Ukwalusa Umhlambi KaThixo Ngothando
“Waluseni umhlambi kaThixo ophakathi kwenu.”—1 PETROS 5:2.
1, 2. Luluphi uphawu lukaYehova olubalaseleyo, yaye lubonakala njani?
KUZO zonke iZibhalo eziNgcwele, licacile elokuba uthando luphawu lukaThixo olubalaseleyo. Eyoku-1 kaYohane 4:8 ithi: “uThixo uluthando.” Ekubeni uthando lwakhe lubonakala ngezenzo, eyoku-1 kaPetros 5:7 ithi uThixo ‘unikhathalele.’ EBhayibhileni indlela uYehova abakhathalele ngayo abantu bakhe ifaniswa neyomalusi onothando ozikhathalela ngenyameko izimvu zakhe: “Uyabona, iNkosi uYehova . . . iya kuwalusa umhlambi wayo njengomalusi; iya kuwabutha ngeengalo zayo amatakane, iwathwale ngesifuba sayo, izithundeze ezanyisayo.” (Isaya 40:10, 11) Hayi indlela uDavide awayethuthuzeleke ngayo ukuze akwazi ukuthi: “UYehova ngumalusi wam, andisweli lutho”!—INdumiso 23:1.
2 Kufanelekile ukuba iBhayibhile ifanise abantu uThixo akholiswayo ngabo nezimvu, kuba izimvu zinoxolo, ziyamlulamela, ziyamthobela umalusi wazo onenyameko. NjengoMalusi onothando, uYehova ubanyamekela ngokwenene abantu bakhe abanjengezimvu. Oku ukubonisa ngokubalungiselela izinto zokwenyama nezokomoya nangokubakhokela kule “mihla yokugqibela” inzima yeli hlabathi lingendawo ebasa kwihlabathi lakhe elitsha lobulungisa elizayo.—2 Timoti 3:1-5, 13; Mateyu 6:31-34; 10:28-31; 2 Petros 3:13.
3. Umdumisi wayichaza njani indlela uYehova azinyamekela ngayo izimvu zakhe?
3 Phawula indlela uYehova azinyamekela ngothando ngayo izimvu zakhe: “Amehlo kaYehova akumalungisa, iindlebe zakhe zisekuzibikeni kwawo. . . . Akhala, weva uYehova; wawahlangula ezimbandezelweni zawo zonke. Usondele uYehova kwabantliziyo zaphukileyo, abasindise abamoya utyumkileyo. Buninzi ububi obulihlelayo ilungisa, ke uYehova ulihlangula kubo bonke.” (INdumiso 34:15-19) Hayi indlela abathuthuzela ngayo uMalusi weNdalo Iphela abantu bakhe abanjengezimvu!
Umzekelo WoMalusi Olungileyo
4. Yiyiphi indima kaYesu ekunyamekeleni umhlambi kaThixo?
4 UNyana kaThixo, uYesu, wafunda okuninzi kuYise, kuba iBhayibhile ibiza uYesu ngokuthi “umalusi olungileyo.” (Yohane 10:11-16) Inkonzo yakhe ebalulekileyo kumhlambi kaThixo iphawulwa kwiSityhilelo isahluko 7. Kwindinyana 9, abakhonzi bakaThixo balo mhla wethu babizwa ngokuthi “isihlwele esikhulu . . . siphuma kuzo zonke iintlanga, nezizwe, nabantu, neelwimi.” Yandule ke ISi 7 indinyana 17 ithi: “IMvana [uYesu] . . . iya kubalusa, ibakhokelele emithonjeni ephilileyo yamanzi; waye uThixo eya kuzisula zonke iinyembezi emehlweni abo.” UYesu ukhokelela izimvu zikaThixo emanzini enyaniso akhokelela kubomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 17:3) Phawula ukuba uYesu ubizwa ngokuthi “iMvana,” okubonisa iimpawu zakhe ezifana nezezimvu, ngokuba ungowona mzekelo ubalaseleyo wokuthobela uThixo.
