Bonwabile Abathobekileyo

“UThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, abababale ke abazithobileyo.”—1 PETROS 5:5.

1, 2. KwiNtshumayelo yakhe yaseNtabeni uYesu wakunxulumanisa njani ukonwaba nokuthobeka?

NGABA ukonwaba kuhlobene nokuthobeka? Kweyona ntshumayelo yakhe idumileyo, uYesu Kristu, oyena mntu ubalaseleyo wakha waphila, uchaza izinto ezisithoba ezibangela ulonwabo, okanye uyolo. (Mateyu 5:1-12) Ngaba uYesu ulonwabo walunxulumanisa nokuthobeka? Ewe, wenjenjalo, kuba ukuthobeka kubandakanyekile kwizinto eziliqela ezibangela ulonwabo awazikhankanyayo. Ngokomzekelo, umntu umele athobeke ukuze ayiphaphele intswelo yakhe yokomoya. Ngabantu abathobekileyo kuphela abalambela nabanxanelwa ubulungisa. Yaye abantu abanekratshi abanabo ubulali yaye abananceba, bengengabo nabaxolisi.

² Abantu abathobekileyo bonwabile kuba ukuthobeka kuyinto elungileyo neyokunyaniseka. Ngaphezu koko, abathobekileyo bonwabile ngenxa yokuba kububulumko ukuthobeka; kwenza ubani abe nolwalamano olulungileyo noYehova uThixo namanye amaKristu. Ukongezelela, abantu abathobekileyo bonwabile ngenxa yokuba ukuthobeka kuyimbonakaliso yothando lwabo.

3. Kutheni ukunyaniseka kusinyanzelela ukuba sithobeke?

³ Kutheni kufuneka sithobeke ukuze sibe ngabanyanisekileyo? Phakathi kwezinye izinto, kungenxa yokuba sonke sikuzuz’ ilifa ukungafezeki yaye sihlala sisenza iimpazamo. Umpostile uPawulos wathi ngaye siqu: “Kuba ndiyazi ukuba ngaphakathi kwam, oko kukuthi enyameni yam, akumi okulungileyo; kuba ukuthanda kukho ukubakho oku kum; ke kona ukukusebenza okuhle andikufumani.” (Roma 7:18) Ewe, sonke sonile saza sasilela eluzukweni lukaThixo. (Roma 3:23) Ukunyaniseka kuya kusinceda singabi nalo ikratshi. Ukuze uvume impazamo kufuneka uthobeke, yaye ukunyaniseka kuya kusinceda silamkele ityala nanini na senze impazamo. Ekubeni amaxesha amaninzi singakufikeleli oko sizabalazela ukukwenza, sinesizathu esivakalayo sokuthobeka.

4. Sisiphi isizathu esisinyanzelela ukuba sithobeke esinikelwa kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 4:7?

⁴ Umpostile uPawulos usinika esinye isizathu esibangela ukuba ukunyaniseka kufanele kusenze sithobeke. Uthi: “Ngubani na okubalulayo kwabanye? Yintoni na ke onayo ongayamkeliswanga? Phofu ke, ukuba wamkelisiwe, uqhayiselani na, ngathi akwamkeliswanga?” (1 Korinte 4:7) Alithandabuzeki elokuba, ukuba sizamkelela uzuko, sinekratshi ngenxa yezinto esinazo, ubuchule bethu okanye izinto esizifikelelayo, siya kuba asinyanisekanga. Ukunyaniseka kunegalelo ekubeni sibe nesazela esilungileyo phambi koThixo, ukuze sikwazi “ukuziphatha ngokunyaniseka ezintweni zonke.”—Hebhere 13:18.

