Ngaba Uzabalazela Ukuba Nesidima?

“Nasiphi na isidima esikhoyo yaye nayiphi na into ekhoyo efanelwe yindumiso, qhubekani nizigqala ezi zinto.”—FILIPI 4:8.

1. Yintoni ubungendawo, yaye kutheni bungakhange bulonakalise unqulo lukaYehova?

UBUNGENDAWO kukuwohloka kwemilinganiselo yokuziphatha okanye ukunganyaniseki. Buligubungele lonke ihlabathi esiphila kulo. (Efese 2:1-3) Noko ke, uYehova uThixo akasayi kuluvumela unqulo lwakhe olucocekileyo lonakaliswe. Iimpapasho zamaKristu, iintlanganiso, iindibano ezincinane nezinkulu zisinika izilumkiso ngexesha ngokuphathelele ihambo engeyoyabulungisa. Sifumana uncedo olufanelekileyo lweZibhalo ukuze ‘sinamathele koko kulungileyo’ emehlweni kaThixo. (Roma 12:9) Ngenxa yoko, njengentlangano, amaNgqina kaYehova azabalazela ukuhlala ecocekile, enesidima. Kodwa kuthekani ngathi njengabantu ngabanye? Ngaba ngenene, wena uzabalazela ukuba nesidima?

2. Yintoni isidima, yaye kutheni kufuneka umgudu ukuze uhlale unesidima?

² Ukuba nesidima kukuziphatha kakuhle, ukulunga, isenzo nengcinga elungileyo. Akulophawu nje olungabonakaliyo kodwa luphawu olunemisebenzi, oluzibonakalisayo. Ukuba nesidima kubandakanya okungaphezu nje kokuphepha isono; kuthetha ukuzabalazela ukwenza okulungileyo. (1 Timoti 6:11) Umpostile uPetros wabongoza amanye amaKristu esithi: “Yithini elukholweni lwenu nongezelele isidima.” Njani? “Ngokunikela kwenu ngentsabelo [kumadinga kaThixo axabisekileyo] wonke umgudu wenyameko.” (2 Petros 1:5) Ngenxa yesono esinaso, kufuna umgudu wokwenene ukuhlala sinesidima. Ukanti, abantu abathile ababehlonela uThixo kwixesha elidluleyo baye benjenjalo, nangona babejamelene nemiqobo enzima.

Wazabalazela Ukuba Nesidima

3. UKumkani uAhazi wayenetyala laziphi izenzo zobungendawo?

³ IZibhalo ziqulethe imizekelo emininzi yabo baye bazabalazela ukuba nesidima. Ngokomzekelo, khawucinge ngoHezekiya owahlala enesidima. Uyise, uKumkani uAhazi wakwaYuda, kubonakala ukuba wayekhonza uMoleki. “UAhazi ubeneminyaka imashumi mabini ezelwe, ukuba ngukumkani kwakhe. Waba neminyaka elishumi linamithandathu engukumkani eYerusalem. Akakwenza okuthe tye emehlweni kaYehova uThixo wakhe, njengoDavide uyise. Wahamba ngendlela yookumkani bakwaSirayeli; kananjalo wamcandisa emlilweni unyana wakhe, ngokwamasikizi eentlanga, awazigqogqayo uYehova phambi koonyana bakaSirayeli. Wabingelela, waqhumisela ezigangeni, nasezindulini, naphantsi kwemithi yonke eluhlaza.” (2 Kumkani 16:2-4) Bambi bathi ‘ukudlulisa emlilweni’ kubonisa uhlobo oluthile lokuhlambulula ingekuko ukubingelela ngabantu. Noko ke, incwadi ethi Molech—A God of Human Sacrifice in the Old Testament, ebhalwe nguJohn Day, ithi: “Kukho ubungqina obuvela kwiincwadi zakudala nobaseFenike [eCarthage], kuquka nobungqina bezinto ezimbiweyo, bokuba kwakubingelelwa ngabantu . . . kwilizwe lamaKanan, yaye ngoko akukho sizathu sakuthandabuza xa iTestamente Endala ithetha [ngokubingelelwa ngabantu].” Ukongezelela, eyesi-2 yeziKronike 28:3 ngokukhethekileyo ithi uAhazi “wabatshisa oonyana bakhe ngomlilo.” (Thelekisa iDuteronomi 12:31; INdumiso 106:37, 38.) Obunjani bona ubungendawo!

