Nqula UThixo “Ngomoya”

“Ningamfanekisa ke nabani na uThixo, ninxulumise mfanekiso mni na naye?”—ISAYA 40:18, “IBHAYIBHILE YESIXHOSA”

MHLAWUMBI uqiniseke ngokunyanisekileyo ukuba ukusebenzisa imifanekiso yonqulo kwamkelekile ekunquleni uThixo. Usenokuvakalelwa kukuba oku kukusondeza ngakumbi kuMphulaphuli wemithandazo, ongabonakaliyo osenokubonakala engengomntu yaye ekunzima ukumazi.

Kodwa ngaba sikhululekile ukuba singazikhethela indlela esifuna ukusondela ngayo kuThixo? Ngaba asingoThixo onegunya lokusixelela oko kwamkelekileyo noko kungamkelekanga? UYesu wachaza indlela uThixo avakalelwa ngayo ngalo mbandela xa wathi: “Ndim indlela, ndim inyaniso, ndim ubomi; akukho namnye uzayo kuBawo, engezi ngam.” (Yohane 14:6)a Loo mazwi nje ewodwa ayakwalela ukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso yonqulo okanye naziphi na izinto ezingcwele.

Ewe, kukho uhlobo lonqulo olukhethekileyo uYehova uThixo alwamkelayo. Yaye luluphi? Ngesihlandlo esithile, uYesu wachaza esithi: “Kuza ilixa, nangoku selikho, xa abanquli abayinyaniso baya kumnqula uBawo ngoMoya nangenyaniso; kuba uBawo ufuna abanjalo ukumnqula. UThixo unguMoya; abo ke bamnqulayo bamelwe kukumnqula ngoMoya nangenyaniso.”—Yohane 4:23, 24.

Ngaba uThixo, ‘ongumoya,’ unokumelwa yimifanekiso eqingqiweyo? Akunjalo. Kungakhathaliseki indlela osenokuba nomtsalane ngayo umfanekiso wonqulo, awunakuze ulingane nozuko lukaThixo. Ngoko ke umfanekiso oqingqiweyo kaThixo awunakuze ufane naye ngokwenyaniso. (Roma 1:22, 23) Ngaba ubani uya kuba ‘unqula ngenyaniso’ ukuba usondela kuThixo esebenzisa imifanekiso yonqulo eyenziwe ngabantu?

Imfundiso YeBhayibhile Ecacileyo

UMthetho kaThixo wakwalela ukwenza imifanekiso eqingqiweyo njengezinto zonqulo. Umthetho wesibini kwiMithetho Elishumi wawusithi: “Uze ungazenzeli umfanekiso oqingqiweyo, nokuba ngowayiphi na into emilise esezulwini phezulu, nesemhlabeni phantsi, nesemanzini aphantsi komhlaba. Uze ungaqubudi kwezo nto, ungazikhonzi.” (Eksodus 20:4, 5) IZibhalo zamaKristu eziphefumlelweyo nazo zithi: “Kubalekeni ukubusa izithixo.”—1 Korinte 10:14.

Liyinyaniso elokuba, abaninzi bathi ukusebenzisa kwabo imifanekiso eqingqiweyo kunqulo ayikokunqula izithixo. Ngokomzekelo, amaKristu angamaOthodoki ngokufuthi ayakukhanyela ukuba anqula imifanekiso yonqulo ngokuqubuda, ukuguqa ngamadolo nokuthandaza kuyo. Umfundisi ongumOthodoki wabhala: “Sibonakalisa intlonelo kuzo ngenxa yokuba zizinto ezingcwele, yaye ngenxa yokuba sihlonela oko kufanekiselwa yiMifanekiso Yonqulo.”

Sekunjalo, umbuzo usamile: Ngaba uThixo uyakholiswa kukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso yonqulo ngenjongo yokubonakalisa intlonelo engangqalanga? Akukho ndawo eBhayibhileni ekuvumelayo ukwenza oko. Xa amaSirayeli enza umfanekiso oqingqiweyo wethole, esithi awenzela ukubonakalisa intlonelo kuYehova, akazange akholiswe koko, esithi awexukile.—Eksodus 32:4-7.

Ingozi Efihlakeleyo

Ukusebenzisa izinto ezinokubonwa kunqulo kusisenzo esiyingozi. Ngokulula nje kusenokwenza ukuba abantu balingelwe ekunquleni loo nto kunokunqula uThixo omelwe yiloo nto. Ngamanye amazwi, umfanekiso wonqulo uba sisithixo esinqulwayo.

