Izithethe Zasekuhlaleni Nemigaqo YobuKristu—Ngaba Ziya Calanye?
USTEPHEN, iNgqina elisuka kumNtla Yurophu, wafumana isabelo sokuba ngumvangeli wasemazweni kwelinye lamazwe aseAfrika. Wathi esahamba edolophini nomnye umzalwana walapho, wothuka waphants’ ukufa xa loo mzalwana wamthi chu ngesandla.
Kwaukuyicinga nje into yokuthi chu neny’ indoda nibambene ngezandla kwakulisikizi kuStephen. Kwindawo asuka kuyo eso sithethe sinento yokwenza nobufanasini. (Roma 1:27) Noko ke, kulo mzalwana ungumAfrika, ukubambana ngezandla kuphela nje luphawu lokubonakalisa ubuhlobo. Ukungasamkeli isandla somnye bekuya kuthetha ukuqhawuka kwembeleko.
Kutheni sifanele sizikhathaze ngokungquzulana kwezithethe? Esona sizathu siphambili kukuba abantu bakaYehova banomdla wokuphumeza uthumo abalunikwe nguThixo ‘lokwenza abafundi abantu beentlanga zonke.’ (Mateyu 28:19) Ukuze benze lo msebenzi, bambi baye bafudukela kwiindawo apho kukho imfuneko engakumbi yabalungiseleli. Ukuze baphumelele kuloo ndawo intsha, bamele baqonde baze bamkele izithethe ezahlukahlukeneyo abadibana nazo. Baya kwandula ke bakwazi ukusebenza ngaxhathalinye nabanye abazalwana noodade, ngoxa besiba nempumelelo nangakumbi kubulungiseleli basekuhleni.
Ukongezelela, kweli hlabathi linamajingi-qhiwu, abantu abaninzi kuye kwafuneka babhace beshiya amazwe abo ngezizathu zezobupolitika okanye ezoqoqosho baze baye kugob’ ityholo kwamanye amazwe. Ngoko sinokufumanisa ukuba xa sishumayela kwaba bamelwane bethu batsha, sidibana nezithethe esingaziqhelanga. (Mateyu 22:39) Ukuqala kwethu ukubona iindlela ezahlukileyo sisenokuphela sesingazi nokuba sise yiphi na kwasibonda ngenxa yezi zithethe zitsha.
Izithethe Ezizicaceleyo
Le ntw’ isisithethe injengomsonto ophotheneyo oyinxalenye yebutho labantu. Ngoko hayi indlela ebekuya kuba yinkcitha-xesha ngayo “ukuba lilungisa ngokukhulu” uze ubhilabhilane nayo yonk’ into esisithethe ukuze ugqibe enoba siyavumelana kusini na nemigaqo yeBhayibhile!—INtshumayeli 7:16.
Kwelinye icala, kufuneka siziqonde izithethe zasekuhlaleni eziyaphula ngokucacileyo imigaqo kaThixo. Noko ke, kudla ngokungabi nzima ukwenjenjalo, ekubeni iLizwi likaThixo likho ‘ukubeka izinto ngokuthe tye.’ (2 Timoti 3:16) Ngokomzekelo, ukuba nesithembu kusisithethe kwamanye amazwe, kodwa kumaKristu okwenyaniso umgaqo ongokweZibhalo uthi indoda mayibe nomfazi omnye kuphela.—Genesis 2:24; 1 Timoti 3:2.
Ngokufanayo, ezinye izithethe zomngcwabo ezenzelwe ukuhesha imishologu, okanye ezisekelwe kwinkolelo yokungafi komphefumlo, bezingayi kwamkeleka kumKristu wokwenyaniso. Bambi bade batsho ngeziqhumiso okanye bakhunge kwabangasekhoyo ukuze baheshe imishologu. Abanye baba nemilindo okanye kungcwatywe okwesibini ngenjongo yokunceda ongasekhoyo alungele ukuphila ‘apho aya khona.’ Noko ke, iBhayibhile ifundisa ukuba, xa umntu esifa, ‘akazi lutho,’ ibe ngaloo ndlela akanakwenzela mntu izinto ezintle okanye amenzakalise.—INtshumayeli 9:5; INdumiso 146:4.
