Azinziswa Lithemba, Aqhutywa Luthando
“Kuhleli ukholo, ithemba, uthando, ezi zontathu; kodwa eyona inkulu kwezi luthando.”—1 KORINTE 13:13.
1. Sisiphi isilumkiso asinika sona umpostile uPawulos?
UMPOSTILE UPAWULOS usilumkisa ngelithi sinokwaphukelwa lukholo kanye njengenqanawa. Uthetha ‘ngokuba nokholo nesazela esilungileyo, abaye bambi basityhalela bucala lwaza ukholo lwabo lonakala njengenqanawa eyaphukileyo.’ (1 Timoti 1:19) Ngenkulungwane yokuqala yeXesha lethu Eliqhelekileyo, iinqanawa ezazihamba elwandle zazenziwe ngamaplanga. Ukukufanelekela kwazo ukuhamba elwandle kwakuxhomekeke kuhlobo lwamaplanga nakubugcisa ezazenziwe ngabo.
2. Kutheni inqanawa yokholo lwethu imele yakhiwe kakuhle, ibe loo nto ifuna senze ntoni thina?
2 Oko sisenokukubiza ngokuthi yinqanawa yokholo lwethu kumele kungaziki njengoko kutyhubela iilwandle ezineenkqwithela zoluntu. (Isaya 57:20; ISityhilelo 17:15) Ngoko kumele kwakhiwe kakuhle, kwaye loo nto ixhomekeke kuthi. Xa “iilwandle” zamaYuda namaRoma zaziwaphehluzelisa kanobom amaKristu okuqala, uYude wabhala: “Zintanda, ngokuzakha kolwenu ukholo olulolona lungcwele, nokuthandaza ninomoya oyingcwele, zigcineni kuthando lukaThixo, ngoxa nilindele inceba yeNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu nikhangele kubomi obungunaphakade.” (Yude 20, 21) Ekubeni uYude wathetha nangokulwela ‘ukholo olwanikelwa kwabangcwele,’ ibinzana elithi “ukholo olulolona lungcwele” lisenokubhekisela kuzo zonke iimfundiso zamaKristu, kuquka iindaba ezilungileyo zosindiso. (Yude 3) UKristu usisiseko solo kholo. Kufuneka ukholo olomeleleyo ukuze sinamathele kunqulo lwamaKristu okwenyaniso.
Ukutyhubela Uqhwithela Olubangelwa “Sisoyikiso Samahlelo”
3. Abanye basisebenzisa njani “isoyikiso samahlelo”?
3 Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, ziye zaxhaphaka izihlo ezimanyumnyezi zokuzibulala kwabantu abaninzi, ukugetyengwa kwabantu nokuhlasela kwabagrogrisi okubandakanya amahlelo amancinane. Ngesizathu esiqondakalayo, abantu abaninzi, kuquka iinkokeli ezinyanisekileyo zezobupolitika, baye babonakalisa inkxalabo yokukhusela abantu abamsulwa, ngokukodwa abantwana, kuloo mahlelo ayingozi. Ngaloo ndlela “uthixo wale nkqubo yezinto,” ngokuqinisekileyo ongunobangela wolu lwaphulo-mthetho lukhohlakeleyo, uye wadala oko abanye bakubiza ngokuthi sisoyikiso samahlelo, kwaye oku ukusebenzisa nxamnye nabantu bakaYehova. (2 Korinte 4:4; ISityhilelo 12:12) Abanye baye basebenzisa le meko ukuze babangele umsebenzi wethu uchaswe. Kumazwe athile, baye baphuma iphulo elibonakala lenzelwe ukukhusela abantu “kumahlelo ayingozi,” kodwa ke baye ngempazamo bawabopha ngabande linye namaNgqina kaYehova, ngaloo ndlela besityhola ngelikwekwayo. Oku kuye kwabangela ukuba ukunikela ubungqina kwindlu ngendlu kube nzima kwamanye amazwe aseYurophu kwaye kuye kwabangela abanye abantu abebefundisisa iBhayibhile kunye nathi bayeke ukufundisisa. Ethubeni, oku kuye kwabatyhafisa abanye babazalwana bethu.
