Ukuzithoba Ngovuyo Kwigunya
“Nawululamela ngokwentliziyo.”—ROMA 6:17.
1, 2. (a) Nguwuphi umoya obonakalayo ehlabathini namhlanje, yaye uvela phi ibe unawuphi umphumo? (b) Abakhonzi bakaYehova abazahluleleyo babonisa njani ukuba bahlukile?
‘UMOYA lo usebenzayo ngoku kubo abangevayo’ ubonakala ngendlela eyothusayo namhlanje. Ngumoya wenkululeko engenamida, ophuma kuSathana, ‘umphathi wegunya lesibhakabhaka.’ Lo “moya,” okanye isimo sengqondo esilawulayo sokuzingca nokungathobeli, ‘unegunya,’ okanye amandla, phezu kwenkoliso yoluntu. Esi sesinye sezizathu ezibangela ukuba ihlabathi libe kule meko ibizwa ngokuba yingxaki yegunya.—Efese 2:2.
2 Okuvuyisayo kukuba abakhonzi bakaYehova abazahluleleyo namhlanje abazalisi imiphunga yabo yokomoya ngalo “moya,” ungcolileyo wemvukelo. Bayazi ukuba “ingqumbo kaThixo [iyeza] phezu kwabangevayo.” Umpostile uPawulos uyongezelela: “Ngoko musani ukuba ngamahlulelana nabo.” (Efese 5:6, 7) Kunoko, amaKristu okwenyaniso azabalazela ukuba ‘azaliswe nguMoya [kaYehova],’ yaye asela ‘kubulumko baphezulu,’ bona “bunyulu, buze bube boboxolo, busengqiqweni, bulungele ukuthobela.”—Efese 5:17, 18; Yakobi 3:17, NW.
Ukuzithoba Ngokuzithandela Kulongamo LukaYehova
3. Uyintoni undoqo wokuzithoba ngokuzithandela, yaye sisiphi isifundo esibalulekileyo esisifundayo kwimbali?
3 Undoqo wokuzithoba ngokuzithandela kukulamkela igunya elifanelekileyo. Imbali yoluntu ibonisa ukuba ukungalwamkeli ulongamo lukaYehova akuzisi lonwabo. Ukungalwamkeli okunjalo akuzange kumzisele lonwabo uAdam noEva, kungazange kwenjenjalo nakumphembeleli wemvukelo yabo, uSathana uMtyholi. (Genesis 3:16-19) Kwimeko akuyo ngoku yokuthotywa, uSathana ‘unomsindo omkhulu’ ngenxa yokuba uyazi ukuba ixesha analo lifutshane. (ISityhilelo 12:12) Uxolo nolonwabo lwabantu, ewe, lwendalo iphela, luxhomekeke ekubeni indalo iphela ilugqale ulongamo lukaYehova lobulungisa.—INdumiso 103:19-22.
4. (a) UYehova ufuna abakhonzi bakhe bamlulamele baze bazithobe njani kuye? (b) Sifanele siqiniseke ngantoni, yaye umdumisi ukuvakalisa njani oku?
4 Ukanti, ngenxa yeempawu zakhe ezilungelelaniswe kakuhle, uYehova akaneliseki kukuthotyelwa okucekeceke. Kakade, siyavuma, unamandla! Kodwa akangozwilakhe. UnguThixo wothando, yaye ufuna izidalwa zakhe ezinengqiqo zimthobele ngokuzithandela, ngokuqhutywa luthando. Ufuna zizithobe kulongamo lwakhe ngenxa yokuba ngeentliziyo zazo zonke zikhetha ukuzimisa ngaphantsi kwegunya lakhe lobulungisa nelifanelekileyo, ziqinisekile ukuba akukho nto inokuzilungela ngaphezu kokumthobela ngonaphakade. Uhlobo lomntu uYehova alufunayo kwindalo yakhe lolo luvakalelwa ngendlela efanayo nomdumisi owabhala wathi: “Umyalelo kaYehova ugqibelele, ubuyisa umphefumlo; isingqino sikaYehova sinyanisekile, sinika isiyatha ubulumko. Izimiselo zikaYehova zithe tye, zivuyisa intliziyo; umthetho kaYehova unyulu, ukhanyisa amehlo. Ukoyika uYehova kucocekile, kumi ngonaphakade; izigwebo zikaYehova ziyinyaniso, zibubulungisa kwaphela.” (INdumiso 19:7-9) Ukuthembela ngokupheleleyo kulongamo lukaYehova olulungileyo nolobulungisa—simele sibe nesi simo sengqondo ukuba sifuna ukuphila kwihlabathi elitsha likaYehova.
