Amanyathelo Okuqala Okuhamba NoThixo
“Sondelani kuThixo, yaye uya kusondela kuni.”—YAKOBI 4:8.
1, 2. Kutheni unokuthi kulilungelo elikhulu ukukhonza uYehova?
NDODA ithile yaqingqitha iminyaka iqamela ngenqindi eziseleni. Yandula ke ngeny’ imini kwafuneka iye kuma phambi komlawuli welo lizwe. Yaba nguphanya nje ukwenzeka kwezo zinto. Kungabanga xesha lide, eli banjwa lazibona sele lingumkhonzi wengqqonyela yokumkani eyayikho emhlabeni ngelo xesha. Le ndoda eyayifudula ilibanjwa yabekwa emaqhuzwini yaza yathiwa jize ngewonga eliphezulu. UYosefu—indoda eyayikhe yakhonkxwa iinyawo ngamakhamandela—ngoku wayesele ehamba nokumkani!—Genesis 41:14, 39-43; INdumiso 105:17, 18.
2 Namhlanje, abantu banethuba lokukhonza oyena mntu ongaphezulu lee kuFaro waseYiputa. UMongami wendalo iphela usimema sonke ukuba simkhonze. Elinjani ukoyikeka lona ilungelo ukwenjenjalo kwakunye nelo lokuhlakulela ulwalamano olusondeleyo noYehova, uThixo usomandla! EZibhalweni, xa kuthethwa ngaye kuthiwa unamandla azukileyo nobungangamsha kwakunye nesithozela, unendili yaye uyathandeka. (Hezekile 1:26-28; ISityhilelo 4:1-3) Uthando luyeyona nto ibalaseleyo kwizinto azenzayo. (1 Yohane 4:8) Akaze axoke. (Numeri 23:19) Kananjalo uYehova akaze abadanise abo banyanisekileyo kuye. (INdumiso 18:25) Ngokulandela imilinganiselo yakhe yobulungisa, sinokuphila ubomi obonwabisayo nobunenjongo kwanangoku, sinethemba lobomi obungunaphakade. (Yohane 17:3) Akukho nokuba abe mnye umlawuli ongumntu othembisa ngento esondeleyo kwiintsikelelo namalungelo asithembisa wona.
3. UNowa ‘wahamba noThixo’ ngayiphi indlela?
3 Mandulo, usolusapho uNowa wazimisela ukuphila ngokuvisisana nokuthanda nenjongo kaThixo. Ithetha ngaye, iBhayibhile ithi: “UNowa waye eyindoda elilungisa, egqibeleleyo, ezizukulwaneni zakhe. UNowa wahamba noThixo.” (Genesis 6:9) Kambe ke, uNowa akazange ahambe noYehova ngokoqobo, ekubeni kungekho namntu “umbonileyo uThixo nangaliphi na ixesha.” (Yohane 1:18) Kunoko, uNowa wahamba noThixo ngokwenza oko uThixo wayemxelele ukuba akwenze. Ekubeni uNowa wanikela ubomi bakhe bonke ekwenzeni ukuthanda kukaYehova, waba nolwalamano lothando nolusenyongweni noThixo uSomandla. NjengoNowa, izigidi namhlanje ‘zihamba noThixo’ ngokuphila ngokuvisisana nesiluleko noko kuyalelwe nguYehova. Umntu uqalisa njani ukuhamba kwelo khondo?
Ulwazi Oluchanileyo Lubalulekile
4. UYehova ubafundisa njani abantu bakhe?
4 Ukuze sihambe noYehova, simele siqale ngokumazi. Umprofeti uIsaya waxela kwangaphambili wathi: “Kuya kuthi ekupheleni kwemihla, intaba yendlu kaYehova ivelele ezincotsheni zazo iintaba, izongamele iinduli, zibe ngumsinga ukuya kuyo zonke iintlanga. Kuya kuhamba izizwe ezininzi, zithi, Yizani, sinyuke siye entabeni kaYehova, endlwini kaThixo kaYakobi; asiyalele iindlela zakhe, sihambe ngomendo wakhe. Kuba kuya kuphuma umyalelo eZiyon, nelizwi likaYehova eYerusalem.” (Isaya 2:2, 3) Ewe, sinokuqiniseka ukuba uYehova uya kubafundisa bonke abo bafuna ukuhamba ngeendlela zakhe. UYehova usinike iLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile, yaye uyasinceda ukuze siliqonde. Enye indlela akwenza ngayo oku kungokusebenzisa “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi.” (Mateyu 24:45-47) UYehova usebenzisa ‘ikhoboka elithembekileyo’ ukuze lisinike ukutya kokomoya ngeempapasho ezisekelwe eBhayibhileni, ngeentlanganiso zamaKristu nangelungiselelo lesifundo seBhayibhile sekhaya sesisa. Kwakhona uThixo unceda abantu bakhe baqonde iLizwi lakhe ngomoya wakhe oyingcwele.—1 Korinte 2:10-16.
