Ukuzithoba KuThixo—Ngoba Yaye Ngoobani Abafanele Bazithobe Kuye?
“Ndiyazi, Yehova, ukuba ayikhona emntwini indlela yakhe; akukhona endodeni ehambayo ukuqinisela ukunyathela kwayo.”—YEREMIYA 10:23.
1. Ziziphi iintlobo zenkululeko eziye zaxatyiswa ngokubanzi?
PHAKATHI kwamaxwebhu angawona axatyisiweyo ngabantu lolo lweSibhengezo Sokuzimela Geqe, awathi ngaso amathanga eBritani ali-13 akuMntla Merika ngenkulungwane ye-18 avakalisa uzimele-geqe kwilizwe elalilikomkhulu lawo, iBritani. La mathanga ayefuna inkululeko, yaye uzimele-geqe kulawulo lwamazwe asemzini nenkululeko ezo zinto zazihamba kunye. Inkululeko yezobupolitika neyezoqoqosho zinokuba luncedo kakhulu. Kumaxesha akutshanje amazwe athile aseMpuma Yurophu aye asebenzela ukufumana uzimele-geqe ngokwezobupolitika. Noko ke, kufanele kuvunywe ukuba kuloo mazwe uzimele-geqe onjalo uye wabangela iingxaki ezininzi nezinzulu.
2, 3. (a) Luluphi uhlobo lwenkululeko olunganqwenelekiyo? (b) Esi sibakala sakhanyiswa njani mandulo?
2 Nangona iintlobo ezahlukahlukeneyo zenkululeko zisenokuba ziyanqweneleka, kukho uhlobo olunye lwenkululeko olunganqwenelekileyo. Luluphi olo? Ukuzimela geqe kuMenzi womntu, uYehova uThixo. Olo aluyontsikelelo kodwa lusisiqalekiso. Ngoba? Kuba umntu akazange adalelwe ukuba azimele geqe kuMenzi wakhe, njengokuba ebonisa ngokucacileyo amazwi omprofeti uYeremiya acatshulwe ngasentla. Ngamany’ amazwi, umntu wayedalelwe ukuba azithobe kuMenzi wakhe. Ukuzithoba kuMdali wethu kuthetha ukumthobela.
3 Eso sibakala sakhanyiswa kwisibini sokuqala esingabantu ngumyalelo kaYehova kuso njengoko ubhaliwe kwiGenesis 2:16, 17: “Yonke imithi yomyezo ungayidla uyidle; ke wona umthi wokwazi okulungileyo nokubi uze ungawudli; kuba mhlana uthe wawudla, uya kufa.” Ukungavumi ukuzithoba kuMenzi wakhe kwamzisela uAdam nayo yonke inzala yakhe isono, ukubandezeleka nokufa.—Genesis 3:19; Roma 5:12.
4, 5. (a) Uye wayintoni umphumo wokungavumi kwabantu ukuzithoba kuThixo? (b) Nguwuphi umthetho wokuziphatha ongenakuphepheka?
4 Ukungavumi kwabantu ukuzithoba kuThixo kububuyatha yaye akulunganga. Oku ehlabathini kuye kwaphumela kulwando lokuchas’ umthetho, ulwaphulo-mthetho, ugonyamelo nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini nto leyo eye yaphumela kwizifo ezidluliselwa ngeentlobano zesini. Ngapha koko, ngaba isibetho sanamhlanje solwaphulo-mthetho olwandileyo olubangelwa ngabakwishumi elivisayo ubukhulu becala asibangelwa kukungavumi kolutsha ukuzithoba kuYehova, kubazali balo nakwimithetho yelizwe? Lo moya wokuzimela geqe ubonwa kwindlela abantu abaninzi abanxiba ngokungaqhelekanga nangokungakhathali ngayo nangentetho engamanyala abayisebenzisayo.
5 Kodwa ayikho kwaphela indlela yokuwuphepha umthetho woMdali nongaguquguqukiyo othi: “Musani ukulahlekiswa; uThixo yena asingowokuhlekisa. Kuba into athe wahlwayela yona umntu, wovuna kwayona; ngokuba lowo uhlwayelela eyakhe inyama, wovuna ukonakala ngokwasenyameni.”—Galati 6:7, 8.
6, 7. Yintoni unobangela oyintloko wokungavumi ukuzithoba, njengokuba oko kuboniswa yiyiphi imizekelo?
