Ukukhanya Okuvela KuThixo Kugxotha Ubumnyama!
“NguYehova owenza bukhanye ubumnyama bam.”—2 SAMUWELI 22:29.
1. Kunxulumene njani ukukhanya nobomi?
“WANDULA ke uThixo wathi: ‘Makubekho ukukhanya.’ Kwabakho ke ukukhanya.” (Genesis 1:3) Ngaloo mazwi, ingxelo yendalo ekwiGenesis ibonisa ukuba uYehova ungumthombo wokukhanya, yaye ngaphandle kwako bekungayi kubakho bomi emhlabeni. UYehova ukwangumthombo wokukhanya kokomoya, ukukhanya okubalulekileyo ebomini bethu. (INdumiso 43:3) UKumkani uDavide wabonisa unxulumano olusondeleyo phakathi kokukhanya kokomoya nobomi xa wabhala wathi: “Kuba ukuwe umthombo wobomi; ngokukhanya okuvela kuwe sinokubona ukukhanya.”—INdumiso 36:9.
2. Ngokutsho kukaPawulos, kunxulumene nantoni ukukhanya?
2 Malunga neminyaka enokuba li-1 000 emva kwexesha lokuphila kukaDavide, umpostile uPawulos wacaphula kwingxelo ethetha ngendalo. Ebhalela ibandla lamaKristu laseKorinte, wathi: “UThixo wathi: ‘Ukukhanya makukhanye ebumnyameni.’” Wandula ke uPawulos wabonisa ukuba ukukhanya kokomoya kunxulumene ngokusondeleyo nolwazi oluvela kuYehova xa wongezelela wathi: “Uye wakhanya ezintliziyweni zethu ukuze azikhanyisele ngolwazi oluzukileyo lukaThixo ngobuso bukaKristu.” (2 Korinte 4:6) Kufikelela njani kuthi oku kukhanya?
IBhayibhile—Idlulisela Ukukhanya
3. Esebenzisa iBhayibhile, kukuphi ukukhanya asinika kona uYehova?
3 UYehova udlulisela ukukhanya kokomoya ngokuyintloko ngeLizwi lakhe eliphefumlelweyo, iBhayibhile. Ngoko, njengoko sifundisisa iBhayibhile yaye singenisa ulwazi oluvela kuThixo, sivumela ukukhanya kwakhe kusikhanyisele. Esebenzisa iBhayibhile, uYehova uyasikhanyisela ngokuphathelele iinjongo zakhe aze asixelele indlela esinokukwenza ngayo ukuthanda kwakhe. Oku kwenza ubomi bethu bube nenjongo yaye kusinceda sanelise iintswelo zethu zokomoya. (INtshumayeli 12:1; Mateyu 5:3) UYesu wagxininisa ukuba simele sinyamekele iintswelo zethu zokomoya xa wacaphula eMthethweni kaMoses, esithi: “Kubhaliwe kwathiwa, ‘Akaphili ngasonka sodwa umntu, uphila ngamazwi onke aphuma emlonyeni kaYehova.’”—Mateyu 4:4; Duteronomi 8:3.
4. UYesu ‘ulukhanyiselo lwehlabathi’ njani?
4 UYesu unxulunyaniswa ngokusondeleyo nokukhanya kokomoya. Eneneni, wazibiza ngokuba ‘ulukhanyiselo lwehlabathi’ waza wathi: “Lowo undilandelayo akasayi kuze ahambe ebumnyameni, kodwa uya kuba nokukhanya kobomi.” (Yohane 8:12) Eli binzana lisinceda siqonde indima ephambili anayo uYesu ekudluliseleni inyaniso kaYehova eluntwini. Ukuze siphephe ubumnyama sihambe ekukhanyeni kukaThixo, simele siphulaphule konke oko kuthethwa nguYesu size silandele ngokusondeleyo umzekelo neemfundiso zakhe ezibhalwe eBhayibhileni.
