Ukuzahlulela Nenkululeko Yokuzikhethela
“Ngenxa yenkululeko enjalo uKristu wasikhulula.”—GALATI 5:1.
1. Ngokuyintloko asetyenziswa entwenini amagama esiHebhere nawesiGrike aguqulelwe ngokuthi “ukuzahlulela,” “ukumiselwa,” okanye “ukuzinikela kwinkonzo engcwele”?
ABABHALI beBhayibhile basebenzisa amagama aliqela esiHebhere nawesiGrike ukuze badlulisele ingcamango yokwahlulwa, okanye ukukhethwa, ukuze uphumeze injongo engcwele. KwiiBhayibhile zesiNgesi la magama aguqulelwe ngokuthi “dedication [ukuzahlulela],” “inauguration [ukumiselwa],” okanye “consecration [ukuzinikela kwinkonzo engcwele].” Maxa wambi la mabinzana asetyenziswa ukubhekisela kwizakhiwo ezithile—ngokuqhelekileyo ayebhekisela kwitempile kaThixo eyayikwiYerusalem yamandulo kunye nonqulo olwaluqhutyelwa kuyo. La magama akafane asetyenziswe kwizinto ezingenakuthanani nonqulo.
Ukuzahlulela ‘KuThixo KaSirayeli’
2. Kutheni uYehova ngokufanelekileyo enokubizwa ngokuba ‘nguThixo kaSirayeli’?
2 Ngowe-1513 B.C.E., uThixo wahlangula amaSirayeli kubukhoboka baseYiputa. Kamsinya emva koko, wawakhetha njengabantu bakhe abakhethekileyo, ewafaka kumnqophiso wolwalamano naye. Axelelwa oku: “Ngoku ke, ukuba nithe naliphulaphula okunene izwi lam, nawugcina umnqophiso wam, noba yinqobo kum kwizizwe zonke, kuba ihlabathi lonke lelam.” (Eksodus 19:5; INdumiso 135:4) Akuba enze amaSirayeli aba yinqobo kuye, ngokufanelekileyo uYehova wayenokubizwa ngokuba ‘nguThixo kaSirayeli.’—Yoshuwa 24:23.
3. Kutheni uYehova wayengabonakalisi kukhetha buso ngokukhetha amaSirayeli abe ngabantu bakhe?
3 Ngokwenza amaSirayeli abe ngabantu bakhe abazahluleleyo, uYehova wayengakhethi buso, kuba wayengabalahlanga kwesinomhlwa abo bangengomaSirayeli. Wayalela abantu bakhe esithi: “Xa umphambukeli aphambukela kuni ezweni lenu, ize ningambandezeli. Kuni woba njengozalelwe phakathi kwenu ekhaya, umphambukeli ophambukele kuni; uze umthande ngoko uzithanda ngako; ngokuba nibe ningabaphambukeli ezweni laseYiputa: NdinguYehova, uThixo wenu.” (Levitikus 19:33, 34) Kwiinkulungwane kamva, imbono kaThixo yagxininiswa kumpostile uPetros, owavuma esithi: “Ngokuqinisekileyo ndiyaqonda ukuba uThixo akakhethi buso, kodwa kwiintlanga zonke umntu omoyikayo aze asebenze ubulungisa wamkelekile kuye.”—IZenzo 10:34, 35.
4. Lwaluxhomekeke entwenini ulwalamano olwaluphakathi kukaThixo kunye noSirayeli, ibe ngaba amaSirayeli akwazi ukulugcina?
4 Kwakhona phawula ukuba, ukuba ngumntu kaThixo ozahluleleyo kwakuxhomekeke kokuthile. Kuxa babelithobela ngokupheleleyo ilizwi likaThixo baze bagcine umnqophiso wakhe kuphela ababeza kuthi babe ‘yinqobo kuye.’ Okulusizi kukuba, amaSirayeli awa nganeno koko. Emva kokubhebhetha uMesiya owayethunyelwe nguThixo ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha Eliqhelekileyo, ahluthw’ inqath’ emlonyeni. UYehova wayengasenguye “uThixo kaSirayeli.” Yaye amaSirayeli okwemvelo ayeka ukuba ngabantu bakaThixo abazahluleleyo.—Thelekisa uMateyu 23:23.
