Siya Kumbuyisela Ngantoni UYehova?
UYEHOVA UTHIXO umisela owona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wokupha. Wanika bonke abantu “ubomi, nomphefumlo, nazo zonke izinto.” (IZenzo 17:25) UThixo ulenza ilanga lakhe liphume kubantu abangendawo nabangamalungisa ngokufanayo. (Mateyu 5:45) Eneneni, ‘uYehova usinika imvula evela ezulwini, namaxesha aneendyebo, ezanelisa iintliziyo zethu ngokudla nangemihlali.’ (IZenzo 14:15-17) Kaloku, “sonke isipho esilungileyo, naso sonke isipho esigqibeleleyo, sesaphezulu; sihla sivela kuye uYise wezikhanyiso”!—Yakobi 1:17.
Ngaphandle kwazo zonke ezi zipho zikaThixo ziphathekayo, uthuma ukukhanya kokomoya nenyaniso. (INdumiso 43:3) Abakhonzi bakaYehova abanyanisekileyo basikelelwa ngokutyebileyo ngokudla kokomoya akukhupha ngexesha elililo esebenzisa ‘umkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo.’ (Mateyu 24:45-47) Sinokungenelwa kumalungiselelo kaThixo okomoya kuba wenze ilungiselelo lokuba abantu abanesono nabafayo babe nako ukuxolelaniswa naye. Njani? Ngokufa koNyana wakhe, uYesu Kristu, owanikela ngobomi bakhe bayintlawulelo yabaninzi. (Mateyu 20:28; Roma 5:8-12) Esinjani sona isipho esivela kuThixo onothando, uYehova!—Yohane 3:16.
Ngaba Ikho Indlela Yokumbuyisela?
Kwiinkulungwane ngaphambi kokuba kulungiselelwe intlawulelo, umdumisi ophefumlelweyo wayeyixabisa ngokunzulu inceba, ukuhlangulwa noncedo oluvela kuThixo kangangokuba wathi: “Ndingambuyisela ngantoni na uYehova konke ukundiphatha kwakhe kakuhle [“ngazo zonke iingenelo endizifumene kuye,” NW]? Ndophakamisa indebe yosindiso, ndinqule igama likaYehova. Ewe, ndozizalisa izibhambathiso zam kuYehova, phambi kwabantu bakhe bonke kalokunje.”—INdumiso 116:12-14.
Ukuba sizinikele ngentliziyo iphela kuYehova, sinqula igama lakhe ngokholo size sizalise izibhambathiso esizenze kuye. NjengamaNgqina kaYehova, sinokumbonga uThixo ngokuthetha kakuhle ngaye ngamaxesha onke nangokuvakalisa isigidimi soBukumkani bakhe. (INdumiso 145:1, 2, 10-13; Mateyu 24:14) Kodwa asinakumtyebisa uYehova, ezizezakhe zonke izinto, singenako nokumbuyisela ngenxa yazo zonke iingenelo esizifumene kuye.—1 Kronike 29:14-17.
Ukunikela ukuze kuhanjiselwe phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani asikokubuyisela okanye ukutyebisa uYehova. Noko ke, ukupha okunjalo kusinika amathuba okubonisa uthando lwethu ngoThixo. Iminikelo ekhutshiweyo, kungekhona ngentsusasenzo yokuzingca okanye ukuze kufunyanwe udumo okanye uzuko, kodwa ngomoya wesisa nokuze kuhanjiselwe phambili unqulo lokwenyaniso, imzisela uyolo nentsikelelo kaYehova lowo uphayo. (Mateyu 6:1-4; IZenzo 20:35) Umntu unokuqiniseka ukuba uya kuba nesabelo ekupheni ngolo hlobo nakulonwabo olungumphumo wako ngokuthi rhoqo abekele bucala okuthile kwizinto zakhe eziphathekayo ukuze axhase unqulo lokwenyaniso yaye ancede abafanelekayo. (1 Korinte 16:1, 2) Ngaba oku kufanele kwenziwe ngokunikela izishumi?
Ngaba Ufanele Unikele Ngezishumi?
Esebenzisa umprofeti wakhe uMalaki uYehova wathi: “Ziziseni zonke izishumi endlwini yobuncwane bam, ize ke kubekho ukudla endlwini yam; ngoku nindicikide ngale nto, . . . ukuba andisayi kunivulela na iingcango zezulu, ndithululele iintsikelelo, kude kungasweleki lutho.”—Malaki 3:10.
Isishumi li-10 ekhulwini elinikelwa okanye elihlawulwa njengomnikelo. Ukunikela isishumi kwenziwa ngokukhethekileyo ngeenjongo zonqulo. Kuthetha ukunikela isishumi sengeniso kabani ukuze kuhanjiselwe phambili unqulo.