4. Kutheni singafanele sityhafiswe yinkcaso?
4 Noko ke, inkcaso ayifanele isityhafise koko ifanele yomeleze ukuzimisela kwethu ukuba ngamaKristu okwenyaniso. (Mateyu 5:11, 12) AmaKristu okuqala ayetyholwa ngokuba lihlelo elixhokonxa iziphendu, ibe ‘kwakuthethwa ngokunxamnye nawo’ kuyo yonk’ indawo. (IZenzo 24:5; 28:22) Kodwa umpostile uPetros wawaqinisekisa amanye amakholwa, ebhala esithi: “Zintanda, musani ukubhideka kukutshisa okuphakathi kwenu, okwenzeka kuni njengesilingo, ngokungathi nehlelwa yinto engaqhelekanga. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, qhubekani ninemihlali njengoko ninesabelo kwiimbandezelo zikaKristu, ukuze nibe nemihlali yaye nivuye ngokugqithiseleyo nasebudeni bokutyhileka kozuko lwakhe.” (1 Petros 4:12, 13) Ngendlela efanayo, ilungu lequmrhu elilawulayo lenkulungwane yokuqala labhala: “Kugqaleni konke kuluvuyo, bazalwana bam, xa nihlangana nezilingo ezahlukahlukeneyo, nisazi njengoko kunjalo ukuba lo mlinganiselo uvavanyiweyo wokholo lwenu usebenza unyamezelo. Kodwa umsebenzi walo unyamezelo mawupheleliswe, ukuze nibe ngabapheleleyo nabaphilileyo kwiinkalo zonke, ningaswele nantoni na.” (Yakobi 1:2-4) Kanye njengokuba imimoya ebhudla ngamandla ikuvavanya ukukufanelekela kwenqanawa ukuhamba elwandle, iinkqwithela zenkcaso ziya kubutyhila nabuphi na ubuthathaka obukwinqanawa yethu yokholo.
Imbandezelo Ivelisa Unyamezelo
5. Sinokuqiniseka njani ukuba ukholo lwethu luzinzile xa siphantsi kwembandezelo?
5 Ekuphela kwendlela amaKristu anokuqiniseka ngayo ngokunyamezela kwawo nangokuzinza kokholo lwawo kukutyhubela iinkqwithela zembandezelo. Unyamezelo lwethu luya ‘kuwuphelelisa umsebenzi walo’ kwiilwandle ezineenkqwithela kuphela ukuba ‘siba ngabapheleleyo nabaphilileyo kwiinkalo zonke, singaswele nantoni na,’ kuquka ukholo olomeleleyo. UPawulos wabhala: “Ngandlela zonke siyazincomela njengabalungiseleli bakaThixo, ngokunyamezela okukhulu, ngeembandezelo, ngokuswela, ngeenzima.”—2 Korinte 6:4.
6. Kutheni sifanele “sigcobe ngoxa sisezimbandezelweni,” kwaye oku kunokulomeleza njani ithemba lethu?
6 Imimoya ebhudlayo yembandezelo esenokusifikela maxa wambi ifanele igqalwe njengamathuba okubonisa ukuba inqanawa yokholo lwethu iphilile yaye izinzile. UPawulos wabhalela amaKristu aseRoma esithi: “Masigcobe ngoxa sisezimbandezelweni, ekubeni sisazi ukuba imbandezelo ivelisa unyamezelo; unyamezelo, ngokulandelayo, luvelisa imeko ekholekileyo; imeko ekholekileyo, ngokulandelayo, ivelisa ithemba, kwaye ithemba alidanisi.” (Roma 5:3-5) Ukomelela kwethu xa siphantsi kweemvavanyo kusenza sifumane inkoliseko kaYehova. Ibe loo nto yomeleza ithemba lethu.
Isizathu Sokuba Abanye Baphukelwe Yinqanawa
7. (a) Njengoko amazwi kaPawulos ebonisa, abanye baphukelwa njani yinqanawa ngokomoya? (b) Bambi namhlanje baye baphambuka njani enyanisweni?
