Lingisa Isihe SikaNkulunkulu Namuhla
“Masiwele esandleni sikaJehova, ngokuba umusa [“isihe,” “NW”] wakhe mkhulu.”—2 SAMUWELI 24:14.
1. UDavide wazizwa kanjani ngesihe sikaNkulunkulu, futhi ngani?
INKOSI UDAVIDE yayazi kokuhlangenwe nakho ukuthi uJehova unesihe kakhulu kunabantu. Eqiniseka ngokuthi izindlela, noma imikhondo, kaNkulunkulu ingcono kakhulu, uDavide wafisa ukufunda izindlela zaKhe nokuhamba eqinisweni laKhe. (1 IziKronike 21:13; IHubo 25:4, 5) Ingabe uzizwa njengoDavide?
2. Yisiphi iseluleko uJesu asinikeza kuMathewu 18:15-17 ngokusingatha isono esingathi sína?
2 IBhayibheli lisinikeza ukuqondisisa umqondo kaNkulunkulu, ngisho nasezindabeni ezinjengokuthi yini okufanele siyenze uma othile esona. UJesu watshela abaphostoli bakhe, kamuva ababeyokuba ababonisi abangamaKristu: “Uma umfowenu ekona, hamba umsole ninodwa naye. Uma ekuzwa, woba umzuzile umfowenu.” Ububi obabuhilelekile lapha kwakungekhona nje ukweyiswa komuntu siqu kodwa kwakuyisono esingathi sína, njengokukhwabanisa noma ukunyundela. UJesu wathi uma lesinyathelo singayixazululi indaba futhi uma bekhona ofakazi, lowo owoniwe kufanele ahambe nabo ayonikeza ubufakazi bokuthi kunobubi obenziwe. Ingabe lesinyathelo siwumzamo wokugcina? Cha. “Uma [owonile] enqaba ukubezwa, tshela ibandla; uma enqaba ukuzwa nalo ibandla, makabe-kuwe njengowezizwe nomthelisi.”—Mathewu 18:15-17.
3. Wayesho ukuthini uJesu lapho ethi umenzi wobubi ongaphenduki kwakumelwe abe “njengowezizwe nomthelisi”?
3 Njengoba babengamaJuda, abaphostoli babeyoqonda ukuthi kusho ukuthini ukuphatha isoni “njengowezizwe nomthelisi.” AmaJuda ayebugwema ubudlelwane nabantu bezizwe, futhi ayewadelela amaJuda ayesebenza njengabathelisi bamaRoma.a (Johane 4:9; IzEnzo 10:28) Ngakho-ke, uJesu wayazisa abafundi ukuthi uma ibandla lenqaba isoni, kwakumelwe bayeke ukudlelana naso. Nokho, ingabe lokho kuvumelana kanjani nokuba kukaJesu nabathelisi ngezinye izikhathi?
4. Ngokucabangela amazwi akhe kuMathewu 18:17, kungani uJesu ayengasebenzelana nabathelisi abathile nezoni?
4 ULuka 15:1 uthi: “Kwase kusondela kuye bonke abathelisi nezoni ukumuzwa.” Akubona bonke abathelisi noma izoni ababelapho, kodwa “bonke” ngomqondo wokuthi abaningi. (Qhathanisa noLuka 4:40.) Yibaphi? Yilabo ababenesithakazelo sokuba izono zabo zithethelelwe. Ngaphambidlana abanye abanjalo babedonselwe esigijimini sokuphenduka sikaJohane uMbhapathizi. (Luka 3:12; 7:29) Ngakho lapho abanye befika kuJesu, ukushumayela kwakhe kubo akuzange kuseqe iseluleko sakhe esikuMathewu 18:17. Phawula ukuthi “abathelisi abaningi nezoni [bezwa uJesu] bamlandela.” (Marku 2:15) Laba akubona abantu ababethanda ukuqhubeka endleleni embi yokuphila, benqaba noma yiluphi usizo. Kunalokho, bezwa isigijimi sikaJesu futhi izinhliziyo zabo zathinteka. Ngisho noma babesaqhubeka bona, nakuba ngokunokwenzeka bezama ukwenza izinguquko, “umalusi omuhle” ngokushumayela kwakhe kubo wayelingisa uYise onesihe.—Johane 10:14.