Kakade ke, zininzi izithethe ezivumelanayo neLizwi likaThixo. Hayi indlela esihlaziyeka ngayo xa sifika kwiindawo ekusekho kuzo umoya wokubuk’ iindwendwe, apho ngokwesithethe umhambi ebuliswa ngobubele yaye, xa kuyimfuneko, anikwe indawo yokuhlala! Xa uqala ukwenzelwa izinwe ngolo hlobo, ngaba loo nto ayikushukumiseli ukuba ulandele ekhondweni? Ukuba wenjenjalo, ngokuqinisekileyo oko kuya kubuphucula ubuntu bakho bobuKristu.—Hebhere 13:1, 2.
Ngubani kuthi okuvuyelayo ukulinda umntu ongade afike? Kwamanye amazwe oku akufane kwenzeke kuba ukugcina ixesha kugqalwa njengento ebalulekileyo. IBhayibhile isixelela ukuba uYehova nguThixo wocwangco. (1 Korinte 14:33) Ngenxa yoko, umisele ‘umhla nelixa’ aya kuphelisa ngalo ubungendawo, ibe uyasiqinisekisa ukuba esi siganeko ‘asiyi kufika emva kwexesha.’ (Mateyu 24:36; Habhakuki 2:3, NW) Izithethe ezikhuthaza ukugcina ixesha ngokusengqiqweni zisinceda sibe nocwangco yaye sibonise intlonelo efanelekileyo kwabanye abantu nangexesha labo, nto leyo ngokuqinisekileyo evisisana nemigaqo yeZibhalo.—1 Korinte 14:40; Filipi 2:4.
Kuthekani Ngezithethe Ezingenabubi?
Ngoxa ezinye izithethe zizicacele ukuba ziyavumelana nendlela yokuphila yamaKristu, ezinye azinjalo. Kodwa kuthekani ngezithethe ekungenakuthiwa zilungile okanye azilunganga? Izithethe ezininzi azinabubi, okanye aziyongozi, ibe isimo sethu sengqondo ngazo sinokubonisa enoba silungelelene kusini na ngokomoya.
Ngokomzekelo, zininzi iindlela zokubulisa—ukuxhawulana, ukugoba, ukuncamisana kwanokuwolana. Ngokufanayo, kukwakho izithethe ezininzi zendlela umntu amele aziphathe ngayo xa esitya phakathi kwabantu. Kwamanye amazwe abantu batyela esityeni esinye. Kwamanye amazwe ukubhodla kuyinto eyamkelekileyo—nede inqweneleke—ukubonisa uxabiso, ngoxa kwamanye kungamkelekanga yaye kugqalwa njengobona bukrwada onokubucinga.
Kunokuba ugqibe ukuba sisiphi kwezi zithethe zingenabubi osithandayo okanye ongasithandiyo, khawuqale ngokuba nesimo sengqondo esihle ngazo. Isiluleko seBhayibhile esingaphelelwa xesha sikhuthaza ukuba ‘singenzi nanye into ngokusukuzana okanye ngokuzigwagwisa, kodwa ngokuthobeka kwengqondo sibagqala abanye njengabongamileyo kunathi.’ (Filipi 2:3) Ngokufanayo, uEleanor Boykin, kwincwadi yakhe ethi This Way, Please—A Book of Manners, uthi: “Into yokuqala omele ube nayo yintliziyo entle.”