5. Yiyiphi imbopheleleko ababa nayo abalandeli bakaYesu emva kokufa kwakhe?
5 Kwiintsuku ezimbalwa ngaphambi kokufa kwakhe, ephinda ezibiza ngokuba ukukukhanya, uYesu wathi kubafundi bakhe: “Ukhanyiso lusaya kuba phakathi kwenu okwethutyana. Hambani ngoxa nisenokhanyiso, khon’ ukuze ubumnyama bunganongameli; kwaye lowo uhamba ebumnyameni akazi apho aya khona. Ngoxa nisenokhanyiso, bonisani ukholo kulo ukhanyiso, ukuze nibe ngoonyana bokukhanya.” (Yohane 12:35, 36) Abo baba ngoonyana bokukhanya bafunda ‘amazwi aphilileyo’ eBhayibhile. (2 Timoti 1:13, 14) Bandula ke basebenzisa la mazwi aphilileyo ukutsala abanye abantu abantliziyo zinyanisekileyo ukuba baphume ebumnyameni beze ekukhanyeni kukaThixo.
6. Yiyiphi inyaniso esisiseko ephathelele ukukhanya nobumnyama esiyifumana kweyoku-1 kaYohane 1:5?
6 Umpostile uYohane wabhala: “UThixo ukukukhanya yaye akukho bumnyama konke konke ngokumanyene naye.” (1 Yohane 1:5) Phawula umahluko okhoyo phakathi kokukhanya nobumnyama. Ukukhanya kokomoya kuvela kuYehova, yaye ubumnyama bokomoya abunakunxulunyaniswa naye. Ke ngoko, ngubani umthombo wobumnyama?
Ubumnyama Bokomoya—Umthombo Wabo
7. Ngubani obangela ubumnyama bokomoya obusehlabathini, yaye yiyiphi impembelelo anayo?
7 Umpostile uPawulos wathetha ‘ngothixo wale nkqubo yezinto.’ Ngelo binzana, wayebhekisela kuSathana uMtyholi. Wahlabela mgama wathi lo uye “wamfamekisa iingqondo zabangakholwayo, ukuze ukhanyiso lweendaba ezilungileyo ezizukileyo ezingoKristu, ongumfanekiso kaThixo, lungakhanyi.” (2 Korinte 4:4) Abaninzi bathi bayakholelwa kuThixo; ukanti abaninzi kubo abakholelwa ukuba uMtyholi ukho. Ngoba? Abafuni kusamkela isibakala sokuba kukho igunya elithile elingendawo elinamandla angaphezu kwawomntu neliphembelela indlela abacinga ngayo. Sekunjalo, njengoko uPawulos ebonisa, uMtyholi ukho yaye uyabaphembelela abantu ukuze bangakuboni ukukhanya kwenyaniso. Amandla kaSathana okuphembelela indlela abantu abacinga ngayo abonwa kwindlela awachazwa ngayo ngokuprofetayo ‘njengalowo ulahlekisa umhlaba omiweyo uphela.’ (ISityhilelo 12:9) Ngenxa yemisebenzi kaSathana, imeko eyaxelwa kwangaphambili ngumprofeti uIsaya iyabonakala ngoku kulo lonke uluntu ngaphandle kwabo bakhonza uYehova: “Khangela! ubumnyama buya kuwugubungela umhlaba, nesithokothoko amaqela eentlanga.”—Isaya 60:2.
8. Ziziphi iindlela ababonakala ngazo ukuba badidekile abo basebumnyameni ngokomoya?
8 Akukho nto unokuyibona kwisithokothoko sobumnyama. Kulula ukuba umntu alahleke okanye adideke. Ngokufanayo, abo basebumnyameni ngokomoya abanangqiqo yaye ngokukhawuleza bayadideka ngokomoya. Abanabo ubuchule bokwahlula inyaniso ebuxokini, nokulungileyo kokubi. Umprofeti uIsaya wayethetha ngabantu abasebumnyameni obunjalo xa wathi: “Yeha ke abo bathi okulungileyo kubi nokubi kulungile, abo babeka ubumnyama endaweni yokukhanya nokukhanya endaweni yobumnyama, abo babeka ubukrakra endaweni yobumnandi nobumnandi endaweni yobukrakra!” (Isaya 5:20) Abo bahlala kubumnyama bokomoya obunjalo baphenjelelwa nguthixo wobumnyama, uSathana uMtyholi, yaye ekugqibeleni bayahlukaniswa nomthombo wokukhanya nobomi.—Efese 4:17-19.
