Kutheni Simele Silandele ‘UKristu’?
“Ukuba nabani na ufuna ukundilandela, makazincame, . . . aze aqhubeke endilandela.”—LUKA 9:23.
1, 2. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuhlolisisa izizathu zokuba sifanele silandele ‘uKristu’?
UMELE ukuba uvuya ngokwenene uYehova xa ejonga kumabandla abanquli bakhe abasemhlabeni aze abone nina banomdla kwakunye nabaselula! Njengoko niqhubeka nifunda iBhayibhile, nisiya kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu rhoqo nize nibe nolwazi olungakumbi ngenyaniso esindis’ ubomi efumaneka eLizwini likaThixo, nifanele nicinge ngesi simemo sikaYesu: “Ukuba nabani na ufuna ukundilandela, makazincame, athabathe isibonda sakhe sentuthumbo imihla ngemihla aze aqhubeke endilandela.” (Luka 9:23) UYesu uthi ufanele ufune ukuzincama uze ube ngumlandeli wakhe. Ngoko kubalulekile ukuqonda isizathu sokuba sifanele silandele ‘uKristu.’—Mat. 16:13-16.
2 Kuthekani ngathi thina sele belandela emanyathelweni kaYesu Kristu? Sibongozwa ukuba ‘siqhubeke sihamba kuwo ngokuphelele ngakumbi.’ (1 Tes. 4:1, 2) Enoba sisandul’ ukuyifumana inyaniso okanye siyifumene kwiminyaka emininzi eyadlulayo, ukucingisisa ngezizathu zokulandela uKristu kuya kusinceda sisebenzise isibongozo sikaPawulos size simlandele ngokuphelele ngakumbi imihla ngemihla. Makhe sihlolisise izizathu ezihlanu zokuba sifanele sifune ukulandela uKristu.
Ukuba Nolwalamano Olusondeleyo NoYehova
3. Ziziphi iindlela ezimbini esinokumazi ngazo uYehova?
3 Xa wayethetha nabantu baseAthene, njengoko ‘wayemi phakathi kweAreyopago,’ umpostile uPawulos wathi: “[UThixo] wamisa amaxesha amisiweyo nemida emiselweyo yokuhlala kwabantu, ukuze bona bafune uThixo, ukuba bangamphuthaphutha baze ngokwenene bamfumane, nangona, enyanisweni, engekude kuye ngamnye wethu.” (IZe. 17:22, 26, 27) Sinokumfuna uThixo size simazi. Ngokomzekelo indalo isifundisa lukhulu ngeempawu nobuchule bukaThixo. Ukufunda ngoxabiso ngemisebenzi yakhe yokudala kunokusifundisa izinto ezininzi ngoMdali wethu. (Roma 1:20) Kwakhona uYehova uye watyhila iinkcukacha eziphathelele yena kwiLizwi lakhe, iBhayibhile. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Njengoko ‘sicamngca ngemisebenzi yakhe’ size ‘sizixhalabise ngezenzo zakhe,’ siya kumazi kakuhle uYehova.—INdu. 77:12.
4. Ukulandela uKristu kunokusinceda njani sibe nolwalamano olusondeleyo noYehova?
4 Eyona ndlela yokuba nolwalamano olusondeleyo noYehova kukulandela uKristu. Cinga nje ngozuko awayenalo uYesu xa wayekunye noYise “phambi kokubakho kwehlabathi”! (Yoh. 17:5) ‘Usisiqalo sendalo kaThixo.’ (ISityhi. 3:14) ‘Njengezibulo kwindalo yonke,’ waphila ixesha elide ezulwini kunye noYise uYehova. Ngaphambi kokuba eze emhlabeni, uYesu akazange aphelele nje ekuchitheni ixesha kunye noYise. Wayeliqabane likaThixo, elalisebenza ngovuyo noSomandla, laza lakha uthando olomeleleyo kunye naye. UYesu akazange aphelele ekubukeleni indlela kaYise yokwenza izinto, ephawula iimvakalelo neempawu zakhe, kodwa wafunda waza wasebenzisa oko wakufundayo ngoYise. Ngenxa yoko, lo Nyana uthobelayo waba njengoYise, kangangokuba iBhayibhile ibhekisela kuye ‘njengomfanekiso kaThixo ongabonakaliyo.’ (Kol. 1:15) Ngokulandela uKristu ngokusondeleyo, sinokuba nolwalamano olusondeleyo noYehova.