4. UHezekiya waziphatha njani kwimekobume eyayizaliswe bubungendawo?

⁴ Ngaba waqhuba njani uHezekiya kule mekobume ingendawo? Kubangel’ umdla ukufunda INdumiso 119, kuba bambi bakholelwa ukuba yaqanjwa nguHezekiya, ngoxa wayengumthetheli. (INdumiso 119:46, 99, 100) Ngoko imeko awayekuyo inokubonakaliswa ngamazwi athi: “Nangona abathetheli behlala bathethe ngam, umkhonzi wakho yena ucamngca ngemimiselo yakho. Umphefumlo wam uvuza iinyembezi sisingqala.” (INdumiso 119:23, 28) Engqongwe ngabo babekunqulo lobuxoki, kusenokwenzeka ukuba uHezekiya wayesoloko egxijwa ngamalungu eentendelezo zasebukhosini, kangangokuba wayephuthelwa nasebusuku. Sekunjalo, wazabalazela ukuhlala enesidima, de ekuhambeni kwexesha wangukumkani, waza “wenza okuthe tye emehlweni kaYehova . . . Wakholosa ngoYehova uThixo kaSirayeli.”—2 Kumkani 18:1-5.

Bahlala Benesidima

5. UDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu bajamelana naziphi izilingo?

⁵ Abanye abantu ababengumzekelo ngesidima yayinguDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu angamaHebhere, uHananiya, uMishayeli noAzariya. Bagxagxanyiswa ukuphuma ezweni labo baza bangabathinjwa eBhabhiloni. Aba bafana bane bathiywa amagama aseBhabhiloni—uBheleshatsare, uShadraki, uMeshaki noAbhede-nego. Bathenjiswa ukunikwa ‘ukudla kokumkani,’ kuquka nokudla okwakwalelwe nguMthetho kaThixo. Ngaphezu koko, babenyanzelekile ukuba baqeqeshwe iminyaka emithathu ‘befundiswa incwadi nolwimi lwamaKaledi.’ Oku kwakuquka okungaphezulu kokufunda nje olunye ulwimi, kuba kunokwenzeka ukuba igama elithi “amaKaledi” apha lalibhekisela kubantu abafundileyo. Ngaloo ndlela, la magatyana angamaHebhere ayechanabeke kwiimfundiso ezigqwethekileyo zaseBhabhiloni.—Daniyeli 1:1-7.

6. Kutheni sinokuthi uDaniyeli wazabalazela ukuba nesidima?

⁶ Nangona iimeko zazibanyanzela ngeyona ndlela ukuze bahambisane noku, uDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu bakhetha isidima kunobungendawo. UDaniyeli 1:21 uthi: “UDaniyeli waba lapho, kwada kwangumnyaka wokuqala kaKoreshi ukumkani.” Ewe, uDaniyeli ‘waqhubeka’ njengomkhonzi kaYehova onesidima ngaphezu kweminyaka engama-80—ixesha elalihlanganisa ukumiswa nokuwa kookumkani abaliqela abanamandla. Wahlala ethembekile kuThixo phezu kwazo nje zonke izirhintyelo namayelenqe obuqhophololo bamagosa karhulumente nokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini okwakwesamele kunqulo lwaseBhabhiloni. UDaniyeli waqhubeka ezabalazela ukuba nesidima.