Usolusapho uAbraham (Abram) wanika ukumkani okwangumbingeleli uMelkitsedeke waseSalem isishumi sezinto awayezithimbe kuKedorlahomere nookumkani ababencedisana naye. (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebhere 7:4-10) Kamva, uYakobi wabhambathisa ukuba wayeya kunikela isishumi sezinto zakhe eziphathekayo kuThixo. (Genesis 28:20-22) Kwimeko nganye, isishumi sasinikelwa ngokuzithandela, kuba loo maHebhere amandulo ayengenamithetho iwanyanzelela ukuba anikele ngezishumi.
Ukunikela Izishumi Ngaphantsi KoMthetho
Njengabantu bakaYehova, amaSirayeli afumana imithetho yokunikela ngezishumi. Kubonakala ukuba le yayibandakanya ukusetyenziswa kwezishumi ezibini zengeniso yonyaka, nangona abanye abaphengululi becinga ukuba kwakukho isishumi esinye ngonyaka. Kwakungahlawulwa sishumi ngonyaka weSabatha, ekubeni ngaloo nyaka kwakungalindelwanga ngeniso. (Levitikus 25:1-12) Izishumi zazinikelwa ukongezelela kwintlahlela eyayinikelwa kuThixo.—Eksodus 23:19.
Isishumi semveliso yomhlaba neyemithi yeziqhamo yaye kubonakala ukuba neyokwanda kwemihlambi nempahla emfutshane yayisiwa engcweleni ize inikelwe kubaLevi, abangazange bafumane lifa elizweni. Bona ke, babenikela ngesishumi soko babekufumana ukuze baxhase ababingeleli bomnombo ka-Aron. Kubonaka ukuba kwakubhulwa ukutya okuziinkozo kuze kwenziwe iwayini neoli ngeziqhamo zomdiliya nezomthi womnquma ngaphambi kokuba kunikelwe izishumi. Ukuba umSirayeli wayenqwenela ukunikela ngemali endaweni yemveliso, wayenokwenjenjalo, ukuba nje wayesongeza isihlanu kwixabiso layo.—Levitikus 27:30-33; Numeri 18:21-30.
Kubonakala ukuba kukho nesinye isishumi esasibekwa ecaleni. Ngokuqhelekileyo, sasisetyenziswa yintsapho xa abantu babehlanganisana emisithweni. Kodwa kuthekani ukuba umgama wokuya eYerusalem wawumde kakhulu ukuba kungahanjwa naso esi sishumi? Kwakusithi ke kutshintshiswe ngokudla okuziinkozo, iwayini entsha, ioli nezilwanyana ukuze kufunyanwe imali eyayinokuphathwa lula. (Duteronomi 12:4-18; 14:22-27) Ekupheleni konyaka wesithathu nowesithandathu kwiminyaka esixhenxe yesabatha, isishumi sasigcinelwa abaLevi, abaphambukeli, abahlolokazi neenkedama.—Duteronomi 14:28, 29; 26:12.
Ngaphantsi koMthetho, kwakungekho sohlwayo ngokunganikeli ngesishumi. Kunoko, uYehova wayebenze abantu baziva benembopheleleko enzulu yokunikela izishumi. Maxa wambi kwakufuneka bavume phambi kwakhe ukuba isishumi sasihlawulwe saphelela. (Duteronomi 26:13-15) Nantoni na ngokungafanelekanga eyayingahlawulwanga yayijongwa njengebiwe kuThixo.—Malaki 3:7-9.
Ukunikela ngezishumi kwakungelolungiselelo liluxanduva. Enyanisweni, xa amaSirayeli ayeyigcina le mithetho, ayephumelela ngakumbi. Isishumi sasikhuthaza unqulo lokwenyaniso ngaphandle kokugxininisa ngokungeyomfuneko kwindlela yokulungiselela ngokwezinto eziphathekayo. Ngenxa yoko, ilungiselelo lezishumi lalilelokulungelwa kwabo bonke kwaSirayeli. Kodwa ngaba amaKristu amele anikele ngezishumi?
Ngaba AmaKristu Amele Anikele Ngezishumi?
Kangangethuba elithile, ukunikela ngezishumi kwakuxhaphakile kwiNgqobhoko. IThe Encyclopedia Americana ithi: “Kona . . . kwaya kuxhaphaka ngenkulungwane yesi-6. IBhunga laseTours ngowama-567 neBhunga lesibini laseMacon ngowama-585 lakhuthaza ukunikelwa kwezishumi. . . . Ukusetyenziswa kakubi kwaxhaphaka, ngokukodwa xa ilungelo lokuqokelela izishumi ngokufuthi lalinikwa okanye lithengiselwe amarhamente. Ukuqalela kuPopu Gregory VII olu qheliselo kwathiwa alukho mthethweni. Amarhamente amaninzi anikela ngamalungelo awo okuqokelela izishumi kwimizi yoonongendi nakumabhunga eecawa. UHlaziyo aluzange lukuphelise ukunikelwa kwezishumi, yaye olu qheliselo lwaqhubeka kwiCawa yamaRoma Katolika nakumazwe obuProtestanti.” Ukunikela ngezishumi kwapheliswa okanye kwathatyathelw’ indawo ngokuthe ngcembe kumazwe awahlukahlukeneyo, yaye ngoku zimbalwa iinkonzo ezikwenzayo.