Ukuxelisa UYehova Ngokuphelele Ngakumbi
5. Yintoni eya kusinceda sixelise uYehova ngokupheleleyo yaye ngoba?
5 ‘Senziwe ngokomfanekiso kaThixo, ngokufana naye,’ ngoko siyakwazi ukubonisa iimpawu zakhe. (Gen. 1:26) Umpostile uPawulos wabongoza amaKristu ukuba ‘axelise uThixo, njengabantwana abaziintanda.’ (Efe. 5:1) Ukulandela uKristu kusinceda sixelise uBawo wethu osezulwini. Oku kubangelwa kukuba uYesu wayixelisa bhetele indlela acinga ngayo uThixo, iimvakalelo zakhe nobuntu bakhe waza wafundisa ngaye ngokucacileyo ngaphezu kwakhe nabani na. Xa wayesemhlabeni, uYesu akazange aphelele nje ekuxeleleni abantu ngegama likaYehova. Kodwa wasibonisa ubuntu bukaThixo. (Funda uMateyu 11:27.) UYesu wakwenza oko ngamazwi, izenzo, iimfundiso nomzekelo wakhe.
6. Iimfundiso zikaYesu zityhila ntoni ngoYehova?
6 Iimfundiso zikaYesu zisibonisa oko kufunwa nguThixo nendlela abajonga ngayo abanquli bakhe. (Mat. 22:36-40; Luka 12:6, 7; 15:4-7) Ngokomzekelo, emva kokucaphula omnye weMithetho Elishumi—othi “uze ungakrexezi”—uYesu wachaza imbono kaThixo ngoko kwenzeka entliziyweni yomntu ngaphambi kokuba enze loo nto. Wathi: “Wonk’ ubani oqhubeka ekhangela umfazi ngokokude amkhanuke sele emkrexezile entliziyweni yakhe.” (Eks. 20:14; Mat. 5:27, 28) Emva kokuchaza indlela abaFarisi abawucacisa ngayo uMthetho othi, “uze umthande ummelwane wakho, uluthiye utshaba lwakho,” uYesu wachaza imbono kaYehova xa wathi: “Qhubekani nizithanda iintshaba zenu, nibathandazele abo banitshutshisayo.” (Mat. 5:43, 44; Eks. 23:4; Lev. 19:18) Ukuqonda indlela acinga navakalelwa ngayo uThixo kwakunye noko afuna sikwenze kusinceda simxelise ngokuphelele ngakumbi.
7, 8. Sifunda ntoni ngoYehova kumzekelo esawumiselwa nguYesu?
7 Kwakhona uYesu wasifundisa ngoYise ngokusimisela umzekelo. Xa sifunda kwiiVangeli ukuba uYesu waba nemfesane ngabo basweleyo, waba novelwano ngabo babandezelekileyo, wacaphuka xa abafundi bakhe bekhalimela abantwana abaselula, ngaba asicingi ukuba uYise ebeya kuvakalelwa ngendlela efanayo? (Marko 1:40-42; 10:13, 14; Yoh. 11:32-35) Cinga nje ngendlela izinto ezenziwa nguYesu ezisikhanyisela ngayo ngeempawu zikaThixo ezibalaseleyo. Ngaba imimangaliso eyenziwa nguKristu ayibonisi amandla akhe angenakulinganiswa nanto? Kodwa akazange asebenzise amandla akhe ukuze afumane inzuzo okanye kuba efuna ukwenzakalisa abantu. (Luka 4:1-4) Ukukhuphela kwakhe ngaphandle kwetempile abarhwebi ababawayo kubonisa ukuthanda kwakhe okusesikweni. (Marko 11:15-17; Yoh. 2:13-16) Iimfundiso zakhe kwakunye namazwi amnandi awayewasebenzisela ukufikelela iintliziyo zabantu zibonisa ukuba ‘wayengaphezu koSolomon’ ngobulumko. (Mat. 12:42) Uthando olwaboniswa nguYesu ngokunikela ngomphefumlo wakhe ngenxa yabanye, luchazwa kakuhle yiBhayibhile ngala mazwi: “Akukho bani unothando olukhulu kunolu.”—Yoh. 15:13.
8 UNyana kaThixo wammela ngokupheleleyo uYehova kuyo yonke into awayithethayo waza wayenza kangangokuba wathi: “Lowo undibonileyo mna umbonile noBawo.” (Funda uYohane 14:9-11.) Ukulandela uKristu kuyafana nokuxelisa uYehova.
UYesu Ungothanjisiweyo KaYehova
9. UYesu waba nguye nini yaye njani Othanjisiweyo kaThixo?
9 Cinga ngoko kwenzeka ngokwindla lowama-29 C.E. xa uYesu oneminyaka engama-30 ubudala waya kuYohane umBhaptizi. “Emva kokuba ebhaptiziwe uYesu ngoko nangoko wenyuka emanzini; yaye, khangela! amazulu avuleka, waza wabona umoya kaThixo usihla njengehobe phezu kwakhe.” Ngelo xesha, waba nguKristu okanye uMesiya. UYehova wayenza yacaca into yokuba uYesu uNgothanjisiweyo wakhe, xa wathi: “Lo nguNyana wam, oyintanda, endikholisiweyo nguye.” (Mat. 3:13-17) Eso sisizathu esibambeka ngokwenene sokufuna ukulandela uKristu!
