Yimele Ngokuqinileyo Inkululeko Esiyinikwe NguThixo!
“Yimani ngoko enkululekweni, athe uKristu wasikhululela kuyo; nize ningabuyi nibanjwe yidyokhwe yobukhoboka.”—GALATI 5:1.
1, 2. Yalahleka njani inkululeko evela kuThixo?
ABANTU bakaYehova bakhululekile. Kodwa abafuni kuzimela geqe kuThixo, kuba oko bekungathetha ukuba ngamakhoboka kaSathana. Bayaluxabisa ulwalamano olusenyongweni abanalo noYehova yaye bayayivuyela inkululeko abanika yona.
2 Abazali bethu bokuqala, uAdam noEva, balahlekana nenkululeko ababeyinikwe nguThixo ngokona baza baba ngamakhoboka esono, ukufa noMtyholi. (Genesis 3:1-19; Roma 5:12) Kaloku, uSathana wabeka ihlabathi liphela endleleni yesono esa entshabalalweni! Kodwa abo bayimela ngokuqinileyo inkululeko abayinikwe nguThixo bahamba endleleni esa ebomini obungunaphakade.—Mateyu 7:13, 14; 1 Yohane 5:19.
Ukukhululeka Kubukhoboka
3. Liliphi ithemba uThixo awalivakalisayo e-Eden?
3 Injongo kaYehova yayikukuba abantu abazukisa igama lakhe babeya kukhululeka ekukhotyokisweni nguSathana, sisono nokufa. Elo themba lavakaliswa xa uThixo waxelela inyoka eyayisetyenziswe nguSathana e-Eden: “Ndiya kumisa ubutshaba phakathi kwakho nomfazi, naphakathi kwembewu yakho nembewu yakhe; yona iya kukutyumza intloko, wena uya kuyityumza isithende.” (Genesis 3:14, 15) UYesu Kristu, iMbewu esuka kwintlangano kaYehova yasezulwini, watyunyuzwa isithende xa wafayo emthini, kodwa ngaloo ndlela uThixo walungiselela idini lentlawulelo lokukhulula uluntu olukholwayo kwisono nokufa. (Mateyu 20:28; Yohane 3:16) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, uYesu uya kutyumza intloko kaSathana, iNyoka yakudala.—ISityhilelo 12:9.
4. Yiyiphi inkululeko eyayinanditshwa nguAbraham, yaye uYehova wamthembisa ntoni?
4 Malunga neminyaka engama-2 000 emva kokwenziwa kwesi sithembiso e-Eden, “isihlobo sikaThixo” uAbraham sathobela uThixo saza sasishiya isixeko saseUre sisiya kwenye indawo. (Yakobi 2:23; Hebhere 11:8) Ngaloo ndlela safumana inkululeko evela kuThixo saza asabi saqhubeka siphila njengekhoboka lehlabathi likaSathana lonqulo lobuxoki, lezobupolitika ezinganyanisekanga, norhwebo olubawayo. Kwisiprofeto sase-Eden, uThixo wongezelela amadinga okuba zonke iintlanga zomhlaba zaziya kusikelelwa ngoAbraham neMbewu yakhe. (Genesis 12:3; 22:17, 18) UAbraham wakhululwa kwisigwebo ngenxa yokuba ‘wakholwa kuYehova, owakubalela oko ebulungiseni kuye.’ (Genesis 15:6) Namhlanje, ukuba nolwalamano olusenyongweni noYehova ngokufanayo kuzisa inkululeko evela kuThixo kwisigwebo nasekukhotyokisweni leli hlabathi lilele emandleni kaSathana.
Umfuziselo Ochukumisayo
5. Ukuzalwa kukaIsake kwanxulunyaniswa naziphi iimeko?
5 Ukuze uAbraham afumane imbewu, umfazi wakhe oludlolo, uSara, wamnika isicakakazi sakhe, uHagare, ukuba simzalele umntwana. Ngaso, uAbraham wazala uIshmayeli, kodwa uThixo akazange amkhethe njengeMbewu ethenjisiweyo. Kunoko, xa uAbraham wayeneminyaka eli-100 ubudala yaye uSara eneminyaka engama-90, uYehova wabenza bakwazi ukuba nonyana ogama linguIsake. Xa uIshmayeli wahlekisa ngoIsake, uHagare nonyana wakhe bagxothwa, beshiya unyana ka-Abraham awamzalelwa ngumfazi okhululekileyo uSara ukuba abe yimbewu ka-Abraham engenakucelwa mngeni. NjengoAbraham, uIsake naye waba nokholo waza wanandipha inkululeko evela kuThixo.—Genesis 16:1-16; 21:1-21; 25:5-11.