Ukuthethelela, Isibopho SobuKristu
5. Siyini isimo sikaNkulunkulu esiyisisekelo ngokuthethelela?
5 Sinaleziqinisekiso ezifudumele zokuzimisela kukaBaba wethu ukuthethelela: “Uma sizivuma izono zethu, uthembekile, ulungile ukuba asithethelele izono, asihlambulule kukho konke ukungalungi.” “Nginilobela lokhu ukuba ningoni. Kepha uma umuntu ona, sinoMmeli kuYise, uJesu Kristu olungileyo.” (1 Johane 1:9; 2:1) Ingabe kungenzeka ukuba umuntu osusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni athethelelwe?
6. Umuntu osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni angathethelelwa kanjani futhi abuyiselwe?
6 Yebo. Ngesikhathi sokususa othile ekuhlanganyeleni ngenxa yesono ayengaphenduki kuso, abadala abamelela ibandla bayamchazela ukuthi kungenzeka ukuba aphenduke futhi athole intethelelo kaNkulunkulu. Angaba khona emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso, lapho engezwa khona isiyalo seBhayibheli esingamsiza ukuba aphenduke. (Qhathanisa neyoku-1 Korinte 14:23-25.) Ngesikhathi esifanele angase afune ukubuyiselwa ebandleni elihlanzekile. Khona-ke lapho abadala behlangana naye, bayozama ukuthola ukuthi uphendukile yini futhi wayishiya inkambo yakhe yesono. (Mathewu 18:18) Uma kunjalo, angase abuyiselwe, ngokuvumelana nesibonelo esikweyesi-2 Korinte 2:5-8. Esimweni lapho eseneminyaka eminingi asuswa ekuhlanganyeleni, kuyodingeka enze umzamo wokuzimisela wokuthuthuka. Angase futhi adinge usizo olukhulu ngemva kwalokho ekwakheni ulwazi lwakhe lweBhayibheli nokwazisa ukuze abe umKristu oqinile ngokomoya.
Ukubuyela KuJehova
7, 8. Yisiphi isibonelo uNkulunkulu asibeka ngokuphathelene nabantu bakhe abadingisiwe?
7 Kodwa ingabe abadala ngokwabo bangasithatha kuqala isinyathelo sokuya kumuntu osusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni? Yebo. IBhayibheli libonisa ukuthi isihe asibonakaliswa nje kuphela ngokugodla isijeziso okungasizi ngalutho kodwa ngokuvamile ngezenzo eziwusizo. Sinesibonelo sikaJehova. Ngaphambi kokuba adingise abantu bakhe abangathembekile, waveza ngokwesiprofetho ithemba lokubuya kwabo: “Khumbula lezizinto, Jakobe, wena-Israyeli, ngokuba uyinceku yami. . . . Ngesulile iziphambeko zakho njengefu, nezono zakho njengemilaza; buyela kimi, ngokuba ngikuhlengile.”—Isaya 44:21, 22.
8 Khona-ke, phakathi nokudingiswa, uJehova wathatha ezinye izinyathelo, enza ngendlela eqondile. Wathuma abaprofethi, abameleli bakhe, ukuba bameme uIsrayeli ukuba ‘amfune futhi amfumane.’ (Jeremiya 29:1, 10-14) KuHezekeli 34:16, wazifanisa nomalusi futhi abantu besizwe sakwaIsrayeli wabafanisa nezimvu ezilahlekile: “Ngiyakufuna ezilahlekileyo, ngibuyise ezixoshiweyo.” KuJeremiya 31:10, uJehova wasebenzisa futhi umfanekiso wokuba kwakhe umalusi wamaIsrayeli. Cha, akazange azifanekise njengomalusi osesibayeni sezimvu elindele elahlekile ukuba ibuye; kunalokho, wazibonisa njengomalusi ofuna ezilahlekile. Phawula ukuthi ngisho nakuba abantu bebonke babengaphenduki futhi bedingisiwe, uNkulunkulu waqalisa imizamo yokufuna ukuba babuye. Futhi ngokuvumelana noMalaki 3:6, uNkulunkulu wayengeke aguqule indlela yakhe yokusebenzelana elungiselelweni lobuKristu.