Ukuthobeka kuya kusithintela ukuba singanyembi izithethe zabanye. Siya kuziva sishukunyiselwa ukuba sifune ukuqonda indlela abanye abantu abaphila ngayo, izithethe zabo nokutya kwabo, kunokuxhathisa okanye sikrokrele nayiphi na into ebonakala yahlukile. Ngokugcina iingqondo zethu ziphangalele nangokukulungela ukuzama iindlela ezintsha zokwenza izinto, sibonakalisa uxabiso kulowo usamkela njengondwendwe okanye kummelwane wethu kwelo lizwe lasemzini. Kwakhona siyangenelwa kuba iintliziyo neengqondo zethu ‘ziyaphangalala.’—2 Korinte 6:13.
Xa Isithethe Singumqobo Kwinkqubela Yokomoya
Kuthekani xa sidibana nezithethe ezingangqubaniyo neZibhalo, kodwa ezingayikhuthaziyo inkqubela yokomoya? Ngokomzekelo, kwamanye amazwe abantu baye bakuthanda gqitha ukuzibekel’ amangomso izinto. Oku kungabuxhabasheli ubomi kuyalunciphisa uxinezeleko, kodwa kuye kwenze kube nzima ngakumbi ukuphumeza ubulungiseleli bethu “ngokuzeleyo.”—2 Timoti 4:5.
Sinokubakhuthaza njani abanye ukuba bayeke ukuzibekela “amangomso” izinto ezibalulekileyo? Khumbula ukuba “into yokuqala omele ube nayo yintliziyo entle.” Sishukunyiswa luthando, sinokumisela umzekelo size sichaze iingenelo zokungayibekeli amangomso into efanele yenziwe namhlanje. (INtshumayeli 11:4) Kwangaxeshanye, simele sikulumkele ukude siphelelwe yintembelo ngomntu othile kuba nje sifuna abe ngumntu onemveliso. Ukuba abanye abawamkeli ngoko nangoko amacebiso ethu, asifanele sinyanzele okanye sibe nomsindo. Uthando lumele lusoloko lubalulekile kunobuchule babo.—1 Petros 4:8; 5:3.
Ukuhambisana Nezinto Ezithandwa Ekuhlaleni
Kufuneka siqiniseke ukuba naliphi na icebiso esilinikelayo lisengqiqweni yaye alingomzamo nje wokunyanzelisa izinto ezithandwa sithi. Ngokomzekelo, iindlela zokunxiba zahluka gqitha. Kwiindawo ezininzi kuyinto efanelekileyo ukuba indoda ishumayele iindaba ezilungileyo inxibe iqhina, kodwa kwamanye amazwe akweleenjiko, oko kusenokugqalwa njengokundiliseke ngokugqith’ emgceni. Ukunikel’ ingqalelo kwindlela abanxiba ngayo abantu abazizifundiswa basekuhlaleni abasebenza kwiindawo zikawonke wonke ngamaxesha amaninzi kuya kuba luncedo. Ukuba ‘nengqondo ephilileyo’ kubalulekile xa sisingatha umbandela ontununtunu onjengesinxibo.—1 Timoti 2:9, 10.
Kuthekani ukuba eso sithethe asisiginyi kakuhle? Ngaba ngokuzenzekelayo sifanele sisibhebhethe? Akuyomfuneko oko. Isithethe samadoda abambana ngezandla, esikhankanywe ekuqaleni, sasamkeleke ngokupheleleyo kwelo lizwe laseAfrika. Xa lo mvangeli wasemazweni wafumanisa ukuba namanye amadoda ayehamba ebambene ngezandla, kwaba bhetelana noko.
Umpostile uPawulos, ebudeni bohambo lwakhe olude lobuvangeli basemazweni, watyelela amabandla awayenamalungu awayeneemvelaphi ezahlukahlukeneyo. Alithandabuzeki elokuba, kwakuyinto exhaphakileyo ukuba kubekho ukungquzulana kwezithethe. Ngenxa yoko, uPawulos wamkela naziphi na izithethe awayenokuzamkela ngoxa enamathela ngokuqinileyo kwimigaqo yeBhayibhile. Wathi: “Ndiye ndaba zizinto zonke kubantu bazo zonke iintlobo, ukuze ngandlela zonke ndisindise abathile.”—1 Korinte 9:22, 23; IZenzo 16:3.