Ngoko, ngaba amaKristu kufuneka anikele ngezishumi? Kwisalatha-magama sakhe seBhayibhile, uAlexander Cruden wathi: “UmSindisi wethu, nabapostile bakhe abazange bayalele nantoni na kulo mbandela wezishumi.” Eneneni, amaKristu awayalelwa ukuba anikele ngezishumi. UThixo wawuphelisa uMthetho kaMoses, kunye namalungiselelo awo okunikela izishumi, ewubethelela emthini wentuthumbo kaYesu. (Roma 6:14; Kolose 2:13, 14) Ngoko ke, kunokuba kufunwe ukuba anikele ngesixa esithile esiqingqiweyo sokugubungela iindleko zebandla, amaKristu enza iminikelo yokuzithandela.
Zukisa UYehova Ngobuncwane Bakho
Kambe ke, ukuba umKristu ngokuzithandela ukhetha ukunikela ngesishumi sengeniso yakhe ukuze ahambisele phambili unqulo lokwenyaniso, bekungayi kubakho salelo singokweZibhalo sokuba enze loo mnikelo. Kwileta eyayipheleka umnikelo wayo, inkwenkwe ene-15 leminyaka ubudala yasePapua New Guinea yabhala: “Xa ndandisemncinane, utata wayedla ngokuthi kum, ‘Ukuqalisa kwakho ukusebenza, intlahlela uze uyinikele kuYehova.’ Ndikhumbula amazwi eMizekeliso 3:1, 9, athi simele sinikele intlahlela kuYehova ukuze simzukise. Ngoko ndathembisa ukwenza oku, ibe ngoku ndimele ndisizalisekise isithembiso sam. Kundivuyisa ngokwenene ukuthumela le mali ukunceda kumsebenzi woBukumkani.” IBhayibhile ayithi amaKristu mawenze isithembiso esinjalo. Noko ke, ukupha ngesisa kuyindlela entle yokubonisa umdla onyanisekileyo wokuhanjiselwa phambili konqulo lokwenyaniso.
UmKristu usenokukhetha ukungawusikelii mda umnikelo awenzayo ukuze ahambisele phambili unqulo lukaYehova uThixo. Ngokomzekelo: Ngoxa babesendibanweni yamaNgqina kaYehova, oodade ababini abakhulileyo babexubusha ngeminikelo enokwenziwa kumsebenzi woBukumkani. Mayela nokufumana ukutya kwindawo yendibano, omnye waba dade, oneminyaka engama-87 ubudala, wabuza ukuba kwakunokuba yimalini na ukuze abe nokunikela eso sixa. Udade wesibini, oneminyaka engama-90, wathi: ‘Nikela nje wena loo mali ocinga ukuba kuyiyo—uze uthi kratya kancinane.’ Esinjani sona ukuba sihle isimo sengqondo lo dade ukhulileyo awasibonakalisayo!
Ekubeni abantu bakaYehova benikele konke abanako kuye, ngovuyo banikela ngemali nangeminye iminikelo ukuze baxhase unqulo lokwenyaniso. (Thelekisa eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 8:12.) Enyanisweni, indlela yamaKristu yokupha inikela amathuba okubonisa uxabiso olunzulu ngonqulo lukaYehova. Ukupha okunjalo akupheleliswanga kwisishumi, yaye kusenokubakho iimeko apho umntu ashukunyiselwa ukuba anikele okungakumbi ukuze ahambisele phambili izilangazelelo zoBukumkani.—Mateyu 6:33.
Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Elowo makanike njengoko agqibe ngako entliziyweni; makungabi kokuphuma kabuhlungu, nangokunyanzelwa; kuba uThixo uthanda umphi ochwayithileyo.” (2 Korinte 9:7) Ukuba upha ngokuchwayita nangesisa uxhasa unqulo lokwenyaniso, izinto ziya kukuhambela kakuhle, kuba umzekeliso wobulumko uthi: “Mzukise uYehova ngobuncwane bakho, nangentlahlela yongeniselo lwakho lonke: ozala amaqonga akho bubuninzi, nemikhombe yakho yokukhongozela iphuphume iwayini entsha.”—IMizekeliso 3:9, 10.
Asinakumenza abe sisityebi Osenyangweni. Yeyakhe yonke igolide nesilivere, namarhamncwa asezintabeni eziliwaka, nobuncwane obungenakubalwa. (INdumiso 50:10-12) Asinakuze sikwazi ukumbuyisela uThixo ngazo zonke iingenelo esizifumene kuye. Kodwa sinokulubonisa uxabiso lwethu olunzulu ngaye nangelungelo lokunikela inkonzo engcwele ukuze azukiswe. Yaye sinokuqiniseka ukuba bafumana iintsikelelo ezityebileyo abo banikela ngokukhululekileyo ukuze kuhanjiselwe phambili unqulo olunyulu baze bazukise uThixo onothando nesisa, uYehova.—2 Korinte 9:11.
[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 29]
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