7 Xa uPawulos wayelumkisa ‘ngokwaphukelwa yinqanawa,’ wayecinga ngabo ‘babesityhalele bucala’ isazela esilungileyo baza baphulukana nokholo lwabo. (1 Timoti 1:19) Phakathi kwabo kwakukho uHimenayo noAleksandire abawexukayo, baphambuka enyanisweni baza bathetha ngokunyelisayo. (1 Timoti 1:20, umbhalo osemazantsi weNW; 2 Timoti 2:17, 18) Namhlanje, abawexuki abaphambukayo enyanisweni balibetha ngamazwi “ikhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,” ibe ngenxa yoko baluma kwaesi sandla besibondla ngokomoya. Bambi bafana ‘nekhoboka elinobubi,’ ngokungathi kunjalo bathi, “Inkosi yam iyalibala.” (Mateyu 24:44-49; 2 Timoti 4:14, 15) Bayayikhanyela into yokuba isiphelo sale nkqubo ingendawo yezinto sisemnyango kwaye bayalugxeka udidi lwekhoboka oluphaphileyo ngenxa yokuba lugcine imvo yongxamiseko kubantu bakaYehova. (Isaya 1:3) Aba bawexuki bayaphumelela ‘ekubhukuqeni ukholo lwabathile,’ ibe bangunobangela wokwaphuka kweenqanawa zokomoya.—2 Timoti 2:18.
8. Yintoni eye yabangela abanye bayaphula okanye bayizikisa inqanawa yokholo lwabo?
8 Amanye amaKristu azahluleleyo aye ayaphula inqanawa yokholo lwawo ngokuzityhalela ecaleni izazela zawo aze azifice kwiziyunguma ezingalawulekiyo nasekuziphatheni okubi ngokwesini kweli hlabathi. (2 Petros 2:20-22) Ukanti amanye azikisa inqanawa yokholo lwawo kuba, ngokwembono yawo, ingekabonakali nangetshengele inkqubo entsha yezinto. Abakwazi ukulibala ixesha lenzaliseko yeziprofeto ezithile, kwaye bayayikhupha ezingqondweni zabo “imini kaYehova,” belunikel’ umva unqulo lokwenyaniso. (2 Petros 3:10-13; 1 Petros 1:9) Kuye kuthi kungekabi phi bazifumane sele bentyumpantyumpeka kumanzi asisithokothoko nanobungozi ale nkqubo ikhoyo yezinto. (Isaya 17:12, 13; 57:20) Bambi abaye bayeka ukunxulumana nebandla lamaKristu basacinga ukuba limela unqulo lokwenyaniso. Noko ke, kuyabonakala ukuba abanawo umonde wokulinda ihlabathi elitsha uYehova uThixo alithembisileyo. Ubomi eParadesi bubonakala bucotha okonwabu kubo.
9. Yintoni eyenziwa yimbinana yamaKristu azahluleleyo, kwaye yintoni esifanele siyiqwalasele ngenxa yezi zibakala?
9 Enye imbinana yamaKristu azahluleleyo akwezinye iindawo ehlabathini ibonakala izithobile kancinane iiseyile zenqanawa yokholo lwawo. Inqanawa yona ayizikanga, ntonje kunokuba afunze phambili ngokholo olupheleleyo, aye athi chu kuhle ngesantya esinye. Etsalwe lithemba “leParadesi esemnyango,” amanye aye akulungela ukuziphosa nofele ezabalazela ukuyifumana—ngokuzondelela umsebenzi wokushumayela nangokuya rhoqo kuzo zonke iintlanganiso, iindibano ezincinane nezinkulu. Ngoku athe akubona ukuba inzaliseko yamathemba awo ikude kunokuba ebelindele, akha athi khebevu kancinane. Oku kunokubonwa ngokuyeka ukuzibhokoxa kumsebenzi wokushumayela, ngokungezi rhoqo kwiintlanganiso, nangokuphoswa lula nje ziinxalenye zocwangciso lweendibano ezincinane okanye ezinkulu. Abanye babekela bucala ixesha elingakumbi ukuze bazihlaziye nokuze bafumane izinto eziphathekayo. Oku kukhokelela ekubeni siqwalasele oko kufanele kusiqhube ebomini bethu ngokuvisisana nozahlulelo lwethu kuYehova. Ngaba inzondelelo yethu enkonzweni yakhe ifanele ixhomekeke kwithemba “leParadesi esemnyango”?