Ukuzahlulela ‘KukaSirayeli KaThixo’
5, 6. (a) Wayethetha ukuthini uYesu ngamazwi akhe esiprofeto abhalwe kuMateyu 21:42, 43? (b) “USirayeli kaThixo” wabakho nini yaye njani?
5 Ngaba oku kwakuthetha ukuba ngoku uYehova wayengazi kuba nabantu abazahluleleyo? Nakanye. Ecaphula amazwi omdumisi, uYesu Kristu waxela kwangaphambili esithi: “Anizange nifunde na eZibhalweni ukuthi, ‘Ilitye abaligatyayo abakhi lelo liye laba lilitye lembombo eliyintloko. Oku kuye kwabakho kuvela kuYehova, yaye kuyamangalisa emehlweni ethu’? Kungenxa yoku le nto ndisithi kuni, Ubukumkani bukaThixo buya kuthatyathwa kuni buze bunikwe uhlanga oluvelisa iziqhamo zabo.”—Mateyu 21:42, 43.
6 “Uhlanga oluvelisa iziqhamo zabo” lwaba libandla lamaKristu. Xa wayetyelele apha emhlabeni, uYesu wanyula abokuqala ababeza kuba ngamalungu alo. Kodwa ngomhla wePentekoste yowama-33 C.E., nguYehova uThixo ngenkqu owaseka ibandla lamaKristu ngokuthulula umoya oyingcwele phezu kwamalungu alo okuqala, awayemalunga ne-120. (IZenzo 1:15; 2:1-4) Njengoko umpostile uPetros wabhalayo kamva, eli bandla lisandul’ ukusekwa laba “sisizwe esinyuliweyo, ububingeleli basebukhosini, uhlanga olungcwele, iqela labantu abangabakhe ngokukhethekileyo.” Lalinyulelwe ntoni? Lalifanele ‘livakalise ngokubanzi iimbalasane zalowo walibizayo ukuba liphume ebumnyameni lingene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’ (1 Petros 2:9) Ngelo xesha abalandeli bakaKristu, ababethanjiswe ngomoya kaThixo, babeluhlanga oluzahluleleyo, “uSirayeli kaThixo.”—Galati 6:16.
7. Yintoni amalungu oSirayeli kaThixo awayeza kuyixhamla, ibe ngoko yintoni awaxelelwa ukuba ayiphephe?
7 Nangona amalungu olu hlanga lungcwele ‘eliqela labantu abangabakhe ngokukhethekileyo,’ ayengayi kwenziwa amakhoboka. Kunoko, ayeza kuxhamla inkululeko engakumbi kuneyohlanga oluzahluleleyo loSirayeli wokwemvelo. UYesu wabathembisa oku abo babeza kuba ngamalungu olu hlanga lutsha: “Niya kuyazi inyaniso, ibe inyaniso iya kunikhulula.” (Yohane 8:32) Umpostile uPawulos walikhankanya elokuba amaKristu ayekhululwe kwiimfuneko zomnqophiso woMthetho. Ngenxa yoko wawabongoza amanye amakholwa aseGalati esithi: “Ngenxa yenkululeko enjalo uKristu wasikhulula. Ngoko ke yimani nkqi, yaye musani ukuziyekela nivaleleke kwakhona kwidyokhwe yobukhoboka.”—Galati 5:1.
8. Kungayiphi ingqiqo elithi ilungiselelo lamaKristu linike abantu inkululeko engakumbi kunaleyo yayifunyanwa phantsi komnqophiso woMthetho?