5. Ukunyaniseka kuya kusinceda njani naxa senze impazamo?

⁵ Ukunyaniseka kusinceda sithobeke xa senze impazamo. Kuya kusenza sikulungele ngakumbi ukwamkela ityala, kunokuzama ukuzithethelela okanye ityala silityabeke komnye umntu. Ngaloo ndlela, ngoxa uAdam wabek’ ityala kuEva, uDavide akazange abek’ ityala uBhatshebha, esithi, ‘Ebengafanele ahlambe endaweni ebendinokumbona kuyo. Nam bendingenakuzinceda ndingahendeki.’ (Genesis 3:12; 2 Samuweli 11:2-4) Eneneni, kwelinye icala kunokuthiwa, ukunyaniseka kusinceda sithobeke; kwelinye icala, ukuthobeka kusinceda sinyaniseke.

Ukuba Nokholo KuYehova Kusinceda Sithobeke

6, 7. Ukukholwa kuThixo kusinceda njani sithobeke?

⁶ Ukuba nokholo kuYehova nako kuya kusinceda sithobeke. Ukuqonda indlela amkhulu ngayo uMdali, uMongami Wendalo Iphela, ngokwenene kuya kusikhusela singazicingeli kakhulu. Hayi indlela umprofeti uIsaya asikhumbuza kakuhle ngayo oku! KuIsaya 40:15, 22, sifunda oku: “Yabona, iintlanga zibalelwa ekubeni zinjengethontsi emphandeni, njengesuntswana esikalini. . . . Ngulo uhlala phezu kwesazinge sehlabathi, abemi balo ke benjengemicikwane.”

⁷ Kwakhona ukuba nokholo kuYehova kuya kusinceda xa sivakalelwa kukuba siye sangamaxhoba okungekho sikweni. Kunokukhalaza ngalo mbandela, ngokuthobeka siya kulindela kuYehova, njengokuba umdumisi esikhumbuza kwiNdumiso 37:1-3, 8, 9. Umpostile uPawulos ubethelela ingongoma efanayo: “Musani ukuziphindezelela, zintanda; yikhweleleni ingqumbo; kuba kubhaliwe kwathiwa, Impindezelo yeyam, kuya kubuyekeza mna, itsho iNkosi.”—Roma 12:19.

Ukuthobeka—Ikhondo Lobulumko

8. Kutheni ukuthobeka kusinceda sibe nolwalamano oluhle noYehova?

⁸ Kukho izizathu ezininzi ezibangela ukuba ukuthobeka kube likhondo lobulumko. Esinye sesokuba, njengokuba sekubonisiwe, kusinceda sibe nolwalamano oluhle noMenzi wethu. ILizwi likaThixo kwiMizekeliso 16:5 ngokucacileyo lithi: “Balisikizi kuYehova bonke abantliziyo izidlayo.” Kwakhona kwiMizekeliso 16:18 sifunda oku: “Ikratshi likhokela intshabalalo; ukuzidla kukhokela ukukhubeka.” Ngaxa lithile lowo unekratshi wehlelwa yinto ebuhlungu. Kumele kube njalo ngenxa yoko sikufunda kweyoku-1 kaPetros 5:5: “Thobelanani nonke ke, ninxibe ukuthobeka kwentliziyo; ngokuba uThixo uyabachasa abanekratshi, abababale ke abazithobileyo.” Uya kufumana ingongoma efanayo kumzekeliso uYesu awawenzayo ngomFarisi nombuthi werhafu ngamnye kubo owayethandaza. Ngumbuthi werhafu othobekileyo owangqineka elilungisa ngakumbi.—Luka 18:9-14.