Ithemba Lifaniswa Neankile
10, 11. UPawulos walifanisa nantoni ithemba lethu, kwaye kutheni ufanelekile nje lo mzekelo?
10 UPawulos wachaza ukuba uYehova wathembisa ngeentsikelelo ezaziza kuza ngoAbraham. Emva koko lo mpostile wacacisa: “UThixo . . . wangenelela ngesifungo, ukuze, ngezinto ezimbini ezingatshintshekiyo [ilizwi lakhe nesifungo sakhe] ekungenakwenzeka kuzo ukuba uThixo axoke, thina basabele kwigwiba sibe nokhuthazo olunamandla lokubambelela kwithemba elibekwe phambi kwethu. Eli themba sinalo njengeankile yomphefumlo, kokubini liqinisekile ibe liqinile.” (Hebhere 6:17-19; Genesis 22:16-18) Ithemba elibekwe phambi kwamaKristu athanjisiweyo lelokuphila ubomi bokungafi ezulwini. Namhlanje, inkoliso yabakhonzi bakaYehova inethemba elizukileyo lokuphila ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi. (Luka 23:43) Soze umntu abe nethemba elinjalo engenalo ukholo.
11 Iankile isisixhobo sokhuseleko esinamandla, yiyo ebamba inqanawa ime ize ingahambi emanzini. Akakho umatiloshe onobuganga bokushiya izibuko ngaphandle kweankile. Ekubeni uPawulos wayekhe waphukelwa yinqanawa izihlandlo eziliqela, wayesazi ngokusuka kumava ukuba ubomi babantu abahamba ngenqanawa ngokufuthi babuxhomekeke kwiiankile zenqanawa. (IZenzo 27:29, 39, 40; 2 Korinte 11:25) Ngenkulungwane yokuqala, inqanawa yayingenayo injini eyenza ukuba umphathi wayo ayiqhube ngendlela athanda ngayo. Ubukhulu becala iinqanawa zazixhomekeka kumoya ukuze zihambe, ngaphandle kweenqanawa zemfazwe ezazibhexwa ngamaphini athile. Xa inqanawa yakhe isengozini yokuntlaleka emaweni, ekuphela kwento eyayinokwenziwa ngumphathi wayo yayikukuthoba iankile de kudlule olo qhwithela, enethemba lokuba loo ankile ayiyi kuphuncuka kwindawo ebambelele kuyo ngaphantsi kwamanzi. Ngoko ke, uPawulos wafanisa ithemba lamaKristu ‘neankile yomphefumlo, kokubini liqinisekile ibe liqinile.’ (Hebhere 6:19) Xa sidudulwa ziinkqwithela zenkcaso okanye sijamelana nezinye iimvavanyo, ithemba lethu elimangalisayo liba njengeankile esenza sizinze njengemiphefumlo ephilayo, ukuze inqanawa yokholo lwethu ingemki iye kuxinga kwizidibi ezinobungozi zamathandabuzo okanye kumawa awonakalisayo abawexuki.—Hebhere 2:1; Yude 8-13.
12. Sinokukuphepha njani ukumka kuYehova?
12 UPawulos walumkisa amaKristu angamaHebhere esithi: “Lumkani, bazalwana, ngokoyikela ukuba hleze kuvele nakuwuphi na wenu intliziyo engendawo eswele ukholo ngokuthi imke kuThixo ophilayo.” (Hebhere 3:12) Kumbhalo wesiGrike, igama elithi “ukumka” ngokoqobo lithetha “ukumisa bucala,” ngamany’ amazwi ukuwexula. Kodwa sinako ukukuphepha ukwaphukelwa yinqanawa ngolo hlobo. Ukuba nokholo nethemba kuya kusenza sinamathele kuYehova kwanasebudeni bezona nkqwithela zivavanyayo. (Duteronomi 4:4; 30:19, 20) Ukholo lwethu aluyi kufana nenqanawa ehliswa inyuswa yimimoya yemfundiso yabawexuki. (Efese 4:13, 14) Kwaye xa ithemba liyiankile yethu, siya kukwazi ukutyhubela iinkqwithela zobomi njengabakhonzi bakaYehova.