6 Yintoni le ingunobangela oyintloko wokungavumi ukuzithoba? Xa ibekwa nje ngamazwi alula, kukuzingca nekratshi. Ngeso sizathu uEva, umfazi wokuqala, wazivumela ukuba akhohliswe yinyoka waza wathabatha kwisiqhamo esalelweyo. Ukuba wayethozamile kwaye ethobekile, ukuhendelwa kwelokuba uza kuba njengoThixo—ezigqibela ngokwakhe okuhle nokubi—ngekwakungazange kube namtsalane kuye. Yaye ukuba wayengazingci, ngewayengazange afune oko kwakuvakaliswe njengento ayalelweyo nguMenzi wakhe, uYehova uThixo.—Genesis 2:16, 17.
7 Kungekudala emva kokona kuka-Adam noEva, ikratshi nokuzingca kwabangela uKayin wabulala umntakwabo uAbheli. Kwakhona, ukuzingca kwabangela ukuba izithunywa zezulu ezithile zilandele inyathelo lokuzimela-geqe, zisishiya isigxina sazo ziziguqulela ekubeni zibe yinyama ukuze zinandiphe uyolo olungokwesini. Ikratshi nokuzingca kwamphembelela uNimrodi kanye njengokuba kuye kwenjenjalo ngenkoliso yabalawuli behlabathi ukususela ngexesha lakhe.—Genesis 3:6, 7; 4:6-8; 1 Yohane 3:12; Yuda 6.
Isizathu Sokuba Sifanele Sizithobe KuYehova UThixo
8-11. Ziziphi izizathu ezine ezinamandla ezifanele zisibangele sizithobe kuThixo?
8 Kutheni sifanele sizithobe kuMenzi wethu, uYehova uThixo? Okokuqala kungenxa yokuba unguMongami Wendalo Iphela. Ngokufanelekileyo lonke igunya lelakhe. UnguMgwebi, uMniki-mthetho noKumkani wethu. (Isaya 33:22) Ngokufanelekileyo kuye kwabhalwa ngaye kwathiwa: “Izinto zonke ke zize, zityhilekile, emehlweni alowo esinokuthanani naye.”—Hebhere 4:13.
9 Ngaphezu koko, ekubeni uMenzi wethu engusomandla, akakho onokumchasa ngokuphumelelayo; akakho onokuyityeshela imbopheleleko yakhe yokuzithoba Kuye. Ekugqibeleni, abo bangavumiyo baya kwehlelwa yintlekele kanye njengokuba kwaba njalo ngoFaro wakudala yaye kuza kuba njalo ngoSathana uMtyholi ngexesha elifanelekileyo likaThixo.—INdumiso 136:1, 11-15; ISityhilelo 11:17; 20:10, 14.
10 Ukuzithoba kuyimbopheleleko yazo zonke izidalwa ezinengqiqo kuba zikho ngenjongo yokuba zikhonze uMenzi wazo. ISityhilelo 4:11 sivakalisa oku: “Ufanele, Nkosi, ukwamkela uzuko, nembeko, namandla; ngokuba inguwe owadala zonke izinto, nangenxa yokuthanda kwakho zikho, zadalelwa oko.” UnguMbumbi Omkhulu, yaye wenza izitya ezingabantu ukuze ziphumeze injongo yakhe.—Isaya 29:16; 64:8.
11 Asifanele sisityeshele isibakala sokuba uMenzi wethu ungolumke ngokupheleleyo, ngoko uyakwazi oko kusilungeleyo. (Roma 11:33) Imithetho yakhe ‘yeyokulungelwa kwethu.’ (Duteronomi 10:12, 13) Ngaphezu kwako konke, “uThixo uluthando,” ngoko ufuna sifumane okona kusilungeleyo kuphela. Ezinjani zona ukuba zininzi izizathu zokuba sizithobe kuMenzi wethu, uYehova uThixo!—1 Yohane 4:8.
UYesu Kristu, Umzekelo Ogqibeleleyo Wokuzithoba KuThixo
12, 13. (a) UYesu Kristu wakubonakalisa njani ukuzithoba kuThixo? (b) Ngawaphi amazwi kaYesu abonakalisa isimo sakhe sengqondo sokuzithoba?