Ukuzithoba Ngovuyo KuKumkani Wethu
5. Wavuzwa njani uYesu ngokuzithoba kwakhe, yaye yintoni esiyivuma ngokuzithandela?
5 UKristu Yesu ungowona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wokuzithoba kuYise wasezulwini. Sifunda ukuba “wazithoba, waba ngolulamileyo, wada wesa ekufeni, ukufa ke [kwasemthini wentuthumbo, NW].” UPawulos uyongezelela: “Kungoko athe uThixo wamphakamisa kakhulu, wamnika igama elingaphezu kwawo onke amagama; ukuze ngegama likaYesu onke amadolo agobe, awabasemazulwini, nawabasemhlabeni, nawabaphantsi komhlaba; zithi zonke iilwimi zixele ukuba uYesu Kristu uyiNkosi, kuze kuzukiswe uThixo uYise.” (Filipi 2:8-11) Ewe, ngovuyo sigoba amadolo ngaphambi kweNkokeli noKumkani wethu olawulayo, uKristu Yesu.—Mateyu 23:10.
6. UYesu uzingqine njani elingqina nenkokeli ezizweni, ibe “ukuthethela” kwakhe kuya kuqhubeka njani emva kwembandezelo enkulu?
6 Eprofeta ngoKristu njengeNkokeli yethu, uYehova wathi: “Yabona, ndimenze ingqina ezizweni, inganga nomwisi-mthetho ezizweni.” (Isaya 55:4) Ngobulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni nangokwalathisa kwakhe umsebenzi wokushumayela esezulwini emva kokufa nokuvuswa kwakhe, uYesu uzibonakalise ‘elingqina elithembekileyo, eliyinyaniso’ likaYise kubantu bazo zonke izizwe. (ISityhilelo 3:14; Mateyu 28:18-20) Izizwe ezinjalo ngoku zimelwa ngamanani awandayo ‘sisihlwele esikhulu,’ esiya kusinda “embandezelweni enkulu” ngaphantsi kokhokelo lukaKristu. (ISityhilelo 7:9, 14) Kodwa ukhokelo lukaYesu alupheleli apho. Uya kuba “ngumthetheli” iminyaka eliwaka. Kubantu abathobelayo, uya kuphila ngokuvisisana negama lakhe lokuba “nguMmangaliso, nguMcebisi, nguThixo oligorha, nguSonini-nanini, nguMthetheli woxolo.”—Isaya 9:6, 7; ISityhilelo 20:6.
7. Ukuba sinqwenela ukuba uKristu Yesu asikhokelele “emithonjeni ephilileyo yamanzi,” sifanele senze ntoni ngoku, yaye yintoni eya kubangela sithandwe nguYesu nanguYehova?
7 Ukuba sinqwenela ukungenelwa “emithonjeni ephilileyo yamanzi” iMvana, uKristu Yesu, ebakhokelela kuyo abantu abantliziyo zilungileyo, simele ngaphandle kokulibazisa singqine ngekhondo lethu lesenzo ukuba sizithoba ngovuyo kwigunya lakhe njengoKumkani. (ISityhilelo 7:17; 22:1, 2; thelekisa INdumiso 2:12.) UYesu wathi: “Ukuba niyandithanda, yigcineni imithetho yam. Lowo unayo imithetho yam ayigcine, nguye ondithandayo; lowo ke undithandayo, uya kuthandwa nguBawo; nam ndiya kumthanda.” (Yohane 14:15, 21) Ngaba uyafuna ukuthandwa nguYesu nanguYise? Ngoko zithobe kwigunya labo.