Ukuqhutywa Luthando Nomoya Oyingcwele
13, 14. (a) Kutheni iankile elithemba lethu inganelanga xa iyodwa? (b) Yintoni efanele isishukumisele ekunikeleni inkonzo engcwele kuYehova, yaye ngoba?
13 Soze umKristu aye kufika kwinkqubo entsha ukuba ekuphela kwento emshukumisela ekukhonzeni uYehova lithemba lokuphila ngonaphakade kumhlaba oyiparadesi. Ngoxa egcine iankile elithemba lakhe njengento emenza azinze ebomini, kufuneka ongezelele kuyo nakukholo lwakhe amandla aqhubayo aluthando. UPawulos wasigxininisa esi sibakala xa wabhala esithi: “Kuhleli ukholo, ithemba, uthando, ezi zontathu; kodwa eyona inkulu kwezi luthando.”—1 Korinte 13:13.
14 Sifanele siqhutywe kukumthanda uYehova ukuze sinikele inkonzo engcwele, ngenxa yothando olungenakulinganiswa nanto aye walubonakalisa kuthi. Umpostile uYohane wabhala: “Lowo ungathandiyo akafikelelanga ekumazini uThixo, ngenxa yokuba uThixo uluthando. Ngako oku uthando lukaThixo lwenziwa lwabonakala kwimeko yethu, ngenxa yokuba uThixo wathumela uNyana wakhe okuphela kwamzeleyo ehlabathini ukuze sizuze ubomi ngaye. Thina ke, siyathanda, ngenxa yokuba wasithanda kuqala.” (1 Yohane 4:8, 9, 19) Ngenxa yombulelo esinawo kuYehova, ukusinda kweziqu zethu akufanele kube yeyona nto iphambili esiyixhalabeleyo, kodwa simele sixhalabele ukungcwaliswa kwegama lakhe nokuthethelelwa kolongamo lwakhe lobulungisa.
15. Ukumthanda kwethu uYehova kudibana njani nombandela wolongamo lwakhe?
15 UYehova ufuna simkhonze kuba sithanda yena, kungekhona iParadesi nje kuphela. Intyilalwazi yeBhayibhile i-Insight on the Scripturesa ithi: “UYehova uzukiswa yinto yokuba ngokuyintloko ulongamo lwakhe kunye nokuxhaswa kwalo zizidalwa zakhe kusekelwe kuthando. Ekuphela kwabantu abanqwenelayo ngabo baluthandayo ulongamo lwakhe ngenxa yeempawu zakhe ezintle nangenxa yokuba lunobulungisa, ngabantu abakhetha ulongamo lwakhe kunalo naluphi na olunye. (1Ko 2:9) Bakhetha ukuba phantsi kolongamo lwakhe kunokuba bazame ukuzimela geqe—oku bakwenza ngenxa yokuba bemazi nangenxa yothando, ukuthanda okusesikweni nobulumko bakhe, mpawu ezo abaqondayo ukuba zizigqwesa lee ezabo. (INd 84:10, 11)”—Umqulu 2, iphepha 275.
16. Ukumthanda kwethu uYesu kusiqhuba njani kubomi bethu?
16 NjengamaKristu, nathi siyamthanda uYesu ngenxa yokuba wasithandayo. UPawulos waqiqa ngelithi: “Uthando analo uKristu luyasinyanzela, ngenxa yokuba oku koko siye sakugweba, ukuba umntu omnye afele bonke; ngoko, ke, bonke bafile; yaye wafela bonke ukuze abo baphilayo bangabi saziphilela bona ngokwabo, kodwa baphilele yena lowo wabafelayo waza wavuswa.” (2 Korinte 5:14, 15) UKristu usisiseko obakhelwe kuso ubomi bethu bokomoya, ukholo lwethu kunye nethemba lethu. Ukumthanda uKristu uYesu komeleza ithemba lethu kuze kuzinzise ukholo lwethu, ngokukodwa kumaxesha ezaqhwithi ezivavanyayo.—1 Korinte 3:11; Kolose 1:23; 2:6, 7.