9. Isibonelo sikaNkulunkulu salandelwa kanjani ebandleni lobuKristu?
9 Ingabe lokhu akusikiseli yini ukuthi kungaba nesizathu sokuthatha izinyathelo ngabathile abasuswe ekuhlanganyeleni futhi manje okungenzeka baphendukile? Khumbula ukuthi umphostoli uPawulu wanikeza isiqondiso sokuba kususwe indoda embi ebandleni laseKorinte. Kamuva wanxusa ibandla ukuba liqinisekise uthando lwalo kuleyondoda ngenxa yokuphenduka kwayo, okwaholela ekubuyiselweni kwayo okwalandela ebandleni.—1 Korinte 5:9-13; 2 Korinte 2:5-11, qhathanisa neNW.
10. (a) Yisiphi isisusa okufanele sishukumise noma yimiphi imizamo yokuhlangana nabantu abasuswe ekuhlanganyeleni? (b) Kungani kungenakuba izihlobo ezingamaKristu ezisithatha kuqala isinyathelo sokuthintana nabo?
10 Iencyclopedia ecashunwe ngaphambili yathi: ‘Isizathu esiyisisekelo sokunquma ebandleni sasiwukuvikela izindinganiso zeqembu: “imvubelo encane ibilisa inhlama yonke” (1 Kor. 5:6). Lesisusa sicacile ezindimaneni eziningi ezingokweBhayibheli nezingekho ohlwini lwezincwadi ezingcwele, kodwa ukukhathalela lowomuntu, ngisho nangemva kokuxoshwa, kwakuyisisekelo sokunxusa kukaPawulu kweyesi-2 Kor. 2:7-10.’ (Omalukeke sizenzele.) Ngakho-ke, ngokunengqondo abelusi bomhlambi kufanele babonise ukukhathalela kwaloluhlobo namuhla. (IzEnzo 20:28; 1 Petru 5:2) Abangane bangaphambili nezihlobo bangase babe nethemba lokuthi osusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni uyobuya; nokho ngenxa yokuhlonipha umyalo okweyoku-1 Korinte 5:11, abazihlanganisi nomuntu oxoshiwe.b Bashiyela kubelusi abamisiwe ukuba bathathe isinyathelo sokubona ukuthi onjalo unaso yini isithakazelo sokubuya.
11, 12. Yiluphi uhlobo lwabaxoshiwe ngisho nabadala abangeke bafune ukuthintana nalo, kodwa yiluphi uhlobo abangaluhambela?
11 Ngeke kube okufanelekile ngisho nangabadala ukuba bathathe isinyathelo ngakwabathile abaxoshiwe, njengezihlubuki, ‘abakhuluma okudukisayo, bahunge abafundi ukubalandela.’ Laba ‘bangabafundisi bamanga abazama ukungenisa izifundiso zamanga ezibhubhisayo nokuxhaphaza ibandla ngamazwi obuqili.’ (IzEnzo 20:30; 2 Petru 2:1, 3) IBhayibheli futhi alisibeki isisekelo sokufuna abasuswe ekuhlanganyeleni abayizilwi noma abakhuthaza ngenkuthalo ukwenziwa kobubi.—2 Thesalonika 2:3; 1 Thimothewu 4:1; 2 Johane 9-11; Juda 4, 11.
12 Nokho, abaningi abaxoshiwe abafani nalabo. Omunye kungenzeka ukuthi sewabuyeka ububi obungathi sína ayesuselwe bona ekuhlanganyeleni. Omunye kungenzeka ukuthi wayesebenzisa ugwayi, noma kungenzeka ukuthi esikhathini esidlule wayephuza ngokweqile, kodwa manje akasazami ukuholela abanye ekwenzeni okubi. Khumbula ukuthi ngisho nangaphambi kokuba uIsrayeli odingisiwe abuyele kuNkulunkulu, wathumela abameleli ebanxusa ukuba babuye. Ukuthi uPawulu noma abadala basebandleni laseKorinte basithatha yini isinyathelo esithile sokuyobona indoda eyayisuswe ekuhlanganyeleni, iBhayibheli alisho. Lapho leyondoda isiphendukile futhi yayeka ukuziphatha kwayo okubi, uPawulu wayala ibandla ukuba liyibuyisele.