12 Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uNyana kaYehova okuphela kwamzeleyo, uYesu Kristu, usibekela umzekelo ogqibeleleyo wokuzithoba kuThixo. Umpostile uPawulos walatha koku kwabaseFilipi 2:6-8 xa esithi: “Yena [uYesu] wathi, esebumeni bukaThixo, akathi ukulingana kwakhe oku noThixo kulixhoba; usuke wazihluba, wathabatha ubume bomkhonzi, enziwe wafana nabantu; wathi ngemo efunyenwe enjengomntu, wazithoba, waba ngolulamileyo, wada wesa ekufeni, ukufa ke [“kumthi wentuthumbo,” NW].” Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni, ngokuphindaphiweyo uYesu wathi akenzi nanye into ngokwakhe; wayengazenzi izinto ngendlela athanda ngayo, kodwa ngamaxesha onke wazithoba kuYise wasezulwini.
13 Sifunda oku kuYohane 5:19, 30: “Waphendula ngoko uYesu, wathi kuwo, Inene, inene, ndithi kuni, UNyana akanakwenza nto ngokwakhe, engathanga abone uYise eyenza; kuba izinto asukuba ezenza yena, ezo uyazenza uNyana kwangokunjalo. Mna ngokwam andinakwenza nto; njengoko ndivayo, ndigweba ngako, nomgwebo wam ububulungisa; ngokuba andifuni kuthanda kwam, ndifuna ukuthanda kukaBawo owandithumayo.” Ngokukwanjalo, ngobusuku bokungcatshwa kwakhe izihlandlo eziliqela wathandaza wathi: “Makungabi njengokuthanda kwam, makube njengokuthanda kwakho.”—Mateyu 26:39, 42, 44; kwakhona bona uYohane 7:28; 8:28, 42.
Imizekelo Yamandulo Yokuzithoba KuThixo
14. UNowa wakubonakalisa ngaziphi iindlela ukuzithoba kuThixo?
14 Phakathi kwabantu bamandulo ababeyimizekelo yokuzithoba kuThixo yayinguNowa. Wakubonakalisa ukuzithoba kwakhe ngeendlela ezintathu. Eyokuqala, ngokuba yindoda elilungisa, engenakubekwa bala phakathi kwesizukulwana sakhe, ehamba noThixo oyinyaniso. (Genesis 6:9) Okwesibini, ngokwakha umkhombe. “Wenza uNowa konke uThixo abemwisele umthetho ngako, wenza njengoko.” (Genesis 6:22) Okwesithathu, ngokuvakalisa isilumkiso sokuza koNogumbe ‘njengomvakalisi wobulungisa.’—2 Petros 2:5.
15, 16. (a) UAbraham wamisela wuphi umzekelo omhle wokuzithoba kuThixo? (b) USara wakubonakalisa njani ukuzithoba?
15 UAbraham wayengomnye umzekelo obalaseleyo wokuzithoba kuThixo. Wakubonakalisa ukuzithoba kwakhe ngokuthobela umyalelo kaThixo othi: “Hamba, umke ezweni lakowenu.” (Genesis 12:1) Oku kwakuthetha ukushiya ubunewunewu baseUre (eyayingesiso isixeko nje esingabalulekanga, njengokuba kuboniswa koko kufunyenwe ngabembi bezinto zakudala) aye kubhadula ehamba efuna indawo yokuhlala kwilizwe lasemzini iminyaka elikhulu. Ngokukhethekileyo uAbraham wabonakalisa ukuzithoba kuThixo ngokujamelana ngokuphumelelayo nolona vavanyo luqatha lokuvuma ukunikela ngonyana wakhe uIsake.—Genesis 22:1-12.
16 Umfazi ka-Abraham uSara ungomnye umzekelo omhle wokuzithoba kuThixo. Ngokuqinisekileyo ukubhadula kwilizwe angalaziyo kwakubangela iingxaki ezininzi, kodwa akukho ndawo sifunda kuyo kusithiwa wakhe wakhalaza. Wamisela umzekelo omhle wokuzithoba kuThixo kwizihlando ezibini xa uAbraham wamazisa kubalawuli abangabahedeni njengodadewabo. Kwizihlandlo zozibini wasebenzisana naye, nangona ngenxa yoku waphantse wangomnye wabafazi babalawuli abangabahedeni. Okunikela ubungqina ngokuzithoba kwakhe kuThixo yindlela awayembiza ngayo entliziyweni yakhe umyeni wakhe, uAbraham, ngokuthi “nkosi,” nto leyo ebonisa ukuba esi yayisisimo sakhe sengqondo ngokusuk’ entliziyweni.—Genesis 12:11-20; 18:12; 20:2-18; 1 Petros 3:6.
