Ukuhlala Unesidima Kwihlabathi Elizaliswe Bubungendawo
“Hlalani nisenza zonke izinto ngaphandle kokumbombozela nengxoxo, ukuze nibe ngabangenakusoleka nabamsulwa, abantwana bakaThixo abangenasiphako phakathi kwesizukulwana esigoso nesijijekileyo.”—FILIPI 2:14, 15.
1, 2. Kwakutheni ukuze uThixo ayalele ukuba amaKanan atshatyalaliswe?
IMIYALELO kaYehova ayikuvumeli ukulalanisa. AmaSirayeli ayesemgubasini weLizwe Ledinga xa umprofeti uMoses wawaxelela oku: “Wowasingela phantsi kanye amaHeti, nama-Amori, namaKanan, namaPerizi, namaHivi, namaYebhusi, njengoko wakuwiselayo umthetho uYehova uThixo wakho.”—Duteronomi 7:2; 20:17.
2 Ekubeni uYehova enguThixo onenceba, kwakutheni ukuze ayalele ukuba abemi bakwaKanan batshatyalaliswe? (Eksodus 34:6) Esinye sezizathu ‘yayikukuze amaKanan angafundisi amaSirayeli ukwenza amasikizi awo onke awenze koothixo bawo aze one kuYehova uThixo.’ (Duteronomi 20:18) Kwakhona uMoses wathi: “Kungokungabi ndawo kwezo ntlanga, le nto uYehova azigqogqayo zingabikho ebusweni bakho.” (Duteronomi 9:4) AmaKanan ayengendawo ngeyona ndlela. Ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini nokunqula izithixo kwakubalasele kunqulo lwawo. (Eksodus 23:24; 34:12, 13; Numeri 33:52; Duteronomi 7:5) Umbulo, ubufanasini nokuba neentlobano zesini nesilwanyana ‘yayikukwenza kwelizwe lakwaKanan’ oko. (Levitikus 18:3-25) Abantwana abamsulwa kwakubingelelwa ngabo ngenkohlakalo koothixo bobuxoki. (Duteronomi 18:9-12) Ngeso sizathu uYehova wakubona kusisisongelo ukubakho kwezi zizwe kwimpilo-ntle engokwasemzimbeni, engokuziphatha nengokomoya yabantu bakhe!—Eksodus 34:14-16.
3. Yintoni eyaba ngumphumo wokusilela kwamaSirayeli ukuyithobela ngokupheleleyo imiyalelo kaThixo eyayiphathelele abemi bakwaKanan?
3 Ngenxa yokuba imiyalelo kaThixo ingazange ithotyelwe ngokupheleleyo, abemi abaninzi bakwaKanan basinda xa amaSirayeli ayehlutha iLizwe Ledinga. (ABagwebi 1:19-21) Ekuhambeni kwexesha, amaKanan aba nempembelelo engcolileyo, yaye kwakunokuthiwa: “Bayicekisa [amaSirayeli] imimiselo yakhe [uYehova], nomnqophiso wakhe awawenzayo nooyise babo, nezingqino zakhe awazingqinayo kubo; balandela izinto ezingento, baba ziinto ezingento, balandelana neentlanga ezibangqongileyo, awayebawisele umthetho uYehova ngazo, ukuba bangenzi njengazo.” (2 Kumkani 17:15) Ewe, ukutyhubela iminyaka amaSirayeli amaninzi enza kanye ubungendawo obabubangele uThixo ayalele ukuba amaKanan atshatyalaliswe—ukunqula izithixo, ukuzifica ngeentlobano zesini, kwanokubingelela ngabantwana!—ABagwebi 10:6; 2 Kumkani 17:17; Yeremiya 13:27.
4, 5. (a) Kwenzeka ntoni kuSirayeli noYuda ongathembekanga? (b) Sisiphi isibongozo esinikelwa kwabaseFilipi 2:14, 15, yaye kuphakama yiphi imibuzo?