5. Kutheni inyaniso yeZibhalo ixabiseke kangaka?
5 Nangona singakhuphi nepen’ emdaka ukuze siyifumane, inyaniso yeBhayibhile ixabisekile. Njengoko sifundisisa iLizwi likaThixo, sifunda ngoThixo—igama lakhe, ubuntu bakhe, injongo yakhe nendlela abaphatha ngayo abantu. Kwakhona sifumana iimpendulo ezitsho kuthi qwenge kwimibuzo esisiseko: Kutheni silapha? Kutheni uThixo evumela ubungendawo? Lisifumbathele ntoni ikamva? Kutheni sisaluphala size sife? Ngaba kukho ubomi emva kokufa? Ngaphezu koko, sifunda ngoko uThixo athanda sikwenze, ngamany’ amazwi, indlela esifanele sihambe ngayo ukuze simkholise ngokupheleleyo. Sifunda ukuba izinto azifunayo zisengqiqweni yaye ziyingenelo ngokwenene xa siphila ngokuvisisana nazo. Besingasokuze sizazi tu ezo zinto ukuba besingafundiswa nguThixo.
6. Liliphi ikhondo ulwazi oluchanileyo lweBhayibhile olusenza sikwazi ukulilandela?
6 Inyaniso yeBhayibhile inamandla yaye isishukumisela ukuba senze iinguqulelo kubomi bethu. (Hebhere 4:12) Ngaphambi kokuba sibe nolwazi ngeZibhalo, sasihamba “ngokwenkqubo yezinto yeli hlabathi.” (Efese 2:2) Kodwa ulwazi oluchanileyo ngeLizwi likaThixo lusicacisela umendo owahlukileyo ukuze ‘sihambe kuwo ngokumfaneleyo uYehova size simkholise ngokuzeleyo.’ (Kolose 1:10) Hayi indlela ekuvuyisa ngayo ukuqalisa ukuhamba noYehova, iNgangamasha kwindalo iphela!—Luka 11:28.
Amanyathelo Amabini Abalulekileyo—Ukuzahlulela Nokubhaptizwa
7. Njengoko sifundisisa iLizwi likaThixo, yiyiphi inyaniso eya idandalaza ngokhokelo umntu afanele abe nalo?
7 Xa sisiya siqola kulwazi lweBhayibhile, siqalisa ukuzijonga izinto zobomi kunye nobomi bethu ngeliso lokomoya leLizwi likaThixo. Itsho icace ke inyaniso ebalulekileyo. Loo nyaniso yachazwa kwamandulo ngumprofeti uYeremiya, owabhala wathi: “Ndiyazi, Yehova, ukuba ayikhona emntwini indlela yakhe; akukhona endodeni ehambayo ukuqinisela ukunyathela kwayo.” (Yeremiya 10:23) Singabantu—xa sisonke—siyalufuna ulwalathiso lukaThixo.
8. (a) Yintoni eshukumisela abantu ukuba bazahlulele kuThixo? (b) Luyintoni uzahlulelo lwamaKristu?
8 Ukuyiqonda le nyaniso ibalulekileyo kusikhuthaza ukuba sifune ukhokelo lukaYehova. Yaye ukuthanda uThixo kusishukumisela ukuba sahlulele ubomi bethu kuye. Ukuzahlulela kuThixo kuthetha ukusondela kuye ngomthandazo size senze isifungo sokusebenzisa ubomi bethu ekukhonzeni yena size sihambe ngeendlela zakhe ngokuthembeka. Xa sisenza oku, silandela umzekelo kaYesu, owazinikela kuYehova ezimisele ukwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo.—Hebhere 10:7.