Abaveleli Bathobela Ngovuyo
8, 9. (a) UKristu ulungiselele ntoni ukuze kwakhiwe ibandla, yaye kukweziphi iinkalo afanele la madoda abe yimizekelo kuzo kumhlambi? (b) Ukuzithoba kwabaveleli abangamaKristu kuboniswa njani kwincwadi yeSityhilelo, yaye bafanele bayifune njani “intliziyo evayo” xa besingatha imicimbi yokugweba?
8 ‘Ibandla liyamlulamela uKristu.’ NjengoMveleli walo, ulinike ‘izipho ezingabantu’ ukwenzela “ukwakhiwa” kwebandla. (Efese 4:8, 11, 12; 5:24) La madoda makhulu okomoya axelelwa ukuba ‘awaluse umhlambi kaThixo ophakathi kwawo, kungabi ngokuzigagamela izahlulo zawo [“ilifa likaThixo,” NW], kodwa njengemizekelo kumhlambi.’ (1 Petros 5:1-3) Umhlambi ngokaYehova, ibe “umalusi olungileyo” wawo nguKristu. (Yohane 10:14) Ekubeni abaveleli ngokufanelekileyo belindele intsebenziswano yezimvu uYehova noKristu ababanike ukuba bazinyamekele, nabo bafanele babe yimizekelo yokuzithobela.—IZenzo 20:28.
9 Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, abaveleli abathanjisiweyo ngokufuziselayo baboniswa ‘njengabasesandleni,’ okanye ‘kwisandla,’ sikaKristu sokunene, okubonisa ukuzithoba kwabo kuye njengeNtloko yebandla. (ISityhilelo 1:16, 20; 2:1, thelekisa iNW.) Kusenjalo kanye nanamhlanje, abaveleli kumabandla amaNgqina kaYehova bafanele balulamele ulwalathiso lukaKristu baze ‘bazithobe ngaphantsi kwesandla esinamandla sikaThixo.’ (1 Petros 5:6) Xa kufuneka besingathe imicimbi yokugweba, njengoSolomon ebudeni beminyaka yokuthembeka kwakhe, bafanele bathandaze kuYehova bathi: “Mnike umkhonzi wakho intliziyo evayo, yokubalawula abantu bakho, ahlule phakathi kokulungileyo nokungendawo.” (1 Kumkani 3:9) Intliziyo evayo iya kushukumisela umdala ekubeni afune ukubona izinto njengokuba uYehova noKristu Yesu bezibona ukuze isigqibo esenziwe emhlabeni sifane ngokusondele kangangoko neso senziwe ezulwini.—Mateyu 18:18-20.
10. Abaveleli xa bebonke bafanele bazabalazele ukuxelisa uYesu njani ngendlela awayeziphatha ngayo izimvu?
10 Abaveleli abahambahambayo nabadala bebandla ngokufanayo baya kuzabalazela ukuxelisa uKristu kwindlela awayeziphatha ngayo izimvu. Ngokungafaniyo nabaFarisi, uYesu akazange amisele imithetho emininzi ekwakunzima ukuyilandela. (Mateyu 23:2-11) Wathi kwabanjengezimvu: “Yizani kum nonke nina nibulalekayo, nisindwayo ngumthwalo, ndoninika ukuphumla. Thabathani idyokhwe yam niyithwale, nifunde kum; ngokuba ndinobulali, ndithobekile ngentliziyo; noyifumanela ukuphumla imiphefumlo yenu. Kuba idyokhwe yam imnandi, nomthwalo wam ulula.” (Mateyu 11:28-30) Ngoxa liyinyaniso elokuba umKristu ngamnye umele ‘awuthwale owakhe umthwalo,’ abaveleli bafanele bakhumbule umzekelo kaYesu baze babancede abazalwana babo bavakalelwe kukuba umthwalo wabo wembopheleleko yobuKristu ‘umnandi,’ “ulula,” yaye kuluvuyo ukuwuthwala.—Galati 6:5.
Ukuzithoba Kulawulo Lobuthixo
11. (a) Umntu unokubuhlonela njani ubuntloko kodwa sekunjalo angazithobi ngokwenene kulawulo lobuthixo? Zekelisa. (b) Kuthetha ukuthini ukuzithoba ngokwenene kulawulo lobuthixo?