17. Ngawaphi amandla uYehova asilungiselele wona, kwaye ukubaluleka kwawo kuboniswe njani kwiZenzo 1:8 nakweyabase-Efese 3:16?
17 Ngoxa ukumthanda kwethu uThixo noNyana wakhe kungawona mandla asiqhubayo kubomi bethu njengamaKristu, uYehova unenye into asilungiselele yona esiqhubayo, esinika amandla, nesomelezayo ukuze sityhalele phambili enkonzweni yakhe. Loo nto ngamandla akhe asebenzayo, okanye umoya oyingcwele. Igama lesiHebhere nelesiGrike eliguqulelwe ngokuthi “umoya” ngokuyintloko libhekisela kukuvuthuza komoya. Iinqanawa ezihamba elwandle njengezo uPawulos wayehamba ngazo zazixhomekeke kumandla angabonakaliyo omoya ukuze zifike kuloo ndawo zisinge kuyo. Ngokufanayo ke, kufuneka uthando kunye nokusebenza kwamandla kaThixo angabonakaliyo ukuze inqanawa yokholo lwethu iqhubeke isiya phambili enkonzweni kaYehova.—IZenzo 1:8; Efese 3:16.
Masityhalele Phambili De Siye Kufika!
18. Yintoni eza kusenza sinyamezele naziphi na iimvavanyo zokholo lwethu kwixesha elizayo?
18 Ukholo kunye nothando lwethu lunokuvavanywa kanobom ngaphambi kokuba sifike kwinkqubo entsha yezinto. Kodwa uYehova usilungiselele iankile ‘kokubini eqinisekileyo neqinileyo’—ithemba lethu elimangalisayo. (Hebhere 6:19; Roma 15:4, 13) Xa sithwaxwa yinkcaso okanye zezinye iimvavanyo, sinako ukunyamezela ukuba sizinqabisa ngethemba lethu. Xa sintlithwa luqhwithela emva kolunye, masizimisele ukuliqinisa ithemba lethu someleze ukholo lwethu.
19. Sinokuyigcina njani ihamba kakuhle inqanawa yokholo lwethu size sifike kwizibuko lehlabathi likaThixo elitsha?
19 Ngaphambi kokuba akhankanye ‘iankile yomphefumlo,’ uPawulos wathi: “Sinqwenela ukuba ngamnye wenu abonise ukhuthalo [“akhawulezise,” umbhalo osemazantsi weNW] olufanayo khon’ ukuze nibe nengqiniseko ezeleyo yethemba kude kuse ekupheleni, ukuze ningadangali, kodwa nibe ngabaxelisa abo bathi ngokholo nomonde bazidle ilifa izithembiso.” (Hebhere 6:11, 12) Siqhutywa kukumthanda uYehova kunye noNyana wakhe nangenxa yokunikwa amandla ngumoya oyingcwele, masiyigcine ihamba inqanawa yokholo lwethu side siye kufika kwizibuko lehlabathi elitsha elithenjiswe nguThixo.
[Imibhalo esemazantsi]
a Ipapashwe yiWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.
Masenze Impinda
◻ Sisiphi isilumkiso esisinikwa nguPawulos ngokuphathelele ukholo lwethu?
◻ Abanye baye baphukelwa njani yinqanawa ngokomoya, kwaye abanye basithoba njani isantya?
◻ Luluphi uphawu lukaThixo ekufuneka silongezelele kukholo lwethu?
◻ Yintoni eza kusenza sifike kwizibuko lehlabathi elitsha elithenjiswe nguThixo?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 16]
Inqanawa yokholo lwethu imele yakhiwe kakuhle ukuze imelane neenkqwithela zobomi
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 17]
Ukholo lwethu lunako ukwaphukelwa yinqanawa
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 18]
Ithemba liyiankile kubomi bethu njengamaKristu