Kukho imibuzo embalwa ebalulekileyo enokusinceda sigqibe ngendlela esifanele sisabele ngayo kwizithethe ezitsha. Ngokwamkela kwethu isithethe esithile—okanye ke ngokusikhaba ngaw’ omane—baza kucinga ntoni ngathi abo basijongileyo? Ngaba baza kutsaleleka kwisigidimi soBukumkani kuba bebona ukuba sizama ukuphila ngezithethe zabo? Kwelinye icala, ukuba siyasamkela isithethe sasekuhlaleni, ngaba ‘akunakufunyanwa siphoso kubulungiseleli bethu’?—2 Korinte 6:3.
Ukuba sinqwenela ukuba “zizinto zonke kubantu bazo zonke iintlobo,” kusenokufuneka siguqule iimbono ezendeleyo eziphathelele okufanelekileyo nokungafanelekanga. Kudla ngokuxhomekeka kwindawo esihlala kuyo ukuba into “ilungile” okanye “ayilunganga.” Kungoko, kwelinye ilizwe ukubambana ngezandla kwamadoda kuyimbonakaliso yobuhlobo, ngoxa kwamanye amaninzi ngokuqinisekileyo bekuya kusigxibha isigidimi soBukumkani.
Noko ke, zikho izithethe ezamkelekileyo kwiindawo ezithile nezisenokude zifaneleke kumKristu; sekunjalo kufuneka sizilumkele.
Kulumkele Ukugabadela!
UYesu Kristu wathi nangona abafundi bakhe babengenakususwa kweli hlabathi, kwakuya kufuneka bahlale ‘bengeyonxalenye yehlabathi.’ (Yohane 17:15, 16) Noko ke, maxa wambi akulula ukubona umda ophakathi kwenkoliso yezinto zehlabathi likaSathana nezinto nje ezisisithethe. Ngokomzekelo, phantse zonke izithethe ziba nomculo nomdaniso, nangona kwamanye amazwe zinendima ebaluleke nangakumbi.
Kunokuba lula ukuba senze isigqibo—esisekelwe kwimvelaphi yethu kunokuba sisekelwe kwizizathu ezisengqiqweni ezingokweZibhalo. UAlex, umzalwana ongumJamani, wafumana isabelo sokuya kusebenza eSpeyin. Apho wayesuka khona, kwakungumnqa ukubona abantu bedanisa, kodwa eSpeyin oko kuyinxalenye yesithethe. Ukuqala kwakhe ukubona umzalwana nodade bejuxuza kakuhle ngendlela yasekuhlaleni, waba buphazamiseka. Ngaba loo ndlela yokudanisa yayiphosakele bethu okanye ke mhlawumbi ibonakalisa umoya wehlabathi? Ngaba wayeya kuba uyayithoba imilinganiselo yakhe xa esamkela esi sithethe? UAlex wafumanisa ukuba nangona lo mculo nendlela yokudanisa yayahlukile, sasingekho isizathu sokuba acinge ukuba abazalwana noodade baseSpeyin babeyithoba imilinganiselo yamaKristu. Ukuphazamiseka kwakhe kwakubangelwe kukwahluka kwezithethe.
UEmilio, umzalwana owuthandayo umdaniso ongokwesithethe waseSpeyin, uphawula ingozi ethile. Uyachaza: “Ndifumanise ukuba inkoliso yemidaniso iye ifune isibini sisondelelane kakhulu. Nanjengamntu ungatshatanga, ndiye ndafumanisa ukuba oku kunokuzichaphazela iimvakalelo ubuncinane ezelinye laloo maqabane. Maxa wambi, ukudanisa kunokusetyenziswa njengendlela yokubonisa uthando kumntu othe swii nguye. Ukuqiniseka ukuba umculo odlalwayo ucocekile yaye anisondelelani kakhulu kunokunikhusela. Noko ke, mandivume ukuba xa iqela labazalwana noodade abangatshatanga lisiya emdanisweni kunye, kuba nzima gqitha ukugcina imo engokobuthixo.”
