“Luhlobo Luni Lwabantu Okufanele Nibe Yilo!”
“Njengoba zonke lezi zinto ziyoncibilika kanjalo, yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu!”—2 PET. 3:11.
1. Kungani incwadi yesibili kaPetru yayiyisikhuthazo esifike ngesikhathi kumaKristu osuku lwakhe?
LAPHO umphostoli uPetru ebhala incwadi yakhe yesibili ephefumulelwe, ibandla lobuKristu kakade lase likhuthazelele ushushiso olukhulu, kodwa lwalungazange luyidambise intshiseko yalo noma luthiye ukukhula kwalo. Ngakho, uDeveli wasebenzisa elinye icebo elase liphumelele izikhathi eziningi ngaphambili. Njengoba uPetru alembula, uSathane wazama ukonakalisa abantu bakaNkulunkulu ngokusebenzisa abafundisi bamanga ‘ababenamehlo agcwele ukuphinga nezinhliziyo eziqeqeshelwe ukuhaha.’ (2 Pet. 2:1-3, 14; Jude 4) Ngenxa yalokho, incwadi yesibili kaPetru iyisikhuthazo esiqotho sokuba sethembeke.
2. Isahluko 3 sencwadi yesibili kaPetru sigxile kuphi, futhi imiphi imibuzo okufanele sizibuze yona?
2 UPetru wabhala: “Ngikubheka njengokulungile, uma nje ngisekuleli tabernakele, ukunivusa ngendlela yokunikhumbuza, njengoba ngazi ukuthi ukususwa kwetabernakele lami kuzokwenzeka ngokushesha . . . Ngakho nami ngizokwenza konke okusemandleni ami ngaso sonke isikhathi ukuze, ngemva kokumuka kwami, nikwazi ukuzisho ngokwenu lezi zinto.” (2 Pet. 1:13-15) Yebo, uPetru wayazi ukuthi wayesezokufa, kodwa wayefisa ukuthi izikhumbuzo zakhe ezingaphelelwa isikhathi zihlale zikhunjulwa. Nembala, zaba ingxenye yeBhayibheli futhi sonke singakwazi ukuzifunda namuhla. Sinesithakazelo ngokukhethekile esahlukweni 3 sencwadi yesibili kaPetru ngoba sigxile “ezinsukwini zokugcina” zalesi simiso sezinto nasekubhujisweni kwamazulu nomhlaba angokomfanekiso. (2 Pet. 3:3, 7, 10) Isiphi iseluleko uPetru asiphathele sona? Ukusebenzisa iseluleko sakhe kuyosisiza kanjani ukuba sithole ukwamukelwa uJehova?
3, 4. (a) Imaphi amazwi aphaphamisayo ashiwo uPetru, futhi isiphi isixwayiso asinikeza? (b) Imaphi amaphuzu amathathu esizoxoxa ngawo?
3 Ngemva kokukhuluma ngokuncibilikiswa kwezwe likaSathane, uPetru wathi: “Yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu!” (2 Pet. 3:11, 12) Kusobala ukuthi wayengabuzi umbuzo kodwa amazwi akhe ayinkulumo ephaphamisayo. UPetru wayazi ukuthi yilabo kuphela abenza intando kaJehova futhi babonakalise izici zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu abayosinda ‘osukwini lwempindiselo’ oluzayo. (Isaya 61:2) Ngakho, lo mphostoli wanezela: “Ngakho-ke, nina bathandekayo, ninalolu lwazi kusengaphambili, qaphani ukuba ningamuki nabo [abafundisi bamanga] ngesiphambeko sabantu abadelela umthetho futhi niwe ekugxileni kwenu.”—2 Pet. 3:17.