Ukusuka Ebumnyameni Uye Ekukhanyeni—Lucelomngeni
9. Chaza indlela abenzi bobubi abatsaleleka ngayo ebumnyameni ngokoqobo nangokomoya.
9 UYobhi owayethembekile wabonisa indlela abenzi bobubi abatsaleleke ngayo kubumnyama bokoqobo xa wathi: “Ke lona iliso lomkrexezi, lilinde ukutshona kwelanga, esithi, ‘Akukho liso liya kundibona!’ Yaye phezu kobuso bakhe ubeka isigqubuthelo.” (Yobhi 24:15) Abenzi bobubi basebumnyameni bokomoya, yaye ubumnyama obunjalo bunokuba namandla. Umpostile uPawulos wathi ukuziphatha okubi ngokwesini, ubusela, ukubawa, ubunxila, ukutshabhisa nokuphanga zizinto ezixhaphakileyo kwabo babambiseke kobo bumnyama. Kodwa nabani na oza ekukhanyeni kweLizwi likaThixo unokuguquka. UPawulos wabonisa ngokucacileyo kwileta awayibhalela abaseKorinte ukuba olo tshintsho lunokwenzeka. AmaKristu amaninzi aseKorinte ayefudula esenza imisebenzi yobumnyama, ukanti uPawulos wathi kuwo: “Kodwa niye nahlanjwa nahlambuluka, niye nangcwaliswa, niye navakaliswa ningamalungisa egameni leNkosi yethu uYesu Kristu nangomoya kaThixo wethu.”—1 Korinte 6:9-11.
10, 11. UYesu walubonakalisa njani uvelwano ngendoda awayenza yabona kwakhona? (b) Kutheni abantu abaninzi bengakhethi ukukhanya?
10 Xa umntu ephuma kwisithokothoko sobumnyama esiza ekukhanyeni, kusenokwenzeka ukuba kuya kuthabatha ixesha elidana ngaphambi kokuba amehlo akhe aqhelane nokukhanya. EBhethesayida, uYesu waphilisa indoda eyayiyimfama kodwa wakwenza oko ngokuthe ngcembe. “Wamthabatha umntu oyimfama ngesandla, wamsa ngaphandle kwedolophana, waza, akuba etshicele emehlweni akhe, wambeka izandla wambuza wathi: ‘Ngaba kukho nantoni na oyibonayo?’ Umntu lowo wakhangela phezulu waza wathi: ‘Ndibona abantu, kuba ndibona, okungathi yimithi kodwa kuyahambahamba.’ Wandula ke wabeka izandla zakhe kwakhona emehlweni omntu lowo, waza umntu wabona ngokucacileyo, waphiliswa, wabona yonk’ into kakuhle.” (Marko 8:23-25) Ngokucacileyo, uYesu wayenza yabona ngokuthe ngcembe le ndoda ukuze ikwazi ukuziqhelanisa nokukhanya okuqaqambileyo kwelanga. Sinokuyithelekelela indlela eyavuya ngayo le ndoda xa yakwazi ukubona.
