“Yalusani Umhlambi KaNkulunkulu Eniwuphathisiwe”
“Yalusani umhlambi kaNkulunkulu eniwuphathisiwe, kungabi ngokucindezelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela.”—1 PET. 5:2.
1. Iziphi izimo amaKristu ayebhekene nazo lapho uPetru ebhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala?
UMPHOSTOLI UPETRU wabhala incwadi yakhe yokuqala esikhathini esithile ngaphambi kokuba uNero aqale umkhankaso wokushushisa amaKristu eRoma. Wayefuna ukuqinisa ayekholwa nabo. UDeveli ‘wayehambahamba’ efuna ukushwabadela amaKristu. Ukuze amelane naye, kwakudingeka ‘ahlale esangulukile’ futhi ‘azithobe ngaphansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla.’ (1 Pet. 5:6, 8) Kwakudingeka nokuba ahlale emunye. ‘Ukulumana nokushwabadelana’ kwakungeke kuwasize ngoba kwakungawenza ‘aqothulane.’—Gal. 5:15.
2, 3. Ubani okufanele silwe naye, futhi yini esizoxoxa ngayo kulezi zihloko?
2 Namuhla, sibhekene nesimo esifanayo. UDeveli ufuna amathuba okusishwabadela. (IsAm. 12:12) Maduze kuzogadla “usizi olukhulu olungakaze lube khona kusukela ekuqaleni kwezwe.” (Math. 24:21) Njengoba nje amaKristu ekhulu lokuqala kwakudingeka aqaphe ukuxabana wodwa, nathi kumelwe siqaphe. Ukuze sikwazi ukufeza lokhu, ngezinye izikhathi sidinga usizo lwamadoda amadala afanelekayo.
3 Ake sixoxe ngendlela abadala abangathuthukisa ngayo ukwazisa kwabo ilungelo abanalo lokwalusa ‘umhlambi kaNkulunkulu abawuphathisiwe.’ (1 Pet. 5:2) Ngemva kwalokho, sizoxoxa ngendlela efanele yokufeza umsebenzi wokwalusa. Esihlokweni esilandelayo, sizohlola indlela ibandla elingabonisa ngayo ukuthi ‘liyabazisa labo abasebenza kanzima nabengamele’ umhlambi. (1 Thes. 5:12) Ukucabangela lezi zinto kuzosisiza ukuba simelane ngokuqinile neSitha sethu esiyinhloko, siqaphele ukuthi yiso esilwa naso.—Efe. 6:12.
Yalusani Umhlambi KaNkulunkulu
4, 5. Amadoda amadala kufanele awubheke kanjani umhlambi? Bonisa.
4 UPetru wakhuthaza amadoda amadala ayephakathi kwamaKristu ekhulu lokuqala ukuba abe nombono kaNkulunkulu ngomhlambi awuphathisiwe. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:1, 2.) Nakuba ayebhekwa njengensika ebandleni, uPetru akazange aziphakamise lapho ekhuluma nabadala. Kunalokho, wabayala njengomdala okanye nabo. (Gal. 2:9) Inombono onjengokaPetru, iNdikimba Ebusayo namuhla inxusa abadala bamabandla ukuba balwele ukufeza umthwalo wabo wemfanelo omkhulu wokwalusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu.
5 Lo mphostoli wabhala ukuthi amadoda amadala kwakumelwe ‘eluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu awuphathisiwe.’ Kwakubaluleke kakhulu ukuba aqaphele ukuthi umhlambi ungokaJehova noJesu Kristu. Labo badala kwakuyodingeka balandise ngendlela ababeziqaphe ngayo izimvu zikaNkulunkulu. Ake sithi umngane wakho omkhulu ukucele ukuba umbhekele izingane zakhe ngesikhathi engekho. Ubungeke yini uzinakekele kahle futhi uzinike ukudla? Uma kuba khona egulayo, ubungeke yini uqinisekise ukuthi ithola usizo lwezokwelapha oludingekayo? Ngokufanayo, abadala ebandleni kumelwe ‘beluse ibandla likaNkulunkulu, alithenga ngegazi leNdodana yakhe.’ (IzE. 20:28) Bahlale bekhumbula ukuthi imvu ngayinye yathengwa ngegazi eliyigugu likaKristu Jesu. Beqaphela ukuthi bayolandisa, abadala bayawondla, bawuvikele futhi bawunakekele umhlambi.