9. Ukuthobeka kusinceda njani ngamaxesha okubandezeleka?

⁹ Ukuthobeka kulikhondo lobulumko kuba ukuthobeka kubangela ukuba kube lula ngathi ukuthobela isiluleko esifumaneka kuYakobi 4:7: “Mthobeleni ngoko uThixo.” Ukuba sithobekile, asiyi kuvukela xa uYehova evumela ukuba sibandezeleke. Ukuthobeka kuya kusenza sikwazi ukwaneliseka ziimeko zethu size sinyamezele. Umntu onekratshi akaneliseki, usoloko efuna okungakumbi, yaye uyavukela xa iimeko zisiba mbi. Kwelinye icala, umntu othobekileyo uyabunyamezela ubunzima nezilingo, kanye njengokuba uYobhi wenzayo. UYobhi walahlekelwa zizo zonke izinto zakhe yaye wabethwa ngesifo esibuhlungu, waza ke nomfazi wakhe wamcebisa ukuba athabathe ikhondo lekratshi, esithi: “Mlahle uThixo, ufe.” Wasabela njani? Ingxelo yeBhayibhile iyasixelela: “Wathi yena kuye, Uthetha njengesidengekazi. Siya kwamkela okulungileyo kuThixo, singamkeli nokubi, yini na? Kuko konke oko akonanga uYobhi ngomlomo wakhe.” (Yobhi 2:9, 10) Ngenxa yokuba uYobhi wayethobekile, akazange avukele kodwa ngobulumko wazithoba kuko konke oko uYehova wayekuvumela kumehlele. Yaye ekugqibeleni wavuzwa ngokutyebileyo.—Yobhi 42:10-16; Yakobi 5:11.

Ukuthobeka Kusinceda Sibe Nolwalamano Oluhle Nabanye

10. Ukuthobeka kuluphucula njani ulwalamano lwethu namanye amaKristu?

¹⁰ Ukuthobeka kulikhondo lobulumko kuba kusinceda sibe nolwalamano oluhle namanye amaKristu. Ngokufanelekileyo umpostile uPawulos usiluleka ngelithi: “Ningenzi nanye into ngokweyelenqe, nangokozuko olulambathayo. Yithini ngokuthobeka kwentliziyo omnye ambalele omnye ekuthini nguyena wongamileyo kunaye. Makangathi elowo axunele kwezakhe izinto zodwa, elowo makaxunele nakwezabanye.” (Filipi 2:3, 4) Ngobulumko ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda singakhuphisani nabanye okanye sizame ukubalasela kunabo. Isimo sengqondo esinjalo sibangela iingxaki kuthi nakwamanye amaKristu.

11. Kutheni ukuthobeka kunokusinceda sikuphephe ukwenza iimpazamo?

¹¹ Izihlandlo ezininzi ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda sikuphephe ukwenza iimpazamo. Njani? Ngenxa yokuba ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda singaqiniseki ngokugqith’ emgceni. Kunoko, siya kusixabisa isiluleko sikaPawulos esikweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 10:12: “Lowo uba umi, makalumke angawi.” Umntu onekratshi uqiniseke gqitha ngesiqu sakhe, ngoko utyekele ekwenzeni iimpazamo ngenxa yempembelelo yabanye okanye ngenxa yobuthathaka bakhe.

12. Ukuthobeka kuya kusishukumisela ukufeza yiphi imbopheleleko yeZibhalo?

¹² Ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda sihlangabezane nemfuneko yokuzithoba. Kwabase-Efese 5:21 (TE), silulekwa ngolu hlobo: “Thobelanani, niqhutywa kukuba noKrestu nimthobela.” Eneneni, ngaba akufuneki sonke sithobele? Abantwana kufuneka bathobele abazali babo, abafazi bathobele amadoda abo, namadoda athobele uKristu. (1 Korinte 11:3; Efese 5:22; 6:1) Ngoko, kulo naliphi na ibandla lamaKristu, bonke, kuquka izicaka zolungiselelo, bamele babonise ukuzithoba kubadala. Ngaba aliyonyaniso nelokuba abadala bathobela udidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo, ngokukodwa njengokuba lumelwa ngumveleli wesiphaluka? Yaye kwakhona, umveleli wesiphaluka kufuneka athobele umveleli wesithili, yaye umveleli wesithili iKomiti Yesebe yelizwe akhonza kulo. Kuthekani ngamalungu eKomiti yeSebe? Amele ‘athobelane’ yaye athobele neQumrhu Elilawulayo elimela udidi lomkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo, lona ke, eliya kuphendula kuYesu, uKumkani obekwe etroneni. (Mateyu 24:45-47) Njengakulo naliphi na iqumrhu labadala, amalungu eQumrhu Elilawulayo amele azihlonele iimbono zamanye. Ngokomzekelo, elinye lisenokucinga ukuba linengcamango ebalaseleyo. Kodwa ngaphandle kokuba inani elaneleyo lamanye amalungu liyavumelana necebiso lalo, limele lingazikhathazi ngaloo mbandela. Liyinyaniso elokuba sonke kufuneka sithobeke, kuba sonke simele sizithobe.