7. Yintoni enokufundwa kwikhondo likaDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu?

⁷ Sinokufunda lukhulu kuDaniyeli owayehlonela uThixo namaqabane akhe. Bazabalazela ukuba nesidima baza abakuvuma ukuzibandakanya nempucuko yaseBhabhiloni. Nangona bathiywa amagama aseBhabhiloni, abazange balibale ukuba bangoobani njengabakhonzi bakaYehova. Ewe, kwiminyaka enokuba ngama-70 kamva, ukumkani waseBhabhiloni wambiza uDaniyeli ngegama lakhe lesiHebhere! (Daniyeli 5:13) Ebudeni bobomi bakhe obude, uDaniyeli akazange avume ukulalanisa nakwizinto ezincinane. Njengomntu oselula, “wayegqibe entliziyweni yakhe, ukuba angazingcolisi ngokudla kokumkani.” (Daniyeli 1:8) Ukungalalanisi kukaDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu ngokungathandabuzekiyo kwabomeleza ukuze bajamelane nezilingo abahlangabezana nazo kamva ezazisongela ubomi babo.—Daniyeli, isahluko 3 nesesi-6.

Ukuzabalazela Ukuba Nesidima Namhlanje

8. AmaKristu aselula anokukuxhathisa njani ukuphila ngokuvisisana nehlabathi likaSathana?

⁸ NjengoDaniyeli namaqabane akhe amathathu, abantu bakaThixo namhlanje baxhathisa ukuphila ngokuvisisana nehlabathi likaSathana elingendawo. (1 Yohane 5:19) Ukuba ungumKristu oselula, usenokuba ujamelene nengcinezelo enkulu koontanga bakho ukuze unxibe uze uzilungise ngokungakhathali njengabo, yaye uphulaphule umculo abawuphulaphulayo. Noko ke, kunokulandela lonke uhlobo lokunxiba nefashoni ekhoyo, qina, uze ungakuvumi “ukumilisa okwale nkqubo yezinto.” (Roma 12:2) ‘Zilumle kuko ukungabi nabuthixo nakwiminqweno yehlabathi . . . phila ngengqondo ephilileyo nangobulungisa nangozinikelo lobuthixo.’ (Tito 2:11, 12) Into ebalulekileyo kukwamkelwa nguYehova kungekhona ngoontanga bakho.—IMizekeliso 12:2.

9. Yiyiphi ingcinezelo amaKristu anokujamelana nayo kwezoshishino, yaye anokuziphatha njani?

⁹ AmaKristu akhulileyo nawo ajamelana neengcinezelo yaye afanele abe nesidima. AmaKristu angoosomashishini asenokuhendelwa ekubeni asebenzise iindlela ezithandabuzekayo okanye ayityeshele imithetho karhulumente nemithetho yerhafu. Noko ke, ingakhathaliseki indlela abaziphatha ngayo abo sikhuphisana nabo okanye sisebenza nabo, “sinqwenela ukuziphatha ngokunyaniseka kwizinto zonke.” (Hebhere 13:18) IZibhalo zisikhuthaza ukuba sithembeke size sisebenzisane kakuhle nabaqeshi, abaqeshwa, abathengi noorhulumente abakhoyo. (Duteronomi 25:13-16; Mateyu 5:37; Roma 13:1; 1 Timoti 5:18; Tito 2:9, 10) Kwakhona sifanele sizabalazele ukuba ngabantu abalungeleleneyo kwimibandela yethu yoshishino. Ngokugcina iingxelo ezichanileyo size sizibhale phantsi izivumelwano, ngokufuthi sinokukuthintela ukungaqondani.

Hlala Uphaphile!