4 Ngeso sizathu umprofeti uHoseya wathi: “Liveni ilizwi likaYehova, nyana bakaSirayeli; ngokuba uYehova ubambene nabemi belizwe eli; ngokuba kungekho nyaniso, kungekho nceba, kungekho kwazi uThixo kweli lizwe. Kukushwabula, nokuxoka, nokuncinitha, nokuba, nokukrexeza; bagqobhozile, igazi liphathelele kwigazi. Ngenxa yoko ilizwe lenza isijwili, zithokombisile zonke izinto ezimi kulo; izinto eziphilileyo zasendle, neentaka zezulu, kwaneentlanzi zolwandle, ziyasuswa.” (Hoseya 4:1-3) Ngowama-740 B.C.E., ubukumkani basentla bakwaSirayeli obungalunganga boyiswa yiAsiriya. Malunga nethuba elingangenkulungwane kamva, ubukumkani basezantsi bakwaYuda obungathembekanga boyiswa yiBhabhiloni.
5 Ezi ziganeko zibonisa indlela ekunokuba yingozi ngayo kuthi ukuzivumela ukuba soyiswe bubungendawo. UThixo ubuthiyile ububi yaye akayi kubunyamezela kubantu bakhe. (1 Petros 1:14-16) Liyinyaniso elokuba siphila “kwinkqubo yezinto engendawo yangoku” kwihlabathi eliya lisonakala ngakumbi. (Galati 1:4; 2 Timoti 3:13) Sekunjalo, iLizwi likaThixo libongoza onke amaKristu aphile ngendlela ewenza abe ‘ngangenakusoleka namsulwa, abantwana bakaThixo abangenasiphako phakathi kwesizukulwana esigoso nesijijekileyo, akhanyayo phakathi kwaso njengezikhanyiso ehlabathini.’ (Filipi 2:14, 15) Kodwa sinokuhlala njani sinesidima kwihlabathi elizaliswe bubungendawo? Ngaba ngenene oko kunokwenzeka?
Ihlabathi LamaRoma Elalizele Ubungendawo
6. Kwakutheni ukuze amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ajamelane nocelo-mngeni lokuhlala enesidima?
6 AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ajamelana nocelomngeni lokuhlala enesidima kuba ubungendawo babubalasele kwiinkalo zonke zebutho lamaRoma. Isithandi sobulumko esingumRoma uSeneca wathi ngabantu besizukulwana sakhe: “Abantu batsala nzima besilwa nobungendawo. Suku ngalunye umnqweno wokwenza okubi uyakhula, ibe uloyiko lokwenza ububi luyancipha.” Walithelekisa ibutho labantu baseRoma “neqela lezilo ezinoburhalarhume.” Akumangalisi ke ngoko ukuba amaRoma azonwabise ngokulwa nezilwanyana eziyingozi nemiboniso yeqonga eyayingcolile.
7. UPawulos wabuchaza njani ubungendawo obabuxhaphakile phakathi kwabaninzi ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo?
7 Kusenokwenzeka ukuba umpostile uPawulos wayecinga ngendlela yokuziphatha eqaqadekileyo yabantu benkulungwane yokuqala xa wabhala esithi: “UThixo wabanikela kwiminqweno yesini elihlazo, kuba kokubini amabhinqa abo akutshintsha ukusebenza kwawo kwemvelo kwaba kokwahlukileyo kwimvelo; yaye ngokunjalo kwanamadoda akushiya ukusebenza kwemvelo kwamabhinqa aza atshisekelana ngamandla, amadoda ekhanuka amadoda, esebenza oko kungamanyala yaye ezamkelela imbuyekezo ezeleyo, eyayiwafanele ngenxa yemposiso yawo.” (Roma 1:26, 27) Bezimisele kwiminqweno yenyama engcolileyo, abantu baseRoma babentyumpantyumpeka kubungendawo.