11 Ulawulo lobuthixo kukulawulwa nguThixo. Lubandakanya umgaqo wobuntloko ochazwe kweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 11:3. Kodwa luthetha okungaphezu koko. Umntu usenokubonakala ebonisa intlonelo ngobuntloko aze sekunjalo angazithobi ngokupheleleyo kulawulo lobuthixo. Kunokwenzeka njani oku? Ngokomzekelo, idemokhrasi ngurhulumente wabantu, ibe umntu ohambisana nedemokhrasi uchazwa “njengomntu okholelwa kwiingcamango zedemokhrasi.” Umntu usenokuthi umela idemokhrasi, abe nenxaxheba kunyulo, ade abe kwezobupolitika. Kodwa ukuba, kwindlela enza ngayo izinto, akaqhubi ngendlela yedemokhrasi nayo yonke imigaqo ebandakanyekileyo, ngaba kunokuthiwa umela idemokhrasi ngokwenene? Ngokufanayo, ukuze abe uzithoba ngokwenene kulawulo lobuthixo, umntu umele enze okungakumbi kunokuzibanga ethobela ubuntloko. Umele axelise iindlela neempawu zikaYehova. Umele alawulwe nguYehova ngokwenene ngazo zonke iindlela. Yaye ekubeni uYehova elinike uNyana wakhe lonke igunya, ukuzithoba kulawulo lobuthixo kukwathetha ukuxelisa uYesu.
12, 13. (a) Yintoni ngokukhethekileyo ebandakanywa kukuzithoba kulawulo lobuthixo? (b) Ngaba ukuzithoba kulawulo lobuthixo kubandakanya ukuthobela imithetho emininzi? Zekelisa.
12 Khumbula, uYehova ufuna ukuthotyelwa ngokuzithandela okuqhutywa luthando. Leyo yindlela ayilawula ngayo indalo. Uluthando lumntwisiwe. (1 Yohane 4:8) UKristu Yesu “lubengezelo lobuqaqawuli bakhe, nombhalo wenkqu yakhe.” (Hebhere 1:3) Ufuna ukuba abafundi bakhe bokwenyaniso bathandane. (Yohane 15:17) Ngoko ukuzithoba kulawulo lobuthixo kubandakanya kungekuphela nje ukuthobela kodwa kwanokuba nothando. Lo mbandela unokushwankathelwa ngolu hlobo: Ulawulo lobuthixo kukulawulwa nguThixo; uThixo uluthando; ngoko ke ulawulo lobuthixo kukulawulwa luthando.
13 Umdala usenokucinga ukuba ukuze babe bayazithoba kulawulo lobuthixo, abazalwana bafanele bathobele yonk’ imithetho le. Bambi abadala baye benza imithetho ngamacebiso anikelwayo ngamathuba athile ‘ngumkhonzi othembekileyo noqondayo.’ (Mateyu 24:45) Ngokomzekelo, kwakha kwacetyiswa ukuba ukuze ubani akwazi ukuqhelana ngakumbi nabazalwana ebandleni, kusenokuba kuhle ukungahlali kwisihlalo esinye ngalo lonke ixesha eHolweni yoBukumkani. Oku kwakulicebiso elisebenzisekayo, kungekhona umthetho ongqongqo. Kodwa bambi abadala basenokutyekela ekukwenzeni umthetho baze bavakalelwe kukuba abo bangakulandeliyo oku abazithobi kulawulo lobuthixo. Kodwa, kusenokubakho izizathu ezininzi ezivakalayo zokuba umzalwana okanye udade akhethe ukuhlala kwindawo ethile. Ukuba ngothando umdala akaziqwalaseli izinto ezinjalo, ngaba yena uyazithoba ngokwenene kulawulo lobuthixo? Ukuze nizithobe kulawulo lobuthixo, “zonke izinto zenu mazenziwe ninothando.”—1 Korinte 16:14.
Ukukhonza Ngovuyo
14, 15. (a) Umdala unokubenza njani abazalwana okanye oodade abathile baphulukane novuyo lwabo ekukhonzeni uYehova, yaye kutheni oku kungasayi kuba lulawulo lobuthixo? (b) UYesu wabonisa njani ukuba uyaluxabisa uthando oluboniswa yinkonzo yethu, kunobungakanani bayo? (c) Yintoni abadala abafanele bayinikele ingqalelo?