10. Kutheni kukho imfuneko ‘yokuhlala siphaphile’ xa kufikelelwa kumculo esiwukhethayo?

¹⁰ INdumiso 119:9 ibalaselisa enye inkalo yokuhlala sinesidima emehlweni kaThixo. Umdumisi wavuma ingoma esithi: “Umfana uya kuwuqaqambisa ngantoni na umendo wakhe? Ngokuzigcina ngokwelizwi lakho.” Esinye sezona zixhobo ziphumelelayo zikaSathana ngumculo, nto leyo enamandla okuchukumisa iimvakalelo. Okulusizi kukuba, wambi amaKristu aye akakwazi ‘ukuhlala ephaphile’ xa kufikelelwa kumculo aze azifumanisa etsaleleke konxaxhileyo, onjengowerap nonesingqi esinamandla. Bambi basenokuphikisa ngelithi umculo onjalo awubenzakalisi okanye abanikeli ngqalelo kumazwi. Abanye bathi kuphela nje banandipha isingqi esinamandla okanye isiginkci esivakala ngokucacileyo. Noko ke, ento ephambili kumaKristu asibobumnandi. Axhalabele enoba oko “kwamkelekile eNkosini” kusini na. (Efese 5:10) Ubukhulu becala, umculo onesingqi esinamandla nowerap ukhuthaza ubungendawo obunjengentetho engcolileyo, uhenyuzo nonqulo lobuSathana—izinto ngokuqinisekileyo ezingamkelekanga kubantu bakaThixo.a (Efese 5:3) Enoba siselula okanye sibadala, ngamnye wethu ufanele azibuze, Ngaba ndizabalazela ukuba nesidima okanye ubungendawo ngomculo endiwukhethayo?

11. UmKristu unokuhlala njani ephaphile ngokuphathelele iinkqubo zikamabonwakude, iividiyo nemifanekiso eshukumayo?

¹¹ Iinkqubo ezininzi zikamabonwakude, iividiyo nemifanekiso eshukumayo ikhuthaza ubungendawo. Ngokutsho kwenye ingcali eyaziwayo ngokusebenza kwengqondo, ‘ukuthanda iziyolo, isini, ugonyamelo, ukubawa nokuzingca’ kubalasele kwinkoliso yemifanekiso eshukumayo eveliswayo namhlanje. Ngoko ke, ukuhlala siphaphile kuquka ukukhetha oko sikubukelayo. Umdumisi wathandaza esithi: “Dlulisa amehlo am angakhangeli inkohlakalo.” (INdumiso 119:37) UmKristu oselula onguJoseph wawusebenzisa lo mgaqo. Xa umfanekiso oshukumayo othile waqalisa ukubonisa izenzo zesini nezogonyamelo ezicacileyo, waphuma kuloo holo. Ngaba waziva eneentloni ngokwenza oku? UJoseph uthi: “Akuzange kube njalo nakancinane. Kuqala ndacinga ngoYehova nangokumkholisa.”

Indima Yokufundisisa Nokucamngca

12. Kutheni kuyimfuneko ukufundisisa nokucamngca ukuze sizabalazele ukuba nesidima?

¹² Akwanele ukuphepha izinto ezimbi. Ukuzabalazela ukuba nesidima kukwaquka ukufundisisa nokucamngca ngezinto ezilungileyo ezibhalwe kwiLizwi likaThixo ukuze imigaqo yalo yobulungisa siyisebenzise ebomini. Edanduluka umdumisi wathi: “Hayi, ukuwuthanda kwam umyalelo wakho. Imini le yonke ndiyacamngca ngawo.” (INdumiso 119:97) Ngaba ucwangciso lwakho lweveki luquka ufundisiso lobuqu lweBhayibhile neempapasho zamaKristu? Liyinyaniso elokuba, ukuzenzela ixesha ukuze ufundisise iLizwi likaThixo ngenkuthalo uze ucamngce ngalo ngomthandazo kunokuba lucelomngeni. Kodwa ngokufuthi kunokwenzeka ukuthenga ixesha kweminye imisebenzi. (Efese 5:15, 16) Mhlawumbi iiyure zasekuseni zisenokuba lixesha elihle lokuthandaza, ukufundisisa nokucamngca.—Thelekisa INdumiso 119:147.

13, 14. (a) Kutheni kubalulekile ukucamngca? (b) Kukucamngca ngaziphi izibhalo okunokusinceda sikwenyanye ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini?