5. UYesu wayevakalelwa njani ngabantu?
5 Ngoxa wayesemhlabeni uYesu waphila nabantu waza wayibona imeko yabo emaxongo. Wasabela njani kwimeko yabo? “Wasikwa yimfesane zizo, ngokuba zibe zityhafile, zichithakele ngokwezimvu ezingenamalusi.” (Mateyu 9:36) Izimvu ezingenamalusi zixhatshazwa kanobom ngamarhamncwa, njengokuba kunjalo nangezimvu ezinabalusi abangenanyameko. Kodwa uYesu wayenenyameko gqitha, kuba wathi: “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.
6. Luluphi ulwazelelelo uYesu awalubonisayo ngabacinezelekileyo?
6 Iziprofeto zeBhayibhile zaxela kwangaphambili ukuba uYesu wayeya kuqhubana ngothando nabantu: ‘UYehova undithambisele ukuba ndibophe abantliziyo zaphukileyo, ndithuthuzele bonke abanesijwili.’ (Isaya 61:1, 2; Luka 4:17-21) UYesu akazange abajongele phantsi ababengamahlwempu nababehlelelekile. Kunoko, wazalisekisa uIsaya 42:3: “Ingcongolo evikivekileyo akayi kuyaphula, umsonto oqhumayo akayi kuwucima.” (Thelekisa uMateyu 12:17-21.) Ababandezelekileyo babefana neengcongolo ezivikivekileyo, befana nemisonto yesibane esele iza kucima ngenxa yokuphela kwamafutha. Eqonda imeko yabo elusizi, uYesu wabonisa imfesane kubo waza wabomeleza wabanika nethemba, ebaphilisa ngokomoya nangokwenyama.—Mateyu 4:23.
7. UYesu wabalathisela phi abantu ababesabela kuye?
7 Baninzi abantu abafana nezimvu abasabelayo kuYesu. Imfundiso yakhe yayibangel’ umdla kangangokuba amagosa awayethunywe ukuya kumbamba abuya nale ngxelo: “Akuzanga kuthethe mntu njengoko athetha ngako lo mntu.” (Yohane 7:46) Kaloku, iinkokeli zonqulo ezazingabahanahanisi zakhalaza zathi: “Ulandelwa lilizwe lonke”! (Yohane 12:19) Kodwa uYesu wayengafuni kunikelwe imbeko okanye uzuko kuye. Walathisela abantu kuYise. Wabafundisa ukukhonza uYehova ngokuqhutywa kukuthanda iimpawu Zakhe ezintle: “Uze uyithande iNkosi uThixo wakho ngentliziyo yakho iphela, nangomphefumlo wakho uphela, nangamandla akho ephela, nangengqondo yakho iphela.”—Luka 10:27, 28.
8. Indlela abantu bakaThixo abamthobela ngayo yahluke njani kuleyo abanye ababathobela ngayo abalawuli behlabathi?
8 Kuyamzukisa uYehova ukubona ukuba ulongamo lwakhe lwendalo iphela luyaxhaswa ngabantu bakhe abanjengezimvu, abaqhutywa luthando ngaye. Ngokuzithandela bakhetha ukumkhonza ngenxa yokuba besazi iimpawu zakhe ezithandekayo. Hayi indlela okwahluke ngayo oku kwiinkokeli zehlabathi abalawulwa bazo abazithobela ngenxa yokuba bezoyika okanye benyanzelekile, okanye ngenxa yokuba benezinye iintshukumisa! Kwakungenakuthethwa ngoYehova okanye ngoYesu oko kwathethwa ngomnye upopu weCawa yamaRoma Katolika: “Wayehlonelwa ngabaninzi, esoyikwa ngabo bonke, engathandwa nangomnye.”—Vicars of Christ—The Dark Side of the Papacy, ngokubhalwa nguPeter De Rosa.