9. Kutheni abantu besahlulela ubomi babo kuYehova?
9 UYehova uThixo akaze anyanzele okanye antlokothise nabani na ukuba azahlulele kuye. (Thelekisa eyesi-2 kwabaseKorinte 9:7.) Ngaphezu koko, uThixo akalindelanga nabani na ukuba ahlulele ubomi bakhe Kuye ngenxa yentabatheko. Ngaphambi kokuba abhaptizwe, umntu umele abe sele engumfundi, yaye oko kufuna umntu enze umgudu wokunyaniseka ukuze azuze ulwazi. (Mateyu 28:19, 20) UPawulos wabongoza abo babesele bebhaptiziwe ukuba ‘banikele imizimba yabo ibe yimibingelelo ephilayo, engcwele, eyamkelekileyo kuThixo, inkonzo ke leyo engcwele ngokwamandla enu engqiqo.’ (Roma 12:1) Nathi ke sizahlulela kuYehova uThixo ngokusebenzisa kwaloo mandla engqiqo. Sakuba sifunde ngoko kubandakanyekileyo nangokuwucingisisa ngenyameko lo mbandela, siye sinikele ubomi bethu kuThixo ngokuzithandela nangovuyo.—INdumiso 110:3.
10. Ukuzahlulela kudibana njani nokubhaptizwa?
10 Sakuba sithethe noThixo ngasese ngomthandazo simchazela ukuzimisela kwethu ukuhamba ngeendlela zakhe, sithabatha inyathelo elilandelayo. Silwazisa ekuhleni uzahlulelo lwethu ngokubhaptizwa emanzini. Olu luvumo lwasekuhleni esiye ngalo senze isifungo sokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo. Ekuqaliseni kobulungiseleli bakhe basemhlabeni, uYesu wabhaptizwa nguYohane, ngaloo ndlela esimisela umzekelo. (Mateyu 3:13-17) Kamva, uYesu wathuma abalandeli bakhe ukuba benze abafundi baze bababhaptize. Ngoko ke, ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa ngamanyathelo abalulekileyo kuye nabani na onqwenela ukuhamba noYehova.
11, 12. (a) Ubhaptizo lunokufaniswa njani nomtshato? (b) Ulwalamano lwethu noYehova lufana njani nolwendoda nomfazi?
11 Ukuba ngumfundi kaYesu Kristu ozahluleleyo nobhaptiziweyo kunendawana efanayo nokutshata. Kumazwe amaninzi, kukho amanyathelo aliqela athatyathwayo ngaphambi komhla womtshato. Indoda iqal’ iphandlwe libhinqa elithile, baqalis’ ukuqhelana baze ke bathandane. Emva koko bayaganana. Umsitho womtshato wona kukubonisa ekuhleni isigqibo ebesenziwe ngasese—ukuzimanya ngeqhina lomtshato njengendoda nomfazi. Ngumtshato obonisa ukuqaliswa kolwalamano olukhethekileyo. Loo mhla sisiqalo sobomi bomtshato. Ngokufanayo ke, ukubhaptizwa sisiqalo sokuba ubomi bakho uza kubuchitha uhamba noYehova uzahlulele kuye.
12 Nank’ omnye umzekelo. Emva komhla womtshato, uthando lwendoda nomfazi lufanele luthi chatha yaye lube lolwabantu abaqolileyo. Ukuze asondelelane ngakumbi, omabini amaqabane afanele ngokungazingci azibhokoxe ekulondolozeni nasekomelezeni ulwalamano lomtshato. Nangona singatshati noThixo, emva kokubhaptizwa kwethu simele sizabalazele ukuhlala sinolwalamano olusondeleyo noYehova. Uyayondela yaye uyayixabisa imigudu esiyenzayo yokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe yaye uyasondela kuthi. Umfundi uYakobi wabhala: “Sondelani kuThixo, yaye uya kusondela kuni.”—Yakobi 4:8.
Ukuhamba Emanyathelweni KaYesu
13. Xa sihamba noThixo, ngumzekelo kabani esifanele siwulandele?
13 Ukuze sihambe noYehova, simele silandele umzekelo owamiselwa nguYesu Kristu. Umpostile uPetros wabhala: “Nabizelwa kulo eli khondo, ngenxa yokuba kwanoKristu wabandezeleka ngenxa yenu, enishiya nomzekelo ukuze nilandele amanyathelo akhe ngokusondeleyo.” (1 Petros 2:21) Ekubeni uYesu wayefezekile yaye thina singafezekanga, asinakuwulandela ncam umzekelo awawubekayo. Sekunjalo, uYehova ulindele ukuba senze konke okusemandleni ethu. Makhe sijonge iinkalo ezintlanu zobomi bukaYesu nobulungiseleli bakhe amaKristu azahluleleyo afanele azabalazele ukuzifikelela.