8. Yiyiphi indlela ababedla ngokuxhatshazwa ngayo abantwana kwibutho lamaGrike nelamaRoma?
8 Imbali ayisicaciseli indlela obabuxhaphake ngayo ubufanasini phakathi kwamaRoma. Noko ke, alithandabuzeki elokuba ayephenjelelwe ngamaGrike awayephila ngaphambi kwawo, apho ubufanasini babuxhaphake gqitha. Kwakuyinto eqhelekileyo ukuba amadoda amadala onakalise amakhwenkwana, ewafaka ekhwapheni ngokungathi ayawafundisa nto leyo ngokufuthi eyayiphumela ekubeni loo makhwenkwe abandakanyeke ekuziphatheni okungokwesini okugqwethekileyo. Ngokungathandabuzekiyo, uSathana needemon zakhe babengabaphembeleli bobungendawo obunjalo nokuxhatshazwa kwabantwana.—Yoweli 3:3; Yude 6, 7.
9, 10. (a) Kungayiphi indlela eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 6:9, 10 ezichasa ngayo iindlela ezahlukeneyo zobungendawo? (b) Babenemvelaphi enjani abathile kwibandla laseKorinte, yaye benza yiphi inguqulelo?
9 Ephefumlelwe nguThixo, uPawulos wawaxelela oku amaKristu aseKorinte: “Intoni! Anazi na ukuba abantu abangengomalungisa abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo? Ningalahlekiswa. Abahenyuzi, nabanquli-zithixo, nabakrexezi, namadoda agcinelwe iinjongo ezingezozamvelo, namadoda alala namadoda, namasela, nabantu ababawayo, namanxila, nabatshabhisi, nabaphangi abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo. Ukanti oko koko bambi kuni babekuko. Kodwa niye nahlanjwa nahlambuluka, kodwa niye nangcwaliswa, kodwa niye navakaliswa ningamalungisa egameni leNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu nangomoya kaThixo wethu.”—1 Korinte 6:9-11.
10 Ngaloo ndlela incwadi kaPawulos yakugxeka ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini, isithi “abahenyuzi” abayi “kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.” Noko ke, emva kokudwelisa izenzo zobungendawo ezahlukeneyo, uPawulos wathi: “Oko koko bambi kuni babekuko. Kodwa niye nahlanjwa nahlambuluka.” Ngoncedo lukaThixo kwenzeka ngabenzi bobubi ukuba bahlambuluke emehlweni akhe.
11. Aqhuba njani amaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala kwimekobume engendawo yomhla wawo?
11 Ewe, ayemaninzi amaKristu ahlala enesidima kwanakwihlabathi elalizaliswe bubungendawo lenkulungwane yokuqala. Amakholwa ‘aguquka ngokutshintsha ingqondo yawo.’ (Roma 12:2) Ayilahla ‘ihambo yawo yangaphambili’ aza ‘enziwa matsha kumandla aqhuba ingqondo yawo.’ Ngaloo ndlela abuphepha ubungendawo behlabathi aza ‘ambatha ubuntu obutsha obadalwa ngokokuthanda kukaThixo ngobulungisa bokwenyaniso nokunyaniseka.’—Efese 4:22-24.
Ihlabathi Lanamhlanje Elizaliswe Bubungendawo
12. Yiyiphi inguqulelo eyenzekileyo ehlabathini ukususela ngowe-1914?
12 Kuthekani ngomhla wethu? Ihlabathi esiphila kulo lizaliswe bubungendawo kunanini na ngaphambili. Ingakumbi ukususela ngowe-1914 ukuziphatha kuye kwawohloka emhlabeni wonke. (2 Timoti 3:1-5) Bezityeshela iingcamango ezingokwesithethe zesidima, ukuziphatha, imbeko nemigaqo engehambo, abaninzi bacinga ngeziqu zabo kuphela yaye ‘abasaziva konke konke ngokokuziphatha.’ (Efese 4:19) Iphephancwadi iNewsweek lathi: “Siphila kwisizukulwana sikavula-zibhuqe ngokuziphatha,” kwaye longezelela lisithi lo moya ugqugqisayo wokuziphatha uye “wayiphelisa ingcamango yento elungileyo nengalunganga waza wakhulisa umbandela wokhetho lobuqu, ukhetho olungokweemvakalelo okanye ukhetho olungokwesithethe.”