6, 7. Abafundisi bobuxoki babeweyisele enini amaKristu athile aseGalati, kodwa yintoni awayicacisayo uPawulos?
6 Ezi ziganeko zafuzisela izinto ezibaluleke kakhulu kubathandi benkululeko abayinikwe nguThixo. Oku kwaphawulwa kwincwadi umpostile uPawulos awayibhalela amabandla akwelaseGalati malunga nowama-50 ukusa kowama-52 C.E. Ngelo xesha iqumrhu elilawulayo laligqibe kwelokuba ulwaluko lwalungeyomfuneko kumaKristu. Kodwa abafundisi bobuxoki babeyisele amaGalati athile kwelokuba lwaluyinkalo ebalulekileyo yobuKristu.
7 UPawulos wathi kumaGalati: Umntu uvakaliswa elilungisa ngokholo kuKristu, kungekhona ngemisebenzi yoMthetho kaMoses. (Ga 1:1–3:14) UMthetho awuzange ulibhangise idinga elinxulumene nomnqophiso ka-Abraham kodwa wabonakalisa izigqitho waza waba ngumkhapheli okhokelela kuKristu. (Ga 3:15-25) Ngokufa kwakhe, uYesu wabakhulula abo baphantsi koMthetho, ebenza babe nako ukuba ngoonyana bakaThixo. Ngenxa yoko, ukubuyela kwilungiselelo lokugcina imihla, iinyanga, amaxesha neminyaka kwakuya kuthetha ukubuyela ebukhobokeni. (Ga 4:1-20) Wandula ke uPawulos wabhala wathi:
8, 9. (a) Ngokufutshane chaza, ngawakho amazwi, oko kwathethwa nguPawulos kumaGalati 4:21-26. (b) Kulo mfuziselo, ngubani okanye yintoni eyayifanekiselwa nguAbraham nanguSara, yaye ngubani iMbewu ethenjisiweyo?
8 “Ndixeleleni, nina nithandayo ukuba phantsi komthetho, aniwuva na umthetho? Kuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, uAbraham wayenoonyana ababini: omnye [uIshmayeli] engowekhobokazana [uHagare], omnye [uIsake] engowomfazi okhululekileyo [uSara]. Waye okunene lowo wekhobokazana ezelwe ngokwenyama; kodwa lowo womfazi okhululekileyo wayezelwe ngalo idinga. Eziyintsonkotha [“ezingumfuziselo,” NW] zona ezo zinto; kuba aba [bafazi, NW] bayiyo iminqophiso emibini. Omnye [umnqophiso woMthetho] uvela entabeni yeSinayi [apho uThixo wawumisela khona loo mnqophiso namaSirayeli], uzalela ebukhobokeni, onguHagare ke wona lowo; [omnye umnqophiso ngulowo wenziwa noAbraham mayela neMbewu yakhe.] kuba loo nto inguHagare yiSinayi, intaba ekwelama-Arabhi, elungelelene neYerusalem yakalokunje, esebukhobokeni ke nabantwana bayo [inzala ka-Abraham, kaIsake, noYakobi]. Ke yona ephezulu iYerusalem ikhululekile, enguma wethu leyo.”—Galati 4:21-26.