11 Noko ke, uvuyo eyaba nalo le ndoda alulingani novuyo ababa nalo abo bancedwa ukuba baphume kubumnyama bokomoya baze ngokuthe ngcembe bangene ekukhanyeni kwenyaniso. Xa sibabona bevuya, sisenokuzibuza isizathu sokuba abantu abangakumbi bangatsaleki beze ekukhanyeni. UYesu uchaza isizathu: “Nasi isizinzi somgwebo, okokuba ukukhanya kufikile ehlabathini kodwa abantu bathande ubumnyama kunokukhanya, kuba imisebenzi yabo ibingendawo. Kuba lowo uqhelisela ububi ukuthiyile ukukhanya yaye akezi ekukhanyeni, ukuze imisebenzi yakhe ingohlwaywa.” (Yohane 3:19, 20) Ewe, abantu abaninzi bathanda ukuqhelisela “ububi”—obufana nokuziphatha okubi, ukucinezela abanye, ukuxoka, ukuqhatha nokuba—yaye ubumnyama bokomoya obuvela kuSathana yindawo efanelekileyo yokuba benze ngendlela abafuna ngayo.
Ukuhambela Phambili Ekukhanyeni
12. Ziziphi iindlela esiye sangenelwa ngazo ngokuza ekukhanyeni?
12 Ekubeni siye sakwazi ukukhanya, ziziphi iinguqulelo esiye sazibona kuthi? Maxa wambi kuhle ukuba sikhangele emva size sibone inkqubela yokomoya esiyenzileyo. Yiyiphi imikhwa emibi esiye sayilahla? Ziziphi iingxaki ebesinazo esiye sazilungisa ebomini bethu? Luluphi utshintsho esiye salwenza koko besiceba ukukwenza kwixesha elizayo? Ngamandla kaYehova nangoncedo lomoya wakhe oyingcwele, sinokuqhubeka sisenza utshintsho kubuntu bethu nakwindlela esicinga ngayo, oluya kwenza kubonakale ukuba siyakwamkela ukukhanya. (Efese 4:23, 24) UPawulos uthi: “Nanikhe nabubumnyama, kodwa ngoku nikukukhanya eNkosini. Qhubekani nihamba njengabantwana bokukhanya, kuba sona isiqhamo sokukhanya sikuko konke ukulunga nobulungisa nenyaniso.” (Efese 5:8, 9) Ukuzivumela ukuba sikhokelwe kukukhanya kukaYehova ebomini bethu kusenza sibe nethemba nenjongo yaye kubangela ukuba abo basingqongileyo babunandiphe ubomi. Yaye hayi indlela esiyivuyisa ngayo intliziyo kaYehova xa sisenza iinguqulelo ezinjalo!—IMizekeliso 27:11.
13. Sinokubonakalisa njani ukuba sinombulelo ngenxa yokukhanya okuvela kuYehova, yaye yintoni efunekayo ukuze senze oko?
13 Sibonisa ukuba sinombulelo ngenxa yobomi obonwabisayo esibuphilayo ngokubonakalisa ukukhanya kukaYehova—sabelane namalungu eentsapho zethu, abahlobo nabamelwane bethu, ngezinto esiye sazifunda eBhayibhileni. (Mateyu 5:12-16; 24:14) Kwabo bangafuniyo ukuphulaphula, ukushumayela kwethu nobomi bethu bobuKristu obungumzekelo buba sisohlwayo. UPawulos uyachaza: “Qhubekani niqinisekisa ngoko kwamkelekileyo eNkosini; yaye musani ukwabelana nabo kwimisebenzi yobumnyama engenasiqhamo, kunoko, bohlwayeni.” (Efese 5:10, 11) Ukuze sincede abanye bashiye ubumnyama baze bakhethe ukukhanya kufuneka sibe nenkalipho. Okubaluleke ngakumbi kukuba, kufuneka sibe nemfesane nenkxalabo ngabanye nomnqweno osuk’ entliziyweni wokwabelana nabo ngokukhanya kwenyaniso ukuze bazuze iingenelo ezingunaphakade.—Mateyu 28:19, 20.
Lumkela Ukukhanya Kwenkohliso!
