 24; 18:15-17) Kunokuba elowo agxininise kumalungelo akhe, nonke nifanele nizame ukuhlakulela ukuba nokulunga nobubele uYesu awabuncomelayo, nikulungele ukubaxolela abazalwana benu “izihlandlo ezingamashumi asixhenxe anesixhenxe.” (Mateyu 18:21, 22, NW) Ngaloo ndlela, amaKristu enza umgudu wokwambatha uthando “oluyintambo yogqibelelo.”—Kolose 3:14.

Ukwandisa Ukuthandana Kwethu

Ewe, uthando luyintshukumisa elungileyo yokukhonza uYehova. Uthando luya kusomelezela ukuhlala sahlukile ehlabathini, yaye uthando luya kuqinisekisa ukuba ibandla lisoloko lilelamaKristu okwenyaniso. Ngoxa lungabathinteli ukuba basebenze, lunceda abo banegunya ukuba bangaxakeki gqitha ngokokude babulibale ububele nokuthozama ekuqhubaneni kwabo nabanye. Uthando lusinceda sonke ukuba ‘sibathambele abakhokeli bethu, sibathobele.’—Hebhere 13:17.

Umpostile uPetros wasibongoza ukuba sibe “nothando olunyamekileyo” omnye komnye ngenxa yokuba “uthando luya kugubungela inkitha yezono.” (1 Petros 4:8) Sinokukwenza njani oku? Umntu wadalwa ngokomfanekiselo kaThixo ibe ngaloo ndlela unamandla okwemvelo okubonakalisa uthando. Kodwa uhlobo lothando esithetha ngalo apha lufuna okuthile okongezelelekileyo. Enyanisweni, lusisiqhamo esiyintloko somoya kaThixo. (Galati 5:22) Ngenxa yoko, ukuze sihlakulele uthando, sifanele sizichanabe kumoya kaThixo. Njani? Ngokufundisisa iBhayibhile, eyaphefumlelwa ngomoya kaYehova. (2 Timoti 3:16) Ngokuthandazela umoya kaYehova ukuba wakhe uthando lwethu ngoYehova nangabazalwana bethu. Nangokunxulumana nebandla lamaKristu, apho lo moya ungena khona ngokungathintelekiyo.

Kwakhona kufuneka sizihlolisise khon’ ukuze sibone naziphi na izenzo okanye iingcinga zokungabi naluthando. Khumbula, uthando luluphawu lwentliziyo, yaye “intliziyo inenkohliso ngaphezu kweento zonke, isisifo esibi.” (Yeremiya 17:9) Phezu kwalo lonke uncedo uYehova alunikelayo, ngamaxesha athile siya kwenza ngendlela yokungabi naluthando. Sisenokuthetha kabukhali ngokungeyomfuneko nomKristu esikhonza naye, okanye sisenokuvus’ umnyele size sicatshukiswe kokuthile okuthethiweyo. Ngenxa yoko, senza kakuhle ukuwuphinda umthandazo kaDavide othi: “Ndigocagoce, Thixo, yazi intliziyo yam; ndicikide, uzazi iingcinga-ngcinga zam; ubone ukuba kukho indlela yobubi na kum, undikhaphele kwindlela engunaphakade.”—INdumiso 139:23, 24.

Kunjengokuba iBhayibhile isithi, “uthando aluze lutshitshe.” (1 Korinte 13:8) Ukuba siqhelisela ukuthandana, asingekhe sifunyanwe sixhwalekile ngamaxesha ovavanyo. Uthando olukhoyo phakathi kwabantu bakaThixo lunegalelo elikhulu kwiparadisi yokomoya ekhoyo namhlanje. Kuphela ngabo bathandana ngokunyanisekileyo nangokusuk’ entliziyweni abaya kufumana ulonwabo lokuphila kwihlabathi elitsha. Ngenxa yoko, xelisa uYehova ekubonakaliseni uthando olunjalo uze ngolo hlobo womeleze iqhina lomanyano. Hlakulela uthando, uze ube nesiseko sobuKristu bokwenene.