10, 11. (a) Isibizo esithi “Kristu” sisetyenziswa njani xa kubhekiselwa kuYesu? (b) Kutheni simele siqiniseke ukuba siyamlandela uYesu Kristu?
10 EBhayibhileni isibizo esithi “Kristu” esibhekisela kuYesu sisetyenziswa ngeendlela ezahlukahlukeneyo, njengokuthi uYesu Kristu, uKristu Yesu noKristu. UYesu walisebenzisa kuqala ibinzana elithi “uYesu Kristu,” eqala ngegama lakhe aze alandelise ngesibizo. Wathi xa wayethandaza kuYise: “Oku kuthetha ubomi obungunaphakade, ukungenisa kwabo ulwazi ngawe, wena ukuphela koThixo oyinyaniso, nangalowo umthumileyo, uYesu Kristu.” (Yoh. 17:3) Le ndlela lisetyenziswe ngayo eli gama ngokucacileyo ibhekisela kulowo wathunywa nguThixo waza waba Ngothanjisiweyo. Xa isibizo singaphambi kwegama, njengaxa kusithiwa “Kristu Yesu,” kugxininiswa isigxina, okanye isikhundla akuso loo mntu. (2 Kor. 4:5) Ukusetyenziswa kwebinzana elithi “Kristu” kuyenye indlela yokubethelela isigxina sikaYesu njengoMesiya.—IZe. 5:42.
11 Enoba isibizo esithi “Kristu” sisetyenziswa njani na xa kubhekiselwa kuYesu, sibethelela le nyaniso ibalulekileyo: Nangona uNyana kaThixo weza emhlabeni engumntu waza wazisa ukuthanda kukaYise, wayengengomntu uqhelekileyo okanye umprofeti nje, waba Ngothanjisiweyo kaYehova. Simele siqiniseke ukuba siyamlandela.
UYesu Ukuphela Kwendlela Ekhokelela Kusindiso
12. Ngawaphi amazwi awathethwa kumpostile uTomas anentsingiselo nakuthi?
12 Esinye isizathu esibalulekileyo sokuqhubeka silandela uMesiya sichazwe kumazwi awathethwa nguYesu kubapostile bakhe abathembekileyo, kwiiyure nje ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokuba afe. Ephendula umbuzo kaTomas ngoko kwathethwa nguYesu ngokuphathelele ukuhamba kwakhe nokuya kubalungiselela indawo, uYesu wathi: “Ndim indlela nenyaniso nobomi. Akukho bani uzayo kuBawo ngaphandle kokuza ngam.” (Yoh. 14:1-6) Ngelo xesha uYesu wayethetha nabapostile bakhe abathembekileyo abali-11. Wabathembisa indawo ezulwini, kodwa amazwi akhe ayekwasebenza nakwabo banethemba lokuphila ngonaphakade emhlabeni. (ISityhi. 7:9, 10; 21:1-4) Kunokwenzeka njani oko?
13. UYesu ‘uyindlela’ ngayiphi ingqiqo?
13 UYesu Kristu ‘uyindlela.’ Loo nto ithetha ukuba, ungokuphela komntu esinokuya ngaye kuThixo. Kunjalo kumbandela womthandazo, kuba kuxa sithandaza egameni likaYesu kuphela esiye siqiniseke ukuba uBawo uya kusinika nantoni na esiyicelayo ngokuvisisana nokuthanda kwakhe. (Yoh. 15:16) Noko ke, uYesu ‘uyindlela’ nangolunye uhlobo. Isono siye sahlukanisa abantu noThixo. (Isa. 59:2) UYesu ‘wanikela ngomphefumlo wakhe ukuba ube yintlawulelo ngenxa yabaninzi.’ (Mat. 20:28) Ngenxa yoko, iBhayibhile ithi: ‘Igazi likaYesu uNyana wakhe lisihlambulule kuso sonke isono.’ (1 Yoh. 1:7) Ngaloo ndlela uNyana uye wavula indlela yokuba sixolelaniswe noThixo. (Roma 5:8-10) Xa sinokholo kuYesu size simthobele sinokuba nolwalamano olusenyongweni noThixo.—Yoh. 3:36.