17. Kutheni kunokutshiwo ukuba uIsake wabonakalisa ukuzithoba kuThixo?
17 Singawulibali umzekelo wokuzithoba kuThixo owabonakaliswa ngunyana ka-Abraham, uIsake. Imbali yamaYuda ibonisa ukuba uIsake wayeneminyaka enokuba ngama-25 ubudala xa uYehova wayalela uyise, uAbraham, ukuba anikele ngaye njengedini. Ukuba uIsake wayefuna, ngokulula nje ngewayengazange amvumele uyise, owayemdala kangangeminyaka elikhulu kunaye. Kodwa akazange enjenjalo. Nangona uIsake wayethandabuza ekubeni wayengasiboni isilwanyana ekwakuza kwenziwa ngaso idini, ngokuthobekileyo wamvumela uyise xa wayembeka phezu kwesibingelelo waza wambophelela izandla nenyawo ukuze athintele okanye alawule nayiphi na intshukumo ezenzekelayo eyayinokwenzeka ukuba imela yokuxhela yayisetyenzisiwe.—Genesis 22:7-9.
18. UMoses wakubonakalisa njani ukuzithoba kuThixo okungumzekelo?
18 Kwiminyaka kamva, uMoses wasibekela umzekelo omhle wokuzithoba kuThixo. Ngokuqinisekileyo oko kuboniswe ngokuchazwa kwakhe ‘njengendoda elulame kunene kunabantu bonke abasemhlabeni.’ (Numeri 12:3) Ukuyiphumeza ngentobelo imiyalelo kaYehova kangangeminyaka engama-40 entlango, nangona wayongamele abantu abanemvukelo ababesenokuba zizigidi ezibini okanye ezithathu, oko kubonisa ngokubhekele phaya ukuzithoba kwakhe kuThixo. Ngenxa yoko ingxelo ithi “wenza ke uMoses; njengako konke uYehova abemwisele umthetho ngako, wenjenjalo.”—Eksodus 40:16.
19. Ngawaphi amazwi kaYobhi abonakalisa ukuzithoba kwakhe kuYehova?
19 UYobhi ungomnye umntu obalaseleyo owasimisela umzekelo omhle wokuzithoba kuThixo. Emva kokuba uYehova evumele uSathana ukuba atshabalalise konke oko uYobhi wayenako, abulale abantwana bakhe, aze emva koko ambethe ‘ngamathumba amabi, athabathela entendeni yonyawo lwakhe, ase elukakayini lwakhe,’ umfazi kaYobhi wathi kuye: “Usabambelele na ekugqibeleleni kwakho? Mlahle uThixo, ufe.” Sekunjalo, uYobhi wabonakalisa ukuzithoba kuThixo ngokuthi kuye: “Uthetha njengesidengekazi. Siya kwamkela okulungileyo kuThixo, singamkeli nokubi, yini na?” (Yobhi 2:7-10) Okubonisa isimo sengqondo esifanayo ngamazwi akhe abhalwe kuYobhi 13:15 athi: “Nokuba uthe wandibulala, ndolindela kuye.” Enyanisweni, nangona uYobhi wayekuxhalabele ngokwenene ukuzithethelela, asifanele sisityeshele isibakala sokuba ekugqibeleni uYehova wathi komnye wabo bafane babizwe ngokuba ngabathuthuzeli bakhe: “Umsindo wam uyavutha kuwe, nakubamelwane bakho bobabini; kuba anithethanga nto iyiyo ngam, njengomkhonzi wam uYobhi.” Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uYobhi usimisela umzekelo omhle wokuzithoba kuThixo.—Yobhi 42:7.