9 Kulo mfuziselo, uAbraham wayemela uYehova. ‘Umfazi okhululekileyo,’ uSara, wayefanekisela ‘umfazi’ kaThixo, okanye intlangano engcwele yendalo iphela. Yavelisa uKristu, iMbewu yaloo mfazi wokomfuziselo neka-Abraham Omkhulu. (Galati 3:16) Ukuze abonise abantu indlela yokukhululeka kunqulo olungacocekanga, kwisono nakuSathana, uYesu wafundisa inyaniso waza wabhenca unqulo lobuxoki, kodwa iYerusalem nabantwana bayo yahlala isebukhobokeni bonqulo ngenxa yokuba ayizange imamkele. (Mateyu 23:37, 38) Abalandeli bakaYesu abangamaYuda bakhululeka kuMthetho, owawubonakalisa ukuba bangamakhoboka okungafezeki, esono nokufa. Bakhululeke ngokwenene bonke abantu abamkela uYesu njengaLowo wazalwa ‘ngumfazi’ kaThixo ukuze abe nguKumkani onguMesiya noMkhululi ‘omemeza inkululeko kubathinjwa’!—Isaya 61:1, 2; Luka 4:18, 19.
Yiphephe Idyokhwe Yobukhoboka
10, 11. UKristu wabakhulula kuyiphi idyokhwe yobukhoboka abalandeli bakhe, yaye oku kunokufaniswa nantoni namhlanje?
10 Kwabo babumba imbewu ka-Abraham kunye noKristu, uIsake Omkhulu, uPawulos uthi: “Ephezulu iYerusalem ikhululekile, enguma wethu leyo. . . . Thina ke, bazalwana, ngokokukaIsake, singabantwana bedinga. Kusuke, kwanjengokuba wayesithi oko owazalwa ngokwenyama [uIshmayeli] amtshutshise owazalwa ngokoMoya [uIsake], kwaba njalo nakaloku. . . . Asingabantwana bekhobokazana thina; singabowokhululekileyo. Yimani ngoko enkululekweni [kuMthetho], athe uKristu wasikhululela kuyo; nize ningabuyi nibanjwe yidyokhwe yobukhoboka.”—Galati 4:26–5:1.
11 Nabaphi na kubalandeli bakaYesu ngebabebanjwe yidyokhwe yobukhoboka ukuba babezithobe kuMthetho. Unqulo lobuxoki yidyokhwe yobukhoboka yanamhlanje, yaye iNgqobhoko ifana neYerusalem yamandulo nabantwana bayo. Kodwa abathanjiswa bangabantwana beYerusalem yaphezulu, intlangano kaThixo ekhululekileyo yasezulwini. Bona nabo bakholwa kunye nabo abanamathemba asemhlabeni abayonxalenye yeli hlabathi yaye abakhotyokiswanga nguSathana. (Yohane 14:30; 15:19; 17:14, 16) Ekubeni sikhululwe yinyaniso nalidini likaYesu, masiyimele ngokuqinileyo inkululeko yethu esiyinikwe nguThixo.
Ukumela Inkululeko Esiyinikwe NguThixo
12. Liliphi ikhondo elithatyathwa ngamakholwa, yaye ngoku kuza kuxutyushwa ntoni?
12 Ngoku izigidi zinandipha inkululeko yokwenyaniso njengamaNgqina kaYehova. Ezinye izigidi ziqhutyelwa izifundo zeBhayibhile, abaninzi bazo ‘abanotyekelo olufanelekele ubomi obungunaphakade.’ Besakuba ngamakholwa, baya kumela inkululeko abayinikwe nguThixo ngokubhaptizwa. (IZenzo 13:48, NW; IZe 18:8) Kodwa ngawaphi amanyathelo eza ngaphambi kobhaptizo lwamaKristu?
13. Ulwazi lunxulumene njani nobhaptizo?
13 Ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa, umntu umele abe nolwazi oluchanileyo lweZibhalo aze enze ngokuvisisana nalo. (Efese 4:13) Ngaloo ndlela, uYesu wabaxelela oku abalandeli bakhe: “Hambani . . . niye kuzenza abafundi zonke iintlanga, nibabhaptizela egameni loYise, loNyana, loMoya oyiNgcwele; nibafundisa ukuba bazigcine zonke izinto endiniwisele umthetho ngazo.”—Mateyu 28:19, 20.
