UThando, “Isibopho Esiphelele Sobunye”
“Kepha, naphezu kwakho konke lokhu, yembathani uthando ngoba luyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.”—KOLOSE 3:14, “NW”.
1. Kungani umyalo okwabaseKolose 3:14 ungobeka inselele namuhla?
PHAKATHI kwezwe eligcwele inzondo nokwehlukana, umyalo oya koFakazi BakaJehova namuhla ovela eZwini likaNkulunkulu kwabaseKolose 3:14 ngempela ungobeka inselele. Cishe ubonakala ungongenakwenzeka, ngoba ubayala ngokuthi: “Phezu kwakho konke lokho yembathani uthando ngokuba luyisibopho sokuphelela.” Nakuba kunjalo, lowomyalo ophefumlelwe uyafezwa, kube udumo kuye.
2. Yini ebonakala iyisibopho esihlanganisayo phakathi kwezinhlangano zeLobukholwa, futhi lokhu kwenza eLobukholwa libe yingxenye yani?
2 Ngokungenakuphikwa, uthando njengesibopho esiphelele sobunye alukho kweLobukholwa, ngoba lihlukaniselwe ezinhlelweni zenkolo nezinhlangano ezishayisanayo ezingamakhulukhulu ezinezinkolelo zenkolo ezihlukene nezenzo. Ngokusobala, izinto ezibonakala zinjengesibopho esihlanganisayo ezimisweni zesonto zeLobukholwa ziyinzondo yalo nokumelana kwalo nebandla lobuKristu labantu bakaJehova abazinikezele nababhapathiziwe ofakazi bakhe banamuhla. (Isaya 43:10, 12) Ngokubonisa enjalo inzondo nokuphikisa, izinhlangano zenkolo zeLobukholwa zizenza ingxenye yezwe elingaphansi kokuqondiswa uSathane uDeveli, “unkulunkulu walelizwe.” (2 Korinte 4:4) Lokhu kunjengoba nje uMqalisi wobuKristu athi kwakuyoba njalo. Lapho enikeza inkulumo yakhe yokugcina kubaphostoli bakhe abathembekile, ngemva kokuhamba kwembuka uJuda Iskariyothi, uJesu wathi: “Nginiyala ngalezozinto, ukuze nithandane. Uma izwe linizonda, niyazi ukuthi langizonda mina ngaphambi kwenu. Uma beningabezwe, izwe belizakuthanda okwalo, kepha lokhu ningesibo abezwe kodwa nganikhetha mina ezweni kungalokho izwe linizonda.”—Johane 15:17-19.
3. Imuphi umbuzo ophakamayo maqondana nesisulu sokuzondwa yizwe?
3 Ngokwamazwi kaJesu, umbuzo ngokunengqondo uyaphakama, Iliphi iqembu lenkolo izwe namuhla, kuhlanganise neLobukholwa, nelilizondayo elilibheka ngenzondo enkulu? Umlando wesintu, ikakhulukazi kusukela eMpini Yezwe I, usiza noma imuphi obuza ngobuqotho ukuba ababone ngokungenzi-phutha.
4. Umyalo kaPawulu kwabaseKolose 3:14 usebenza kubani, futhi ubani onguYise ongokomoya wabo bonke abanjalo?
4 Emazwini okuvula encwadi yomphostoli uPawulu kwabaseKolose, oFakazi BakaJehova namuhla bayazi ukuthi umyalo wakhe usebenza ngokuqondile kubo: “Yembathani uthando, ngoba luyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.” [NW] Siyafunda: “UPawulu, umphostoli kaKristu Jesu ngentando kaNkulunkulu, noThimothewu umzalwane kubo abaseKolose, abangcwele nabazalwane abakholwayo [abasebunyeni] kuKristu; makube-kini umusa nokuthula okuvela kuNkulunkulu uBaba wethu.” (Kolose 1:1, 2) Nokho manje, ubani owayenguYise wasezulwini wawo wonke lawomaKristu ekhulu lokuqala emzini waseKolose, eAsia Minor? KwakunguYise woMholi wabo ongokomoya, uJesu Kristu, noYise unguNkulunkulu ‘ongoPhezukonke emhlabeni wonke’ futhi ‘ogama lakhe linguJehova.’—IHubo 83:18.
5. Labo uPawulu abalobela incwadi yakhe kumelwe babe abakhulekeli bakabani, futhi lokhu kwafanekiswa kanjani uJesu nomphostoli uJohane?