14. Yintoni ebandakanyekileyo ekwazini iLizwi likaThixo?
14 UYesu wayelazi kakuhle iLizwi likaThixo. Ebudeni bobulungiseleli bakhe, uYesu wayesoloko ecaphula iZibhalo zesiHebhere. (Luka 4:4, 8) Kakade ke, iinkokeli zonqulo ezingendawo zaloo mihla nazo zazicaphula eZibhalweni. (Mateyu 22:23, 24) Umahluko wawukukuba uYesu wayekuqonda oko kwakuthethwa ziZibhalo, yaye wakusebenzisa ebomini bakhe. Wayengajongi nje la magama abhalwe eMthethweni kodwa wayejonga kwanentsingiselo yawo. Njengokuba silandela umzekelo kaKristu, nathi sifanele sizabalazele ukuqonda iLizwi likaThixo, sifumane ingqiqo yalo okanye intsingiselo yalo. Xa senze oko, sisenokuba ngabasebenzi abafanelekayo phambi koThixo abakwazi ‘ukuliphatha ngokufanelekileyo ilizwi lenyaniso.’—2 Timoti 2:15.
15. UYesu wawumisela njani umzekelo ngokuthetha ngoThixo?
15 UKristu Yesu wayethetha nabanye ngoYise osemazulwini. UYesu akazange alugushe kuye ulwazi ngeLizwi likaThixo. Kwaneentshaba zakhe zazimbiza ngokuthi “Mfundisi,” kuba naphi na apho wayehamba khona wayethetha nabanye ngoYehova neenjongo Zakhe. (Mateyu 12:38) UYesu wayeshumayela ekuhleni etempileni, kwizindlu zesikhungu, ezixekweni nasemaphandleni. (Marko 1:39; Luka 8:1; Yohane 18:20) Wayenovelwano xa efundisa yaye enobubele, ebonisa uthando kwabo wayebanceda. (Mateyu 4:23) Abo balandela umzekelo kaYesu bafumanisa iindawo neendlela zokufundisa abanye ngoYehova uThixo nangeenjongo zakhe ezimangalisayo.
16. UYesu wayesondelelene kangakanani nabanye abanquli bakaYehova?
16 UYesu wayebathanda gqitha abo banqula uYehova. Xa uYesu wayethetha nezihlwele ngasihlandlo sithile, unina nabantakwabo beza kuthetha naye. Ingxelo yeBhayibhile ithi: “Ngoko uthile wathi kuye: ‘Khangela! Unyoko nabantakwenu bemi ngaphandle, befuna ukuthetha nawe.’ Ephendula wathi kulowo wayemxelela: ‘Ngubani na uma, yaye ngoobani abantakwethu?’ Kwaye esolulela isandla sakhe ngakubafundi bakhe, wathi: ‘Khangela! Uma nabantakwethu! Kuba nabani na owenza ukuthanda kukaBawo osezulwini, nguye lowo ongumntakwethu, nodade wethu, noma.’” (Mateyu 12:47-50) Oku akuthethi kuthi uYesu wayeyibukula intsapho yakowabo, kuba ngezinye izihlandlo wabonisa ukuba akanjalo. (Yohane 19:25-27) Sekunjalo, le ngxelo ibethelela uthando uYesu awayenalo ngamanye amakholwa. Ngokufanayo ke namhlanje, abo bahamba noThixo bazama ukunxulumana nabakhonzi bakaYehova baze babathande ngokungakumbi.—1 Petros 4:8.
17. UYesu wavakalelwa njani ngokwenza ukuthanda kukaYise, ibe loo nto imele isichaphazele njani?
17 Ngokwenza ukuthanda kukaThixo, uYesu wabonisa ukuba uyamthanda uYise osemazulwini. UYesu wayemthobela uYehova. Wathi: “Okwam ukutya kukuba ndenze ukuthanda kondithumileyo nokuba ndiwugqibe umsebenzi wakhe.” (Yohane 4:34) Kwakhona uKristu wathi: “Ndisoloko ndisenza izinto ezikholekileyo kuye [uThixo].” (Yohane 8:29) UYesu wamthanda uYise osemazulwini kangangokuba “wazithoba waza wathobeka de kwafikelela ekufeni, ewe, ukufa kwisibonda sentuthumbo.” (Filipi 2:8) NoYehova wamsikelela uYesu, emnika igunya nembeko ngaphezu kwakhe wonk’ ubani ngaphandle kukaYehova ngenkqu. (Filipi 2:9-11) NjengoYesu, nathi sibonakalisa uthando kuThixo ngokugcina imiyalelo yakhe nangokwenza ukuthanda kwakhe.—1 Yohane 5:3.