14 Ukuzithoba kulawulo lobuthixo kukwathetha ukukhonza uYehova ngovuyo. UYehova “nguThixo owonwabileyo.” (1 Timoti 1:11, NW) Ufuna ukuba abanquli bakhe bamkhonze ngovuyo. Abo bathanda ngokungqongqo ukulandela imithetho bafanele bakhumbule ukuba phakathi kwemimiselo amaSirayeli awayemele ‘agcine ukuba ayenze’ kwakukho lo ulandelayo: “Uvuye phambi koYehova uThixo wakho ezintweni zonke osa isandla sakho kuzo.” (Duteronomi 12:1, 18) Nantoni na esiyenzayo enkonzweni kaYehova ifanele isivuyise, ingabi ngumthwalo. Abaveleli banokwenza lukhulu ukwenza abazalwana bazive bekuvuyela ukwenza okusemandleni abo ekukhonzeni uYehova. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, ukuba abadala abalumkanga, banokwenza abazalwana abathile baphulukane novuyo lwabo. Ngokomzekelo, ukuba bayathelekisa, bencoma abo baye bafikelela okanye badlula kumlinganiselo webandla weeyure ezichithelwe ekunikeleni ubungqina ibe ngokwenjenjalo bebonisa ukubagxeka abo bangawufikelelanga, baya kuvakalelwa njani abo basenokuba bebenesizathu esivakalayo sokunikela ingxelo yexesha elingaphantsi? Ngaba oku akunakubenza bazive benetyala ngokungeyomfuneko kuze kubangele baphulukane novuyo lwabo?
15 Kusenokufuneka umgudu ongakumbi ngabathile ukuchithela iiyure ezimbalwa ekunikeleni ubungqina ekuhleni kunalowo usenokufuneka kwabanye ekunikeleni iiyure ezininzi ekushumayeleni, ngenxa yokuba beselula, beyimiqabaqaba, nezinye iimeko. Kule nkalo, abadala abafanele babagwebe. Eneneni, uBawo ulinikele kuYesu ‘igunya lokugweba.’ (Yohane 5:27) Ngaba uYesu wamgxeka umhlolokazi olihlwempu ngenxa yokuba umnikelo wakhe wawungaphantsi kowabaninzi? Akazange, wakuxabisa oko ezo malana zimbini zazikuthetha kuye. Zazikuko “konke abenako, impilo yakhe iphela.” Olunjani ukuba nzulu uthando ngoYehova ezalubonakalisayo! (Marko 12:41-44) Ngaba ke abadala nabo abafanele bayixabise imigudu yothando yabo konke abanako kungaphantsi “komlinganiselo”? Xa siyijonga ngokuthanda uYehova, imigudu enjalo isenokuba ngaphezulu kakhulu komlinganiselo!
16. (a) Ukuba abadala basebenzisa amanani kwiintetho zabo, kutheni kufuneka babe nokuqonda yaye balungelelane? (b) Yiyiphi eyona ndlela ilungileyo abanokuncedwa ngayo abazalwana bandise inkonzo yabo?
16 Ngaba la magqabaza ngoku afanelwe aguqulelwe ekubeni “ngumthetho” omtsha wokuba amanani—kwanemilinganiselo—akafanele kukhankanywa? Nakanye! Ingongoma kukuba abaveleli bafanele babonakalise ulungelelwano phakathi kokukhuthaza abazalwana bandise ubulungiseleli babo nokubanceda benze okusemandleni abo bevuya. (Galati 6:4) Kumzekeliso kaYesu weetalente, inkosi yanikela yonke impahla yayo kubakhonzi bayo “walowo wanikwa ngokwawakhe amandla.” (Mateyu 25:14, 15) Ngokufanayo nabadala bafanele bakuqwalasele oko kusenokwenziwa ngumvakalisi woBukumkani ngamnye. Oku kufuna ukuqonda. Kusenokwenzeka kona ukuba abathile ngokwenene bayafuna ukukhuthazwa ekubeni benze okungakumbi. Basenokuluxabisa uncedo lokuyilungelelanisa kakuhle ngakumbi imisebenzi yabo. Nokuba imeko iyintoni na, ukuba banokuncedwa benze okusemandleni abo bevuya, olo vuyo lusenokubomelezela ukuba bawandise umsebenzi wabo wobuKristu xa kunokwenzeka.—Nehemiya 8:10; INdumiso 59:16; Yeremiya 20:9.