20. UDavide wakubonakalisa njani ukuzithoba kuThixo?
20 Ukukhankanya nje omnye umzekelo ongakumbi ngokusuka kwiZibhalo zesiHebhere, masicinge ngoDavide. Xa uKumkani uSawule wayemzingela ngokungathi usisilwanyana, izihlandlo ezibini uDavide walifumana ithuba lokuyiphelisa ingxaki yakhe ngokumbulala uSawule. Kanti, ukuzithoba kukaDavide kuThixo kwamthintela ukuba angenjinjalo. Amazwi akhe abhalwe kweyoku-1 kaSamuweli 24:6: “Makube le kum, ngenxa kaYehova, ukuthi ndiyenze loo nto enkosini yam, umthanjiswa kaYehova, ndisise isandla sam kuye; ngokuba ungumthanjiswa kaYehova.” (Bona kwaneyoku-1 kaSamuweli 26:9-11.) Ngokukwanjalo naye wabonisa ukuzithoba kwakhe kuThixo ngokwamkela isohlwayo xa wayenze iimpazamo okanye onile.—2 Samuweli 12:13; 24:17; 1 Kronike 15:13.
Umzekelo KaPawulos Wokuzithoba
21-23. Ziziphi izihlandlo ezahlukahlukeneyo uPawulos awabonakalisa ngazo ukuzithoba kuThixo?
21 KwiZibhalo zamaKristu zesiGrike, sinomzekelo obalaseleyo wokuzithoba kuThixo wompostile uPawulos. Waxelisa iNkosi yakhe, uYesu Kristu koku, njengoko wenzayo kwezinye iinkalo zobulungiseleli bakhe bobupostile. (1 Korinte 11:1) Nangona uYehova uThixo wamsebenzisa ngamandla ngaphezu kwabo bonke abanye abapostile, uPawulos akazange azenzele izinto ngokuzimele geqe. ULuka usixelela ukuba xa kwaphakama imbambano yokuba kwakufanelekile kusini na ngamaguquka eeNtlanga ukuba aluke, “kwagqitywa [ngabazalwana bakwa-Antiyokwe] kwelokuba uPawulos noBharnabhas, nabanye abathile kubo, mabenyuke baye kubapostile namadoda amakhulu eYerusalem ngawo lo mbuzo.”—IZenzo 15:2.
22 Ngokuphathelele umsebenzi kaPawulos wobuvangeli basemazweni, sixelelwa oku kwabaseGalati 2:9: “Kananjalo bakulwazi ubabalo endababalwa ngalo; bathi ooYakobi noKefas noYohane, abo ke babedume ukuba baziintsika, basinika thina noBharnabhas izandla zokunene zobudlelane, ukuze siye thina kwiintlanga; bona ke baye kwabolwaluko.” Kunokuba abonakalise ukuzimela geqe, uPawulos wafuna ukhokelo.
23 Ngokufanayo, ngesihlandlo sokugqibela uPawulos eseYerusalem, wamkela isiluleko esanikelwa ngabadala ngokuphathelele ukuya etempileni aze alandele inkqubo yoMthetho ukuze bonke babone ukuba wayengenguye umwexuki ngokuphathelele uMthetho kaMoses. Ekubeni ukwenjenjalo kwaphumela kwintlekele xa kwahlokozwa ihlokondiba ukuba limvukele, ngaba ukuzithoba kwakhe kubadala kwakuyimpazamo? Akunjalo konke konke, njengoko kubonakala koko sikufunda kwiZenzo 23:11: “Ke kaloku ngobo busuku iNkosi yema ngakuye, yathi, Yomelela, Pawulos; kuba njengokuba waqononondisa izinto ngam eYerusalem, kwangokunjalo umelwe kukuthi ungqine naseRoma.”
24. Ziziphi iinkalo zokuzithoba ezingakumbi eziza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
24 Enyanisweni, iZibhalo zisinika izizathu ezinamandla zokuba sizithobe nemizekelo ebalaseleyo yabo babonakalisa ukuzithoba okunjalo. Kwinqaku elilandelayo, siza kuqwalasela iinkalo ezahlukahlukeneyo esinokuzithoba kuzo kuYehova uThixo, uncedo lokwenjenjalo nemivuzo eyimiphumo yoko.
Ubuya Kuphendula Njani?
◻ Luluphi uhlobo lozimele-geqe olunganqwenelekiyo?
◻ Nguwuphi unobangela oyintloko wokungavumi ukuzithoba?
◻ Ziziphi izizathu ezisinyanzelela ukuba sizithobe kuYehova?
◻ Yiyiphi imizekelo emihle enikelwa ziZibhalo yokuzithoba kuThixo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
UNimrodi, umlawuli wokuqala emva konogumbe ongazange akuvume ukuzithoba kuThixo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
UNowa, umzekelo ongenasiphako wokuzithoba kuThixo.—Genesis 6:14, 22