18. UYesu wawumisela njani umzekelo kumbandela womthandazo?
18 UYesu wayewuzondelele umthandazo. Wathandaza xa wayebhaptizwa. (Luka 3:21) Ngaphambi kokuba anyule abapostile bakhe abali-12, wachitha ubusuku bonke ethandaza. (Luka 6:12, 13) UYesu wafundisa abafundi bakhe indlela yokuthandaza. (Luka 11:1-4) Ngobusuku bangaphambi kokufa kwakhe, wathandazela abafundi bakhe yaye wayethandaza kunye nabo. (Yohane 17:1-26) Umthandazo wawubalulekile ebomini bukaYesu, kwananjengoko ufanele ube njalo nakobethu, ekubeni singabalandeli bakhe. Elinjani lona ilungelo lokuthetha noMongami Wendalo Iphela ngomthandazo! Ngaphezu koko, uYehova uyayiphendula imithandazo, kuba uYohane wabhala: “Le yintembelo esinayo kuye, yokuba, kungakhathaliseki ukuba kuyintoni na oko sikucelayo ngokuvumelana nokuthanda kwakhe, uyasiva. Ngokubhekele phaya, ukuba siyazi ukuba uyasiva ngokuphathelele nantoni na esiyicelayo, siyazi ukuba simele sibe nazo izinto eziceliweyo ekubeni siye sazicela kuye.”—1 Yohane 5:14, 15.
19. (a) Ziziphi iimpawu zikaYesu esifanele sizixelise? (b) Singenelwa njani ngokufundisisa ngobomi nangobulungiseleli bukaYesu?
19 Kuninzi gqitha onokukufunda xa unokubondela kakuhle ubomi nobulungiseleli basemhlabeni bukaYesu Kristu! Khawucinge nje ngeempawu awazibonakalisayo: uthando, imfesane, ububele, amandla, ukulungelelana, ingqiqo, ukuthobeka, inkalipho nokungazingci. Okukhona sifunda ngoYesu, kokukhona ukhula umnqweno wethu wokuba ngabalandeli bakhe abathembekileyo. Ukwazi uYesu kukwasisondeza kuYehova. Ngapha koko, uYesu wayengumfuziselo ogqibeleleyo kaYise osezulwini. Wayesondele gqitha kuYehova kangangokuba wade wathi: “Lowo undibonileyo mna umbonile kwanoBawo.”—Yohane 14:9.
Kholosa Ngelokuba UThixo Wokulondoloza
20. Sinokuzithemba njani ekuhambeni noYehova?
20 Xa abantwana besafunda ukuhamba, badla ngokugxadazela. Bafunda njani ukuhamba ngokuzithemba? Bafunda ngokuziqhelisa nokuzingisa kuphela. Ngoko ke, abo bahamba noYehova bazabalazela ukuhamba ngqo yaye bangagxadazeli. Nabo kufuneka baziphe ixesha yaye bazingise. UPawulos wabalaselisa ukubaluleka kokuzingisa ekuhambeni noThixo xa wabhala: “Okokugqibela, bazalwana, siyanicela yaye siyanibongoza ngeNkosi uYesu, kanye njengokuba namkela uyalelo oluvela kuthi ngendlela enifanele nihambe ngayo nize nikholise uThixo, kanye njengokuba enyanisweni nihamba, ukuze niqhubeke nikwenza ngokuzele ngakumbi.”—1 Tesalonika 4:1.
21. Ziziphi iintsikelelo esinokuzifumana njengoko sihamba noYehova?
21 Ukuba sizinikele ngokupheleleyo kuThixo, uya kusinceda siqhubeke sihamba naye. (Isaya 40:29-31) Ayikho into esinokuyinikwa leli hlabathi enokulingana neentsikelelo azithululela abo bahamba naye. ‘Ungosifundisa okungasincedayo, asinyathelise ngendlela esiya kuhamba ngayo. Akwaba imithetho yakhe besingayibazela indlebe, beluya kuba njengomlambo uxolo lwethu, nobulungisa bethu bube njengamaza olwandle.’ (Isaya 48:17, 18) Ngokwamkela isimemo sokuba sihambe noThixo nangokuhamba naye ngokuthembeka, sinokuba seluxolweni kunye naye ngonaphakade.
Ubunokuphendula Uthini?
◻ Kutheni kulilungelo ukuhamba noThixo oyinyaniso?
◻ Kutheni ufundisiso, uzahlulelo nobhaptizo ingamanyathelo okuqala okuhamba noYehova?
◻ Sinokuwalandela njani amanyathelo kaYesu?
◻ Sazi njani ukuba uYehova uya kusilondoloza njengoko sihamba naye?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 13]
Ukufundisisa, ukuzahlulela nokubhaptizwa ngamanyathelo okuqala okuhamba noThixo