13, 14. (a) Ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda kweziphi iimeko ngokukhethekileyo? (b) Nguwuphi umzekelo uPetros awawumiselayo ngokwamkela isiluleko?

¹³ Ukuthobeka kubonakala kulikhondo lobulumko ngokukodwa kuba ukuthobeka kubangela kube lula ngathi ukwamkela isiluleko okanye uqeqesho. Ngamnye kuthi kufuneka aqeqeshwe ngamathuba athile, yaye senza kakuhle ukuthobela isiluleko esikwiMizekeliso 19:20: “Live icebo, ulwamkele uqeqesho, ukuze ulumke ngexesha elizayo.” Njengokuba ngokufanelekileyo sele kutshiwo, ukuthobeka kusinceda singacatshukiswa sisohlwayo okanye uqeqesho. Ukongezelela, umpostile uPawulos, kumaHebhere 12:4-11 usiluleka ngobulumko bokuzithoba ngokuthobela uqeqesho. Kuphela kungale ndlela esinokuba nethemba lokwalathisela ikhondo lethu ngobulumko kwixesha elizayo size ke ngenxa yoko sizuze umvuzo wobomi obungunaphakade. Onjani wona ukonwabisa umphumo oko okuya kuba nguwo!

¹⁴ Kule nkalo sinokwalathisela ingqalelo kumzekelo wompostile uPetros. Walulekwa ngokuqatha ngumpostile uPawulos, njengokuba sifunda kwingxelo ekumaGalati 2:14: “Xenikweni ke ndabonayo ukuba abathe ngqo ukuhamba enyanisweni yeendaba ezilungileyo, ndathi kuPetros phambi kwabo bonke, Ukuba wena, ungumYuda nje, uhleli ngokwabeentlanga, ungahlali ngokobuYuda, yini na ukuba ubanyanzele abeentlanga ukuba bahlale ngokobuYuda?” Ngaba umpostile uPetros wakhubeka? Akazange akhubeke ithuba elide, ukuba wakhubeka kwaukukhubeka, njengokuba sinokubona kamva kwindlela awathetha ngayo esithi “nomzalwana wethu oyintanda, uPawulos” kweyesi-2 kaPetros 3:15, 16.

15. Ukuthobeka kwethu kunxulumene njani nokonwaba kwethu?

¹⁵ Kwakhona kukwakho nombandela wokwanela, ukwaneliseka. Asinakonwaba tu kwaphela ngaphandle kokuba saneliseke yimeko esikuyo, amalungelo ethu neentsikelelo zethu. UmKristu othobekileyo uba nesi simo sengqondo: “Ukuba uThixo uyakuvumela oku, ndinokukunyamezela,” nto leyo enyanisweni ikoko kuthethwa ngumpostile uPawulos, njengokuba sifunda kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 10:13: “Anibanjwanga silingo singesesabantu. Uthembekile ke uThixo, ongayi kuvumela ukuba nilingwe ngaphezu kweninako; owothi, kunye nesilingo eso, avelise ithuba lokuphuma kuso, ukuba nibe nako ukuthwala.” Ngoko siyayibona kwakhona indlela ukuthobeka okulikhondo lobulumko ngayo, kuba kusinceda sonwabe kungakhathaliseki ukuba iimeko zethu zinjani na.