Abalusi Abakhohlakeleyo KwaSirayeli
9, 10. Chaza iinkokeli zakwaSirayeli mandulo nezenkulungwane yokuqala.
9 Ngokungafaniyo noYesu, iinkokeli zonqulo zakwaSirayeli ngomhla wakhe zazingenaluthando ngezimvu. Zazifana nabalawuli bakwaSirayeli bangaphambili uYehova awathi ngazo: “Yeha ke abalusi bakwaSirayeli, abaye bezalusa ngokwabo! Abalusi babengafanele ukwalusa umhlambi wabo, yini na? . . . Ezityhafileyo anizomelezi, ezifayo aniziphilisi, ezaphukileyo anizibophi, eziziintsali anizibuyisi, ezidakileyo anizifuni; nizinyathela ngamandla kalukhuni.”—Hezekile 34:2-4.
10 Njengabo balusi bezobupolitika, iinkokeli zonqulo zamaYuda zenkulungwane yokuqala zazineentliziyo ezilukhuni. (Luka 11:47-52) Ukuze azekelise oku, uYesu wabalisa ngomYuda owayephangiwe, wabethwa waza washiywa engathi uza kufa ecaleni kwendlela. Kwadlula umbingeleli ongumSirayeli, kodwa akubona lo mYuda, wahamba kwelinye icala lendlela. UmLevi wenza okufanayo. Kwandula ke indoda engengomSirayeli, umSamariya othiyekileyo, wadlula apho waza wasikwa yimfesane yiloo ndoda. Wayibopha amanxeba ayo, wayikhwelisa e-esileni wayisa kwindlu yabahambi, waza wayinyamekela. Wamhlawula umgcini wendlu yabahambi waza wathi wayeya kubuya amhlawule naziphi na iindleko ezingakumbi.—Luka 10:30-37.
11, 12. (a) Ubungendawo beenkokeli zonqulo bayifikelela njani incopho ngomhla kaYesu? (b) Ekugqibeleni amaRoma enza ntoni kwiinkokeli zonqulo?
11 Iinkokeli zomhla kaYesu zazikhohlakele kangangokuba xa uYesu wavusa uLazaro ekufeni, ababingeleli abakhulu nabaFarisi bahlanganisa iNtlanganiso Yamatyala baza bathi: “Senza ntoni na? Ngokuba lo mntu [uYesu] wenza imiqondiso emininzi. Ukuba sithe samyeka ngokunje, bonke baya kukholwa kuye; athi ke amaRoma eze, athimbe indawo yethu, kwanohlanga lwethu.” (Yohane 11:47, 48) Babengakukhathalele oko kulungileyo uYesu wayekwenzele indoda eyayifile. Babexhalabele izikhundla zabo. Ngoko “kususela kuloo mini ngoko babhunga ukuba bambulale [uYesu].”—Yohane 11:53.
12 Besongeza kubungendawo babo, bandula ke ababingeleli abakhulu “babhunga ukuze bambulale noLazaro; ngokuba ngenxa yakhe abaninzi bamaYuda bemka, bakholwa kuye uYesu.” (Yohane 12:10, 11) Imigudu yabo yokuzingca bezama ukukhusela izikhundla zabo ayizange iphumelele, kuba uYesu wayebaxelele oku: “Indlu yenu ishiywa nani ize.” (Mateyu 23:38) Kuzaliseka loo mazwi, kweso sizukulwana amaRoma afika aza ayithimba ‘indawo yabo nohlanga lwabo,’ kwanobomi babo.