14. Ukubhaptizelwa egameni loYise, loNyana nelomoya oyingcwele kufuna umntu abe naluphi ulwazi?
14 Ukubhaptizelwa egameni loYise kuthetha ukwamkela isikhundla sikaYehova negunya lakhe njengoThixo, uMdali noMongami Wendalo Iphela. (Genesis 17:1; 2 Kumkani 19:15; ISityhilelo 4:11) Ukubhaptizelwa egameni loNyana kuthetha ukugqala isikhundla sikaKristu negunya lakhe njengesidalwa somoya esiphakanyisiweyo, uKumkani onguMesiya, nalowo uThixo alungiselele ngaye “intlawulelo elinganayo.” (1 Timoti 2:5, 6, NW; Daniyeli 7:13, 14; Filipi 2:9-11) Umntu obhaptizelwa egameni lomoya oyingcwele uyaqonda ukuba ungamandla kaThixo asebenzayo awasetyenziswa nguYehova ekudaleni izinto nasekuphefumleleni ababhali beBhayibhile, nangezinye iindlela. (Genesis 1:2; 2 Petros 1:21) Kambe ke, kukho okuninzi ngakumbi esinokukufunda ngoThixo, ngoKristu nangomoya oyingcwele.
15. Kutheni umntu emele abe nokholo ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe?
15 Ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa, umntu umele abe nokholo olusekelwe kulwazi oluchanileyo. “Lungekho ukholo, akunakubakho ukumkholisa kakuhle [uYehova].” (Hebhere 11:6) Umntu onokholo kuThixo, kuKristu nakwiinjongo zikaThixo uya kufuna ukuba lelinye lamaNgqina kaYehova, aphile ngokuvisisana neLizwi likaThixo aze abe nesabelo ekushumayeleni iindaba ezilungileyo. Uya kuthetha ngokuzuka kobukumkani bukaYehova.—INdumiso 145:10-13; Mateyu 24:14.
16. Yintoni inguquko, yaye inxulumene njani nobhaptizo lwamaKristu?
16 Inguquko yenye into efunekayo ngaphambi kobhaptizo. Ukuguquka kuthetha “ukuguqula ingqondo kabani ngokubhekisele kwisenzo, okanye ihambo yangaphambili (okanye esacetywayo), ngenxa yokuzisola okanye ukunganeliseki,” okanye “ukuba nemvakalelo yokuzisola, yokuba buhlungu, okanye ukuba lusizi ngoko ubani akwenzileyo okanye aye akakwenza.” AmaYuda enkulungwane yokuqala kwakufuneka aguquke kwizono awayemone ngazo uYesu Kristu. (IZenzo 3:11-26) Wambi amakholwa aseKorinte aguquka kuhenyuzo, unqulo-zithixo, ukukrexeza, ubufanasini, ukuba, ukubawa, ubunxila, ukuthuka nokuphanga. Ngenxa yoko, ‘ahlanjululwa’ ngegazi likaYesu, “angcwaliswa” njengabo babekhethelwe inkonzo kaYehova, yaye ‘avakaliswa engamalungisa’ (NW) egameni likaYesu Kristu nangomoya kaThixo. (1 Korinte 6:9-11) Ngoko inguquko ilinyathelo elikhokelela kwisazela esilungileyo nasekukhululweni nguThixo ekukhathazweni lityala lesono.—1 Petros 3:21.
17. Kuthetha ntoni ukubuya, yaye kufuna ukuba enze ntoni lowo uceba ukubhaptizwa?
17 Umntu umele abuye ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe njengelinye lamaNgqina kaYehova. Umntu oguqukileyo uyabuya emva kokuba elilahlile ikhondo eliphosakeleyo waza wazimisela ukwenza okulungileyo. Izenzi zesiHebhere nesiGrike ezinxulumene nokubuya zithetha “ukubuyela emva, ukujika ubuye, okanye ukuphindela emva.” Xa kusetyenziswe ngengqiqo yokomoya efanelekileyo, oku kubhekisela ekubuyeleni kuThixo usuka kwindlela ephosakeleyo. (1 Kumkani 8:33, 34) Ukubuya kufuna “imisebenzi efanele inguquko,” ukuba senze oko uThixo akuyalelayo, sishiye unqulo lobuxoki size salathisele iintliziyo zethu ngokungenakushukunyiswa kuYehova ukuze sikhonze yena yedwa. (IZenzo 26:20; Duteronomi 30:2, 8, 10; 1 Samuweli 7:3) Oku kuthetha ukuba simele sibe ‘nentliziyo entsha nomoya omtsha,’ siguqule ukucinga kwethu, isimo sengqondo nenjongo ebomini. (Hezekile 18:31) Ubuntu obutsha obuba ngumphumo buthabathela indawo iimpawu zokungahloneli Thixo ngeempawu zokuhlonel’ uThixo. (Kolose 3:5-14) Ewe, inguquko yokwenyaniso ngokwenene ibangela ukuba ubani ‘abuye.’—IZenzo 3:19.
