Hlala Uqinile Okholweni!
Amaphuzu Avelele Avela Encwadini Yokuqala KaPetru
OFAKAZI BAKAJEHOVA babhekana nezilingo ezihlukahlukene, noma ukuvivinywa kokholo lwabo. Emazweni athile, umsebenzi wabo wokushumayela ngoMbuso wenziwa naphezu koshushiso. Oshoshozela lemizamo kanye neminye yokuqeda ubuhlobo babo noNkulunkulu uSathane uDeveli. Kodwa ngeke aphumelele, ngoba uJehova uyaziqinisa izinceku zakhe—yebo, ziqine okholweni.
Umphostoli uPetru wayenelungelo ‘lokuqinisa abafowabo’ ‘ababedabukiswa ngezilingo ezinhlobonhlobo.’ (Luka 22:32; 1 Petru 1:6, 7) Wenza kanjalo encwadini yakhe yokuqala, eyalotshwa cishe ngo-62-64 C.E. eBabiloni. Kuyona uPetru weluleka, waduduza, futhi wakhuthaza amaKristu angamaJuda nangabeZizwe, ewasiza ukuba amelane nokuhlasela kukaSathane futhi ahlale ‘eqinile ekukholweni.’ (1 Petru 1:1, 2; 5:8, 9) Manje njengoba isikhathi sikaDeveli sesisifushane futhi ukuhlasela kwakhe kunonya kakhulu, ngokuqinisekile abantu bakaJehova bangazuza emazwini kaPetru aphefumlelwe.
Ukuziphatha Okusekelwe Ezimisweni Zokwesaba UNkulunkulu
Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi ithemba lethu lingelasezulwini noma lingelasemhlabeni, kufanele lisisize ukuba sikhuthazelele izilingo futhi senze ngendlela yokwesaba uNkulunkulu. (1:1–2:12) Ithemba lefa lasezulwini libangela abagcotshiwe ukuba bajabule naphezu kwezilingo, empeleni ezicwengisisa ukholo lwabo. Njengendlu engokomoya eyakhiwe phezu kwesisekelo sikaKristu, benza imihlatshelo engokomoya eyamukelekayo kuNkulunkulu futhi baziphatha ngendlela enhle elethela Yena inkazimulo.
Ukusebenzelana kwethu nabo bonke abantu esikanye nabo kumelwe kubuswe imithetho yokwesaba uNkulunkulu. (2:13–3:12) UPetru wabonisa ukuthi kufanele sizithobe kubabusi abangabantu. Izinceku kwakumelwe zizithobe ngaphansi kwabaphathi bazo, futhi abafazi bazithobe kubayeni babo. Ukuziphatha komfazi ongumKristu kokwesaba uNkulunkulu kungase kuzuze umyeni wakhe ongakholwa eze okholweni lweqiniso. Futhi indoda ekholwayo kufanele ‘inike umkayo udumo njengesitsha esibuthaka.’ Wonke amaKristu kufanele ahawukelane, abe nothando lobuzalwane, enze okuhle, futhi aphishekele ukuthula.
Ukukhuthazela Kuletha Izibusiso
Ukukhuthazelela kwamaKristu eqiniso ukuhlupheka ngokwethembeka kuyophumela ezibusisweni. (3:13–4:19) Uma sihlupheka ngenxa yokulunga, kufanele sijabule. Ngaphezu kwalokho, njengoba uKristu ahlupheka enyameni ukuze asiholele kuNkulunkulu, akufanele siphile ngokuvumelana nezinkanuko zenyama. Uma sikhuthazelela izilingo ngokwethembeka, siyohlanganyela enjabulweni enkulu ekwambulweni kukaJesu. Ukuthwala isihlamba ngenxa yegama likaKristu, noma njengabafundi bakhe, kufanele kusijabulise ngoba kubonisa ukuthi sinomoya kaJehova. Ngakho njengoba sihlupheka ngokuvumelana nentando kaNkulunkulu, masizenze situseke kuye futhi siqhubeke senza okuhle.
NjengamaKristu, sidinga ukwenza imisebenzi yethu ngokwethembeka futhi sizithobe phansi kwesandla sikaNkulunkulu esinamandla. (5:1-14) Abadala kumelwe beluse umhlambi kaNkulunkulu ngokuzithandela, futhi sonke kufanele siphonse izinkathazo zethu kuJehova, siqaphela ukuthi uyasikhathalela ngempela. Sidinga futhi ukumelana noDeveli futhi singalokothi sidangale, ngoba abazalwane bethu babhekana nezinhlupheko ezifanayo nesibhekana nazo. Masikhumbule njalo ukuthi uJehova uNkulunkulu uyosiqinisa futhi uyosenza sikwazi ukuhlala siqinile okholweni.
[Ibhokisi/Isithombe ekhasini 30]
Ukuhloba Kwabesifazane: Eluleka abesifazane abangamaKristu, uPetru wathi: “Ukuhloba kwenu makungabi-ngokwangaphandle, okokwaluka izinwele, nokokufaka igolide, noma okokugqoka izingubo, kepha makube-ngumuntu osithekileyo wenhliziyo ohloba ngokungabhubhiyo komoya omnene onokuthula, okuyigugu phambi kukaNkulunkulu.” (1 Petru 3:3, 4) Phakathi nekhulu lokuqala leminyaka C.E., abesifazane abangamaqaba ngokuvamile babenezinwele ezilukwe ngokuyinkimbinkimbi, beqhina izinwele zabo ezinde zibe izitayela ezeqisayo futhi befaka imihlobiso yegolide emiyekweni. Ngokunokwenzeka, abaningi babenza kanjalo njengendlela yokubukisa—okuyinto engafanelekile kumaKristu. (1 Thimothewu 2:9, 10) Nokho, akukhona konke ukuhloba okungalungile, ngoba uPetru uhlanganisa ‘nokugqoka izingubo’—ngokusobala okudingekile. Amatshe ayigugu futhi ayesetshenziswa izinceku zikaNkulunkulu zezikhathi zasendulo. (Genesise 24:53; Eksodusi 3:22; 2 Samuweli 1:24; Jeremiya 2:32; Luka 15:22) Nokho, owesifazane ongumKristu ngokuhlakanipha ugwema imihlobiso ewubukhazikhazi nezingubo ezivusa inkanuko futhi kufanele aqikelele ukuthi noma ikuphi ukusetshenziswa kwezimonyo kuyamukeleka. Iphuzu leseluleko somphostoli liwukuthi akufanele agcizelele ekuhlobeni kwangaphandle, kodwa kokwangaphakathi. Ukuze akhange ngempela, kumelwe agqoke ngokuzothile futhi abe nokubukeka komuntu owesaba uNkulunkulu.—IzAga 31:30; Mika 6:8.
[Umthombo]
Israel Department of Antiquities and Museums; Israel Museum/David Harris