Abalusi Abanothando Kwibandla LamaKristu
13. UYehova wathembisa ukuthumela bani ukuze aluse umhlambi wakhe?
13 Esikhundleni sabo balusi bakhohlakeleyo nabazingcayo, uYehova wayeya kuvelisa uMalusi Olungileyo, uYesu, ukuze anyamekele umhlambi Wakhe. Kwakhona wathembisa ukuvelisa abalusi abangaphantsi abanothando ukuze banyamekele izimvu: “Ndiwamisele abalusi bawaluse, angabi soyika.” (Yeremiya 23:4) Ngaloo ndlela, njengakumabandla amaKristu kwinkulungwane yokuqala nanamhlanje, ‘kumiselwa amadoda amakhulu kwimizi ngemizi.’ (Tito 1:5) La madoda makhulu ngokomoya azifikelelayo iimfaneleko ezichazwe eZibhalweni amele ‘aluse umhlambi kaThixo.’—1 Petros 5:2; 1 Timoti 3:1-7; Tito 1:7-9.
14, 15. (a) Sisiphi isimo sengqondo abafundi abakufumanisa kunzima ukusihlakulela? (b) Wenza ntoni uYesu ukubabonisa ukuba abadala bafanele babe ngabakhonzi abathobekileyo?
14 Xa benyamekela izimvu, abadala bamele “ngaphezu kweento zonke” babe ‘nothando olunyamekileyo’ ngazo. (1 Petros 4:8) Kodwa abafundi bakaYesu, ababeluxhalabele kakhulu udumo nesikhundla kwafuneka bakufunde oku. Ngoko xa unina wabafundi ababini wathi kuYesu: “Yitsho baze aba nyana bam bobabini bahlale, omnye ngasekunene kwakho, omnye ngasekhohlo, ebukumkanini bakho,” abanye abafundi bacaphuka. UYesu wathi kubo: “Abaphathi beentlanga bayazigagamela, nabo bazizikhulu benza ngegunya kuzo. Ze kungabi njalo ke phakathi kwenu nina; osukuba enga angaba mkhulu phakathi kwenu, makabe ngumlungiseleli wenu; nosukuba enga angaba ngowokuqala phakathi kwenu, makabe ngumkhonzi wenu.”—Mateyu 20:20-28.
15 Ngesinye isihlandlo, emva kokuba abafundi “babephikisene ngokuthi, Ngubani na omkhulu kunabanye,” uYesu wathi kubo: “Ukuba ubani uthanda ukuba ngowokuqala, woba ngowokugqibela kwabo bonke, nomlungiseleli wabo bonke.” (Marko 9:34, 35) Ukuthobeka nokulungela ukukhonza kwakumele kube yinxalenye yobuntu babo. Sekunjalo abafundi baqhubeka benengxaki ngezo ngcamango, kuba kwanangobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kukaYesu, kwisidlo sakhe sangokuhlwa sokugqibela, kwabakho “nokubangisana” phakathi kwabo ngokuba nguwuphi na owayengoyena mkhulu! Oko kwenzeka nangona uYesu wayebonisile indlela umdala awayefanele awukhonze ngayo umhlambi; wayezithobile waza wahlamba iinyawo zabo. Wathi: “Ngoko ke, ukuba ndizihlambile iinyawo zenu mna, ndiyiNkosi, ndinguMfundisi, nani nifanele ukuhlambana iinyawo. Kuba ndininike umzekelo, ukuze nani nenze, njengoko ndenze ngako mna kuni.”—Luka 22:24; Yohane 13:14, 15.
16. Ngowe-1899, yathini iWatch Tower ngolona phawu lubalulekileyo lwabadala?
16 AmaNgqina kaYehova ebeseloko efundisa ukuba abadala bafanele babe lolu hlobo. Kwiminyaka ephantse ibe yinkulungwane eyadlulayo, iWatch Tower ka-April 1, 1899, yaphawula amazwi kaPawulos akweyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 13:1-8 yaza yathi: “Lo Mpostile ubonisa ngokucacileyo ukuba ulwazi namazwi akayiyo eyona ndlela ibalulekileyo yovavanyo, kodwa uthando oluphuma entliziyweni luze lubonakale kulo lonke ikhondo lobomi bukabani, noluqhuba nolusebenzisa imizimba yethu efayo, luvavanyo lokwenene—ubungqina bokwenene bolwalamano lwethu noThixo. . . . Uphawu oluphambili olufanele lukhangelwe kuye nabani na owamkelwa njengomkhonzi wecawa, oza kulungiselela kwizinto ezingcwele, lufanele lube ngumoya wothando kuqala.” Yaphawula ukuba amadoda awayengafuni kukhonza ngokuthobeka eqhutywa luthando “ngabafundisi abangenakuthenjwa, yaye kusenokwenzeka benze umonakalo omninzi kunokulunga.”—1 Korinte 8:1.