6. Abelusi basendulo babenamuphi umthwalo wemfanelo?
6 Cabanga ngemithwalo yemfanelo abelusi abangokoqobo ababenayo ngezikhathi zeBhayibheli. Babeshiswa ilanga emini, baqhuqhwe amakhaza ebusuku ukuze banakekele umhlambi. (Gen. 31:40) Babeze bafake ukuphila kwabo engozini ngenxa yezimvu. Lapho esengumfana owelusayo, uDavide wophula umhlambi wakubo ezilwaneni zasendle, ezihlanganisa ingonyama nebhere. Ngokuphathelene nalokhu, uDavide wathi “ngakubamba ngesilevu ngakushaya ngakubulala.” (1 Sam. 17:34, 35) Yeka isibindi! Kumelwe ukuba wayesinda ngokulambisa kulezi zilo! Noma kunjalo, wenza konke ayengakwenza ukuze asindise izimvu.
7. Abadala bangayihlwitha kanjani ngokomfanekiso imvu emihlathini kaDeveli?
7 Namuhla, abadala kudingeka bahlale beqaphe ukuhlasela okunjengokwengonyama kukaDeveli. Lokhu kungase kudinge benze isenzo sesibindi ngokomfanekiso esinjengokuhlwitha imvu emihlathini kaDeveli. Abadala bangophula leyo mvu ngokubamba ngokomfanekiso isilevu sesilo sasendle. Bangase babonisane nabazalwane abangaqaphile abakhangwa izingibe zikaSathane. (Funda uJude 22, 23.) Yiqiniso, abadala abanakukufeza lokhu ngaphandle kosizo lukaJehova. Bayiphatha ngesisa imvu elimele, bayibophe amanxeba futhi bayigcobe ngamafutha apholisayo eZwi likaNkulunkulu.
8. Abadala bawuqondisa kuphi umhlambi, futhi kanjani?
8 Umalusi ongokoqobo wayebuye aholele umhlambi emadlelweni afanele nasemithonjeni yamanzi. Ngokufanayo, abadala baqondisa umhlambi ebandleni ngokuwukhuthaza ukuba ube khona njalo emihlanganweni yebandla ukuze wondleke kahle futhi uthole ‘ukudla kwawo ngesikhathi esifanele.’ (Math. 24:45) Kungase kudingeke ukuba abadala basebenzise isikhathi esengeziwe besiza labo abagulayo ngokomoya ukuba bamukele ukudla okuvela eZwini likaNkulunkulu. Kungenzeka kunemvu edukile ezama ukubuyela emhlambini. Kunokuba bamesabise umfowabo, abadala bamchazela ngesisa izimiso ezingokomBhalo futhi bambonise indlela angazisebenzisa ngayo ekuphileni kwakhe.
9, 10. Abadala kufanele babanakekele kanjani abagulayo ngokomoya?
9 Uma ugula, uthanda ukuya kudokotela onjani? Kudokotela ozinika isikhathi esincane sokukulalela bese ekunikeza umuthi ngokushesha, ahlukane nawe abize isiguli esilandelayo? Noma ubungakhetha ukuya kudokotela okunika isikhathi sokukhuluma uze uqede, akuchazele ukuthi yini engase ibe inkinga, futhi achaze izindlela ezingase zisetshenziswe zokuyelapha?
10 Ngokufanayo, abadala bangalalela umuntu ogulayo ngokomoya futhi basize ekwelapheni inxeba lakhe, kube njengokungathi ‘bamgcoba ngamafutha egameni likaJehova.’ (Funda uJakobe 5:14, 15.) Njengebhalsamu laseGileyadi, iZwi likaNkulunkulu lingamthoba ogulayo. (Jer. 8:22; Hez. 34:16) Lapho izimiso zeBhayibheli zisetshenziswa, zingasiza umuntu osebuthaka ukuba aphinde aqine ngokomoya. Yebo, abadala bafeza lukhulu ngokulalela imvu egulayo lapho ibatshela okuyikhathazayo futhi bathandaze nayo.
Kungabi Ngokucindezelwa Kodwa Ngokuzithandela
11. Yini eshukumisela abadala ukuba beluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ngokuzithandela?
11 Ngokulandelayo, uPetru wakhumbuza amadoda amadala indlela umsebenzi wokwalusa okwakufanele awenze noma angawenzi ngayo. Abadala kumelwe beluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu, “kungabi ngokucindezelwa, kodwa ngokuzithandela.” Yini eshukumisela abadala ukuba bakhonze abafowabo ngokuzithandela? UPetru washukunyiswa yini ukuba eluse futhi ondle izimvu zikaJesu? Isihluthulelo kwakuwuthando lwakhe ngeNkosi. (Joh. 21:15-17) Ngenxa yothando, abadala ‘abasaziphileli bona, kodwa baphilela lowo owabafela.’ (2 Kor. 5:14, 15) Lolu thando, uma luhlangene nothando lwabo ngoNkulunkulu nangabafowabo, lushukumisela abadala ukuba bakhonze umhlambi, bazikhandle, basebenzise isikhathi nezinto zabo ekwenzeni lokho. (Math. 22:37-39) Bazinikela ngokuzithandela hhayi ngokukhononda.