5 Ngakho-ke, labo uPawulu ayeqondise incwadi yakhe kubo kumelwe babe abakhulekeli bakaJehova uNkulunkulu, njengoba uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe enguye! Entabeni yokulingwa uJesu wasenqaba isipho sikaDeveli sezwe lonke uma nje uJesu ayengaguqa futhi amkhulekele. UJesu wamxosha ngokushesha uMlingi futhi wacaphuna umyalo ophefumlelwe: “Wokhuleka eNkosini uNkulunkulu wakho, umkhonze yena yedwa.” (Mathewu 4:8-11; Luka 4:8; Duteronomi 6:4, 5, 13) Ekulingiseni uJesu abafundi bakhe kumelwe bakhulekele uNkulunkulu ofanayo lowo yena ngokwakhe aye wamkhulekela njalo, uJehova. (Johane 20:17) Ngokuvumelana nalokhu, lapho umphostoli uJohane eguqa phansi ekhuleka phambi kwengelosi eyayimlethele isAmbulo, ingelosi yenqaba, yathi: “Khuleka kuNkulunkulu. Ngokuba ubufakazi bukaJesu bungumoya wokuprofetha.”—IsAmbulo 19:10; 1:1.
6. Kungemva kwayiphi inkambo yeLobukholwa umyalo okusAmbulo 18:4, 5 owaba ngophuthuma ngokwengeziwe, futhi obani abaye balalela lowomyalo, namuphi umphumela?
6 Ngemva kokuba iBabiloni Elikhulu, lenzele umbuso wezwe wenkolo yamanga irekhodi lokwedelela uNkulunkulu phakathi neMpi Yezwe I, umyalo waphezulu njengoba ubekwe kusAmbulo 18:4, 5 waba ophuthuma ngokwengeziwe kunasesikhathini sikamagazini INqabayokulinda yesiNgisi kaDecember 1880 noma ngaphambili, owukuthi: “Phumani kulo, bantu bami, ukuze ningahlanganyeli nalo izono zalo, nokuba ningamukeli okwezinhlupho zalo, ngokuba izono zalo zifinyelele ezulwini, noNkulunkulu wakhumbula ukungalungi kwalo.”a Ekulaleleni lowomyalo labo ababefuna ukuba “abantu” bakaJehova uNkulunkulu baphuma eBabiloni Elikhulu futhi babuthana ngenxa yobunye bobuKristu, ukuba bathuthukise lolothando, ‘oluyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.’ Bawathatha ngokungathi sína amazwi omphostoli kweyo-1 Korinte 14:33: “UNkulunkulu kasiye owesiyaluyalu kepha ngowokuthula.” Ngakho-ke, njengoba sibheka emabandleni angaphezu kwezinkulungwane ezingamashumi amane nantathu ofakazi bakaJehova namuhla, sicindezelwa ukuba sisho amazwi eHubo 133:
“Bheka, kuhle, kumnandi kangaka ukuba abazalwane bahlalisane ndawonye bemunye. Kufana namafutha amahle ekhanda ehlela esilevini, isilevu sika-Aroni, ehlela nasemphethweni wezambatho zakhe. Kufana namazolo aseHermoni ehlela ezintabeni zaseSiyoni. Ngokuba uJehova wayaleza khona isibusiso, yebo, ukuphila kuze kube phakade.”—IHubo 133:1-3.
7. Kuyisibopho sobani namuhla ukugcina lobubunye, futhi kungenxa yayiphi injongo uNkulunkulu avikela ofakazi bakhe phakathi neMpi Yezwe I?
7 Njengoba kwaba njalo ngebandla eKolose phakathi nekhulu lokuqala leNkathi yethu ebizwa ngokuthi eyobuKristu, kuyisibopho sofakazi bakaJehova banamuhla ukugcina lobubunye obuncomekayo bokuhleleka ngokwenhlangano nalelizwe elihlukene. Kunjalo ikakhulukazi kusukela ekupheleni ‘kwezikhathi ezimisiwe zabezizwe’ kulowonyaka wempi ka-1914! (Luka 21:24) Impi yezwe yokuqala yasongela khona kanye ukuba khona koFakazi BakaJehova njengenhlangano yobuKristu yeqiniso. Kodwa ngenxa yokushumayela ‘lezindaba ezinhle zombuso kuwo wonke umhlaba owakhiwe kube ubufakazi kuzo zonke izizwe’ uNkulunkulu uMninimandla onke akavumelanga ukuba izitha ezihlangene zeLobukholwa nobuqaba zibhubhise bonke oFakazi bakhe abagcotshiwe emhlabeni. (Mathewu 24:14; Marku 13:10) Onyakeni wokuqala ongemva kwempi ngo-1919 C.E. uJehova uNkulunkulu wabakhulula ekuboshweni kwabo futhi wabathumela emsebenzini wokushumayela phakathi kwazo zonke izizwe.