17. IBhayibhile izibethelela njani iimpawu abadala abamele babe nazo?
17 Ngaloo ndlela, amadoda amakhulu akamele ‘azigagamele’ izimvu. (1 Petros 5:3) Kunoko, amele akhokele ekubeni “nobubele omnye komnye, . . . nemfesane kakhulu.” (Efese 4:32) UPawulos wagxininisa: “Yambathani . . . iimfesane zeemfefe, ububele, ukuthobeka kwentliziyo, ubulali, ukuzeka kade umsindo. . . . Ke, phezu kwazo zonke ezo zinto, yalekani uthando, oluyintambo yogqibelelo.”—Kolose 3:12-14.
18. (a) Nguwuphi umzekelo omhle wokuqhubana nezimvu uPawulos awawumiselayo? (b) Kutheni abadala bengafanele bazityeshele iimfuno zezimvu?
18 UPawulos wafunda ukukwenza oku, esithi: “Sisuke sathantamisa phakathi kwenu njengomdlezana osukuba ebagcinile abakhe abantwana; ngokunjalo sinilangazelela nje, kwakholeka kuthi ukuba singaneli kunabela iindaba ezilungileyo zikaThixo nje kodwa, sinabele nobomi bethu, ngenxa enokuba naba ziintanda kuthi.” (1 Tesalonika 2:7, 8) Ngokuvisisana noko, wathi: “Bakhuzeni abamxhelo mncinane; basekeleni abathambileyo; yibani nokuzeka kade umsindo kubantu bonke.” (1 Tesalonika 5:14) Kungakhathaliseki ukuba imvu izisa uhlobo olunjani lwengxaki kubo, abadala bafanele bakhumbule IMizekeliso 21:13: “Ovingca iindlebe zakhe ekukhaleni kwesisweli, naye uya kubiza, angaviwa.”
19. Kutheni abadala abanothando beyintsikelelo, ibe izimvu zisabela njani kuthando olunjalo?
19 Amadoda amakhulu awalusa ngothando umhlambi ayintsikelelo kwizimvu. UIsaya 32:2 waxela kwangaphambili: “Umntu abe njengendawo yokuzimela umoya, neyokusithela esiphangweni; abe njengemijelo yamanzi emqwebedwini, njengomthunzi wengxondorha enkulu ezweni elibharhileyo.” Kuyasivuyisa ukwazi ukuba abaninzi kubadala bethu namhlanje bayayifanelekela loo ngcaciso intle yokuhlaziya. Bafunde ukusebenzisa lo mgaqo ulandelayo: “Mayela nothando olu lobuzalwana, ndithi, yenzelanani ububele; mayela nembeko leyo, phangelanani.” (Roma 12:10) Xa abadala bebonisa olu thando noku kuthobeka, izimvu zisabela ‘ngokubabeka ngokugqithiseleyo kakhulu ukubathanda, ngenxa yomsebenzi wabo.’—1 Tesalonika 5:12, 13.