8 Ngokungafaniyo noSirayeli wokwemvelo wamandulo, uSirayeli kaThixo uye wazithobela ngokupheleleyo iimfuneko zokuzahlulela kwakhe. Oku akufanele kube ngumnqa kuba amalungu akhe ayazithandela ukuthobela. Ngoxa amalungu oSirayeli wokwemvelo ayezahlulele kuba ezalelwe kuloo meko, amalungu oSirayeli kaThixo wona aye azikhethela. Ngaloo ndlela ilungiselelo lamaKristu lahluka ngokupheleleyo kwelomnqophiso woMthetho wamaYuda, elalinyanzelisa ukuba abantu bazahlulele bengakhange banikwe inkululeko yokuzikhethela.
9, 10. (a) UYeremiya wabonisa njani ukuba kwakuya kubakho iinguqu ngokuphathelele uzahlulelo? (b) Kutheni unokuthi asingawo onke amaKristu azahluleleyo namhlanje angamalungu oSirayeli kaThixo?
9 Umprofeti uYeremiya waxela kwangaphambili ukuba kwakuya kubakho iinguqu ngokuphathelele uzahlulelo xa wabhala esithi: “Yabona, kuza imihla, utsho uYehova, endiya kwenza umnqophiso omtsha nendlu kaSirayeli nendlu kaYuda; ungabi njengomnqophiso endawenza noyise ngomhla endababambayo ngesandla, ukuba ndibakhuphe ezweni leYiputa; umnqophiso wam abasuka bawaphula bona, nangani bendiyindoda yabo; utsho uYehova. Nguwo ke lo umnqophiso, endiya kuwenza nendlu kaSirayeli emva kwaloo mihla, utsho uYehova: Ndiya kuwubeka umyalelo wam embilinini yabo, ndiwubhale ezintliziyweni zabo, ndibe nguThixo wabo, babe ngabantu bam.”—Yeremiya 31:31-33.
10 Ekubeni umthetho kaThixo ‘usembilinini yawo,’ ngokungathi kunjalo, ubhalwe ‘ezintliziyweni zawo,’ amalungu oSirayeli kaThixo ashukunyiselwa ukuba aphile ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo lwawo. Anentshukumisa engakumbi kuneyamaSirayeli okwemvelo, awayezahlulela kuba ezalelwe kuloo meko, engazikhethelanga. Namhlanje, le ntshukumisa inamandla yokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, eboniswa nguSirayeli kaThixo, iqhuba nabanquli abangaphezu kwezigidi ezihlanu ehlabathini lonke. Nabo ngokufanayo baye babahlulela ubomi babo kuYehova uThixo ukuze benze ukuthanda kwakhe. Nangona aba bantu bengenalo ithemba lokuphila ezulwini njengabo bayila uSirayeli kaThixo, bavuyiswa lithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni phantsi kolawulo loBukumkani bukaThixo basezulwini. Babonakalisa uxabiso ngoSirayeli wokomoya ngokuxhasa imbinana yamalungu akhe asaseleyo ngenkuthalo xa ezalisekisa isabelo sawo ‘sokuvakalisa ngokubanzi iimbalasane zalowo wawabizayo ukuba aphume ebumnyameni angene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’
Ukuyisebenzisa Ngobulumko Inkululeko Evela KuThixo
11. Umntu wadalwa enawaphi amandla, ibe ufanele awasebenzise njani?
11 UThixo wadala abantu ngohlobo lokuba bayixabise inkululeko. Wabanika amandla okuzikhethela. Isibini sokuqala esingabantu sasebenzisa inkululeko yaso yokuzikhethela. Noko ke, ngobuyatha nangokuswela uthando senza ukhetho olwafaka sona nabantwana baso ebugxwayibeni. Kanti ke, oku kwenza kucace nakuthathatha ukuba uYehova akaze anyanzelise izidalwa ezikrelekrele ukuba zenze into echaseneyo neentshukumisa okanye iminqweno yazo. Yaye ekubeni ‘uThixo ethanda umphi ochwayitileyo,’ uzahlulelo alwamkelayo kuphela lolo lusekelwe kuthando, olwenziwa ngokuvumayo nangokuchwayita, olusekelwe kwinkululeko yokuzikhethela. (2 Korinte 9:7) Naluphi na olunye uhlobo alwamkelekanga.