Uthando Luya Kusinceda Sithobeke

16, 17. (a) Nguwuphi umzekelo oseZibhalweni obalaselisa olona phawu lubalaseleyo ekusincedeni sithobeke? (b) Nguwuphi umzekelo wehlabathi osincedayo ukuphuhlisa le ngongoma?

¹⁶ Ngaphezu kweento zonke, uthando lokungazingci, ua·gaʹpe, luya kusinceda sithobeke. Yintoni eyabangela uYesu wakwazi ukukunyamezela ngokuthobeka kangako oko kwamehlela kumthi wentuthumbo uPawulos akuchaze kwabaseFilipi? (Filipi 2:5-8) Kutheni engazange afune ukulingana noThixo? Kungenxa yokuba, njengokuba watshoyo: “Ndiyamthanda uBawo.” (Yohane 14:31) Kungenxa yoko ngamaxesha onke wayesalathisela uzuko nembeko kuYehova, uYise wasezulwini. Ngaloo ndlela, ngesinye isihlandlo wagxininisa ukuba nguYise wasezulwini kuphela olungileyo.—Luka 18:18, 19.

¹⁷ Okubonisa le ngongoma yinto eyenzeka kubomi benye yeembongi zamandulo zaseMerika, uJohn Greenleaf Whittier. Le ndoda yayithandana nentombazana ethile ngoxa yayisencinane, yaye ngasihlandlo sithile kukhuphiswano lokupela amagama, le ntombazana yapela igama elithile ngokuchanileyo, ngoxa yona yalipela phosakeleyo. Oku kwayikhathaza le ntombazana. Kwakutheni? Njengokuba le mbongi ikhumbula, le ntombazana yathi: “Ndilusizi kuba ndikwazile ukulipela ela gama. Ndikuthiyile ukukodlula . . . ngenxa yokuba uyabona, ndiyakuthanda.” Ewe, ukuba siyamthanda uthile, siya kufuna ukuba lowo abe ngaphezulu kuthi, kungekhona ngaphantsi, ngenxa yokuba uthando luthobekile.

18. Ukuthobeka kuya kusinceda sithobele siphi isiluleko seZibhalo?

¹⁸ Esi sisifundo esihle kuwo onke amaKristu, ngokukodwa abazalwana. Xa kufikelelwa kumba welungelo elikhethekileyo lenkonzo, ngaba siya kuvuya kuba umzalwana wethu elifumene alafunyanwa sithi, okanye siya kuba nentwana yekhwele nomona? Ukuba simthanda ngokwenene umzalwana wethu, siya kuvuya kuba efumene eso sabelo okanye ukugqalwa okukhethekileyo okanye ilungelo lenkonzo. Ewe, ukuthobeka kuya kubangela kube lula ukuthobela esi siluleko: “Mayela nembeko leyo, phangelanani.” (Roma 12:10) Enye inguqulelo ifundeka ngolu hlobo: “Omnye makambeke omnye ngaphezu kwakhe.” (New International Version) Kwakhona, umpostile uPawulos usiluleka ngelithi: “Manisuke ngalo uthando nikhonzane.” (Galati 5:13) Ewe, ukuba sinothando, siya kukuvuyela ukukhonza abazalwana bethu, ukuba ngabakhonzi babo, sibeka izilangazelelo zabo nentlalo-ntle yabo ngaphambi kweyethu, nto leyo efuna ukuthobeka. Kwakhona ukuthobeka kuya kusenza singaqhayisi yaye ngaloo ndlela sikuphephe ukuvuselela kwabanye umoya wekhwele okanye womona. UPawulos wabhala ukuba uthando “alugwagwisi; alukhukhumali.” Kutheni kunjalo nje? Kungenxa yokuba ukuzigwagwisa kushukunyiswa kukuzingca, kukuziphakamisa, ngoxa uthando luthetha ukungazingci.—1 Korinte 13:4.