4 Njengoba ayephakathi kwalabo ‘ababenolwazi kusengaphambili,’ uPetru wayazi ukuthi ezinsukwini zokugcina kwakuyodingeka amaKristu aqaphe ngokukhethekile ukuze agcine ubuqotho bawo. Kamuva, umphostoli uJohane wachaza ngokucacile isizathu salokho. Wabona kusengaphambili ukuxoshwa kukaSathane ezulwini ‘nokubathukuthelela kwakhe kakhulu’ labo “abagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu futhi benomsebenzi wokufakaza ngoJesu.” (IsAm. 12:9, 12, 17) Izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezigcotshiwe eziqotho kanye nabangane bazo abathembekile ‘bezinye izimvu’ bayonqoba. (Joh. 10:16) Kuthiwani ngathi ngabanye? Ingabe siyobugcina ubuqotho bethu? Okuyosisiza ukuba sibugcine ukulwela (1) ukuhlakulela izimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, (2) ukuhlale singenabala futhi singenasici ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya (3) nokubheka ubunzima ngombono ofanele. Ake sixoxe ngala maphuzu.
Hlakulela Izimfanelo Zokuhlonipha UNkulunkulu
5, 6. Iziphi izimfanelo okufanele silwele ukuzihlakulela, futhi kungani lokhu kudinga “umzamo wenkuthalo”?
5 Ekuqaleni kwencwadi yakhe yesibili, uPetru wabhala: “Ngokusabela kwenu ngokunikela ngawo wonke umzamo wenkuthalo, nezelani okholweni lwenu ubuhle, ebuhleni benu ulwazi, olwazini lwenu ukuzithiba, ekuzithibeni kwenu ukukhuthazela, ekukhuthazeleni kwenu ukuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu, ekuzinikeleni kwenu kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu uthando lobuzalwane, othandweni lwenu lobuzalwane uthando. Ngoba uma lezi zinto zikhona kini futhi zichichima, ziyonivimbela ningabi abangasebenzi noma abangatheli ngokuqondene nolwazi olunembile ngeNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.”—2 Pet. 1:5-8.
6 Yiqiniso, kudinga “umzamo wenkuthalo” ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini esisiza ukuba sihlakulele izimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo, kudinga umzamo ukuya kuyo yonke imihlangano yobuKristu, ukufunda iBhayibheli nsuku zonke nokunamathela esimisweni esihle sesifundo somuntu siqu. Kungase futhi kudinge ukuzikhandla kanye nokuhlela okuhle ukuze sibe nabo njalo ubusuku bokuKhulekela Komkhaya okujabulisayo nokuzuzisayo. Kodwa uma lesi simiso esihle sesize sangena egazini, kuba lula—ikakhulu lapho sinambitha izinzuzo zako.
7, 8. (a) Yini abanye abaye bayisho ngokuKhulekela Komkhaya kwakusihlwa? (b) Kunizuzisa kanjani ukukhulekela kwenu komkhaya?
7 Ngokuphathelene nelungiselelo lokukhulekela komkhaya, udade othile uyabhala: “Lisinika ithuba lokufunda izinto eziningi.” Omunye uthi: “Uma ngikhuluma iqiniso, ngangingajabule lapho kuqedwa isifundo sencwadi. Kwakuwumhlangano engangiwuthanda kakhulu. Kodwa manje, njengoba sesinobusuku bokuKhulekela Komkhaya, sengiyabona ukuthi uJehova uyakwazi esikudingayo nokuthi sikudinga nini.” Inhloko yomkhaya ethile ithi: “Ukukhulekela komkhaya kusisiza kakhulu. Ukuba nomhlangano ofanelana nezidingo zethu ngokukhethekile njengombhangqwana kuwusizo olukhulu! Sobabili sinomuzwa wokuthi siyathuthuka ekuboniseni izithelo zomoya ongcwele, futhi sesithola injabulo eyengeziwe enkonzweni yethu.” Enye inhloko yomkhaya ithi: “Izingane ziyazicwaningela futhi zifunda okuningi—azive zikujabulela. Leli lungiselelo lisenza siqiniseke ngokwengeziwe ukuthi uJehova uyazazi izinto ezisikhathazayo futhi uyayiphendula imithandazo yethu.” Ingabe yile ndlela nawe ozizwa ngayo ngaleli lungiselelo elingokomoya elihle?