13. (a) Iindlela ezininzi zokuzonwabisa namhlanje zibukhuthaza njani ubungendawo? (b) Ukuzonwabisa okungafanelekanga kunokuba nawuphi umphumo ebantwini?
13 Njengakwinkulungwane yokuqala, ukuzonwabisa okuthob’ isidima kuxhaphakile namhlanje. Umabonwakude, unomathotholo, imifanekiso eshukumayo neevidiyo zivelisa uthotho lwemibandela enokuthanani nesini. Ubungendawo sebugqobhozele nakwiinkqubo zekhompyutha. Izinto ezibonisa amanyala ziya zixhaphaka ngakumbi kwiinkqubo zekhompyutha zale mihla, yaye zifumaneka kubantu abakubudala obahlukeneyo. Oku kunawuphi umphumo? Omnye umbhali wemihlathi kwiphephandaba uthi: “Xa igazi nezidubedube nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini kuyimpilo yethu yemihla ngemihla, igazi nezidubedube nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini kuyaqheleka. Siyonakala. Siya sikwamkela ngakumbi ukuziphatha okubi kuba akusothusi kangako.”—Thelekisa eyoku-1 kuTimoti 4:1, 2.
14, 15. Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo obubonisa ukuba ukuziphatha okuhle ngokwesini kuwohlokile ehlabathini lonke?
14 Khawucinge ngale ngxelo ikwiThe New York Times: “Oko kwakugqalwa kungamanyundululu kwiminyaka engama-25 edluleyo ngoku kuyindlela eyamkelekileyo yokuphila. Inani lezibini ezikhetha ukuhlalisana kunokutshata liye lantinga laya kutsho kuma-80 ekhulwini [eUnited States] phakathi kowe-1980 nowe-1991.” Le asinto eyenzeka eMntla Merika kuphela. Iphephancwadi iAsiaweek linikela le ngxelo: “Kukho ingxoxo eqhubekayo kuwo onke amazwe [eAsia] ephathelele imibandela engokwesithethe. Imbambano iphathelele inkululeko engokwesini ngokuchasene nemigaqo engokwesithethe, yaye ingcinezelo engokuguquka kwezinto iya ikhula.” Amanani abonisa ukuba bayanda abantu abamkela ukukrexeza nokuba neentlobano zesini ngaphambi komtshato kumazwe amaninzi.
15 IBhayibhile yaxela kwangaphambili ukuba uSathana wayeya kuba sisinxada-nxada kumhla wethu. (ISityhilelo 12:12) Ngoko ke, akufanele kusimangalise ukubona ubungendawo buthabath’ unyawo. Ngokomzekelo, ukuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesini kuye kwaphula izikeyi.a IUnited Nations Children’s Fund inikela ingxelo yokuba “urhwebo lokuxhatshazwa kwabantwana ngokwesini lwenzakalisa abantwana phantse kuwo onke amazwe ehlabathi.” Nyaka ngamnye “abantwana abangaphezu kwesigidi ehlabathini lonke kuthiwa banyanzelelwa ukuba babe ngoonongogo, beweliswa imida baze bathengiswe kwamanye amazwe ngenjongo engokwesini, yaye basetyenziswa ekuveliseni imifanekiso engamanyala yabantwana.” Ubufanasini nabo buxhaphakile, yaye iinkokeli zobupolitika nezonqulo zinkqenkqeza phambili ekubukhuthazeni ‘njengendlela eyahlukileyo yokuphila.’