¹³ Kubaluleke gqitha ukucamngca, kuba kusinceda sikhumbule oko sikufundayo. Okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, kusinceda sihlakulele iimbono zikaThixo. Ukuzekelisa: Kuyenye into ukwazi ukuba uThixo uyakwalela ukuhenyuza kodwa kuyinto eyahluke gqitha ‘ukwenyanya oko kungendawo sinamathele koko kulungileyo.’ (Roma 12:9) Enyanisweni sinokuvakalelwa ngendlela uYehova avakalelwa ngayo ngokuziphatha okubi ngokwesini ngokucamngca ngezibhalo eziyintloko zeBhayibhile ezinjengeyabaseKolose 3:5, ebongoza isithi: “Bhubhisani, ke ngoko, amalungu enu omzimba asemhlabeni ngokuphathelele uhenyuzo, ukungahlambuluki, umnqweno wesini, umnqweno owenzakalisayo, nenkanuko, elunqulo-zithixo.” Khawuzibuze: ‘Ngumnqweno onjani wesini endifanele ndiwubhubhise? Yintoni endifanele ndiyiphephe enokuvusa iminqweno engcolileyo? Ngaba kufuneka ndiyitshintshe indlela endibaphatha ngayo abantu besini esahlukileyo?’—Thelekisa eyoku-1 kuTimoti 5:1, 2.

¹⁴ UPawulos ubongoza amaKristu ukuba akhwebuke kuhenyuzo aze aziqhelise ukuzibamba ukuze “kungabikho bani usa kwinqanaba lokwenzakalisa aze atyhobozele kumalungelo omzalwana wakhe.” (1 Tesalonika 4:3-7) Khawuzibuze: ‘Kutheni kuyingozi nje ukuhenyuza? Nguwuphi umonakalo endiya kuwenza kwisiqu sam okanye komnye umntu ukuba ndiye ndenza esi sono? Oku kuya kundichaphazela njani ngokomoya, ngokweemvakalelo nangokomzimba? Kuthekani ngabantu abathile ebandleni abaye baphula umthetho kaThixo baza abaguquka? Zibahambela njani izinto?’ Ukucingisisa nzulu ngoko kuthethwa ziZibhalo ngehambo enjalo kunokusenza sikuthiye ngokunzulu oko kubi emehlweni kaThixo. (Eksodus 20:14; 1 Korinte 5:11-13; 6:9, 10; Galati 5:19-21; ISityhilelo 21:8) UPawulos uthi umhenyuzi “ugatya, kungekhona umntu, kodwa uThixo.” (1 Tesalonika 4:8) Nguwuphi umKristu wokwenyaniso ofuna ukugatya uBawo wakhe wasezulwini?

Isidima Nonxulumano

15. Yiyiphi indima unxulumano olunayo kumzabalazo wethu wokuba nesidima?

¹⁵ Olunye uncedo lokuhlala unesidima kukuba nonxulumano oluhle. Umdumisi wahlabela: “Ndilidlelane labo bonke abakoyikayo [Yehova], nelabazigcinayo iziyalezo zakho.” (INdumiso 119:63) Sifuna unxulumano oluhle olufumaneka kwiintlanganiso zebandla lobuKristu. (Hebhere 10:24, 25) Ukuba sizenza amakheswa, sinokuba ngabazingcayo ekucingeni kwethu, yaye ngokulula nje sisenokonganyelwa bubungendawo. (IMizekeliso 18:1) Noko ke, ulwalamano olufudumeleyo lobuKristu lunokusenza sizimisele ngakumbi ukuhlala sinesidima. Kambe ke, kwakhona kufuneka siluphephe unxulumano olubi. Sinokubathanda abamelwane, abo sisebenza nabo, nabo sifunda nabo. Kodwa ukuba silumke ngokwenene, siya kukuphepha ukwakha ubuhlobo obusenyongweni nabo bangazabalazeli ukuphila ngesidima sobuKristu.—Thelekisa eyabaseKolose 4:5.