8 Ungavumeli izinto ezincane ukuba ziphazamise ukukhulekela komkhaya. Umbhangqwana oshadile wathi, “Kula masonto amane adlule bekulokhu kwenzeka okuthile ngoLwesine kusihlwa emzini wethu obekucishe kusiyekise ukufunda, kodwa asikuvumelanga ukuba kusiphazamise.” Yiqiniso, ngezinye izikhathi kungase kudingeke ukuba nishintshe isimiso senu. Noma kunjalo, zimiseleni ukuba kungenzeki ukuba ningabi nakho ukuKhulekela Komkhaya kwakusihlwa—ngisho nangesonto elilodwa nje!
9. UJehova wamsekela kanjani uJeremiya, futhi yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sakhe?
9 Umprofethi uJeremiya uyisibonelo esihle kithi. Wayedinga ukudla okungokomoya okuvela kuJehova futhi ekwazisa ngokujulile. Lokho kudla kwamenza wakwazi ukukhuthazela lapho eshumayela kubantu ababelukhuni. Wathi: “Izwi likaJehova . . . [laba] njengomlilo ovuthayo ovalelwe emathanjeni ami.” (Jer. 20:8, 9) Laphinde lamsiza ukuba akhuthazelele izikhathi ezinzima ezafinyelela umvuthwandaba wazo ngokubhujiswa kweJerusalema. Namuhla, sineZwi likaNkulunkulu elilotshiwe eliphelele. Lapho silitadisha ngenkuthalo futhi senze imicabango kaNkulunkulu ibe ngeyethu, siyokwazi njengoJeremiya ukukhuthazela ngenjabulo enkonzweni, sihlale sithembekile lapho sibhekene nobunzima, futhi sihlale sihlanzekile ngokokuziphatha nangokomoya.—Jak. 5:10.
Hlale ‘Ungenabala Futhi Ungenasici’
10, 11. Kungani kumelwe senze konke okusemandleni ukuze sihlale ‘singenabala futhi singenasici,’ futhi singakwenza kanjani lokhu?
10 NjengamaKristu, siyazi ukuthi siphila esikhathini sokuphela. Ngakho-ke, asimangali lapho sibona leli zwe licwile ezintweni uJehova azenyanyayo, njengokuhaha, ukuwohloka kokuziphatha ngokobulili nobudlova. Icebo likaSathane lingafingqwa kanje: ‘Uma ngingenakuzethusa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu, mhlawumbe ngingazonakalisa.’ (IsAm. 2:13, 14) Yingakho kungamelwe siwuthathe kalula umyalo wothando kaPetru: “Yenzani konke okusemandleni enu ukuba ekugcineni [uNkulunkulu] anithole ningenabala, ningenasici futhi nisekuthuleni.”—2 Pet. 3:14.
11 Inkulumo ethi “yenzani konke okusemandleni” icishe ifane nesikhuthazo uPetru asinikeza ekuqaleni sokuba senze “wonke umzamo wenkuthalo.” Ngokusobala, uJehova—owaphefumulela uPetru ukuba asho lawo mazwi—uyazi ukuthi kudingeka sizikhandle ukuze sihlale ‘singenabala futhi singenasici,’ singangcolisiwe ukungcola kwaleli zwe likaSathane. Ukuzikhandla kuhlanganisa nokuvikela inhliziyo yethu ukuba inganqotshwa izifiso ezingalungile. (Funda izAga 4:23; Jakobe 1:14, 15.) Kuhlanganisa nokumelana ngokuqinile nalabo abadidwa indlela yethu yokuphila yobuKristu futhi ‘abaqhubeka besihlambalaza.’—1 Pet. 4:4.
12. Isiphi isiqiniseko esisithola kuLuka 11:13?
12 Ngenxa yokungapheleli kwethu, kuwumshikashika ukwenza okulungile. (Roma 7:21-25) Singaba nethemba lokuphumelela kuphela uma siphendukela kuJehova, obanika umoya ongcwele ngokukhululekile labo abawucela ngobuqotho. (Luka 11:13) Lowo moya ube usuveza kithi izimfanelo ezisenza samukelwe uNkulunkulu nezisisiza ukuba singagcini ngokubhekana ngokuphumelelayo nezilingo zokuphila, kodwa nanobunzima obungase bande njengoba usuku lukaJehova lusondela.