13, 14. (a) Yini ebonisa ukuthi abathile abaxoshiwe bangase basabele ekuthathweni kwezinyathelo zesihe? (b) Indikimba yabadala ingahlela kanjani ukuba kuthintwane nabo?
13 Ezikhathini zamuva kuye kwaba nezimo lapho kwenzeka ukuba umdala abonane nomuntu osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni.c Lapho kufanelekile, umalusi waveza kafushane izinyathelo okumelwe zithathwe ukuze abuyiselwe. Abanye abantu abanjena baphenduka futhi babuyiselwa. Imiphumela enjalo ethokozisayo ibonisa ukuthi kungase kube nabantu abasuswe ekuhlanganyeleni noma abahlukanisiwe abangasabela ekuvakashelweni kwesihe okwenziwa abelusi. Kodwa abadala bangayisingatha kanjani lendaba? Kanye kuphela ngonyaka, indikimba yabadala kufanele icabangele ukuthi bakhona yini abantu abanjalo abahlala ensimini yabo.d Abadala bayogxila kulabo asebenesikhathi esingaphezu konyaka baxoshwa. Kuye ngokwezimo, uma kufanelekile, bayokwabela abadala ababili (kwangathi kungaba yilabo abajwayelene nesimo) ukuba bavakashele lowomuntu. Ngeke bavakashelwe noma yibaphi ababonisa isimo sengqondo sokugxeka, esiyingozi noma abaye bakwenza kwaziwa ukuthi abalufuni usizo.—Roma 16:17, 18; 1 Thimothewu 1:20; 2 Thimothewu 2:16-18.
14 Abelusi ababili bangashaya ucingo babuze ukuthi bangavakasha yini isikhashana, noma bangaphambukela khona ngesikhathi esifanelekayo. Phakathi nokuvakasha, akudingekile ukuba babe nokhahlo noma ngisho babande kodwa kufanele babonakalise ngemfudumalo ukukhathalela kwabo kwesihe. Esikhundleni sokubukeza indaba edlule, bangaxoxa ngemibhalo yeBhayibheli enjengoIsaya 1:18 no–55:6, 7 noJakobe 5:20. Uma umuntu enesithakazelo ekubuyeleni emhlanjini kaNkulunkulu, bangamchazela ngomusa izinyathelo okufanele azithathe, njengokufunda iBhayibheli nezincwadi zeWatch Tower Society nokuba khona emihlanganweni eHholo LoMbuso.
15. Yini abadala abathintana nomuntu osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni okufanele bayikhumbule?
15 Labadala bayodinga ukuhlakanipha nokuqonda ukuze bathole ukuthi sikhona yini isibonakaliso sokuphenduka nokuthi kungatuseka yini okunye ukuhambela kokulandelela. Yebo, kufanele bakhumbule ukuthi abanye abantu abasuswe ekuhlanganyeleni abasoze ‘babuye baphenduke.’ (Heberu 6:4-6; 2 Petru 2:20-22) Ngemva kokuhambela, laba ababili bayonikeza umbiko omfushane ngomlomo eKomitini Yenkonzo Yebandla. Yona-ke iyobe seyazisa indikimba yabadala emhlanganweni olandelayo. Ukuthatha kwabadala isinyathelo sesihe kuqala kuyobe kubonakalisé umbono kaNkulunkulu: “Buyelani kimi, ngiyakubuyela kini, usho uJehova-Sebawoti.”—Malaki 3:7.
Olunye Usizo Lwesihe
16, 17. Kufanele sizibheke kanjani izihlobo ezingamaKristu zothile osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni?
16 Kuthiwani ngalabo kithi abangebona ababonisi futhi abangeke bazithathe izinyathelo ezinjalo ngabantu abasuswe ekuhlanganyeleni? Yini esingayenza ngokuvumelana nalelilungiselelo futhi silingise uJehova?