18. Kutheni sifanele sizahlulele kuThixo ngomthandazo, yaye iyintoni intsingiselo yeli nyathelo?
18 Ngaphambi kokubhaptizwa ubani umele azahlulele kuThixo ngomthandazo. (Thelekisa uLuka 3:21, 22.) Uzahlulelo luthetha ukubekela ecaleni ngenxa yenjongo engcwele. Eli nyathelo libaluleke kangangokuba sifanele sazise uThixo emthandazweni ngesigqibo sethu sokuzahlulela kuye ngokupheleleyo nokumkhonza ngonaphakade. (Duteronomi 5:8, 9; 1 Kronike 29:10-13) Kambe ke, asizahlulelanga emsebenzini koko sizahlulele kuThixo. Loo ngongoma yacaciswa kumngcwabo womongameli wokuqala weWatch Tower Society, uCharles Taze Russell. Ngeso sihlandlo ngowe-1916, unobhala owayekwangunondyebo woMbutho, uW. E. Van Amburgh, wathi: “Lo msebenzi mkhulu wehlabathi lonke asingomsebenzi womntu omnye. Mkhulu gqitha ukuba ungasingathwa ngumntu omnye. Ngumsebenzi kaThixo yaye awuguquki. UThixo uye wasebenzisa abakhonzi abaninzi kwixesha elidluleyo ibe ngokungathandabuzekiyo uya kusebenzisa abaninzi nakwixesha elizayo. Asizinikelanga [asizahlulelanga] mntwini, okanye ekwenzeni umsebenzi womntu, kodwa sizinikele ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaThixo, njengoko eza kukutyhila kuthi ngeLizwi Lakhe nangokhokelo olungokobuthixo. UThixo usengumalathisi wethu.” Kodwa yintoni enye emele yenziwe malunga nozahlulelo kuThixo?
19. (a) Abantu babunikela njani ubungqina basekuhleni bokuzahlulela kuYehova? (b) Ubhaptizo lwasemanzini lungumfuziselo wantoni?
19 Xa umntu ebhaptizwa unikela ubungqina basekuhleni bokuba uzahlulele kuYehova. Ubhaptizo lungumqondiso wokuba loo mntu ontywiliselwa emanzini uzahlulele ngokungagogotye lutho kuYehova uThixo ngoYesu Kristu. (Thelekisa uMateyu 16:24.) Xa lowo ubhaptizwayo engcwatywa ngaphantsi kwamanzi aze akhutshwe, uyafa ngokomfuziselo kwikhondo lakhe langaphambili lobomi yaye uvuselwa kwindlela entsha yobomi, ukuze ngoku enze ukuthanda kukaThixo ngokupheleleyo. (Thelekisa amaRoma 6:4-6.) Xa uYesu wayebhaptizwa, wazinikela kuYise wasezulwini ngokupheleleyo. (Mateyu 3:13-17) Yaye iZibhalo ngokuphindaphindiweyo zibonisa ukuba amakholwa afanelekayo afanele abhaptizwe. (IZenzo 8:13; 16:27-34; 18:8) Ngoko ke, ukuze umntu abe lelinye lamaNgqina kaYehova namhlanje, umele abe likholwa elikholwa ngokwenyaniso aze abhaptizwe.—Thelekisa IZenzo 8:26-39.
Yima Uqinile!
20. Yiyiphi eminye yemizekelo yeBhayibhile engqina ukuba siya kusikelelwa ngokumela inkululeko esiyinikwe nguThixo njengamaNgqina kaYehova abhaptiziweyo?