Oko kwenzeka kwizinto ezininzi ngexesha lamaSirayeli. Ngokomzekelo, uMoses wenza inyoka yobhedu ngexesha leMfuduko yawo eYiputa. Ekuqaleni, le nyoka eyayixhonywe esibondeni yayiyinto yokuwaphilisa. Lawo ayelunywa ziinyoka kuba esohlwaywa ayenokujonga kule nyoka yobhedu afumane uncedo lukaThixo. Kodwa emva kokuba abantu bezinzile kwiLizwe Lesithembiso, oku kwaba sisithixo, ngokungathi inyoka yobhedu yayinamandla okuphilisa. Banikela imibingelelo kuyo yaye bade bayinika negama elinguNehushtan.—Numeri 21:8, 9; 2 Kumkani 18:4.

Kwakhona amaSirayeli azama ukusebenzisa ityeya yomnqophiso njengekhubalo lokuqalekisa iintshaba zawo, nto leyo eyawazisela intlekele. (1 Samuweli 4:3, 4; 5:11) Yaye kumhla kaYeremiya, abemi baseYerusalem babekhathalele itempile ngaphezu koThixo owayenqulwa kuyo.—Yeremiya 7:12-15.

Utyekelo lokunqula izinto endaweni kaThixo kuseyinto exhaphakileyo. Umphengululi uVitalij Ivanovich Petrenko wathi: “Umfanekiso wonqulo . . . uyanqulwa yaye phantse wenziwa isithixo . . . Ubani umele akuvume ukuba ukunqulwa kwemifanekiso kuyingcamango yobuhedeni eye yakho ngenxa yeenkolelo ezidumileyo.” Ngokufanayo, umfundisi ongumGrike wobuOthodoki uDemetrios Constantelos kwincwadi yakhe ethi Understanding the Greek Orthodox Church uthi: “Kuyinto elula ngomKristu ukuba anqule umfanekiso.”

Isibakala sokuba imifanekiso izezinye iindlela zokunqula siyathandabuzeka. Ngoba? Kaloku ngaba akuyonyaniso ukuba imifanekiso yonqulo kaMariya okanye “yeengcwele” isenokugqalwa njengefanelwe yintlonelo enkulu kuneminye imifanekiso yomntu omnye owafa kudala? Ngokomzekelo, umfanekiso othile omela uMariya eTínos, eGrisi, unabalandeli abaninzi bobuOthodoki xa wawuthelekiswa nomfanekiso kaMariya oseSoumela, emantla eGrisi. Omabini la maqela akholelwa ukuba imifanekiso yawo inamandla, yenza imimangaliso engaphezu komnye, nangona yomibini iyeyomntu omnye owafa kudala. Ngaloo ndlela, abantu bakholelwa kwelokuba le mifanekiso inamandla okwenene yaye bayayinqula.

Ngaba Uthandaza “Kwiingcwele” Okanye KuMariya?

Ngoko ke, kuthekani ngokuhlonelwa kwabantu, njengoMariya okanye “iingcwele”? Xa uYesu wayehendwa nguSathana wamphendula ebhekisela kwiDuteronomi 6:13 waza wathi: “YiNkosi uThixo wakho oya kuqubuda kuyo, ukhonze yona yodwa.” (Mateyu 4:10) Kamva wathi abanquli bokwenyaniso babeya kunqula “uBawo,” kungekhona omnye umntu. (Yohane 4:23) Ikuqonda oku, ingelosi yakhalimela umpostile uYohane xa wayezama ukuyinqula, isithi: “Ungenjenjalo . . . Qubuda kuThixo.”—ISityhilelo 22:9.

Ngaba kufanelekile ukuthandaza kumama kaYesu wasemhlabeni, uMariya okanye “kwiingcwele” ezithile, ubacela ukuba bakuthethelele kuThixo? Impendulo yeBhayibhile engqalileyo ithi: ‘Mnye umlamli phakathi koThixo nabantu, umntu uKristu Yesu.’—1 Timoti 2:5.

Londoloza Ulwalamano Lwakho NoThixo

Ukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso kunqulo, nto leyo echasene nemfundiso yeBhayibhile ecacileyo, akunakunceda abantu bafumane inkoliseko kaThixo baze bafumane usindiso. Ngokwahlukileyo koko, uYesu wathi ubomi obungunaphakade buxhomekeke ekungeniseni kwethu ulwazi ngokuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, sibazi ubuntu bakhe obungenakuthelekiswa nanto kunye neenjongo zakhe nendlela aqhubana ngayo nabantu. (Yohane 17:3) Imifanekiso engaboniyo, engenazimvakalelo okanye engakwaziyo ukuthetha ayimncedi ubani ukuba amazi uThixo aze amnqule ngendlela eyamkelekileyo. (INdumiso 115:4-8) Eyona mfundo ibalulekileyo ifumaneka kuphela kufundisiso lweLizwi likaThixo, iBhayibhile.

Ngaphezu kokuba kungeyonzuzo, ukunqula imifanekiso kusenokuba yingozi ngokomoya. Njani? Okokuqala, kusenokubangela umsantsa kulwalamano lukabani noYehova. Ngokuphathelele amaSirayeli, ‘awamkhweletisa ngoothixo basemzini,’ uThixo wathi: “Ndiya kubusithelisa ubuso bam kubo.” (Duteronomi 32:16, 20) Ukuze aphinde akhe ulwalamano noThixo kwakuthetha ukuba ‘acekise izithixo.’—Isaya 31:6, 7.