Vumela Ubunzima Bukuqinise
13. Lapho sibhekana nobunzima, yini eyosisiza ukuba sikhuthazele?
13 Uma nje sisaphila kulesi simiso sezinto esidala, bukhona ubunzima esizobhekana nabo. Kodwa esikhundleni sokuba udangale, kungani ungabheki ubunzima njengethuba lokuqinisekisa uthando lwakho ngoNkulunkulu nokuhlola ukuqina kokholo lwakho kuye naseZwini lakhe? Umfundi uJakobe wabhala: “Kubhekeni njengenjabulo yodwa, bazalwane, lapho nihlangabezana nokulingwa okuhlukahlukene, njengoba nazi ukuthi lesi simo esivivinyiwe sokholo lwenu siveza ukukhuthazela.” (Jak. 1:2-4) Masikhumbule nokuthi “uJehova uyayazi indlela yokukhulula ekulingweni abantu abanokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu.”—2 Pet. 2:9.
14. Isibonelo sikaJosefa sikukhuthaza kanjani?
14 Cabanga ngesibonelo sendodana kaJakobe, uJosefa, owathengiswa abafowabo njengesigqila. (Gen. 37:23-28; 42:21) Ingabe leso senzo sonya samqeda ukholo? Ingabe wathukuthelela uNkulunkulu ngokuvumela lobu bubi ukuba bumehlele? IZwi likaNkulunkulu liphendula ngocha omkhulu! Ngaphezu kwalokho, ubunzima bakhe abuphelelanga lapho. Kamuva, wamangalelwa ngamanga ngecala lokuzama ukudlwengula futhi wafakwa etilongweni. Nokho, nakulokhu akazange antengantenge ekuzinikeleni kwakhe kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu. (Gen. 39:9-21) Kunalokho, wavumela ubunzima ukuba bumqinise futhi wabusiswa kakhulu ngalokho.
15. Yini esingayifunda esibonelweni sikaNawomi?
15 Kuyavunywa ukuthi ubunzima bungasenza sidabuke noma ngisho sicindezeleke. Mhlawumbe yile ndlela uJosefa ayezizwa ngayo ngezinye izikhathi. Ezinye izinceku zikaNkulunkulu ezithembekile nazo zazizwa ngaleyo ndlela. Cabanga ngoNawomi, owashonelwa umyeni wakhe namadodana akhe amabili. Wathi: “Ningangibizi ngokuthi nginguNawomi. Ngibizeni ngokuthi nginguMara [okusho Omunyu], ngoba uMninimandla onke wenze kwaba munyu kakhulu kimi.” (Ruthe 1:20, 21) Indlela uNawomi asabela ngayo yayingokwemvelo futhi iqondakala. Nokho, njengoJosefa, naye akazange akhubeke ngokomoya noma antengantenge ebuqothweni bakhe. UJehova wabe esemvuza lona wesifazane oyigugu. (Ruthe 4:13-17, 22) Ngaphezu kwalokho, ePharadesi lasemhlabeni elizayo, uJehova uyolungisa wonke umonakalo owenziwa uSathane nezwe lakhe elibi. “Izinto zangaphambili ngeke zikhunjulwe, futhi ngeke zifike enhliziyweni.”—Isaya 65:17.
16. Isiphi isimo sengqondo okufanele sibe naso ngomthandazo, futhi ngani?
16 Kungakhathaliseki ubunzima obungase busehlele, uthando lukaNkulunkulu luyohlale lukhona futhi luyosiqinisa. (Funda amaRoma 8:35-39.) Nakuba uSathane engeke ayeke ukuzama ukusenza sidangale, ngeke aphumelele uma sihlale ‘sihluzekile engqondweni futhi siphaphamele ukuthandaza.’ (1 Pet. 4:7) UJesu wathi: “Khona-ke, hlalani niphapheme, ngaso sonke isikhathi ninxusa ukuba niphumelele ekuphunyukeni kuzo zonke lezi zinto ezimiselwe ukwenzeka, nasekumeni phambi kweNdodana yomuntu.” (Luka 21:36) Phawula ukuthi uJesu usebenzise igama elithi ‘ukunxusa,’ elisho umthandazo oqotho ngempela. Ngokusiyala ukuba sinxuse, uJesu wayegcizelela ukuthi lesi akusona isikhathi sokukuthatha kalula ukuma kwethu phambi kwakhe noYise. Yilabo abamukelekayo kuphela abayoma futhi babe nethemba lokusinda osukwini lukaJehova.