12, 13. UTimoti ungumzekelo wendlela yokuqeqesha abantwana njani, yaye umzekelo wakhe uye wabakhokelela phi abantu abaselula abaninzi?
12 Ekubeni ehambisana ngokupheleleyo noku, amaNgqina kaYehova akhuthaza ukuzahlulela kuThixo, kodwa akaze agxagxamise namnye ukuba azahlulele, akakwenzi oko nakubantwana bawo. Ngokwahlukileyo kwiicawa ezininzi, amaNgqina akababhaptizi beseziimveku abantwana bawo, ngokungathi ayakwazi ukubanyanzela bazahlulele bengakhange bazenzele ukhetho lobuqu. Umzekelo ongokweZibhalo omele ulandelwe ngulowo walandelwa lityendyana lomfana onguTimoti. Xa wayengumntu omkhulu, waxelelwa oku ngumpostile uPawulos: “Qhubeka kwizinto owazifundayo waza weyiselwa ekuzikholelweni, ubazi abantu owazifunda kubo nokuba ukususela ebusaneni uye wayazi imibhalo engcwele, enako ukukwenza ube nobulumko obusa elusindisweni ngalo ukholo olunxibelelene noKristu Yesu.”—2 Timoti 3:14, 15.
13 Kuyabonakala ukuba uTimoti wayeyazi imibhalo engcwele kuba wayeyifunde kwasebusaneni. Weyiselwa—enganyanzelwanga—ngunina noninakhulu ukuze azikholelwe iimfundiso zamaKristu. (2 Timoti 1:5) Ngenxa yoko, uTimoti wayibona indlela ekwakububulumko ngayo ukuba ngumlandeli kaKristu waza ngaloo ndlela wenza ukhetho lobuqu lozahlulelo lobuKristu. Kule mihla, amashumi amawaka omlisela nomthinjana ozalwa ngamaNgqina kaYehova aye awulandela lo mzekelo. (INdumiso 110:3) Bambi abenzanga njalo. Ngamnye umele azikhethele.
Ukhetha Ukuba Likhoboka Likabani?
14. EyabaseRoma 6:16 isixelela ntoni ngenkululeko epheleleyo?
14 Akakho umntu okhululeke ngokupheleleyo. Inkululeko yakhe wonk’ ubani isikelw’ imida yimithetho yemvelo, enjengomthetho womxhuzulane, ongenakuyityeshela uze ubhungce. Kunjalo nangengqiqo yokomoya, akakho umntu okhululeke ngokupheleyo. UPawulos waqiqa ngelithi: “Anazi na ukuthi ukuba nihlala nizinikela kuye nabani na njengamakhoboka ukuze nimthobele, ningamakhoboka akhe ngenxa yokuba nimthobela, nokuba ngawesono ngokubhekisele ekufeni okanye awentobelo ngokubhekisele ebulungiseni?”—Roma 6:16.
15. (a) Abantu bavakalelwa njani ngokuba ngamakhoboka, kodwa yintoni abaninzi abaphela beyenza? (b) Yiyiphi imibuzo efanelekileyo esisenokuzibuza yona?