17 Uma nje othile esasusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni noma ezehlukanisile, sidinga ukulandela lomyalo: “Ningahlangani nomuntu obizwa ngokuthi ungumzalwane, uma eyisifebe, noma engohahayo, noma engokhonza izithombe, noma eyisithuki, noma eyisidakwa, noma engumphangi; ningaze nadla nokudla nonjalo.” (1 Korinte 5:11) Kodwa lesiqondiso esingokweBhayibheli akufanele sithinte umbono wethu ngamalungu omkhaya angamaKristu ahlala nomuntu osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni. AmaJuda asendulo ayesabela ngokunamandla kakhulu kubathelisi kangangokuthi inzondo yawo yayedlulela ngisho nasemkhayeni womthelisi. UJesu akazange akuvumele lokho. Wathi isoni esasenqaba usizo kwakumelwe siphathwe “njengowezizwe nomthelisi”; akazange asho ukuthi amalungu omkhaya wamaKristu kwakumelwe aphathwe kanjalo.—Mathewu 18:17.
18, 19. Yiziphi ezinye izindlela esingabonisa ngazo ubuKristu bethu ezihlotsheni ezithembekile zomuntu oxoshiwe?
18 Kufanele siwasekele ngokukhethekile amalungu alowomkhaya angamaKristu athembekile. Kungenzeka ukuthi kakade abhekene nobuhlungu nezithiyo ngenxa yokuhlala ekhaya nomuntu oxoshiwe empeleni ongase ayikhubaze iminako yawo engokomoya. Angase akhethe ukuba amaKristu angavakasheli ekhaya; noma uma efika ezobona amalungu omkhaya athembekile, angase angabi nayo inhlonipho yokungaziphazamisi izivakashi. Angase futhi avimbele imizamo yomkhaya yokuya kuyo yonke imihlangano yobuKristu yebandla nemikhulu. (Qhathanisa noMathewu 23:13.) Ngokuqinisekile siwafanele isihe sethu amaKristu asesimweni esibi kanjalo.—2 Korinte 1:3, 4.
19 Enye indlela esingabonisa ngayo isihe sothando ‘iwukukhuluma ngokududuzayo’ nokuba nezingxoxo ezikhuthazayo nabantu abanjalo abathembekile emkhayeni. (1 Thesalonika 5:14, qhathanisa neNW.) Kunamathuba amahle futhi okunikeza ukusekela ngaphambi nangemva kwemihlangano, lapho sisenkonzweni yasensimini, noma lapho sindawonye ngezinye izikhathi. Akudingekile ukuba sikhulume ngokususwa ekuhlanganyeleni kodwa singaxoxa ngezinto eziningi ezakhayo. (IzAga 25:11; Kolose 1:2-4) Nakuba abadala beyoqhubeka belusa amaKristu emkhayeni, singase sithole ukuthi nathi singavakasha ngaphandle kokusebenzelana nomuntu oxoshiwe. Uma umuntu osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni kwenzeka ephendula lapho sivakasha noma sishaya ucingo, singamane sicele isihlobo esingumKristu esisifunayo. Ngezinye izikhathi amalungu omkhaya angamaKristu angase akwazi ukwamukela isimemo sokuba eze ekhaya lethu ngenjongo yobudlelwane. Iphuzu liwukuthi: Wona—kungakhathaliseki ukuthi mancane noma madala—ayizinceku ezikanye nathi, amalungu athandekayo ebandla likaNkulunkulu, okungamelwe akhishwe inyumbazane.—IHubo 10:14.
20, 21. Kufanele sizizwe kanjani futhi senzeni uma umuntu ebuyiselwa?
20 Enye indawo esingabonisa kuyo isihe ivela lapho oxoshiwe ebuyiselwa. Imifanekiso kaJesu iqokomisa ukuthokoza ezulwini lapho ‘isoni esisodwa siphenduka.’ (Luka 15:7, 10) UPawulu walobela abaseKorinte maqondana nomuntu owayekade esuswe ekuhlanganyeleni: “Nimthethelele, nimduduze, funa onjalo ahlulwe ngukudabuka okukhulu. Ngalokho ngiyanincenga ukuba nimphathe ngothando.” (2 Korinte 2:7, 8) Masisebenzise lesoseluleko ngesizotha nangothando ezinsukwini nasemasontweni amaningi ngemva kokuba umuntu esebuyiselwe.