Uxolo Olubangelwa Kukuzithoba Ngovuyo
17, 18. (a) Ukuzithoba ngovuyo kunokusizisela uxolo nobulungisa njani? (b) Sinokufumana ntoni ukuba ngokwenene siyibazela indlebe imithetho kaThixo?
17 Ukuzithoba ngovuyo kulongamo lukaYehova olufanelekileyo kusizisela uxolo olukhulu. Ethandaza kuYehova umdumisi wathi: “Banoxolo olukhulu abawuthandayo umyalelo wakho; akukho sikhubekiso kubo.” (INdumiso 119:165) Ngokuthobela umthetho kaThixo, siyangenelwa. UYehova wawaxelela oku amaSirayeli: “Utsho uYehova, umkhululi wakho, oyiNgcwele kaSirayeli, ukuthi, Mna Yehova, Thixo wakho, ndingokufundisa okungakuncedayo, ndikunyathelise ngendlela oya kuhamba ngayo. Akwaba imithetho yam ubuyibazele indlebe! Beluya kuba njengomlambo uxolo lwakho, nobulungisa bakho bube njengamaza olwandle.”—Isaya 48:17, 18.
18 Idini lentlawulelo likaKristu lenza ukuba sibe seluxolweni noThixo. (2 Korinte 5:18, 19) Ukuba sinokholo kwigazi likaKristu elikhululayo yaye sizabalazela ukulwa nobuthathaka bethu size senze ukuthanda kukaThixo, siyakhululeka kwiimvakalelo zokuba netyala. (1 Yohane 3:19-23) Ukholo olunjalo, oluphelekwa yimisebenzi, lusinika ukuma njengamalungisa phambi koYehova nethemba elimangalisayo lokusinda “embandezelweni enkulu” nokuphila ngonaphakade kwihlabathi elitsha likaYehova. (ISityhilelo 7:14-17; Yohane 3:36; Yakobi 2:22, 23) Sinokukufumana konke oku ‘ukuba sinokuyibazela indlebe imithetho kaThixo.’
19. Ulonwabo lwethu ngoku nethemba lethu lobomi obungunaphakade zixhomekeke entwenini, yaye uDavide wakuvakalisa njani oko siqiniseke ngako ngeentliziyo zethu ziphela?
19 Ewe, ulonwabo lwethu ngoku nethemba lethu lobomi obungunaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadisi lixhomekeke ekuzithobeni kwethu ngovuyo kwigunya likaYehova njengeNkosi enguMongami wendalo iphela. Ngamana singasoloko sivakalelwa ngokufana noDavide, owathi: “Bobakho, Yehova, ubukhulu, namandla, nozuko, noloyiso, nendili. Ewe, konke okusezulwini nokusehlabathini kokwakho; bobakho, Yehova, ubukumkani; uphakamile wayintloko yeento zonke. Ke ngoko, Thixo wethu, sinokubulela kuwe, sidumise igama lakho elibekekileyo.”—1 Kronike 29:11, 13.
Iingongoma Emazikhunjulwe
◻ UYehova ufuna abakhonzi bakhe bamlulamele baze bazithobe njani?
◻ Wavuzwa njani uYesu ngokuzithoba kwakhe, ibe simele singqine ntoni ngekhondo lethu lesenzo?
◻ Abaveleli xa bebonke bafanele bamxelise njani uYesu ngendlela awayeziphatha ngayo izimvu?
◻ Kubandakanya ntoni ukuzithoba kulawulo lobuthixo?
◻ Ukuzithoba ngovuyo kusizisela ziphi iintsikelelo?
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Abadala bakhuthaza umhlambi ukuba wenze okusemandleni awo ngovuyo
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UYehova ukholiswa ngabo bamthobela ngokusuka entliziyweni