Ngokuqinisekileyo, asifuni kusebenzisa izithethe zethu njengesingxengxezo sokuzifica kwihambo yehlabathi. Ukucula nokungqungqa kwakunendawo yako kwizithethe zakwaSirayeli, ibe xa amaSirayeli akhululwa eYiputa kuLwandle Olubomvu, phakathi kwaloo mibhiyozo yawo kwakusitsho iingoma yaye kungqungqwa. (Eksodus 15:1, 20) Noko ke, umculo nomngqungqo wawo wawungafani nowabahedeni ababewangqongile.
Okulusizi kukuba, xa ayelinde uMoses ukuba abuye kwiNtaba yeSinayi, amaSirayeli aphelelwa ngumonde, enza ithole legolide, ibe emva kokutya nokusela ‘esuka ema, adlala.’ (Eksodus 32:1-6) Xa uMoses noYoshuwa beva ingoma yawo, baphazamiseka ngoko nangoko. (Eksodus 32:17, 18) Loo maSirayeli ayenqumle “umda,” ibe indlela awayecula yaye engqungqa ngayo ngoku yayibonisa umoya wabahedeni ababewangqongile.
Ngokufanayo namhlanje, umculo nomngqungqo zisenokwamkeleka ebantwini esihlala nabo yaye zisenokungazikhathazi izazela zabanye. Kodwa xa udlalwa izibane zikhanyiswe luzizi, yaye kusetyenziswa izibane ezidanyazayo, okanye umculo ubetha ngesingqi esahlukileyo, oko kudla ngokwamkeleka kusenokujika ngoku kubonakalise umoya wehlabathi. Sisenokuma ngelithi, “Hayi kaloku sisithethe sethu esi.” UAron wasebenzisa isingxengxezo esifanayo xa wavumela iindlela zabahedeni zokuzonwabisa nezokunqula, ngempazamo ezibiza ngokuthi “ngumthendeleko kuYehova.” Yayingekho ke le nto wayeyithetha. Kaloku, izinto ababezenza zagqalwa ‘njengezilihlazo kwanangabachasi babo.’—Eksodus 32:5, 25.
Izithethe Zinendawo Yazo
Izithethe esingaziqhelanga zisenokusothusa, kodwa akuyomfuneko ukuba sizigqale zonke njengezingamkelekanga. Ekubeni sisebenzisa ‘amandla ethu okuqonda aqeqeshiweyo,’ sinako ukuzibona izithethe ezivumelanayo nemigaqo yamaKristu nezingenjalo. (Hebhere 5:14) Xa sibonakalisa ububele nentliziyo ezaliswe luthando ngabanye abantu, siya kusabela ngendlela efanelekileyo xa sijamelene nezithethe ezingenabubi.
Njengoko sishumayela iindaba ezilungileyo zoBukumkani kubantu basekuhlaleni okanye bezinye iindawo ezikude, ukuzijonga ngendlela elungeleleneyo izithethe ezahlukeneyo siya kukwazi ukuba “zizinto zonke kubantu bazo zonke iintlobo.” Kwaye siya kufumanisa ukuba ukwamkela izithethe ezahlukeneyo, kusenza siphile ubomi obunentsingiselo, obubangel’ umdla nobuzaliswe yimincili.
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 20]
AmaKristu anokubulisana kakuhle ngeendlela ezininzi
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 23]
Ukuba nembono elungeleleneyo ngezithethe ezahlukeneyo kunokukhokelela kubomi obunentsingiselo nobubangel’ umdla