Ukuchasa Ubungendawo Behlabathi
16. AmaNgqina kaYehova ami phi kumbandela wokuziphatha ngokwesini?
16 AmaNgqina kaYehova akahambisani nomndilili omqhwabel’ izandla uvula zibhuqe wokuziphatha ngokwesini. UTito 2:11, 12 uthi: “Ububele obungasifanelanga bukaThixo obuzisa usindiso kuzo zonke iintlobo zabantu buye babonakaliswa, busiyalela ukuba sizilumle kuko ukungabi nabuthixo nakwiminqweno yehlabathi size siphile ngengqondo ephilileyo nangobulungisa nangozinikelo lobuthixo phakathi kwale nkqubo yezinto yangoku.” Ewe, siyabuthiya ngokwenene, sibenyanye ubungendawo obunjengokuba neentlobano zesini ngaphambi komtshato, ukukrexeza, nezenzo zobufanasini.b (Roma 12:9; Efese 5:3-5) UPawulos wabongoza esithi: “Wonk’ ubani obiza igama likaYehova makalahle intswela-bulungisa.”—2 Timoti 2:19.
17. AmaKristu okwenyaniso akujonga njani ukusebenzisa utywala?
17 AmaKristu okwenyaniso ayichasile imbono yehlabathi ngobungendawo obubonakala bungenamsebenzi. Ngokomzekelo, abantu abaninzi namhlanje bakugqala ukusebenzisa kakubi utywala njengento nje yokuzonwabisa. Kodwa abantu bakaYehova bathobela isiluleko esikweyabase-Efese 5:18 esithi: “Musani ukunxila yiwayini, ekukho kuko uburheletyo, kodwa hlalani nizaliswa ngumoya.” Ukuba umKristu ukhetha ukusela, ukwenza oko ngobungcathu.—IMizekeliso 23:29-32.
18. Imigaqo yeBhayibhile ibakhokela njani abakhonzi bakaYehova kwindlela abawaphatha ngayo amalungu eentsapho zabo?
18 Njengabakhonzi bakaYehova, kwakhona siyayichasa imbono yabathile ehlabathini yokungxolisa iqabane likabani lomtshato nabantwana okanye ukubathuka ngamazwi ahlabayo njengento eyamkelekileyo. Ezimisele ukuhlala enesidima, amadoda nabafazi abangamaKristu bayasebenzisana ekuthobeleni isiluleko sikaPawulos esithi: “Mabususwe kuni bonke ubukrakra bolunya nomsindo nengqumbo nokunkqangaza nentetho etshabhisayo kunye nabo bonke ububi. Kodwa yibani nobubele omnye komnye, ninemfesane yofefe, nixolelana ngesisa kanye njengokuba noThixo wanixolelayo ngesisa ngaye uKristu.”—Efese 4:31, 32.
19. Buxhaphake kangakanani ubungendawo kwezoshishino?
19 Ukunganyaniseki, ukuqhatha, ukuxoka, ushishino lobuqhetseba nobusela buxhaphakile namhlanje. Inqaku elithile kwiphephancwadi lezoshishino iCFO linikela le ngxelo: “Kuhlolisiso lwabasebenzi abangama-4000 . . . kwafunyaniswa ukuba abangama-31 ekhulwini baye bazibonela ngamehlo abo ‘ihambo engafanelekanga enzulu’ ebudeni bonyaka ophelileyo.” Loo hambo ingafanelekanga yayiquka ukuxoka, ukugqwetha iingxelo, ukuxhaphaza ngokwesini nobusela. Ukuze sihlale sicocekile emehlweni kaYehova, sifanele siyiphephe ihambo enjalo size sinyaniseke kwimicimbi yemali.—Mika 6:10, 11.