14. UYesu uyiyo njani ‘inyaniso’?
14 UYesu ‘uyinyaniso’ kungekhona nje ngenxa yokuba waphila waza wathetha inyaniso ngalo lonke ixesha kodwa kwanangenxa yokuba iziprofeto ezininzi eziphathelele uMesiya zazaliseka kuye. Umpostile uPawulos wathi: “Kungakhathaliseki ukuba zininzi kangakanani na izithembiso zikaThixo, ziye zaba nguEwe ngaye.” (2 Kor. 1:20) ‘Kwanesithunzi sezinto ezilungileyo eziza kuza’ esikuMthetho kaMoses, sazaliseka kuKristu Yesu. (Heb. 10:1; Kol. 2:17) Zonke iziprofeto zanikela ingqalelo kuYesu, yaye ziyenza icace eyona ndima yakhe ibalulekileyo ekuphunyezweni kwenjongo kaYehova. (ISityhi. 19:10) Ukuze singenelwe ekuzalisekeni kwenjongo kaThixo ngathi, kufuneka silandele uMesiya.
15. UYesu ‘ububomi’ ngayiphi indlela?
15 UYesu ububomi ngenxa yokuba uye wathenga uhlanga loluntu ngegazi lakhe nobomi obungunaphakade busisipho uThixo asinikayo “ngoKristu Yesu, iNkosi yethu.” (Roma 6:23) UYesu ‘ukwabubomi’ nakwabo baye bafa. (Yoh. 5:28, 29) Ngaphezu koko, cinga ngoko aya kukwenza njengoMbingeleli Omkhulu kuLawulo lwakhe Lweminyaka Eliwaka. Kaloku, uya kubakhulula ngonaphakade kwisono nokufa abo aya kubalawula emhlabeni.—Heb. 9:11, 12, 28.
16. Kutheni sifanele silandele uYesu?
16 Ngoko impendulo kaYesu kuTomas ithetha lukhulu kuthi. UYesu uyindlela nenyaniso nobomi. Nguye owathunywa nguThixo ehlabathini ukuze ihlabathi lisindiswe ngaye. (Yoh. 3:17) Yaye akukho mntu uza kuBawo engezi ngaye. Ngokucacileyo iBhayibhile ithi: “Akukho lusindiso kuye nabani na ongomnye, kuba alikho elinye igama phantsi kwezulu elinikelweyo phakathi kwabantu esimele ukusindiswa ngalo.” (IZe. 4:12) Ngenxa yoko, enoba sinayiphi imvelaphi, kuya kuba bubulumko ukukholelwa kuYesu, ukumlandela size ke sifumane ubomi.—Yoh. 20:31.
Siyalelwa Ukuba Siphulaphule UKristu
17. Kutheni kubalulekile ukuba siphulaphule uNyana kaThixo?
17 UPetros, uYohane noYakobi babona uYesu esenziwa kumila kumbi. Ngelo xesha, beva ilizwi liphuma ezulwini lisithi: “Lo nguNyana wam, onyuliweyo. Mphulaphuleni yena.” (Luka 9:28, 29, 35) Ukuthobela kwethu umyalelo wokuphulaphula uMesiya kungumbandela onzulu.—Funda IZenzo 3:22, 23.
18. Sinokumphulaphula njani uYesu Kristu?
18 Ukuphulaphula uYesu kuquka ‘ukukhangela kuye ngenyameko, size siqwalasele umzekelo wakhe ngokusondeleyo.’ (Heb. 12:2, 3) Ngenxa yoko siya kuba senza kakuhle xa ‘sinikela ingqalelo engaphezu kweqhelekileyo kwizinto’ esizifunda ngaye eBhayibhileni nakwiimpapasho ‘zekhoboka elithembekileyo neliyingqondi,’ kwakunye noko sikuva ngaye kwiintlanganiso zamaKristu. (Heb. 2:1; Mat. 24:45) Njengezimvu zakhe, masizimisele ukuphulaphula uYesu size simlandele.—Yoh. 10:27.
19. Yintoni eya kusinceda siqhubeke silandela uKristu?
19 Ngaba sinokuphumelela ekuqhubekeni silandela uKristu, kungakhathaliseki ukuba kwenzeka ntoni? Ewe sinokukwazi ukuba nje ‘sibambelela emazwini aphilileyo’ ngokwenza oko sikufundayo “ngokholo nothando olukuKristu Yesu.”—2 Tim. 1:13.
Ufunde Ntoni?
• Kutheni ukulandela ‘uKristu kunokusenza sisondele kuYehova?
• Kutheni ukuxelisa uYesu kufana nokuxelisa uYehova?
• UYesu uyiyo njani “indlela nenyaniso nobomi”?
• Kutheni sifanele simphulaphule Othanjisiweyo kaYehova?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]
Iimfundiso zikaYesu zabonisa iingcinga eziphakamileyo zikaYehova
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 30]
Simele simlandele ngokunyaniseka Othanjisiweyo kaYehova
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 32]
UYehova wathi: “Lo nguNyana wam . . . mphulaphuleni yena”