Kuhlonele Ukusetyenziswa Kwenkululeko Yokuzikhethela
20. Kutheni abadala bemele bayihlonele inkululeko yokuzikhethela?
20 UYehova wabadala abantu banenkululeko yokuzikhethela ukuze bazenzele ezabo izigqibo. Ngoxa abadala bemele baluleke bade baqeqeshe, abamele balawule ubomi okanye ukholo lomnye umntu. UPawulos wathi: “Anditsho ngakulugagamela ukholo lwenu; nditsho ngokuba singabasebenza nani uvuyo lwenu; kuba nimi ngokholo.” (2 Korinte 1:24) Ewe, “elowo uya kuwuthwala owakhe umthwalo.” (Galati 6:5) UYehova usinike inkululeko eninzi ngaphakathi kwemida yemithetho nemigaqo yakhe. Ngaloo ndlela abadala bafanele bakuphephe ukumisela imithetho xa kungaphulwanga imigaqo yeZibhalo. Yaye bafanele baxhathise naluphi na utyekelo lokunikela iimbono zabo zobuqu njengemfundiso okanye ukuvumela ukuzicingela kwabo kubaphazamise ukuba umntu othile akavumelani nezo mbono.—2 Korinte 3:17; 1 Petros 2:16.
21. Yintoni enokufundwa kwisimo sengqondo sikaPawulos ngakuFilemon?
21 Phawula indlela uPawulos, ngoxa wayevalelwe entolongweni eRoma, awaqhubana ngayo noFilemon, umKristu owayenamakhoboka eKolose eAsia Minor. Ikhoboka likaFilemon elinguOnesimo labalekela eRoma, laba ngumKristu, yaye lalinceda uPawulos. UPawulos wabhalela uFilemon: “Bendinga mna ndingasendihlala naye apha, ukuze athi endaweni yakho andilungiselele, ndisezintanjeni ngenxa yeendaba ezilungileyo ezi; kodwa andithandanga kwenza nto, ungatshongo wena, ukuze ukulunga kwakho kungangi kokokunyanzelwa, kube kokokuvuma.” (Filemon 13, 14) UPawulos wamndulula uOnesimo, ecela uFilemon ukuba amphathe njengomzalwana ongumKristu. UPawulos wayesazi ukuba umhlambi wawungengowakhe; wawungokaThixo. Wayengeyonkosi yawo kodwa wayengumkhonzi wawo. UPawulos akazange amxelele amakakwenze uFilemon; wahlonela inkululeko yakhe yokuzikhethela.
22. (a) Abadala bafanele baqonde ukuba siyintoni isikhundla sabo? (b) UYehova wakha intlangano enjani?
22 Njengoko intlangano kaThixo ikhula, kumiselwa abadala abangakumbi. Bona, kunye nabadala abanamava ngakumbi, bamele baqonde ukuba isikhundla sabo sesenkonzo yokuthobeka. Ngale ndlela, njengokuba uThixo eqhubela intlangano yakhe kwihlabathi elitsha, iya kuqhubeka ikhula njengokuba efuna—ilungelelene kakuhle kodwa ingalahli uthando nemfesane kuba ifuna ulungelelwano. Ngaloo ndlela, intlangano yakhe iya kuqhubeka isiba nomtsalane ngakumbi kubantu abanjengezimvu abaya kubona kuyo ubungqina bokuba ‘uThixo wenza ukuba zonke izinto zisebenziselane okulungileyo kwabo bamthandayo uThixo.’ Silindele oko kwintlangano esekelwe eluthandweni, ngenxa yokuba “uthando aluze lutshitshe.”—Roma 8:28; 1 Korinte 13:8.
Ubuya Kuphendula Uthini?
◻ IBhayibhile iyichaza njani inyameko kaYehova ngabantu bakhe?
◻ Yiyiphi indima kaYesu ekunyamekeleni umhlambi kaThixo?
◻ Luluphi uphawu olubalaseleyo abadala abamele babe nalo?
◻ Kutheni abadala bemele bayihlonele inkululeko yokuzikhethela yezimvu?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
UYesu, “umalusi olungileyo,” wabonisa imfesane
[Imifanekiso ekwiphepha 17]
Iinkokeli zonqulo ezikhohlakeleyo zabhunga ukumbulala uYesu