15 Ingcamango yokuba likhoboka lomntu othile ayiginyeki kamnandi kubantu abaninzi. Ukanti, kwihlabathi lanamhlanje kuyinyaniso ukuba abantu badla ngokuzivumela bantlokothiswe baze baphenjelelwe ngeendlela ezininzi ezingaqondakaliyo bade baphele beqweqwediswa ngabanye bebenzisa izinto ezifunwa ngabo. Ngokomzekelo, abezibhengezo kunye nabezolonwabo bazama ukubopha bonke abantu ngabande linye, bebabekela imilinganiselo abamele bayilandele. Iintlangano zobupolitika nezonqulo ziqobongela abantu ukuba baxhase iingcamango nosukelo lwazo, yaye azisoloko zibafundisa kakuhle oko, kodwa zidla ngokuchukumisa umnqweno wabo wokuba yimbumba yamanyama okanye wokunyaniseka. Ekubeni uPawulos wathi ‘singamakhoboka abo sibathobelayo,’ ngamnye kuthi uya kuba wenza kakuhle xa ezibuza, ‘Ndilikhoboka likabani? Ngubani onempembelelo enkulu kwizigqibo nakwindlela endiphila ngayo? Ngaba ngabefundisi bonqulo, iinkokeli zezobupolitika, izidwangube ezineemali zazo, okanye ngabantu bezolonwabo? Ngubani endimthobelayo—nguThixo okanye ngabantu?’
16. AmaKristu angamakhoboka kaThixo ngayiphi ingqiqo, ibe yiyiphi imbono efanelekileyo ngobo bukhoboka?
16 AmaKristu akakugqali ukuthobela uThixo ikukuhluthwa inkululeko yobuqu ngokungekho ngqiqweni. Ayiqhelisela ngokuzithandela inkululeko yawo elandela uMzekelo wawo, uYesu Kristu, evisisanisa iminqweno yawo nezinto eziza kuqala kuwo nokuthanda kukaThixo. (Yohane 5:30; 6:38) Aba ‘nengqondo kaKristu,’ ezithoba kwiNtloko yebandla. (1 Korinte 2:14-16; Kolose 1:15-18) Oku kufana nebhinqa elitshata lize ngokuzithandela lisebenzisane nomyeni walo elimthandayo. Enyanisweni, iqumrhu lamaKristu athanjisiweyo lifaniswa nentombi enyulu ethenjiswe ukutshata noKristu.—2 Korinte 11:2; Efese 5:23, 24; ISityhilelo 19:7, 8.
17. Yintoni aye akhetha ukuba yiyo onke amaNgqina kaYehova?
17 INgqina likaYehova ngalinye, enoba linethemba lokuphila ezulwini okanye emhlabeni, lizahlulele ngokobuqu kuThixo ukuze lenze ukuthanda kwakhe yaye limthobele njengoMlawuli. KwiNgqina ngalinye, ukuzahlulela kuye kwaba lukhetho lobuqu ukuze libe likhoboka likaThixo kunokuba likhoboka labantu. Oku kuvisisana nesiluleko sikampostile uPawulos esithi: “Nathengwa ngexabiso; yekani ukuba ngamakhoboka abantu.”—1 Korinte 7:23.
Ukufunda Ukuze Singenelwe
18. Oza kuba liNgqina ukufanelekela nini ukubhaptizwa?
18 Ngaphambi kokuba umntu afanelekele ukuba liNgqina likaYehova, umele abe neemfaneleko ezingokweZibhalo. Abadala bachul’ ukunyathela xa behlola enoba lowo uza kuba liNgqina uziqonda ngokwenene zonke izinto ezibandakanyekileyo kuzahlulelo lobuKristu. Ngaba ngokwenene uyafuna ukuba ngomnye wamaNgqina kaYehova? Ngaba ukulungele ukuphila ngokuvisisana noko? Ukuba akunjalo, akakufanelekeli ukubhaptizwa.