12. Umphostoli uPawulu wazinikela ngezinga elingakanani?
12 Abadala kufanele bazinikele ngezinga elingakanani? Lapho benakekela izimvu, balingisa umphostoli uPawulu, njengoba naye alingisa uJesu. (1 Kor. 11:1) Njengoba babebakhathalela ngothando abafowabo baseThesalonika, uPawulu nabangane bakhe bakujabulela ukungadluliseli ‘nje kuphela izindaba ezinhle zikaNkulunkulu kubo, kodwa futhi nemiphefumulo yabo uqobo.’ Lapho benza kanjalo, baba mnene “njengalapho umdlezane enakekela abantwana bakhe.” (1 Thes. 2:7, 8) UPawulu wayeyiqonda indlela umdlezane oncelisayo azizwa ngayo ngabantwana bakhe. Angenza noma yini ngenxa yabo, kuhlanganise nokuvuka phakathi kwamabili abancelise.
13. Ikuphi ukulinganisela abadala okudingeka bakwenze?
13 Abadala kudingeka baqaphele ukuba balinganisele phakathi kwemithwalo yemfanelo yokwelusa nezibopho abanazo emkhayeni wabo. (1 Thim. 5:8) Isikhathi abadala abasichitha nebandla siyisikhathi esiyigugu okufanele ngabe basichitha nemikhaya yabo. Enye indlela abangalinganisela ngayo phakathi kwale mithwalo yemfanelo emibili iwukuba ngezinye izikhathi bameme abanye ukuba bahlanganyele nabo ekuKhulekeleni Komkhaya kwakusihlwa. Sekuyiminyaka eminingi uMasanao ongumdala eJapane ememela abangashadile nemikhaya eyizintandane ngokomoya esifundweni somkhaya wakhe. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, abanye balabo abasiza baba abadala futhi nabo balingisa isibonelo esihle sikaMasanao.
Gwemani Inzuzo Yokungathembeki—Yalusani Umhlambi Ngokulangazela
14, 15. Kungani abadala kufanele baqaphe ‘uthando lwenzuzo yokungathembeki,’ futhi bangamlingisa kanjani uPawulu kule ndaba?
14 UPetru wabuye wakhuthaza abadala ukuba beluse umhlambi, “kungabi ngenxa yothando lwenzuzo yokungathembeki, kodwa ngokulangazela.” Umsebenzi wabadala udla isikhathi esiningi kakhulu, kodwa abalindele neze ukunxeshezelwa ngokwezimali. UPetru wabona kunesidingo sokuxwayisa abadala ayekanye nabo ngengozi yokwalusa umhlambi ngenxa “yothando lwenzuzo yokungathembeki.” Le ngozi ibonakala ekuphileni kokutamasa kwabaholi benkolo ‘beBhabhiloni Elikhulu’ kuyilapho abantu abaningi bephoqeleka ukuba baphile ngobumpofu. (IsAm. 18:2, 3) Namuhla, abadala banesizathu esizwakalayo sokuqapha noma ikuphi ukuthambekela kulolo hlangothi.
15 UPawulu wabekela abadala abangamaKristu isibonelo esihle. Nakuba ayengumphostoli futhi ayengaba “umthwalo oyizindleko ezinkulu” kumaKristu aseThesalonika, akazange ‘adle kudla kwamuntu mahhala.’ Kunalokho, ‘wasebenza ubusuku nemini ngokushikashikeka nokukhandleka.’ (2 Thes. 3:8) Abadala abaningi namuhla, kuhlanganise nalabo abasemsebenzini wokujikeleza, babeka isibonelo esihle kule ndaba. Nakuba bewazisa umoya wokungenisa izihambi wabakholwa nabo, ‘abathwesi muntu umthwalo oyizindleko ezinkulu.’—1 Thes. 2:9.
16. Kusho ukuthini ukwalusa umhlambi “ngokulangazela”?
16 Abadala belusa umhlambi “ngokulangazela.” Ukulangazela kwabo kubonakala ngesimo sabo sengqondo sokuzidela ekusizeni umhlambi. Nokho, lokho akusho ukuthi baphoqa umhlambi ukuba ukhonze uJehova; futhi abadala abanothando ababakhuthazi abanye ukuba bakhonze uNkulunkulu ngomoya wokuncintisana. (Gal. 5:26) Bayaqaphela ukuthi imvu ngayinye ihlukile. Bayakulangazelela ukusiza abafowabo bakhonze uJehova ngenjabulo.