20 Ukuba uye wayimela ngokuqinileyo inkululeko oyinikwe nguThixo ngokuba liNgqina likaYehova elibhaptiziweyo, uya kukusikelela njengokuba eye wabasikelela abakhonzi bakhe kwixa elidluleyo. Ngokomzekelo, uYehova wamsikelela uAbraham noSara abalupheleyo ngokubanika unyana owoyika uThixo, uIsake. Ngokholo umprofeti uMoses wakhetha ukuphathwa kakubi nabantu bakaThixo “kunokuba axhamle izono okomzuzwana; ekubalele ukungcikivwa kukaKristu [kokuba ngulowo wayefanekisela uKristu mandulo] [okanye umthanjiswa kaThixo] kububutyebi obungaphezu kobutyebi baseYiputa.” (Hebhere 11:24-26) UMoses waba nelungelo lokusetyenziswa nguYehova ukuba akhokele amaSirayeli ukuphuma ebukhobokeni baseYiputa. Ngaphezu koko, ngenxa yokuba wakhonza uThixo ngokuthembeka, uya kuvuswa yaye uya kukhonza njengomnye wabo baya kuba “ngabathetheli ehlabathini lonke” ngaphantsi koMoses Omkhulu, uYesu Kristu.—INdumiso 45:16; Duteronomi 18:17-19.
21. Kunikelwa yiphi imizekelo ekhuthazayo mayela nabafazi abahlonela uThixo bamaxesha amandulo?
21 AmaKristu azahluleleyo namhlanje akwanokukhuthazeka ngokuqwalasela abafazi abakhululeka baza bavuya ngokwenene. Phakathi kwabo singabala uRute umMowabhikazi, owaba namava entlungu yokuba ngumhlolokazi nawovuyo lokukhululwa nguThixo kunqulo lobuxoki. Elahla abantu bakowabo noothixo bakhe, wanamathela kuninazala ongumhlolokazi, uNahomi. URute wathi: “Apho uya khona, ndiya kuya nam; apho uya kuthi vu khona, ndiya kuthi vu khona; abantu bakowenu baya kuba ngabantu bam, uThixo wakho abe nguThixo wam.” (Rute 1:16) Njengomfazi kaBhohazi, uRute waba ngunina kayisemkhulu kaDavide uObhedi. (Rute 4:13-17) Kaloku, uYehova wamnika lo mfazi uthobekileyo nongengomSirayeli ‘umvuzo ozalisekileyo’ ngokumvumela abe ngukhokhokazi kaYesu uMesiya! (Rute 2:12) Hayi indlela aya kuvuya ngayo uRute xa evuswa aze azi ukuba waba nelungelo elinjalo! Ngokungathandabuzekiyo uvuyo olukwafanayo luya kuzalisa intliziyo kaRahabhi oya kuvuswa nowayesakuba lihenyukazi, owakhululwayo ekuziphatheni okubi nakunqulo lobuxoki, kwanekaBhatshebha owonayo kodwa waguquka, kuba nabo baya kwazi ukuba uYehova wabavumela bangookhokhokazi bakaYesu Kristu.—Mateyu 1:1-6, 16.
22. Kuza kuqwalaselwa ntoni kwinqaku elilandelayo?
22 Singatshonelwa lilanga sibala abantu abafumana inkululeko kaThixo. Ngokomzekelo, singabala phakathi kwabo amadoda nabafazi bokholo abakhankanywe kumaHebhere isahluko 11. Babandezeleka yaye baphathwa kakubi, ‘yaye ihlabathi lalingabafanele.’ Kubo ungongezelela abalandeli bakaKristu abanyanisekileyo benkulungwane yokuqala nabanye abathembekileyo ukususela ngoko, kuquka nezigidi ngoku ezikhonza uYehova njengamaNgqina akhe. Njengokuba siza kubona ngokulandelayo, ukuba uye wayimela kunye nabo inkululeko evela kuThixo, unezizathu ezininzi zokuvuya.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ Liliphi ithemba uThixo awalivakalisayo xa inkululeko evela kuThixo yalahlekayo?
◻ UKristu wabakhulula kweyiphi “idyokhwe yobukhoboka” abalandeli bakhe?
◻ Ngawaphi amanyathelo awandulela ukubhaptizwa njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova?
◻ Yiyiphi imizekelo engokweZibhalo engqina ukuba siya kusikelelwa ngokumela inkululeko esiyinikwe nguThixo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Ngaba uyazi ukuba ngawaphi amanyathelo andulela ukubhaptizwa njengomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova?