Singamkhokhela Kanjani UJehova?
UJEHOVA UNKULUNKULU unikeza isibonelo esingcono kunazo zonke sokupha. Wanikeza sonke isintu “ukuphila nokuphefumula nakho konke.” (IzEnzo 17:25) UNkulunkulu wenza ukuba ilanga lakhe likhanyisele abantu ababi nabahle. (Mathewu 5:45) Ngempela, ‘uJehova usinikeza imvula evela ezulwini nezikhathi zenala, egcwalisa izinhliziyo zethu ngokuhle nangokujabula.’ (IzEnzo 14:15-17) Phela, “izipho zonke ezinhle neziphiwo zonke ezipheleleyo zivela phezulu, zehla kuYise wokukhanya”!—Jakobe 1:17.
Ngaphezu kwazo zonke izipho zezinto ezibonakalayo ezivela kuNkulunkulu, uthumela ukukhanya okungokomoya neqiniso. (IHubo 43:3) Izinceku zikaJehova ezithembekile zibusiswa ngokucebile ngokudla okungokomoya akunikeza ngesikhathi esifanele ‘ngenceku ethembekileyo neqondayo.’ (Mathewu 24:45-47) Singazuza emalungiselelweni kaNkulunkulu angokomoya ngoba uye wakwenza kwaba nokwenzeka ukuba abantu abanesono nabafayo babuyisane naye. Kanjani? Ngokufa kweNdodana yakhe, uJesu Kristu, eyanikela ukuphila kwayo kwaba isihlengo sabaningi. (Mathewu 20:28; Roma 5:8-12) Yeka isipho esivela kuNkulunkulu onothando, uJehova!—Johane 3:16.
Ingabe Kungenzeka Simkhokhele?
Emakhulwini amaningi eminyaka ngaphambi kokuba kulungiselelwe isihlengo, umhubi ophefumlelwe wayenokwazisa okujulile ngomusa, ukukhulula, nangosizo konke okuvela kuNkulunkulu waze wathi: “Ngiyakubuyiselani [ngiyakukhokhani, NW] kuJehova ngazo zonke izenzo zakhe ezinhle kimina na? Ngiyakuthatha indebe yensindiso, ngibize igama likaJehova. Izithembiso zami kuJehova ngiyakuzigcwalisa, yebo, nasebusweni babantu bakhe bonke.”—IHubo 116:12-14.
Uma sizinikezele kuJehova ngenhliziyo yonke, sibiza igama lakhe ngokholo sifeze nezifungo esizenze kuye. NjengoFakazi BakaJehova, singadumisa uNkulunkulu ngokukhuluma kahle ngaye ngazo zonke izikhathi nangokumemezela isigijimi soMbuso wakhe. (IHubo 145:1, 2, 10-13; Mathewu 24:14) Kodwa asinakumcebisa uJehova, ongumnikazi wazo zonke izinto, noma simkhokhele ngenxa yakho konke asizuzisa ngakho.—1 IziKronike 29:14-17.
Ukwenza iminikelo ukuze kuthuthukiswe izithakazelo zoMbuso akuyona indlela yokukhokhela noma ukucebisa uJehova. Nokho, ukupha okunjalo kusinikeza amathuba okubonisa uthando lwethu ngoNkulunkulu. Iminikelo eyenziwa ngomoya wokupha nangenjongo yokuthuthukisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso, hhayi ngesisusa sobugovu noma ukufuna ukwaziwa nodumo, ilethela lowo onikelayo injabulo nesibusiso sikaJehova. (Mathewu 6:1-4; IzEnzo 20:35) Umuntu angaqiniseka ngokuthi uyoba nesabelo ekupheni okunjalo nasenjabulweni eba ngumphumela ngokubekela eceleni njalo okuthile okuvela ezintweni zakhe ezibonakalayo azosekela ngakho ukukhulekela kweqiniso nokusiza abafanelekela ukusizwa. (1 Korinte 16:1, 2) Ingabe lokhu kufanele kwenziwe ngokunikela okweshumi?
Ingabe Kufanele Unikele Okweshumi?
UJehova wathi ngomprofethi wakhe uMalaki: “Ngenisani konke okweshumi endlini yengcebo ukuba kube-ngukudla endlini yami, ningivivinye ngalokhu, . . . uma ngingayikunivulela amafasitele asezulwini, nginithululele isibusiso kunokwaneleyo.”—Malaki 3:10.
Okweshumi kungamaphesenti ayishumi okunikelwa ngawo akhokhwa njengentela. Ukunikela okweshumi kwenzelwa ikakhulukazi izinjongo ezingokwenkolo. Kusho ukunikela ngokweshumi kweholo lomuntu ukuze kuthuthukiswe ukukhulekela.
Inzalamizi uAbrahama (uAbrama) wanikeza umpristi oyinkosi yaseSalema uMelkisedeki okweshumi kwempango ayeyithole lapho enqoba uKedorlawomere nabasizi bakhe. (Genesise 14:18-20; Heberu 7:4-10) Kamuva, uJakobe wafunga ukuthi uzonika uNkulunkulu okweshumi kwezinto ayenazo. (Genesise 28:20-22) Esimweni ngasinye, ukunikela okweshumi kwakwenziwa ngokuzithandela, ngoba lawomaHeberu okuqala ayengenamithetho eyayiwenza abe nesibopho sokunikela okweshumi.
Ukunikela Okweshumi Ngaphansi KoMthetho
Njengabantu bakaJehova, amaIsrayeli athola imithetho yokunikela ngokweshumi. Lemithetho ngokusobala yayihilela ukusetshenziswa kokweshumi okubili kweholo laminyaka yonke, nakuba ezinye izazi zicabanga ukuthi kwakukhokhwa okweshumi okukodwa kuphela ngonyaka. Okweshumi kwakungakhokhwa neze phakathi nonyaka weSabatha, ngoba kwakungekho holo elalilindelekile ngalesosikhathi. (Levitikusi 25:1-12) Kwakunikelwa ngokweshumi ngaphezu kolibo olwalunikelwa kuNkulunkulu.—Eksodusi 23:19.
Okweshumi kwezivuno ezivela enhlabathini nokwemithi yezithelo futhi ngokusobala nokokwanda kwezinkomo nezimvu kwakuyiswa ethempelini futhi kunikezwe amaLevi, wona ayengenalo ifa lezwe. Nawo, ayenikela okweshumi kwalokho ayekuthola ukuze asekele ubupristi bohlu luka-Aroni. Ngokusobala amabele ayebhulwa futhi isithelo somvini sasenziwa iwayini bese kuthi esomuthi womnqumo kwenziwe ngaso amafutha ngaphambi kokuba kwenziwe umnikelo wokweshumi. Uma umIsrayeli efisa ukunikela ngemali esikhundleni sesivuno, wayengakwenza lokho, uma nje ayezokwenezela okwesihlanu kwenani layo.—Levitikusi 27:30-33; Numeri 18:21-30.
Omunye umnikelo wokweshumi kubonakala sengathi wawubekelwa eceleni. Ngokuvamile, wawusetshenziswa umkhaya lapho abantu bebuthanela imikhosi ethile. Kodwa kwakwenziwa njani uma ibanga lokuya eJerusalema lalilide kakhulu ukuba lomnikelo wokweshumi ukwazi ukuthuthwa ngendlela elula? Khona-ke, amabele, iwayini elisha, amafutha, nezilwane kwakungase kwenanwe ngemali eyayingaphatheka kalula. (Duteronomi 12:4-18; 14:22-27) Njalo ngasekupheleni konyaka wesithathu nowesithupha wesiyingi senkathi yesabatha esiyiminyaka eyisikhombisa, okweshumi kwakubekwa eceleni ukuze kunikezwe amaLevi, abafokazi, abafelokazi, nezintandane.—Duteronomi 14:28, 29; 26:12.
Ngaphansi koMthetho, umuntu wayengajeziswa neze ngenxa yokuhluleka ukunikela okweshumi. Kunalokho, uJehova wayenikeze abantu bakhe isibopho esinamandla esishukunyiswa unembeza sokulungiselela iminikelo yokweshumi. Ngezinye izikhathi kwakumelwe basho phambi kwakhe ukuthi okweshumi kukhokhiwe konke. (Duteronomi 26:13-15) Noma yini eyayigodlwa ngokungafanele yayibhekwa njengento eyebiwe kuNkulunkulu.—Malaki 3:7-9.
Umnikelo wokweshumi wawungelona ilungiselelo elicindezelayo. Eqinisweni, lapho amaIsrayeli eyigcina lemithetho, ayechuma ngokwengeziwe. Okweshumi kwakuthuthukisa ukukhulekela kweqiniso ngaphandle kokugcizelela ngokungadingekile indlela yokwenza amalungiselelo akho ezinto ezibonakalayo. Ngakho, ilungiselelo lomnikelo wokweshumi lalizuzisa wonke umuntu kwaIsrayeli. Kodwa ingabe umnikelo wokweshumi ungowamaKristu?
Ingabe AmaKristu Kumelwe Anikele Okweshumi?
Esikhathini esithile, umnikelo wokweshumi wawuvamile kweLobukholwa. IEncyclopedia Americana ithi: “Waba . . . kancane kancane ovamile ngekhulu lesithupha leminyaka. UMkhandlu waseTours ngo-567 noMkhandlu wesibili waseMacon ngo-585 wasekela umnikelo wokweshumi. . . . Ukusetshenziswa kabi kwawo kwavama, ikakhulukazi lapho ilungelo lokuqoqa okweshumi ngokuvamile lalinikezwa noma lithengiselwe abantu abavamile. Kusukela kuPapa Gregory VII lomkhuba kwathiwa awuvunyelwe ngokomthetho. Abantu abavamile abaningi bayisa izincwadi ezazibagunyaza ukuqoqa umnikelo wokweshumi ezindaweni zezindela nasezikhulwini zesonto. INkathi Yezinguquko ayizange iwuqede umnikelo wokweshumi, futhi lomkhuba waqhubeka ukhona eSontweni LamaRoma Katolika nasemazweni obuProthestani.” Umnikelo wokweshumi wapheliswa noma wathathelwa indawo ngokuthile emazweni ahlukahlukene, futhi zimbalwa izinkolo manje ezisawenza.
Khona-ke, ingabe kuyadingeka ukuba amaKristu anikele okweshumi? Kuyikhonkodensi yakhe yeBhayibheli, uAlexander Cruden wathi: “UMsindisi wethu, noma abaphostoli bakhe abayalanga lutho ngalendaba yokweshumi.” Ngempela, amaKristu awazange ayalwe ukuba anikele okweshumi. UNkulunkulu ngokwakhe wawuphelisa uMthetho kaMose, kanye namalungiselelo awo omnikelo wokweshumi, ewubethela esigxotsheni sokuhlushwa sikaJesu. (Roma 6:14; Kolose 2:13, 14) Ngakho-ke, esikhundleni sokunikezwa imfuneko yokunikela ngenani elithile ukuze kukhokhwe izindleko zebandla amaKristu enza iminikelo yokuzithandela.
Dumisa UJehova Ngezinto Zakho Eziyigugu
Yiqiniso, uma umKristu ngokuzithandela ekhetha ukunikela okweshumi kweholo lakhe ukuze athuthukise ukukhulekela kweqiniso, ngeke kube khona ukwenqatshelwa okungokomBhalo kokwenza kwakhe iminikelo enjalo. Encwadini eyayihambisana nomnikelo walo, ibhungu elithile elineminyaka engu-15 ubudala ePapua New Guinea labhala: “Lapho ngisemncane, ubaba wayevame ukuthi kimi, ‘Lapho uqala ukusebenza, kumelwe unikele ngolibo kuJehova.’ Ngikhumbula amazwi ezAga 3:1, 9, athi kumelwe sinikele ngolibo kuJehova ukuze simdumise. Ngakho ngathembisa ukuthi ngizokwenza lokhu, futhi manje kumelwe ngisigcwalise isithembiso sami. Ngijabula kakhulu ngokuthumela lemali ukuze isize emsebenzini woMbuso.” IBhayibheli alisho ukuthi amaKristu kumelwe enze isithembiso esinjalo. Nokho, ukupha ngomusa kuyindlela enhle yokubonisa isithakazelo esijulile ekuthuthukiseni ukukhulekela kweqiniso.
UmKristu angase akhethe ukungamisi inani elithile azogcina kulo uma enza iminikelo yokuthuthukisa ukukhulekelwa kukaJehova uNkulunkulu. Ngokwesibonelo: Lapho besemhlanganweni woFakazi BakaJehova, odade ababili asebekhulile babexoxa ngeminikelo engase yenziwe yokusekela umsebenzi woMbuso. Ngokuqondene nokuthola ukudla endaweni yomhlangano, omunye walabodade, oneminyaka engu-87 ubudala, wabuza ukuthi kuyimalini ukuze anikele ngaleyomali. Lodade wesibili, oneminyaka engu-90 ubudala, wathi: ‘Nikela nje ngalokho ocabanga ukuthi kukufanele—futhi uthí ukwengeza kancane.’ Yeka isimo sengqondo esihle lodade osekhulile asibonisa!
Njengoba abantu bakaJehova bezinikezele ngokuphelele kuye, banikela bejabula ngemali nangeminye iminikelo ukuze basekele ukukhulekela kweqiniso. (Qhathanisa neyesi-2 Korinte 8:12.) Eqinisweni, indlela yobuKristu yokupha inikeza amathuba okubonisa ukwazisa okujulile ngokukhulekelwa kukaJehova. Ukupha okunjalo akugcini nje ngokweshumi futhi kungase kube nezimo lapho umuntu eshukunyiselwa khona ukuba anikele okwengeziwe ukuze kuthuthukiswe izithakazelo zoMbuso.—Mathewu 6:33.
Umphostoli uPawulu wathi: “Yilowo nalowo anikele njengalokho azikhethele khona enhliziyweni, kungabi-ngokudabuka nangokucindezelwa, ngokuba uNkulunkulu uyamthanda onikelayo ethokoza.” (2 Korinte 9:7) Uma unikela ngenjabulo nangomusa ukuze usekele ukukhulekela kweqiniso, kuyokuhambela kahle, ngoba isaga esihlakaniphile sithi: “Dumisa uJehova ngempahla yakho, nangolibo lwazo zonke izithelo zakho, izinqolobane zakho zigcwale ngobuningi, nezikhamo zakho zichichime ngewayini elisha.”—IzAga 3:9, 10.
Asinakumcebisa oPhezukonke. Lonke igolide nesiliva, izilwane ezisezinkulungwaneni zezintaba, nezinto eziyigugu ezingenakubalwa kungokwakhe. (IHubo 50:10-12) Ngeke nanini simkhokhele uNkulunkulu ngenxa yakho konke asizuzisa ngakho. Kodwa singabonisa ukwazisa kwethu okujulile ngaye nangelungelo lokunikela inkonzo engcwele ukuze adunyiswe. Futhi singaqiniseka ngokuthi izibusiso ezicebile ziza zigeleza kulabo abanikela ngezinhliziyo ezivulekile ukuze bathuthukise ukukhulekela okumsulwa nangenjongo yokudumisa uNkulunkulu onothando nophayo, uJehova.—2 Korinte 9:11.
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