8. Njengoba eye wahluleka ukwephula lobobunye bobuKristu ngamasu angaphandle, uSathane uye wenzani ukuze azame ukwenza lokhu?
8 USathane uDeveli wahluleka ukubhubhisa oFakazi BakaJehova ngamasu angaphandle nangamanxusa, ngakho-ke kusukela lapho uye wazama ukuwohloza ubunye babo ngendlela yobuqili, ngokubhoboza ngaphakathi, phakathi kwenhlangano. Lokhu kwabikezelwa kusAmbulo isahluko 12:17, ngalamazwi: “Udrako wamthukuthelela owesifazane, wamuka, wayokulwa nabaseleyo benzalo yakhe, labo abagcina imiyalo kaNkulunkulu nabanobufakazi bukaJesu.”
Ubuntu Okumelwe Ubukhathalele
9. OFakazi BakaJehova kumelwe bazilinde kukuphi ukonakaliswa, futhi yini iHubo 91 eliyishoyo ngalokhu?
9 Inzondo izwe elibi elinayo iyasakazeka, njengoba uJesu Kristu ngokwakhe abikezela esiprofethweni sakhe ‘ngesiphelo sesimiso sezinto,’ ethi: “Kuyakuvela abaprofethi bamanga abaningi, badukise abaningi. Ngenxa yokwanda kokubi kuzakuphola uthando lwabaningi. Kodwa okhuthazelayo kuze kube sekupheleni nguyena oyakusindiswa.” (Mathewu 24:3, 11-13) Umoya wenzondo uthathelwana kakhulu, futhi ngisho namalungu enhlangano ebonakalayo kaJehova uNkulunkulu adinga ukuzilinda ekuthonyweni yiwo. Ukuthi singakwenza kanjani lokhu kuboniswa umhubi ophefumlelwe, ethi: “Yena owakhile ekusithekeni koPhezukonke nohlezi emthunzini kaSomandla uthi kuJehova: Uyisiphephelo sami nenqaba yami noNkulunkulu wami engimethembayo. Awuyikwesaba ivuso lasebusuku, nomcibisholo ondizayo emini, nobhadane oluhamba ebumnyameni, nesifo esibhubhisayo emini enkulu. Bayakuwa abayizinkulungwane ngaseceleni kwakho, nabayizinkulungwane eziyishumi ngakwesokunene sakho, kepha akuyikufinyelela kuwe. Uyakubuka nje ngamehlo akho, ubone ukuphindiselwa kwababi.”—IHubo 91:1, 2, 5-8.
10. Siyokugwema kanjani ukuba nobuntu obusenza sifane nabantu bezwe, futhi uNkulunkulu usibheka kanjani ngokuphambene nezwe elifile?
10 Siqinisekiswe ngesivikelo saphezulu, kodwa kumelwe sihlale phakathi kwezimo ezibekiwe ezihambisana naso. Uma sigwema ubungane obubulalayo ngokomoya nalelizwe eligulayo, siyobe asizembathisi ubuntu obuyosenza sifane nabantu balelizwe. Siyobe asizembathisi ngenzondo yalelizwe. Okuphikisana ngokuphelele nenzondo, uthando, uthando ngoJehova noKristu wakhe nabazalwane bethu nodade. Ubuntu obubonisa lemfanelo buwubuntu umphostoli uPawulu ophefumlelwe asitshela ukuba sibumbathe njengabafundi bakaJesu Kristu. Uma senza lokhu siyobe sizincoma ngokwethu kwabanye njengezikhonzi zikaNkulunkulu ‘ngothando olungenabuzenzisi.’ (2 Korinte 6:4-10) Loluthando lusuka kuNkulunkulu, futhi ukuba kwethu nalo kusho ukuthi sisebuhlotsheni naye ngokufulathela izwe ngokuqondene nokuvumelana ngokuphelele nalo. UNkulunkulu ubheka izwe njengelifile nalabo abayingxenye yalo njengabafile; ngokuqinisekile abaphili kuye. Ngokombono kaNkulunkulu thina bafundi abazinikezele nababhapathiziwe bakaJesu Kristu siyaphila; yebo, siphila njengengxenye yenhlangano yaKhe enothando. Ngakho-ke akuwona amazwi okweqisa lawo u-1 Johane 3:14 awashoyo lapho esitshela ukuthi: “Siyazi ukuthi sidlulile ekufeni, sangena ekuphileni, ngokuba sithanda abazalwane; ongathandiyo uhlezi ekufeni.”
11. Kukubuphi ubuzalwane uthando olusingenisa kubo?
11 Ngakho-ke siyabona ukuthi uthando lusingenisa ebuzalwaneni lobo uJesu Kristu, iNdodana kaNkulunkulu, angumfowethu omdala kubo. Lemfanelo yobuKristu iyisembatho okumelwe sibonise ngaso lokho esiyikho, ngaphandle kobuzenzisi. Iyisici esinika umqhele leso iZwi likaNkulunkulu elithi masisihlakulele futhi sisibonise.
12. Iziphi izinyathelo okumelwe zithathwe ukuze kuzuzwe lolothando, futhi ingabe izinto ezihlanganisa lezozinyathelo kumelwe ziyekwe ngemva kwalokho kamuva?
12 Ngokuqondakalayo kukhona izinyathelo ezithile umfundi olalelayo adinga ukuzithatha ukuze azuze uhlobo lothando oluqotho. Kulabo abaye bazibekela ngokwabo umklomelo okhazimulayo wokuphila kwaphezulu ezulwini, u-2 Petru 1:5-8 uthi: “Ngalokho nengezela inkuthalo yonke nelekele ubuhle ekukholweni, nasebuhleni ukwazi, nasekwazini ukuzithiba, nasekuzithibeni ukukhuthazela, nasekukhuthazeleni ukumesaba uNkulunkulu, nasekumesabeni uNkulunkulu ukuthanda abazalwane, nasekuthandeni abazalwane uthando. Ngokuba uma lezozinto zikhona kini zivama, ziyanenza ningabi-ngabavilaphayo nabangenazithelo ekwazini iNkosi yethu uJesu Kristu.” Izinto eziningi ezinezelwe akumelwe ziyekwe ngemva kokuba imfanelo eyinhloko yothando isifinyelelwe. Cha, kodwa ukholo, ubuhle, ulwazi, ukuzithiba, ukukhuthazela, ukwesaba uNkulunkulu nokuthanda abazalwane kumelwe kuhlale njengezingxenye ezibangela ukuphelela zabo bonke ubuntu bethu obugcwele. Kumelwe zivame zihambisana nothando. Lapho-ke labo abanezici ezinjalo zobuntu ezihlala njalo bayokwamukela umvuzo ezandleni zikaNkulunkulu esikhathini sakhe esifanelekile.
13. UPawulu uzandisa kanjani lezozinyathelo zokuqala kwabaseKolose 3:12-14?
13 Njengokwandisa izinto esidinga ukuzenza kithi ngokwethu ukuze sizuze umvuzo ofanelekile, lapha ngokufanelekile kungase kuphawulwe izimfanelo umphostoli uPawulu athi kumelwe sizembathe njengesibonakaliso sobuntu bethu. Ngaphambi kokuveza ukuthi siyini isibopho esiphelele sobunye, uPawulu uthi: “Ngakho-ke njengabakhethiweyo bakaNkulunkulu abangcwele nabathandekayo, yembathani ububele benhliziyo, nesisa, nokuzithoba, nobumnene, nokubhekakade, nibekezelelane, nithethelelane, uma umuntu enensolo komunye; njengokuba neNkosi yanithethelela, yenzani njalo nani. Kepha phezu kwakho konke lokho yembathani uthando oluyisibopho esiphelele sobunye.”—Kolose 3:12-14, qhathanisa ne-NW.
Umehluko Kulabo Abangenabo Ubunye
14. Amalungu ebandla lobuKristu ayeluhlobo luni lwabantu ngaphambi kokulalela iziyalo zabaphostoli?
14 Lezoziyalo zabaphostoli zibonisa uhlobo lwabantu amalungu ebandla lobuKristu okumelwe abe yilo. Ngaphambili ayeyingxenye yezwe elingenaluthando nelingenaNkulunkulu linazo zonke izimfanelo zobudeveli. Khona-ke ayenobuntu obunjani ngalesosikhathi? Kweyo-1 Korinte 6:9-11 umphostoli uPawulu uyakuveza lokhu, ethi: “Kepha kanazi yini ukuthi abangalungile abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu na? Ningadukiswa. Nazifebe, nabakhonza isithombe, naziphingi, nazihlobongi, nabesilisa abalalanayo, namasela . . . abayikulidla ifa lombuso kaNkulunkulu. Babenjalo abanye kini, kepha senahlanzwa, senangcweliswa, senalungisiswa ngegama leNkosi uJesu Kristu nangomoya kaNkulunkulu wethu.”