Ningazenzi Izingqongqo Phezu Komhlambi Kodwa Nibe Yizibonelo
17, 18. (a) Kungani ngezinye izikhathi abaphostoli babeba nenkinga yokuqonda lokho uJesu ayekufundisa ngokuthobeka? (b) Isiphi isimo esicishe sifane esingazithola sikuso?
17 Njengoba sekubonisiwe ngenhla, abadala kufanele bahlale bekhumbula ukuthi umhlambi abawalusayo okaNkulunkulu akuwona owabo. Bayaqaphela ukuba ‘bangazenzi izingqongqo phezu kwalabo abayifa likaNkulunkulu.’ (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:3.) Ngezinye izikhathi, abaphostoli bakaJesu babefuna ukufinyelela amalungelo ngezisusa ezingafanele. Njengababusi bezizwe, babefuna ukuba nesikhundla esivelele.—Funda uMarku 10:42-45.
18 Namuhla, abazalwane ‘abazama ukufinyelela ukuba ababonisi’ benza kahle ngokuzihlola ukuthi kungani befuna ukufinyelela lelo lungelo. (1 Thim. 3:1) Labo asebengabadala bangazibuza ngokungagunci ukuthi kungenzeka yini ukuthi bafisa ukuba negunya noma ukuvelela njengoba kwénza abanye abaphostoli. Uma abaphostoli baba nobunzima kule ndaba, khona-ke abadala bangaqaphela ukuthi kudingeka basebenze kanzima ukuze bagweme noma ikuphi ukuthambekela kwezwe kokujatshuliswa ukuba negunya phezu kwabanye.
19. Yini abadala okufanele bayikhumbule lapho bethatha isinyathelo sokuvikela umhlambi?
19 Kuyavunywa ukuthi kunezikhathi lapho abadala kudingeka baqine khona, njengalapho bevikela umhlambi ‘ezimpisini ezicindezelayo.’ (IzE. 20:28-30) UPawulu watshela uThithu ukuba aqhubeke ‘ekhuthaza futhi esola ngegunya eligcwele.’ (Thithu 2:15) Kodwa ngisho nalapho kudingeka bathathe leso sinyathelo, abadala bazama ukubahlonipha labo abathintekayo. Bayaqaphela ukuthi kunokugxeka umuntu ngokhahlo, ukubonisana kahle naye kuphumelela ngokwengeziwe ekufinyeleleni inhliziyo nasekumshukumiseleni ukuba athathe inkambo efanele.
20. Abadala bangamlingisa kanjani uJesu ngokubeka isibonelo esihle?
20 Isibonelo esihle sikaKristu sishukumisela abadala ukuba bathande umhlambi. (Joh. 13:12-15) Izinhliziyo zethu ziyakhuthazeka lapho sifunda indlela afundisa ngayo abafundi bakhe emsebenzini wokushumayela nowokwenza abafundi. Isibonelo sakhe sokuthobeka sathinta izinhliziyo zabafundi bakhe, sabashukumisela ukuba balandele inkambo ebonisa ‘ukuthobeka kwengqondo nokubheka abanye njengabakhulu kunabo.’ (Fil. 2:3) Nanamuhla, abadala bashukumiseleka ukuba balandele isibonelo sikaJesu, futhi nabo bafuna ukuba “yizibonelo emhlambini.”
21. Imuphi umvuzo abadala abangawulindela?
21 UPetru waphetha isiyalo sakhe emadodeni amadala ngokubhekisela kulokho ababethenjiswe kona. (Funda eyoku-1 Petru 5:4.) Ababonisi abagcotshiwe ‘bayokwamukela umqhele wenkazimulo ongenakubuna’ kanye noKristu ezulwini. Abelusi abangaphansi ‘abangabezinye izimvu’ bayoba nelungelo lokwalusa umhlambi kaNkulunkulu emhlabeni lapho sekubusa “umalusi omkhulu.” (Joh. 10:16) Isihloko esilandelayo sizoxoxa ngezindlela amalungu ebandla angabasekela ngayo labo abamiswe ukuba bahole.
Ake Sibukeze
• Kungani kwakufaneleka ukuba uPetru ayale abadala ayekanye nabo ukuba beluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu abawuphathisiwe?
• Abadala kufanele babeluse kanjani labo abagulayo ngokomoya?
• Yini eshukumisela abadala ukuba beluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu abawuphathisiwe?
[Isithombe ekhasini 21]
Njengabelusi bangezikhathi zasendulo, namuhla abadala kumelwe bavikele “izimvu” abaziphathisiwe