16. Ukusebenzisa eyoku-1 kwabaseKorinte 15:33 kusinceda njani namhlanje ukuze sizabalazele ukuba nesidima?

¹⁶ UPawulos wabhala: “Unxulumano olubi lonakalisa imikhwa esebenzisekayo.” Ngokuthetha la mazwi wayelumkisa amakholwa ukuba ayenokulahlekelwa lukholo lwawo ngokunxulumana nabo bazibanga bengamaKristu nabayityeshelayo imfundiso yeZibhalo engovuko. Umgaqo okwisilumkiso sikaPawulos ubhekisela kunxulumano lwethu ngaphandle nangaphakathi ebandleni. (1 Korinte 15:12, 33) Ngokuqhelekileyo, asifuni kubatyeshela abazalwana noodade wethu kuba bengavisisani neengcamango zethu ezithile. (Mateyu 7:4, 5; Roma 14:1-12) Sekunjalo, kufanele kulunyukwe ukuba kukho abathile ebandleni ababandakanyeka kwihambo ethile ethandabuzekayo okanye ababonakalisa umoya wengqumbo nowokukhalaza. (2 Timoti 2:20-22) Kububulumko ukusondelelana nabo ‘sinokwabelana nabo ngokhuthazo.’ (Roma 1:11, 12) Oku kuya kusinceda sizabalazele ukuhlala sinesidima size sihlale ‘kumendo wobomi.’—INdumiso 16:11.

Qhubeka Uzabalazela Ukuba Nesidima

17. Ngokutsho kweNumeri isahluko 25, amaSirayeli afikelwa yiyiphi intlekele, yaye sisiphi isifundo esisifumanayo thina koku?

¹⁷ Kungekudala nje ngaphambi kokuba amaSirayeli alithabathele kuwo iLizwe Ledinga, amaninzi kuwo enza ubungendawo—aza abandezeleka. (Numeri, isahluko 25) Namhlanje, abantu bakaYehova basemgubasini wehlabathi elitsha lobulungisa. Ukungena kulo kuya kuba yintsikelelo nelungelo elikhulu kwabo baqhubeka bebuphepha ubungendawo beli hlabathi. Njengabantu abangafezekanga, sisenokuba notyekelo olubi, kodwa uThixo unokusinceda silandele indlela yokulunga ngokukhokelwa ngumoya wakhe oyingcwele. (Galati 5:16; 1 Tesalonika 4:3, 4) Ngoko ke masithobele isibongozo sikaYoshuwa kumaSirayeli xa wathi: “Moyikeni ke ngoko uYehova, nimkhonze ngokugqibeleleyo, nangenyaniso.” (Yoshuwa 24:14) Uloyiko lobuthixo lokungamkholisi uYehova luya kusinceda sizabalazele ubulungisa.

18. Ngokuphathelele ubungendawo nesidima, onke amaKristu afanele azimisele entwenini?

¹⁸ Ukuba kungumnqweno wakho ukukholisa uThixo, zimisele ukuthobela isibongozo sikaPawulos esithi: “Naziphi na izinto eziyinyaniso, naziphi na izinto ezizezenkxalabo enzulu, naziphi na izinto ezibubulungisa, naziphi na izinto ezinyulu, naziphi na izinto ezithandekayo, naziphi na izinto ekuthethwa kakuhle ngazo, nasiphi na isidima esikhoyo yaye nayiphi na into ekhoyo efanelwe yindumiso, qhubekani nizigqala ezi zinto.” Ukuba nenza oku, uya kuba yintoni umphumo? UPawulos wathi: “Ziqheliseleni; yaye uThixo woxolo uya kuba nani.” (Filipi 4:8, 9) Ewe, ngoncedo lukaYehova sinokubuchasa ubungendawo size sizabalazele ukuba nesidima.

[Imibhalo esemazantsi]

Iingongoma Zempinda

◻ Yintoni efunekayo ukuze uzabalazele ukuba nesidima?

◻ Kukwiziphi iimeko awathi uHezekiya, uDaniyeli, namanye amaHebhere amathathu bahlala benesidima?

◻ Sinokumxelisa njani uDaniyeli ekuxhathiseni amaqhinga kaSathana?

◻ Kutheni amaKristu efanele ahlale ephaphile ngokuphathalele ukuzonwabisa?

□ Isifundo, ukucamngca nonxulumano lunayiphi indima kumzabalazo wokuba nesidima?

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]

UHezekiya oselula wazabalazela ukuba nesidima nangona wayengqongwe ngabanquli bakaMoleki

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]

AmaKristu afanele ahlale ephaphile ngokuphathelele ukuzonwabisa