14. Sisiphi isilumkiso esifanele sisithobele ngokuphathelele ukukhanya?
14 Abantu abaselwandle xa kumnyama, bamkela nakuphi na ukukhanya. Ngaphambili, kwakubaswa imililo kumawa aseNgilani ukuze abantu babone indawo yokusithela esiphangweni. Amaqela abantu abasebenza ezinqanaweni ayekuvuyela ukukhokelwa koku kukhanya ukuya kumazibuko akhuselekileyo. Noko ke, eminye imililo yayiyeyenkohliso. Kunokuba zifike ezibukweni, iinqanawa ezininzi zazilahleka zize zintlitheke elunxwemeni olunamatye, yaye umthwalo ezaziwuthwele wawubiwa. Kweli hlabathi lizele yinkohliso, simele silumke singatsalwa kukukhanya kwenkohliso okunokusilukuhla size saphukelwe ngumkhombe wokomoya. Sixelelwa ukuba “noSathana ngokwakhe uzimilisa okwengelosi yokukhanya.” Ngokufanayo, abakhonzi bakhe, kuquka abawexuki, ‘ngabasebenzi benkohliso’ ‘abazimilisa okwabalungiseleli bobulungisa.’ Ukuba siyazamkela iingcamango zabantu abanjalo, intembelo esinayo eLizwini likaYehova lenyaniso, iBhayibhile, inokuphela luze nokholo lwethu lufe.—2 Korinte 11:13-15; 1 Timoti 1:19.
15. Yintoni eya kusenza sihlale ‘endleleni esa ebomini’?
15 Umdumisi wabhala: “Ilizwi lakho lisisibane elunyaweni lwam, nokukhanya endleleni yam.” (INdumiso 119:105) Ewe, ‘indlela emxinwa esa ebomini’ ngokucacileyo ikhanyiswa nguThixo wethu onothando, uYehova, “othanda ukuba zonke iintlobo zabantu zisindiswe zize zifikelele elwazini oluchanileyo lwenyaniso.” (Mateyu 7:14; 1 Timoti 2:4) Ukusebenzisa imithetho yeBhayibhile kuya kusilondoloza ukuze singaphambuki endleleni emxinwa singene kwiindlela zobumnyama. UPawulos wabhala: “Sonke iSibhalo siphefumlelwe nguThixo kwaye siyingenelo ekufundiseni, ekohlwayeni, ekulungelelaniseni izinto, ekuqeqesheleni ebulungiseni.” (2 Timoti 3:16) Njengoko sikhula ngokomoya, iLizwi likaThixo liyasifundisa. Ekukhanyeni kweLizwi likaThixo, sinako ukuzohlwaya, okanye xa kuyimfuneko, sohlwaywe ngabalusi abanothando abasebandleni. Ngokufanayo, sinokulungelelanisa izinto size ngokuzithoba samkele uqeqesho lobulungisa ukuze siqhubeke sihamba endleleni esa ebomini.
Ukuba Noxabiso Ngokuhamba Ekukhanyeni
16. Sinokulubonakalisa njani uxabiso ngelungiselelo elimangalisayo likaYehova lokukhanya?
16 Sinokubonakalisa njani ukuba sinoxabiso ngelungiselelo likaYehova elimangalisayo lokukhanya? UYohane isahluko 9 usixelela ukuba xa uYesu waphilisa indoda eyayizelwe iyimfama, le ndoda yachukumiseka yaza yabonakalisa umbulelo. Njani? Yaba nokholo kuYesu uNyana kaThixo yaye yamchaza ekuhleni ‘njengomprofeti.’ Ngaphezu koko, yaba nesibindi sokubaphendula abo babezama ukuwusingela phantsi ummangaliso owenziwa nguYesu. (Yohane 9:17, 30-34) Umpostile uPetros ubiza amalungu athanjisiweyo ebandla lamaKristu ngokuthi ‘sisizwana esisesakhe ngokukhethekileyo.’ Ngoba? Ngenxa yokuba anoxabiso njengaloo ndoda yayizelwe iyimfama yaza yaphiliswa. Abonakalisa uxabiso ngoYehova, uMbabali wawo, ‘ngokuvakalisa ngokubanzi iimbalasane zalowo wawabizayo ukuba aphume ebumnyameni angene ekukhanyeni kwakhe okungummangaliso.’ (1 Petros 2:9; Kolose 1:13) Abo banethemba lokuphila emhlabeni banombulelo ngendlela efanayo, yaye baxhasa abazalwana babo abathanjisiweyo ekuvakaliseni ekuhleni “iimbalasane” zikaYehova. Elinjani ukubalasela ilungelo uThixo alinika abantu abangafezekanga!