20. Kutheni amaKristu efanele angabi ‘ngathanda imali’?
20 Khawucinge ngoko kwenzekayo kwenye indoda eyayicinga ukuba iya kuba nexesha elingakumbi lokukhonza uThixo ukuba yayinokufumana isityhwentywe semali kushishino oluthile. Yarhwebeshela abanye kolu shishino ngokuyibaxa gqitha inzuzo ababeza kuyifumana. Xa oku kungazange kuphumelele, yayisengxakini ngeyona ndlela yokuyifihla loo lahleko inkulu kangangokuba yeba imali eyayiyigcinisiwe. Ngenxa yezenzo zayo nesimo sengqondo sokungaguquki, yasuswa kubudlelane kwibandla lamaKristu. Hayi indlela esinyanise ngayo isilumkiso seBhayibhile esithi: “Abo bazimisele ukuba zizityebi bawela ekuhendweni nakumgibe nakwiminqweno emininzi yokungabi nangqiqo neyenzakalisayo, ephosela abantu entshabalalweni nasekonakaleni. Kuba ukuthanda imali yingcambu yazo zonke iintlobo zezinto ezimbi, yaye ngokuzabalazela olu thando bambi baye balahlekaniswa nokholo kwaye baye bazixhokroza kuyo yonke indawo ngeentlungu ezininzi.”—1 Timoti 6:9, 10.
21. Ngokuqhelekileyo abantu abasegunyeni baziphatha njani ehlabathini, kodwa bafanele baziphathe njani abo bakwizigxina zembopheleleko kwibandla lobuKristu?
21 Ngokuqhelekileyo abantu behlabathi abasegunyeni abanasidima yaye bavisisana kakuhle namazwi athi, ‘Igunya liyonakalisa.’ (INtshumayeli 8:9) Kwamanye amazwe, ukunyoba nezinye iindlela zobuqhetseba ziindlela eziqhelekileyo zokuphila phakathi kweejaji, abakwantsasana nabezobupolitika. Noko ke, abo bakhokelayo kwibandla lobuKristu bafanele babe nesidima yaye abafanele bazenze iinkosi zabanye. (Luka 22:25, 26) Abadala, kuquka izicaka zolungiselelo, abakhonzi “ngokuthanda inzuzo yokunganyaniseki.” Bafanele bangazami ukugqwetha indlela abagweba ngayo kuba bejonge inzuzo.—1 Petros 5:2; Eksodus 23:8; IMizekeliso 17:23; 1 Timoti 5:21.
22. Yintoni eza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
22 Ubukhulu becala, amaKristu ahlangabezana ngokuphumelelayo nocelomngeni lokuhlala enesidima kwihlabathi lethu elizaliswe bubungendawo. Sekunjalo, isidima siquka okungaphezu kokuphepha nje ubungendawo. Inqaku elilandelayo liza kuxubusha oko ngokwenene kuthethwa kukuhlakulela isidima.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Bona ungcelele lwamanqaku athi “Khusela Abantwana Bakho!,” kuVukani! kaOktobha 8, 1993.
b Abo bebengamafanasini ngaphambili basenokuguquka, kanye njengokuba benzayo abanye ngenkulungwane yokuqala. (1 Korinte 6:11) Kwanikelwa inkcazelo eluncedo kuVukani! ka-Aprili 8, 1995, iphepha 21-3.
Iingongoma Zempinda
◻ Kwakutheni ukuze uYehova ayalele ukuba amaKanan atshatyalaliswe?
◻ Bubuphi ubungendawo obabuxhaphakile ngenkulungwane yokuqala, yaye aqhuba njani amaKristu kwimekobume enjalo?
◻ Bubuphi ubungqina obukhoyo obubonisa ukuba ehlabathini iye yehla imigaqo yokuziphatha ukususela ngowe-1914?
◻ Bubuphi ubungendawo obuqhelekileyo abafanele abantu bakaYehova babugatye?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 9]
AmaKristu enkulungwane yokuqala ayenesidima, nangona ayephila kwihlabathi elizaliswe bubungendawo
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Ubungendawo buye bagqobhozela nakwiinkqubo zekhompyutha, nto leyo ebangele abantu abaninzi abaselula nabanye bakwazi ukubukela imifanekiso engamanyala ngokulula
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 12]
AmaKristu afanele ahlale enesidima, engaxelisi imikhwa yokunganyaniseki yabanye