21 Umfanekiso kaJesu wendodana yolahleko uveza ingozi esidinga ukuyigwema. Indodana endala ayizange ithokoze ngokubuya kweyolahleko kodwa yacasuka. Kwangathi singebe njalo, sigcine inzondo ngobubi besikhathi esidlule noma sikhononde ngokubuyiselwa komuntu. Kunalokho, umgomo wethu uwukuba sibe njengobaba, owabonisa ukusabela kukaJehova. Ubaba wajabula ngokuthi indodana yakhe, eyayilahlekile futhi ibonakala ifana nesifile, yayitholakele, noma yabuye yaphila. (Luka 15:25-32) Ngokufanelekile, siyokhuluma ngokukhululekile nomzalwane obuyiselwe futhi size simkhuthaze. Yebo, kufanele sikwenze kube sobala ukuthi sibonisa isihe, njengoba kwenza uBaba wethu wasezulwini othethelelayo nonesihe.—Mathewu 5:7.
22. Yini ehilelekile ekulingiseni kwethu uJehova uNkulunkulu?
22 Akukho kungabaza ngokuthi uma sifuna ukulingisa uNkulunkulu wethu, kumelwe sibonise isihe ngokuvumelana nemiyalo yakhe nokwahlulela kwakhe ngokulunga. Umhubi umchaza ngalendlela: “UJehova unesihe nobumnene; uyephuza ukuthukuthela, mkhulu ngomusa. UJehova muhle kubo bonke; uyayihawukela imisebenzi yakhe yonke.” (IHubo 145:8, 9) Yeka isibonelo sothando amaKristu okufanele asilandele!
[Imibhalo yaphansi]
a “Abathelisi babedelelwa ikakhulukazi umphakathi wamaJuda wasePalestine ngezizathu eziningana: (1) babeqoqa imali yombuso wakwelinye izwe owawudle izwe lakwaIsrayeli, ngaleyondlela besekela lobudlova ngendlela engaqondile; (2) babaziwa kabi ngokungabi namahloni, beceba ngezithukuthuku zabanye abangabantu bakubo; futhi (3) umsebenzi wabo wawubenza bahlangane njalo nabeZizwe, okwakubenza babe ngabangcolile ngokwezinkonzo ezingokwenkolo. Ukweyiswa kwabathelisi kutholakala kokubili eT[estamenteni] E[lisha] nasezincwadini zorabi . . . Ngokwalokhu kwamuva, inzondo kwakumelwe idluliselwe ngisho nasemkhayeni womthelisi.”—The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
b Uma ekhaya lomKristu kunesihlobo esisusiwe ekuhlanganyeleni, lowo usazoqhubeka eyingxenye yemisebenzi nokusebenzelana komkhaya okuvamile, kwansuku zonke. Lokhu kungahlanganisa nokuba khona lapho kucatshangelwa ukwaziswa okungokomoya njengomkhaya.—Bheka INqabayokulinda kaNovember 15, 1988, amakhasi 19-20.
c Bheka iYearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses ka-1991, amakhasi 53-4.
d Uma noma yimuphi uFakazi, lapho eshumayela endlini ngendlu noma ngenye indlela, ezwa ngomuntu osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni ohlala kuleyonsimu, kufanele anikeze lokho kwaziswa kubadala.
Ingabe Uwaphawulile Lamaphuzu?
◻ AmaJuda ayebaphatha kanjani abathelisi nezoni, futhi kungani uJesu asebenzelana nabathile abanjalo?
◻ Yisiphi isisekelo esingokomBhalo esikhona sokuthathwa kwesinyathelo sesihe ngenxa yabaningi abalahlekile?
◻ Izindikimba zabadala zingasithatha kanjani isinyathelo esinjalo, futhi ngenxa yobani?
◻ Kumelwe sisibonise kanjani isihe kwababuyiselwe nasemikhayeni yabasuswe ekuhlanganyeleni?
[Ibhokisi ekhasini 23]
Noma ubani owake waba yingxenye yebandla likaNkulunkulu elihlanzekile nelijabulayo kodwa manje osuswe ekuhlanganyeleni noma ozehlukanisile akudingekile ukuba ahlale ekulesosimo. Kunalokho, angaphenduka futhi athathe isinyathelo sokuxoxa nabadala bebandla. Indlela ebuyayo ivulekile.
[Umthombo Wesithombe ekhasini 24]
Garo Nalbandian