19. Kutheni singekho isizathu sokumhlab’ amadlala umntu ogqiba kwelokuba abe ngumkhonzi kaThixo ozahluleleyo?
19 Noko ke, ukuba umntu othile uhlangabezana nazo zonke iimfuneko, yintoni enokumenza ahlatyw’ amadlala xa ethe ngokuzithandela wenza isigqibo sobuqu sokuvuma ukuphenjelelwa nguThixo naliLizwi Lakhe eliphefumlelweyo? Ngaba akwamkeleki ncam ukuphenjelelwa nguThixo kunokuphenjelelwa ngabantu? Okanye ngaba ukwenjenjalo akunazingenelo zingako? AmaNgqina kaYehova akacingi ngolo hlobo? Ngeentliziyo ezipheleleyo avumelana namazwi kaThixo abhalwe nguIsaya athi: “Mna Yehova, Thixo wakho, ndingokufundisa [ukuze ungenelwe, NW], ndikunyathelise ngendlela oya kuhamba ngayo.”—Isaya 48:17.
20. Inyaniso yeBhayibhile ibakhulula ngayiphi ingqiqo abantu?
20 Inyaniso yeBhayibhile ikhulula abantu ekukholelweni kwiimfundiso zonqulo ezibubuxoki, ezinjengentuthumbo kanaphakade kwisihogo esivuthayo. (INtshumayeli 9:5, 10) Kunoko, izalisa iintliziyo zabo ngombulelo ngethemba eliyinyaniso ngabafi—uvuko olwenziwe lwakho ngesizinzi sedini lentlawulelo likaYesu Kristu. (Mateyu 20:28; IZenzo 24:15; Roma 6:23) Inyaniso yeBhayibhile ikhulula abantu kwiinkxwaleko ezibangelwa kukuthemba amadinga enziwa ngabezobupolitika angade azaliseke. Kunoko, yenza iintliziyo zabo ziphuphume luvuyo ngenxa yokwazi ukuba uBukumkani bukaYehova sele buzibambile iintambo ezulwini yaye kungekudala buza kulawula nomhlaba uphela. Inyaniso yeBhayibhile ikhulula abantu kwimikhwa ethi, nangona inomtsalane kwinyama engafezekanga, kodwa ingamzukisi uThixo size isikhuni sibuye nomkhwezeli xa umtshato kabani usilela, egula aze afe eseze ngobuso elizweni. Ngamafutshane, ukuba likhoboka likaThixo kuyingenelo ngaphezulu lee kunokuba likhoboka lomntu. Enyanisweni, ukuzahlulela kuThixo kunedinga leengenelo “kwesi sihlandlo sexesha . . . nakwinkqubo yezinto ezayo ubomi obungunaphakade.”—Marko 10:29, 30.
21. AmaNgqina kaYehova akugqala njani ukuzahlulela kuThixo, kwaye uyintoni umnqweno wawo?
21 AmaNgqina kaYehova anamhlanje akazalwa sele eyinxalenye yohlanga oluzahluleleyo njengamaSirayeli amandulo. AmaNgqina ayinxalenye yebandla lamaKristu azahluleleyo. INgqina ngalinye elibhaptiziweyo liye lenza olo khetho lokuzahlulela lizimele ngenkqay’ elangeni. Kuyinyaniso ukuba, kumaNgqina kaYehova, ukuzahlulela kuwenza abe nolwalamano lobuqu olunothando noThixo alubonakalisa ngokukulungela ukumkhonza. Anomnqweno osuka entliziyweni wokulugcina olu lwalamano luvuyisayo, ayibambe nkqi ngonaphakade inkululeko awawanika yona uYesu Kristu.
Ubunokuphendula Uthini?
◻ Kutheni uThixo wayengakhethi buso xa wayenyula amaSirayeli ukuba abe “yinqobo” kuye?
◻ Kutheni unokutsho ukuba ukuzahlulela kwamaKristu akuthethi kuhluthwa inkululeko?
◻ Ziziphi iingenelo zokuzahlulela kuYehova uThixo?
◻ Kutheni kubhetele ukuba ngumkhonzi kaYehova kunokuba likhoboka labantu?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 15]
KuSirayeli wamandulo, umntu wayezahlulela kuThixo kuba ezalelwe kuloo meko
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Uzahlulelo lwamaKristu lungumbandela wokuzikhethela