Ngoko ke, sifaneleke gqitha isiluleko seZibhalo esithi: “Bantwanana, zigcineni kuzo izithixo”!—1 Yohane 5:21.

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Ibhokisi ekwiphepha 6]

Bancedwa Ukuba Banqule “Ngomoya”

UOlivera wayelilungu elinzondelelo leCawa yamaOthodoki eAlbania. Xa iinkonzo zavalwa umlomo ngowe-1967, uOlivera waqhubeka enqula ngasese. Wayisebenzisa imalana yakhe yomhlala-phantsi ukuze athenge imifanekiso yonqulo yegolide neyesilivere, isiqhumiso namakhandlela. Le mifanekiso wayeyifihla kumandlalo wakhe yaye wayedla ngokulala kwisihlalo esikufuphi kuba esoyikela ukuba isenokubonwa okanye ibiwe. Xa watyelelwa namaNgqina kaYehova ekuqaleni kweminyaka yowe-1990, uOlivera wayibona inyaniso yeBhayibhile kwisigidimi sawo. Wakuqonda oko kuthethwa yiBhayibhile xa isithi unqulo lokwenyaniso kukunqula “ngomoya,” yaye wafunda indlela uThixo akujonga ngayo ukusebenzisa imifanekiso yonqulo. (Yohane 4:24, IBhayibhile yesiXhosa) INgqina elalifundisisa naye iBhayibhile laphawula ukuba iya icutheka imifanekiso yonqulo sihlandlo ngasinye lityelela kwikhaya likaOlivera. Ekugqibeleni, yayingasekho. Emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe, uOlivera wathi: “Namhlanje, kunemifanekiso yonqulo engeloncedo, ndinomoya ongcwele kaYehova. Ndinombulelo ongazenzisiyo ngokuba kungafuneki mifanekiso yonqulo ngaphambi kokuba umoya wakhe ndiwufumane.”

UAthena, ohlala kwisiqithi saseLesbos eGrisi, wayelilungu elikhutheleyo leCawa yamaOthodoki. Wayelilungu lekwayara yaye wayewalandela ngokuzimisela amasiko ecawa, kuquka nokusebenzisa imifanekiso yonqulo. AmaNgqina kaYehova amnceda uAthena waqonda ukuba asiyiyo yonke into ayifundisiweyo evumelanayo neBhayibhile. Oku kwakuquka ukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso yonqulo neminqamlezo ekunquleni. UAthena wazimisela ukuzenzela uphando ngokuphathele imvelaphi yale mifanekiso yonqulo. Emva kokwenza uphengululo olucokisekileyo kwiincwadi ezahlukahlukeneyo, wayeqinisekile ukuba ezi zinto zazingenamvelaphi yabuKristu. Umnqweno wakhe wokunqula uThixo “ngomoya” wamkhokelela ekubeni ayilahle imifanekiso yakhe yonqulo, nangona yayixabisa kakhulu. Noko ke, uAthena wayekulungele ukuphulukana nayo nantoni na ukuze anqule uThixo ngendlela ecocekileyo neyamkelekileyo ngokomoya.—IZenzo 19:19.

[Ibhokisi/Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

Ngaba Imifanekiso Yonqulo Zizinto Nje Zobugcisa?

Kwiminyaka yakutshanje, imifanekiso yonqulo yamaOthodoki iye yaqokelelwa ehlabathini lonke. Ngokuqhelekileyo, abantu abaqokelela izinto zakudala abayigqali imifanekiso yonqulo njengezinto ezinokuthanani nonqulo, kodwa njengezinto nje zobugcisa baseByzantium. Asinto ingaqhelekanga ukubona imifanekiso yonqulo ihombise ikhaya okanye iofisi yalowo uthi akakholelwa kubukho bukaThixo.

Noko ke, amaKristu anyanisekileyo akayilibali injongo eyintloko yomfanekiso wonqulo. Yinto yokunqulwa. Nangona amaKristu engenalungelo lakuthintela abanye ukuba bangabi nayo imifanekiso yonqulo, wona akanayo, akayiqokeleli nanjengento nje yobugcisa. Oko kuvisisana nomgaqo okwiDuteronomi 7:26 kwiBhayibhile yesiXhosa othi: “Uze ungalingenisi isikizi [imifanekiso eqingqiweyo esetyenziswa kunqulo] endlwini yakho, ukuze ungabi yinto yokusingelwa phantsi njengalo. Ize ibe nezothe, ibe linyala kuwe, ibe lisikizi kuwe.”

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 7]

UThixo akazange akuvumele ukusetyenziswa kwemifanekiso kunqulo

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]

Ulwazi olufumaneka eBhayibhileni lusinceda simkhonze uThixo ngomoya