17, 18. (a) Yiyiphi imbopheleleko mntu ngamnye anayo? (b) Exelisa uTimoti, yintoni akhuthazwa ukuba mKristu ngamnye ayiphephe?
17 Kubalulekile ukuba noxabiso olusuk’ entliziyweni ngokukhanya kwenyaniso. Khumbula, akukho namnye kuthi ozalwa eyazi inyaniso. Abanye bayifunda sele bebadala, yaye bakhawuleza bayibone indlela ukukhanya okubugqwesa ngayo ubumnyama. Abanye bafumana ilungelo elikhethekileyo lokukhuliswa ngabazali aboyik’ uThixo. Kwabo banjalo, kunokuba lula ukuba bangakukhathaleli oku kukhanya. Elinye iNgqina, abazali balo ababekhonza uYehova ngaphambi kokuba lizalwe, liyavuma ukuba kwathabatha ixesha nomgudu ukuyiqonda ngokuzeleyo intsingiselo yenyaniso elayifundiswa kwasebusaneni nokubaluleka kwayo. (2 Timoti 3:15) Enoba siselula okanye sikhulile, ngamnye wethu kufuneka ahlakulele uxabiso olunzulu ngenyaniso esiyityhilelwe nguYehova.
18 Umfana ogama linguTimoti wafundiswa “imibhalo engcwele” eselusana, kodwa ukuze abe ngumKristu okhulileyo wazibhokoxa kubulungiseleli. (2 Timoti 3:15) Wandula ke wakwazi ukunceda umpostile uPawulos, owambongoza esithi: “Yenza unako-nako ukuba uzinikele ukholekile kuThixo, ungumsebénzi ongenazintloni nganto, uliphatha ngokufanelekileyo ilizwi lenyaniso.” Ngamana sonke, njengoTimoti, singaphepha nantoni na enokusenza sibe neentloni—okanye yenze uYehova abe neentloni ngathi!—2 Timoti 2:15.
19. (a) NjengoDavide, yintoni esifanele sonke siyithethe? (b) Yintoni eza kuxutyushwa kwinqaku elilandelayo?
19 Sinezizathu ezininzi zokudumisa uYehova, owasinika ukukhanya kwenyaniso yakhe. NjengoKumkani uDavide, sithi: “Wena usisibane sam, Yehova, yaye nguYehova owenza bukhanye ubumnyama bam.” (2 Samuweli 22:29) Sekunjalo, asimele singakhathali, kuba oko kunokubangela sibuyele ebumnyameni esahlangulwa kubo. Ngoko ke, inqaku elilandelayo liya kusinceda sihlolisise ukubaluleka kwenyaniso kaThixo ebomini bethu.
Ufunde Ntoni?
• UYehova ukulungiselela njani ukukhanya kokomoya?
• Luluphi ucelomngeni oluziswa bubumnyama bokomoya obusingqongileyo?
• Ziziphi iingozi esimele siziphephe?
• Sinokubonakalisa njani ukuba sinombulelo ngokukhanya kwenyaniso?
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 8]
UYehova ngumthombo wokukhanya kokoqobo nokomoya
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 10]
Njengokuba uYesu wayiphilisa ngokuthe ngcembe indoda eyayiyimfama, ngendlela efanayo uyasinceda ukuze siphume ebumnyameni bokomoya
[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 11]
Ukulahlekiswa kukukhanya okukhohlisayo kukaSathana kuphumela ekwaphukelweni ngumkhombe wokomoya