15. Kungani abantu bezwe bengenaso ‘isibopho sobunye’ esiphikelelayo?
15 Kungaba nzima ngabantu bezwe abachazwe ngenhla ukuba babe nesimo sokungabi nabugovu, nesimsulwa ukuba sisebenze njengesibopho esiphelele nesingenakunqamuka kubo. Ngempela, abanaso ‘isibopho esiphelele sobunye.’ Ngakho-ke, umphakathi wabantu ongaphandle ezweni elidala awubumbene. Izinto abazithanda ngokufanayo zingase zibahlanganise okwesikhashana. Kodwa ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, lapho lezo zinto abazikhathalela ngokufanayo zisuswa, abantu bezwe balahlekelwa isithakazelo omunye komunye. Izibopho ezihlanganisayo ziyaphela. Ngakho-ke ekugcineni, bamane nje babekezelelane njengabantu abangenakugwemana emphakathini.
16. Lapho sebekhululeke ezintweni ezibahlanganisayo okwesikhashana, abantu bezwe baphambukela kuphi, futhi ngani?
16 Ubuzwe! Ukushisekela izwe! Ukwehlukana okungokwenkolo! Ubuhlanga! Izinto ezinjalo ezivusa imizwelo, uma zike zathinteka, ziyogcwalisa abantu abahilelekile ngomuzwa wokuba nesibopho sokwenza okuthile. Kodwa ngaphezu kwalokho, abantu bahlala bengabantu abafanayo okuthi ubumina buze kuqala kubo. Ngakho-ke, lapho bengenzi lutho, lapho bekhululekile ekuzitikeni ngalokho abakuthandayo nabangakuthandi, bayozibonakalisa beyibo kanye labo bantu abadala abazikhonzayo. Nakuba ngenxa yezinkonzo ezivelele zezwe, noma ukuzinikezela okungazamazami ezweni, abantu abavumelana nalelizwe bangase baphakanyiswe futhi bangase bamenyezelwe njengabafanelwe udumo lwasezulwini nokudunyiswa, abakwazi, ngokwezindinganiso zeBhayibheli, ukubhekwa njengabafanelwe indawo eMbusweni wasezulwini kaJehova uNkulunkulu ukuba babuse noKristu.
17. Umbuso kaNkulunkulu ufunani kulabo abawufuna kuqala, futhi yini ebasizayo kulokhu?
17 UMbuso kaNkulunkulu awunabudlelwano nalelizwe nabantu abazinikezele kulo. Ekubhekaneni nokwehluleka okukhulu nokwesabekayo kwezwe elingaphansi kukaSathane ukuhlanganisa abantu abanamathele kulo, uMbuso kaNkulunkulu ngaphansi kukaKristu ufuna isenzo sobunye nenkonzo kulabo abangamaKristu azinikezele, nabhapathiziwe abafuna wona kuqala. LoMbuso uyisithelo sothando lukaNkulunkulu. Wona kanye umoya walowohulumeni wasezulwini uwuthando, ngaphezu kwakho konke uthando ngoNkulunkulu nenzondo ngesitha sakhe esikhulu, uSathane, nezwe ‘awunkulunkulu walo.’ Naphezu kwayo yonke imizamo kaSathane yokuhlakaza, loluthando oluvela kuJehova uNkulunkulu, uYise wasezulwini, luqhubeka lusebenza ‘njengesibopho esiphelele sobunye’ kubo bonke abanamathela enhlanganweni yakhe ebonakalayo yasemhlabeni, yebo, kuwo wonke umkhaya kaNkulunkulu wasezulwini nowasemhlabeni.
[Umbhalo waphansi]
a Ekhasini 6 lomagazini unesihloko esithi “IBabiloni Elikhulu.”
Ingabe Uyakhumbula?
□ AmaKristu eqiniso ahlanganiswa kanjani, ngokuphamene neLobukholwa?
□ USathane uzama kanjani ukwephula ubunye bethu bobuKristu?
□ ‘Singazembathisa kanjani uthando’ naphezu kwenzondo yezwe?
□ Uthando lungasihlanganisa kanjani ndawonye ngaphezu kwezibopho ezihlanganisayo ezweni?
[Isithombe ekhasini 13]
AmaKristu ayingxenye yobuzalwane obunothando uJesu Kristu awumfowabo omdala kuwo