Hlale Umatasa Enkonzweni KaJehova
17. Uma insimu ofakaza kuyo ilukhuni, ungazuza kanjani esibonelweni esihle sabaprofethi basendulo?
17 Ukuhlanganyela emisebenzini engokomoya kuyasiqabula. Kusikhumbuza la mazwi kaPetru: “Yeka ukuthi luhlobo luni lwabantu okufanele nibe yilo ezenzweni zokuziphatha ezingcwele nasezenzweni zokuzinikela kokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu!” (2 Pet. 3:11) Isenzo esisemqoka kulezi siwukushumayela izindaba ezinhle. (Math. 24:14) Yiqiniso, umsebenzi wokushumayela ungase ube inselele kwamanye amasimu, mhlawumbe ngenxa yokungasinaki kwabantu noma ukuphikiswa noma ngoba nje abantu bexinwe izinkathazo zokuphila zansuku zonke. Izinceku zikaJehova zasendulo kwadingeka zibhekane nezimo zengqondo ezithi azifane. Noma kunjalo, azizange ziyeke kodwa zabuyela “ngokuphindaphindiwe” kubantu nesigijimi ezazisinikwe uNkulunkulu. (Funda eyesi-2 IziKronike 36:15, 16; Jer. 7:24-26) Yini eyazisiza ukuba zikhuthazele? Zaba nombono kaJehova ngesabelo sazo hhayi owezwe. Zazikubheka nanjengokuyilungelo elikhulu kunawo wonke ukuphatha igama likaNkulunkulu.—Jer. 15:16.
18. Umsebenzi wokushumayela ngoMbuso uyoba naliphi iqhaza ekukhulisweni kwegama likaNkulunkulu esikhathini esizayo?
18 Nathi sinelungelo lokumemezela igama likaJehova nenjongo yakhe. Cabanga ngalokhu: Ngenxa yomsebenzi wethu wokushumayela, izitha zikaNkulunkulu lapho zibhekene naye osukwini lwakhe olukhulu ngeke zikwazi ukuba nezaba zithi bezingazi. Ngempela, njengoFaro wasendulo, ziyokwazi ukuthi nguJehova olwa nazo. (Eks. 8:1, 20; 14:25) Ngesikhathi esifanayo, uJehova uyophakamisa izinceku zakhe ezithembekile ngokukwenza kucace bhá ukuthi zazingabameleli bakhe ngempela.—Funda uHezekeli 2:5; 33:33.
19. Singabonisa kanjani ukuthi sifisa ukuzuza ngokugcwele ekubekezeleni kukaJehova?
19 Ngasekupheleni kwencwadi yakhe yesibili, uPetru wabhalela amaKristu akanye nawo: “Bhekani ukubekezela kweNkosi yethu njengensindiso.” (2 Pet. 3:15) Yebo, masiqhubeke sizuza ngokugcwele ekubekezeleni kukaJehova. Kanjani? Ngokuhlakulela izimfanelo ezimjabulisayo, ngokuhlale ‘singenabala futhi singenasici,’ ngokuba nesimo sengqondo esifanele ngobunzima nangokuba matasa enkonzweni yoMbuso. Ngokwenza lokho, sizenza sifanelekele ukuthola izibusiso ezingapheli ezihlobene ‘namazulu amasha nomhlaba omusha.’—2 Pet. 3:13.
Uyakhumbula?
• Singazihlakulela kanjani izimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu?
• Singahlale kanjani ‘singenabala futhi singenasici’?
• Yini esingayifunda kuJosefa nakuNawomi?
• Kungani ukuhlanganyela emsebenzini wokushumayela kuyilungelo elikhulu?
[Isithombe ekhasini 9]
Madoda, yini eyonisiza ukuba nihlakulele izimfanelo zokuhlonipha uNkulunkulu kini nasemikhayeni yenu?
[Izithombe ekhasini 10]
Singafundani endleleni uJosefa abhekana ngayo nobunzima?