19. Yiyiphi imizekelo yeBhayibhile ebonisa ukuba ukuthobeka nothando ziyahambisana, njengokuba kunjalo ngekratshi nokuzingca?

¹⁹ Ulwalamano lukaDavide noKumkani uSawule nonyana wakhe uYonatan lungumzekelo omhle wendlela uthando nokuthobeka ezihambisana ngayo nendlela ikratshi nokuzingca ngokufanayo ezihambisana ngayo. Ngenxa yempumelelo kaDavide edabini, abafazi bakwaSirayeli bavuma le ngoma: “USawule ubulele amawaka akhe, uDavide ubulele amawaka akhe angamashumi.” (1 Samuweli 18:7) Engathobekanga kwaphela kodwa, kunoko, ethiwe lwale likratshi, ukususela ngoko uSawule ngentiyo wazimisela ukumbulala uDavide. Hayi indlela oku okwakwahluke ngayo kumoya wonyana wakhe uYonatan! Sifunda ukuba uYonatan wamthanda uDavide njengomphefumlo wakhe. (1 Samuweli 18:1) Ngoko uYonatan wasabela njani xa, ekuhambeni kwexesha, kwabonakala ukuba uYehova wayemsikelela uDavide ibe inguye, kungekhona uYonatan, owayeza kulandela uSawule njengokumkani wakwaSirayeli? Ngaba uYonatan waba nekhwele okanye nomona? Nakanye! Ngenxa yothando lwakhe olukhulu ngoDavide, wakwazi ukuthi, njengokuba sifunda kweyoku-1 kaSamuweli 23:17: “Musa ukoyika, ngokuba isandla sikaSawule ubawo asiyi kukufumana. Wena uya kuba ngukumkani kumaSirayeli, mna ndibe nganeno kwakho; kananjalo uSawule ubawo uyakwazi kakuhle oku.” Uthando olukhulu lukaYonatan ngoDavide lwabangela ukuba ngokuthobeka akwamkele oko wayekubona ikukuthanda kukaThixo ngokuba ngubani ofanele alandele uyise njengokumkani wakwaSirayeli.

20. UYesu wakubonisa njani ukunxulumana ngokusondeleyo kothando nokuthobeka?

²⁰ Okubonisa ngakumbi ukunxulumana okukhoyo phakathi kothando nokuthobeka koko kwenzeka ngobusuku bokugqibela uYesu Kristu awayenabafundi bakhe ngabo ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe. KuYohane 13:1, sifunda ukuba uYesu, “ebathandile abakhe abasehlabathini, wabathanda kwada kwasekupheleni.” Emva koko, sifunda ukuba uYesu wahlamba iinyawo zabapostile bakhe, esenza umsebenzi wesicaka esiphantsi. Esinjani sona ukuba namandla isifundo esingokuthobeka!—Yohane 13:1-11.

21. Khawushwankathele, kutheni sifanele sithobeke?

²¹ Enyanisweni, zininzi izizathu zokuba ngabathobekileyo. Kuyinto elungileyo neyokunyaniseka ukuthobeka. Kulikhondo lokholo. Kubangela sibe nolwalamano oluhle noYehova uThixo namanye amakholwa. Kulikhondo lobulumko. Ngaphezu kwako konke, kulikhondo lothando yaye kuzisa ulonwabo lokwenyaniso.

Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?

◻ Ukunyaniseka kusinceda ngaziphi iindlela sithobeke?

◻ Kutheni ukuba nokholo kuYehova kunokusinceda sithobeke?

◻ Yintoni ebonisa ukuba ukuthobeka kulikhondo lobulumko?

◻ Kutheni uthando luluncedo ngokukodwa ekubeni sithobeke?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 21]

Ngokuthobeka uYobhi wazithoba kuYehova. Akazange ‘amlahle uThixo, afe’

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]

Ngokuthobeka uPetros wazithoba xa uPawulos wamluleka esidlangalaleni